Interactive Metronome is a tool used by therapists to improve motor planning, self-regulation, sequencing, and rhythmicity. This program is used within a treatment plan and consists of two-three one hour sessions per week for a period of six to ten weeks. For more information, visit: www.interactivemetronome.com

Music has been used by therapists, teachers and parents for decades to capture a child’s attention, alert them to a transition between activities, or enrich learning. Therapeutic intervention that involves music activates the limbic system, a powerful key to motivation within the brain (www.mozarteffect.com).

Music is a way to harness motivation when working with a child. It can give an “in” when there seems to be few ways to reach a child and engage him/her in relationship. There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing involves the technical reception of sound through auditory passages. It is the registration of sound. It is a more passive process than active listening. Listening involves the processing and manipulation of information that is heard. It is closely linked to motivation, emotion processing, intention, and auditory perception skills. It is the ability to focus on priority sounds and ignore or dampen background sounds. Listening creates a situation where a child can focus on what a teacher is saying and ignore the buzzing of the lights, the whoosh of the air conditioning, and the scratch of a neighbor’s pencil.

In the 1950s, Dr. Alfred Tomatis developed the first auditory training program, the Tomatis Method (www.tomatis.com). Since then, other programs targeting auditory stimulation and integration have been developed; however, most are based in part on his original work. Research shows that though sound training cannot change hearing or increase the registration of sound, it can improve functional listening skills. Sound training can influence the desire to communicate, speech and language processing, attention skills, ability to follow directions as well as the ability to “tune in” to the world around us.

Though music and listening techniques are used frequently in occupational therapy, there are a few targeted auditory interventions that can specifically focus intervention for auditory training and enhancing listening skills. In our OT clinic, we utilize a variety of methods to target motivation, listening, and auditory processing. In the Burrell Autism Center, we utilize a variety of therapeutic listening strategies. For listening remediation, we utilize the Integrated Listening System programs.

This is a program that “exercises” the visual, auditory and balance systems simultaneously improving mental and physical abilities as well as self-confidence. Preliminary research results have shown improvement in a wide variety of skills, but especially in reading and auditory processing skill areas. Therapeutic Listening using iLs must be implemented by a therapist or parent who has received specialized training. For more information, visit: www.integratedlistening.com.

• www.interactivemetronome.com
• www.integratedlistening.com

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