After Auditory Integration Therapy

[Eveiebaby]

how long did you keep seeing improvements for?

DD four years old (ASD) had AIT a few weeks back. I noticed improvements during the course of treatment such as increased eye contact when talking to me and more awareness of what was happening in her enviornment outside of the home. Although she has always been a good sleeper she was a light sleeper and would stir if I went into her room during the evening. She now appears to be a heavier sleeper hence not so tired in the afternoons.

On the negative side she has become tearful at nursery since the treatment. She gets upset for about a couple of minutes but then seems to get over it with some reassurance. I'm assuming this will pass though and that it is probably that sounds may seem a little different to her now so she gets overwhelmed?

I just wondered if anybody else had any experiences they could share - Thanks

I think they told us DS would keep improving for 4 weeks after treatment.

We have had such a huge improvement in DS, but it's very hard to quantify all of it and pin it down to when it started. But basically before treatment he was walking out of class 5 times a day - and in the last term he hasn't walked out of class once!

He also says he no longer bumps his head every night when getting into bed.

I'm sure she will get over her tearful at nursery stage pretty soon. I think the world does sound different to her now.

My ds (7) had this just over a year ago.

The biggest difference was that he became a lot calmer. He can still get pretty 'hyper' but it's not in the same league as before.

Certain sounds and frequencies can still hurt his ears but he no longer needs to take his ear defenders to school.

His ability to sit and listen to instructions has also improved a great deal, and you can really see the difference in his school work and school report.

Thanks Indigo it's great to hear that your son has had huge improvements. I have found the whole experience amazing and am hoping my DD will make further gains.

Thanks Coppertop

Yes - DD also seems a lot more relaxed in some situations now. She was never hyper as such she just didn't seem to know what to do with herself at times .

It's interesting to hear about your DS's progress and that he seems to be doing well at school.

DD starts full time MS in September and I am hoping she will be able to pay better attention to activities rather than just flit around the classroom!

Eviebaby - Hopefully DD will be able to cope with MS school. Auditory Integration Treatment is just one of so many things you can do to help her. So wait a few months, and then start with the next thing.... ( But do wait a few months for her to cope with the AIT she's had )

I'm really convinced a significant number of DS's problems are caused by sensory processing disorder and retained reflexes. And I'm going to spend the next year or two doing various treatments for these....

On my list is:

retained reflexes
sensory integration treatment
BABO / vision therapy

Trouble - If you've already done AIT does the Listening Programme still help? I'm confused about the overlap between them....

Thanks

IndigoBell - I hope DD will cope with mainstream. She is in nursery school at the moment in a class of 50 which will reduce to a class of 30 in school and she will have her own support assistant.

She does not seem to have sensory problems as such - she does not mind being in crowds or loud noises. She has done well at nursery is considered "flexible" by her teacher.

She loves being around other children but sadly does not initiate conversation or activities with them. Although she did bring herself over to join in an activity of few of the other children were doing the other day so hopefully her social skills will improve.

Her main barrier seems to be her expressive language which is described as significantly disordered.

We took her for AIT as I felt she had problems more with processing language and I felt it may help with her expressive language which again is slowly improving.

I agree about now taking a break from things. I don't intend to look at anything else now until the end of the year. Poor DD needs a break as much as I do so we will just enjoy the summer hols I think!

I am also very interested in retained reflexes. Only problem being that at the moment I know there is probably no way she would entertain doing the exercises involved but maybe in six months time who knows.

Thanks for your advice/experiences Trouble (we also took DD to Sound Learning Centre)

Hi, would you mind give me an update as to whether your child continues improvement in his/her eye contact and sleep since last year. I am thinking of giving my son AIT.

Thanks for your help.

Trouble - where did you get the Listening Programme for £400? I've looked at the sound centre in palmers green and that including assessment was coming in at about £ 1200 and the programme at hemispheres in sevenoaks came in at £1600!!

this is the place that does AIT for £400 - however I don't think it works.

It claims to be AIT, but it isn't the same thing the sound learning centre does at all.

One MNer has done it and found it didn't help at all.

The website seems to be down at the moment, but I know Leap Children's Therapy in High Wycombe, rents out therapeutic listening for £15 per month.

I've never done it, as I've done AIT ( with each of my 3 kids), but at that price it is affordable......

It's two years since I posted on this thread, and I have to say that the improvements made by this seem to have long since worn off.

Ds is back to finding all kinds of noises upsetting.

It was great while it lasted and I'm glad that ds had it, but the change hasn't been a permanent one unfortunately.

The change has been permanent for my elder 2.

My youngest just did it a few months ago, so too early to comment on him.

Cheers indigo

Also permanent for my ds1.
But he was quite a bit older than your dd when we did it ( nearly 8)

Sorry ds