The Sensory Centre

Margaret R. Glenney, M.A., CCC-A

Audiologist

Normal Hearing Development

An Audiologist is a person that has been educated and trained in the measurement and assessment of normal function and dysfunction of the auditory and vestibular systems in people. Audiologist are not medical doctors. They can help with non-invasive measures for hearing and balance problems which include, but are not limited to, hearing aids, auditory and vestibular training, developmental delays and counseling and education.

Normal Hearing Development

Normal hearing and vestibular function is essential for the normal acquisition of speech and language. If speech and language development is non-existent or delayed, hearing and balance disorders are one of the first things that need to be investigated. Retained primitive reflexes and the integration thereof is an integral part of auditory and vestibular function. You can read more about primitive reflexes at https://masgutovamethod.com/

Developmental Delays

Normal Hearing Development

Developmental Delays

Currently, 1 in 6 children have a developmental disability. One in 68 children are affected by autism, which is 5 times more prevalent in boys. ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder and affects 1 in 10 children.

Auditory Processing

Sensory Processing Issues

Developmental Delays

Auditory processing can be described as what our brains do with what we hear. Difficulties arise in temporal processing, localization of sound, and auditory memory. Jack Katz's "Buffalo Model" speaks of four types of auditory processing disorders. The Sensory Centre in Roanoke offers unique therapies that are specifically designed to strengthen the auditory brain, including Berard AIT and other listening therapies, based on the work of Tomatis, and Steven Porges iLs. As listening skills progress, children can move on to phonemic specific auditory synthesis and memory tasks that complement and augment speech, occupational and physical therapies.

Sensory Processing Issues

Carl Delcato was an educator that worked with children with reading difficulties and later, children with autism. He (and others) noted that children with reading difficulties often had disregulation of all 5 senses. The auditory and vestibular system are anatomically and developmentally inextricably tied to one another. Peggy uses a combination of primitive reflex integration work using Rhythmic Movement Training (RMTi), Masgutova Feldenkrais Anat Baniel ,Vojta , and others to calm down the "fight/flight" brain and allow higher level cortical functioning.

Educational Labels

Sensory Processing Issues

Educational labels have burgeoned in the past couple of decades, as have the frequency and intensity of "ear infections" in young children. Many things can contribute to auditory processing difficulties or delays. If your baby is having trouble localizing sound, not babbling, or doesn't evidence a healthy counterbalanced crawl, these can be signs of auditory processing delays. And, as with all hearing problems, early intervention is crucial to close the gap in development. Peggy sees infants,children and adults of any age. Adults with a history of mTBI are at risk for auditory processing disorders.