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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

Talk to me about Berard AIT

48 replies

abc12345 · 21/03/2017 13:24

I'm considering this for my son with sensory and processing issues because of the good things I've heard about it (mainly on here!)

He has had an NHS hearing test and that was fine.

Does anyone have any experience of this program? Good or bad? It's a lot of money so I'd really appreciate some advice!!

I'm looking at someone in Henley...

OP posts:

tartanterror · 30/07/2017 22:33

Anyone having success with their listening? Second round of iLS' for DS and only 4 sessions in and he attempted a handstand tonight. Unheard of - last year pre listening he wouldn't get on a swing! It might be the vestibular exercises he's doing at the same time but I'm feeling very optimistic. Anyone else seeing good results?

sunseek · 13/08/2017 02:33

Ineverpromisedyouarosegarden: we are day 6 with the Distance AIT and I have noticed my son has lots of ear wax coming out of his ear canals. He is also more chatty and started singing along to the tunes on the radio. He could never do that in the past. How did you get on with the AIT so far? Any improvements yet?

Original poster

abc12345 · 16/08/2017 18:20

My son started singing something he'd heard in the radio not long after he did it too (he Had never done that before).

How's h doing now? Is anything else happening??

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outputgap · 16/08/2017 19:42

We're doing Therapeutic Listening. I think it might have contributed to some worse behaviours but that seems to have settled down. OT said that is often a thing.

However, she has become tolerant of the sound of the dyson. Hurrah.

We are a few weeks in. Seems to be much longer process than the Berard AIT.

sunseek · 16/08/2017 20:37

aBC12345, there has been some improvements yes, for more chatty and more fluency with words. Pre- AIT, a typical sentence would be like "mum, can I ask you a question…hmmmm, you know that thing that we saw the other day…..hmmmmm……what's it called again?….hmmmm, that spinning thing…oh yes, the carousel". Now it would be more like : "Mum' can I ask you a question? I saw a carousel on the other side of the park". The "can I ask you a question" thing is a coping meganism that he uses to organise his thoughts. Sometimes it takes 5 mins to get to the actual question that he really wanted to ask me. So for me it's a thumbs up so far. I am hoping there'll be many more changes to come. Tomorrow is our last session. Still more ear wax coming out. So strange. Please also keep me updated on your progress, improvements and so on.

Original poster

abc12345 · 17/08/2017 14:44

I noticed that too. It's nice to hear other people have too (because I'm sure it can't be just coincidence/ wishful thinking!!)

There have been huge improvements for ds with tolerance to noise (e.g. Hand dryer etc), speech therapy took off (after years of no progress), he started learning at school for the first time, concentration improved, he is much more switched on, etc etc

Some of these things happened instantly and others got steadiy better over several weeks

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sunseek · 17/08/2017 18:04

How old is your son? Are you doing the Speech Therapy privately or is it through the NHS?

outputgap · 17/08/2017 20:15

Ooh, the singing thing is interesting. We had a big singalong today and I didn't think about it in relation to this...

Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 08:08

We have done years of NHS speech and language therapy but it's just not enough to make a difference and he was finding it really hard so his targets never changed.
I found a brilliant private therapist and started taking him 1h a week (with homework for me and school) but it was still incredibly slow progress and then suddenly after the AIT it all took off like a rocket! He's learnt a massive folder full of sounds now and we get several new targets every week. The progress has been incredible!

* I should mention we did AIT and retained reflex therapy with Bob Allen in Windsor at the same time so that could be part of it too*

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Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 08:12

He's 5 (I think he was nearly 5 when we did it)

He also used to need time to organise his thoughts "I...I...I...I... want a drink" is now "I want a drink" just like you said sunseek

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sunseek · 18/08/2017 11:06

we are also doing the reflex therapy but I am not sure if the therapist is doing a great job. She's avoiding the moro reflex completely even though he has all the symtoms. She wants to see me every 4 weeks and I am just getting worried that it's for the money and not for really helping my son. I have seen Bob Allens name come up in quite a few threads in different forums. So might contact him. So happy to hear that your son is doing so well.

Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 15:03

Are you doing the exercises (inpp?)? Bob uses the brushing technique, which ds has actually really liked, takes a couple of mins morning and night. We go every 6 weeks and in the first 6 weeks the Moro and some others had halved. The affect on anxiety and general happiness was incredible (after the first few days of tantrums!!).
I would recommend bob highly and he has also trained others so it might be worth giving him a call and asking if anyone is more local to you.

We've had 6 appts. I think we've got one more and we are done.

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rosalux · 18/08/2017 18:11

Does Bob Allen have a website? I've just googled him and couldn't see anything obvious. I'm really keen to help DS1 (nearly 6) to manage his anxiety as it's having a very negative effect on him and us.

sunseek · 18/08/2017 22:04

No not INPP bur Rhytmic Movement therapy and we do the exercises at home. The therapist would come to our house and then she would show me how to to the movements. You say that Bob Allen uses the brushing technique….is it the one where they use a soft brush that strokes the face (that INPP uses)or does he use the sensory brush on the body avoiding face, stomach and chest areas?

Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 22:31

No website I'm aftraid. He's a bit old school. He says he's been working for 20 years on word of mouth what does he need a website for!
His Number is 07779 144779

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Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 22:33

We do repetitive brushing on different areas depending on the reflex you are trying to inhibit e.g. Around mouth for rooting/sucking reflex and lots of others too

OP posts:

Original poster

abc12345 · 18/08/2017 22:34

(Some are face / chest)

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rosalux · 19/08/2017 08:29

Thanks abc12345, I will give him a call. Whereabouts is Bob based? We are in Bristol.

Original poster

abc12345 · 20/08/2017 16:27

We see him in Windsor. I'm not sure if he has any other clinics elsewhere. He has trained others so I'm sure if you asked him he could tell you if there's anyone closer to you

OP posts:

rosalux · 20/08/2017 18:37

Thank you. Windsor isn't too far (straight down the M4) so if there's no one closer I reckon we could manage that every 6-8 weeks depending on timings of course.

vee123 · 17/06/2018 21:05

abc123- have you continued to see the improvements for your child in the past one year. Can you please give me the details (name/ no) of your practitioners. Also what did you do for retained reflex therapy, is it working on primitive reflex? I am really looking to try things over the summer.

Sunseek- we live in London, can you please tell me who in GOSH did the assessment for auditory processing, a lot of what you've mentioned is what my son has.

thank you mums,

Needaduvetday · 06/03/2019 18:58

Hi All
Im doing Tomatis with my 6 yo - he has undiagnosed but blatant processing difficulties, and attendent frustration and anger issues. I found this thread in searching for any user experience of the programme and I cant really find much so I thought Id add our experience here in case its useful to the next mum. I would be really interested to hear how OP and everyone else has got on since 2017 also.
The programme we are on will be around 6 rounds (depending on improvement of hearing curves as the music is tailored to his audiogram each time) of 14 day music therapy; 40 minutes twice a day which is quite hard to fit in. Miraculously my son does it without any aggro as I let him watch games on youtube with the sound off while we are listening (I do it alongside him). We have nearly finished the third round. We also have a few exercises to get rid of retained reflexes and strengthen his core.
So myself and partner both noticed very soon after we started, that our son seemed more switched on. A little more energetic. And incredibly talkative. We agreed to reserve judgement (as obviously we are desperate to see change) until we had feedback from the school as that was were the real problems were manifest. In the month after the second round of music his handwriting went from loose, uncontrolled and illegible, to constrained, fairly neat and more legible. I attach the images the school gave us. I have no idea if this is a normal progression and there is still an issue with the content (compared to his peers)- but the school were blown away and could hardly believe this was the work of the same child - who a few months earlier was only capable of writing 4 words in a 40 minute independent writing task.
Ive also noticed currently he has become incredibly emotional. Suddenly extremely conscious of people laughing at him, being no good at things, not being very good at writing, which I suppose makes sense if his hearing has suddenly improved.
Incidentally my son had also had a perfectly fine audiogram from Giselle Flowers who was incredibly helpful - but his (suspected) condition is an issue with the processing of sound rather than simply hearing it. The consultant we are seeing tests his hearing via both eardrum and bone conduction each time, while Giselle only tested normal hearing.
On balance Im glad were doing the programme. It has cost us all in £1400 - £400 for a full assessment and as many rounds of audiogram and music therapy as we need (or there was an option to pay as you go at £200 per time). Im excited to see how things progress, Im glad we are doing something, as its clear that the school and SEN route is not going to provide anything for a good long time yet.

Palaver1 · 11/04/2019 13:31

Which consultant are you seeing that his hearing both ways

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