Re: OT-auditory integration training

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/2/00 2:38:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time, apjj09@...

writes:

<< Hi listmates

I was wondering if anyone could let me know about their experience with AIT.

We are going to try this therapy for my soon to be 7 year old son. He is

very verbal but definitely has a processing problem. He is not ready for

Fast Forword. >>

Please e-mail me privately, too!!! My daughter is 5 and has the same issues.

Very, very verbal but processing issues. I would appreciate any help on AIT.

[Guest guest]

We have done AIT three times. Our son is now 10. The first time was at age

6 just prior to entering kindergarten (held him back a year). He was mostly

dairy free at the time since age 4.5. We saw tremendous gains in speech,

focus, eye contact, self confidence, reduced sound sensitivity. His speech

therapists, OT, and psychologists were raving about his recent improvements.

The best testimonial was from my hubby. When we were leaving the last

session to go home, Dad told the kids that it was time to go home. Our son

said, " Why? " He had never uttered this word in his short life. Our half

dollar sized eyes met in amazement. We had been seeing gains earlier in the

week, but this was icing on the cake (tho only dairy free, not gf!). My

hubby looked at me and confessed that he really didn't believe this therapy

was going to amount to anything and only did it because I wanted to, but he

now thought it was a great success & became a real believer.

I really think that the AIT helped him succeed in his kindergarten year.

The next summer we did it and saw good improvements but not as striking as

the previous summer. Mostly higher level speech, focus, and lessened sound

sensitivity (we could now calmly enter public restrooms with those awful

hand dryers!). We did it again the following summer and just saw small

cognitive type gains, no big " wows. " He has been doing a form of AIT at the

OT (like the Ease CD) and we saw little gains off & on throughout the year.

He's always has had super hearing and sound sensitivities, so we feel that

the AIT has helped lessen the sensitivity and brought out so much more. I

didn't even realize it could the first time, but after reading the

literature again, it said it there.

The way I view AIT is, yes, it doesn't help all kids, but its a risk of

around $1000 ish and if you get gains, they can be minor to great, but they

are gains none the less, and it is non-invasive. If no gains, then at least

you know you tried and will move on to checking out other therapies, perhaps

even trying AIT again sometime or maybe not. Just like any treatment

modality, its a risk and there is no concrete checklist to see if your kid

qualifies for possible success. Just another spin on the autism treatment

roullette!

Janice

>Hi listmates

>I was wondering if anyone could let me know about their experience with

AIT.

>We are going to try this therapy for my soon to be 7 year old son. He is

>very verbal but definitely has a processing problem. He is not ready for

>Fast Forword.

>

>Please e-mail me privately so as not to clog up the list.

>

>thank you

>Pam

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 02:37 PM 6/2/00 -0400, you wrote:

>Hi listmates

>I was wondering if anyone could let me know about their experience with AIT.

>We are going to try this therapy for my soon to be 7 year old son. He is

>very verbal but definitely has a processing problem. He is not ready for

>Fast Forword.

>

Great website for AIT: Type in Center for the Study of Autism Sorry I

don't have the address. I just search the web and punched in Auditory

Integrated Training and I wound up at this site. It even lists people who

do the training by state and outside the US.

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Janice,

What is a good age to try AIT? and what type of AIT worked best

with your son?

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

I thought I would mention that we will be starting this in a couple of weeks

and I will be glad to share our results with anyone who is interested.

a

> Maybe you should post to list.

> Considering AIT for our son and I would also be very interested.

> I am sure there others as well.

>

> Thanks

>

[Guest guest]

,

We did the Berard method. The practioner in Houston studied under him which

is kinda neat. I don't think there is a " good " age, but the child needs to

be able to have headphones on for 30 minute sessions twice a day for 10

days. We put our son (6 yo at the time) on the bean bag, wrapped him tight

in a blanket, put a stocking cap on top to help it feel as one and minimize

shifting, gave him her magic wand (clear with gell & sparkles inside). The

first few days I had to sit with him in my lap, but he gradually got to

where he seemed to like it, like he knew he was getting something from it, &

could sit by himself. He did get up and walk around a little, but since we

were in a small cubicle, he didn't have far to go. Keeping the headphones

on is the biggest challenge regardless of the age. A couple of years ago,

one family followed their hyper son around the room, giving him snacks and

toys. They used the stocking cap too. Boy were they worn out by the end of

each session!

Good luck! I hope it works for your child!

Janice

>Janice,

>

>What is a good age to try AIT? and what type of AIT worked best

>with your son?

>

>Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

My son has been through 2 sessions at 3.5 and 4, and it made an incredible

difference. He was sining lyrics to the songs they played him 2 days in to the

session, and by the end of the 2nd go around, he actually UNDERSTOOD what I was

saying!( His processing was WAY off for a long time, to the point where I

thought Shane must have learned a different language!)-Shari

[Guest guest]

> Please post to the list, as my son's OT wants to try

> this for him this summer. He is 3 yrs, 8 months.

> Thank you.

> Lori ('s mom)

We have just started this as of Monday. We have to do 30 minutes twice a

day, and so far he has cooperated beautifully. I will post the results at

the end of the 3 week treatment. I hope it helps, because the cost to do

this wasn't cheap and money isn't exactly flowing through our bank account

these days!