Auditory Integration Training and Autism Ranking:

History

Dr. Alfred Tomatis (a French ear, nose and throat specialist) developed the first auditory training or listening training device in the 1950s.  He used progressively filtered sound, specifically those sounds rich in high frequencies (e.g. classical music, the mother's voice, Gregorian chants) to effect change.

Dr Guy Bérard (another French ENT specialist) developed Bérard’s therapy in the 1960’s. Bérard, who originally worked with Tomatis, felt that the original protocol was too lengthy and developed a different method of filtering sound. It was then used in dyslexia, depression and suicidal tendencies, with Bérard claiming good results. It was first used for autistic people in 1975.

Staff at Advanced Brain Technologies (ABT) developed The Listening Program in 1998. ABT felt that the existing AIT programmes were too expensive and difficult to use, so developed a programme using CDs that could be listened to at home under the under the guidance of an “Authorized Provider”.  

Please note: we have not included the Listening Program in this evaluation as the authors of the only published study, Porges et al (2014), wrote that “... although LPP is a “sound therapy,” it is not a traditional clinically available AIT and differs from these procedures in method and theory.”

A number of other providers have developed a range of other AIT programmes, such as SAMONAS therapy, at various times.

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Jul 2019

Next Review

01 Nov 2024