I was diagnosed with ADD this year. One of my huge problems is hearing. I was tested and I hear fine, but if there is background noise, forget it. I often have to look at people’s mouths when they are talking to me. If they are in another room or their back is to me, they sound like the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoon.
Also, I am a teacher, and have around 35 kids in my class at one time. I teach 7th grade, so you can imagine what a nightmare that is for me. I have to have it quiet in my class. I get pretty upset if the kids are being noisy.
My mother and grandmother have the same problem and they have not had any luck in finding out what it is either.
I am really good at tuning people out, unintentionally, at the same time. Weird, huh? I guess that is the ADD. I have had a few people get upset with me at work because they said “Hi!” to me or something, while passing each other on campus and I did not even hear them. They think I am being a snob. I truly did not hear them. I get so tired of having to explain myself over and over again.
Also, there are times when some noise really hurts my ears and makes me very irritable. Just the other day, my husband and I were on a road trip. He had the radio turned up. I don’t know what it was about it, but the noise was like chewing on tin foil. I couldn’t stand it. I have listened to the radio that loud plenty of times, but this time it really bothered me.
When I work on stuff, especially paperwork, I can’t have any noise. No stereo, tv, someone taking to me.
When I sleep at night, I ususally can’t even have a fan on because of the noise it makes.
My doctor thinks I have an auditory problem. She is not really doing anything actively to help me find out and I am getting a little frustrated. I was hoping she would give me some type of test. I am going to ask her again when I see her.
Do any of you have the same problems? Can you pass along some sources of information to me and tell me what you have done to help yourself?
Thanks!
Re: Do you have trouble hearing too?
It sounds very much like CAPD. People with ADHD often have Sensory Integration Dysfunction and CAPD is common with SI, in fact some beleive it is the auditory component of SI. An audiologist can diagnose, a speech therapist usually treats it. If you want more info. please email me.
Re: Do you have trouble hearing too?
Just a different perspective, I was diagnosed add/inattentive but I also have otosclerosis, a conductive hearing loss. This means I have hearing loss in the speech levels ( I’m not that technically knowledgeable) but I hear high pitches just fine as well as very low. Which means I hear screechy kids just fine(unfortunately LOL) but can’t hear my husband talking to me in the car. The best way I could describe this is during tv time, when I watched ‘Buffy’, I could hear ok, but couldn’t understand a word in ‘Angel’. Lots of women in Buffy, mostly men in Angel. What really sent me to the doc though was the fact that I wasn’t hearing my alarm clock in the morning. When I lifted my head off the pillow I could hear the difference.
I do a lot of the things you describe though, usually spacey so I don’t hear people say hi, or at least it takes a minute for it to register. I just tell them later that I was in left field and just didn’t hear them. The tv and radio often sound like the teacher in Charlie Brown to me, sometimes people in a crowd do too. I have come to find that I can’t always tell if someone is speaking German or English in a crowd (I live in Germany right now) if they aren’t speaking to me specifically.
Anyway, your doc should be able to tell you if this has been tested for, I know my testing took about an hour to complete.
My older son has capd, his difficulty is in processing the words he hears. So far his hearing has been tested ok. I would ask for the audiologist test for this also.
The thing that caught my eye was the fact that your mom and grandma have this problem too. My understanding of otosclerosis is that it is hereditary, mostly seen in women, usually between the ages of 25 and 50, and particularly those of northern european descent. Don’t know if any of that applies. I don’t know of anyone in my family who has this but my mom does watch tv loudly.
Keep investigating and best wishes.
Re: Do you have trouble hearing too?
Dear Liz, I’m sorry you are having the difficulties that you’re having, but you’ve made me feel better. I have exactly the same problems!!! I’m also a teacher. A school is a workplace that is FULL of noises. At this point, I can’t even do my lesson plans at work. I’d love to hear some strategies and information, too. Paige
Re: Do you have trouble hearing too?
Hey Liz,
Join the club. I have severe ADHD, I teach special ed/severe behavior disordered 7, 8, and 9th grades in self contained classroom. I am just like you. Certain levels of noise are greatly bothersome. Not only to me but also to my students. As the noise levels increase behaviors escalate. So I keep a very low key classroom. Yes it is quiet but students appreciate it. It also helps students to learn to modulate their voices because kids who are unmedicated tend to be VERY loud and not even know it. My daughter who is 27 is this way and we have to remind her. Well yes noise sucks but I love being ADHD now that I am medicated. It is a gift, a very powerful one once the power is tamed.
Katherine
Re: Do you have trouble hearing too?
Boy, are we all getting into the nitty gritty of things tonight.
Yes to both ears and eyes. But heres one that really needs verifying after you get up from the floor laughing.
When you put your glasses on is that when you notice the lack of hearing??????
It sounds like CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder). A very high percentage of those with AD(H)D also have either visual or auditory processing issues. There are Audiologists who can test for this, and there are therapies available. I believe Earobics is one of them.
The fact that you aware of this makes all of the difference in the world. Good Luck getting your answers.