Improved Learning, Language and Social Skills with the Berard method of Auditory Integration Training
Individuals with auditory and sensory processing problems have difficulty interpreting daily experiences. The capacity to hear and communicate is compromised. Behavioral issues and social skills are often affected as a result.
“We have a different child than we had prior to Auditory Integration Training. Jack has become a much happier, loving dlild who is a pleasure to everyone who has a relationship with him. I think you can oount our family among your biggest successes. Thank you so much for your guidance and commitment to our son.”
Madeline, parent
The Berard method of Auditory Integration Training (AIT) helps reorganize the brain to improve auditory and sensory processing capabilities. Participants use headphones over a 10-day period twice a day for 30 minutes each to comfortably listen to AIT auditory stimulation. This reorganizes the dysfunctional sensory center so the brain no longer gets overloaded with disorganized information.
Language, learning and social abilities develop more normally and participants are better able to excel as a result.
This method of auditory training was originally developed by Guy Berard, MD – a French ear, nose and throat physician – who successfully used this technique with thousands of people in Europe for more than 30 years.
The Berard system of AIT has since become regarded as the most effective approach available for enhanced listening skills, language, learning and sound tolerance.
Indications an individual could benefit from AIT
The following difficulties may present the opportunity to benefit from AIT:
- Poor attention
- Slower thinking and processing
- Difficulty listening, understanding, and remembering
- Incorrectly understanding and following directions
- Brain “traffic jams” when processing sensory information
- Hindered ability to put ideas in sequence
- Sound hyper (over-sensitive) and hypo-sensitivity (tuned out)
- Low tolerance for distractions
- Speech delays
Usually children with diagnoses of Autism, ADHD, AD, or Auditory Processing Disorder may benefit from AIT.
What is Auditory Integration Training?
Auditory Integration Training (All) is a powerful educational music program aimed at helping children and adults succeed in social interaction and learning ability. It is often used with people who have ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, hearing sensitivities, autism, developmental delays, poor concentration, speech and language problems and a variety of other special needs.
Hearing anomalies can affect many aspects of normal everyday life, especially behavior. sensitivity to noises in the home, social interaction, speech and language development and learning. Many professionals and parents who seek to remediate speech or language problems as well as learning delays in their patients implement AIT.
The beneficial effects of music are well known. Our program is personalized for each person so that optimum results are obtained. Modulated and filtered sound is played through high quality headphones. The program exercises and educates the listener through the auditory system. We strive to promote normal hearing, and educational and social well-being.
Overview of Auditory Integration Training (AIT)
Pioneer Dr. Alfred Tomatis (1920-2001), an internationally known otolaryngologist and inventor, adapted electronically modified music by Mozart to target diverse disorders such as auditory processing problems, dyslexia, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, autism, as well as sensory integration and motor-skill difficulties. His successor, Dr. Guy Berard, also an accomplished Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, developed the current educational approach. Berard believed that behavioral and cognitive problems often arose when an individual perceived sound in a “differentiat manner.
This happens when individuals perceive certain frequencies far more acutely than other frequencies. Sounds thus appear to that person in a “distorted” manner. This often leads to difficulties in comprehension and behavior. Berard’s objective was to reduce “distorted” hearing and hypersensitivity of specific frequencies, so that after Auditory Integration Training (All), ideally all frequencies could be perceived equally well. The individual would then be able to perceive environmental sounds, including speech, in a normal fashion.
Today, children and adults with learning difficulties, attention deficit disorders, dyslexia, autism, and pervasive development delay have benefited from Auditory Integration Training (All). An estimated 20% of the population suffer from distortions in hearing or sensitivity to certain sounds. This can contribute to inappropriate or anti-social behavior, irritability, lethargy, impulsivity, restlessness, high-tension levels, as well as problems with language and reading. Improvements reported after receiving Auditory Integration Training (All) include more appropriate affect, expression and interaction; better articulation and auditory comprehension; and an overall increase in academic and social skills.
Who are potential candidates for Auditory Training?
Those who have sensitivity or distortions in the auditory system are candidates for Auditory Integration Training (AIT). Signs may include sound sensitivity, tuning out behavior and auditory processing difficulties. They may exhibit the following behaviors:
- Puts hands over ears or runs from sounds
- Cries in response to loud sounds
- Tunes out auditory input – acts as though deaf, daydreams, attention drifts, or inability to stay focused
- Avoids noisy, crowded group situations
- Has auditory comprehension problems, is better at visual learning, fails to follow spoken directions
- Has a history of ear infections
- Does not pay attention to verbal instructions
- Is easily distracted by background noises or drifts from paying attention
- Has difficulty with phonics
- Learns poorly through the auditory channel
- Has a diagnosed language or speech difficulties
- Displays slow response time to verbal stimuli
- Covers ears to avoid sounds
- Frequently gives odd or inappropriate responses in conversation
- Needs physical prompts to follow verbal commands.
- Responds to only part of a verbal command,
- Is easily distracted by random noises,
- Has slow response time,
- Has speech and language delay or disorder
- Inconsistent educational performance
- Tantrums easily
- Hears sounds such as airplanes, etc. before anyone else, and often runs away from them
- Avoids eye contact
- Hums or makes noises
- Has difficulty organizing the day
- Is fatigued by end of the day
- Needs constant activity or visual stimuli
- Has difficulty finding the exact words to express themselves
- Is non-verbal
