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This should probably be listed under other treatments, but no one hardly reads that post, so I decided to post here instead. Has any one ever heard of this program being used. I know I just read up on it somewhere and now can't seem to find it. It sounds harmless and seems like it would be useful. The school sent home a form for my son and I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. I just get concerned when I have to consent for anything. Please post any information or links to sites containing information about this program. Thanks!
Here's the information I received with the consent form:
Using the Listening Program in the Treatment of Autism
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| by Alexander Doman and Dorothy Lockhart Lawrence |
Printable (PDF) | |
Children on the autistic spectrum can have difficulties processing various forms of sensory information. Auditory processing issues are one of the most common sensory processing problems and often include extreme hypersensitivity to sound, pitch discrimination issues, and sequential processing difficulties that impact receptive and expressive language, cognition, and social skills. Because the difficulties lie in the processing, in some cases a child may tune out and even act as if deaf, yet their hearing tests in a normal range. The vestibulocochlear system informs us of sound, movement and orientation of space. The cochlear portion of the system turns sound or vibration into electrochemical messages that are relayed throughout the central nervous system and is critical to auditory processing. The vestibular portion serves to provide stabilization, influences attention and arousal, posture, movement, thus being critical to sensorimotor integration. It is the integration of our senses that allows us to understand what we are experiencing in our world. So it makes sense that a program that would stimulate and help to integrate the cochlear and vestibular systems might be very helpful for the autistic child. What is The Listening Program®?
While in no way a cure for autism, when used in combination with a therapeutic program tailored to individual needs, The Listening Program (TLP) can be an effective intervention for children on the autistic spectrum. TLP is a music-based sound stimulation program that currently consists of 8 one-hour audio CDs that contain specially processed classical music and nature sounds plus a 112 page guidebook. It is easily used in the home under the guidance of a health, therapeutic, or educational professional who has been trained as an Authorized Provider. The Authorized Provider supplies the program to families, conducts client intakes and pre/post assessments, determines and individualizes the listening schedule, and monitors and consults with families using the program. Listening sessions are typically fifteen minutes in length, done once or twice a day, five days a week, using high quality stereo headphones. The average program length is eight to sixteen weeks with many people finding it advantageous to repeat the program once or several times to help regulate their auditory system. TLP's modular design lends itself to easy modification for specific purposes. Additional CDs called TLP Specialized CDs allow for further individualization of listening programs. The most commonly reported benefits from using TLP with a child on the autistic spectrum are in the following areas:
Increasing Engagement
The listening experience can help improve self-image, reduce tactile defensiveness, and lead to a better sense of the body in space. As listeners become more comfortable in their body and surroundings, they may initiate more physical contact, respond better to others, begin to pay more attention and start to make more eye contact. Increased engagement often includes a reduction in aggressive behavior and a desire for more affection.
Emerging Skills
Sound stimulation has commonly shown it can accelerate the rate of progress when used in conjunction with therapeutic, neurodevelopmental, academic, and behavioral programs. When these areas are addressed with individualized programs, improved listening helps facilitate better integration and organization in the sensory and motor systems, leading to a more rapid rate of acquiring skills and desired outcomes.
Auditory Processing
We can only process a sound and understand its meaning if we can hear it well. TLP helps to improve the rate and accuracy of sound perception. As the brain learns to process sound better, improvements are also noted in auditory processing and receptive language. We monitor our communication through listening to ourselves and others. As the ability to perceive improves, better communication skills are often the result.
Reducing Sound Sensitivity
Hypersensitivity to sound can be debilitating for anyone, especially those with additional sensory processing problems. TLP provides sound stimulation that aids the nervous system to better modulate sensory input. With this improved ability, there is often a reduction in abnormal sensory perception, especially with sound. Reducing sound sensitivity allows one to be more comfortable in their environment as they no longer have to constantly protect themselves from unwanted and uncomfortable sounds.
University of Sheffield Research Shows Progress Continues
After Program Use
Dilys Treharne of the Department of Human Communication Sciences at the University of Sheffield conducted a pilot study to investigate the efficacy of TLP when used for clients with auditory processing difficulties. After reassessing the children at the end of the eight week program and then eight weeks later, she wrote in the Winter, 2002 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice, "The results were beyond my expectations: all showed an improvement greater than one would expect from maturation."
Of the many improvements noted, Treharne found the greatest change in selective attention, also known as auditory figure-ground. Those with the severest difficulties made the greatest improvement. The most important thing that the study showed was that the improvements made were not only maintained but progress did not stop after the initial eight week program. Even those without other interventions generally continued to make gains for up to 10 months when they usually reached a plateau. At this point many took another course of TLP.
"The Listening Program is now my first step in auditory training," says Treharne, "as it seems to activate listening skills that have been repressed or never developed, thus priming the system for more specifically targeted therapy programs."
Neural Plasticity Is the Key
The theoretical basis of any sensory stimulation program must include neural plasticity. Neurons will branch out and establish new synaptic connections when stimulated and research has shown that this occurs throughout our entire lives.
Neuroscientist Lise Elliot says in her book What's Going On In There?, "Anyone who has ever studied nerve cells can tell you how plastic they are. The brain itself is literally molded by experience: every sight, sound and thought leaves an imprint on specific neural circuits modifying the way future sights, sounds, and thoughts will be registered. Brain hardware is not fixed, but living, dynamic tissue that is constantly updating itself to meet the sensory, motor, emotional, and intellectual demands at hand."
Listening to the CDs in The Listening Program literally exercises and tones tiny muscles in the middle ear called the tensor tympani and stapedius muscles. Exercising these two muscles improves their tone, thus making them more responsive to their task of directing the middle ear bones and eardrum. This helps them to amplify soft sounds and protect the inner ear from damaging harsh or loud noise.
TLP was designed to help balance and restore our ability to listen to and process sounds across the full auditory spectrum, from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The brain receives especially rich auditory stimulation, and because of its ability to change with stimulation, its ability to process sound improves.
| motherof138722.5974189815I Googled it just to see what it was...could not really figure out what they would be listening to. My son hates headphones, so at this point I would not want to purchase it...is your school doing this program?according to my paper sent home from school it's classical music and nature sounds with guidebook. I'm still in the researching phase. Yes my ds school is doing this program.keiths slp recommends earobics, but i'd be interested in checking this out....k8I've heard some good things about this sort of program. I met with a woman who runs a clinic for the Tomatis Method (another ear training program). It sounded as though she had great results. I have heard that some children make terrific improvement, while others don't. A few of my clients have tried it- some say it's great, some not. But, the CDs are definitely a lower cost way of trying this sort of program.
As far as I know, the idea is that the frequencies in the music stretch the muscles and parts of the ear and work areas in the brain, so that children listen more effectively.
Good luck with your decision. I'm looking into using the Spectrum Center in Bethesda, MD (they also have offices in other parts of the country) for auditory therapy using the Tomatis method. It's so expensive though and I'm not sure my son could tolerate the headphones. A home based (or in this case, school based) program might be the way to go. Less expensive and probably more comfortable for the child. I think it's awesome that your school system is doing this!
I learned about auditory therapy after reading "Awakening Ashley". Cubb38723.4021990741hmmmm, is there a listening program for husbands too?????Is this the program where the children then cannot use headphones for anything else for years afterward, if ever? I remember reading about a program like that and as my son loves listening to books on CD/tape with headphones and just got a Little Tikes boombox for Christmas that he loves to listen to (the volume is permanently set on low) I can't imagine doing that.
Does anybody know if this is the case? [QUOTE=snoopywoman]
Is this the program where the children then cannot use headphones for anything else for years afterward, if ever? I remember reading about a program like that and as my son loves listening to books on CD/tape with headphones and just got a Little Tikes boombox for Christmas that he loves to listen to (the volume is permanently set on low) I can't imagine doing that.
Does anybody know if this is the case?
[/QUOTE]
I don't know and I sure would love to know the answer to that. if anyone knows please let us know. motherof138724.1533564815 |
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