A 3 month old baby is afraid of sharp sounds. Why does a child flinch from sharp sounds?

There are not many frightening sounds in nature, and, as a rule, they are short-lived. Civilization has added a whole host of similar delights to the peals of thunder and barking dogs: too loud music, the noise of household appliances, a shrill bell, a slamming door, a sharp grinding of brakes, and so on. However, if adults understand the cause of the noise, know how to control their fears and live with them, then children begin to be afraid, because they are often defenseless in the face of unknown and frightening things.

Why is a child afraid of loud sounds and unpleasant buzzing?

Each childhood fear manifests itself most often at a certain age and is caused by characteristic reasons.

Natural reaction of the psyche to noise

A newborn baby, as a rule, sleeps soundly day and night: his sleep is not disturbed by loud sounds, speech, or background noise. But already from the second month of life the situation begins to change. The baby shudders and cries from a telephone ringing, the hum of a working vacuum cleaner and other household appliances, loud conversation and laughter of adults, the singing of a tape recorder or a wind-up toy. The reaction can even reach the point of hysteria, but parents often do not know what to do.

In fact, the reason for such fear is not errors in upbringing or oversight on the part of adults. This is a completely normal reaction of the developing psyche: a baby associates a loud sound with danger (the baby experiences a similar feeling in the presence of strangers or when he is afraid of being left without his mother). In addition, prolonged noise causes discomfort in the hearing organs.

Fear of loud sounds is a natural innate reaction of the body.

This behavior, which is a natural manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation, lasts relatively short time - up to 12–18 months. Sometimes loud noises are scarychildren under three years old: as a rule, these are overly sensitive, vulnerable and anxious children. Of course, adults should treat them with special attention and sensitivity.

If, after three years, phonophobia does not go away, and even more so is accompanied by additional fears (the child is constantly anxious, avoids communicating with people), then parents need to seek help from a specialist in order to avoid serious problems with the nervous system in the future.

Why loud noise is harmful to a child

Prolonged loud noises are not safe for children. They cause overstrain of brain cells, which become unable to fully coordinate the body’s work. This leads to disruption in the functioning of various organs, in particular the liver and heart. In addition, the ears gradually lose sensitivity from sharp sounds and unpleasant hums. The child develops a persistent feeling of anxiety, he is prone to fear, and almost does not smile. These babies tend to sleep poorly and get tired quickly because it is difficult for them to completely relax their muscles.

Acquired life experience as a cause of fear

The fear of loud sounds, inherent in the baby by nature itself, may be aggravated over time by additional reasons.

1. Behavior of parents and relatives. An overly emotional reaction from loved ones (most often mothers or grandmothers) to the actions of the little researcher, loud shouts like “Don’t touch!”, “Don’t go in there!” can provoke stress in a child and exacerbate the sense of danger.
2. An unexpectedly heard sharp bang or explosion, for which the baby’s psyche was not prepared. Some people happily forget about their experiences, while others develop a persistent fear.
3. Some household appliances make very unpleasant loud sounds: the shrill ringing of an alarm clock, the hum of a vacuum cleaner, or an electric meat grinder. Cooking and cleaning in the presence of the baby often causes his negative reaction.
4. Watched an episode from a horror movie (by accident or due to the careless behavior of parents viewing such content in the presence of their offspring). This video is aimed at tickling the viewer's nerves. And a characteristic feature of horror films is a piercing scream or other sharp sound at the most unexpected moment. Few children will take what they hear calmly, most will have poor sleep the next night, and some will develop phonophobia. By the way, the cause of fear can also be a disaster scene accompanied by a roar.
5. Bad experience of inflating a balloon - it burst with a deafening sound (or a child witnessed such an incident). This fear even has its own name - globophobia.
6. The thundering sounds of fireworks during a celebration in the city square. Children who are too young should not be taken to such events.
7. Children's fear can be caused by the noise of a working drill, hammer drill or other repair attribute.
8. Aggressive sounding toys. Parents should be careful when choosing toys for their baby, because the modern industry is ready to attract buyers in various ways, and this is not only the bright color of the product.
9. Storm. Deafening thunder is a real stressor for some children.

Vacuum cleaner and other household appliances, thunderstorms, fireworks and other common objects of fear - photo gallery

The loud hum of a working vacuum cleaner scares a child Children, like adults, are often terrified of thunder during a thunderstorm. Many interactive toys can make loud, high-pitched noises. Often the fear of loud noises provokes a bursting balloon Many kids are afraid of the loud sounds that accompany fireworks at the holiday. Scary scenes on TV, accompanied by heart-rending screams, are deposited in children's memory for a long time, causing fears

Fear of loud noises and voices in children with brain damage and other diseases

Sometimes an excessive fear of loud sounds in a child can be triggered by certain diseases:

• ear pathologies (otitis);
• injuries and structural features of the hearing organ;
• past infections (flu, meningitis, etc.);
• increased fatigue syndrome.

Fear is often observed in children who have organic brain damage. Phonophobia is often accompanied by headaches, nervousness, and surges in intracranial pressure. The baby is constantly excited, periodically he has attacks of causeless fear. This pathology is mild to moderately amenable to treatment, which is designed to improve cerebral circulation, resulting in only minor changes. Additionally, the patient is prescribed sedatives to reduce excitability.

Ways to overcome your problem: how to help your child become bolder

If a baby is afraid of loud sounds, then adults should show increased attention and all their sensitivity to him.

Tactics of behavior towards a baby and a one-year-old child

The characteristic reactions to sudden noises in a small child (up to one year old) are not a reason for unnecessary worry. If anxiety and crying occur, parents can resort to the following measures:

If all of these measures do not have a noticeable effect, then it is worth contacting a pediatric neurologist in a timely manner: perhaps he will recommend sedatives, for example, baths with medicinal herbs.

How to help an older child

If an older child (after two years) is afraid of loud sounds, then parents should, first of all, analyze the origins of such a reaction and remember what originally caused it. For example, a child was frightened by a dog in the yard that suddenly barked loudly, or saw a scary movie with heart-rending screams. You should discuss this moment with the baby and explain that there is no need to be afraid of it.

Adults need to take a closer look at themselves. Perhaps a son or daughter becomes frightened when the mother speaks in a raised voice. Sometimes parents themselves provoke anxiety in their children by warning them too emotionally about danger. Various prohibitions should be kept to a minimum, leaving only the most necessary: ​​do not play with fire, do not put your fingers in a socket, do not open the door to strangers, do not eat with unwashed hands, etc. The baby should not have fear of the outside world, it is important that he gained my own sensory experience and expanded my horizons.

Children's fears should always be treated with understanding. If something frightens your child (for example, glass rattling from thunder), hug him and calm him down. The baby should feel the closeness of mom and dad, their readiness to protect him at any moment. This will help the fear not turn into an obsessive fear.

The atmosphere in the house is the most important thing. If parents are always there and love each other, the baby will trust them infinitely and will more easily adapt to the manifestations of the world around them.

Play, fairy tale and art therapy in the fight against childhood fear

Play often helps distract children from fear and even completely overcome it (play therapy is a popular psychological method of therapeutic influence on the psyche).

1. Invite your child to imagine himself as an animal roaring loudly in the forest. At the same time, the baby must perform characteristic movements, feel his energy, and then a sharp sound from the outside will no longer cause so many negative feelings.
2. Organize noisy games - clap your hands loudly with your son or daughter, let them knock with metal spoons, pots, and rattles. Gradually, the child’s reaction to an unexpected sound stimulus will become calmer.
3. If your child is afraid of the noise of a working drill, then play out this situation. Let the baby be a worker, and dad be a little sleeping boy who woke up and was scared by a loud sound. The guy with the drill will apologize, explain that he needs to hang a shelf or a picture, and ask the kid to help him. Then you should switch roles.
   Another solution to the problem is to first give the child a real hammer (of course, under strict parental supervision), teach him how to hammer nails, and then offer to work with a drill (but without a drill). Full of work enthusiasm, the little builder will quickly get used to the noise, because he himself will make the loud sounds.
4. Play store with your son or daughter, but in a special way. There you can buy toys and candy for your fears. Thus, the suggestion occurs that the fear is gone and cannot be returned.

Whatever the results of the game, at the end the child must be praised, emphasizing the moment where he showed himself best.

A wonderful method of dealing with fears is art therapy: drawing will help throw out negative emotions. Since fear will turn into something material, it can be destroyed - torn, burned or locked in a closet.

Fairytale therapy helps many children. Parents, together with their offspring, come up with a small funny story about how the little hero is afraid of something, and then successfully overcomes his fear. Alternatively, you can compose a song or a magic spell to protect the child. A good idea is to come up with a fabulous assistant, tell about him and his wonderful abilities (for example, soft and beautiful headphones that actually reduce the volume of sounds).

Video: how to help your child overcome the fear of loud noises

What not to do

Often, the child’s parents make unforgivable mistakes, which force him to withdraw into his worries and aggravate his fear.

1. Under no circumstances should you laugh at the baby’s reaction or shame him, because this is not a manifestation of cowardice, but a feature of his worldview. To avoid ridicule, the baby will hide his fear, but it will not go away.
2. If a child cannot overcome fear, then mom and dad should not give up: probably, the son or daughter just needs a little more time to do this.
3. You should not protect your child from loud sounds in every possible way, or limit his movements and social circle: a lack of life experience will not get rid of the problem.
4. You cannot allow fear to become fixed by focusing your attention on it. On the contrary, you need to treat fear without external concern, try to distract the little one with games, walks, and new discoveries.
5. It is a huge mistake to try to solve a problem using the “wedge with wedge” method, for example, forcing a child who is afraid of loud sounds at a children’s party or performance to go to such an event. This will only intensify the fear; the baby may withdraw into himself and not want to communicate with anyone at all.

Doctor Komarovsky's view on the problem of fear of loud noises in children

According to pediatrician E. Komarovsky, the real reason for a child’s fear of loud sounds is the lack of a sense of security. If a child hears, for example, snoring behind the wall, then his imagination draws him an image of a scary uncle who wants to take him away. The correct behavior of parents in such a situation would be to explain to their child where the noise comes from. It is also important here that the baby understands that mom and dad will never hurt him.

Advice from psychologist Natalya Barlozhetskaya on how to stop being afraid of loud sounds - video

During its development, the child's psyche goes through certain stages, one of which is the fear of loud sounds. This problem is usually encountered by overly sensitive and anxious children. If this fear is not complicated by anxiety and reluctance to communicate with people, then with the sensitive attitude of the parents it will gradually go away. But if there is a growing feeling of panic, you should definitely show the baby to specialists who will select effective correction methods.

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:

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 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

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

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.

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Valera Dem, Female, 2 years old

Hello, my name is Olga. Please help. I have a 2.4 year old daughter. She was always afraid of loud noises (drill, doorbell, etc.), but usually hid behind adults or, at most, did not cry for long. But a few days ago everything changed a lot. She fell asleep as usual and was almost asleep when suddenly they started drilling behind the wall. She even vomited from such fright (before that she had not vomited at all), she covered her ears with her hands and lay for about 10 minutes without moving, very tense and did not react to us, somehow we talked, took her to the bathroom, she was literally shaking there. She seemed to calm down in the warm bath and then fell asleep with her hands pressed to her ears. From the day she hears even a not loud sound, she immediately closes her ears and looks at the ceiling in fear, and when evening comes, she becomes not herself, even from not loud sounds she seems to fall into a panic, looks at the ceiling, calling for all of us. Sitting on his hands shows that he wants to leave the room, but in other rooms it’s the same. He completely refuses the bath (cannot stand in it). Before this, she could flounder in the water with toys for a very long time and brush her teeth. She is afraid to go to bed, although before that she herself showed that it was time to go to bed. If you put him down, he immediately covers his head with a blanket and also covers his ears with his arms. But he sleeps well at night. Mostly during the day he is an ordinary, cheerful, sociable child. We noticed one thing: if she sees where a sound is coming from, even a loud one, she reacts to it absolutely normally. We tried to explain and model the sounds that come from the neighbors above (jumping, throwing things), it helped a little, she herself explained to us if she heard a sound from above (jumping or throwing something). But a day later the same thing happened again. Tell me, how can I help her cope with this fear? Maybe we can change her attitude towards her fear?

Hello. You write that the girl was always afraid of loud noises. As a rule, sensitive, anxious, vulnerable children are afraid of loud sounds or new places, and so on - the list of fears can be long. Such a child is indicated for pediatric observation and, according to the doctor’s decision, mild medicinal assistance to the nervous system is possible. Secondly, there are several psychological methods that can help a child cope with such fear. 1. Invent a fairy-tale “helper”, present it to the child, telling the child a fairy tale about him and about his magical abilities. In your case, this could be some colorful and soft-touch headphones that will really reduce the volume of sounds. 2. You can try to encourage the child to make loud sounds himself: he knocks or shouts (you need to come up with a game for this, for example, animals that growl loudly in the forest). If a child feels his energy in a scream or other action that causes a loud sound, then he will have less fear when he hears this loud sound from the side. If these methods do not help, I recommend that, in addition to the pediatric neurologist, you and your child attend a consultation with a pediatric

A twitch is a sudden, involuntary movement that occurs at any time, including when a child is deeply asleep.

Why does a newborn shake in his sleep?

1. REM sleep phase

What happens if a newborn baby starts in his sleep? Babies dream just like adults, which means they also experience REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep during their dream cycle. During REM sleep, the newborn's face will tremble. He will also likely breathe irregularly, snort, whimper, and flail his arms and legs. Don't worry, REM sleep gets shorter as babies get older.

According to research, the order will change in about 2 to 3 months. As your baby gets older, he will go through other stages of sleep before entering REM sleep. As the child gets older, the amount of REM sleep decreases and sleep becomes restful. By age 3, children spend a third of the night in slow-wave sleep.

The reason for consultation with a specialist is a situation when the baby wakes up more than 10 times and looks scared.

The Moro reflex is another reason why newborns startle in their sleep. Babies are born with a set of reflexes, but this is the most alarming manifestation for new parents. When a baby starts in his sleep or feels like he is falling, he will throw his arms out to the side with a sudden jerk and perhaps scream.

Like many other reflexes, the Moro reflex is a built-in survival mechanism designed to protect a vulnerable newborn. And this is a primitive attempt to restore a noticeable loss of balance. Again, don't worry if you see your baby suddenly startling and throwing up his arms while sleeping.

3. Pain

With colic or teething, the child twitches in his sleep due to periodic pain.

4. Noise

This is another factor why a newborn twitches in his sleep. A loud sound can scare and wake up a baby.

But you don’t need to maintain absolute silence for your baby to sleep. There are sounds that are familiar to a baby - rustling sounds, the hum of a washing machine, the quiet voice of mom or dad, the sound of water, and others.

Sometimes there is a sharp sound of a siren or the sound of a falling object coming from the street. Such a noise is unusual and new for the baby, because of this the baby shudders sharply. Even after some time, when the fear seems to be forgotten, the child shudders in his sleep due to excitement of the nervous system.

5. Temperature

During sleep, the baby twitches and tosses and turns when he feels stuffy. Stuffy or musty air in the bedroom is irritating to the baby and causes discomfort.

6. Uncomfortable posture

It is likely that the baby is not comfortable sleeping in the position in which his parents put him. The baby shudders and begins to spin around in search of a comfortable position.

7. Feeling insecure

Some pediatric doctors have given the name “4th trimester of pregnancy” to the first three-month stage of a baby’s life and advise recreating conditions for the baby that maximally imitate those in the womb. This will give the baby a feeling of protection and deep sleep.

The sleep jerking described above is normal and does not require treatment.

However, there are times when a child shudders in his sleep due to various diseases.

Why does the child flinch? Pathological causes

Convulsive rhythmic movements of the baby that continue throughout sleep, combined with screaming and crying, are signs of health problems. Parents who discover these manifestations should take their baby to the doctor as soon as possible.

1. Metabolic disorder. The baby's central nervous system is gradually stabilizing, so it is still difficult for his body to carry out certain metabolic processes.

   Remember that a possible discrepancy between the amount of food and the child’s physical activity leads to metabolic disorders, which causes a shortage or, conversely, an excess of certain elements. All this leads to diseases, the symptoms of which are muscle spasms. It could be anemia.

2. Lack of calcium. When a baby does not eat properly and the body lacks calcium and vitamin D, rickets develops, a disease that causes changes in skeletal structures. Externally, the body seems to be distorted. Problems with the functioning of the nervous system may occur.
3. High intracranial pressure. Sleep disorder is one of the symptoms of increased sleep. This pathology can occur as a result of trauma at birth. Brain cancer may also be the cause.
4. Syndrome of increased neuro-reflex excitability (ESNRV)- the result of a disruption of the central nervous system. For this reason, the infant often shudders. This diagnosis is most often made to children with birth trauma.

If the disease is not detected in a timely manner, this will lead to inattention, restlessness, and sloppiness in the child in the future. Memory lapses are also possible.

Recommendations for arranging restful sleep for a newborn

• Ventilate the bedroom every day before putting your baby to bed;
• even in severe frost in the nursery, open the window for 5 - 10 minutes;
• Install a thermometer in the bedroom and monitor the temperature. It should not exceed 18-21° C;
• do not wrap the baby up. Dress your child in high-quality, warm pajamas made from natural fabric, rather than covering him with several blankets;
• the crib must be placed as far as possible from the radiator and heaters;
• experiment by placing the baby on its side or back to choose the most comfortable position;
• Change the baby's sleeping position every three hours if he has not done this himself. For example, turn your head in the other direction;
• remove everything unnecessary from the bed;
• dose activity while awake. 1.5 - 2 hours before going to bed, proceed to quiet activities;
• Give your baby a relaxing bath before bed;
• give a soft massage. This will help the child relax;
• In the children's bedroom, when going to bed, eliminate extraneous movements and loud conversations. A quiet environment will help the baby fall asleep faster;
• swaddling your baby at night will recreate his intrauterine sensations;
• You can use a special zippered cover. In it, the baby will not twitch his arms and will not frighten himself.

Weak and short-term twitching at night is not dangerous; this is considered normal behavior for infants. Experts argue that the baby’s brain structures are still immature and excitation mechanisms predominate over inhibitory reactions. Therefore, parents should not panic. They need to provide the most comfortable conditions for the baby to sleep soundly.

If the baby’s sleep anxiety persists even after providing comfortable conditions - the child sleeps poorly and constantly wakes up, you should consult a doctor. If there is a disease, the necessary measures will be prescribed.

Thus, infants may have prolonged dreams and exhibit bizarre reflexes during sleep. Babies make a lot of strange noises while they sleep. They will gurgle, pant rapidly, stop breathing for as long as 10 seconds, whimper, scream, whistle, and make rattling noises if their nose is blocked. This is completely normal.

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 readiness, 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 all over, 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:

1. 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.
2. Unexpected bang or explosion, firecrackers, fireworks. Some children happily forget about their experiences, while others develop persistent fear.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. The noise of a working hammer drill, drill or other construction tools. However, children who constantly hear such sounds usually become accustomed to them.
6. Some household appliances make rather unpleasant sounds. A vacuum cleaner, electric meat grinder or alarm clock can cause an adverse reaction in your baby.
7. 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 central movements of the eye muscles, seizures with convulsions, hearing, vision and smell impairments, 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 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 effect. 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 undue worry. You can try to distract your baby with games, calm conversations, and listening to melodic music.