What therapy is available for babies and toddlers? Can my child actually benefit from interventions from such a young age?
In the womb, the vestibular (sensory) system is one of the first things that develops. From, week 4-5, cells in embryo start to arrange themselves into your baby’s face, brain, nose, ears, and eyes . Week 18 your baby starts to hear sound, and week 25-26 your baby responds to noise/voices in the womb.
What is the Tomatis Method?
The Tomatis Method is a program that uses music and sound therapy to retrain the brain and re-pattern the nervous system to improve cognitive, physical, and interpersonal skills, as well as emotional regulation. It progressively trains the brain to better pay attention to sensory information and then to better analyse that information.
Tomatis Method: Bone Conduction
Tomatis Method Bone Conduction program is where sound travels through bone instead of the ear canal. This program is designed for babies and toddlers and very sensitive individuals, although can be used to gently prepare someone for the regular headphone based Tomatis Programs. The sensitivity of the cochlea allows vibrations to still be procured from other areas of the skull. In fact, bone conduction better transmits lower frequency vibrations. The stimulation of bone conduction prepares the brain to receive, accept and process the incoming information.
The stated benefits of Tomatis Method Bone Conduction for babies and young children include:
Sensory motor:
- Improvement of muscle tone
- Initiation of movement
- Hands and legs exploration
Emotional:
- Manifestation of emotions (joy, laughter, anxiety, etc)
- Self-affirmation
Communication:
- Increased eye contact
- Emission of new sounds
- Demonstration of interest in their surroundings
In hypersensitive children:
- Improved muscle tone and posture
- Reinforced cortical alertness
- Greater attention span
- Stress reduction
The Tomatis method bone conduction program can positively impact your child’s development early on and is seen as an alternative to the “wait and see” approach. Maintained Tomatis Method training has long-term improvements and gives your child the best chance of hitting all their developmental milestones at each stage of life. The Tomatis method bone conduction kit is very gentle and doesn’t require headphones which can be difficult for very young children to keep on. The program lasts for 10-14 days and can be done in the comfort of your own home.
Activities and products to engage with when doing the Tomatis Method Program:
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