ADD / ADHD
Attention and Learning Disorders
A decreased ability to listen significantly contributes to poor attention and concentration. "Listening" is the active, conscious ability to receive and process relevant information while simultaneously filtering out irrelevant stimuli. The inability to filter distractions and discriminate meaningful information significantly limits our ability to pay attention, concentrate and learn.
People with learning difficulties have slower processing skills. They can only manage to comprehend a few words at a time, sometimes half of a sentence. They quickly become overloaded and stop paying attention. Their memory and output is often mixed-up, resulting in a delay in speech and language. Primary difficulties usually include phonics, decoding new words, reading, spelling and comprehension. Attention deficit is a frequent diagnosis given to children with these issues, though auditory processing problems are seen in approximately 70% of children with learning difficulty and 50% of children labeled ADD/ ADHD.
Integrative Listening therapy uses auditory stimulation with filtered music to re-educate the inner ear, enabling it to discriminate different frequencies and more effectively process a complete range of sound. Stimulation to the cortex/ Reticular Activating System via filtered frequencies has a calming and inhibiting effect on an overly-stimulated system. This effect is very important for those with sensory processing disorders, ADD, and ADHD. The Reticular Activating System controls our ability to maintain states of alertness, consciousness (sleep/ wake cycles), attention and focus.
Reading difficulties can also be addressed with listening therapy. It is not commonly understood that we actually read with our ears! Reading involves the coordination of visual input with simultaneous analysis of letter sounds, performed by the ear. The brain interprets these sounds by analyzing pitch, loudness and duration. Therefore, the process of decoding letters into sound is improved significantly when auditory processing skills are more accurate and efficient.
Many children with learning difficulties are prescribed drugs and referred to speech or other therapies. Our experience suggests that improving the core function of the auditory processing system enhances the ability to learn and prepares the child's system for successful therapeutic intervention (speech and/or occupational therapy), often without the need for drugs.