Therapeutic Listening
Does your child cover his or her ears in response to ordinary sounds?
If YES, Therapeutic Listening is an evidenced-based intervention that may help your child decrease sound sensitivity, which can help your child enjoy and participate in age-appropriate activities.
We have successful experiences using Therapeutic Listening in early childhood through school age children.
What is Therapeutic Listening?
Therapeutic Listening is an evidence-based auditory intervention, designed to support individuals who experience challenges with sensory processing dysfunction, as well as deficits in listening, attention, and communication.
Therapeutic Listening uses electronically altered music that provides the listener with unique and precisely controlled auditory stimulation, which naturally benefits attention and activate body movements. Therapeutic Listening also uses organized rhythmical sound patterns inherent in music to trigger the self-organizing capacities of the nervous system.
Successful Stories
5th Grade Student with Autism and Auditory Sensitivity
The student attended a regular education classroom and was performing at the top of her class. However, she significantly struggled with sounds. The student held her ears and cried at the sound of chairs dragging on the floor, as well as the overcrowded lunchroom, gym, and auditorium. Given her sensitivity to sound, she did not participate in many school functions, including eating with her peers in the lunchroom or participating in Field Day outdoor activities. After using Therapeutic Listening for about 2-3 months, the student and her teacher had reported improvements in her ability to tolerate typical classroom sounds. She began to tolerate eating with her peers in the cafeteria, increased her participation in the classroom, and participated in her first Field Day celebration with excitement. Given her academic success, she was awarded Crown Victorian. This 5th grade student delivered a speech to a large audience that was memorable to her family and teachers who worked with her since Kindergarten! Below is a testimonial from the 5th grade student
Poster Presentation
The Role of Therapeutic Listening in Social Participation for Preschoolers with Specials Needs
Developed and presented by the founder of Bridging Abilities OT, PLLC
The Case Study design reviewed 4-preschool students who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and presented with auditory sensitivity. Following the use of Therapeutic Listening, 3 out of the 4 children significantly improved in their ability to tolerate loud noises. The conclusion from the study suggests that Therapeutic Listening, used in conjunction with a collaborative approach, can improve social participation in preschoolers with auditory sensitivity.