ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Auditory arrhythmia

Have you ever listened to a song or a piece of music and noticed that sometimes the beat is fast and sometimes it is slow? That is kind of like what happens with auditory arrhythmia, but instead of music, it is happening in your ears!

Auditory arrhythmia is when the sounds you hear, like when someone is talking to you or a bird is chirping outside, seem to be going in and out of rhythm. It is like when you jump rope and you have to jump at the right time or you trip up, except with auditory arrhythmia, it happens with the sounds you hear.

This can happen for lots of reasons, like if your ears are tired or if you have an ear infection. It can also be caused by certain medications or by getting older.

But don't worry, most of the time, it is not a big deal and it will go away on its own. And if it ever starts to bother you, just tell your grown-up and they can help you figure out what to do next.