David is a wonderful 7-year-old boy who loves being at his home. Home is a special place where David feels safe and happy. At home, David has a best friend, his playful dog, Pete. Pete has soft, brown fur and a wagging tail. Pete loves to play with David, and they often play fetch with a squeaky toy in the living room.
Sometimes, things at home can feel a little different for David. David has super-sensing ears, which means he can hear sounds very clearly. Most of the time, this is great! David can hear the gentle patter of rain outside or the soft purr of Pete when he’s happy. But sometimes, when many sounds happen at once, or if a sound is very loud, it can make David’s ears feel a little overwhelmed. It’s like his ears are getting too much information all at once, and it can make David feel a bit fuzzy or anxious.
One sunny afternoon, David was playing with Pete. Pete found his favorite squeaky toy and started squeaking it very loudly. Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Then, Mom turned on the blender to make a smoothie for lunch. Whirr! Whirr! Whirr! And then, the delivery truck outside made a loud BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! All these sounds together felt like a big, jumbly noise party inside David’s head. His tummy started to feel a little wobbly, and his super-sensing ears felt a little too full. David felt a bit unfocused and perhaps a little worried.
When David feels many sounds at once, he has some special tools that can help him. David can tell a trusted grown-up, like Mom or Dad, how he is feeling inside. He can say, “My ears feel fuzzy,” or “These sounds are a lot for me right now.” Mom and Dad understand David’s super-sensing ears and want to help.
Another helpful tool is David’s noise-reducing headphones. These headphones are soft and fit nicely over David’s ears. When he puts them on, loud sounds become softer and gentler. It’s like turning down the volume knob on the world, making it much easier for David’s ears to relax. David can keep his headphones in a special basket in the quiet corner of his room, ready for when he needs them.
David can also go to his quiet corner. This is a cozy spot with soft pillows and blankets, and sometimes even a calming picture book. In his quiet corner, David can take three slow, deep breaths. He can breathe in slowly through his nose, hold for a count of three, and then breathe out gently through his mouth like he’s blowing out a candle. Doing this helps his body feel calm and helps his ears feel less overwhelmed.
Sometimes, Pete even knows when David needs quiet. Pete might come and gently rest his head on David’s lap, offering a soft, comforting presence. Pete’s soft fur feels nice to stroke, and it helps David focus on a gentle feeling instead of overwhelming sounds.
David is learning more about his super-sensing ears every day. He knows that his home is a wonderful place, and he has great ways to help himself when sounds feel like too much. By using his voice, his headphones, his quiet corner, and gentle breathing, David can feel calm and happy at home, ready for more fun with Pete.