I was fortunate to co-produce Music for the Mind with Richard Lawrence and Dr. Kamran Fallahpour, and later a second program with Greg Lawrence and Dr. Fallahpour. I am greatly looking forward to contributing to a lecture on the intricate music of Ostad Elahi, a master musician and virtuoso of the tambour, this lecture takes us on a magical journey of the power of his music.

The lecture is at Winifred Smith Hall, Clair Trevor School of Arts, University of California, Irvine on Thursday February 3rd, 2011 from 7-9 pm. It is sponsored by UCI Clair Trevor School of Arts, UCI Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, The Department of Pharmaceuticals Sciences, and The Nour Foundation.

Program

Welcome- Dean Joseph Lewis II- Dean, Clair Trevor School of Arts

Keynote Speech- Professor Jean During- Director, Department of Ethnomusicology, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CRNS)

Discussion- Dr. Kamran Fallahpour, Director, The Brain Resource Center and Alex Doman, Founder & CEO, Advanced Brain Technologies 

Musical Performance- Professor Jean During and Mr. Porya Foghani

Proceeds will be doanted to the center initiatives on autism.

If you live or will be in Southern California  on February 3rd I hope you will consider joining us for this exciting and eductional evening!

I wanted to share my interview with Teri Arranga and Kristin Selby Gonzales on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network-Autism One Radio from earlier this week. We discuss autism spectrum disorders and the application of The Listening Program®, and how it can help children listen, learn, and connect.

Here is a link to the interview. Get the podcast in iTunes.

If you get a chance to listen I would love to have your questions and comments here.

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Patient Recruitment Announcement at NIH:

Identification of Characteristics Associated with Symptom Remission in Autism

We are recruiting children and adolescents (ages 7-17) who, since being diagnosed with autism, have made significant improvements such that they no longer meet criteria for a diagnosis of autism.  We are also recruiting children who continue to meet criteria for autism, as well as typically developing children.  Our goal is to better understand how children who make remarkable improvement may differ from children who continue to meet criteria for autism.

The study involves several inpatient and outpatient visits to Bethesda, MD, that may occur over a few days or several weeks, depending on what works best for the child and his or her parents.  The study involves an autism diagnostic evaluation as well as a thorough neuropsychological and medical evaluation.  A summary of all clinically relevant study findings including results of the neuropsychological exam will be provided. There is no cost to participate and children are compensated for their time.  Travel assistance and lodging may be provided.

For further information please call the study coordinator at 301-435-7962 (TTY 866-411-1010) or email autismoutcomestudy@mail.nih.gov

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This study announcement is from the NIH Patient Recruitment web site:

Visit the NIH Patient Recruitment home page at http://patientinfo.nimh.nih.gov/

Children listened to 30 minutes of music a day through a special audio system which provided the music through both auditory pathways, air and bone conduction. The outcomes are positive and have been presented at European conferences. We now await approval for a large scale clinical trial to confirm these results in a larger sample size.

Continence problems severely impact quality of life, self esteem, and have large costs associated with supporting these children as they enter school. Our protocol holds promise to help children with toilet training problems, reduce costs of services to them, and help them live a happier more fulfilling life.

Note that the program name in the article is incorrect. What is referenced as the Listening Project is supposed to be The Listening Program® developed by Advanced Brain Technologies in Ogden, Utah.

Read the full article

UPDATE: Thank you to the staff at the Liverpool Echo for making the correction to the program name!

The host of challenges that come with a Rett syndrome diagnosis affect the family as a whole, with most individuals requiring assistance in most every aspect of their life. The needs vary through the four stages of Rett syndrome from Early Onset, Rapid Destructive, Plateau, and on to Late Motor Deterioration.

A British research study showed that 5 girls with Rett Syndrome benefitted from listening to a music listening method developed by my company Advanced Brain Technologies called The Listening Program®. The findings show improvements in a number of areas with the strongest trend toward increased engagement and decreased anxiety. Sensory processing appears to be improving which is consistent with outcomes of other studies.  These findings were presented by the investigator Helen Francis at the International Rett Syndrome Congress in Paris back in October 2008.

We are encouraged by these results and the potential to improve the quality of life for those with Rett syndrome. A larger controlled trial should be conducted, and I am hopeful this study will help make that happen.

Review the research poster and learn more about Rett syndrome at the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.

The Listening Program® (TLP) is a music listening therapy that provides engaging brain stimulation to improve performance in school, work and life. This introductory webinar is free and will provide an overview of  the auditory system, auditory processing, and how music listening therapy can help improve the life of a child on the autism spectrum.

Date: Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009
Times: USA  11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MST (Mountain Standard Time)
India    9:30 PM – 10:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time)

TO REGISTER: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/790568674

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about the Webinar.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
PC
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Mac
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

“A Study to Establish Whether the Use of The Listening Program is Effective in Improving Auditory Skills for Children with Autism” was presented by Gwyneth Jeyes  at the Developmental Practitioners Association Conference “Children Matter” In Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom back in September.

Twelve children on the autism spectrum ranging in age from 5 yrs. 8 mo. to 12 yrs. 4 mo. in Northern Ireland participated in the study. Results from the SCAN-C test for Auditory Processing Disorders demonstrated improvements in auditory skills in all children who completed The Listening Program® method of music listening therapy.

The Listening Program® has been widely used for more than a decade to reduce auditory hypersensitivites, improve auditory discrimination, increase communication skills, and social engagement for children on the autism spectrum. The outcomes of this research are encouraging, consistent with other studies,  and warrant the design of  a larger, controlled study to explore the feasibility of more widespread use of this music listening therapy method to improve auditory processing skills for children with autism spectrum disorders.

To read the full study

Coincidently the article also highlights the story of young Ethan, a boy diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome who benefited from listening to our very own The Listening Program® method for 2 X15 minutes a day for eighteen months at his primary school in Midlothian, Scotland. His mother, Wendy Brooks shares ”The music helped with his concentration and social skills, which is a huge thing when you’ve got Asperger’s. He used to get frustrated and upset really quickly but he became a lot calmer and it became easier to get through to him. He’s a maths whizz, so that became more focused too, because he can concentrate better. Before the program, he just wasn’t listening,” she says. “It has had a very powerful effect because he hasn’t been as difficult to deal with and his conversational skills are very good now. You’d never know how he was at three years old.”

While the article focuses on varied examples of the healing effects of music including music therapy, interestingly it concludes with a list of music that is reported to inflict pain and distress by military and law enforcement agencies. I would have never considered the theme of Sesame Street as torture, however I can see repeated exposure to the Bee Gees “Staying Alive” as being a detriment to my cognitive and emotional state. 

Read Article http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/spectrum/Doctor-beat.5162577.jp

It’s Autism Awareness Month. This is a time the world is bringing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to light, so they can be better understood and appreciated.

The autism community is unfortunately divided. Lines are drawn in the sand, Accept/Cure, and on. This post will not delve into the divide. I am not a parent of a child on the spectrum and  have not walked in their shoes. 

However, I am someone who cares deeply for families touched by autism as my family has for generations. What I think important is that we recognize each individual labeled as having an autism spectrum disorder as the unique and special person they are. For they like everyone I want nothing more than the BEST possible life they can have.  And, for those that love them to appreciate they have infinite potential. We should do all that we can to understand the cause(s), develop reliable early indentification, and provide sufficient opportunities for growth, learning, and personal development.

My company is the developer of The Listening Program® method of music-based auditory stimulation. It’s used by parents, educators, and healthcare professionals with hundreds if not thousands of people diagnosed with ASD’s on a daily basis.  I am vested in this discussion.  We work with people across the globe challenged with how to provide the best opportunities for families touched by these disorders.  Ultimately we all want the same thing, a happy, fulfilling life for those we serve. That’s where my awareness centers, today and everyday. 

Here are a few links I hope you find helpful:

AutismSpot www.autismspot.com

Autism Hangout www.autismhangout.com

Autism Research Institute www.autism.com

Autism Treatment Center of America www.autismtreatmentcenter.org  

Autism-Asperger’s Digest Magazine www.aspergersdigest.com

DIR®/Floortime www.icdl.com

Dr.Charles Shidlofsky www.dr-s.net 

Enzymedica www.enzymedica.com

National Association for Child Development www.nacd.org 

SI Focus Magazine www.sifocus.com

The Listening Program® www.thelisteningprogram.com

Autism: What the Experts Know http://tinyurl.com/dd583n (Disclaimer, while a contributor to this resource I in no way see myself as an expert on autism).

This purpose of this single-subject case design was to explore the efficacy of using The Listening Program® (TLP) method to improve overall sensory processing, and receptive/expressive language skills in a child diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).  

This research was conducted by, Amy J Nwora, Occupational Therapy Department, D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY, USA and  Bryan M Gee, Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA.

Quotes from Nwora and Gee*

“He demonstrated increased eye contact with his teacher/music leader, caregivers (smiling and waving) and improved interaction with peers.”  (p.33) 

“Results of the Sensory Profile section summary also indicate marked improvements in function from pre- to post-intervention” (p.34)

With my company, Advanced Brain Technologies being the developer of The Listening Program® I am naturally very happy with the findings of this case study. Larger scale studies need to be conducted in order to help us bring this important intervention to the countless children on the autism spectrum that can truly benefit. This paper takes us one step closer.  

To view the abstract or to download the full article please visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122205224/abstract  

* Amy J Nwora, Bryan M Gee (2009). A case study of a five-year-old child with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified using sound based interventions. Occupational Therapy International,16 (1). 25-43.