Spectrum Center
Call Valerie Dejean
1-877-4AUTKID
307 East 53rd Street, Manhattan, New
York, NY.
(Phone 1-877-4AUTKID)
T he Spectrum Center uses the Tomatis Method of "auditory training" in conjunction with sensory integration techniques to treat a spectrum of conditions that includes Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). We look at the children we treat from the perspective of a developmental model that incorporates the theories of Dr. Alfred Tomatis and Dr. A Jean Ayres (the developer of sensory integration theory). This view presupposes that many of the behavioral and communicative idiosyncrasies observed in Autism and PDD are not the causes of the disorder, but rather are symptoms based upon an underlying "biologically based" regulatory disorder. The focus of the treatment is on the sensory systems involved in the child's ability to self-regulate. In improving self-regulation we hope to provide an improved foundation upon which normal development can take place. There are many studies indicating how sensory deprivation can result in delayed or atypical development. It is theorized that the central nervous systems of children with Autism and PDD do not properly perceive, process and organize sensory information from their bodies and their environment. Therefore, they are not able to respond adaptively or develop normally.
What is autism? Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, Autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 500 individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1997). Several related disorders are grouped under the broad heading "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" or PDD-a general category of disorders that are characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development (American Psychiatric Association 1994). Autism/PDD is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the chance of Autism's occurrence.
A ssumptions UNDERLYING TREATMENT: The nervous system is self-correcting or has a natural ability to heal itself. We assume that the childs behavior is purposeful as an effort to self correct. In treatment we try and figure out what the child is trying to accomplish and help him appease his system in a more adaptive manner. In treatment we watch what the child is driven by and guided by this we try to meet the childs need. We assume the child holds the answer if we listen correctly. We don't try to extinguish a behavior, rather we respond to the need and then lead the child to a more adaptive behavior. Engagement of the child is essential.
TThis book is about the 4000 autistic children we have seen at the Spectrum Center in the last 15 years. We identify their problems and show how we assessed them to be autistic using a developmental model based on Sensory Integration. The developmental model is based on the finding that a child progresses through predictably defined phase or steps. So that, for example, he will progress from the 2 yr 0 month stage to the 2 yr 1 month stage with certain predictable traits emerging.
If the child regresses which is almost always the case in autism, then he will go from 2 yr 1 month to 2 yr 0 months in his development. He will backslide, and lose the ability to do things that he has done before.
We have had about 80 percent success in improving if not curing these 4000 autistic children. To understand this method you must shift your thinking, and your paradigm away from the conventional medicine.
Our neighbors at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, approach autism from a
blood and bones perspective and believe as a matter of faith that any
cure for autism, or anything (!) will come from a hard medication based
treatment. They can not and will not, as a rule, see an alternate point
of view because they are looking at the world thru a different pair of
glasses. They will ignore whatever other evidence is presented because
it can not fit into their schema, their paradigm, their mission, their
funding.
Parents
are more pragmatic. They are more motivated. The downside of being more
motivated is that they are more gullible. To both quackery and to
authoritarian proclamations from the National Institute of Health. That
being said, we assert that our methods have stood the test of time, and
that three quarter of those autistic children came to us by way of
referral.
A Paradigm shift
What makes us different from conventional medicine is that they treat
the body, with drugs, radiation etc, directly (that's hard science as
in hardware) where we treat the senses (this is soft science as in
software).
Hard science usually gets more funding than soft science. Soft science can be very "airey-fairey" indeed and will not get much credence from government, congressmen, generals or medical experts who are regularly seen on TV as saying, and I quote,
"There is absolutely NO proof that (fill in the blank) is related to (), or is caused by, or can be cured by ().
This is true, looking at the world from their reductionist perspective. Reduce everything to blood and bones, and you will never explain the psyche, or human society or any human traits at all, except perhaps locomotion.
I suggest that we treat the body as a system, (not a new idea), and further that we look at a system of senses (this is getting more novel) in order to understand muscle tone, cognition, autism... This is what Jean Ayers did, and Alfred Tomatis.
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