Impaired auditory attention (auditory laterality) in children can contribute to learning difficulties. One of the methods of eliminating this problem is Alfred Tomatis' therapy, which consists in audio-psycho-linguistic stimulation. Learn the principles and effects of the Tomatis method.

Symptoms of auditory laterality disorders and attention deficit may occur in children with disabilities, e.g. with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, as well as in dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD, may contribute to the appearance of speech disorders and difficulties in learning foreign languages.

Auditory lateralization is the functional asymmetry of the right and left ear, resulting from differences in the structure of the cerebral hemispheres. Right or left ear lateralization means greater efficiency, or more precisely - a different way of listening, to a given ear. The right ear picks up speech sounds more effectively and sends them directly to the left hemisphere of the brain, where the main speech center is located. Heard sounds are quickly processed and understood. However, if the left ear is dominant, then sounds are sent first to the right hemisphere (responsible for emotions), and from there through the corpus callosum to the left hemisphere (responsible for rational thinking). The process takes a fraction of a second longer than right-ear laterality, but the effects are severe. A child with impaired laterality (left ear) may have problems with:

  • understanding several commands in a row,
  • remembering what was in the lesson,
  • losing syllables in spoken words or confusing similar-sounding words,
  • stuttering (90% of children who stutter are dominated by the left ear),
  • assimilating knowledge and learning foreign languages.

It is also known that there is a very close relationship between voice and hearing. Listening is passive by nature, and hearing requires activity. The main function of the ear is not to listen, but to hear. The ability to listen consists of both the ability to absorb information and the ability to filter it appropriately. And the way we filter them is influenced by laterality.

Every day we don't think which ear "hears better". It turns out, however, that this is very important in the perception of the surrounding reality. This law andleft-earning affects how we listen. Right-ear laterality is considered to be correct laterality. Left-ear lateralization adversely affects the communication process and can lead to voice and speech disorders, especially in stressful situations.

We owe the diversity of the concepts of hearing and listening to prof. Alfred Tomatis, a French otolaryngologist. He was the son of an opera singer, which had an impact on his professional life. Alfred Tomatis graduated in medicine and specialized in problems related to the throat, nose and ears. His father quickly started sending him patients - his fellow singers who had trouble with their voice. After some time, Tomatis presented his flagship thesis that voice ailments are closely related to the functioning of the hearing organ. "The speech apparatus cannot produce what the ears cannot hear," said the professor. In the case of professional singers, the cause of the problem was the destruction of the hair cells in the middle ear by their own voice. As a result, they were unable to make sounds in registers that were not accessible to them.

Worth knowing

Alfred Tomatis- (1920-2001), French otolaryngologist, neurologist and phoniatrist. He has conducted many years of research into the functioning of the ears and their influence on hearing, understanding, learning and language skills. He is the creator of the auditory training method (audio-psycho-linguistic stimulation).

Principles of A. Tomatis' method

As the conclusions of prof. A. Tomatis relate to children's learning difficulties? The professor assumed that the development of auditory attention in the prenatal period (the hearing organ is already formed around the 4th month of pregnancy) has an impact on the development of a child's communication skills. If this process is disrupted because the fetus does not respond properly to the mother's voice, the baby will not be able to communicate effectively with the outside world. Additionally, if auditory laterality is disturbed, the problem grows. According to prof. Alfred Tomatis, these two factors can influence disorders such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, motor and concentration disorders. The professor found the key to the door, behind which there were many possibilities of therapy based on the knowledge of auditory attention.

The basic element of the therapy is the mother's voice, which the fetus hears from the 20th week of pregnancy in very high frequencies, ranging from 8-12 thousand. Hz. Music has such a feature, e.g. pieces by Mozart or Gregorian chants used in the work on auditory attention. It is a key element of the therapy.

20 percent - this is the estimated percentage of children with special educational needs.

Professor Alfred Tomatis developed his method for many years. He had a very precise vision of treating children. He argued that the child must return to the prenatal period in order to relive it, that is, to hear the sounds that were reaching him again then. - explains Jozef Vervoort, heir to the scientific achievements of prof. Alfred Tomatis and founder of the Atlantis-VZW clinic in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. Vervoort continues Tomatis' research in audio-psycho-phonology and trains therapists around the world. Over the past three decades, he has provided therapy to approximately 31,000 children and over 12,000 adults.

Who is A. Tomatis therapy for?

20 percent - this is the estimated percentage of children who have special educational needs, i.e. who require help in improving their knowledge-related skills. The sooner parents and teachers discover abnormalities in the functioning of auditory attention, the better the results can be obtained from the therapy.

- A normally developing child should start to sit up at 6-7 months, stand up at 12-15 months, and say at least a few words at the age of 2-3. Otherwise, we may suspect development problems. - points out Jozef Vervoort.

Similarly, Katarzyna Flak - speech therapist, oligophrenopedagogue, Polish teacher, method therapist prof. Alfred Tomatis, who reassures parents that they should trust themselves and consult any disturbing symptoms in their child's development with specialists. - Today, after twenty years of speech therapy practice (including 13 years of private practice), I observe a greater intuition and awareness of helping my child among parents and the constant underestimation of the child's deficit, which is the development of speech among the further environment of the young patient and some specialists. With the increasing number of children with delayed speech development, specific language disorders SLI and children on the autism spectrum, we cannot ignore the lack of speech development in a 2-year-old and 3-year-old child.

We talk to Jozef Vervoort about A. Tomatis' method and its effectiveness [INTERVIEW]

We are talking with Jozef Vervoort, heir to the scientific achievements of prof. Alfred Tomatis, founder of the Atlantis-VZW clinic in Sint-Truiden, Belgium and promoter of the method in Poland in cooperation with Young Digital Planet, the producer of the "Hearing Attention" solution. Under his supervision, about 31 thousand people underwent therapy. children and over 12.5 thousand adults.

- According to global data, the percentage of children with disorders such as autism and dyslexia is increasing. What it comes from?

- There may be several reasons for this. These include higher exposure, among otherspregnant women due to stress, environmental pollution or the use of strong drugs for common infections. The prenatal period is extremely important and determines the functioning of the child in the future. When it comes to the time after the baby is born, it is not without significance to administer antibiotics, unless it is justified. It is also invaluable to surround children with care and love. Mothers should be able to devote enough time and attention to them. The children's diet is also important, namely avoiding harmful foods, such as, for example, sweetened carbonated drinks.

- How can parents choose a good therapist?

- The method of prof. A. Tomatis is based on the assumption that the therapeutic effect is provided by the mother's voice, but processed so that it is identical to the sound that the fetus hears. Parents should look for therapists who adhere to the rules originally set out by the professor and who also use the highest quality equipment. This is of great importance in auditory attention therapy. Therapists should be well trained and have appropriate certificates. It should be emphasized that they must regularly update their knowledge about auditory attention, because this field is constantly evolving.

- When can we expect the first results of the therapy?

- After 9-12 days of driving it. To some extent, this reflects the 9-month gestation period, although I'm not saying it's the rule. The first effects can be sustained and strengthened during group therapy in kindergarten. For example, for an hour a day when children perform their favorite activities - arranging puzzles or drawing.

- How can you tell if the Tomatis method works?

- The most important indicators are calmer behavior, improved concentration and motor function, and oral and written language skills. Children who start therapy are treated until they reach the peak of their abilities, and the measure is different for everyone. Overall, it can be said that 80 percent. the children undergoing treatment have made great strides. In the case of the remaining 20 percent. we also observe better results, but they do not reach the assumed maximum.

- Do children born today need a different approach in therapy than those used a few or a dozen years ago?

- Prof. A. Tomatis said 30 years ago with his own modesty: "we must develop a method to help children as effectively as possible and to meet their needs exactly". Since then, the children's world has changed dramatically. So the requirements of the little ones are also different. So we have toadapt the method on an ongoing basis, using the conclusions of our research and experience.

- How to sensitize parents not to miss important symptoms of auditory attention disorders?

- Most parents know the normal stages of a child's development. For example, all symptoms of autism appear before the age of three. We often hear that parents are upset, that they are seeking advice. Meanwhile, it is not uncommon for doctors to tell them not to worry about the slightly slower developmental progress, that each child learns at his own pace. As a result, help may not come at the right time. I would advise mothers to trust their own intuition more.

- What is the interest in the method of prof. A. Tomatis?

- Significant. Over the past 12 years, we have trained over 210 new therapists, and the demand for knowledge in this field continues to grow.

Important

What is worth paying attention to when choosing a therapist?

First of all, you should check what hardware it works on. The starting point is the sound, it should be of the highest quality. It can only be provided by wired headphones, not wireless, and work with 24-bit, not 16-bit sound quality. Equipment intended for mother's voice therapy for autistic people should have a medical device certificate. Of course, the trainings and certificates that the therapist holds are also very important.

A. Tomatis therapy is tested in Polish schools

Several decades after the discoveries of prof. A. Tomatis, we have evidence that the therapy works. As part of the project "Attention! A way to success ”, Young Digital Planet implemented the method of prof. Alfred Tomatis in dozens of Polish schools. 1149 students were then diagnosed, of which 776 students from 71 primary schools participated in the therapy. Studies have shown that after 3 years of using therapy from 50 to 70 percent. students improved their results. 5.8 percent learning skills (attention and memory) increased by 6.3%. - social functions, by 7.5 percent - language skills, and as much as 10.3 percent. - musical abilities.

The importance of the mother's voice for the child's development in the prenatal period has been confirmed by scientists from Stanford University. The research used magnetic resonance imaging to check how children's brains respond to different sounds. The results were published in May 2016.

Category:

Psychology