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The Sound Learning Centre
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020 – 8882 1060
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The Sound Learning Centre
12 The Rise, London N13 5LE, England, tel: +44 (0)20 8882 1060, fax: +44 (0)20 8882 1040
e-mail: info@thesoundlearningcentre.co.uk, website: www.thesoundlearningcentre.co.uk
copyright 1994-2007
"Helping children and adults with learning and sensory difficulties improve their performance"
You are here: Home / Intro / How we help / Assessments
How we help
Assessments
“As we look deeply within, we understand our
perfect balance. There is no fear of the cycle of birth, life and death. For
when you stand in the present moment, you are timeless”
Rodney Yee
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Standard Assessment
A Standard Assessment includes a full set of auditory and visual tests plus a neuro-developmental screening, tailored to the abilities of the client and backed-up by extensive observations and background information as provided by the client and/or carers. A Standard Assessment can take two to three hours. To ensure meaningful results, it is very important that the client is at ease and comfortable and we therefore allow for short breaks when required. You will receive immediate oral feedback, followed by a comprehensive written report with supporting materials, which include practical advice on support at home, school or work.
"I learnt more in two hours than in the last 18
months seeing various professionals. They look at the symptoms, you look at
the causes.
The report was brilliant –
I bored everyone to death with it!"
Janine O'Rourke from Devon,
mother of
Jaiden, aged 4,
who was assessed in June 2006 and
received AIT and LWS treatment in July 2006.
A Standard Assessment is a stand-alone service and the information provided can be of great benefit to the client and/or carers. The report often serves as an aid in obtaining additional support from schools or from health or social security authorities.
The Standard Assessment forms the basis of our recommendations for treatment and the test results are used to personalise the programmes to the clients individual requirements. There is, however, absolutely no obligation to take any of the recommended programmes following an assessment.
A Standard Assessment, or an Auditory or Visual Part Assessment, must precede Auditory Integration Training (AIT) or Lightwave Stimulation (LWS) treatments.
We provide assessments at our London Centre and at times in other locations via one of our Outreach Programmes, currently in Scotland, Eire and the Middle East. Please contact us for details on fees and availability in any of these locations.
Further details on the Standard Assessment can be found below.
Individual Tests
For most clients we recommend the Standard Assessment as this will allow us to obtain a full picture of the whole person, rather than a partial view of the presenting conditions.
There are however circumstances when Individual Tests are more appropriate and we offer a wide range of specialist tests and observations as required.
Please contact us for details on fees and availability.
Neuro-developmental Assessment and Home Programme
The full diagnostic assessment for Neuro-developmental problems may take up to three hours. The tests cover gross and fine muscle co-ordination, balance, patterns of motor development, detection and analysis of primitive and postural reflexes, laterality, oculo-motor functions and visual perceptual ability. A detailed written report will be provided soon after completion of the assessment.
On the basis of this assessment, a personal programme of exercises is prepared for the client to carry out at home. We recommend that the client is reviewed at appropriate intervals during which progress is monitored and adjustments to the programme are made as required. Two reviews are included in the initial assessment and home programme fee.
Further details on the Neuro-developmental Programme can be found on our How we help – Developmental page.
Please contact us for details on fees and availability.
Self-Voice Assessment and Home Programme
The Self-Voice home programme can help children and adults with reading, writing, spelling, numeracy and sequencing difficulties.
The Self-Voice programme aims to address literacy problems through a specially developed technique in which the individual listens to his or her own voice whilst completing precision spelling and self-voice recording of factually related topics. In addition they may be required to listen to and read material in book form.
The programme includes a comprehensive reading age assessment, provided both before and after completion of the programme.
Further details on the Self-Voice Programme can be found on our How we help – Speech & Language page.
Please contact us for details on fees and availability.
The Standard Assessment in more detail
Our standard assessment covers auditory and visual processing and a screening of the development profile.
Although many learning and sensory difficulties are attributable to visual and/or auditory processing problems, the characteristic indicators are not necessarily identified in standard vision and hearing tests. The screening of the development profile is to identify signs of possible neuro-developmental problems.
We work through a detailed questionnaire with you to identify any possibly related difficulties and indicators in the client's personal history which we have found are often associated with later difficulties. These include:
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family history, including any relatives who have related difficulties; |
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events during pregnancy and birth history; |
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early exposure to anaesthetics, antibiotics and other drugs; |
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physical, social and emotional environment. |
Hearing Tests
The hearing assessment is based on a pure tone audiometric test (producing an audiogram chart for each ear), together with laterality and selectivity tests. The very young or clients with limited or no speech cannot reliably complete these formal tests and for them we have a structured assessment method using a variety of sounds and specially recorded tones to elicit reactions which can be observed.
Standard hearing tests are designed primarily to test for deafness, i.e. whether hearing is "within normal limits". When we analyse an audiogram, we look for specific patterns of peaks and troughs across different frequencies (from low sounds to high sounds) and we look for differences between the right and left ear. These patterns help us decide whether a client is likely to benefit from a sound therapy programme.
For instance, people with over-sensitive hearing (above 0 dB) on some frequencies may be categorised as having excellent hearing whereas in reality many sounds are so disturbing or even painful that they cover their ears, throw tantrums or switch off altogether. We regularly see clients with over-sensitive hearing who switch off so thoroughly that it appears that they have severe hearing loss and, occasionally, even are provided with hearing aids.
Speech processing may be a problem for people with hearing loss in certain frequencies as they may be slower or unable to process speech sounds in those frequencies. Similarly variations between the two ears may send conflicting information to the decoding process. A history of ear infections in the early years may mean the child was functionally deaf at crucial stages for speech development.
The audiogram is the most useful test for us and the client, as the readings taken before, during and after one of our programmes provide a tangible record of changes that have occurred.
Visual Tests
We do not undertake standard sight or eye health tests. We are primarily interested to find out how much light is getting into the visual system through each eye. Light is needed not just for seeing but for many aspects of brain function, affecting intellectual performance, physical wellbeing, emotions and mood.
Our principal tool is the standard Visual Fields of Awareness test. For this, the client views a chart with one eye at a time and has to indicate the colour and position of a probe the moment it comes into view. Clients that can clearly benefit from a light programme often have very restricted visual fields (perhaps 0-10°). After the programme, these may open up to 20 to 40°, clearly showing that the client is able to take in more light.
We also use a number of other visual/motor tests including visual perceptual tests.
Laterality Tests
The laterality tests involve checking hand, foot, eye and ear to see whether left or right is dominant.
People with speech and language processing difficulties often have left, ambiguous or mixed ear dominance. Ambiguous or mixed dominance across hand, foot, eye and ear is also often present in people with learning and sensory difficulties.
Assessment for Sensory and Motor Problems
A screening for sensory and motor problems forms part of the standard assessment process. This enables us to advise whether a full diagnostic assessment for neuro-development problems is recommended.