Illinois is about to get noisy when cicada broods thirteen and seventeen emerge en mass around Springfield and Urbana-Champaign. A male cicada’s sound can reach 128 decibels- as loud as a rock concert. With twice as many cicadas as usual appearing this year, it is going to be piercingly loud– annoying for all and dysregulating for individuals on the autism spectrum or with sensory sensitivities.
Navigating the Buzz
The emergence of cicadas in large numbers presents a unique challenge for Occupational Therapists and their clients, and therapists should prepare for the ways the upcoming noise will affect their clients. This sensory bombardment can have a significant impact on those with heightened auditory sensitivities, affecting their daily routines. Occupational Therapists play a crucial role in preparing and supporting their clients through the cicada season.
Therapeutic Conversations
First, you will want to prepare your clients and their families for what to expect during cicada season. Begin with educating clients and their families about cicadas and their lifecycle. Understanding that this event is temporary can help reduce anxiety and build resilience. Discuss the natural role cicadas play in the ecosystem to foster a sense of curiosity and acceptance. Check out the fun facts below and share with your clients so they can learn more about the positive aspects of cicadas.
Encourage clients to express their feelings and preferences regarding their sensory experiences. This can be an empowering exercise, helping them advocate for their needs in various settings. Outdoor events may be overtaken by the sound, affecting everything from casual backyard gatherings to larger public functions. The relentless nature of the noise over the few weeks of the cicadas’ adult life can lead to cumulative stress and fatigue for some individuals. Advise families on how to create quieter indoor environments by closing windows and using soundproofing materials. Plan indoor activities that can offer a reprieve from the outdoor noise and provide a sense of normalcy and routine.
Sensory Tools and Techniques
Introduce noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs as essential tools during this period. Explore alternative sensory regulation techniques, such as listening to calming music or using white noise apps at a safe volume to mask the cicada sound without adding to sensory overload. For children, acceptable noise levels are typically below 70 decibels, akin to a normal conversation level or a running shower. In contrast, everyday sounds like a lawn mower, which can exceed ninety decibels can be distressing or harmful over prolonged periods. Integrating noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs not only addresses these sensory needs but also presents a learning opportunity. It can foster discussions about diversity, sensory sensitivities, and personal boundaries.
Educating children on the science of sound, the importance of hearing protection, and how different individuals may perceive sensory inputs differently can cultivate empathy and understanding among peers.
These noise-reducing devices can help create a more manageable and less stressful auditory environment.
Ear Plugs
Over Ear Noise Cancellation
- Vanderfield, $17.99
- Zohan, $15.99
- Snug, $17.99
White Noise Machines
Noise Cancelling Headphones
- Space One by Anker, $99
- Sound Core by Anker, $59
- Bose Over Ear Headphones, $359
Four Fun Facts About Cicadas
A Superfood
Superfoods are typically celebrated for their nutrient density, often originating from exotic locations. Yet, the humble cicada, available to millions worldwide, is a superfood. Two billion people worldwide include insects in their regular diet, with over 1,900 insect species being used for food. Among the most nutritious are the cicadas. Cicadas are rich in protein, high in omega-3 fatty acids, and pack a range of other nutrients including potassium, vitamin B3, and a substantial amount of zinc. A cicada spends most of its life drinking xylem in the roots of trees. This natural banquet could rival quinoa or kale in terms of dietary benefits. They are healthy buggers when they emerge.
The ‘Yuck’ Factor
For many cultures, the consumption of insects is not a novelty. Indigenous communities and countries across Asia, Africa, and Central America have integrated insects into their diets for centuries, if not millennia. The introduction of any novel food item to a diet faces cultural resistance. There is the initial ‘yuck’ factor to overcome, it is an instinctive aversion that many people have to unfamiliar foods. History is replete with examples of foods that were once considered distasteful or strange but eventually became staples. Lobsters were once so plentiful and unloved that they were fed to prisoners.
Love Songs
Cicadas have captivated the minds of nature lovers and environmentalists alike with their truly remarkable song. To the untrained ear, this might sound like a simple buzz or hum, but to those who listen closely and to entomologists who study these fascinating creatures, it is much more—it is the sound of love. The variety in these songs is not just for human amusement; it plays a critical role in the survival of cicadas. Each species of cicada has its own unique song, which serves to attract females of the same species for mating. The louder and more distinctive the song, the better the chances of being noticed by a prospective mate. Beyond mating calls, cicada songs also play a role in establishing territory and warding off potential predators. The sheer volume and persistence of the sound can deter birds and other predators, providing a form of sonic camouflage for the singing males.
Happy Birds
With the cicadas coming it is an exceptionally fun time to be a bird. The Cicadas serve as easy access to unlimited food, leading to stress free lives for happy birds, and an increase in their reproduction rates. “Tiny chickadees were observed overpowering cicadas, pulling them to the ground with their body weight before pecking them apart,” noted Zoe Getman-Pickering, an ecologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Purple martins, birds that usually eat small insects, feast on cicadas in large numbers. “A family of purple martins managed to bring twenty-three cicadas back to their nest within roughly three hours,” shared Getman-Pickering.
Plump Caterpillars
With avian predators preoccupied by cicadas, other prey like caterpillars experience a temporary reprieve. Notably, the dagger moths were found to be unusually plump. Caterpillars saw a boon, with their numbers doubling in the studied forests during the cicada emergence compared to the following two years. “The increase in caterpillar numbers was astonishing,” said Getman-Pickering. The convergence of these broods, a rare occurrence last seen over two centuries ago when Thomas Jefferson was president, provides a unique opportunity for entomologists, insect enthusiasts, and the community at large to witness and appreciate the complexity of cicada life cycles and their impact on our environment. While the anticipated noise levels may pose challenges for some, it also serves as a reminder of the intricate biological rhythms that have persisted through millennia. Let us approach this extraordinary event with curiosity and a sense of wonder, recognizing the cicadas’ songs as a timeless expression of nature’s resilience, beauty, and Love.
Additional Resources and Hearing Supports for Kids
- Starkey Foundation – Hearing Loss Prevention: Offers information on protecting against hearing loss, suitable for teaching children about the importance of ear protection.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association – Safe Listening: Provides resources on safe listening practices, including acceptable noise levels and the impact of noise on hearing health.
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders – Noisy Planet: Educates children and teenagers about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss through interactive learning.
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