MP3 Player Parents of ADHD and Autistic Kids Will Love: b-Calm Giveaway!

In December 2009, I caught the last few seconds of a local TV news report. I heard just enough of the story to know that I had to learn more. An Iowa entrepreneur had developed a new gadget intended to help kids with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD). I scribbled down the product’s name -- b-Calm -- before I could forget it and headed to Google to find it. I e-mailed a query via the product’s website, and a few days later, I enjoyed an hour-long phone interview with Curtis Carroll, a mechanical engineer working for b-Calm.

b-Calm, I learned, is an “audio sedation” system. b-Calm sounds, delivered via headphones, help kids with ADD/ADHD or autism screen out sounds that cause distraction or stress. According to the b-Calm website, common results include fewer outbursts from kids on the autism spectrum, less distraction for students with ADD/ADHD, the ability to focus on schoolwork for longer periods, and improved writing clarity and math comprehension. When listening to b-Calm at low volumes, students can converse and interact with teachers and other students. Higher volumes can cover up voices and noise, reduce distractions in the classroom, or diminish sensory overload in a loud gym.

Does b-Calm “sound” promising to you? Learn more about the science behind this product in this Web-only article.

Would you like to give b-Calm a try? Add a comment to this post by March 31, 2011 for a chance to win one of two free b-Calm sets!

Contest rules: For a chance to win a b-Calm set, leave a comment telling us if your child with ADD/ADHD or other special needs (or an ADHDer you know of) is often distracted or overstimulated by environmental sounds. What strategies does he or she employ to screen out or tolerate extraneous sounds? Note: To be considered, please log in to leave a comment using a valid e-mail address. Those who do not will not be including in the drawing.

Good luck!