Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

My DS is 3, almost 3.5, and he's been doing something that I'm not quite sure what to make of. I'm not sure if this is "something" or not, if that makes sense. I was hoping someone here might have some input.

For about the last 3 months DS has been covering his ears when (i'm guessing this is why) he's afraid or uncomfortable. He only does this at school. He did it at home for about 2 weeks but then he stopped. Today the teacher pulled me aside and told me he closed his eyes too. And that he started walking around the classroom with his eyes closed (i've only seen him do this once at home, many many months ago, and it was like he was discovering something new, never did it again)

He later told me that there were "lots of new people in the big classroom" and it turns out that they put several classes together for a presentation on trains. Maybe this explains it, I don't know.

For background I'll add that DS is very, very shy. Extremely. He separates well for school and in general but will not talk to people he does not know. It takes him a while to warm up. He is social in the sense that he is interested in people and kids and what they are doing. Once he feels more comfortable he interacts more (he saw an aunt of mine last week for the 3rd time and was making sustained direct eye contact, kept going over to her, was putting on a show in that he was dancing and doing things to get her attention. At one point he started singing so she could hear him.) But yet, sometimes he seems afraid of people.

He has great language skills. He was a later talker, 25 months, but has really great language and communicates very well. At home he talks all the time. At school, not much. He feels a lot of pressure to talk (people we know will say "oh, he doesn/t talk" in front of him) and he will often say, "i'm going to talk today." He plays well independently, plays appropriately with toys, potty-trained in 1 day, no sleep or eating issues.

There is one more thing I've noticed. He's started jumping. Like jumping in place sometimes. He's been doing it more lately. Again, I don't know if it's just something he's discovered or it's "something." I asked him about it but he told me he was hopping like a bunny.

I've looked over the autism, Asperger's, and sensory-processing disorder checklists and nothing fits. I just don't know what to think. When the teacher pulled me aside today my heart sank and I just wanted to cry. Just looking for some ideas/direction. Thanks.

Re: Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

Does he talk at all in school?

Re: Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

My son is very sensitive to noise. Part of his spd. He started to cover his ears a lot back in October. I took him to the dr thinking he had an ear infection. Nothing showed. I was stumped. He did it mostly at home. I asked a friend who babysits for a little boy just like my son and she asked if something was different at home or if something happened in front of ds. I found out that one day my son witnessed my husband in a heated argument on the phone and he was rather loud. So ds covered his ears whenever He heard a loud voice. It took months for him to get over it.. I think your son doesn't like how much more noise there is now in his classroom. It should pass. But it may take some time.

Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

My son does this, he is PDD-NOS. He does it when there are loud noises and always when he is scared (doesn't have to be a loud noise, for instance, perceived scary part in a movie). Is he hand flapping when he jumps?

I'm not saying your child has PDD-NOS. I'm asking because it's likely a sensory thing. "Typical" kids don't usually hand flap while jumping and cover their ears at loud noises. They can be typical in every single other way, but still have sensory issues.

If you are concerned, I would get an OT evaluation.

Message edited 3/13/2013 12:25:05 PM.

Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

my typical DD sounds like this... she is shy in the sense around new ppl, loud noises she will cover her ears, and she jumps sometimes when she is excited. she as well was a late talker 24-25 months, but at almost 4 she doesnt shut up and has conversations with you, that would blow your mind.

even if he flaps while jumping i would not be worried. he is social, he interacts, like you said he is shy.

i am not qualified to diagnose, but from what you descried, he sounds as typical as one could be.

i know plenty of kids who flap, and toe walk, and they are as typical as the rest of them.

Re: Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

My ds covers his ears at birthday parties, indoor play centers and at school when it's really loud. Our Ot said he has an auditory sensory sensitivity and continued exposure helps to improve it. He never does this at home because its quiet in comparison. My ds used to startle very easily too when a dog barked or the doorbell rang. Try playing lots of musical games with him lots of banging of drums and taking Him to places out of his comfort zone.

Re: Can anyone give me ideas about what might be going on with my DS? (long, i'm sorry)

Thanks everyone for the replies. He doesn't flap when he jumps. He has imaginative play, shows empathy, reads emotions/facial expressions. So hard to figure this stuff out sometimes, and scary too.

I think I will look into an OT eval. I have very sensitive hearing (i hear things no one else can hear) so maybe I passed some of that on to him, not to mention my shyness. Although he takes it to another level. Thx again.