The Therapeutic Listening Program

[mamabear2three]

I'm reading mixed reviews on therapeutic listening programs in general and finding it difficult to find research on it, so I thought I'd just ask the question outright: would you spend the money on the Therapeutic Listening Program? We are attending OT once a week and have made huge strides (like to the point that if we had to go through the ADHD diagnosis process again, I doubt strongly that we would get the same diagnosis). We see the biggest spikes in behavior now when we are in a crowded place or when she has to sit through some annoyingly loud noise (like for dinner on the screened porch and there is a neighbor nearby mowing the lawn). 

 

The OT has suggested the Therapeutic Listening program and has loaned us the first chip and headphones/player for 2 weeks. If we decide to do the whole program, we will have to buy the headphones and player but she'll loan us the chips every two weeks.

 

I'm concerned by the number of people I've read say it may or may not have helped, so it's hard to know if it would be worth the money.

[PeterPan]

I think you'll know within that 2 weeks if you want to continue.  I was talking with a friend who said they could tell pretty quickly it was good and calming for the dc.  

[clemota]

Two of my kids used it, one to help with SPD, one to help with a general auditory over-sensitivity.  

 

It *seemed* to help DS with his general over-sensitivity.  I say *seemed* because he was a tween at the time, and with all the growing up and out of so many other things it was hard to pinpoint the Therapeutic Listening as being the thing that helped, KWIM?

 

However, elder DD used it as a part of her regular OT program for SPD, and with it she progressed in leaps and bounds rather than the baby steps she had done previously.  I specifically remember her first "breakthrough" that occurred after she had started it.  Her OT had been trying to teach/train her body to skip.  She just could. not. get it.  She could only gallop - one side or the other (but never one after another!)  After 1.5 weeks on the listening program, she want from galloping to skipping very very quickly.  Like, within the space of 2 hours.  It was crazy.   There were other things that suddenly saw progression after we introduced the listening therapy - or she'd learn brand new things without ANY trouble.  It certainly shortened the time she ended up spending in OT - after Listening Therapy was introduced, she only spent another 5 months in OT, whereas they had originally thought she's need another year AT LEAST.

 

Ultimately, I think it's a lot like other therapies that are out there in that you don't know if it will work for your child until you try it.  It definitely worked for at least one on my kids - maybe for another.  I  know a family who tried it and found it did nothing for their son.    So, like so many different parts of OT, it may be dependent on the individual's response.  

 

If you're able to try it out for free for the two weeks, give it a try.  Maybe it'll be a great fit.  If not, you're not out much save for time spent on it.