The problem
Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is a neuro-processing problem which affects attention and learning ability. It is believed to be caused by a deficiency in the transmission system which relays messages between cells in various parts of the brain. The majority of children with ADD/ADHD have auditory reception problems. Although they can hear, they have difficulty making sense of what they hear.
They cannot tune out unwanted input to focus on selected sounds. It is hard for them to concentrate on a topic for any
length of time. Poor functioning of the frontal lobe means the child cannot think quickly enough to “put the brakes on” and control the impulse to act. This impulsiveness and hyperactivity also leads to behavioral problems and poor social skills.
Good auditory processing requires a high speed of information transfer between the ears and brain. It also requires a strong attention span, a good memory, and sensitivity to the many subtleties of sound.
First we must be able to decode auditory signals (sounds) as they are delivered. Then we need to integrate these with other environmental cues, and organise it all in a meaningful way. Unless we have these abilities, our relationships, learning and development are all challenged.
How Sound Therapy may help
By stimulating the frontal lobe, Sound Therapy may restore the child’s ability to think quickly and put the brakes on before acting. This can help:
- Focus
- Listening ability
- Concentration
- Short term memory
- Reduce impulsiveness
By retraining the listening capacity Sound Therapy can help the child to focus on the desired sound. It then also helps to relay the sound directly to the language centre in the brain.
Auditory reception problems occur when the ear shuts down to certain frequencies of sound. The ear muscles become lazy and unresponsive. These muscles must be stimulated so the ear can tune in to the desired sound. Sound Therapy has been shown to provide this rehabilitation for the ear and re-organise the auditory transmission in the brain. This process reduces stress and tension in the whole nervous system. The child becomes able to attend to a chosen stimulus instead of being constantly distracted by every sound in the environment.
How to use it
Regular listening to Sound Therapy is essential to receive successful results. The child should listen every day if possible for between 30 and 60 minutes. Children can listen during sleep, homework or any quiet activity such as travelling in the car.
Dramatic results may be achieved with Sound Therapy for children with ADD. The first change you may observe will be a marked decrease in activity (for overactive children) while under active children may become more energized.
What it achieves
As listening discrimination is re-trained, memory and concentration improve. Learning can then be achieved with a great deal less effort. Sleep and appetite problems are resolved as the whole system becomes calmer and less erratic. The behavioural difficulties, such as impulsiveness and aggression are now brought down to a manageable level. The child will then be more able to pay attention in class, understand and follow instructions and be motivated to communicate and learn.
The 9 year old - previous history of auditory discrimination issues. Says it helps him with his schoolwork. Has been super cranky and irritable - I know this is him working through stuff.
Kelly Phillipson
Rafaele Joudry
Rafaele Joudry is an international speaker and author of three books on Sound Therapy. She has been speaking and educating on Sound Therapy for 25 years. Her mission is to make Sound Therapy and the discoveries of Dr. Tomatis widely available to everyone who needs it.
Patricia Joudry
Sound Therapy
The great journey of my life has been being able to help many thousands of people to have better ear and brain health for life, through Sound Therapy.