There are a handful of auditory integration training programs on the market for therapists to use with their clients. Today I am going to talk about the “Therapeutic Listening” program, which is a very well known program in the world of Sensory Integration.

This is a program that was developed by Sheila Frick, from Vital Links, who is an occupational therapist in Madison, Wisconsin. She offers trainings and the purchasing of this specialized equipment to qualified professionals only.

This program involves the use of specialized headphones, that are high quality Sennheiser headphones, that have been altered to provide a therapeutic benefit to the listener. Then there are many CDs to choose from to help meet the therapeutic goals of the client who will be listening to this program. Each CD that’s available addresses the underlying component of sensory processing. Then, each CD has key features that are addressed in addition to sensory processing, which is the core benefit of every CD.

The key features of the CDs address areas such as: social skills, turn taking, sensitivity to sounds, language skills, motor planning, timing, sequencing, organizational skills, coordination, attention, deep breathing, feeling grounding and calm, multisensory processing, the ability to tune into what you are suppose to and tune out background stimulation, improving posture, waking up the body for greater engagement, regulating basic body functions like sleeping, eating and controlling emotions for behavioral control, and the list goes on and on!

Basically, the sound engineers that developed this program, have determined the parts of the brain that need to be stimulated in order to help the listener improve his or her development in that area.

What happens anatomically is the sound waves come into the ear directly from the headphones. This is the purest form of sound which is not distorted for the listener, because the sound waves didn’t get to travel out into open space, like it would if we listened to the music on speakers in a room. Once the sound waves hit the ear, they turn into nerve impulses that send messages to the cochlea in the ear, for hearing. The cool part from here is that the cochlear nerve sends messages to the brainstem from these sound waves, but the vestibular nerve sits on top of the cochlear nerve- they actually share a nerve, which is called the vestibular-cochlear nerve. The vestibular system sits on the inside of each ear, on top of the cochlea, and detects movement from our body. So, when the sound waves vibrate the cochlea for hearing, it has an overflow effect into the vestibular nerve. This sends messages of movement to the brain stem, which in turn satisfies the listener who craves movement! This is how these CDs can help a child have better posture, attention, eye skills, level of alertness, and more. It’s as if a child is moving, jumping and swinging- but they are listening instead! These children still need to be active and moving during their listening times, to further integrate this sensory information, but the power of this listening program in addition to movement and muscle work is amazing! Progress is usually seen within a few sessions and then the child continues to show improvement throughout the course of their listening program.

This program can be done for weeks, or many months, depending on each child’s needs. It’s a great way to increase the intensity of a home program established by your child’s therapist.

The Therapeutic Listening program is listened to using a portable CD player and a neoprene waist band that holds the player close to the body so a child can listen to this program while in motion. Again, this is not a program that encourages a child to sit and listen. It’s trying to activate different parts of the brain and mature the brain stem- where sensory processing occurs, so movement and muscle work activities are a big component of making this program successful.

If you are interested in starting this program, you will need to be committed to having your child listen to this program ideally twice a day for 20-30 minutes each time, every day. There is some wiggle room here, but it does need to be done close to this time frame in order to expect good results. You can talk to your child’s therapist if you have concerns with how well you will be able to follow through.

If you are ready to try this program, you will need to find a trained therapist and work with them to determine the appropriate CDs and equipment for your child. This is not a program you can order online or buy somewhere and try on your own. It is highly specialized equipment that needs to be purchased through an authorized professional. Therefore, you don’t want to borrow this from a friend and just to give it a whirl!

Next week I will go over the specific details of how to make sure your therapeutic listening program is being done properly, which can be a helpful reminder to families who have purchased this program and are ready to start it at home, or to anyone who would like guidance to make sure they are on track.

If you don’t know of a professional in your area, you can find a practitioner online through our website links at www.pediatricpotentials.com, or by going to the Therapeutic Listening company website at www.vitallinks.net.

I hope you can make the time to add this to your busy schedules as an intense and powerful home program addition for your sensory kids, as the children we work with in our office seem to progress toward their goals about twice as fast, if they are doing this program at home, in addition to their weekly therapy sessions in our office. It’s well worth the time and money!

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Last week I introduced Neurofeedback, including: what is it, how does it work and the many symptoms that can be addressed with this brain-based exercise program. Since there’s no “one program” out there that can fix all, I have dedicated this episode to helping parents and professionals think about other factors that can be holding a child back from making greater gains.

The number one culprit for sensory kids is FOOD! You are what you eat, and a child who eats junk food is going to act out behaviorally or emotionally. Sugar, preservatives and other unnatural ingredients can interfere with smooth brain function. Chemicals were not made to be digested and interpreted in the brain, so the brain gets confused or stressed and malfunctions. No wonder these kids do not make further progress, or they can’t maintain their progress between sessions, because these food culprits are sabotaging the neural connections that were just strengthened in their Neurofeedback sessions. Here’s an overall list of common reasons why Neurofeedback sessions can fall short of their expectations:

1. Food intolerances
2. Allergies
3. Dietary insufficiencies
4. Digestive Malabsorption
5. Heavy Metal Toxicity
6. Visual Processing Disturbances
7. Auditory Processing Disorder
8. Blood Sugar Regulation Difficulties
9. Poor Sleep or Sleep Routines
10. Degenerative Disorders or Structural Limitations (stroke, tumor, blood vessel malformations, hydrocephalus, etc.)

You will need to speak with your Neurofeedback Practitioner, Holistic Medical Practitioner, and/or your Primary Care Physician to discuss these possibilities and ways to remediate any additional factors, to get the best out of your child.

There are two ways a Neurofeedback practitioner can provide his or her services. Some practitioners are trained to provide their treatment based on a child’s presenting problems and the parents’ greatest concerns. This is symptom-based treatment, where the practitioner requires the parent and/or child to provide feedback on how they feel and how they performed during, and shortly after each neurofeedback session. The alternative to this is having a QEEG done (which can be expensive, my guess is around $600-$1,000 or more) which is a comprehensive analysis of the brain waves, so that a practitioner can set up a specific protocol, based on this information. It takes some of the guess work out, but each method has its pros and cons. You will want to ask your local provider what he or she feels is best for your child and his or her specific problems that need to be addressed.

Aside from Neurofeedback training, there are many other complimentary programs out there to help your children with overall brain processing, sensory processing, learning, and behavioral/emotional control. The following programs are worth discussing with a professional or looking up on-line:

1. Fast ForWord- from a Speech Therapist
2. Interactive Metronome- from an OT or Speech Therapist or Learning Center
3. Emotional Freedom Technique or EMDR- from a Mental Health Practitioner
4. Emotional Healing &/or Energy Work from Alternative Medicine Practitioners, Mental Health Professionals and most often from Massage Therapists
5. Craniosacral or Myofascial Release Therapy- from a Massage Therapist, PT, or OT
6. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy- from an Alternative Medical Practitioner
7. Developmental Visual Training- from a Developmental Optometrist
8. An Auditory Integration Training Program- from an OT, Speech Therapist, PT, or Learning Center
9. Brain Builder- from a Learning Center
10. NAET- allergy elimination treatments from an Alternative Health Care Practitioner

There is no way I can make these lists to be all inclusive in such a short amount of time, so please feel free to offer additional information by posting a blog or asking questions if you can’t find information on these programs. Every child is different, but at least there are a wide variety of programs and services available, you just need the right guidance to get you there! Above all, please get your kids eating well and taking some basic supplements. You can listen to this episode for more specifics, watch Neurofeedback videos on our website at www.pediatricpotentials.com, or go on www.eeginfo.com/research to look at more information on complimentary modalities offered by Chief Scientist, Siegfried Othmer.

Be Well!

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I came across a great press release today from Dr. Martin Johnson, PsyD, from the Hawaii Center for Psychology, that I would like to share with everyone. He posed a great question, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a “Wii Fit” for the brain”? Well scientists have come up with something pretty close- a video game that you play without using your hands- only using your brainwaves. And the best part about it, is that it’s good for you! This is called Neurofeedback which has been around for about 30 years, but improved technology and advances have made it more accessible for the masses.

Neurofeedback training is painless, relaxing and non-invasive. During a session, sensors are placed on the scalp to monitor brain waves, which are displayed as a video game or movie clip. The child watches the screen and engages in the feedback without much obvious effort. When the brain produces waves that are in-sync with the settings on the computer, the video game or movie rewards the participant by playing the video or movie more often. Over time, the brain learns and builds stronger connections so that the child has improved skills such as self-regulation, attention, and behaviors, etc…

This training is based on positive reinforcement, so the game is going to play regardless, and then every so often it will slow or stop to provide cause and effect feedback to the child, so they know when their brain waves are on or off track. This happens at a more subconscious or automatic level of the brain, so the child doesn’t have to work hard to focus or relax, it will just happen.

The idea of playing a video game with only your mind is hard for many people to grasp. The sensors simply measure what you are already doing. There is no electrical current, pain or discomfort at all.

Neurofeedback has been used by many athletes, musicians, and executives to improve their focus and performance. It is also used to treat a variety of issues including problems with sleep, concentration, expression and social skills, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, physical and mental stress as well as headaches, seizure disorders, and much more! We generally use it at Pediatric Potentials to help our sensory kids improve their overall self-regulation skills.

This program can be thought of as a way to “work out your brain” for optimal health, just like you would work out with a personal trainer to keep your body fit and feeling good. People of all ages are able to benefit from these types of programs.

For more information to determine if your child is a good candidate for this program, you can refer to our website online, and also watch the new You Tube videos on this program, from www.pediatricpotentials.com

You can also find a local practitioner and an extensive resource & research list, by going to www.eeginfo.com

It will be well worth your time to look into this program, as it has the ability to make a huge difference in your child in a relatively short period of time, often times in the first few sessions.

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Summer Handwriting Helpers!

Summer is a great time to help your child improve his or her handwriting potential for the following school year. Trying a combination of the following suggestions may help your child develop greater skills to be more ready and willing to write!

Good kinesthetic awareness is needed in order for your child to feel his/her hand on the page, know where it is without having to look at it all of the time, and to know how hard to press into the paper when writing.

Kinesthetic activities:

• Making and/or playing with playdough, putty, clay or a combination of corn starch and water
• Making cookies or mixing other fun foods together in the kitchen with his/her hands
• Coloring on thin paper placed on top of sand paper or cement outside
• Using chalk on a mini chalk board or sidewalk
• Practice writing or drawing in shaving cream or sand for fun

Good postural stability of the trunk, shoulder, hand and neck muscles are also very important in order for your child to have the ability to sit at a table with good upright posture and fine motor control. The ability to maintain this posture and perform fine motor skills without tiring easily is necessary for good handwriting skills.

Postural activities:

• Underwater swimming is great for postural endurance!
• Lying on the floor on the stomach to watch TV, have a snack, read a book, or play games
• Set up: push ups, sit ups, wheelbarrow walks or crab walks as a game, or to set a record and then try to beat it!
• Climb on jungle gyms & monkey bars to build upper body and hand strength
• Enroll in martial arts camps, yoga programs, gymnastics programs or other physical programs that promote strength and endurance as a part of their curriculum

Teach the proper way to hold a pencil, by encouraging your child to use a 3-finger grasp. The tip of the thumb and index finger should be on the pencil and the middle finger should support the pencil from the underside. You can try a variety of pencil grips to see if any particular gripper helps your child keep his/her fingers in this position. You can also try thick pencils, short pencils or mechanical pencils to see what makes your child’s handwriting look the best. The thumb should not be wrapped around the pencil or the other fingers, as this causes difficulty with precision and makes the fingers tire quickly. Now you are ready to encourage your child to work on the activities below. Present these activities in a fun or challenging way to your child, but monitor and respect their frustration and level of resistance.

Eye-hand coordination activities:

• Dot-to-Dot, tracing, coloring, art or learning-to-draw workbooks (have your child lie on his/her stomach, or seated in a chair with both feet flat on the floor for good postural support)
• Practice copying three-dimensional block designs (i.e.- parquetry boards) or find a few new challenging puzzles
• Order the Handwriting Without Tears program materials or workbook for the summer, practicing 5-10 minutes a day to reinforce the proper way to form (print & cursive) letters (www.hwtears.com).
• Children that have done journal writing this past year in school can continue to journal write over the summer, on fun topics of their choice.

These are fun activities that can help promote your child’s handwriting skills. They can be incorporated into their daily routine for 5-30 minutes at a time, a few times per week.

Feel free to e-mail me through my website @ www.pediatricpotentials.com if you would like more activities or any clarification.  Try to enjoy this time with your child and have fun!

Have a great summer!

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Hi everyone, today I am going to talk about therapeutic toy selections for children, but first we need to talk about play.  “Play” is critical for children in order for them to develop their social and emotional skills as well as their motor skills.  Through exploration and play, children develop the strength, balance, coordination, eye-hand skills and regulation skills their bodies need in order to be happy children that show an inner desire to learn.  Skill development should come naturally as children explore, so appropriate toy selections are important for children as they need to have the right opportunities to acquire new skills and build their self-esteem.  Children who don’t get enough play time, especially physical activity, often have a hard time sitting still, focusing on tasks or school work, calming down, falling asleep or managing their own emotions or behaviors.  This is where sensory integration therapy and sensory-based toys become extremely beneficial.

So what type of toy can a parent make to save money?

Try: making play dough with a fun new recipe off the internet; or filling balloons with sand, rice, flour, sugar or salt to make hand-sized squeeze balls (for sensory calming and hand strengthening).

Therapeutically, these are the most common items I have seen parents purchase from therapy catalogs or websites:

• Bodysox- these are common to allow kids to calm as they climb in this big spandex bag and usually cover their faces for less visual stimulation and then push against the spandex to get resistance to their muscles for calming. Kids can walk, crawl and roll in these, or get pulled around on the carpet for a calming ride.

• Jigglers- these are oral vibration toys that are turned on and either held or chewed on by a child, when they need calming to their nervous system, or when they need greater awareness and sensation to their mouth for better eating, talking and less drooling.

• Physioballs/Exercise Balls- these are great for people of all ages as they come in many sizes and textures now. They are often used to work on balance, strengthening and stretching or deeper breathing, but can be used for many other play activities if you allow the adult or child to use their imagination!

• Dizzy Disc- this is an excellent sensory stimulating product that activates the vestibular system (the receptors in the inner ear that detect movement) to improve a person’s balance, posture, attention and awareness of their body in space (so kids are less clumsy and more attentive). This is an excellent product used for many children with attention difficulties as they often under-register movement and therefore need lots of it!

• Seating cushions- these are very common in schools and for sitting at a desk or at the dinner table at home. They allow people to wiggle in their seat, in order to activate their vestibular system (the receptors in the inner ear that detect movement). These cushions come in child and adult sizes and help people of all ages to sit still in their chairs for longer without the need to wiggle around or feel restless/inattentive. The seating cushions that come in the shape of a wedge are also excellent to help improve posture.

Please listen to the full podcast show for more details on how to use these common items, or just be creative and have fun with your child, whether you buy therapeutic toys or make them yourself.  And, if all else fails and you don’t know what to do, just know that the kids are the experts in finding different ways to use toys and objects.  Have a great day!

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