Auditory Integration Training, AIT, Berard AIT
Improving the Lives and Learning of Children...in only 10 Days.

The AIT Institute connects families seeking AIT services with expert AIT Practitioners worldwide.

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We are the most comprehensive
Berard AIT resource website for parents.

Auditory Integration Training is an Educational
intervention.

Berard AIT is an auditory intervention that consists of
10 hours (20 sessions) over 10 or 12 consecutive days, under the supervision of professionally trained AIT Practitioners who follow the Berard AIT protocol.

The minimum recommended age for AIT is 3 years of age.

AIT is a sound therapy with many scientific studies.

All information provided here is for educational purposes.

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AIT and Biomedical Interventions
Special Diets Before Auditory Integration Training (Berard AIT)

With such a vast array of interventions now available, parents and professionals are sometimes uncertain as to an appropriate sequence to follow. Due to individual differences and unique needs, it is not possible to set any hard and firm sequence that would be appropriate for all people. There may be cases where it is best to pursue some of the biological interventions before providing Berard AIT, while in other cases AIT session may give the child some immediate benefit that will outweigh reasons for delaying it.

Berard AIT provides such fundamental and comprehensive benefits and sets the stage for further development in many other areas, it is the first choice by experienced professionals and parents in regard to sound-based interventions.
Berard AIT at an early age and stage is the best option for those showing strong candidacy, baring the worst of toxicity issues.
Earlier intervention is always better than having it at a later date, in most cases. If a child suffers with an inefficient auditory system and needs a re-training of ear function, but does not receive Berard AIT, the opportunity for any associated developmental leaps and gains is lost.
When a child displays clear need for the Berard method of AIT there is an excellent chance that it will be effective.
The gains made by children after Berard AIT create a foundation for a great deal more learning and positive experiences. These developments would not have occurred in the same way were it not for the normalized hearing function provided by the Berard method.

Why Bio-Medical Interventions Come Before Berard AIT

If one considers the hierarchy of development as a guide, it is logical to pursue biological interventions first in order to build a strong foundation for the other developmental areas.

When the body is free of toxins and is nutritionally well balanced, it is likely to respond better to other types of interventions.

If the individual has sound sensitivity that is caused by a deficiency in magnesium, yeast overgrowth, mercury toxicity or use of aspartame (Nutrasweet), the biological treatments may correct the hypersensitive hearing.
It is especially important to attend to ear health prior to pursuing a Berard method program.
If the listener has a history of chronic ear infections, tonsillitis and adenoid problems, this should be addressed before Berard AIT is started.
Proper intervention will help assure that the child will be able to successfully complete the training program without interruption due to infection, and will maintain the benefits across time.
Biological treatments vary in the length of time needed to see improvement. While many treatment results may be evident within weeks, some require much more time (i.e. mercury and yeast detoxification may take months to a year or more).
If the child is experiencing sound sensitivity to such a degree that it interferes with daily life activities, and/or the child is quite delayed in language development, parents should consider proceeding with Berard AIT in order to improve this situation as quickly as possible. In a case such as this, it is often best to plan another session of Berard AIT after the biological treatments have been completed in order to “fine tune” and stabilize the system. Berard AIT is usually more consistently maintained when the biological dysfunctions have been corrected.
Activities can be done during and after Berard AIT to help the individual integrate and adjust to the changes derived from Berard AIT. Many practitioners recommend participation in sensory integration activities even during the 10-day period of Berard AIT and in the following weeks. This can help reduce any irritability and hyperactivity that may occur, and may help reorganize the system more quickly.

There has been attention to the advice of ruling out bio-medical issues before a child has Auditory Integration Training. This seems to be for these key reasons:

If a person is suffering from serious toxicity, such as mercury, for instance, efforts taken to normalize hearing may be in vain.
In addition, metabolic upset after AIT sessions could possibly reverse the benefits.
Except for cases where individuals have frequent and violent outbursts (indicating possible serious toxicity issues), delaying Berard AIT for a child who is a strong candidate is often NOT the best option.
Part of the task is to recognize the neuro-plasticity inherent within childhood along with a good understanding of the nature of child development.
Berard AIT Practitioners also work even with adults and senior citizens and see post-AIT progress for all ages!

Special Diets Before Berard AIT

Many children who have undergone Auditory Integration Training and worked with bio-medical treatments and diets concurrently or following it with many positive outcomes.

Occasionally Berard AIT Practitioners work with parents who have children on a new diet, or who to begin work with a physician or practitioner for functional medicine, the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) protocol, homeopathy, supplementation or with other alternatives to traditional allopathic care.

Your Child's Potential and Berard AIT

Parents often say after Berard AIT, “I wish we had done this sooner”, or “I wish we’d heard about AIT sooner!”

Those children who come to Berard AIT with great discomfort with sounds and voices and significant delays in receptive and expressive language, balance and coordination, potty training, and so on. Many such parents decide that they will go for the maximum benefits possible and they are willing to risk partial loss of benefits should new therapies make a negative difference later.
Many Berard AIT Practitioners believe profound and broad benefits gained cannot be fully lost. Even if a child loses any benefits, a future AIT can be accomplished. This may hold significant promise for the child.
While benefits are likely for children with a number of different conditions, imagine a 5 year-old child on the autism spectrum having AIT and after completing it:
- understanding auditory information with greater ease
- becoming potty-trained in the weeks following Berard AIT
- eating (and enjoying) 25 foods instead of 5
- moving about with greatly improved balance and motor planning. communicating successfully
- having fun for the first time at birthday parties
- no longer covering their ears or crying when around sounds that trigger upset

The realities surrounding child development and the amazing capacity of the brain are on the children’s side! We are far from understanding the amazing powers of human physiology and should not put a damper on a child’s potential. Parents would not have traded the gains achieved for anything - and are glad they did not put off having this intervention done.

Some have had a EUREKA experience after seeing their child in someone’s story. Others have a more gradual knowing that there is a “fit”. When this “fit” is shown in a Parent AIT Checklist or Behavioral and Learning Assessment, and often even with a listening test where Practitioners are looking specifically for sensitivity, distortions, acoustic reflex, etc.
The AIT Institute's free Parent AIT Resource Group is an ideal way to learn and connect parents and Berard AIT Practitioners. Many parents worldwide benefit from the the resources and information that are provided and quickly learn more about the benefits, protocol and success of Berard AIT from those parents who have completed it and experienced professional Berard AIT Practitioners who have assisted hundreds of families worldwide.

What Comes After Berard AIT?

A variety of interventions can be provided AFTER Auditory Integration Training to facilitate the development of skills that failed to progress due to the inefficient auditory system.

Since it may take as long as 6-9 months for the changes from Berard AIT to be integrated into the system, it is generally recommended that other sound-based interventions not be considered prior to this period.
This will allow parents and professionals time to see how the individual has responded to Berard AIT and if there are continuing concerns.
Although headphones are required for listening to the metronome beats, these soft tones are much less likely to be disruptive to the benefits of Auditory Integration Training than the hours of listening to music and/or speech sounds that are basic to other sound-based interventions.