integrated listening systems?

[fluffyblueberry]

I've been reading a bit about this therapy recently and wondered if anyone had any experience/knowledge good or bad!

They don't really have clinics here but I apparently you can conduct the therapy yourself if you get one of these systems and the right info - I have no idea how much it is.

 

Thanks!

[RGAutism]

Hi,

I LOVE my home unit of integrated Listening Systems (IlS). I will never be without it. Okay some background. My son (ADHD, SPD, ODD, LD) and I (ADHD, SPD) first went through most of the Dore program, until they stopped doing business in the US. We both saw wonderful results in attention, processing, athletic ability, memory, etc. If we never saw any other improvements we would have been happy and felt it was well worth the time and effort, we even got my son off 2 of his 5 meds. BTW-I see that iLs now has a new integration kit that is like Dore and the Learning Breakthrough Program.

 

When the Dr. Hallowell's Center in Massachusettes began using integrated Listening Systems I became a listening technican there. We also got a unit for home and my son and I saw improvments by leaps and bounds in our own abilities. Improvements like ability to moniter his own speech so he did not yell when sitting next to me. A sense of calmness and he stopped moving all over the place. We both saw even bigger jumps in socialization, mood, sleep, academics, independence. My son actually got where he would ask for the program because he knew it was helping him concentrate. His school noticed such a big difference, his Iep was written in May and by OCT he had met all his goals. (Began the program over the summer). We never imagined that he would be able to drive and he got his license when he was 16 just like the typical kids. For me, I had to listen to several protocols before I started seeing differences, but I did see differences in ability to focus when there were other noise in the room and my reading speed improved. The bone conduction can be calming or engerizing. I learned how to set the unit to give me what I needed at the time. For years now when I really need to focus to get work done I actually play the music through speakers to keep me focused.

 

For my clients and my son with autism we saw wonderful improvements in sound sensitivity, where they stopped covering their ears. Their eye contact improved, self stimming cut way back, vocal stim cut down etc plus the basic improvemnts seen in attention, auditory and sensory processing, accademics, coordination and athletic ability-. See the bone conduction really feeds the sensory system and grounds as well as calms. When our kids with autism stim they are trying to wake up their brains and the bone conduction does this for them. The program also works well by doing optional targeted movement activites (adapted by ability) along with the listening to intergrate the sensory system. It can also we worked into ABA programs, written into the IEP and done at school by OT, teachers or aides. If you really have to you can simply do the program while playing video games or even sleeping (how I had to start my kids). I would listen at home while just doing my normal housework.

 

If your child had a lot of ear infections (like mine did), the meds and infection weaken the ear muscles. So listening to the specially treated music with gating and the filtering exercises the inner ear muscles.

 

The nice thing is one unit can be used by the whole family and then shared with exteneded family. There are no time limits or additional costs and it is yours to keep. I find I like to do boosts like every couple of years just to be sure my son and I are always at our best because life in general because of stress, infections, headphones can all effect your ability to listen and process info.

 

We looked at a lot of systems before we choose iLs for the Hallowell Center. Lucy J. Miller who in know for SPD in America uses this system and the most well respected OT facility in the Boston area was in my training class. (BTW- I do not work for Hallowell anylonger because I moved out of state).

 

oohhh..I just looked at the iLs website and I see they are having a training in the UK and Lucy Miller is going to be there. Might want to check that out maybe they can do a parent class if you ask them too. www.integratedlistening.com

it is listed under training. I see they have a payment plan now as well! They have a new case study with a girl with autism where it is with an OT, the parent and the child might look for that if you go out there. If you can find it let me know and I will hunt down the link in the newsletter I got.

 

Wishing you all the best,

Rebecca AKA RGAutism