- Who is a good candidate?
Children (age 3 or older) and adults with learning difficulties, speech and language disorders, sensory issues including auditory, tactile or other sensory sensitivities (hyper or hypo), central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), dyslexia, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, poor eye contact, distractibility, concentration problems and other areas. Specifics will be determined and discussed in the evaluation.
- What is the minimum age that someone can complete AIT?
Maximum age?
The youngest age recommended by Dr. Guy Berard is 3 years old. There is no maximum age. We have seen great results with all age ranges of people even into the elderly. Please contact us directly for more information regarding special situations.
- Is financial aid available?
Yes, based on financial need. Scholarship applications will be reviewed once the initial evaluation has been scheduled and will be discussed at the time of the evaluation.
- Do you offer an “In-Home” program? What equipment do I need?
Yes. The only equipment you will need is a CD player that has a jack to plug headphones into. We supply everything else. Our provider makes herself available to help supervise and monitor by telephone as you proceed through the program.
- Is there any research on AIT?
Yes, in general 75-80% of candidates get positive benefits. There have been no reports of any long-term negative effects. For summaries of research see at the SAIT website:
http://www.autism.com/families/therapy/aitsummary.php
- How many sessions do we need? Is this something we do just once?
There are twenty sessions to the program. We also include four additional assessments during and after AIT. Some people find one set of AIT sessions to be sufficient. However in some situations we find continued improvements with repeat sessions. This will be determined in the follow-up assessments.
- Which treatment should be done first?
AIT is an excellent precursor to other therapies and training programs as it helps normalize the brain and sensory systems, which then enable the person to use other therapies more effectively. More specific and detailed information or recommendations focused on your child will be provided in the evaluation.
- Do you offer the Berard method of AIT? What is the difference between the Berard method and others such as Tomatis or Samonas?
Yes, we offer the traditional Berard Method using the original Berard equipment the Audiokinetron) and Berard recommended protocols. The Berard method is the only method that has formal research substantiation rather than purely anecdotal reports. In general, Berard method is known for help with audiologic and nuerologic related issues that can also positively impact social and emotional issues. Most of the other auditory programs are based on the Tomatis method that promotes the idea of improvements in social and emotional issues (Tomatis believed, like Bruno Bettlheim, that autism was caused by a mother/child bonding problem and so focused more on the emotional/psychological areas rather than the audiological and neurological which Berard focuses on). For detailed comparisons and information on the different auditory methods please see: http://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/treatment/tomatis.htm
- My child can be difficult to work with. How can I get him/her to wear the headphones?
Most children find AIT to be calming, soothing, and relaxing once they get used to wearing the headphones. Start practicing beforehand. We usually see quick cooperation to the surprise of many parents. We have many years of experience and techniques that will help. We have only had one child since 1994 who was not able to complete the program.
- Do you have references?
Yes, we are happy to provide a network of parent and participantss names and phone numbers upon request.