Adapting for background noise

Kenzie is a fan of fairs, theme parks, and adrenaline-filled activities. As he gets older, his cochlear implant is allowing him to adapt to the sounds in these environments. He’s also becoming more familiarized with them. Kenzie loves all of these activities, but it’s best to take him to quieter places when the noise is lower and there are fewer people.

We went to a local beach where there were fireworks and a funfair. We went early in the evening when the fair was still quiet so that he could ride a few rides. Then we went to the beach and enjoyed our time away from the crowds.

He is a huge fan of fireworks and doesn’t mind the loud bangs. He doesn’t enjoy the crowds. We try to find a quiet place to watch from.

Kenzie loves music, kids’ discos, and dancing. Recently, he’s also felt uncomfortable in these environments and said, “It is too loud, Mummy. I don’t enjoy it.” I give him the option. I wouldn’t stop him from enjoying these things, so I take him to as many as I can. If he doesn’t want to stay, then we do something else.

Kenzie even quit his weekly dancing classes, which he enjoyed so much. He says that the music was too loud. It’s heartbreaking as a mother to see him not be able to do the things he enjoys. I am always looking for new activities we can do to make sure he does not miss out on anything or quieter spots and times at events.

This change happened gradually. In the beginning, he would suddenly become more hesitant to dance and wanted to be close to me. I asked him constantly if he was OK, and he just remained quiet, not being his usual smiling self. Over time, he began to complain about the noise. We would move seats to another area or away from the speaker until he was comfortable. I give him the choice to stay or go, as I never want him to feel uncomfortable.

Kenzie and I have both had to adapt, but I wouldn’t want him missing out on anything. We’ve just had to adapt to his comfort level and do what he wants to do. No matter what, we have amazing adventures and make the most incredible memories every day.