‘n Franse oor-, neus- en keel-spesialis, Dr Guy Bérard, het begin agterkom dat hy besig was om doof te word. In sy soeke om sy eie progressiewe doofheid to stuit het hy ‘n behandeling ontwerp waar elektronies gemodeuleerde musiek gebruik word om die gehoorsisteem en luister-meganisme weer na optimale funksie to herstel. Deur hierdie behandeling is dit moontlik om die struikelblokke in die weg na goeie ouditiewe prosessering to verwyder.

Die behandeling wat hy ontwerp het staan bekend as Ouditiewe Integrasie Opleiding of “AIT”, en resorteer as ‘n behandeling onder Sensoriese Integrasie Tegnieke. Deur middel van AIT het Dr Bérard sy eie progressiewe doofheid gestuit en selfs gehoor herwin, wat hy vandag, meer as 30 jaar later, steeds behou het.

Die elektroniese apparaat wat hy ontwerp het in Frankryk, staan bekend as ‘n “Audiokinetron”. Hierdie apparaat veroorsaak distorsies van ‘n musieksein wat deur die apparaat gestuur word. Dit word gedoen deurdat daar vinnige en onvoorspelbare sarsies hoë en lae frekwensie seine in die musiek ingevoer word deur die Audiokinetron.

Hierdie gemodifiseerde, hoë energie, puls-klanke word aan die luisteraar gespeel deur hoë kwaliteit oorfone, vir 20 halfuur sessies. Navorsing en ervaring het bevestig dat die gehoor-meganisme sigself op ‘n semi-permanente basis aanpas, sodate dit ‘n meer effektiewe herleier van ouditiewe inligting word.

Dr Bérard self vergelyk die effek van die elektroniese modulasie met ‘n tipe van fisio-terapie van die gehoormeganisme – ‘n tipe van ‘n “aerobic work-out”. Die behandeling begin teen ‘n medium luidheidsvlak, soos ‘n matige-pas aerobiese sessie, maar die intensiteit verskerp geleidelik totdat ‘n optimale “oefeningsvlak” bereik word. Dié vlak word daarna vir die oorblywende sessies gehandhaaf.

Tekens van Verandering:

Gedurende AIT is daar soms tekens van gedragsverandering wat toegeskryf kan word aan moegheid en die persone se reaksie op veranderinge in hulle perseptuele velde. Moegheid kom heel dikwels voor, soms hoofpyne, en partykeer ‘n verandering in slaap en eetpatrone. Partykeer is daar ‘n sarsie opvlieënde en weerstandige gedrag, en enkele kere is daar gevind dat sommige kinders regressie na vroeëre gedragstadia toon. Hierdie veranderings is almal egter tydelike en verdwyn ná die behandelingsperiode.

Wat verblydend en bemoedigend is, is dat die gedragsverandering verwelkom moet word as tekens van ‘n positiewe en blywende verandering in die werking van die ouditiewe prosesserings-meganisme. Hierdie aanpassing lui ‘n periode in waar daar ‘n impak is op die kind/volwassene se gedrag/leer is wat oor die daarop volgende drie tot ses maande plaasvind. Die verandering is dikwels stadig en onopvallend, maar seker; soms is die verandering dramaties! Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat die verandering en verbetering volgehou word.

Hoe om die veranderinge to boekstaaf?

Daar word ‘n Bérard luistertoets (AIT praktisyn) of ‘n oudiogram (oudioloog) gedoen vóór, gedurende en ná AIT. Hierdie toetse boekstaaf in grafiekform watter verandering in die prosesering van suiwer tone plaasvind. Daar is dikwels ‘n wegkwyning van skerp pieke/dale in die grafiek, beduidend van meer “normale” en beter ouditiewe prossering na vyf tot tien dae. Dié proses word gewoonlik volgehou vir drie tot ses maande ná die AIT-behandeling, soos gemeet in opvolg tuistertoetse/oudiogramme. Ouers/Familie word ook soms gevra om ‘n Connors Vraelys, ‘n Fischer’s Ouditiewe Probleme Vraelys of ‘n Afwykende Gegragsvraelys in te vul. Ander objektiewe toetse wat al in navorsingsituasies toegepas is, is EEG’s, breinstam metings en PET skanderings. Sommige persone het ook positiewe veranderinge in unien-peptiede analises getoon. Ouer- en professionele verslae van verbeterde vordering, alhoewel nie objektief kwantifiseerbaar nie, is ook waardevolle bronne om die waarde van die behandeling te boekstaaf.

Wat die “Audiokinetron” / “Earducator” doen?

Daar is verskeie teorieë waarom AIT so effektief is. Hier volg ‘n meer gedetaileerde verduideliking van hoe die apparaat sy werk doen.

Die modulasie van die musiek wat deur die apparaat gespeel word, word gedoen deur middel van ‘n sisteem van filters, wat reageer op ‘n program in die apparaat en wat ook reageer op sekere aspekte in die musiek, vandaar die eienskap dat die gekose musiek sterk-ritmies moet wees. Die sleutel-eienskap van die apparaat is eger dié apparaat se vermoë om op ‘n onvoorspelbare (“random”) wyse tussen hoë/lae frekwensies oor te skakel vir ‘n volle halfuur. Meer as enige ander faktor skyn dít die wese van ouditiewe integrsie-opleiding te wees.

Die onvoorspelbare seinafwisseling gebeur sonder dat daar ‘n pattroon gevestig word en die brein kan dus nie die volgende hoë/lae sein antisipeer nie. Dehalwe kan die brein nie die ouditiewe sein “blokkeer” nie.

Blik op twee van die vele Teorieë oor waarom O.I.O. werk en ‘n opsomming navorsing: 1993-1995
(Verdere navorsingsversale beskikbaar op navraag by Synapse Africa Neuro-Nutritional Clinic)

1. A.I.T. – ‘n loods-studie
Dr Bernard Rimland en Stephen M Edelson
AUTISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE – San Diego
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1995, 25,61-70

Hierdie studie het ‘n blinde-plasebo eksperimentele ontwerp gebruik. Agt persone in die navorsingsgroep het A.I.T. ontvang en nege het ‘n plasebo (nie A.I.T.-musiek) ontvang. Drie maande ná die behandeling was daar ‘n statisties – beduidende verbetering in gedrag en ouditiewe probleme van die toetsgroep. Geen veranderings in klank-sensitiwiteit in die oudiogram van die persone is gevind, alhoewel die meerderheid van die toetspersone nie aangemeld is vir klanksensitiwiteit nie; die meerderheid was ook oudiometries ontoetsbaar as gevolg van hulle outisme.

2. Die Effek van A.I.T. in Outisme
Bernard Rimland en Stephen M Edelson
AUTISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE – San Diego
American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1994,5, 16-24

Hierdie studie was ‘n oop-kliniese navorsingsontwerp met etlike ingeboude kontroles. Daar was 445 outistiese toetspersone in die studie, tussen ouderdomme vier tot een-en veertig jaar. ‘n Statisties-beduidende afname in klanksinsensitiwiteit is gevind, bebaseer op die aanbieding van suiwer-toon ouditmetrie vóór en onmiddelik ná die A.I.T. – behandelings. Ontleiding van die oudiogramme wat voor die behandeling gedoen is en daarna weer ná vyf ure en ná tien ure van luistertyd, het aangetoon dat gehoor ietwat verbeter het en dat die mate van wisseling in prosessering tussen frekwensies op die oudiogram afgeneem het. Toetspersone is op ‘n willekeurige basis toewys aan verskillende filters (filters vir ouditiewe pieke, geen filters, filter van pynlike frekwensies). Laasenoemde het egter nie ‘n beduidende of noemenswaardig verskil in die uitkomste van die A.I.T. teweeg bebring nie.

Ouers wie se kinders aan die navorsing deelgeneem het, het verskeie verskillende vraelyste op ‘n maandelikse basis voltooi oor ‘n periode van nege maande. Die volgende vraelyste is ingevul:
Afwykende Gedragsvraelys (ABC); Connor’s Ouer Evalueringslys (C.P.R.S.); en die Fischer’s Probleme Vraelys (F.A.P.C.)

Op al bg. skale was daar ‘n beduidende afname in probleemgedrag wat begin wys het ongeveer een maand ná A.I.T. Hierdie statisties-beduidende afname was konstant oor die volle nege maande van die studie se post-A.I.T. evalueringsperiode.

Toetspersone is willekeurig aan een van drie verkillende A.I.T. tipes apparate toegewys. Geen verskille in die graad van verbetering was onderskeibaar tussen die die apparate nie.
Korrelasie-analises is gedoen om te probeer bepaal wie meer sou baat by A.I.T. Slegs twee statistiese beduidende verhoudings is geïdentifiseer. Laag funksionerende individue het die grootste verbetering na A.I.T. getoon (A.B.C.) en (P.R.C.)

Geen beduidende verhouding is gevind tussen gedragsverbetering en ouderdom, graad van klanksensitiwiteit of hoeveelheid wisseling tussen frekwensies in die pre-A.I.T. oudiogram.
Vir verder inligting oor AIT skakel 011-763-8404 of skryf aan Die Instituut vir die Verryking van Leerpotensiaal, Suite 337, Postnet Hillfox, Privaatsak X09, Weltevreden Park, 1715, Gauteng, Republiek van Suid Afrika.

Veranderinge in Eensydige en Bilaterale klanksensitiwiteit na A.I.T.
A.I.T. D. Woodward
Woodward Audiology, McLeansville, N.C.
The Sound Connection, 1994, 2, p4

Verdraagsaamheid van luidheid van klank is ondersoek in 60 kinders met outisme en aanverwante afwykings. Ongemaklike Luidheidsvlakke (O.L.V.) is getoets vóór en onmiddelik ná A.I.T. Voor A.I.T. was die resultate van aanbiedings aan een oor op ‘n slag (elke oor onafhanklik van die ander) sowel as twee-orige aanbiedings (aanbieding aan beide ore gelyktydig) veel laer as 90dBHTL, waar 90dBHTL die normale laer afsnypunt is vir ongemaklike Luidheidsvlakke.

Dear Friends, these photos aren’t promotional pics – they represent real children, with real needs, which Berard AIT has helped over the past decade and more that I’ve been involved in this field. A year ago the little boy, H., above only had autistic jargon in English…. now he speaks his mother-tongue fluently and has even won an Eisteddfod in his local town for best interpretation of a poem …

I spoke to the mom of one of the boys above [D. is his name], this morning. She volunteered that he has had the best year in his entire academic career this year and she knows that AIT, which he’s had for the 3rd time a few months ago, has played a huge role….

I have to remind myself that it’s because of these moms and their sons and daughters that AIT has stolen my heart….. In the picture on the left are two little boys, both with developmental delays. Both have had AIT 3 times, both have made immense gains!

When Dr. Berard wrote “Hearing Equals Behavior ” the Pragmatist in him said: “Let’s just DO IT!” and he did! He chopped and changed his method to suit the needs of those whom he came to serve…. and now we’ve been cast into solid concrete – rigid, no relenting, no negotiation – the filters are the filters, the rules are the rules and somewhere in all of this, I mourn, because we’ve lost the heart of AIT, the spirit and the vision that brings change, because AIT is a change agent in the lives of the countless thousands who have been treated and can testify to what it set in motion in their lives….

So, perhaps our contribution is only a drop in the bucket. I’d like to think that what you and I have contributed in terms of life and healing in the lives of scores of children counts for something – we’ve done a great work, just because we’ve flung ourselves on the principles of a rather reckless pragmatist, whose method turned broken lives into something amazingly valuable and vibrantly alive!

When Dr. Berard wrote “Hearing Equals Behavior ” the Pragmatist in him said: “Let’s just DO IT!” and he did! He chopped and changed his method to suit the needs of those whom he came to serve…. and now we’ve been cast into solid concrete – rigid, no relenting, no negotiation – the filters are the filters, the rules are the rules and somewhere in all of this, I mourn, because we’ve lost the heart of AIT, the spirit and the vision that brings change, because AIT is a change agent in the lives of the countless thousands who have been treated and can testify to what it set in motion in their lives….

So, perhaps our contribution is only a drop in the bucket. I’d like to think that what you and I have contributed in terms of life and healing in the lives of scores of children counts for something – we’ve done a great work, just because we’ve flung ourselves on the principles of a rather reckless pragmatist, whose method turned broken lives into something amazingly valuable and vibrantly alive!

You see it in their eyes – the pain, the lost-ness, the longing to belong and to deep yearning to communicate and be heard. Above is one of the most courageous little guys, a real “cool dude” as he likes to be called, who has fought his battle with Cerebral Palsy and won; who scaled the walls of autism and triumphed; who struck a breech into the cold, dark walls of speech delay and emerged with vibrancy – a voice to remember, a boy to salute.

Without you, Dr. Berard, all these amazing victories would never have been possible! I salute you, the children and parents of the world salute you -your work and the years of wisdom that gave us the flexible, dynamic tool to work wonders in broken brains!

Thanks for what you did to release AIT into the hands of faithful practitioners. We don’t hold it against you that in the closing chapters of your life, you trembled and faltered – uncertain whether this great work would survive, and bequeathed you life’ work into the hands of ones less honorable than yourself. Sadly greed now threatens to steal the light and leave many to curse the dark as many endeavour to make AIT unattainably expensive and wish to entrench it in the practices of only a few select people. I implore those who have chosen personal profit above the joy of setting lives on fire with skill, to PLEASE re-think and look long and hard at these faces and what they represent, before you close down our practices and with it the gift that it is as we impart our knowledge and Berard-styled magic to the LD world.

Melanin, a form of pigments, doesn’t only occur in the skin, brain and eyes.  In humans, melanin[ii] is found in skin, hair, the pigmented tissue underlying the iris, the medulla and zona reticularis of the adrenal gland, the bones, heart, the stria vascularis of the inner ear, and in pigment-bearing neurons of certain deep brain nuclei such as the locus ceruleus and the substantia nigra. The area in the ear, called the stria vascularis, where melanin is found, is of special importance to AIT as it possibly represents both a locus of toxicity and a rationale for a probable mechanism for detoxification, as it is energized by acoustic energy, likely aiding in the restoration of auditory lesions through intensive acoustic stimulation.  Melanin Containing Hormone R2 is only found in some primates and carnivores, including ferrets, dogs and man.

Larsson[iii] explains that various drugs and other chemicals, such as organic amines, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc., are bound to melanin and retained in pigmented tissues for long periods. He stresses that the physiological significance of the binding is not evident, but it has been suggested that the melanin protects the pigmented cells and adjacent tissues by absorbing potentially harmful substances, which then are slowly released in nontoxic concentrations.

Long-term exposure, on the other hand, may build up high levels of noxious chemicals, stored on the melanin, which ultimately may cause degeneration in the melanin-containing cells, and secondary lesions in surrounding tissues. E.g. in the inner ear, the pigmented cells are located close to the receptor cells, and melanin binding may be an important factor in the development of some inner ear lesions. He speculates that neuromelanin in the brain, is present in nerve cells in the extra pyramidal system, and the melanin affinity of certain neurotoxic agents may be involved in the development of parkinsonism, and possibly tardive dyskinesia, whereas I would like to speculate that in young children, it might be one of the key contributing reasons why we see such significant sensory disturbances (ocular and auditory) in children with autism.

In an interesting article[iv] a webpage documents that researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia can now detect the spread of skin cancer cells through the blood by literally listening to their sound.  The method used is photo-acoustic detection, whereby both laser and ultra-sound are combined to make the cells vibrate (laser) and then the vibrations are registered by means of the ultrasound equipment, hence giving researchers the high-pitched sound of melanoma cells.  Melanin can absorb energy, either photic or acoustic.  The author writes: “The dark, microscopic granules of melanin contained in the cancer cells absorb the energy bursts from the blue laser light, going through rapid cycles of expanding as they heat up and shrinking as they cool down. These sudden changes generate loud cracks — relative to the granules’ size — which propagate in the solution like tiny tsunamis.”  For the first time a technological breakthrough like the one cited above, gives us the possibility of registering the sound from energy accumulating melanin receptors, that can be recorded.   “The sound waves produced by melanin are high-frequency ultrasounds, meaning that they cannot be heard by the human ear, even if amplified. However, researchers can pick them up with special microphones and analyze them with a compute”.

The implications for AIT is that in order to stimulate the stria vascularis to produce more endolymph, and to release toxic compounds bound to these cells, there needs to be fast-paced, high frequency acoustic energy bursts present in the modulated music.

Melanin in the Stria Vascularis is also thought to play a role in noise-induced hearing loss, report Bartels et al. [v] in their summary of their research on different coloured mice.

A factor that influences one’s susceptibility to noise might be regulated in the stria vascularis by means of melanin. In their research, Barrenäs et al [vi] report that changes in the melanin morphology, concentration and distribution have been correlated to the development of the inner ear and to the time period during which hearing function is established, which indicates that the melanocytes in the stria vascularis are of importance for the hearing function.

I hereby hypothesize that early exposure to toxic metals (in utero) or shortly after birth, might predispose some children to significant susceptibility to noise, as the melanocytes bind toxic metals and might cause inner ear lesions.

This is exactly what AIT offers – fast-paced alternation between high and low frequency bursts with a high margin of randomicity.

Bibiography

[i] Nordlund,J.J., Boissy, R.E., Hearing, V.J., King, R.A., Oetting, W.S. & Ortonne, J.P. , 2006. The Pigmentary System, 2nd Ed., Wiley-Blackwell.

[ii]http://www.biosupply.co.uk/3512/Assays-and-Kits-ELISA-Kits/Melanin-Concentrating-Hormone-(MCH)-EIA-Kit.htm

[iii] Larsson, B.S. 1993. Interaction Between Chemicals and Melanin. Wiley Inner Science.

[iv] Listening to the Sound of Skin Cancer inOptic Letters, Optical Society of America cited in http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Listening-to-the-Sound-of-Skin-Cancer-15127-1/

[v] Bartels, S., Ito, S., Trune, D.R. & Nuttall, A.L., 2001. Noise-induced hearing loss: the effect of melanin in the stria vascularis. Elsevier Science B.V. In Hearing Research Volume 154, Issues 1-2, April 2001, Pages 116-123. References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.

[vi] Barrenäs ML, Axelsson A. The development of melanin in the stria vascularis of the gerbil. In Acta Otolaryngol. 1992;112(1):50-8.