The Lighthouse Project is a pediatric occupational therapy clinic specializing in the use of sensory integration modalities to treat children's sensory motor development difficulties. Sensory integration treatment has been used for over 30 years throughout the country and is growing in many other parts of the world. During the past 10-15 years this knowledge base has grown tremendously and S.I. treatment is accepted as part of the mainstream practice by pediatric OT practitioners. This approach utilizes tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, oral motor and visual senses.
The one sense which has not been addressed is the auditory sense. Some occupational therapists have been including the auditory channels via a therapeutic listening program called 'The Listening Program' with specialized headphones and specially modulated music on compact discs. Many therapists have been using this program for over 10 years and have had some very promising and often remarkable results in a relatively short period of time. All of the current information from their work involves individual case studies and anecdotal written and verbal reports from parents. This program is a new treatment approach and is cutting edge rather than mainstream.
Statistical research on this program is starting to emerge however at this time no statistical validation of its effectiveness is confirmed. Our clinic director Kohar Enemark, is a certified provider of The Listening Program through Advance Brain Technology. The program has tremendous potential and therefore she has decided to begin offering this treatment to our clients.
The historical development of the listening techniques is extensive and incorporates the work of Alfred Tomatis and Dr. Guy Berard. Many researchers consider the listening to be a form of sensory integration therapy that uses sound vibration to stimulate the brain processing. There are many theories as to why the Listening program works including the close connection between the ear and voice, language, and emotional and psychological development. It is felt the movement that occurs in the structures of the ear in response to the vibration of sound has a tremendous effect on the total brain functioning. Information about time and space is conveyed and internal rhythms are influenced.
TA dynamic home program is offered which involves listening to specifically modulated music through head phones. The sounds are modulated and filtered by electronic means. A specifically tailored listening program is developed for each child and may incorporate several CDs. The program often involves listening 1 or 2 times per day for up to 30 minutes. The program may last for a minimum of 5 weeks and up to several months. It requires a strong commitment of the parents to carry out the program. As the child progresses in response to the Listening Program, changes in music selection and protocol are often recommended.