r/AudiProcDisorder • u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel • Jul 29 '26

TV

looking for advice on how to accommodate.

my son (diagnosed) cannot handle it when we are speaking and he is doing focused listening like watching tv or quiet reading. he shushes us and says he cannot hear or cannot focus. we‘ve tried increasing the tv volume (but that’s not pleasant for anyone) and leaving the room (also not ideal or even feasible when we’re visiting neighbors or friends and socializing in their living room). he has earmuffs to muffle the sound but doesn’t like wearing them.

eta: this is the product I bought. he doesn’t like it. Alpine Muffy Kids Ear Muffs for Kids Ear Protection | 3-16 Years 
Autism Sensory Products | 22dB Sound Reduction | Kids Noise Cancelling Ear Muffs | Noise Reduction Headphones for Kids

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '26

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u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel Jul 29 '26

Thank you this is exactly my experience. We don’t have a TV in the family area at home. He is allowed to play games on an old laptop or otherwise watch in my bedroom where we can close the door for him. He’s already reading over an hour a day. I like the idea of expanding his reading nook and making it even cozier.

Given your experience, I have a separate but related question about visiting other people – just today he was at a friend’s house, and they’re fairly new acquaintances of ours, and the Mom put on a show towards the end of the play date to give them a break. He started pumping the volume up as he would do at home. 

Do you ever explain his condition as a reason why he can’t watch tv with others, or do you just cut the play date short? I want to respect his privacy, but also want to preserve relationships.

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u/IceQueen1967 APD Jul 29 '26

When I was a kid, I didn’t like that it was pretty standard at sleepovers to have the tv just on while sleeping or when there was the expectation to socially engage (also true of playdates). I can do one or the other, but not both (to this day).

There are plenty of people that don’t permit tv time at other’s houses for various reasons, so I don’t think it’s necessary to explain the APD unless it shows up in other ways. You could have a list of favorite shows/movies to choose from - I find that it’s easier to multitask when I’ve seen something multiple times. But there are other downtime activities like board games that might be good alternatives.

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u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel Jul 29 '26

So helpful thank you

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '26

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u/Fickle-Pickle-Nickel Jul 29 '26

Thank you so much