Auditory Processing

 

  • Hearing Filter used with 12 year old with APD/ASD/ADHD. Our son always had serious auditory processing and hearing sensitivities.  It was obvious for a long time that he heard everything within sight at the same time and at the same volume.  He couldn’t concentrate and “zoned out” because he was just so overwhelmed by noise. His auditory processing issues were a big factor in our family lifestyle, his schoolwork, and just about everything. We avoided any place “loud” for ten years. We spent many years using listening therapies, ear protection headphones, medicines for inflammation, etc., as well as many years avoiding any place with amplified sound. The Listening Program had been the most successful intervention for him. In June 2014, we visited Able Kids Foundation in Fort Collins, CO.  The audiologists ran diagnostic testing and recommended a custom ear filter for him. The ear filter arrived a few weeks later in July 2014.  We noticed that it worked immediately.  Within weeks our son’s world had changed. No more ear protection headphones.  We visited a busy, loud restaurant the first day he wore the ear filter.  He was able to follow our conversation the entire dinner and did not “zone out” due to auditory bombardment.  My husband and I were stunned.  Soon we visited a movie theater where he watched an entire movie without the ear protection headphones he had clung to for many years in loud places.  In the same month, our son sat happily through an entire Texas Rangers game remaining alert and attentive, neither zoning out nor wearing his ear protection headphones.  He also has reported that it is easier for him to stay alert in the classroom at school.  (Admittedly, neither his grades nor his academic performance have directly improved from it, but the other successes far outweigh this fact.). Another testament to the success of the ear filter: our son wears it every day without us even asking about it.  He takes care of it independently and treats it very carefully.  He knows it works and doesn’t leave the house without it.

 

  • M*** just graduated from Baylor University with high honors. She was a Tri delt and had an excellent college experience with a degree in geology and computer science. She just began her first job working for a municipality to redesign their water treatment system. She reads constantly, a whole array of books. Her development has been everything we were afraid to dream for her after being told at 3 years old by the professionals evaluating her that she would never talk and we should institutionalize her. One of those professionals from that institution called me later that day and referred me to see you and the other professionals at Lakewood Pediatric Therapy, because you treated children from a sensory integration perspective rather than traditional therapy methods. There M*** received occupational therapy and speech therapy. Jane Shook taught her to listen to sounds in words so she could speak more clearly. She taught her to read using a listening processing approach. I sat in all her sessions so I could learn the strategies for the week and practice them at home. M*** used The Listening Program going through it multiple times. It wasn’t easy because sometimes it caused disorganization of self-regulation systems, but we saw such remarkable advances in understanding concepts, language and social relationships that it was worth it. The Listening Program was the best thing that we ever did. Jane you were with me the whole way. You gave me tools that I used in many ways that equipped M*** to develop the skills she needed in many areas.