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The Tomatis Method
Auditory Stimulation for Children with Special Needs

Introduction

Over 40 years ago, Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis, an ear-nose-throat specialist, made several discoveries that led him to develop the Tomatis Method; a method to improve learning and language abilities, communication, creativity, and social behavior. The Tomatis Method, which has also been referred to as auditory training, auditory stimulation, and listening therapy, has been used with thousands of children who have a variety of disorders including: autism, PDD, ADD, dyslexia, and sensory integration dysfunction. In addition, it has been used with individuals who have auditory processing problems, communication disorders, learning disabilities, developmental disorders, genetic disorders and motor-skill difficulties.

 

Principals of the Tomatis Method

The Tomatis Method is based on the idea that high frequency sounds give the brain energy, whereas, low frequency sounds take energy away. Therefore, Dr. Tomatis refers to high frequency sounds as "charging sounds." He believes that low frequency sounds wear us out; that they make our bodies move, by activating a part of the vestibule, and if the sounds keep going, our bodies will move to the point of exhaustion. To illustrate, individuals behave much differently listening to rock or rap music than they do listening to Mozart. Further, Tomatis believes that the human ear’s primary function is to transform sound into electrical charges, which the brain then distributes throughout the body, toning the neuromuscular system. He says that when our brain is well charged, we can focus, concentrate, organize, memorize, learn, and work for long periods of time.

The Tomatis Method also recognizes the importance of the inner ear and the vestibular system. The vestibule, which is part of the inner ear, has many important functions: it detects motion and gravity; influences our muscle tone; provides us with a sense of balance and coordination; tells us where our body is in space and; plays a key role in all processing sensory input. When the vestibular system is functioning correctly, the child will have no sensory integration problems, however, if it is not functioning as it should, the child will likely experience sensory integration difficulties. In the latter case, the child will feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that he or she is receiving and will try to avoid these feelings by shutting down or "leaving" his environment. Therefore, one of the goals of the Tomatis Method is to regulate the vestibular system to make sensory integration manageable for those experiencing difficulties.

Tomatis also makes a distinction between listening and hearing: hearing is a passive process and listening is an active process. Many children with learning difficulties or ADD may have excellent hearing, but still may not be able to concentrate. Listening requires the child to tune in to the information he or she is given and filter out unwanted information. Children with learning difficulties or ADD are unable to sort out and organize the information so they tune out and stop listening. Listening training, used in the Tomatis Method, aims to restore the ear’s ability to listen in an efficient and organized manner.

Dr. Tomatis believes that listening starts in the womb and that the mother’s voice prepares the child to acquire language after birth. He says that when the mother’s voice is later fed back to the child (after birth), it gives the child a chance to be "reprogrammed." When the mother’s voice is used to re-open the listening process, her voice is filtered through a special device to match the sounds heard by the fetus in the womb. This allows the child to reenter the different stages of development through a symbolic experience. The need for being reprogrammed may be due to lack of sensory maturation, difficulties at birth, disorders, or other events that may have interrupted the communication process.

 

Listening Training - How it Works

The centers that use the Tomatis Method are directed by certified specialists from the fields of psychology, medicine, education, speech therapy, occupational therapy and music. When a child begins the Tomatis program, he or she is given a set of headphones that are connected to a special device called an electronic ear. Music is played through the electronic ear and is modified and filtered gradually until the child hears only frequencies above 8000 Hz (Mozart is usually the choice of music). Then, once the child’s ears are attuned to listening to high frequencies, a tape of the mother’s voice is played, with only frequencies above 8000 Hz, to mimic the sounds heard by the fetus in the womb. These sounds are said to resemble a cricket’s chirping, yet the mother’s speech pattern is still present. In addition, Gregorian chants may also be introduced for added relaxation.

The child must receive intense intervention initially. Traditionally, the Tomatis Method starts with sound stimulation for 2 hours a day for a period of 15 days. Then, there is a break between the next group of sessions to allow integration and changes to take place. Thereafter, the number of sessions is usually less and they are provided after breaks of one to two months.

 

Benefits of the Tomatis Method

In 1983, a study was conducted by C.M.E. De Bruto to determine the efficacy of the Tomatis Method on severely developmentally delayed children. 30 children, ages 4 to 14 years, were assigned to three groups:

The results showed that both Group A and Group B experienced an increase in mental age, but Group A was significantly higher than Group B. No change was found in Group C.

Reported benefits of the Tomatis Method by parents and professionals providing the treatment include:

 

Conclusion

The Tomatis Method is an auditory stimulation program that uses high frequency sounds, consisting of music by Mozart, the mother’s voice, and Gregorian chants, to energize the brain and regulate the vestibular system. Benefits reported of the Tomatis Method include an increase in I.Q., perceptual processing, attentiveness and alertness, academic skills, general adjustment, and communication skills.

There are now over 250 centers worldwide using the Tomatis Method. For more information on the Tomatis Method or to locate a center near you, please visit the following web sites:

 

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