Attention is the capacity to select and maintain awareness of an exterior event or a thought. It corresponds to the general waking state and to vigilance, which allows the nervous system to be receptive to any form of information that it receives.
Attention disorders affect children and adults who cannot sufficiently concentrate on work to be done over long periods, even if this work requires only a minimum of intellectual effort or has a routine or familiar character to it (such as doing homework or revising topics).
A specific modality of attention is the capacity to divide one’s attention among several sources of information or tasks to be done. A deficiency in this attentional modality is not only very costly in a cognitive sense, but is also a source of difficulty and even considerable suffering for a child in a school setting.
Beyond its general action of cerebral stimulation (i.e. cortical charging), the Tomatis Method can also have a very positive effect on selective attention. The Tomatis procedure is based on the electronic gating that brings a perceptual sound contrast, meant to constantly surprise the brain so that it stays awake and attentive. The goal is to help the brain develop automatic mechanisms for detecting changes, which will consequently reinforce selective attention.
While it is easy to understand the importance of exercise for the upkeep of the body, we do not always realise that exercise is also important for our brain. A brain stimulated with sensory messages both energises and relaxes us. Since the ear is the main channel for the transmission of sensory messages for the human body, it plays a key role in all human functions.
This stimulation may be impaired when the brain triggers a mechanism of inhibition or protection, which may occur following an isolated traumatic event known as emotional shock. The brain also tends to protect itself progressively when the external environment is perceived as aggressive. This may be true for people who are facing a reorganisation of their routine, an increase of responsibility, the loss of familiar references, or social pressure.
The Tomatis Method acts on the limbic system in the medial part of the brain, linked to the auditory system. Among other things, this part of the brain is responsible for the mechanisms of emotion, memory, and learning. Moreover, an organ in the middle ear known as the cochlea plays the role of a cortical charger. By acting on the limbic system and prefrontal cortex, the Tomatis Method intervenes in the regulation of emotional disorders related to depression and anxiety and will also act effectively on regulation of stress.
We deal with all kinds of attention deficit disorders at our clinic. However, no one individual is the same, which is why a thorough assessment of what your kind of ADD/ADHD is, is crucial to your success. We perform an intake procedure, including a QEEG, to all of our clients to ensure that they are receiving personalized treatment.