HEARING - NEURO-ACOUSTIC SOUND TREATMENT
Studies at Yale and Rutgers University in the United States now claim that about 60% of dyslexia is related to problems with hearing and auditory processing. This is why we conduct an audiometric Hearing Test as part of the Diagnostic Assessment.
Neuro-acoustic re-training or ‘Sound Sense’ is suitable for children and adults who experience:
• Lack of concentration – problems following instructions in a noisy environment.
• Miss-hearing words or their pronunciation.
• Speech difficulties or miss-pronunciation.
• Impaired social interaction – problems following conversation particularly when more than one child or adult is talking, eg in a classroom or group.
• Ear imbalance – where the left ear is dominant instead of both ears working together simultaneously, causing problems locating sounds in terms of spatial awareness and speech problems.
• Hearing loss – where the ears are not "damaged".
• Glue ear.
Under normal circumstances, during the first 18 months of life an infant will learn to pitch its hearing along a curve. The range of the curve differs according to the child’s mother tongue because each language has its own distinct phonetic shape or pattern. If all is well the child will develop an ability to focus along the entire frequency range of its designated language curve, allowing it to pick up all the sounds conveyed in every day communication with good accuracy. Unfortunately, frequent minor infections and more serious complications in the ear, nose and throat can disrupt this developmental process. As a result the hearing function remains underdeveloped leaving the child or adult at a disadvantage in terms of communication, academic achievement and social skills.
Aural under-development can be corrected through retraining the ear by listening to neuro-acoustic sound. The music we use is more dynamic than the many generic tapes, CDs etc available elsewhere; it is unique to ‘Sound Sense’ and has been carefully composed and recorded so that the listener derives maximum benefit in the shortest time. Each CD is individually tailored to meet the needs of the listener depending on the nature and extent of the problem.
See Dyslexia - Not just about the eyes?
What’s involved?
After an initial Hearing Test, the child or adult listens to a prescribed CD for 10 minutes a day ONLY for between 6-8 weeks, using a good quality CD Walkman and ‘open’ headphones. At the end of listening period the ears are re-tested and another CD prescribed. The process is repeated and gradually the ears become more and more aligned with the English Language curve and ultimately along the Optimum hearing curve.
Audio equipment
We recommend using a mid-range Sony CD Walkman or good quality home audio system and Grado headphones. Detailed information about this equipment is made available at the Hearing Test.
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