Auditory Integration Training (AIT) for Autism

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends:

From an experienced Mom about a help that may not be getting the attention

that it deserves.

Willis

Meg,

I don't have the time to write you all that we have experienced with Auditory

Integration Training (having mega computer problems!), but I can tell you

that when my son first did AIT, it enabled him to be main-streamed into a

regular

2nd grade class. When he returned after spring break (1st grade), he stunned

every teacher, therapist, and I/A who had ever worked with him. The

principal (who had a S/E background) even went to an autism conference the

following

year to tell his amazing story. Literally overnight, his handwriting became

legible. This enabled him to take spelling tests along with the typical children

(on curriculum that he was not getting at school because he was being taught

in SE---long story). On the first day of AIT he rode a bike for the first

time.

Many things pointed to an " auditory/visual tune-up " . We had not thought he

had any sound sensitivities either. We were wrong---he had developed an

incredible ability to block out noise (another long story), and we had no idea

how

he could have taught himself such a highly sophisticated self-defence mechanism

without any awareness on our part. Certainly no auditory tests revealed it.

He also had developed a visual blocking system that looked like he was starring

at nothing at the ceiling. What he was really doing was listening...he

couldn't look and listen at the same time, we later discovered. The reason?

Because

his auditory and visual processing was taking place at a different pace, kind

of like an old movie with the sound not matching the visual. I have since

talked to autistic adults who experienced the same thing as children, and it's

extremely difficult to pay attention when you must either block out vision or

sound. When he was listening intently, he looked as if he was totally out to

lunch...my spaceman, I would joke. It was actually a regular ed kindergarten

teacher who first observed this inability to look and listen at the same

time---that was 1990.

My son's first AIT was in 1992 at age 6 1/2. As I said, he stunned everyone.

This was before any biomedical treatments, other than B6 & magnesium, were

known. He went into a period of deep sadness half a year later at age 7---we had

no idea why. We had been offered a free 2nd AIT (all 10 days) as a small

study to determine if there were any benefits to doing AIT more than once. We

were

very reluctant because of his sadness (we now know it was depression), but

didn't want to miss the free opportunity. After 3 months of chronic sadness, on

the very first day of the second round of AIT, my son instantly became the

happiest boy on earth! We realized that his AIT benefits, that had previously

been such a huge relief to him and such an improvement in his quality of life,

had reversed---had disappeared---though we didn't know exactly when. Doing AIT a

second time was even more dramatic, but for an entirely different reason. It

gave him back what he lost, it gave him back his happiness, it gave him back

his hope.

An autistic adult I spoke with said the same happened to him after AIT. But

for some reason, the loss to him was so great that he didn't want to do AIT

again. (I didn't understand---that's like not replacing your lost glasses that

finally allowed you to see!) My son, on the other hand, did AIT a total of 4

times---the last 2 he asked for directly in 4th & 5th grades. He says he doesn't

need it now. He is not as verbal as many of the children are these days, but

then he didn't have nearly the jump-start that most kids now get if their

parents are plugged in to biomedical treatments.

He is 18 now, and is a wonderful, smart young man. He is also the joy of my

life. He most certainly still has autism, but AIT changed the entire course of

his life...and mine. Because of AIT, his vision and hearing became aligned. I

can hardly think of a single thing in his life that wasn't affected by

correcting this...even if it has to be done multiple times. I can hardly imagine

where we'd be now had we not done it the first time, or if we did not do it

again

the second time.

Good luck to you. If you respond to this e-mail and I don't respond back,

it's only because my computer is near death. I have finally bought a new one,

but

the transfer will take a long time. You may call me if you want more details.

Actually, that would be easier for me.

Audrey

Renton, WA

425-271-2229