In our quest to get the best noise muffling or reducing headphones for kids with sensory processing disorder, we have tried a wide range of headphones and reviewed them here.
So when an occupational therapist friend heard that I was seeking for a solution for my kids with autism and ADHD, she recommended that I try out the b calm headphones that use audio sedation to calm children.
Armed with 5 three year old kids (3 with autism and 2 with ADHD), I tried to give the b calm headphones a try. This review details all that we found about them
A study conducted by eight special needs teachers in Iowa State found out that wearing the b calm headphones was able to calm the children who were having Adhd and autism. It also sharpened their focus in class such that they were able to concentrate on mathematics, reading as well as listening skills which they had a problem before. The special needs teachers after using the gadgets gave a 4.4 star rating out of the maximum 5 showing that they were indeed blown away and contented using the devices.
To really determine whether the headphones were as good as people claimed, I decided to try them out at Uhuru Park on a weekend. Now Uhuru Park is one of the most noisiest fun parks that we have in town. It teems with activity with kids from all walks of life playing on the bouncing castle, riding the mini trains and swinging as well as swimming.
Personally, I find the place uncomfortable because of the noise and flurry of activities. I now wanted to see whether the b calm gadgets would give my kids a soothing experience while they were in such a place. Of course I was really to drive them away if things became too much for them.
I was surprised. My kids really enjoyed the b calm experience. What with the preloaded soothing Summer Forest, Country train and Under a Canopy music that calmed them down despite the hustle and bustle of Uhuru Park. They actually enjoyed being there and I was really surprised to see them wanting to play on the bouncing castle despite how the normal kids were animatedly screaming and cheering there.
Features of the b calm noise reducing headphones
- It comes with a travel bag so that you can carry it for your kid when going out for camps, concerts, picnics or any other outdoor activity.
- It comes with a preloaded 2 GB MP3 player that uses audio sedation to calm the child. The technology used here is called acoustic shield in that the kid listens to friendly or what is called ambient sounds from nature that calms them despite how disorganized the background noises might be.
- It comes with a long lasting battery that is good for when you are travelling, going to the dentists or visiting your doctor.
- The headphones themselves are child sized, have soft padding and an equally smooth well-padded headband so that your child is not irritated by any part.
What we loved about the b calm headphones
- The headphones were a great fit for our autistic kids who were 3 years old. They were comfy and looked good on the kids
- The rowdy noise blocking feature using ambient sounds was a really great feature. B calm has really done a great job compared to all the other noise reduction headphones that we have ever tried out
- The 2GB mp3 player only has 1GB preloaded while the rest is empty for you to fill out with music or nice sounds that would calm your child
- We saw a great improvement in the focus and concentration of those kids who wore the gadgets.
- You do not have to attach the headphones to the MP3 player as you can use wirelessly through Bluetooth connection.
- Out of all the songs preloaded, our kids loved Summer Forest, Country train and Under a Canopy. The good thing is that each was 30 minutes long which was a good duration to have moved from the annoying noise and to have the kid focus on one thing.
What we did not like about the headphones
- They are not very comfortable for autistic adults
- They are highly priced as compared to other headphones such as the snug earmuffs.
You can also check out the vibes noise cancelling earplugs.