Headphones are appropriate for my son some of the time (when we go to concerts, Broadway plays, sporting events, etc,) but we try to keep it to a minimum.

My 15 year old son couldn't live without his noise canceling headphones.

@A MyAutismTeam Member I totally agree . . . you have to do what is bes for your child. If if makes them more comfortable and calm, it is worth it. Most people are understanding of the situation.

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A MyAutis...

My son who is 19, is very hyper and sensitive to sound and loud noises. When I came across headphones on another student I talked to the teacher about and thought maybe this may help him muffled the sounds in his ears. WOW! If the answer to Autism would be this easy! What a difference it made, his reactions to sound is very minimal, we now can even stay in church threw the whole service without having to leave like before. People understand, they just think he's listening to music. Sometimes you can't avoid keeping the attention off of you. So pick your battles.

If you don't want him to feel out of place, you could recommend ear plugs if he could tolerate them.