According to research a large percentage of the problems and behavioral issues seen in children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and CAPD or central auditory processing disorder are caused by a distortion in how the affected patients hear things. Auditory Integration training is designed to help teach the patient how to listen properly which will then help to stimulate both their cortical and central organization skills. In turn this should help them to overcome their disorders to a more functional level. The premise behind auditory integration trainings is, according to Jack Katz, Professor of Audiology at the University of Buffalo, "What we do with what we hear." This is a basic description of central auditory processing or CAP. This is a complex combination of our ability to hear a sound and then remember it in both our short and long term memory. It also includes our innate ability to listen to particular sounds as they are heard and localize them for reference. French otolaryngologist Dr. Guy Berard developed one of the most commonly used forms of auditory integration training.
This particular form of training requires 20 one half hour sessions that are spent listening to a variety of carefully filtered musical sounds via a stereophonic system. The music itself is completely random using specifically filtered frequencies and delivered to the patient through a pair of headphones. Auditory integration training is designed to cause the structures in the middle ear to vibrate along with the sound waves being used. The intent is to exercise these structures and sessions are twice a day for ten days. When the training is completed the patient should be able to hear the full range of frequencies at the same level and while many of the different forms of this type of training can take up to year noticeable improvements in behavior as well as hearing is the most common outcome.
Auditory integration training is a relatively new concept based on research into the brain. While it is true that the structures and connections within the brain are considered predetermined based on heredity, there is another factor known as plasticity that may come into play. Plasticity is the ability of the brain to change these structures and connections through the process of learning. This type of therapy is being used with some measure of success on those patients suffering from disorders such as autism, CAPD, ADHD and dyslexia. At the Sensory Research Center you will find a team of specialist whose mission is to provide services such as auditory integration training for those who need it. They provide help for those who need this type of treatment and many more but cannot afford to pay for it themselves. For those who cannot afford the treatments and have no insurance coverage they offer full or partial scholarships to help pay for these services. They also help to fund research projects based on a variety of sensory integration theories and their application in the areas of autism and other sensory processing disorders.