People with autism find it difficult to focus and process information, especially if there’s too much background noise. This is why it is essential to always have noise-cancelling earmuffs or headphones to keep ambient sounds at bay.
Likewise, earmuffs can lower the decibel rate of background noise. This should assist adults and children with auditory processing disorder in communicating.
Studies have shown that noise-cancelling technology can combat loud noises effectively. The technology aids in handling the condition, which enables people in the spectrum to develop their skills and abilities.
Some people develop sensory conditions, and the situation becomes overwhelming when noise is present. Sudden, sharp sounds also impact the mood and nerves of people with autism.
To improve the lives of your family members or friends who are experiencing autism, we’ve created this buying guide to help you select the best headphones for autistic adults and kids.
Quick Suggestions and Comparison: Best autism noise cancelling headphones
Using any of the items below can block harsh sounds around that might spark negative reactions.
For adults with autism, we strongly suggest using the ClearArmor 141001 Hearing Protection Safety Earmuffs.
Aside from a 34-decibel noise reduction rate, it combines convenience and comfort in providing quality hearing protection.
For a more cost-friendly alternative, then both the Howard Leight by Honeywell 1010924 Leightning L3 Safety Earmuff and Peltor Optime 105 Earmuffs are recommendable.
However, note that each item has traits that make them outweigh the others. Yet, they have some drawbacks worth knowing.
On the other hand, our tests have shown that the Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs is the perfect ear protection for kids with ear sensitivity.
With professional dampening foams, this model delivers a passive noise reduction rating of 28 decibels.
If budget is a concern, then you could opt for the Dr.Meter EM100 Kids Protective Earmuffs with Noise Blocking.
FOR ADULTS | Noise Reduction Rate | Weight | Type | Power and Connectivity | Warranty (years) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ClearArmor 141001   | 34 decibels | 9.4 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 3 | |
3M Peltor X   | 31 decibels | 12 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 1 | |
Peltor Optime 105   | 30 decibels | 8.8 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 1 | |
Honeywell 1010924 Leightning   | 30 decibels | 10.6 ounces | Active | No batteries required | 1 | |
Pro For Sho Safety   | 34 decibels | 7.2 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 3 | |
Honeywell R-01902 Impact   | 30 decibels | 15.8 ounces | Active | 350 hours of battery life | 1 |
FOR KIDS | Noise Reduction Rate | Weight | Type | Power and Connectivity | Warranty (years) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mpow 035   | 28 decibels | 11.7 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 2 | |
HearTek Kids   | 27 decibels | 9.6 ounces | Passive | No batteries required | 5 | |
Dr.Meter EM100   | 27 decibels | 8 ounces | Active | No batteries required | 1 | |
BANZ Hearing Protection   | 28 decibels | 7.2 ounces | Passive | Recharge via a micro-USB cord | 1 |
How We Selected Products
We have chosen noise reduction earmuffs based on their capacity to filter out external sounds. Items must filter out at least 85 to 95% of outside noise.
Hence, the final 10 products are guaranteed to provide comfortable conditions for them to go on with their daily lives.
The soothing balance coming from the earphones will keep autistic people calm. Similarly, comfort and convenience play major roles in creating an excellent pair of headphones.
For this list, we made sure to include the top noise-cancelling headphones for adults who need to focus on their work or studies. We also included the best units for babies who are prone to hearing damage.
Read Next: Noise Cancelling Headphones With Microphone
10 Best noise cancelling headphones for autism in 2019
Loud, unwanted noises can stress people in the autism spectrum. This product review explains all the necessary information to help you pick the best noise-cancelling headphones to keep autistic people calm.
For Adults (30 dB to 34 dB Noise Reduction)
1. Overall Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: ClearArmor 141001 Hearing Protection Safety Earmuffs
The ClearArmor 141001 Shooters Hearing Protection Safety Earmuffs is a premium, lightweight, and comfortable pick for super soft ear protection. It has a passive noise reduction rating of 34 decibels, which greatly diminishes distracting background nooses.
SonicSeal, which is ClearArmor's exclusive sound technology, delivers enhanced protection to save hearing.
As for ergonomics, the industrial-grade padded headband adjusts to fit most head sizes. It has a compact folding design for easy storage.
The SolidBlocker shell reflects sound off the earcup. The three layers of noise dampening foam work together to absorb various levels of sound frequencies.
In the same way, it provides extra comfort and better seal around your ears.
Hence, this serves as solid protection for people with autism against distracting noise coming from traffic, fireworks, and social events.
Note that the earcups tend to fit too tightly, especially for adults with large head size.
The item has ISO 9001 certification, which is another testament to quality products and services across the world.
In addition, the earmuffs are both CE EN 352.1 tested and ANSI S3.19 tested. Finally, this is the most budget-friendly earmuffs for adults.
Final Conclusion:
The ClearArmor 141001 Shooters Hearing Protection Safety Earmuffs is a durable and folding earmuff with a novel noise cancellation technology that offers superior hearing protection in all environments. This serves as pure protection for hearing when an environment has lots of high impulse noise.
- No batteries required
- Durable and sturdy build
- Swiveling earcups and easy-to-fold design
2. Runner-Up : 3M Peltor X-Series Over-the-Head Earmuffs
The 3M Peltor X-Series Over-the-Head Earmuffs has a noise reduction rating of 31 decibels, making it very efficient in blocking extremely loud sounds. It combines good passive noise cancellation and well-designed ergonomics.
Basically, this is designed for moderate to high industrial noises. Hence, this is for adults with autism who might need to encounter high noise situations.
Additionally, the design of the twin headband helps diminish heat build-up, thereby delivering balance and good fit.
The specially developed earcup liners, innovation foam, and newly formulated spacers help deliver high attenuation. Besides, you can tilt the earcups to guarantee a customized fit and comfort.
Thus, when correctly selected and worn, this item helps lessen exposure to perilous levels of noise and loud sounds.
Thus, when correctly selected and worn, this item helps lessen exposure to perilous levels of noise and loud sounds.
What we appreciate the most is that there’s no need to sacrifice comfort in order to protect your eyes. The soft and wide cushions make it possible for the earmuffs to seal comfortably around the ears.
Final Conclusion:
The 3M Peltor X-Series Over-the-Head Earmuffs combines hearing protection, advanced design, comfort, and customization. It is a fitting solution to protect adults with autism against noise coming for home, leisure, and workplace activities.
- Remove heat build-up
- Good for industrial noises
- Provides maximum comfort
3. Price-To-Performance: Peltor Optime 105 Earmuffs
The Peltor Optime 105 Earmuffs has a passive noise reduction rate of 30 decibels. This is suitable for most demanding noise environments where noise exposures can hit as high as 105 decibels.
However, there’s no noise amplification. Therefore, you may find making conversations a bit challenging since the item fully blocks out noise.
But for adults with autism who want to work, this pair of earmuffs is recommendable in industries such as transportation, manufacturing, construction, and automotive.
For the design, it features twin cups that minimize resonance, which attains maximum high and low frequency attenuation.
Additionally, the durable stainless steel headband resists bending and warping.
As a result, the product distributes weight for a low-pressure fit.
The full-sized pivoting earcups deliver optimum fit. Meanwhile, the padded steel headband with four-point suspensions gives added comfort.
Final Conclusion:
The Peltor Optime 105 Earmuffs is designed to block out loud noise and ensure your hearing’s safety.
Its noise reduction rate is helpful when you need to focus on loud environments or situations.
- Affordable
- Fairly comfortable
- Double-shell technology for extra noise blocking
4. Budget-Friendly Option: Howard Leight by Honeywell 1010924 Leightning L3 Safety Earmuff
The Howard Leight by Honeywell 1010924 Leightning L3 Safety Earmuff has a patented airflow control technology that reduces sound across frequencies without increasing the weight or size of the earcups.
With an active noise reduction rating of 30 decibels, this unit is recommendable for sectors such as construction, aviation, manufacturing, transportation, law enforcement, and sports.
Moreover, there’s a patented Air Flow Control technology, which provides optimal attenuation across all frequencies without increasing earcup size or weight.
Also, three attenuation levels provide targeted attenuation for a variety of applications.
In this way, you receive a more consistent overall noise reduction for virtually all industrial noise environments.
The headband is made out of strong steel for durability. Meanwhile, the padded foam minimizes pressure on the head during long usage.
Finally, the snap-in ear cushions promote easy replacement and maintenance.
As a bonus, there is a telescopic height adjustment. This is suitable for all head sizes, which serves as an added degree of comfort.
Final Conclusion:
The 30-decibel level of protection coming from the Howard Leight by Honeywell 1010924 Leightning L3 Safety Earmuff is suitable for the toughest of worksites.
The robust construction can withstand demanding and long use.Therefore, adults with autism get sufficient time to focus on their work.
- Robust construction
- Delivers a high degree of comfort
- Easy storage
5. Most Lightweight And Comfortable: Pro For Sho Safety Ear Protection Earmuffs
The Pro For Sho Safety Ear Protection Earmuffs blocks out noise up to 34 decibels, which is a high hearing protection ratio to help silence the world. Note these are protective earmuffs, which means there’s no audio, but will reduce a great amount of noise.
There are adults with autism who are in the workforce, so it’s important to give them extra protection. Good thing that the industrial-grade earmuffs shield your ears away from loud workplace noise.
The good thing about this model is its capacity to block noise a lot.
Yet, it will let you hear important sounds such as car horn and airport announcements.
At 7.2 ounces, this is a solid, yet lightweight device that won’t limit your movements.
Also, this is perfect when you need to carry it outside all the time.
The earcups are wide, so your ears won’t experience too much pressure during a long time of usage.
However, there are limited adjusting options for the headband.
For comfort, there’s plenty of plush padding, which is divided into equal sectors. This means all the crucial pressure points have ample padding.
Final Conclusion:
Thanks to its passive noise cancellation, the Pro For Sho Safety Ear Protection Earmuffs lets adults with autism keep their attention and focus while going on their daily lives.
The unit performs well in a lot of noisy environments, especially those that produce harsh sounds.
- Lightweight design
- Easily absorbs sounds
- Excellent padding
6. Best Battery Operated: Howard Leight by Honeywell R-01902 Impact Pro High Noise Reduction Earmuffs
With a 30-decibel passive noise reduction rating, a pair of the Howard Leight by Honeywell R-01902 Impact Pro High Noise Reduction Earmuffs is a must-have for adults who are exposed to extremely loud indoor and outdoor environments.
This model is particularly crafted for handgun shooters who need greater safety and ear protection. Now, imagine you are in a shooting range; the continuous banging can trigger uncomfortable reactions to adults in the spectrum.
But with this product, you can swell ambient noise up to four times.
Then it can block hazardous noise by automatically shutting off amplification when ambient sound hits 82 decibels.
Aside from that, the built-in directional microphones help detect the sounds.
It can also provide a more natural listening experience.
Furthermore, rubberized pressure points prevent gunstock scratching. Meanwhile, the super deluxe padded headband comes with telescopic height adjustment for a comfortable and secure fit.
You can use the device’s battery for approximately 350 hours. There’s an automatic shut-off feature after every four hours that help save battery life.
Final Conclusion:
The Howard Leight by Honeywell R-01902 Impact Pro High Noise Reduction Earmuffs is perfect for those looking for maximum hearing protection.
With proven ANSI standards, this unit delivers the appropriate noise level for people to focus in extremely loud environments.
- Ambient sound amplification for active noise blocking
- Snap in-ear cushions for easy replacement
- Padded, adjustable headband for protection and comfort
noise cancelling headphones for kids with autism
(27 dB to 28 dB Noise Reduction)
The younger you start protecting your children’s ears, the better. The main benefit is preserving their precious ears, especially if they are noise sensitive.
7. Top Noise-Cancelling Headphones For Children With Autism: Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Earmuffs
The Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Earmuffs is designed with two layers of professional noise dampening foam and high sealing solid cup. As a result, the device offers a high passive noise reduction rating of 28 decibels.
These earmuffs are recommendable for autistic children who have an aversion to different sounds. This item is our top choice because of its usefulness when kids take part in activities or situations that they would normally avoid.
Note that it will not provide total sound isolation, but it can reduce noise perfectly.
To give you a better example, the item serves as professional ear defenders for shooting or hunting activities.
It features a double shell, two layers of noise dampening foam, and a solid cup.
These aspects are suitable even for both children and adults with autism who may be exposed to social events and worksites.
The adjustable headband comes with retractable stainless steel. In this way, you can adjust the earmuffs to the size of your kid’s head.
At 11.7 ounces, this is the heaviest product in the children’s category. Yet, it is compact enough to become foldable and portable. Store it into the included drawstring bag for storage or travel.
Final Conclusion:
The Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Earmuffs is the perfect company for kids with autism who need to remove the potential stress coming from loud noises.
This is especially useful if they want to go to sports events, school activities, and shopping malls.
- Large ear coverage
- Portability
- Low chance of excess exposure to loud noises
8. Runner-Up: HearTek Kids Noise Reduction Protective Earmuffs
The HearTek Kids Noise Reduction Protective Earmuffs manages a 27-decibel noise reduction rating, which safeguards hearing while travelling, studying, or socializing. This makes the product suitable for babies and toddlers with autism who are always under the guidance of their parents.
This unit has an improved passive cancellation because the seal is consistent all the way around.
Don’t worry because the padded headphones and rotating earcups provide a comfortable fit.
They prevent the ears from being damaged, so your kids can hear longer and better.
The adjustable design lets you fold the product, so you could easily store or carry it.
For a custom fit, you only have to pull the metal connectors in or out of the earphones to extend or shorten the headphones.
With globally recognized quality products, you can guarantee that this device from HearTek can block out dull noise that triggers stress and anxiety.
To give you further guarantee, the five-year warranty is proof that the model is durable due to high quality materials.
Final Conclusion:
The HearTek Kids Noise Reduction Protective Earmuffs protect your little one’s sensitive ears, so that loud noises won’t lead to permanent damage.
Whether you are at a mall, park, or school, your children will be able to do normal things on their own without worrying about sensory needs.
- Comfortable fit
- Passive noise cancellation
- Foldable design
9. Best Value: Dr.Meter EM100 Kids Protective Earmuffs with Noise Blocking
The Dr.Meter EM100 Kids Protective Earmuffs with Noise Blocking comes with a 27-decibel active noise reduction rating that is designed for small ears. With safety and comfort features, this item is effective in blocking sounds in large crowds and noisy places.
What we appreciate the most is that despite being the most affordable item in this category, it helps protect and provide peace to kids with sensory problems.
This product is ideal for babies and small children who may be exposed to a range of loud environments.
Having said that, it can effortlessly block out day-to-day noise.
Furthermore, the adjustable soft leather headband fits all head sizes.
Meanwhile, the padded ear cushion provides a comfortable snug fit and improved noise blocking.
For portability, you can rotate the cups up to 360 degrees.
This means you can fold the whole body into a compact and lightweight size.
Finally, the device is both ANSI and CE EN tested and certified. This serves as proof that the earmuffs provide an efficient active noise reduction.
Final Conclusion:
The Dr.Meter EM100 Kids Protective Earmuffs with Noise Blocking is an affordable choice for protecting your kids in a wide range of noisy situations and events. Its excellent design gives a comfortable fit while releasing noise pressure.
- Leather ear cushion padded with soft foam
- Designed to release noise pressure
- Ideal for travelling
10. Most Lightweight And Portable: BANZ Hearing Protection Earmuffs for Children
The BANZ Hearing Protection Earmuffs for Children has a passive noise reduction rating of 28 decibels. This rating can block harmful noise, and thereby protect hearing.
At 7.2 ounces, this is the right size, even for small children. Additionally, it has super soft padding, which makes the earmuffs comfortable to wear.
The adjustable headband fits all ages.
Simply slide the earcups up and down the sturdy wireframing to adjust.
Due to the design, you can ensure there is no extra pressure put on your baby’s ears.
Moreover, the collapsible design creates portability and easy storage.
Parents can easily fit it in their bags, so they can be ready when their children need the item.
The only downside is that all these features make the unit the most expensive product in this list. Yet, BANZ has been helping people protect their ears for over 15 years with their innovative carewear.
Final Conclusion:
The BANZ Hearing Protection Earmuffs for Children is the ultimate solution to protect kids with sensitive hearing.
It can attenuate harmful noises without blocking off necessary ambient sounds.
- The most lightweight and compact design
- Durable and safe
- Recommendable for children six months and up
Checklist: Factors In Buying Noise-Cancelling Headphones For People With Autism
Noise Reduction
The noise reduction is measured in decibels. The safe rate for human health and hearing is up to 80 decibels.
Therefore, a noise reduction rate of 30 decibels means that a pair of earmuffs should decrease the noise from 60 to 30 decibels.
As for the warranty, the majority of the noise-cancelling headphones we’ve encountered have a limited 1-year warranty.
The rest either have a 2-year or 3-year warranty. Only one in this list comes with a 5-year warranty.
Active hearing protectors let the user hear ambient sounds while blocking out noise.
On the other hand, passive noise-cancelling headphones overpower all sounds regardless of the environment.
Both active and passive can benefit your hearing. But as you can see, passive noise reduction earmuffs are designed with an autistic person’s needs in mind.
Design And Ergonomics
It is possible that you will be wearing noise-cancelling headphones for long periods of time.
Subsequently, your ears, temples, or head may experience some pressure. Therefore, you must consider comfort and convenience.
The design and ergonomics include a combination of factors: size, materials, and bonus features.
For instance, the design of the earcups either enhances or weakens the noise cancellation feature.
This is why all hearing protectors use soft paddings on earcups. However, the number of layers may differ from model to model.
Make sure that the headband has a soft inner layer, so it can serve as a cushion for your ears.
Even so, a good layer will give you dampening pads around each year, while also providing ample clearance inside.
More than that, the construction and exterior can make or break an item. A robust built is preferable because this ensures that a pair of earmuffs can last a long time.
In addition, some products are adjustable, which enable them to provide a custom fit.
This relates to the earcup size, which should be customizable, so the device could fit regardless of a person’s head size.
Weight
The design and ergonomics impact a product’s weight. For adults, up to 17 ounces is a tolerable weight. Meanwhile, kids can carry 11 ounces.
Lifespan And Connectivity
Earmuffs normally need wires or cables to power up. But should they require batteries, get something that could at least last for up to 200 hours in a single charge.
Cost And Warranty
Wired earmuffs are way more affordable than wireless headphones. Thus, this is also recommendable for people with autism who need to allocate more money on therapy or medicines.
In this list, we made sure not go to beyond $70, especially since we included products for children. In fact, the most budget-friendly item we’ve reviewed costs only under $10.
FAQ Section:
Why Noise-Cancelling Headphones Improve The Lives Of People With Special Needs?
One in 150 people is diagnosed with autism across the world. Having a strong sensitivity to sound is common for both adults and children with autism.
Did you know that even the constant squeaking of an electric fan can sometimes irritate them? What more when they hear machinery or public transportation.
Constant exposure to loud noises can impact a person’s ability to hear. Similarly, loud sounds can lead to permanent hearing loss.
Thus, we can make their lives easier and less stressful with the help of noise reduction earmuffs.
Note that hearing loss and damage are caused by a combination of how loud the noise is (decibel level) and how long you are exposed to it.
Hence, wearing proper hearing protection can help lessen the harmful effects of noise.
For people in the autism spectrum, noise reduction headphones, whether active or passive, can improve their ability to focus.
Once they feel relaxed, they can better communicate, do their routines, and express their feelings.
Having said that, noise-cancelling earmuffs serve as great protectors when adults and kids need to venture on crowded environments such as:
- Airports
- Classrooms
- Shopping malls
- Worksites
- Concerts
- Sporting events
- City streets
- Cafes and restaurants
- Airports and on the plane
- Family gatherings
- Parties
- Festivals and carnivals
As you can see, we understand how these events can normally produce loud sounds. But these situations can become uncomfortable for children and adults with autism.
Tips And Final Reminders:
Regularly check the headphones for wear and tear, especially the sealed cushion. Remember that the effectivity of noise-cancelling also depends on the fitting of the earmuffs. Here are other ways to optimize usage:
- Let adults and kids experiment with sounds they might hear to help them familiarize and get comfortable with it.
- Go for discreet, low profile design.
- Take breaks and remove the headphones to lessen ear pressure.
- There’s no need to wear noise reduction earmuffs all the time. Constant use can even lead to auditory sensitivity.
- If an adult or a child with autism is wearing eyeglasses, check whether the eye protection can prevent a proper fit of the earmuffs. Likewise, see if the combination of the eye and ear protection would cause discomfort.
- Clean the surface of the earmuffs using warm water and neutral soap.
- Dry the device using a clean cloth.
- Do not sink the headphones in water.
Silence the Deafening Noise
Intermittent or continuous noise may irritate delicate ears. Worse, it can cause discomfort or hearing damage to people with sensory problems.
Know that noisy environments trigger stress and anxiety for people with autism.
But with quality noise reduction earmuffs, you can lessen the negative impact of noise in daily life.
The ClearArmor 141001 Hearing Protection Safety Earmuffs remains our favorite for adults with autism.
But if you can splurge on a more premium model, then the 3M Peltor X-Series Over-the-Head Earmuffs is another good pick.
Meanwhile, the Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Earmuffs is our top suggestion for your kids.
Although, the HearTek Kids Ear Protection Noise Reduction Children Protective Earmuffs is also worth considering.
All of the products we’ve introduced are ideal for this job. They have their unique features that can drastically reduce decibel levels in any area; without sacrificing comfort, of course.
The final say would depend on your situation, needs, and preferences.
Jessica is a Acoustical Engineer, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. After graduating from her degree in Master of Engineering degree in Acoustics from Solent University in 2014, Jessica worked for a few companies before She will be blogging about her past and current experiences in the studio and sharing her journey as she pursues her career goals. She enjoy the balance of work inside and out of the office, solving practical problems on a daily basis as every project is different and requires a different solution, the variety of work (sound insulation testing, background noise survey, mechanical plant commissioning, external plant assessment, plant room breakout assessments) and the mix of independent and team work.
Do you have a suggestions for noise cancelling earbuds? My son does not want to draw attention to himself.
Sony WF-1000XM3 would be the great choice if price isn’t any issue for you.
My son is sensitive to lawn mowers, airplanes, doorbells, motorcycles and I can not find headphones, earmuffs that take away these noises. he has Misophonia. Can you tell me what ear protectors can he get to eliminate all noise around him.