Auditory Processing Disorder

[TOWIELA]

Has anyone got any experiences with their DC using the Johansen Individualised Auditory Stimulation for auditory processing disorder?

www.johansenias.com/

It is on DS1's statement and provided by his school but tbh I can't work out whether he is actually receiving it so can't comment on it 's efficacy.

Therapist should have provided a unique CD with his music on it and then he has to listen to it for 10 mins every day - so a CD should be coming home with him each week?

Btw, how was the journey home tonight?

Is this as well as ASD or just separate APD? As this is what our paed said

" Auditory processing problems are part of many children with ASD’s difficulties and as far as I am aware it would not be appropriate to give a diagnosis of APD to a child who clearly has ASD – they are alternatives in my view. In any case it would be expected that this problem was dealt with by local audiology services in the first place and referred on to GOSH if the local service has doubts or concerns. There is no agreed assessment process for APD but our local team does consider this diagnosis and sometimes agrees that a child has this problem. As said at the beginning, in DS’s case he may have auditory processing problems as part of autism in fact he almost certainly does.

I will refer to audiology but the symptoms you are describing are very common in children with autism and part and parcel of that diagnosis. Another different diagnosis of APD would completely alter his provision, remove the input of the autism team and bar him from specialist autism provision. What is needed is for the statement to make reference to these difficulties and highlight what can be done to ameliorate them. If they were mentioned in the reports for the statement, (which I presume you did in your report) then you should ask the SEN officer to highlight them in the statement and the provision. "

To answer your question no, no experience. Should we have Johansen Individualised Auditory Stimulation mentioned on our statement then?

I eagerly await replies.

My son isn't on the spectrum - severe dyslexia is his primary need with a range of other problems to add into the mix including auditory processing - but not ASD. Auditory processing was one of the "maybes" that my indi experts highlighted but neither the LA (because they couldn't be bothered) nor I (because I ran out of money) investigated any further up to Tribunal.

So this has been picked up by indie ss. The program will be given by the SALT at his indie ss. She says it can be controversial (which ties in with what your paed says) so I'm interested to see if other DC have had the therapy.

DS1 actually had a referral to the APD clinic at GOSH so it is official! This is in addition to ASD - it is not either/or. It was actually further evidence for the need for small classrooms and his inability to access the curriculum in m/s - just couldn't 'hear'.

Being OOC is weird. Johansen has been the subject of a recent school/parent meeting but is supposed to be a home listening project. DS1 is a weekly boarder and they have such a strict routine that there seems to be no time at school and he is bringing nothing home.

My communications at the beginning of the week have just made me look like a complete nutter as DS1 has denied all knowledge of any problems with rugby, has told the OT that all is fine, nothing to see here, I have no needs etc and I don't know what that mad woman has told you and told Matron he does not need food or drink for the journey. I don't know why I bother. DS1 thinks it is quite useful - if he tells the rugby teacher everything is OK then he has to make it OK. So glad I could be of use!

This week the journey went well - having read the nightmares experienced by others, I'm glad it's not every day and, being in the sticks, that there are only 3 drivers at the firm with the contract.

How did DS get on this week?

Glad the journey went well - been thinking about him today and hoping all was well. Glad you of use to him lol! But I'd still insist on the bag home each Friday "just-in-case" (says she who now has such a bag of goodies safely stashed in the car after your DS's journey last week)

So is Johansen "main stream" (for want of a better word)? I was worried cos SALT said that it was sometimes viewed as being controversial.

Tonight DS wouldn't leave the school's grounds until he safely had his homework tucked into his bag! The children had a big big to-do to make sure the teacher unlocked their classroom so all the DC could get their homework to take home!

My son asked for and remembered he had homework! This is the child that even 2 months ago went into mega meltdown mode with any form of literacy home ed!

DH wants to be a fly on the wall to see how they do it but now we've got to do the wretched homework

Likewise DD has a diagnosis of ASD and also has a diagnosis of APD from GOSH. We haven't done any specific auditory training though much of her speech therapy involves listening skills as well as speaking. She attends a specialist indi school and is getting on well since moving to a smaller class. I think the APD is a very big factor in her learning issues and a big part of why her new school is working so much better for her.

I've experience of a similar programme, not Johansen.
I use it and my DS has done it.

It is slightly controversial, in that the evidence base is not strong, BUT therapists who use it have seen definite changes.

AFAIK, the treatment protocols are very strict i.e. length of time, frequency and concurrent activities. Thats where it fails, as people dont/cant adhere to the programme. But (even on here) people who do adhere find improvements.

Thanks everyone. I think I'll go ahead with it for my son. Getting him to do it every single day will be another matter so I'm bribing buying him a new CD player for him to play with listen to the music and he loves his gadgets.

Again this is what our paed said:

" My colleagues in audiology told me that although the GOSH website states that they accept referrals for APD assessment, in practice they refuse referrals from outside their immediate catchment area because they were swamped. The general principal in addition to this is that local services should see children first and only refer to a tertiary centre when the problem is beyond their expertise, hence the referral to the local team. Finally Hertfordshire has not commissioned any service for the assessment or management of APD and therefore they would be unlikely to pay for a referral to GOSH. These are the technicalities. I have made a referral to the local service as promised. I would still maintain that the problems you are describing are part and parcel of autism and are commonly seen in children with this condition. This is not to minimise the difficulties you describe, nor the needs that follow from those problems. My only question is why another diagnosis is needed. If DS’s problems are not adequately described in his statement then the statement needs to be challenged and may require revision. The statement and its contents should not be dependent on medical diagnoses, but on the learning problems that the child presents. "

Should we have Johansen Individualised Auditory Stimulation mentioned on our statement then?

I eagerly await replies.

Anybody?

Sorry I have hijacked thread apologise in advance but is relevant to APD.

Thanks

Just wanted to update this thread in case anyone else is interested in Johansen Individualised Auditory Stimulation programme for Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).

DS's SALT at his indie ss very excitedly told me tonight that the programme is already working very well with DS. It's all very scientific and about the ears/brain and an optimum level we need to get DS to (and as I'm not scientific - that part went wooosh - straight over my head), but the bit I could see was an incredible difference on a graph showing September 2013's readings and January 2014 readings. He was right down the bottom of the graph in September but now he's nearing the middle of it and we can really visible see that it's starting to work.

SALT was very excited! First time I've ever had a positive meeting with a therapist - it's normally doom and gloom!

Oh that is very interesting, TOWIE2014 thanks for updating. Am thinking about The Listening Programme for dd2 later this year (I presume this is a similar programme). My dd2's private SALT told me there is some link between auditory and visual processing and she has seen great all round benefits to it.

Really great news for your ds please keep me us posted!!

Hi my Dd is 7-8 and dx dyslexic, along with severe Visual Stress for which she wears tinted glasses. Her school are now referring her for Speech&Language therapy as they are worried there might be something else... After further research I am convinced she needs an assessment for APD (Auditory Processing Disorder). I've been back & forward to Doctors as want a referral to GOSH. They have had a copy of her basic normal hearing test, and her Visual Stress report, but the Doctors have referred her to the Bucks Comm Paediatrics - so I'm waiting to hear from them now! Worried it will take ages, and after waiting ages I still won't get anywhere?! Are they likely to refer us for an audiology assessment? Also, seriously thinking about the AIT programme/ Listening/Sound programme. But I am worried about doing that before she's been assessed by an audiology expert. Does anyone have any experience of Bucks Paed, or any tips / ideas/comments. If I could somehow raise enough funds to go private with AIT or the like, will it give us any disadvantages further down the line IE will her needs be recognised etc....Id be really,really grateful for any pointers!! xx

I do have details of someone who is a specialist in APD and is based near Sheffield. An assessment costs £200