Finally started TL Program

[Mom28GreatKids]

OT finally started Therapeutic Listening with DS. She sent home the headphones and the first set of music yesterday. He would not even put them on at OT, so I was a little worried it would be a bust.

 

So, we started last night. He loved it. Like really loved it. And he slept all night. Then we did it this morning again, and he it went great. I totally expected that he would complain about the headphones, want to be all done, etc. But not yet. I am mildly optimistic.

 

For those who have done this, how long did you do it? Thanks.

[Lecka]

That is a great first night!  Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

No experience of the program, though. It has never been suggested for my son. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Lecka

[PeterPan]

Well there's how often they *want* you to do it, and there's reality.   ;)  You're "supposed" to do it at least twice a day, preferably every 4 hours.  You should not do it more often than that.  We've made a lot of progress doing it just once a day, at night before bed, just like what you did.  As you say, that's the easiest time to get compliance.  

 

It's not your imagination that it's good for him and that it's obvious this quickly. And remember, we sort of talked about this like with ST.  People go oh, the kid won't let a therapist touch their face, x therapy can't work.  But whether it's headphones or touching their faces, when they're getting WHAT THEY WANT, they participate.  Right now, he wants it and it makes him feel good and he can tell that, so he's rolling with it.  

 

So anyways, that's awesome!  You're doing a cd?  If you transfer the file to an ipod or something, make sure you transfer it as the original format and don't let it reformat to mp3.  When it reformats, it compresses and changes the data.  Must stay original format.  

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Mom28GreatKids]

The headphones have a built in tiny mp3 player. So it is all on his head.

 

So he is supposed to do it 2x perday for 30 min, 7 days a week. I am wondering how many weeks we will do it. OT did not say.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Mom28GreatKids

[PeterPan]

We started last fall.  Our OT just gave us a new cd to try.  Sounds like a convenient set-up.  To me, you pretty much keep going with a cd till it starts to sound bad.  The music is modulated, so to the person who will benefit from it the music actually sounds good.  Then, as you listen to them more, your brain figures it out and you hear the funkiness.  At least that's how it is to me.  

 

Which is all to say, try it on your other kids while you're at it.  Any of them who like it can listen to it too.  People who don't need it will think it sounds grating and nasty.  :)

[Mom28GreatKids]

Yes, my oldest is afraid to listen, lol. He is like, what if it sounds good? Since it is the bitsy bitsy spider and old Mac Donald, he is not that tempted.

[PeterPan]

They have cds for older kids.  Any of the Jamz cds will work.  But really, just have him do it.  Give him something he really likes (a candy bar, access to an app, whatever) and just have him do it.  Most people can quickly tell WOW, THAT SOUNDS HORRIBLE!  And if it doesn't sound grating and horrible, what he'll find is it actually feels good.  I keep saying it feels like crack for sensory issues.  That's not nice to say, but it's just deeply relaxing and feels really good, kwim?  And if it feels good, people will get over that.  Or, if it feels good by he wants other music, you give her a hint like hey since I have the unit anyway, can you throw on some tracks that are appropriate for older kids as well...  

[PeterPan]

Our OT gave us 10 cds.  It's not like we have just one.  There are Vivaldi, Mozart, Surf Jamz (which is what it sounds like, sort of contemporary, Beach Boys kind of stuff), all sorts of things.  Any of the Jamz cds are considered starters.  If you look on the Vital Links website, they tell you which cds for which purpose.  It's all there. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by OhElizabeth