NOISE POLLUTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) determines that the tolerable sound limit for humans is 65 decibels. Above that, it is considered noise pollution. Urban noises are invisible pollutants, they affect the health of men and animals, and can cause psychological and material impairments that alter the body's metabolism. In individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), noises can cause adverse and untimely reactions. This work aims to verify the influence of noise pollution on children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, aged 0 to 19 years, living in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR), Pernambuco, Brazil, through reports from family members. Data analysis was descriptive with qualitative and quantitative variables, based on bibliographical research. A questionnaire containing 33 questions was applied to 149 people responsible for children and adolescents with ASD. The result showed that 67.7% of them lived in noisy neighborhoods; 66.4% were sensitive to urban noise and 47.6% survived on just 1 minimum wage. Only 36% of family members reported noise pollution. The main noises highlighted were household appliances, fireworks and construction respectively.