Adjustment to everyday life for hearing or auditory challenges

	Hear
Activity	Overreactive	Avoider
Dress	Tell child what you are doing, then be quiet.	Create rituals so you do not have to talk during dressing.
Eat	Use coated or plastic utensils to reduce noise. Have one person talk at a time.	Run fan directed away from the child, to create “white” noise.
Play	Play even tempo background music during play time. Monitor child’s need to move away.	Run fan directed away from the child, to create “white” noise. Find closed in quiet places for the child to play/rest turn off TV, radio, close windows. Limit unstructured time.
Going Out	Limit the amount of time in loud public places. Use ear plugs/ear muffs.	Go out during nonpeak times.
Bath	Play soft background music during bath. Tell child what you are doing, and then be quiet or hum.	Close bath door. Draw bath before child is in bathroom.
Sleep	Turn off sound sources.	Run fan directed away from child, to create “white” noise. Find closed in quiet places, turn off TV, radio, close windows.

	Hear
Activity	Underreactive	Seeking
Dress	Talk about what the child and you are doing as you do it.	Explain dressing routine as you go. Open windows for ambient sound
Eat	Provide lively music background.	Play background music. Talk about the day.
Play	Provide toys that make sounds. Talk to the child. Make joyful sounds together.	Provide a variety of musical instruments.
Going Out	Talk a lot, varying voice intonation. Point out sounds you hear.	Tell child what you see, hear, smell; ask what they are noticing.
Bath	Provide lively music background or sing during bath.	Provide lively music background or sing during bath.
Sleep	Play calming music.	Create bedtime voices for talking.