Today, growing numbers of parents with children diagnosed with ADHD are turning to an alternative form of therapy called auditory stimulation.
Auditory stimulation is the use of music as a therapeutic tool for children and adults who have ADHD and other cognitive disorders. The premise is that the music will increase focus and attention for the recipient so that tasks may be performed faster and more efficiently.
It is believed by some that cognitive disorders such as ADHD go hand in hand with sensory integration disorder (DSI). DSI happens when there is abnormal sensitivity to normal stimuli. Confused sensory signals cause normal sounds to sound very amplified to the person with DSI. When this happens the person with DSI often shuts down to protect himself.
During the 1970’s Dr. Alfred Tomatis began to develop his theory of using auditory stimulation. He believed with the use of electronically altered music and a set of earphones that ears that were damaged or not developed properly during pregnancy could be repaired. He believed it was the listening of the ear, which communicated with the brain to help it develop properly. If there were a communication problem then the brain would not develop and function, as it should. Cognitive disorders such as ADHD would be the result. It was his mission to sensitize the ear to hear the missing frequencies that he believed were not heard. That’s when he developed the Tomatis Listening Training Program (LTP).
In 1996 a study was done with twenty boys who had ADHD and twenty boys who did not. Each set of boys was given high stimulation, which was music, low stimulation, which was speech and no stimulation at all during different periods throughout the study.The results were that the boys with ADHD performed significantly better when the music was played.
Today, facilities which employ methods of auditory stimulation, are becoming more and more known. The Tomatis Method of listening training is implemented in therapy sessions for both children and adults with ADHD, autism, sensory Integration disorders, auditory processing disorders and much more.
While auditory stimulation is integrated with numerous other kinds of therapies in children’s services, it is a much larger part of therapy for adults to aid in overcoming disabilities, expedite the learning process and to make a higher potential a reachable goal.
