Social story · 8 pages
Loud noises
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Some places have loud noises, like hand dryers, flushing toilets and alarms.
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Loud noises can hurt my ears or make me feel upset. Many people feel like this.
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Before I go into a toilet, I can ask my grown-up to check for a hand dryer.
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I can dry my hands with a paper towel or my own towel instead.
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I can cover my ears with my hands, or wear my ear defenders.
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I can ask to go somewhere quieter. I can say "Too loud" or show a card.
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Most loud noises stop after a short time.
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When it is quiet again, I can take a slow, deep breath.
For grown-ups
Keep ear defenders in the bag, and agree on a "too loud" card or sign. Checking a toilet for a hand dryer first avoids many surprises.
Pictograms: Sergio Palao, ARASAAC (arasaac.org), Government of Aragón, under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence.