26.05.2022

The newborn is frightened by sharp sounds. A child is afraid of loud sounds and noise: reasons for fear and advice from a psychologist. Art and fairy tale therapy

Children's fears are an important component of a child's development precisely because by overcoming them, the child grows up and his nervous system becomes stronger. However, for parents, the appearance of certain phobias in a baby, in particular if the baby is afraid of loud sounds, raises a lot of questions, the essence of which boils down to the following: is everything normal with the baby? Let's look at the reasons and methods of dealing with the fear of loud noises in children of different ages.

phone calls;
loud laughter or coughing, snoring of the father;
the buzzing of a coffee grinder, drill;
singing of a wind-up toy;
dog's bark;
playing guitar;
the sound of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc.

These manifestations should not cause concern to parents: up to 1–2 years of age, almost all fears are inherent in children by nature for the proper development of the baby’s nervous system. This reaction is checked by the Moro reflex - it is also called the startle reflex. In response to an external stimulus, the baby throws up his arms and seems to be trying to grab onto something. The Moro reflex appears immediately after birth and is an important indicator of the development of the child’s nervous system; it fades away by 4–5 months of life.

The newborn moves his arms to the sides and opens his fists - phase I of the Moro reflex

This is interesting. Natural fears also include the fear of being left without a mother, the fear of strangers, and the dark. But they should be distinguished from acquired phobias, which arose as a reaction to a specific situation: for example, fear of water after an unsuccessful dive while swimming.

If by the age of 3 the fear of loud and sudden sounds has not passed, then this may indicate that your child’s nervous system is too sensitive. And in this case, you need to consult a pediatrician or neurologist. Or the fear has become acquired due to the fact that parents do not help correct the situation, but, on the contrary, only aggravate it with reprimands, ridicule, shouting and excessive emotionality. Yes, the cry “Don’t go there - you’ll fall!” will be effective at that second, but it is not a fact that the child will not climb there again - this is one thing, and secondly, such a reaction from a loved one will definitely cause stress, inhibiting any fight against fears. Often, the described fear develops on the basis of negative memories: the baby heard his parents talking in a raised voice, and now any change in voice towards shouting is perceived as a threat to calm and safety.

Sometimes even speaking in a raised voice can make fear worsen

This is interesting. The fear of loud, sharp sounds and devices that make them is called ligyrophobia.

What to do if your baby is scared

If a little coward flinches at the slightest rustle, mom and dad should understand that at this stage of development the baby perceives the world around him this way, and this will pass.

It is much more dangerous if parents punish or respond sharply to the manifestation of such a reaction in the baby: the baby may begin to hide his fear, but this will not go away; on the contrary, it will only intensify.

This is interesting. Too much noise around causes the child’s hearing system to lose sensitivity, the heart begins to malfunction, and the brain cells become overstrained. As a result, anxiety arises, children smile less and less, cannot completely relax, get tired quickly and sleep poorly.

Tactile contact with mother is very important to calm the child

How to help a baby under one year old: using voice and tape recorder

Take a comprehensive approach to solving the problem. To do this you need:
Talk to your child as much as possible using one calm intonation. It is very useful if, from infancy, the baby hears male voices, which will help him get used to the unusual tone of sound.
Periodically play beautiful and melodic music for your child (preferably classics, for example, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.). By the way, such support will help cope with other types of fear, for example, fear of water at an early stage of development.
Under no circumstances should you create ideal conditions for sleep, that is, turn off all devices and “walk on air” yourself. This way you will protect your baby from waking up in the event of a sharp sound, for example, the creaking of a door opening or a doorbell ringing. So say yes to having the TV on at a low volume or having a quiet conversation.

How to help a child from 1 to 3 years old: accustoming him to music and household appliances

In addition to the techniques described above, there are several more ways to correct the situation:

If you hear a loud sound, there is no need to jump up or scream - try to control yourself. Not only do you save your nervous system, but also don’t set the wrong example for your baby. After all, at 2–3 years old, toddlers begin to imitate adults.
If possible, show your child the source of the noise, such as a humming vacuum cleaner or a honking car. Even better - let him hold a vibrating and “singing” phone or a working hair dryer.
Children should understand that household appliances make noise, but there is nothing to worry about
Teach your child to make noise. In the sense of screaming, howling like a wolf, growling like a bear, purring like a cat, etc. Let him do the favorite pastime of all children - rattle pots. These sounds are pronounced at different pitches, that is, having become carried away by the game, the baby will react more calmly to noises of different strengths.
All children love to make noise, and rightly so.
Make up a fairy tale. If the little one is afraid of a specific noise, for example, a working hair dryer, come up with him a fairy tale about an enchanted sound that is forced to hide in the device from an evil witch and only when the hair dryer is on can it go out for a quiet walk. That is, this noise is not terrible, on the contrary, it should be pitied. You can also draw an illustration for a fictional story.
Take care of your child's peace of mind. Perhaps the baby is often overexcited and hyperactive. In this case, baths with a soothing mixture will be useful. Although this seemingly harmless measure should be agreed upon with the doctor.

Parents should treat their little cowards with understanding and patience: not shout, but calm and encourage

This is interesting. If a child is constantly afraid of strong noises, reacts too emotionally to them, even to the point of hysteria, has difficulty calming down, and is choked by fear, then the baby must be shown to a neurologist to identify disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and choose adequate treatment.

Komarovsky's opinion: show the household appliance - the source of noise

Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, an experienced pediatrician, author of books on raising children, believes that the best way to rid a normally developing baby of the fear of loud noise is to show the source of this noise. This is the only way to restore the child’s sense of security, which he, in his opinion, may lose as a result of such strong noises.

To dispel children's fear, be sure to show them the source of the noise so that it is clear that it is “an everyday matter.”

In fact, the reason for such fears is the lack of a sense of security. That uncle - oh, horror! - will take the child, and the parents - Oh, horror, horror! - they will give it to this uncle. You’ll have to make the joke true: go to your neighbors’ house and see who’s knocking there. That this is an uncle, that he really works, that he knocks with this thing. And the main thing is that he doesn’t need your child, and you won’t let anyone offend your baby.

Fear of loud noise in children with organic brain lesions

Organic brain lesions are a group of diseases in which structural pathological changes occur in brain tissue. Neurologists prove that such a diagnosis can be made in 9 out of 10 patients of different ages. But if changes in tissues affect more than 20–50% of the brain, then symptoms of a particular disease or tumor begin to appear. In children, organic lesions are associated with perinatal brain damage. These include maternal diseases, including various infections, genetic pathology, hypoxia or ischemia during childbirth, radiation exposure, etc. With complications, these disorders can develop into cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, mental retardation and epilepsy. In children with such diagnoses, fear of loud sounds is one of the characteristic symptoms.

Fear of loud noises is a hallmark of autism

To provide assistance, it is necessary to strictly follow the specialist’s recommendations regarding therapy, including physiotherapy, and also use the techniques recommended by psychologists to help the child overcome ligyrophobia. However, remember that in children with developmental disabilities, the use of any behavior correction methods must be agreed upon with the doctor observing the child.

Fear of loud sounds is a natural manifestation of the development of the nervous system of a healthy child under 3 years of age. The task of parents is to find the right approach to calm the baby, to return him to a sense of confidence in safety, which only mom and dad can fully guarantee. So don't panic if your little coward is startled by a vibrating phone or the hum of a vacuum cleaner. Just patiently help your little one through this stage of growing up.

Higher philological education, 11 years of experience teaching English and Russian, love for children and an objective view of modernity are the key lines of my 31-year-old life. Strengths: responsibility, desire to learn new things and self-improvement. Rate this article:

Of course, an overreaction to any more or less loud sound can be provoked by certain diseases, but do not rush to panic: fear of sudden noises is natural for children.

Interesting! Some children with noisy neighbors even fall asleep to the sound of the drill!

If you notice that a child is afraid of loud sounds and noise, although this has not happened before, this is a reason to start worrying and try to figure out what triggered the sudden fear.

The main causes of fear

So, why is a child afraid of loud sounds:

Overly sensitive child;

Usually, by the age of three or four years, the fear of noises goes away, but if a child at 5 years old is afraid of loud sounds, this indicates an overly sensitive nervous system. Hyperactive, excitable children flinch from any external influence.

Experienced stress;

The child was frightened by a dog barking or someone shouted sharply at him. Or, let’s say he was sleeping and suddenly woke up from a loud noise nearby. Even Napoleon was afraid of cats, because as a child one of them suddenly jumped into his bed! Therefore, such shock situations must be corrected so that unjustified fear does not carry over into adulthood.

Diseases associated with the ears;

Be sure to go to an ENT specialist so he can check for inflammation. Especially if the child has become afraid of loud sounds after suffering from an illness. Bronchitis, laryngitis, otitis - any disease associated with the ENT organs.

A child may be afraid not of the sounds themselves, but of what accompanies them.

Not screams as such, but the fact that then the parents are in a bad mood, which the children feel. Not the music, but the feeling of fatigue after listening to it for a long time. Watch. For example, I noticed that my child was afraid of the sound of the vacuum cleaner after he had a dream that the vacuum cleaner exploded.

Age-related characteristics of fear

Babies under 2 months may not respond to noises at all, no matter how strong they are, these are developmental features (find out what happens in the second month of a child’s life in the article: What should a child be able to do at 2 months?)

There is a list of sounds that a large number of children experience an incomprehensible fear of. It is incomprehensible from our point of view, but biologically everything is quite understandable. These are aggressive sounds that can signal danger.

Don’t laugh or intimidate even more; each time explain the origin of the disturbing sounds and be sure to calm them down. Children are most afraid of losing their mother, and any anxiety is connected, directly or indirectly, with this.

So, here is a list of “alarming” sounds for a child of any age.

Noise from household appliances: vacuum cleaner, mixer, hair dryer;
Loud voices, swearing, screaming;
A sharp car horn, the sound of a starting engine, the noise of a motorcycle;
Music with bass, turned on at full volume. My friend’s daughter was generally afraid of a certain song and cried only at it;
Fireworks, firecrackers;
Loud knocks of falling objects at home or at neighbors;
The buzzing of insects;
Some musical toys sound truly ominous;
Thunder;
Dog barking and other animal voices.

And remember, if your 2-year-old child is afraid of loud sounds, it’s not scary. The main thing: do not scold him for this. It is unlikely that you will be able to persuade him or show him by example that the washing machine is not at all dangerous. Treat the little man with understanding! This will actually go away on its own with age.

Fears under 3 years of age are inherent in every person by nature. For what? For normal development of the nervous system. Children have different fears, for example, some suddenly begin to be afraid to go to bed, read more about this in the article: A child is afraid of the dark

Advice from a psychologist: how to cope with the fear of loud noise

Since you have noticed manifestations of fear in your beloved baby, you have already taken a step towards creating a calm atmosphere at home, trying not to traumatize the child with unloved sounds and explaining to him their reason. But it seems to you that this is not enough, that more can be done for your beloved child.

Your child is afraid of noise. What should I do to help him?

Show by your behavior that there is no danger. The sound, although loud, is quite normal. If possible, demonstrate the source of the noise at a time when it is calm - a vacuum cleaner, drill or combine is turned off. Tell us how the item works and what it is needed for. If it is impossible to show fireworks or thunder, turn on the video, turn down the sound, in slow motion;
Play a role-playing fairy tale:

Let the child himself be the noisy object. And you pretend at first that you are afraid. Then let the kid say that he is a useful object, tell him about “himself” and why you shouldn’t be afraid of him. When he says this himself, the fear will begin to recede. And you play along - say something like: “Really, it’s okay. I’m not afraid at all!”

Go into the forest and shout;

Let the child scream as much as he wants. From your own scream, firstly, it becomes easier to perceive other loud noises, and secondly, this is, in principle, a good psychological technique for combating fears. If shouting is not an option, then just make some noise – jumping, stomping your feet, banging on pots with spoons is allowed.

Children with sensitive nervous systems react sharply to increased volume. And then they have a hard time at school because of the noise. They just don't like noise. The main thing here is that it is calm at home, and the child can rest from irritants;

And many adults are sensitive to loud sounds. There is nothing you can do about this, you can only calm your nerves - herbal remedies help very well, baths with sea salt plus a series of chamomile, lavender, motherwort herb.

Under no circumstances make fun of your child’s fears, whatever they may be;

You are his protection and support, one day you will laugh, show that his experiences are not important and stupid, and you will lose trust for a long time - or even forever.

Play calm, soothing music at home, the more melodic the better;

But not for the whole day. This is also tiring, even if it is quiet.

When going to bed, stroke your baby’s head, hum a lullaby (for information on how to properly organize the process of going to bed, read the article: Bedtime Rituals);

Every time he shows fear and anxiety, hug him and whisper soothing words.

If your baby is afraid of something from household appliances, buy it in a toy version. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl, playing with a toy vacuum cleaner or washing machine will captivate anyone!

Important! Tactile contact is very important, even at a scientific level it has been proven that people who receive several hugs a day are more confident, more successful, and cope with difficulties more easily. They are generally in a better mood and more inspired to do something new. And depressive and even suicidal states are more common in those people who for a long time do not receive hugs at all.

Establish contact with your child. The Mother in Chief course can help you with this!

What to do when a child is afraid of loud noises? Why does this happen to the baby?

A newborn baby sleeps quite soundly both day and night, he is not disturbed by sounds, voices, or background noise, but after the second month of life the situation can change dramatically. The child is afraid of loud sounds: he wakes up from the ringing of a cell phone, is frightened by sneezing, the roar of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, coffee grinder, or the buzzing of wind-up toys. Parents are horrified by the child’s behavior; they try to understand what causes such fear and how to get rid of it.

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

Most fears in babies under one year of age are instinctive, that is, they are inherent in nature and are not a consequence of an incident the child has experienced. There are exceptions, of course, and these include, for example, a fear of water caused by an unsuccessful bath. When he is afraid of loud sounds, the reason is not due to improper upbringing or oversight on the part of the parents, but to the normal developing nervous system of the baby. In addition to sounds, a child of the first year may be afraid when his mother is not around, and of strangers. Phobias gradually pass: some disappear without a trace by the end of the first year, others remain up to three years. Rarely, fear of strangers and loud noises persists until 5-6 years of age; in such cases, parents consult doctors.

When a child is afraid of loud noises

After the baby is 2-3 months old, some mothers begin to notice that the child flinches at sharp, loud sounds. He is frightened not only by screams and the noise of a vacuum cleaner, but even by wind-up toys, coughing, and the sound of a flying airplane. Often the fear is not limited to shuddering, the baby becomes hysterical and cries.

Adults can correct the situation with a calm voice and gentle movements. The mother presses the crying baby to her chest, strokes his back and talks to him tenderly, explaining the nature of what frightened him. Older children who are afraid of, for example, a vacuum cleaner can be warned in advance, then the noise will not come as a surprise and will not frighten the child so much.

When a child on a walk gets scared of something unknown that he sees for the first time, he needs to be shown the reason for the fear. Take the child out of the elite silver cross balmoral stroller or any other, hold him close, calm him down and together examine the reason for the tears. Whenever possible, it is advisable to protect children who are afraid of loud noises from sources of fear.

Overly excitable children who throw a tantrum at any sudden sounds and are difficult to calm down need to consult a neurologist. Parents should not consider a referral to this doctor as a challenge and a hint that their child is mentally “abnormal.” Contacting him will help you better understand the structure of the baby’s nervous system, the doctor will tell you how to smooth out the excited state of the little one. Perhaps the correct daily routine, a bath with a soothing mixture and mother’s lullaby at night will be enough to make the little one more calmly perceive the surrounding sounds.

If a child is afraid of loud sounds, parents should not panic; such a phobia is not uncommon in babies under one year old. A calm, kind word, a mother’s smile, a conversation will help the little one survive a difficult period and get used to the noisy world of adults.

Anastasia Ilchenko

What should parents do?

we read the child is afraid of the vacuum cleaner - what to do?), let him hold the ringing phone, look out the window at the honking car;

Watch a video on the topic:

READ ALSO: Why is a child afraid to walk?

» Baby 4 months

Girls, SOS Around the age of 2 months, my daughter began to be afraid of loud noises, but not all, namely coughs, sneezes and blenders. The first time she was afraid of the blender, she screamed SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO then during the day, too, the Neurologist diagnoses increased excitability, prescribed glycine, but she doesn’t respond to all sounds. Even in my sling he is afraid if I try to make minced meat in a blender. Has anyone had this? Will this pass or will it last forever?

It’s gone for us, though we weren’t afraid of coughing, but the neighbor’s drill still makes us shrink into a little ball, and we’re already 4.5. In general, the sound of a blender is not much different from the sound of a drill, it doesn’t please my ears either, so I think crying is normal reaction in children. Another thing is that I had to close the door to the room and the door to the kitchen, and leave my daughter alone for 5 minutes, which was obviously stressful for me)))

And my son is afraid of drills and blenders, etc. (he’s not afraid of coughing). And it started when he was still in his stomach. I don’t attach much importance, it seems quite logical to me

My daughter, when she was 3 months old, began to flinch and/or cry from loud noises. It all started with my husband coughing, then there was a sneeze. And right down to the carelessly placed cup. My mother began to sound the alarm, like it shouldn’t be this way. You pampered her by the fact that she is always in silence. Accustom her to noise. Even then I somehow intuitively felt that this was all nonsense, that everything was okay with the child. And so it turned out. We were seen by a wonderful neurologist with 35 years of experience. This granny said that it is at this age (2-3 months) that children begin to react to the environment, that is, they flinch from sudden sounds and movements. And before that, remember, girls, children lie like toy baby dolls - you put them down, they lie, rock them, they sleep. And they practically don’t react to anything. She also said that if there is no increased excitability, hyperactivity, tearfulness, etc., then this is the limit of the norm and will pass in a couple of months. It’s already passed for us. So don’t worry, it’s all natural.

My child is also afraid of everything. There was an interesting case: a pediatrician came to our house, we were a little sick, I went to the kitchen to get a spoon to look at my throat, and the doctor’s phone started playing in his pocket while he was listening to the child. what happened here, op. scream. crying with tears
The doctor was so calm, like a boa constrictor, he said that it’s normal that your child is not deaf

And it started when he was still in his stomach

That's it, I also had a turmoil in my stomach when I was squeezing the juice.

» Added later

it's normal that your child is not deaf

Mine is the same too. Doesn't like musical toys with sharp sounds (toy mobile phones, etc.). Sneeze only recently stopped being afraid, after I started playing sneeze game with him, he even says petit-petit himself now.

I am also very shy. Afraid of sneezes, loud screams, especially loud rattles. I think this is temporary and will go away on its own.

Girls, this happened to us when we were 4-5 months old. We went to a neurologist, he prescribed an ultrasound, it turned out that intracranial pressure was increased.

It's right that you went to the doctor. It is unnatural when a child reacts so strongly, he is either in pain, or is simply very bothered by sounds without pain. But they themselves, as such, should not be so frightening.

To go to the full version with graphics and the ability to reply to topics, please click here.

What to do if your child is afraid of loud noises

A child in the first month of life sleeps quite soundly both at night and during the day: his sleep is not disturbed by loud sounds, speech, or background noise. However, from the second month of the baby’s life the situation can change dramatically. Some kids begin to be afraid of the phone ringing, flinch from the buzzing of the coffee grinder, or cry when they hear the singing of a wind-up toy. Parents, realizing that their child is afraid of loud sounds, cannot find out the reason for this and do not know what to do.

When and why does a baby's fear arise?

Fear of loud sounds manifests itself in almost all children at an early stage of their development (development from birth to one year). A mother may notice that a two- to three-month-old baby is frightened by laughter, the hum of a working vacuum cleaner, loud conversation and other sharp sounds. The child may flinch at annoying noises or cry and become hysterical.

Why is a child still afraid (or just starting to be afraid) of loud noise and sounds? Almost all infants' fears are inherent in nature itself. The exception is the fear of a specific event the baby has experienced, for example, the fear of water after an unsuccessful bath. The reason for the fear of loud sounds is not due to improper upbringing of the child or due to parental oversight. This is a reaction of the baby’s naturally developing nervous system. Similar fears of a child include the fear of being left without a mother, fear of strangers.

Fear of noise and sharp sounds is most often observed in children for a short time. This fear can persist for up to a year or two years. If a child continues to be afraid after this age, perhaps his nervous system has problems that require consultation with a specialist. How strongly and for how long a baby experiences a feeling of fear when making noise depends on the behavior of his parents.

What should parents do?

Mom and dad often cannot understand what to do if the baby is afraid. Some parents are capable of yelling at their child or even spanking him. However, with a baby under one year old, such behavior is not acceptable; it can only worsen the situation and turn it into a real problem for the child in the future.

To calm the baby and gradually rid him of the fear of loud sounds, parents should:

Talk to your child more often calmly and affectionately, using constant intonation and strength of voice. It’s good if the baby can hear men’s voices: this way he will quickly learn to perceive the baritone that is unusual for him;
upon hearing a sharp or loud sound or noise, behave as usual, do not jump up or scream, otherwise the child will consider that there is really a danger;
sometimes play beautiful melodic music for the baby;
Show the baby the source of the sound that frightened him. For example, consider together a humming vacuum cleaner ( we read the child is afraid of the vacuum cleaner - what to do?), let him hold the ringing phone, look out the window at the honking car;
teach your child to make different sounds: quiet and loud. Once carried away by a new activity, the baby will begin to react more calmly to external noise;
calm and relax the baby by singing quiet songs to him;
Do not remain absolutely silent while your child is sleeping. It is better if he falls asleep in an environment of quiet sounds: with the TV on or a calm conversation. In this case, a sudden break in the silence, for example, a doorbell, will not scare or even wake up the baby;
When a child is constantly afraid of loud sounds, throws a tantrum every time there is a sudden noise, and has trouble calming down, he needs to be shown to a neurologist. A timely visit to this pediatric specialist will help identify disturbances in the functioning of the baby’s nervous system and find a way to calm him down. Along with a doctor's prescription, you can use daily baths with a soothing mixture.

Watch a video on the topic:

For a baby who is afraid of loud and sudden noise, the most important thing is calm parents and a favorable atmosphere in the family. Adults should understand that such a problem in children under 12 months is not uncommon; it does not indicate a deviation or disorder in the child’s development. In order for the baby to quickly get used to the noisy world, it is important to surround him with smiles, affectionate glances, quiet songs and calm speech.

Children are afraid of sounds. Funny children are scared by sounds

The child is afraid of loud noises

What to do when a child is afraid of loud noises? Why does this happen to the baby?

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

Most fears in babies under one year of age are instinctive, that is, they are inherent in nature and are not a consequence of an incident the child has experienced. There are exceptions, of course, and these include, for example, a fear of water caused by an unsuccessful bath. When a 7-month-old child is afraid of loud sounds, the reason is not due to improper upbringing or oversight on the part of the parents, but to the normal developing nervous system of the baby. In addition to sounds, a child of the first year may be afraid when his mother is not around, and of strangers. Phobias gradually pass: some disappear without a trace by the end of the first year, others remain up to three years. Rarely, fear of strangers and loud noises persists until 5-6 years of age; in such cases, parents consult doctors.

When a child is afraid of loud noises

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Why is a baby afraid of loud, sharp sounds?

Healthy, normally developing newborn children calmly tolerate any noise, do not get nervous and do not even wake up if those around them make noise without limiting themselves. But from 2–4 months, babies may develop a fear of sharp sounds, such as:

phone calls;
loud laughter or coughing, snoring of the father;
the buzzing of a coffee grinder, drill;
singing of a wind-up toy;
dog's bark;
playing guitar;
the sound of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc.

The newborn moves his arms to the sides and opens his fists - phase I of the Moro reflex

This is interesting. Natural fears also include the fear of being left without a mother, the fear of strangers, and the dark. But they should be distinguished from acquired phobias, which arose as a reaction to a specific situation: for example, fear of water after an unsuccessful dive while swimming.

Sometimes even speaking in a raised voice can make fear worsen

This is interesting. The fear of loud, sharp sounds and devices that make them is called ligyrophobia.

What to do if your baby is scared

If a little coward flinches at the slightest rustle, mom and dad should understand that at this stage of development the baby perceives the world around him this way, and this will pass.

It is much more dangerous if parents punish or respond sharply to the manifestation of such a reaction in the baby: the baby may begin to hide his fear, but this will not go away; on the contrary, it will only intensify.

How to help a baby under one year old: using voice and tape recorder

Take a comprehensive approach to solving the problem. To do this you need:
Talk to your child as much as possible using one calm intonation. It is very useful if, from infancy, the baby hears male voices, which will help him get used to the unusual tone of sound.
Periodically play beautiful and melodic music for your child (preferably classics, for example, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.). By the way, such support will help cope with other types of fear, for example, fear of water at an early stage of development.
Under no circumstances should you create ideal conditions for sleep, that is, turn off all devices and “walk on air” yourself. This way you will protect your baby from waking up in the event of a sharp sound, for example, the creaking of a door opening or a doorbell ringing. So say yes to having the TV on at a low volume or having a quiet conversation.

How to help a child from 1 to 3 years old: accustoming him to music and household appliances

In addition to the techniques described above, there are several more ways to correct the situation:

If you hear a loud sound, there is no need to jump up or scream - try to control yourself. Not only do you save your nervous system, but also don’t set the wrong example for your baby. After all, at 2–3 years old, toddlers begin to imitate adults.
If possible, show your child the source of the noise, such as a humming vacuum cleaner or a honking car. Even better - let him hold a vibrating and “singing” phone or a working hair dryer.
Children should understand that household appliances make noise, but there is nothing to worry about
Teach your child to make noise. In the sense of screaming, howling like a wolf, growling like a bear, purring like a cat, etc. Let him do the favorite pastime of all children - rattle pots. These sounds are pronounced at different pitches, that is, having become carried away by the game, the baby will react more calmly to noises of different strengths.
All children love to make noise, and rightly so.
Make up a fairy tale. If the little one is afraid of a specific noise, for example, a working hair dryer, come up with him a fairy tale about an enchanted sound that is forced to hide in the device from an evil witch and only when the hair dryer is on can it go out for a quiet walk. That is, this noise is not terrible, on the contrary, it should be pitied. You can also draw an illustration for a fictional story.
Take care of your child's peace of mind. Perhaps the baby is often overexcited and hyperactive. In this case, baths with a soothing mixture will be useful. Although this seemingly harmless measure should be agreed upon with the doctor.

Parents should treat their little cowards with understanding and patience: not shout, but calm and encourage

This is interesting. If a child is constantly afraid of strong noises, reacts too emotionally to them, even to the point of hysteria, has difficulty calming down, and is choked by fear, then the baby must be shown to a neurologist to identify disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and choose adequate treatment.

What to do if a child is afraid of sudden sounds: advice from a psychologist - video

Komarovsky's opinion: show the household appliance - the source of noise

To dispel children's fear, be sure to show them the source of the noise so that it is clear that it is “an everyday matter.”

In fact, the reason for such fears is the lack of a sense of security. That uncle - oh, horror! - will take the child, and the parents - Oh, horror, horror! - they will give it to this uncle. You’ll have to make the joke true: go to your neighbors’ house and see who’s knocking there. That this is an uncle, that he really works, that he knocks with this thing. And the main thing is that he doesn’t need your child, and you won’t let anyone offend your baby.

Fear of loud noise in children with organic brain lesions

Fear of loud noises is a hallmark of autism

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Children's fears and phobias are normal and an opportunity for a child to cope with problems at a certain stage of development. Almost half of children aged one and a half to five years old experience anxiety for various reasons. After six, fears of the dark, loud noises, loneliness or confined spaces usually fade into the background, but other phobias appear. If a child is afraid of loud noises, how can you help him cope with his fear? What could be causing this problem?

How newborns perceive sound

Newborn babies hear very well. Hearing begins to work in the prenatal period. The process of formation of the auditory system ends around the twentieth week of pregnancy. Already this week you can start communicating with your baby - talking about the world around him, saying how much you love him and are waiting for him, sharing your impressions. Scientists have proven that the walls of the abdomen transmit sounds with a volume of 30 decibels. The amniotic fluid slightly muffles the noise from the outside, but this does not prevent the child from not only hearing voices, but also distinguishing the timbre, mood of the speaker, and intonation. Low-frequency sounds, such as male voices, are perceived very well.

During the first days of life, a newborn's inner ear contains fluid, so he can hear almost nothing. But all systems are actively developing. Already by the fourth week of life, the baby will begin to distinguish individual sounds, and from the ninth to twelfth week he will learn to determine where they are coming from. A newborn hears equally both during sleep and during wakefulness. Children in the first months of life do not need complete silence while sleeping. This is explained by the fact that even during pregnancy they constantly heard the sound of the mother’s internal organs and noises from the outside.

How babies react to sounds

Newborns are quite sensitive to what is happening in the external environment. Loud and sharp noises, unexpected sounds may well cause convulsive alertness, which does not indicate the presence of any disease or other health problems. On the contrary, this situation indicates a timely and appropriate norm of hearing development. But some calm children may well not react at all even to sharp sounds. It is possible that parents begin to suspect deafness, but in fact these are simply features of the functioning of the nervous system of a particular child.

Over time, the newborn gets used to the environment and stops overreacting to certain noises. This usually happens by one to two months. By this time, the child will demonstrate a clear reaction to the pace of speech, listen to a calm conversation, and from time to time try to find the source of the sound with his eyes. To develop a child’s hearing system, it is advisable to read him poems and children’s fairy tales, play rhythmic songs, talk to him more, share impressions about the world around him and talk about the past day.

Fear of loud noises in babies under one year old

Towards the end of the first month of life, the child will be sensitive to unpleasant and loud sounds. The baby shudders with his whole body, may move his arms restlessly and cry. If a child begins to be afraid of loud sounds at an early age, then this is usually not due to a negative experience, but to a natural mental reaction to noise. Sound is associated with danger. A baby experiences a similar feeling in the presence of strangers or when he is afraid to fall asleep without his mother. Prolonged sound causes discomfort in the hearing organs.

So, fear of loud sounds is a natural reaction of the body, a manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation, which in this case makes itself felt up to 12-18 months. Over time, the child will no longer be afraid of loud noise, which is repeated and does not pose any danger. This is a phenomenon of auditory habituation.

Another interesting phenomenon can be observed already at the end of the second month of life or earlier. If a mother sings lullabies to her child, the baby will soon begin to try to imitate vowel sounds. This is directly related to auditory stimuli.

A child is afraid of loud noises at 2-3 years old

If in infants the fear of loud and unexpected sounds is associated with a natural instinct of self-preservation, then at the age of two or three years fear can appear for no reason or due to errors in upbringing. Too loud and constant noises can cause hearing loss and ear sensitivity, so the phobia is natural. This is a normal manifestation for the nervous system, which is at a certain stage of development. Usually, the fear of loud noises naturally goes away around the age of three.

Why is a child afraid of loud noises? Already at this age, the problem may be associated with an inadequate reaction of parents to the child’s actions (excessive emotionality), with fear (aggression of a dog or other animal), with undesirable consequences (bad mood of parents after screaming, fatigue after prolonged listening to music, and so on). Phobias often appear after a specific experience, for example, a fear of water can arise after an unpleasant bath. This is also a physiological reaction of the nervous system.

Why loud noise is harmful to a child

Prolonged noise is unsafe for children. A loud sound overstrains the brain and makes it impossible for the body to coordinate its work. This affects the condition of internal organs, especially the heart and liver. The child experiences a feeling of anxiety. Other phobias also appear, he smiles less and becomes less active. Typically, such children get tired quickly because it is difficult for them to completely relax. Kids need more time for proper rest.

The main causes of fear

If a child at 8 months is afraid of loud sounds, most likely this is due to an immature nervous system. This will pass over time, but for now you need to provide comfortable conditions and a friendly atmosphere in the family. If a 5-year-old child is afraid of loud sounds, this may be due to sensitivity, hyperactivity and mild excitability of the nervous system. Such children shudder from any external influence. The cause may be diseases related to the ears. In any case, it is advisable to visit an ENT specialist to check for inflammation. This is especially true if a 3-year-old child is afraid of loud sounds after a previous illness, for example, bronchitis, otitis media or laryngitis. Hearing complications can come from influenza, meningitis and other diseases at any age, fatigue syndrome, and injuries.

Life experience as a cause of fear

Over time, the fear of noise inherent in nature may be aggravated by other reasons, such as:

The relatives’ reaction to the child’s actions is too emotional. Loud screams and frightened cries of a mother or grandmother can provoke stress for which the baby’s psyche is not ready.
Unexpected bang or explosion, firecrackers, fireworks. Some children happily forget about their experiences, while others develop persistent fear.
Saw an episode from a horror movie. Such films can tickle the nerves of even adults, let alone children. The baby's sleep deteriorates and persistent fear may develop.
Bad experience of inflating or playing with a balloon. If the balloon bursts with a deafening sound, the child may begin to fear other loud pops.
The noise of a working hammer drill, drill or other construction tools. However, children who constantly hear such sounds usually become accustomed to them.
Some household appliances make rather unpleasant sounds. A vacuum cleaner, electric meat grinder or alarm clock can cause an adverse reaction in your baby.
Musical toys with loud or aggressive melodies. Educational toys should only come with calm music, so you need to choose such products more carefully.

Almost all children do not like disturbing sounds: loud voices, screams, sharp car horns, the sounds of a starting engine or motorcycle, fireworks and firecrackers, the noise of a mixer or vacuum cleaner, sharp sounds from falling objects, thunder, dog barking and the voices of other animals, the buzzing of insects, some musical toys.

Sensitive nervous system in a child

From an early age, children with a weak nervous system are overly sensitive. They easily notice changes in the mood of others and actively react to them, cannot sleep in complete darkness or in the presence of the slightest light source, and are very worried when watching cartoons or reading books. If a 5-year-old child is afraid of loud sounds, gets tired quickly, and is too emotional, then this may be due to hyperactivity and mild excitability.

Such kids need a thoughtful daily routine, feasible difficulties that will not lead to overwork, and moderate new emotions. Impressionable children usually have to be taught to overcome fear, to protect them from negative suggestions and negative self-hypnosis. If a child at 9 months is afraid of loud noises and often cries, you need to develop bedtime rituals during the day and evening. Baths with soothing mixtures are useful. In some cases, special medications are used.

Organic brain lesions

Is a 6 year old child afraid of loud noises? This may be due to negative experiences or health problems: complications, diseases or injuries of the ENT organs, organic brain damage. Neurologists claim that the latter diagnosis can be made in almost 90% of patients of different ages. But if the changes affect more than 20-25% of the brain, then signs of the disease appear.

In children, brain damage is usually associated with perinatal causes: maternal illness during pregnancy, infections, genetic predisposition, ischemia or hypoxia during childbirth, exposure to radiation or other harmful substances (tobacco, chemicals, alcohol, drugs). With complications, such disorders can develop into epilepsy, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and hydrocephalus. A characteristic symptom of these diseases in children is the fear of loud sounds.

Symptoms of organic brain damage include decreased intelligence, low immunity, memory problems, delayed intellectual development and speech, constant weakness, dizziness, headaches, and increased irritability. There may be difficulties in performing centralized movements of the eye muscles, seizures with convulsions, hearing, vision and smell impairments, and partial or complete lack of understanding of speech. Fortunately, most disorders detected at an early age can be corrected.

If a child is afraid of loud sounds, a correction program should be selected exclusively by a specialist. The most effective treatment is for disorders identified before the child enters first grade. Therapy in this case should be comprehensive. The child is recommended to visit a speech therapist and speech pathologist, study in neuroacoustic programs, in a Montessori environment. Rhythm therapy, color therapy, art therapy, sensory integration are useful.

How to deal with your fear of loud noise

How to teach a child not to be afraid of loud sounds? Parents need to show increased attention and sensitivity. Be sure to remember that up to a year, such sensitivity is not a cause for concern. To calm the baby, you can talk to him in a calm voice. It is very useful to hear dad's voice in order to get used to the unusual timbre (compared to mom).

When there is a sharp sound, you need to behave calmly, not flinch or be scared, because otherwise the child will sense danger. You can turn on soothing music (for a maximum of 30 minutes, because even calm sounds are tiring), quietly sing a lullaby, and talk calmly with the baby. If something specific scares him, then you can introduce the child to the source of the noise. Usually after this, kids stop being afraid of the phone or vacuum cleaner.

If a child is afraid of loud noises at 6 months, there is no need to create perfect silence in the house. The baby should get used to sleeping with little background noise. We are, of course, not talking about loud cleaning. But a child should not wake up from a quiet conversation or muffled TV sound. At this age, it is useful to introduce your baby to different sounds: the clicking of heels, the playing of a guitar, the jingling of keys. This has only a positive impact. Scientists have proven that children who grow up in a rich sound environment begin to speak more successfully and develop faster.

Art and fairy tale therapy

At 3 years old, a child is afraid of loud sounds, usually due to specific reasons. It is necessary to find out the sources of such a reaction and remember what could have caused it. The child could have been frightened by a dog in the yard that suddenly barked, or seen a fragment of a disaster movie where there were heart-rending screams. Adults need to take a closer look at themselves. Perhaps the child’s unfavorable reaction is caused by the fact that relatives speak in a raised voice.

Sometimes parents provoke stress in their baby by emotionally warning them of danger. In this case, out of all the many prohibitions, it is worth keeping only the most necessary ones (do not play with fire, do not put your fingers in a socket, do not open the door for strangers, do not eat with unwashed hands), because the child should not have fear of the outside world.

Children's phobias should be treated with understanding; you should absolutely not ridicule or shame the child. If something frightened the baby, you need to hug and calm him down. The child should feel the closeness of the parents and the readiness to protect him at any moment. Art and fairy tale therapy are very effective for fear of loud sounds. For example, you can invite your child to imagine himself as a wild animal and growl loudly. He will feel his energy, and the sharp sound will not cause negativity.

If a child is afraid of loud noises, what should parents do to help overcome the fear? From time to time it is worth organizing noisy games. Then the reaction to an unexpected sound will become calmer. You can play in a kind of store where candies and small toys are sold for fears. There will be a suggestion that the fear has gone away and will not return. Regardless of the results of the game, the child must be praised and emphasized that he showed himself in the most favorable way (he was not afraid of the sound, did not cry).

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion: how to help?

According to Dr. Komarovsky, the child is afraid of loud sounds due to a lack of a sense of security. For example, a child hears snoring behind the wall and imagines a scary uncle who might take him away from his parents. The situation is aggravated if the parents used to scare the baby with something similar when they behaved badly. The correct action for mom and dad is to explain to the child where the noise comes from. It is important that the baby understands: he will not be offended. If a child is afraid of loud sounds, Komarovsky advises teaching him to “guide” the sound. The “louder - quieter” game helps a lot with this. A child who can already speak can be asked to say the same word one by one, first very quietly, then louder and louder.

If a child is afraid of loud noises, parents need to behave correctly so as not to worsen the phobia. You can’t laugh at the baby’s reaction or shame him. Otherwise, the child will begin to hide his fear. Parents should not give up if they cannot overcome their fear. It’s just that a particular baby may need more time for this. It is undesirable to limit your baby in every possible way from loud sounds, because a lack of life experience and communication with different people will definitely not get rid of the problem.

A huge mistake is the desire to resolve the issue in the familiar “wedge by wedge” way. If a child is afraid of loud sounds, you should not force him to go to a city festival where there will be fireworks, or a children's event. Fear can only intensify, and the baby himself will withdraw into himself and temporarily stop communicating with others. There is no need to focus on the phobia. Fear should be approached without unnecessary worry. You can try to distract your baby with games, calm conversations, and listening to melodic music.

phone calls;
loud laughter or coughing, snoring of the father;
the buzzing of a coffee grinder, drill;
singing of a wind-up toy;
dog's bark;
playing guitar;
the sound of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc.

The newborn moves his arms to the sides and opens his fists - phase I of the Moro reflex

This is interesting. Natural fears also include the fear of being left without a mother, the fear of strangers, and the dark. But they should be distinguished from acquired phobias, which arose as a reaction to a specific situation: for example, fear of water after an unsuccessful dive while swimming.

Sometimes even speaking in a raised voice can make fear worsen

This is interesting. The fear of loud, sharp sounds and devices that make them is called ligyrophobia.

What to do if your baby is scared

If a little coward flinches at the slightest rustle, mom and dad should understand that at this stage of development the baby perceives the world around him this way, and this will pass.

It is much more dangerous if parents punish or respond sharply to the manifestation of such a reaction in the baby: the baby may begin to hide his fear, but this will not go away; on the contrary, it will only intensify.

Tactile contact with mother is very important to calm the child

How to help a baby under one year old: using voice and tape recorder

Take a comprehensive approach to solving the problem. To do this you need:
Talk to your child as much as possible using one calm intonation. It is very useful if, from infancy, the baby hears male voices, which will help him get used to the unusual tone of sound.
Periodically play beautiful and melodic music for your child (preferably classics, for example, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.). By the way, such support will help cope with other types of fear, for example, fear of water at an early stage of development.
Under no circumstances should you create ideal conditions for sleep, that is, turn off all devices and “walk on air” yourself. This way you will protect your baby from waking up in the event of a sharp sound, for example, the creaking of a door opening or a doorbell ringing. So say yes to having the TV on at a low volume or having a quiet conversation.

How to help a child from 1 to 3 years old: accustoming him to music and household appliances

In addition to the techniques described above, there are several more ways to correct the situation:

If you hear a loud sound, there is no need to jump up or scream - try to control yourself. Not only do you save your nervous system, but also don’t set the wrong example for your baby. After all, at 2–3 years old, toddlers begin to imitate adults.
If possible, show your child the source of the noise, such as a humming vacuum cleaner or a honking car. Even better - let him hold a vibrating and “singing” phone or a working hair dryer.
Children should understand that household appliances make noise, but there is nothing to worry about
Teach your child to make noise. In the sense of screaming, howling like a wolf, growling like a bear, purring like a cat, etc. Let him do the favorite pastime of all children - rattle pots. These sounds are pronounced at different pitches, that is, having become carried away by the game, the baby will react more calmly to noises of different strengths.
All children love to make noise, and rightly so.
Make up a fairy tale. If the little one is afraid of a specific noise, for example, a working hair dryer, come up with him a fairy tale about an enchanted sound that is forced to hide in the device from an evil witch and only when the hair dryer is on can it go out for a quiet walk. That is, this noise is not terrible, on the contrary, it should be pitied. You can also draw an illustration for a fictional story.
Take care of your child's peace of mind. Perhaps the baby is often overexcited and hyperactive. In this case, baths with a soothing mixture will be useful. Although this seemingly harmless measure should be agreed upon with the doctor.

Parents should treat their little cowards with understanding and patience: not shout, but calm and encourage

This is interesting. If a child is constantly afraid of strong noises, reacts too emotionally to them, even to the point of hysteria, has difficulty calming down, and is choked by fear, then the baby must be shown to a neurologist to identify disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and choose adequate treatment.

Komarovsky's opinion: show the household appliance - the source of noise

To dispel children's fear, be sure to show them the source of the noise so that it is clear that it is “an everyday matter.”

In fact, the reason for such fears is the lack of a sense of security. That uncle - oh, horror! - will take the child, and the parents - Oh, horror, horror! - they will give it to this uncle. You’ll have to make the joke true: go to your neighbors’ house and see who’s knocking there. That this is an uncle, that he really works, that he knocks with this thing. And the main thing is that he doesn’t need your child, and you won’t let anyone offend your baby.

Fear of loud noise in children with organic brain lesions

Fear of loud noises is a hallmark of autism

What to do when a child is afraid of loud noises? Why does this happen to the baby?

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

Most fears in babies under one year of age are instinctive, that is, they are inherent in nature and are not a consequence of an incident the child has experienced. There are exceptions, of course, and these include, for example, a fear of water caused by an unsuccessful bath. When a 7-month-old child is afraid of loud sounds, the reason is not due to improper upbringing or oversight on the part of the parents, but to the normal developing nervous system of the baby. In addition to sounds, a child of the first year may be afraid when his mother is not around, and of strangers. Phobias gradually pass: some disappear without a trace by the end of the first year, others remain up to three years. Rarely, fear of strangers and loud noises persists until 5-6 years of age; in such cases, parents consult doctors.

When a child is afraid of loud noises

Anastasia Ilchenko

When and why does a baby's fear arise?

What should parents do?

To calm the baby and gradually rid him of the fear of loud sounds, parents should:

Talk to your child more often calmly and affectionately, using constant intonation and strength of voice. It’s good if the baby can hear men’s voices: this way he will quickly learn to perceive the baritone that is unusual for him;
upon hearing a sharp or loud sound or noise, behave as usual, do not jump up or scream, otherwise the child will consider that there is really a danger;
sometimes play beautiful melodic music for the baby;
Show the baby the source of the sound that frightened him. For example, consider together a humming vacuum cleaner ( we read the child is afraid of the vacuum cleaner - what to do?), let him hold the ringing phone, look out the window at the honking car;
teach your child to make different sounds: quiet and loud. Once carried away by a new activity, the baby will begin to react more calmly to external noise;
calm and relax the baby by singing quiet songs to him;
Do not remain absolutely silent while your child is sleeping. It is better if he falls asleep in an environment of quiet sounds: with the TV on or a calm conversation. In this case, a sudden break in the silence, for example, a doorbell, will not scare or even wake up the baby;
When a child is constantly afraid of loud sounds, throws a tantrum every time there is a sudden noise, and has trouble calming down, he needs to be shown to a neurologist. A timely visit to this pediatric specialist will help identify disturbances in the functioning of the baby’s nervous system and find a way to calm him down. Along with a doctor's prescription, you can use daily baths with a soothing mixture.

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The newborn is frightened by sharp sounds. A child is afraid of loud sounds and noise: reasons for fear and advice from a psychologist. Art and fairy tale therapy

What to do if your baby is scared

Tactile contact with mother is very important to calm the child

How to help a child from 1 to 3 years old: accustoming him to music and household appliances

Komarovsky's opinion: show the household appliance - the source of noise

Fear of loud noise in children with organic brain lesions

The main causes of fear

Age-related characteristics of fear

Advice from a psychologist: how to cope with the fear of loud noise

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

When a child is afraid of loud noises

What should parents do?

» Baby 4 months

What to do if your child is afraid of loud noises

When and why does a baby's fear arise?

What should parents do?

Children are afraid of sounds. Funny children are scared by sounds

The child is afraid of loud noises

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

When a child is afraid of loud noises

How newborns perceive sound

How babies react to sounds

Fear of loud noises in babies under one year old

A child is afraid of loud noises at 2-3 years old

Why loud noise is harmful to a child

The main causes of fear

Life experience as a cause of fear

Sensitive nervous system in a child

Organic brain lesions

How to deal with your fear of loud noise

Art and fairy tale therapy

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion: how to help?

What to do if your baby is scared

Tactile contact with mother is very important to calm the child

How to help a child from 1 to 3 years old: accustoming him to music and household appliances

Komarovsky's opinion: show the household appliance - the source of noise

Fear of loud noise in children with organic brain lesions

Why is a child afraid of loud noises?

When a child is afraid of loud noises

When and why does a baby's fear arise?

What should parents do?

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