Attention deficit disorders, with or without hyperactivity
For children, teenagers and adults
Attention is the ability to select an external event or a thought and hold it in our awareness. It corresponds to a general state of alertness and vigilance that keeps the nervous system receptive to any information reaching it. Attention disorders affect children or adults who cannot stay focused on a task for long enough, even when it takes little intellectual effort and is routine or familiar (revising or copying out work, for example).
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Description
Attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity, is a neurological problem that mainly affects children, but can also develop in adults.
It is characterised by:
- difficulty sustaining attention over time (ADD)
- difficulty staying calm (ADD + ADHD)
- impulsive behaviour (ADHD)
Adults and children alike show cognitive attention problems, such as drifting off and scattered thoughts. Procrastination and difficulty with the notion of time are also common. Those who struggle with impulsivity find it hard to moderate the intensity of their emotional response: they are said to be on edge, hypersensitive, or liable to explode at any moment.
The causes
It is important to know that the exact causes of ADHD, which is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder, are not yet known, and that several hypotheses exist. For example, the cause could be hereditary, or follow a head injury, a lack of oxygen, a neurological disease, premature birth, prenatal distress…
The mechanisms at work
Scientific research suggests that certain mechanisms for transmitting information, involving neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline, may not be working properly. These neurotransmitters are needed to carry and modulate signals across the synapses in the brain.
When we look at the brains of people with ADHD, we see that the areas responsible for controlling or inhibiting certain behaviours are not working properly. For example, those involved in starting tasks, in working memory, and in managing time and space.
Diagnosis
Generally, the first step is an initial screening using psychological tests and behavioural assessment tools. This can be done by a teacher, a parent or a language professional. If the criteria for ADHD are found, a decision may be taken to carry out a full medical assessment.
As there is no specific medical test for ADHD, the diagnosis is made on the basis of a clinical assessment. The final diagnosis rests on a body of evidence pointing towards ADHD.
Treatment
Source for this section: https://attentiondeficit-info.com/
[...]ADHD is a disorder that can have a significant impact on the life of a child or teenager. Medication can help relieve the symptoms, but it is not enough. Parents, the child and the school need to work together to put in place learning strategies and new approaches to teaching. For adults, specific adjustments to their working environment may be needed.
Specific training for parents, combined with cognitive behavioural therapy (such as listening posture training with the Tomatis method, editor's note), can be part of the measures taken to improve the situation.
But if, despite everything, the symptoms of ADHD remain disabling, medication may be offered, and a therapeutic trial should be set up. The aim of this trial is to test several medications at different doses to find the best solution. The effects of the medication should be assessed at least twice
a year, and whether it is still appropriate reviewed regularly. No decision to treat with medication is final: it must be reassessed as the situation evolves.
ADHD medications act on the brain by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline. These neurotransmitters play an important role in concentration, attention and regulating emotions.
Several types of medication are available. The most common are psychostimulants based on methylphenidate or amphetamines. Each of these comes in short-, medium- or long-acting forms.
The most common side effects of psychostimulants are loss of appetite, sleep problems, and becoming too calm, sad or irritable as the medication wears off.[...]
A listening disorder as a possible cause of ADHD?
As we pointed out earlier, the exact causes of ADHD are not known, and several factors can contribute to attention deficit. Among the hypotheses put forward is the one raised by Dr A. Tomatis: a disorder of listening, or of the listening posture.
What is listening?
Listening is the foundation of language and thought. Before we can speak and think, we have to learn to listen. The foetus is thought to be able to perceive sounds from the 16th week of pregnancy, and to respond to them from the 24th week (6 months). So it is a long learning process before we can speak, and like any learning, it can be disrupted. That is when we speak of a listening disorder: the filtering, decoding and interpretation of sounds do not work quite as they should.
It is a bit like hearing a foreign language: you understand some words, but not all of them, and sometimes the meaning of a sentence escapes you.
The difference between hearing and listening
Hearing is the process by which the ear converts sound waves into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain. Listening goes far beyond simply perceiving sound: it includes understanding, attention and interpretation. It is an essential skill for learning and communication.
In short, listening is a process with many sides, which can be described in 5 points:
- Cognitive: the brain processes sound signals. It recognises, interprets and analyses sounds.
- Attentional: filtering out distractions and selecting the relevant frequencies, so that you can stay focused on what the other person is saying, for example.
- Psychological and emotional: we pay attention to the emotional side of communication: is the other person happy or angry?
- Interpretation and understanding: the context and nuances of what is said are analysed, including humour and innuendo.
- Responsiveness and relevance: in terms of meaning or emotion, the response must be appropriate. A correct answer to a question, a measured response in a tense exchange.
In the light of these points, you will understand that dysfunctional listening can cause symptoms that may be mistaken for those of ADHD, or make them worse. Let us see how.
Signs associated with dysfunctional listening
- Dysfunctional listening can cause difficulty concentrating. And if a person struggles to concentrate on what is being said, it can look like an attention deficit.
- Auditory processing disorders can mimic some aspects of ADHD. When the brain struggles to process sounds and language, it becomes hard to follow a conversation and respond appropriately.
- A person who finds it hard to listen can become frustrated or overwhelmed, especially in noisy or stimulating environments. This behaviour can be seen as hyperactivity or impulsivity.
- The extra effort needed to try to understand or concentrate while listening can lead to cognitive fatigue. This fatigue can make sustained concentration and attention even harder, worsening symptoms similar to those of ADHD.
- Listening difficulties affect social interaction, because the person may seem distracted or uninterested, or may often interrupt others. These behaviours are often associated with ADHD.
- Dysfunctional listening can sometimes lead to hasty answers or interruptions in a conversation, because the person may react without having fully heard or understood the context. This can be wrongly interpreted as impulsivity.
Although listening disorders are not a recognised cause of ADHD, we believe that an assessment of the listening posture should be one of the tools used to assess whether ADHD is present.
This assessment of the listening posture (called a listening assessment (audio-psycho-phonological assessment)) allows us to rule out, where appropriate, a listening dysfunction as a possible cause of ADHD.
We can also proceed by elimination. If the symptoms of ADHD improve after listening training at our centre, then a listening disorder was indeed the likely cause of the ADHD. If, on the other hand, there is no improvement, the cause of the ADHD is definitely not linked to a listening disorder.
What does listening training at the Tomatis centre involve?
The Tomatis method uses filtered and “gated” music, which works on the mechanisms of attention, analysis and sound filtering that come into play when we listen. It is a non-invasive, natural approach.
The intensive, gradual training of the Tomatis method helps people acquire, or regain, the skills needed for the complex task of listening. In doing so, we see a significant improvement in attention mechanisms, working memory, and the management of time and space.
Conclusion
Among behavioural and cognitive treatments, the Tomatis method can be considered an effective, non-invasive treatment that can help people with ADHD overcome their difficulties.
Results proven by science
The study “Early Effects of the Tomatis Listening Method in Children with Attention Deficit” by Dr Liliana Sacarin was presented in 2013 to the Graduate Faculty of Antioch University Seattle.
The results of this study prove that children who follow a programme with the Tomatis® method make significant improvements in several areas, compared with those stabilised on attention deficit medication.
This study examined the early effects of the Tomatis® method, hypothesising improvements in processing speed, phonological awareness, reading efficiency, attention, behaviour and brain physiology at the end of phase 1 of the Tomatis® method.
The study documented the effects of the first phase of the Tomatis® method in children aged 7 to 13. Of the 25 participants, 15 received the Tomatis® treatment alone, and 10 served as controls and were stabilised on attention deficit medication for three months before and during the study. The study therefore compared Tomatis® with a non-Tomatis® intervention, not with an attention deficit treatment combined with a Tomatis® intervention.
The Tomatis® group received 15 consecutive 2-hour sessions; participants did no additional vestibular or visual-motor exercises throughout the research.
The results showed statistically significant improvements for Tomatis® compared with the non-Tomatis® group: the experimental group showed significant improvements in processing speed, phonological awareness, phonemic decoding efficiency in reading, behaviour and auditory attention.
The study concludes that the Tomatis method can be an effective treatment option for children with attention disorders.
Link to the study: https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/44/
What next?
It is important to note that attention disorders tend to respond better to treatment when the Tomatis method is combined with Giger MD therapy.
If you think your child may have a listening disorder, you can come to the centre for an initial listening assessment, which will allow us to evaluate their listening posture.
Would you like to find out more first? We offer a free information session with our adviser.
In their own words
“Kevin was very receptive, even though classical music wasn't really his favourite kind of music.”
“This is the result of your support and your method, which really took a weight off my mind and helped Hakim move forward and gain confidence in himself.”
“My dad and my friends tell me I've become more mature, that I express myself much better, that my questions are more thought through.”
