hi all,
My son (6yo) has been diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder and the audiologist recommended AIT therapy. From what they are telling me, it will help not only with listening, articulation, and following directions, but also with his (near constant) meltdowns and hypersensitivity. Im super hopeful about this, but as a scientist, this all strikes me as too good to be true.
Has anyone here gone through AIT therapy and have you seen a difference following treatment?
From ASHA:
http://www.asha.org/policy/TR2004-00260/The research is summarized as not particularly effective:
"This report has reviewed the method of AIT most commonly used in the U.S. and offered as treatment for a variety of communication, behavioral, emotional, and learning disorders. Despite approximately one decade of practice in this country, this method has not met scientific standards for efficacy and safety that would justify its inclusion as a mainstream treatment for these disorders. - See more at: http://www.asha.org/policy/TR2004-00260/#sthash.TFZHUV42.dpuf"
Did he see a pediatric audiologist? The audiologist at our children's hospital (who has worked with DS) put me in touch with their auditory processing team a few years ago when a therapist suggested that she thought DS had auditory processing disorder. I spoke with the specialty team and they told me that they can't diagnose auditory processing disorder until about age 8 and that they only recommend accommodations as there are no real treatments. So I don't have first hand experience dealing with auditory processing accommodations or possible treatments, but that was what the experts told me.
It's possible that your child is very mature and easy to test or that different testers use different approaches. However, we received dramatically different information from a regular audiologist from when DS saw the pediatric audiologist at our big children's hospital. If you saw someone who doesn't usually deal with such young kids, I highly recommend seeing a pediatric specialist because it may be very helpful in getting the best advice.