Quietware dinner sets for people with hyperacusis
Quietware crockery for people with noise sensitivity.
Christmas is the time for family get-togethers, often with loved ones staying with relatives for extended periods over the festive season. But with so many people under the same roof, the potential for irritating noise increases. We’re talking TVs and sound systems on at full volume, and even the packing and unpacking of dishwashers at unpopular times of the day…
Spare a thought for people who live with hyperacusis, or noise-induced pain. Hyperacusis can be caused by exposure to loud noise, be the result of a head injury or an inner ear viral infection, or occur alongside other conditions such as Bell’s palsy or autism. In fact it’s thought that about 2% of the UK adult population have some degree of hyperacusis.
The smallest sounds hurt
People who live with this condition find everyday sounds both painfully loud and harmful. Typing on a computer keyboard, cracking an egg, putting dry pet food out for a cat – even the cat’s meowing – can be excruciating. And loud noise isn’t just painful, it can be harmful, increasing sensitivity.
People with hyperacusis find all sorts of tools and strategies to minimise the impact of noise and live as normally as possible, and there’s one potential new product range that could make a huge difference if it gains its patent – Quietware dinnerware.
A new option on the table
Quietware is a range of dinnerware that has been designed by people who experience noise sensitivity. The range uses removeable silicon bumpers around rims and bases to eliminate the noise of crockery being stacked or placed on hard surfaces. The bumpers simply pop on and off and are microwave and dishwasher roof. Eating mats made from the same food grade silicon have also been designed to sit on the plates or bowls for an even quieter experience.
Quietware is an American start-up and its designs are patent pending, so it isn’t available yet. But if the enterprise is successful, it could mean dish stacking, setting tables, and cutting and eating could get a whole lot quieter. In the meantime, if you’re sensitive to noise, it’s worth investigating bamboo dinnerware. This has become very popular in recent years due to its eco-friendly nature, and it offers a far quieter dining experience than traditional crockery.
If you have any concerns about any aspect of your – or a loved one’s – hearing, please come and see us at The Hearing Clinic.
