iLs Newsletter 

May

2010

Issue 2

Vol 2

In This Issue

* New iLs Product: Playbook & Visual Tracking Equipment
* Interview: Dawne Roy, Educational Therapist
* iLs in the media
* New Zealand Study
* Remaining 2010 iLs Training Dates & Locations
* Interesting Articles

New Product: Playbook & Visual Tracking Equipment

The iLs Playbook is the guide to visual and movement activities which accompanies all iLs products.  The new Playbook with visual tracking was released last month and is receiving excellent reviews from clinicians and educators.

How is it different?  

• New Content: The number and quality of visual tracking, balance, cross-lateral, proprioceptive and core strengthening activities has been augmented. 

• New Equipment: A hanging ball, adjustable to different heights, provides a wider variety of tracking games.

• Early Developmental Program: We have added a program for those with less developed skills.  The games are simple, fun and engage the same physiological systems as the regular program.

• New Structure & Presentation: The new Playbook is 9x11 and stands on its own so you can see it at a distance while doing the activities.  Replacing the small print of the last version are larger photos that guide you through each session.

• Video demo: Each of the activities is explained in a Reference Section; however, to make sure the instructions are clear we load the iPod with video demos.

How do I order the new Playbook and equipment?
First, call or email us for an RMA number (so we know to whom the system belongs). If you already have a Pro, Focus or Kick Start and you want the new equipment and Playbook: just email us and we’ll charge your card, or send a check.  The cost is $30, including shipping.
If you want the video demo loaded onto the iPod of your current iLs system, wrap the iPod carefully and send it to: 925 S. Niagara Street, Suite 660, Denver, CO 80224  The total charge for the new equipment, Playbook, and iPod reloading is $40, including return shipping.

iLs Interview:

Dawne Roy, Educational Therapist
Learning Bridges, Alberta, Canada

How would you describe your client population?

They are ages 2 - 62, and typically come to me because of academic concerns. Under the umbrella of academic difficulties, I find that areas requiring attention tend to include attention/concentration, anxiety,  auditory or visual processing, graphomotor and fine motor abilities, etc.  In other words, skills, abilities and thinking processes which underlie their academic concerns.  I see iLs as extremely valuable and even critical because it actually provides me with a medium through which I can address many of the concerns and underlying abilities all at once!  I am finding that children are often asked to do activities they are not cognitively ready to do.  What I like about iLs is that the music can be calming or alerting (as needed by the child) while also integrating their auditory, visual and vestibular processing skills. 

What interventions/tools do you use in addition to iLs? 
I use whatever a child needs to build a stronger foundation for learning. This includes visual games (some involving paper and pencil activities), sequencing and fine motor tasks, eye tracking games (including the iLs Playbook), puzzles, pattern recognition activities, visual closure games, etc.   While doing the iLs Expressive Program, I also include word lists from school or make up a list of words specific to the child’s needs.  Every session is diagnostic, so I am adjusting the material constantly to their needs.

What do you think iLs adds to your practice?
Of course integrating the vestibular, auditory and visual is probably the most unique aspect of iLs.  It allows me to assist the clients in achieving a higher level of both auditory processing and attention abilities .  In most of the children I work with, the greatest improvement and changes tend to be focus, attention and engagement.  Sometimes a child might take a few sessions to get used to the music, but once they are, it keeps their minds relaxed and more apt to remain on task with the various activities. It is almost as if iLs makes the work easier for them.  In fact, many kids, after we finish the iLs program, come back for more academic programs and ask for the music.  As a result, it makes my job easier in that they are more engaged!  It’s also interesting to see how much a child’s stamina or engagement and persistence improves throughout the program.  Sometimes they want to stay on one activity for the entire 60 - 80 minutes of their session. I am speaking of an activity that initially was very challenging for them (such as printing) and one that they could only work on initially for a very few minutes. This program really is quite phenomenal.

How do you structure your iLs programs, both the receptive and expressive phases?

• When I meet with a parent, we discuss iLs and I let them experience the program by listening to the music with the headphones on and trying some of the Playbook activities.  We also discuss where we will do the program – will it be mostly in my office or will they buy a Focus system and use it at home to supplement our office visits.

• When using the Focus, we usually do a 40-session program, mostly done at home with weekly office visits.  When I use the iLs Pro system in clinic, I do 30 sessions, including the expressive program. 

• I always explain to the parent up front the importance of intensity (staying with the schedule) and the commitment required.

• Also, I like to brief them on possible behavior changes that can occur as the brain is re-structured.  In my experience this happens around sessions 8-14.  It does not occur with everyone, at least not to the same degree, but certainly often enough to warrant mentioning it so they aren’t surprised if their child has a few days of regressive behavior.  It’s a good thing in that it reflects a change happening!

Do you have any interesting iLs stories examples that come to mind?
Well, I have a 21-year old client who had attention, comprehension and processing problems.  She had been through about half an iLs program and was seeing nice progress.  We sat down to play a game called Rush Hour with her mom in the room.  Rush Hour is a cognitive, problem solving card game that requires memory and cognitive skills, which were not her strong points.  Mom thought it would be too difficult, and had immediate reservations about playing it.  However, the daughter surprised them both and completed the first task with quite amazing skill. The mom was utterly shocked and very pleasantly pleased!! With some visual tracking activities, this young lady started out slowly and almost gingerly. Later in the program however, she was so quick and sharp, I could barely keep up with her.  About half way through the program the young woman expressed an interest in wanting to read a book!! She indicated that she had never really wanted to do so before. For the first time ever she seemed eager to read ….so, with the ability came new confidence and an interest... no... a desire for reading.

I have many iLs stories like that which involve dramatic changes related to attention, engagement, reading and writing!

iLs in the media:

NBC Autism Story - NBC reports on an autistic boy using iLs in school
Parenting Special Needs Magazine - a mother writes of her experience using iLs with an autistic child
You Tube - New Zealand clinic reports tremendous results in school study
PediaStaff Newsletter - Pediastaff monthly newsletter, OT section: article regarding APD, by Julia Harper, OT and Aimee Weiner, AuD

New Zealand Study:

This controlled study was conducted by Developmental Learning Centre in Tauranga, NZ.  It measured pre- and post-program results on 24 school children with learning difficulties.  The program protocol was 30-minute sessions using the iLs Kick Start* home program over a 20-week period.  The control group participated in the same school programs and classes as the test group, excepting participation in the iLs program (which they entered into the following semester).

*The Kick Start is the only iLs product which does not have bone conduction headphone delivery.

Results:

• Reading improvement of iLs group vs. control group: 25 months vs. 6 months

• Spelling improvement of iLs group vs. control group: 11 months vs. 7 months

• Auditory Figure Ground improvement: 18 %ile points vs. 7%ile points

The iLs group also show significant improvement in all areas assessed including improved motor skills, balance and coordination, receptive language and listening behaviors, social and emotional behaviors and academic and cognitive performance. The final results of this study are to be presented to the Ministry of Education.
See more results here.

Upcoming Training

PRACTITIONER 1-DAY CERTIFICATION

PROFESSIONAL 4-DAY CERTIFICATION

Lean more and register for a training session at www.integratedlistening.com/training

Interesting Research in the Field

Researchers find early autism signs in some kids - Some infants headed for a diagnosis of autism, or autism spectrum disorder as it’s officially known, can be reliably identified at 14 months old based on the presence of five key behavior problems, according to an ongoing long-term study described March 11 at the International Conference on Infant Studies...
April 10, 2010. ScienceNews.com

'Trust Hormone' May Improve Autism - A dose of the "trust hormone" oxytocin may help bring some autistic people out of their shell...
February 16, 2010. ScienceMag.org

Dr. Patel: Linking Neurobiology and Music - Listening to music gives rise to emotion in multiple ways, including episodic memory, visual imagery, emotional contagion, expectancy, evaluative conditions and brainstem reflexes...
May 25, 2010. NewUniversity.org

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Contact Us: info@integratedlistening.com 925 S. Niagara Street, Suite 660 Denver, CO 80224 www.integratedlistening.com