Our OT has introduced us to a new tool to help Adventure Boy (AB), called Therapeutic Listening. This approach was developed in the 1970’s and has a growing body of research behind it. The idea is to use specially modulated music to help children with disorganized or underdeveloped sensory function. It can have a wide range of benefits for a child in the areas of modulation, postural tone, motor control, spatiotemporal organization, and communication. We hope most to see Adventure Boy improve in the areas of modulation and communication. That would mean he could have a reduction in sensory defensive behaviors, improved mood stability, improved attention and focus, improvement in handling transitions and greater range of communication skills.
After 6 months in the program, we have seen impressive improvements in AB’s language and auditory sensory issues. This past May, he participated in his first elementary concert! I was so proud that I wanted to cry as he stood on the risers with his para in a noisy gym full of people and did his best to sing two songs. This would not have been possible before his participation in Therapeutic Listening. He is also using more meaningful language and has a reduction in random verbalizations most days. We were excited early in the therapy when his ability to have a short back and forth conversation emerged.
For example, he tried to fake his way out of going to school, ha! The exchange went down like this:
AB: (Terrible Fake Cough) ”Sick”
Me: “What's wrong?” AB: “Sick” (with sad face) Me: “Do you need to stay home?” AB: “Oh yeah!” Also AB: Laughing, jumping on the bed.
This interaction may seem pretty normal to most parents, but the amount of forethought and back and forth language skills this conversation took for AB was above his previous skill level. Instead of being annoyed that he tried to fake his way out of school, I couldn’t help but be excited that he had the skills to try it. I don’t think this would have happened, at least this soon, without his new therapeutic listening program. Fast forward 6 months into the program and these types of conversations have become common place. AB boasts an ever expanding vocabulary and is improving with appropriate social interactions with both peers and adults.
Adventure Boy uses this program under the supervision of his OT, Melissa Brissette. He listens to the music 2-3 times per day for 30 minutes on specially designed headphones. During that time, he doesn’t have any screen time. He loves to get comfy and do one of his favorite activities which includes his “pop pop” book from his OT or popping bubble wrap. Of course, the fabulous Miss Lona helps us make sure the program is carried out at school too. We appreciate her dedication so much!
*Much of the information in the first paragraph in the article comes from a Vital Sounds handout we received from our OT.
For more on the research and science behind the program:
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