A True Story: A Hate-Love Relationship

I conducted AIT on a young teenager with autism. This was something that his parent was uncertain about doing -- she just couldn't believe it might really help. I'd known her through my autism work for a while and had been talking to her about AIT on and off for about two years! She finally decided to give it a try.

About half-way through the AIT, his side effects started in. He was a boy who need LOTS of deep pressure and proprioceptive input (input to the joints and muscles to help you understand where your body is). As such, he was inclined to hand-flap, throw himself onto the sofa, wrestle with his dad and brother, and clench his muscles. This behaviour started to get really bad during his treatments. It was all I could do to convince him to sit still enough to keep his headphones on. I typically put a headband over the headphones, so a good deal of movement still won't result in the headphones falling off, but he was really active! He was giddy a lot of the time, and this was occurring at home, as well.

About 5 days after the AIT was done, I received a text message from his mother: "Dena, what have you done to my son?! I am NOT a fan of AIT!" Fortunately for me, the text got "lost in space," and I didn't receive it for several days. I let it sit for another day, wondering what I should say to reassure her that this, too, shall pass.

The next day (about 1-1/2 weeks after he'd finished AIT), I got another text from her: "Dena, he is AMAZING! His teachers are raving about how well he's paying attention in school, he's listening so well at home, he's like a different child! THANK YOU! I love AIT!"

Two months later, when he was faced with his biggest school challenge yet -- a new class, a new teacher, new friends -- he flew through it with ease, amazing everyone yet again!

A True Story: Like Clockwork

Several years ago, I conducted AIT for my secretary's son. It was wonderfully successful; my secretary reported that her son was much more social than in the past, happier, easier to get along with, did what he was told at home and at school much quicker and without complaints. She didn't notice any temporary side effects during or after AIT.

About 5 weeks after we finished, I was speaking to a new client on the phone about AIT. When she asked if there were side effects, I explained to her about the predictable "rough spots" after AIT -- those one or two days when children are often irritable and out of sorts that crop up one week, one month, and 3 months after AIT is completed.

When I finished my conversation, my secretary turned to me and said, "I heard what you said to her and I forgot all about that! My son was in a really bad mood, one day last week. He was just angry at everyone, and he couldn't explain why. It was all the more noticeable because he hadn't been that way since the AIT -- it used to be a regular occurrence, but I hadn't seen him in such a foul mood in ages." We looked at the calendar and guess what we found.... That day was exactly one month after he finished his AIT!

It really is like clockwork!

Side effects, if any, are minimal & temporary

Many people worry about whether there are any side effect resulting from AIT. Berard-type AIT is the gentlest type of AIT available. Because there is no "sitting" on a single frequency, and the ears are given ample time to rest, side effects are rarely seen.

When there are side effects, these are only temporary and typically wear off within a week after the treatment cycle has ended.

The most common side effect is an increase in sensory dysfunction. Many kids who have auditory processing disorders and/or hypersensitivity to sounds have other related issues -- sensory integration dysfunction of one or more types. These SI issues include a need to move (for example, bounce, rock, jump, hand-flap, etc.), a need for deep pressure (hugs, wrestling, hanging out in the bath or shower), and more.

Because the auditory sensory system is being adjusted, all the other sensory systems will also be adjusted. This shows up first as an increase in the sensory needs, and typically starts in the 2nd half of the treatment cycle. It lasts for up to two weeks total (in other words, for about a week after the sessions are finished), then settles down to levels that are lower than they were before AIT.

One week after you finish AIT, it is common to have a difficult day or two. "Difficult" may mean being out of sorts, ornery, irritable, or something else that's not the norm. There may be
a repeat of this a month after AIT is done, and again 3 months after the end of AIT, with this episode lasting as much as a week. Many people do NOT have this irritability, but when it does occur, it is at these intervals, like clockwork.