Sensory Issues and Working with Kids

Meant to post this sooner but couldn't get around to it. So the other day at work, I found just how hard it can sometimes be for a person on the autism spectrum to work with kids. Kids are naturally loud, and I understand that. Also, the class I work in during the afternoons is especially loud. We have mostly girls, and they can squeal and talk so loud like nobody's business. Being on the autism spectrum, I am more sensitive to sounds and noise. So, you can imagine how these girls voices can drill into my head sometimes. So far, I have been able to handle the noise level, and it hasn't overwhelmed me. However, the other day was different.

First of all, I went into work with a headache right off. I took some Aleve, and it helped. Unfortunately, it doesn't help the symptoms of Asperger's LOL. By the end of their time at centers, I was in a daze. I eventually stopped hearing individual words and only heard noise. It all sounded like the adults from Charlie Brown cartoons. Sporadically, I would hear squealing and screams from the little girls. A few times, a child would come up to talk to me or tell me something, and it took all my attention and strength to understand what they were saying and respond to them. 
By the time we went outside for water play, I was so overwhelmed and withdrawn. I had to stand away from the others and the noise. I was so overwhelmed that I started tearing up. I was trying not to let it all out and cry, but the tears kept crowding my eyes. I eventually had to go inside to our classroom (where I knew I could be alone) and just cried. I had to let it out because it was just getting worse. Also, I wasn't about to start crying in front of my coworkers and those kids. I cried for a good five minutes. After I calmed down, I went back outside. I felt better but still a little withdrawn. However, at least my anxiety level went down, and I wasn't as overwhelmed. I love that my coworkers know about my condition and understand what goes on sometimes. They didn't mind me taking a break so I could calm down. I love the environment and the people I work with. It's awesome to have supportive and understanding people. 

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~