As many people are aware, children who are on the autism spectrum are generally very sensitive to loud noise and commotion. For the average child, going to a movie, a hockey game, music class, or a restaurant is not a problem. But for some autistic children, these excursions can be very problematic. Kayla is one such child. She is very sensitive to noise, commotion, and crowds. To help her out, we purchased headphones for her to wear.
We didn’t purchase the “typical” headphones for Kayla that many children on the autism spectrum wear. Kayla already stands out a bit with her quirky mannerisms and her leg braces; big headphones would surely make her stand out even more. So four years ago, we purchased two sets of Beats by Dre: the Solo and Studio. She wears the Solo Beats in everyday situations: to school, on the bus, at restaurants, and out in public as needed. She wears the larger Studio Beats at noisier locations: to athletic events, movies, and when she gets her casts removed.
The Beats by Dre have been a huge hit! Students in school have commented on her colorful Beats. Opposing hockey teams have told her how cool her Beats look. Even random people in the community have come up to her to ask what she is listening to! She looks no different than any other kid running around wearing Beats, except she is not listening to music and she is only 7 years old.
I am a huge advocate for getting children with special needs out and participating in their community. Children with special needs are already different than their peers and are facing unique challenges every day. In my book, having “cool” headphones that help a child fit just a little bit better into their environment is the perfect way to turn one of these challenges around.