Tomatis-Listening Program

Phil,

I’ve read so much lately regarding auditory processing disorders that I can’t site the source, but I do recall reading that there is no evidence that programs like Tomatis are effective for APD. You might want to ask this on the CAPD board as there are experienced APD professionals and parents who might give you a specific answer.

http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/capd.html

Janis

Dea in Colorado had good results with Tomatis. Perhaps she will see your post and respond. Tomatis works on very fundamental aspects of auditory processing. It is very intensive, but can be hard to find in the U.S. and tends to be very expensive. There are other sound therapies that have been developed since Tomatis. Ones that I can think of offhand are AIT-Berard and Samonas. These are often more readily available and less expensive than Tomatis, but may not yield identical results. All three of these programs require trained providers and are tailored to the needs of the individual child. The Listening Program, in contrast, is a packaged program done at home. It is the least costly of all the sound therapies, but also has the mildest effect.

BrainBuilder 3.0 offers cognitive training exercises to develop auditory skills. However, it does not provide any sound therapy on the order of the programs mentioned above. Typically you would use something like this after doing a sound therapy, or with a child who doesn’t need sound therapy.

Who recommended Tomatis? Has the child been evaluated by an audiologist trained to assess CAPD? If not, that would be the first step before trying to decide on a course of therapy.

Mary

The Language Program was the one that was ultimately suggested the SLP. It seemed to not require a right ear dominance and had less regression risks. The CAPD dignosis comes from a computer based report that requires a 5% level verses the 25% level he is likely at. So the CAPD actually did not give me a CAPD diagnosis but the SLP did.

Phil,

Because I’ve spent a great deal of time on the CAPD board, I will tell you that the specialists there will tell you that only an audiologist who specializes in auditory processing disorders can diagnose APD. I would not consider an expensive therapy with an incomplete diagnosis. I also had a SLP evaluation first which did indicate probable APD, so I took my child for further testing. But Tomatis has never been recommended as long as I have been on the CAPD board, so I would get further recommendations and possibly further evaluation before deciding.

Janis

You really need to see an audiologist who specializes in CAPD. A SLT can’t diagnose CAPD. CAPD is actually very objectively determined vis a vis a number of auditory tests which require very specialized equipment.. Also there are many different variations of CAPD which need different sorts of treatments.

My son is currently doing The Listening Program. He has CAPD. He doesn’t mind it at all. We are doing it because we had hit a brick wall in his ability to learn certain types of things, although other therapy has really made a big difference in his life.

Beth

Thanks for the many good suggestions. The CAPD evaluation was weak and in many areas showed inconsistent or poor processing. It was clear that some level of auditory issues apply. We are going to do The Listening Program and see what happens. It is not likely to hurt the situation and we have no other options that are as easy to implement. If we get into Harvard or Yale using the program….I’ll let you know. Thanks again.