Wondering if any of you have tried Theraputic Listening

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Hi everyone. My 8 year old Aspie son has been going to OT for a few months and it is REALLY HELPING him with the sensory issues.

They have started him on a Vital Sounds program listening to modulated music at OT. It is amazing the changes we are seeing in him. Everything from being more cooperative, self-motivation, eating new things, fewer meltdowns and the list goes on and on.

Of course we are also doing other things for his sensory diet. But I was wondering if anyone else has tried this? We have to buy special head phones and CD's and he'll listen for 30 minutes 2x a day for 3 to 6 months.

Thanks - Traci

wow, what kind of music does he listen to? i've been looking for music for erin to listen to when she is feeling overloaded...like after school etc...or like before melting down or after one to help calm. what you are doing sounds very interesting.

We did the listening program under an OT. It did little for D but I have heard more and more parents who have gotten good results with it. I'm interested to see if anyone else here has tried it.

Sunset,
The program we did was under a trained professional. There was several sytles of music to pick from. The OT let D listen to a few minutes before he picked classical music...go figure! Anyway, the music is electronically modulated to simulate the brain. Its unproven and therefore usually not covered by insurance. We were warned that it might set D on edge and it did. Its really a more active therapy, not something smoothing. D couldn't read, watch TV, or play computer while listening. He could do things he wouldn't get lost in, like eat dinner, play a board game, whatever.

Its an idea to look into if your child has sensory issues going on.


BeeBee

The music is modulated, but it is primarily classical...Vivaldi and Motzart. Our OT said that he sould be listening to non-modulated music to calm himself. She just said to let him listen to whatever he likes. We loaded his ipod with a hodge podge of music that he likes.

So far, we think it is really going to work. BeeBee did you have to buy the headphones? they are $140.00!

lol!

Yes, and that was the first thing I thought of when you posted, for some reason. You will note I did say insurance wouldn't cover it....



Seriously though, I'm glad we tried it even though it didn't seem to work for us. Or maybe he wasn't ready or something. I've spend more of lesser things.

I'm interested in therapeutic listening for my son too, but the cost is so high! I guess I'd like to know it's going to help him before I spend all that money, but I won't know it until I try it out. Too bad there isn't a lending library where you could borrow the music for a while. We've listened to it during an OT session but from what I understand it's mostly beneficial if you are listening to it on a regular basis. Am I wrong about that?

Yes, D's schedule was similar to SgtsWife's child, twice a day, 30 minutes each time, six days a week.

Cripes, I have the earphones and two tapes. I wonder what the down side of borrowing them out would be? Anyone an OT here to let us know?

I do know our OT suggested we give it four to six weeks to start seeing benefits...that it might be earlier but we needed to stick with it for at least that long and then if it was working, to keep with it 3=6 months.

Hmmm...I wonder if D would try it again.

BeeBee

BeeBee, it really seems to be working well for DS. Our OT told us that he may need "tune ups" every once and awhile.

V - they don't put the CD's in the library because it is by prescription from an OT only.

Oh that makes sense, but it still bums me out.