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Berard Auditory Integration Training, (AIT) refers to a specialised sound training programme developed by the late Dr Guy Berard, a French ear, nose and throat physician. We refer to it as Berard AIT as AIT has become a generic term for many different types of sound programmes without a specialist grounding.

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The Berard method is a clinic based training using music with a wide frequency range. The music is altered by a specialized electronic device and delivered to the trainee through high quality headphones for two 30-minute sessions a day, over 10 days

These sessions are separated by at least a 3hour period, so that the auditory system can rest and begin to integrate the work done in each session. The programme is delivered over two consecutive 5-day periods, or if specifically requested over 10 consecutive days.

 

HOW DOES BERARD A.I.T WORK?

 

The purpose of the programme is to improve auditory processing, by intensely training the auditory pathways from the ear to the brain cortex to function more efficient, integrated and robust way improving overall performance.

 

Dr. Berard explains that the AIT sessions exercise the muscles in the middle ear cavity. The program apparently strengthens the muscles and improves the body's reaction to sensory overload. He feels that at some time in the person's life (in-utero, at birth, or after birth) something occurred to inhibit the body's normal reaction to sensory auditory overload and the body has not recovered.

 

The brain, when deprived of age appropriate stimuli, does not work to capacity. By stimulating the auditory areas of the brain, the auditory cortex reorganizes and improvement is noted. Past research with animals demonstrated that the brain has the capacity to shift thresholds and rearrange circuits. This is now commonly known as Neuroplasticity. It is suspected that the stimulation of the auditory areas with Dr. Berards' AIT helps with the threshold shift and a more robust and efficient ‘wiring up’ of the auditory nerve pathways.

 

Berard research, has further demonstrated that AIT works specifically on re-training the acoustic reflex muscle in the middle ear. Consistently, 89-91% of her clients have measurably changed this muscle to work within normal limits

 

The auditory retraining is often effective for people with a variety of learning and behavioural difficulties. Concentration, listening and understanding of language are all enhanced, as incoming information is dealt with more quickly and efficiently. It is common to see people experience gains in a range of areas, from reading and spelling to behaviour and social engagement.

These gains are often experienced as the ability to analyse the sound and appropriately categorize them and their meaning, improving clarity, comprehension and focus.

 

BERARD AIT is NOT

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• a medical intervention. Rather it is an auditory retraining / re-educational method.

• used to directly treat medically labelled conditions; it is used to improve the overall sensory processing ability of th an individual. As a result of the improved auditory and general sensory processing ability, people often have an improvement in the symptoms of auditory processing disorders which are symptoms of specific labels of medical conditions. In short Auditory Processing Disorder often coexists with other challenges such as ASD, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia and PPD.

 

WHY IS BERARD AIT, CLINIC BASED AND SO INTENSE?

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Dr Guy Berard, found that results from the auditory training were much better if the programme was intense, like a boot camp, and the training was overseen by a professional clinician. This improved compliance and adherence to the best conditions. It also meant that the daily observation by the clinician ensured that transitional changes, (such as behavioural regression, behavioural anomalies, sadness, tiredness) the client experienced could be both facilitated and explained and the client felt more confident because of this.

 

It is the intensity of the training which creates the rapid and long-lasting results of the programme. Most commonly the training only needs to be done once as the results are permanent unless auditory trauma or severe overwhelm reoccur.

Also, mid-way through the training period, a reassessment of the main parameters is done so that fine tuning of the training will continue to ensure that the maximum benefit.

 

OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS ABOUT BERARD AIT.

 

1. All practitioners are trainer by a fully accredited Berard instructor and must themselves have a tertiary qualification in a relevant health/educational related field. Always check that your clinician is fully accredited and a member of BAITIS.

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2. The practitioner is using one of the Berard AIT approved devices: the Earducator™ or the Audiokinetron. These are the ONLY two devices currently approved for Berard AIT.

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3. The practitioner follows the Berard AIT protocol. This protocol includes the following key points:

• 10 days of listening sessions provided 2 times a day for 30 minutes each session. It is acceptable to have a 1or2 day break but only after the first 5 days of listening.

• The specialized filter selection is based on Dr. Berards' protocol “Filtering Auditory Peaks: Using the Berard Method of AIT” (2000).

• The minimum age is 3 years, and there is no upper age limit.

• Music from the Approved Music List is generally used by the practitioners.

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4. Audio tests are typically obtained prior to, at the midpoint, and at the end of the 10 hours of listening. The first and mid-point tests are used to determine whether any narrow-band filters will be used.

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5. “Booster” sessions are not permitted. If it appears that the individual may benefit from more AIT, the entire 10 days should be done.

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6. Berard AIT is provided personally or under direct (on-site) supervision by the Berard AIT Professional Practitioner, with the audio stimulation direct from the Berard AIT device. The modulation is NEVER provided by CDs.