Sound Check ✓

Big Brother has always been very sensitive to loud sounds. His noise sensitivity was one of the glaring red flags that eventually led us to the realization that he had sensory processing issues. It is one of the symptoms that has impacted our family's normal daily life the most.

So you can imagine what an amazing feeling it was today when I realized we can officially check "noise sensitivity" off the list of sensory processing issues we are managing.  ✓

Big Brother helped mow the lawn! This is HUGE considering that just a few short months ago, he wouldn't tolerate being anywhere in the vicinity of a lawn mower. My husband and I were excited enough that he was willing to stand in the yard when the mower was on. So, when Big Brother asked to help push the mower, we just stared at each other in happy disbelief.

We've seen a gradual improvement over the past few months. At first, he just managed to cope by covering his ears or avoiding certain situations. Then, he started to realize that the sounds didn't bother him as much as they use to, but his fear lingered a little. Now, his noise sensitivity seems to be almost non-existent and the fear is not far behind.

He is no longer having trouble with the blender or the vacuum (I love to hear him say proudly, "I'm not afraid of the vacuum anymore!"). We even had a successful trip to the movies and a show at a theme park. I was also amazed at how well he handled several hours worth of loud noises at my sister's graduation ceremony yesterday.

I can't help but wonder if this progress is a direct result of the occupational therapy, or if it's something that would have happened naturally on it's own. It's hard for me to understand how his therapy - which entails activities such as playing in a ball pit and swinging on a therapy swing - could help regulate his audio processing. In the end, it doesn't matter, and I'm not going to look this gift horse in the mouth!