An Incredibly Common Sound Sensitivity You May Never Have Heard Of

You may find certain sounds annoying, like a dripping faucet or a coworker tapping their foot while you’re trying to focus. For some, these sounds cause the urge to flee a room or put their hands over their ears. You may not have heard of misophonia, but it’s incredibly common. Some estimates suggest it may affect as many as 1 in 5 people.

What is misophonia?

Psychology Today states, “Misophonia includes a low tolerance for pattern-based and repetitive sounds, regardless of loudness. Triggers have specific meaning to people and are most often sounds (or related stimuli) emanating from other human beings.” In other words, these sounds aren’t typically loud or considered problematic to most. The Cleveland Clinic states sounds that are often a trigger include chewing food, a yawn, hand or foot tapping, heavy breathing, the ticking of a clock, clicking a pen and water dripping. But for a person with misophonia, these sounds are nearly impossible to tolerate and trigger a fight or flight response. For children, these responses can be particularly hard to manage.

There is no official test for misophonia, nor is there an official diagnosis listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Part of the reason the disorder isn’t well known is likely because people who have it are embarrassed by their response and think they’re being overly sensitive. They also may not realize it is a medical condition, so they don’t mention it to their healthcare provider.

Experts are also conducting more research to determine if misophonia is a "standalone diagnosis," or if it's more like a symptom of another diagnosis, like anxiety or PTSD.

What causes misophonia?

Though there isn’t a lot of research about the condition yet, there are some findings. According to Harvard Medical School, a British-based research team “[u]sing fMRI scans to measure brain activity, the [British-based research team] found that the [anterior insular cortex] caused much more activity in other parts of the brain during the trigger sounds for those with misophonia than for the control group. Specifically, the parts of the brain responsible for long-term memories, fear, and other emotions were activated.” So people with misophonia’s brains react differently to sounds, and since it's the part of the brain where emotions occur, that may explain the strong emotional reactions to sounds.

How do kids with misophonia act?

Since there is no formal test, Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout, the Director of the International Misophonia Research Network, states that most parents diagnose their children with misophonia. Dr. Brout shares a few signs your child may have misophonia:  

• Covering ears with hands
• Quick and seemingly unprovoked mood changes
• Crying in response to sounds that other children don’t notice
• Becoming angry, fearful, or overwhelmed in response to sounds that other children do not notice
• A desire to leave, or actually leaving, specific places when triggered
• Avoiding specific places where triggers are known to occur
• Difficulty with self-regulation (the ability to calm one’s self) that seems atypical for child’s age

Parents then follow up with a healthcare specialist to confirm their suspicions.

What is the difference between misophonia and sensory processing differences?

Misophonia and sensory processing differences certainly share similarities. Both misophonia and sensory differences typically start in early childhood; however, these conditions can also develop later in life. These can also co-occur with diagnoses like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For people with misophonia and sensory differences, the behavioral response can look very similar — fight or flight reactions, covering ears, trying to escape from the stimulation that is causing distress and having difficulty with self-regulation.

However, there are some distinct differences. Sensory processing differences can include being over-responsive (hypersensitive) and/or being under-responsive (hyposensitive) to sensory information. But people with misophonia don’t require more intensive sensory input to regulate their bodies, as people who are hyposensitive to sensory input do. And the biggest difference is that misophonia is caused by very specific auditory and visual triggers, while sensory differences can occur across any of our senses. For example, a child who can’t stand tags in their clothing or a particular fabric — causing them to remove their shirt — doesn’t have misophonia. Your child likely has a tactile sensory difference. 

How can you help a child manage it?

While experts are still learning about misophonia triggers and treatment, there are ways to help your child manage it. Dr. Brout states, “Coping skills are an important part to managing misophonia.” Children can learn coping skills with the help of medical and mental health professionals.

“Parents sometimes reach out to Fraser Occupational Therapists to ask if we address misophonia. Occupational therapists can, but the multidisciplinary approach is often more helpful since it's pretty specific and complex,” says Gina Brady, Fraser Sensory Supports and Training Manager and Occupational Therapist.

In addition to an occupational therapist, a person with misophonia may need the support of an audiologist, a psychologist, a doctor, a speech-language therapist and a school counselor. Dr. Brout also offers resources and information for schools, parents and doctors.