Tomatis and Autism

ckf

This is copy from www.tomatis.com


Autism: What is it?
Autism is a developmental disorder that usually becomesevident during the first three years of life. It occurs in approximately 15 outof every 10,000 births. It is four times more likely to show up in boys than ingirls. It’s been found throughout the world in all racial, ethnic and socialbackgrounds.
It’s also a sensory integration disorder and a communicationdisorder. As we have seen before, the Tomatis Method can make positive andlasting changes in both of these areas.  


Tomatis and Autism
The Tomatis Method is not a cure for autism. We cannotperform miracles, and we do not promise them. However, our listening therapy cangreatly improve the life of many autistic people, by attenuating the symptoms.It is often used in conjunction with other therapies.
By stimulating the auditory system, and through it, bystimulating the brain, the Tomatis Method has been able to reduce the autisticsymptoms to varying degrees.  Each autistic person is different and mayrespond differently to the program. In some cases we see the first resultswithin a few weeks, whereas in others it may take longer. Also, progress isnever a straight line. There are still good days and bad days. But the trend isoften upward, especially when you look back over a period of a few months. Inmany cases we have seen improvements in the following areas:

Decreased hypersensitivity to sound
	They will be able to better deal with noise. As one    mother said: "He can now hear the vacuum cleaner or the mixer without    losing it".                 They may start to connect with what happens around them,    because they feel less threatened by the sounds that surround them                 As a result, they may have less temper tantrums and show    less repetitive behavior.                 They may also start paying more attention. One of the    parents said of her autistic daughter: "She is more tuned in. She pays    more attention".
Reduced tactile defensiveness
	As they become less tactile defensive, their desire to    reach out will increase and they may start to interact with others. This    makes them more social.                 They may also become more affectionate. A child may come    and sit on your lap, expecting to be held and cuddled.
Improved language skills
	For autistic children who do not speak, receptive    language is likely to improve. They may try to vocalize more and start to    babble, experimenting with their voice.                 For autistic children with more developed language    skills, the expressive language may improve. They may use longer sentences,    and find more appropriate words to describe things. The may also use    personal pronouns, like "I" and "You" more correctly,    instead of referring to themselves in the third person. Better mastery of    language leads to an increased desire to communicate.
Improved appreciation for food. less picky in what they    like to eat
	Those who are picky eaters may start to accept a greater    variety of foods, including foods with different textures.
Better self-image
	Once they start to connect with their voice, their    self-image will start to improve. They know that they have a voice!
Improved social skills
	They may start to look for contact and respond better to    others.                 They may start to follow directions better.                 They may start to initiate contacts.
Less aggressive behavior
	They may become less aggressive towards others and to    themselves.                 They may start to inflict less injury to themselves and    show less repetitive behavior.