My daughter jumps every time the vacuum cleaner goes on
Helping children with noise sensitivity and anxiety using the Safe and Sound Protocol
“My daughter jumps every time the vacuum cleaner goes on. She is scared of going to places where there is an electric hand drier, and she cries when there is an abrupt loud noise. I have heard about the Safe and Sound Protocol. Can it help her not be so jumpy, and what is the science behind it?”
As more parents learn about Dr Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory, his discovery about how the nervous system works, and his research on feeling safe, Raviv Practice London is seeing more parents contact us. There are many anxious children who can't cope with unexpected noises, and many experiencing trauma at the thought of school resuming after the national lockdowns.
Funnily enough, parents with neurodivergent or SEN children have noticed all sorts of positive changes, since their child prefers being at home. One parent reported that since her son has been at home during this lockdown, his eczema has completely cleared!
Sometimes we want to shut off from the world.
While many schoolchildren are missing their friends, many neurodivergent children are thrilled not to be in school. They do not miss being compared to their peers, being hurried along or feeling inadequate. Children with SEN are enjoying their time at home. In place of being one of thirty children in a classroom, they are receiving lots of one-on-one time with those who love them the most, their parents.
These parents of SEN children, who have previously pushed their children in school, are now learning exactly what sort of educational environment their child thrives in. These children have an understandable reason not to want to return to a comparatively hostile environment. They feel safer and more understood at home.
“This survival mechanism is the most basic of all mammalian responses - immobilisation.”
What does Polyvagal Theory tell us about the freeze response?
The Polyvagal Theory is a recent discovery in how our autonomic nervous system works. The autonomic nervous system runs along the Vagus Nerve. It runs from the brainstem down the body, sending and receiving messages from the heart, lungs, gut and liver and all the main organs in the body.
It was thought, for the longest time, that the two branches of the Vagus nerve, the parasympathetic branch and the sympathetic branch, played a balancing act for everyday survival. The parasympathetic branch nurtured growth and was responsible for resting, digesting and relaxation. The sympathetic branch kept us safe and out of danger through the fight-or-flight response. However, this thought did not account for the freeze response, the third coping mechanism.
Dr Stephen Porges discovered that the parasympathetic nerve branch, responsible for rest, was not a single strand but a multi-stranded nerve fibre; hence the name 'Polyvagal,' which literally means ‘many Vagus Nerves’. Dr Stephen Porges' theory accounts for the freeze response coming from this second branch of the parasympathetic system.
While this discovery is recent, this part of the Vagus Nerve is, in fact, very old. This primitive system is present in all mammals and used when they are in deep trauma and cannot flee a dangerous situation. Instead, they freeze in terror. This survival mechanism is the most basic of all mammalian responses - immobilisation. The problem comes when a person enters this state of immobilisation when there are no tangible dangers.
Certain triggers may activate the 'freeze,' response at any given time. For some individuals, this threat could be sudden loud sounds such as vacuum cleaners, or specific environments like returning to school. Although others may be unperturbed, for those with the trigger, their body registers it as a real danger; they are locked into the freeze response, which is triggered repeatedly when a particular stimulus is presented.
How can SSP help with the freeze response?
Being in a state of immobilisation, we switch everything off. All higher thinking functions of the brain go completely offline. A comforting voice of a parent or loved one may not reach through when in this immobilised state. The individual needs to reengage in social connection to feel connected and safe. Dr Stephen Porges has done a lot of work on how to bring a child or adult from the disconnected state back online with his program Safe And Sound Protocol (SSP). This is a long-term solution to ease the effects of immobilisation and prevent further episodes. More parents are reaching out to use Safe and Sound Protocol with visible results.
If you, or your child, are struggling with anxiety that may be caused by this period of isolation or the fear of returning to school. I would recommend the following books to get you started on the path of training your child's nervous system to a happier place.
Polyvagal-Theory-Neurophysiological-Communication-Self-regulation By Dr Stephen Porges
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation By Deb Dana
And if, after reading the books, you are still in doubt about the value of training the vagus nerve, book a free consultation with us and we can help you or your child reconnect.
Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?
Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.
