Q:        What is the minimum age to receive AIT?

A:         3 years. 

Q:        Who is a good candidate for AIT?

A:        Children with delayed or disordered language development.

            Children with behavioral and emotional problems such as hyperactivity, immature tendencies, social adjustment problems, withdrawal, a disconnection of self from others or of self from self, lack of bonding/attachment, and so forth.

            Children with learning problems such as short attention span, poor concentration, poor organizational skills, deficiencies in written language skills (dyslexia), poor memory, and difficulty with balance, coordination, and motor function.

            Children with problems related to energy level (tension, fatigue), depressive tendencies, feeling of being “fed-up”, loss of enthusiasm, etc.

 Q:       Why should the child not wear headphone after receiving AIT?

A:         Dr. Guy Berard states that people should not wear headphones to listen to music after receiving AIT.  He argues that the ear cannot defend itself against loud sounds.  When energy (music) is placed in a short narrow tube (the ear canal), it causes higher pressure.  This pressure causes the ear drum, middle ear and outer ear to work excessively.

          According to Dr. Berard, if a person wears headphones to listen to music after receiving AIT, his/her hearing may return to where it was prior to receiving AIT. 

Q:        Does AIT reduce sound sensitivity by causing some form of hearing damage?

A:         There is no evidence at all to support the idea that AIT is effective by inducing hearing damage.  Drs. Bernard Rimland and Stephen Edelson analyzed the audiograms from 199 people who received AIT.  They documented a significant decrease in sound sensitivity and a slight improvement in hearing.

Q:        If a child cannot be tested audiometrically, can he/she still receive AIT?

A:        The AIT music is processed in two ways.  In one way, termed ‘modulation,’ low and high frequency portions of the sound spectrum are attenuated at random.  The second way involves using narrow-band filters to dampen specific frequencies in the sound spectrum.  These frequencies, referred to as ‘auditory peaks,’ are those which are heard much better than their adjacent frequencies.          

            An audiotest is often given to an individual prior to AIT to determine if he/she has auditory peaks in his/her hearing.  If one or more peaks are evident, then the narrow-band filters may be used during the AIT listening sessions to lower the volume of sound at those frequencies.  In cases in which a person cannot perform reliably on an audiotest, filters are not recommended, but the music is still modulated throughout the 10 hours of listening.  Dr. Guy Berard, the pioneer of AIT, states that it is better to use no filters than the wrong filters.  He states that narrow-band filters are often not necessary for people with autism and related disorders. 

           The use of behavioral observations and sound field testing to obtain an audiogram for AIT is also not recommended by Dr. Berard.

Q:         Is it necessary to repeat the procedure more than once?

A:        Suggested guidelines to repeat AIT

              Autism, PDD, ADD - every 6 months to 1 year until there is no more improvement of the behavior, and then stop

               Dyslexia, Depression, Suicidal ideation - check after 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and repeat AIT only if the audiogram is not normal

               Deafness - repeat every 6 months to a year

Q:           Is there a guarantee?

A:         There is no guarantee of positive results. However, most clients and parents have been very satisfied with AIT.  Dr. Berard, who is still the only real expert, has had a 97% success rate over the past 30 years.  Refer to Dr. Berard’s book Hearing Equals Behavior .

Q:        Are there any adverse reactions?

 A:       There may be reactions during the first few days of the treatment.  These vary from person to person.  Some reactions we have seen are:  loss of appetite, headache, stomach, nausea, fatigue, aggression, and tantrumming. 

            Two very common reactions are sleepiness and congestion caused by draining when there is fluid present.  These reactions usually disappear by the end of the 10 day sessions.

Q:        Can AIT be received if the child has tubes in the ear?

A:         No.  It is best to wait until the tubes come out.

Q:        Do I stop the medication while receiving AIT?

A:         No. It is recommended that the dosage and schedule of any medication received should not be altered