History

 

What is Auditory Training?

When the middle ear muscles are not toned up, they cannot do their job of filtering sound. The middle ear muscles pull on the ear drum and bring in the sounds we need and keep out (or filter) the distracting sounds around us we don’t need. They amplify soft sounds so we can hear them, and they dampen loud sounds so they don’t hurt our ears.

The middle ear muscles need to be strong to pull effectively on the ear drum or sounds will come in distorted, too loud or too soft, with some letters dropped or without the fine discrimination we need to decode similar sounds and interpret their meaning. But we can actually help remediate these problems by using specialized Mozart music to strengthen these ear muscles to make them stronger so they do filter more effectively. This treatment is known as sound therapy, auditory training or listening therapy.

History of Auditory Training

Dr. Tomatis, a French ear, nose and throat specialist, spent his career studying the role of the ear and its connection with the brain. His extensive research showed how good listening can positively influence our health and well-being and how poor listening can adversely affect it. He found that when the ears don't perceive all the frequencies of sound, the voice will not contain those frequencies either. But the ear, he believed, was responsible for more than just taking in sounds. The ears relay all sensory information to the brain, the ears control the muscles of the eyes. The ears even charge our brains and give us energy!

The foundation for auditory training is patterned after the way a fetus hears sounds in-utero. As the mother speaks, only the high frequencies in her voice are rapidly channeled through her skeletal system to the fetus. This is hearing through bone conduction. It is the only way a fetus can hear its mother’s voice. The high frequencies carry consonants such as (f/s/p/t/) and consonant blends such as (sh/th/ch/). Being able to hear these high-frequency sounds, in essence, wires the fetus for language and prepares it to hear and attach meaning to language outside the womb, when it is born.

In an auditory training program, each frequency zone is important and does different things to the brain and body. The listener is exposed to the music of Mozart. They are gradually transported up the audible spectrum where little by little, the music is altered or filtered (removed) of the lower and middle frequencies on the way up to the high, energizing frequencies. These highs frequencies simulate the earliest phase of listening as they knew it in their mother’s belly.

 

Auditory Training Zones

 

Dr. Tomatis described three frequency zones that divided the audible spectrum:  They have been re-named by Sound Therapy Systems and are referred to as:

(1) the Foundation Zone,
(2) the Communication Zone; and
(3) the Imagination Zone

The Foundation zone encompasses low frequencies from about 20Hz -750/1000 Hz. This is considered the zone that works on the body and corresponds to the functions of the vestibular system and sensory integration.

The Communication zone encompasses middle frequencies of approximately 750/1000Hz-4000 Hz. These frequencies are the “English” language speaking frequencies and work the speech and language, attention, focus, concentration and memory.

The Imagination zone is the high frequencies above about 4000 Hz. These frequencies work the functions of energizing the brain, imagination, imaginary play, creativity and motor planning as well as humor and spirituality.

In Lollipop Listening Therapy®, we take you through all the frequencies of sound and stop in these auditory training zones to work different brain and body functions - both ascending the sound spectrum and descending it during your program.

Mother's Voice

The developing fetus can hear the scratchy din of the mother’s voice. Though not clear at all, it’s only the high frequencies that captivate the fetus, and it becomes attracted to that sound.

This is listening inside the womb. It is via bone conduction. It is the only way a fetus can hear its mother’s voice. The high frequencies of her voice are channeled through her skeletal system down to the fetus. They carry consonants such as (f/s/p/t) and consonant blends such as (sh/th/ch). Being able to hear these high frequencies sounds, in essence, wires the fetus for language and prepares it to hear and attach meaning to language outside the womb, once it is born. It also sets the stage for bonding.

When a fetus hears the mother’s voice in-utero, it becomes emotionally attached to it, and when it is born it will be able to turn in the direction of its mother’s voice. The mother’s voice is therefore, so very important in an auditory training program to bring about an emotional connection with the child (that can be absent in autism) and re-create their first listening lessons while developing inside the mother.

Use of Mozart Music

One of the many functions of the ear is to charge the brain; to stimulate the cortex so as to bring about desired results from functions that reside in this area of the brain. To that end, Mozart was the most researched by Dr. Tomatis to put order back into the nervous system. His research concluded that Mozart was perhaps the most simple and pure and with respect to charging the brain, it had the greatest effect.

Because the high frequencies of Mozart music are energizing and impart a charging effect on the cortex, according to Dr. Tomatis, the therapeutic effect that one receives from auditory training can really only happen from the filtering of Mozart’s music - keeping those high frequencies in the musical compositions. Other classical compositions (like Beethovan and Bach) don’t contain enough of the high frequencies to its pieces to render it therapeutic after a filtering process.

 

Who Can Benefit?

Lollipop Listening Therapy®® helps children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, PDD-NOS, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, Auditory Processing Disorder, Speech Delays, Reading/Reading Comprehension, Behavioral Issues, Poor Communication Skills, Learning Disabilities as well as typically developing children and adults who want to hone their listening, improve their public speaking skills, their musical ear, sports skills, hand-eye coordination or relax more and eliminate stress and anxiety in their life.

We currently treat clients from 15 months old to 86 years old with a variety of disorders and disabilities. It's never too early, or too late, to re-train the ears and brain!

Call us to discuss how we can help you or your child become a better listener.