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Interactive Metronome - Audiblox?
What is the difference between these two programs? When would you use each?
Audiblox is a cognitive skills training program that addresses multiple areas — visual sequencing, visual short-term memory, directionality, auditory sequencing, auditory short-term memory, pattern recognition, logic and reasoning, strategies, etc. It consists of a wide variety of incrementally graded exercises that are done one-on-one with a child using some fairly simple manipulatives. A typical program would be 1/2-hour to 1 hour per day for 6 months to a year. Audiblox can be done by any adult willing to follow the protocol (no special training is necessary).
Interactive Metronome is a computerized therapy that develops rhythm and timing (aspects of vestibular system development thought to be very important in the ability to learn). Basically, the child responds kinesthetically to a beat, and the computer provides instantaneous feedback about how close (within milliseconds) the response is to the beat. With training, the child is able to tap more and more “on beat”. IM is done only by certified providers.
Both programs train those attention skills which are trainable. IM also tends to improve motor planning skills. Audiblox tends to improve a wide variety of skills — visual processing, auditory processing, logic and reasoning, directionality, etc., but doesn’t do much with motor skills.
Most children with problems benefit from a variety of interventions (rather than a single “magic bullet” therapy), so both programs could be useful for a particular child. Audiblox is often helpful for dyslexics, so is often the first choice for that type of problem. IM tends to be helpful for children with poor motor skills (or poor vestibular development), which tends to be typical of children with auditory processing problems).
I think the IM website (http://www.interactivemetronome.com) has some movie clips so you can see what the therapy looks like. If you do Audiblox, it’s a good idea to get the video so you can actually see how each of the exercises is done.
Audiblox is a cognitive skills training program that addresses multiple areas — visual sequencing, visual short-term memory, directionality, auditory sequencing, auditory short-term memory, pattern recognition, logic and reasoning, strategies, etc. It consists of a wide variety of incrementally graded exercises that are done one-on-one with a child using some fairly simple manipulatives. A typical program would be 1/2-hour to 1 hour per day for 6 months to a year. Audiblox can be done by any adult willing to follow the protocol (no special training is necessary).
Interactive Metronome is a computerized therapy that develops rhythm and timing (aspects of vestibular system development thought to be very important in the ability to learn). Basically, the child responds kinesthetically to a beat, and the computer provides instantaneous feedback about how close (within milliseconds) the response is to the beat. With training, the child is able to tap more and more “on beat”. IM is done only by certified providers.
Both programs train those attention skills which are trainable. IM also tends to improve motor planning skills. Audiblox tends to improve a wide variety of skills — visual processing, auditory processing, logic and reasoning, directionality, etc., but doesn’t do much with motor skills.
Most children with problems benefit from a variety of interventions (rather than a single “magic bullet” therapy), so both programs could be useful for a particular child. Audiblox is often helpful for dyslexics, so is often the first choice for that type of problem. IM tends to be helpful for children with poor motor skills (or poor vestibular development), which tends to be typical of children with auditory processing problems).
I think the IM website (http://www.interactivemetronome.com) has some movie clips so you can see what the therapy looks like. If you do Audiblox, it’s a good idea to get the video so you can actually see how each of the exercises is done.
Mary