Auditory Integration Training (AIT)

Auditory Integration Training (AIT) is a 10-day non-invasive program that helps with the way the brain processes auditory information.  AIT uses different sound frequencies that are combined with relaxing music to help your child's brain make new connections with the way their brain interprets the sounds they hear.  AIT has been successful working with children on the Autism Spectrum who have a difficult time with speech language development and sensory issues.  AIT can be used at home by having your child listen twice a day for 30 minutes each with the provided headphones.  Dr. Guy Berard, the creator of AIT, recommends that your child be 3 years old before trying AIT.

Participants listen to specially modulated music through an instrument called an Earducator™ during the training sessions.  The process is non-intrusive and rarely are there instances where participants become uncomfortable.  It is a very relaxed environment.  This information was provided by http://www.ideatrainingcenter.com/ait-process.shtml.

Related Sites

www.aithelps.com/index.html  This website provides detailed information on Auditory Integration Training.
http://www.drguyberard.com/  Dr. Guy Berard's website provides his personal story and additional information about Auditory Integration Training process.
www.berardaitwebsite.com  This is the official website for Auditory Integration Training. This website with give you the information you need to find qualified professionals trained in the Berard Method in addition to podcasts, articles, and current studies about AIT.

Books

Hearing Equals Behavior: Updated and Expanded  by Guy Berard, MD, and Sally Brockett, MS.
Description:  If you are a parent or teacher working with individuals who struggle to process auditory and sensory information, you will find that this book offers new understanding of these problems, and most importantly, explains the intervention called Berard auditory integration training (AIT).  This 10-hour training program reorganizes the dysfunctional auditory and sensory center so the brain no longer gets overloaded with confusing information.

The Sound of a Miracle by Annabel Stehli.
Description:  Stehli relates the details of living and coping with her unresponsive, autistic child.  Doctors and psychiatrists led her to believe that she was an inadequate mother and wanted her to institutionalize her daughter, Georgie, but she insisted on keeping the child at home, sending her out only for schooling.  When Georgie began auditory training in Switzerland, she became a different person as her hearing changed.  High school students interested in working with exceptional children or planning medical careers would be most interested in this book.  Written in a lively, readable style, with much emphasis on Stehli's conflicting emotions, it would also be good for those interested in psychology.

Tools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=EKKHqjwapog  This YouTube slide show provides information and examples of AIT.
http://www.autismone.org/content/auditory-integration-training-mind-research-network-project-video  This downloadable presentation will provide an overview of Auditory Integration Training.  The presentation will include a discussion of the history and application of AIT and an overview of recent brain imaging data related to the impact of AIT.
http://www.earducator.com/purchase.htm  The contact information for the Sales & Service Contact for the Earducator /6F can be found at this web site.

Parent Forums

(Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.)
Forum Name:  Berard AIT Newsletter Archives
http://www.berardaitwebsite.com/sait/newsletters.html   This is a quarterly newsletter provided by Society for Auditory Intervention Techniques (SAIT).