Therapeutic Listening

I woke up a half hour ago thinking it was three in the morning. I put my contacts in and see that it's after five. Thank God.

Yesterday I received a phone call from Bev, Erik's early intervention specialist, who asked if I would like information on a treatment modality called Therapeutic Listening. Apparently this is something offered at our local hospital. Despite working across the street from the hospital itself for a decade, this is the first I have heard of this. Upon doing some preliminary research into it on the Internet, I read about many facilities singing its praises. There are claims it may improve sleep/wake cycles, toilet training, focus and attention, fine motor skills, communication, hunger/thirst cycles, establishment of body midline, sensitivity to noise, and much more. All of the traits listed to help determine if a child would benefit from the program seemed to fit Erik perfectly. This is a program geared to help children with sensory integration disorder and many other problems. I admit that my first reaction was one of skepticism. I did not find much written on what it actually is. In addition, the name has a trademark beside it, which also makes me wary (after all, so does the ThighMaster). From what I can tell, it involves listening to specially manufactured CDs which contain music with specific frequencies on them while performing supervised movements and activities. Classical music is utilized frequently in this modality of therapy, as it provides the most desired frequencies.

I tend to be a skeptic about anything unless I have some evidence it works and at least a little knowledge about it. There are things on this planet that I know are wonderful but remain a little mysterious to me in terms of how they work, such as penicillin and passenger planes. I do know, however, just enough to have fairly confident faith in them. I'll probably never die of streptococcal pharyngitis, and it's unlikely I'll ever need to use an emergency exit on a jet. Who knows? Maybe listening to a little Bach and moving around will help Erik. The voices in my own head are telling me to go for it.

Note: I have the sudden, unexplainable urge to dig out my old Kiss CDs now. Maybe I'll do a little Therapeutic Listening(tm) of my own this morning before we head off to our classes.