Integrated Listening Systems – Dr Hallowell

[BAM123]

Does anyone have any experience with Integrated Listening Systems?

I have heard that this system is reccomended or developed by Dr. Hallowell. It seems that it is kind of a catch all tool for ADD / dislexia and even autism. I am all for natural alternatives – but the sytsem seems to be based around brain stimulation through listening to audio while practicing dexterity skills.

Like many things it sounds promising but at over $2,000 u s dollars for the equiptment I’m not sure if it is worth rolling the dice on something that may or may not work – or possibly exacerbate the situation and symptoms.

Any input appreciated – I knoe Dr H is a friend of totally add.com

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[Patte Rosebank]

This question has already been asked in another forum: http://totallyadd.com/forum/topic.php?id=238

Integrated Listening Systems looks highly questionable. At the very least, it’s still unproven, and would not be covered by any public or private health insurance.

Give it 10 years or so to prove itself, and maybe then you can think about spending all that money on it.

For now, focus on proven treatments that don’t cost $2000+.

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[JimC.]

I enquired about iLs with a local licensee (also an MD) for costs and got this back(below). I intend to check further but very cautiously, with requests for specific costs, milestones, expected outcomes if any etc. before I cough up any $. Jim

“Thanks for inquiring about the iLs. Although the iLs is very good at helping with issues like ADHD, we have found it most effective when we find out what the root cause of your difficulties are. ADHD has become the catchall for a number of problems. For example, individuals may have visual and/or auditory processing difficulties, or sensory integration problems. All the above can be indications of brain disintegration which will make focusing/concentration rather difficult. Emotional issues is another big factor that can cause difficulties that show as struggles with focusing and concentration. Trauma to the head can also be another contributing factor.

It would help us help you discern what may be the best approach to your problems if you can fill out an in depth questionnaire. I can set up a half hour to an hour interview over the phone with you to let you know what we can determine from your history. We will likely need you to do some assessments after to determine more accurately what may be happening and therefore what kind of treatment to use. I can tell you at the time of the phone interview what we may need.

The cost for the interview will be $170/hr. The usual assessments (Listening Test, Drawing test, Personality assessment inventory, and Brain map) that we do will cost $170. You may need some other assessments to help us determine more precisely where the problems lie.

I apologize that I cannot give you a simple answer to your question. After we determine what may be the underlying cause(s) of your struggles then we can look at the treatment plan and cost. If you are still interested in working with us let me know and I will have my staff send you a questionnaire to fill out. After you have done that then fax or email it back to us.

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[Anonymous]

I totally agree with Larynxa. This is an unproven technique and a very costly one.

The fact is that auditory processing can be impaired with ADHD. For many people, the right medication supports accurate processing of sound signals in the brain.

Only after I tried that would I consider such a costly intervention that has no evidence-based support.

My two cents,

Gina

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[Anonymous]

I have never in my life posted on any page but felt compelled quite strongly to post on this one. I have a 9 year old son who hasn’t been diagnosed with ADD but has shown classic signs over the years as well as Giftedness, Aspergiers, and a few others to boot. My son definately has Sensory Processing Disorder and Dyslexia, dyspraxia & dysgraphia (as well as a lack of concentration in class, agitated movement constantly, impulse control problems and many other behavioural difficulties. He has also had a severe bullying incident at school leading to PTSD which didn’t help.

What I am writing to say is after many paths we have been lead down, systems that don’t work for him we have just completed 30 days of ILS training here in NEW ZEALAND and 2 terms(10 weeks each) of extra lesson and the results have been incredible. Yes we did question the expense but it has been well worth it. I won’t call it a miracle cure & we certainly have a long way to go but it has completely helped my son in many different ways. He now sleeps through the night after 9 years! The difficulties with sensory meltdowns at home, at school and in the community have completely stopped! He is far more responsive to his environment, is concentrating in class and is way more relaxed. The teacher has noticed it and she was pretty sceptical, other friends and family have noticed it and it has certainly helped our home environment heaps.

Our Paediatrician said it was a questionable untested programme but I cant wait to see him again & I think even he will notice the difference. I am not saying that it will work for everyone & it took a huge amount of daily travelling, time & commitment to the daily exercises but I feel it has been well worth it. After alot of research (and I can say I was pretty sceptical myself) and soul searching we decided to go ahead with this. We will never regret it. I would highly reccommend researching the above website ILS.com and investigating further anyone whos child cannot cope in school(mainly due to sensory processing disorders.

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[Patte Rosebank]

Unfortunately, all of the evidence supporting ILS is anecdotal, like yours. People who have found that it works for them, and are telling others about it.

However, there is no actual scientific evidence—involving double-blind, clinical studies with quantifiable and repeatable results—to prove it.

Maybe the success you’ve had is due not so much to the ILS, but to all the extra time you’re spending with your son. Children respond extremely well to one-on-one time with a parent who makes it clear that the one thing they want most of all is to spend that time with their child.

The conclusion remains the same. ILS is extremely expensive, and, until there is actual scientific proof that it is effective, people should not put their time, money, and HOPE into such an unproven “treatment”.

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[Anonymous]

I am skeptical of your motive, Larynxa, in dismissing this program so quickly. For someone who isn’t ILS trained and has no experience with the program, personally, you seem to be taking a rather strong stance in discouraging people from trying it out. I feel like I should step in an clear up some obvious misgivings about the program, as I am someone who has myself been trained:

1. The program does not cost $2,000 – I am not sure where you got this information but it is simply not correct.

2. There is a breadth of information out there on how the program works, there is no mystery surrounding it.

3. ILS is not a miracle cure, nor is anyone saying that. It is an innovative program which – combined with traditional therapies, has produced results, case after case – many times in people who have tried just about every other therapy option out there.

That said, there are plenty of effective methods of treating various ailments, out there, which are not “scientifically proven” but are found to be effective. People are spreading the word about ILS because it works for them, and there is no need to try to discredit that. While there is no scientific proof that it works, there is also no scientific proof that it doesn’t, so you have to go off of empirical evidence. The evidence isn’t really anecdotal, when it is widely reported by many credible therapists all over the world.

I would encourage you to do some research prior to making a decision to train in ILS, and I don’t believe it is a program which works for everyone, but it seems to work for many.

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[Anonymous]

@amotherstouch – you have the same ip address as @IntegratedListeningSystems above. Busted. 😳

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[nellie]

Hi James, how come you guys don’t remove the spam posts? Or do you and I didn’t notice?

Just curious….

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[Anonymous]

Hi Nellie,

Thanks for your comment. I left this one, because it’s a healthy debate, and it was called out. We do remove spam from the forum daily, but some gets missed from time to time. If you spot any, please contact us using the contact form link in the footer, and supplying the url of the post, and if we agree it’s spam, we’ll remove it asap.

Take care,

James

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[Wgreen]

Today is Thursday, 12 May.

Just this morning, news broke about Facebook paying a large New York PR firm to trash Google in the press. Similarly, companies routinely use (and pay) plants to hype their products, and disparage others, on forums such as the one you’re looking at. I’m not suggesting that any of that is going on here, BUT…I think it is always prudent to take comments about a particular product or service—both pro and con— with a grain of salt. Because online posts are anonymous, it’s hard to know when somebody with an agenda is at work. It’s unfortunate. Such forums as this one can be enormously helpful to people looking for frank, informed answers to their questions. But it’s one of the realities of modern online marketing.

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[Anonymous]

While i appreciate everyone’s opinion here, we were at the end of our rope a couple years ago and purchased this system. While it was not a miracle, i do have to say that my son benefited. From the beginning of the year to the end we saw a child who moved from not interacting at all and extremely delayed gross motor skills to a child who actually joined into an impromptu soccer game with strangers. While I cant say for certain what made him improve? it was worth the money to me and i’m grateful that we purchased it. And no, i’m not affiliated with the program. I appreciate the internet is one of the most untrustworth sources of information but i assure you that I am who i say and my experience is that happened in our family. Would i buy it again? I think so, is it a miricale? not for our family, but it was certainly a benefit.

We also need to keep in mind that the cures of tomorrow will look like hoaxes today.

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[Anonymous]

I agree with you Cindy……what answers do we have now? What do we know about ADHD now? We have ideas. We know medication can help treat symptoms but we know some cant take the medications for various reasons or they have alot of side effects.I have a seven year old and iv’e been looking into “allternatives” to the meds. He has been loosing weight and is on the lowest dose possible. My friend at work brought in a Brain Balance folder to work she has just started her son on the program. So I, like you, started researching it …..check out my post on it on this sight. Anyway, my research happened opon iLs and they have alot in common. That program(brain balance) is 6000! IM a single hairstylist mom. Do not have that kinda $$$. But im tellin ya if i knew it would help him(they claim a cure basiclly) i will find a way to put him through the program. so far for my friend the results have been amazing and they have only done the home exercises and CD.

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[Anonymous]

@amotherstouch/iLs – I JUSTwent to an iLs training yesterday and the price for the program when you factor in tax was $2,000. When a company poses under different identities to argue with people on a community forum, I get a bad feeling. Why would you have to do that if your program was as successful as you boast? Now, I feel like I can’t trust anyone who says anything positive online because it could just be more of your propaganda. I’m so disappointed by this kind of behavior. I just spent three hours of my Sunday morning away from my family and left the workshop feeling full of so much hope. Now, I’m just sad and heartbroken. Here’s a tip: people really need to feel like they can trust a company before shelling out that much money. You’ve completely shaken my trust. Anyone who’d like to verify the cost can email the SLP that hosted the workshop I was at, Nola Marriner. She works at mosaic therapy in Seattle and is a huge advocate for the iLs program. She has nothing but good things to say and can verify price. Unfortunately, based on the happenings in this thread, I’m suddenly skeptical.

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[Patte Rosebank]

Funny thing about @cindygregory. It seems she only joined to leave that glowing anecdotal account of how ILS worked for her, and hasn’t posted anything since.

Given the number of suspect positive posts here, it might be wise for the moderators to check the ip addresses of those posts, and advise if they’re connected with ILS vendors.

All of the suspect posts contain the sort of language that is common to sponsored posts in forums. There’s an algorithm out there that’s supposed to be able to determine whether or not a post is legitimate, but I generally rely on my internal BS detector.

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[Author]

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