Ear infections have become a serious child health issue. Though they are hard to control with antibiotics, ear infections have contributed to the overuse of antibiotics by parents wanting to protect their children from harm.

Children who experience repeated ear infections are among those likely develop learning and auditory processing problems which may affect their academic progress. Failure to control the condition often leads to the use of grommets (ear ventilation tubes) surgically inserted through the ear drum. While it temporarily alleviates pressure in the middle ear, such surgery has the risk of leaving scar tissue on the ear drum.

A lack of information on ways to prevent ear infections leaves many parents at their wits end with repeated trips to the doctor, school missed, and concerns about weakening the child’s immune system and disrupting gut flora through too many courses of anti-biotics.

Breast feeding is one way to reduce the likelihood of ear infections. Another excellent support strategy is to use Sound Therapy to improve middle ear muscle function and assist the Eustachian tube to open normally. Because the Eustachian tube is closer to horizontal in babies and young children, it is harder for it to drain. Creating movement of the muscles through Sound Therapy can make a big difference and may mean that antibiotics and the need for grommets (ear ventilation tubes)can be avoided.
To learn more about how Sound Therapy can enhance auditory development and help normal, healthy Eustachian tube function and prevent ear infections, visit our children’s page:
http://www.soundtherapyinternational.com/v3/sound-therapy-for-children.html

There is an excellent article, “How Human Milk Protects Babies From Illness” on this link http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/breastfeeding/why-breast-best/how-human-milk-protects-babies-illness

Here is a quote from the article about how breast feeding affects the ears.
“BREASTFED BABIES ARE HEALTHIER
Derrick and Patrice Jelliffe, pioneers in breastfeeding research, stated that breastfed infants are “biochemically different.” This difference in body chemistry may be the reason they are healthier. While babies are breastfeeding, they have fewer and less serious respiratory infections, less diarrhea, and less vomiting. When breastfed babies do become ill, they are less likely to become dehydrated and need hospitalization.
“Here are some specific ways in which breastfeeding protects babies from illness:
• Friendly to little ears. Ear infections are a childhood nuisance, often following on the heels of stuffy noses and colds. The middle ear fills with fluid, and eventually that fluid becomes infected, causing pain, especially in the middle of the night. Repeated ear infections, or those that go untreated, can lead to hearing loss. This is an important concern in young children, since hearing difficulties can interfere with language, and language problems can later affect reading skills.

Breastfeeding protects against ear infections in four possible ways:
1. The many germ-fighting ingredients in human milk keep harmful bacteria from bothering baby, so that stuffed-up noses and ears are less likely to become infected middle ears.
2. Because breastfed babies are fed in a more upright position, they’re less likely to experience milk backing up through the eustachian tube into their ears; if this does happen during a breastfeeding session, human milk is less irritating to the tissues of the middle ear than infant formula.
3. Breastfed babies have fewer, or at least less severe, colds than formula-fed babies. Fewer colds means fewer ear infections.
4. Breastfed babies have fewer respiratory allergies, another cause of fluid building up in the middle ear, which sets the stage for bacteria to grow.”

Register your interest and learn more at http://www.thehelp15project.com/

Show Specials: 
* Buy a book and receive a free DVD. 
* Buy a full-priced program and receive a free set of quality Sennheiser headphones PLUS go into the draw: one lucky customer will have their program fully reimbursed!

Free talk: Rafaele Joudry will present Sound Therapy: Ear and Brain Health for Life on Sunday 22 May at 4:30pm in Seminar Room B (upstairs). This is a rare opportunity to share some time with Rafaele and benefit from her in-depth knowledge of the auditory remapping effect of Sound Therapy. 

Half price Ticket:  http://www.soundtherapy.com.au/PDF/MBSMay2011%20half%20price%20ticket.pdf to download your half-price ticket (normal adult price $18). You can print as many copies of this as you like.

The festival runs from Thursday 19 May to Sunday 22 May, 10am to 7pm each day, at Hall One of the Sydney Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour. 
http://www.mbsfestival.com.au/sydney-details.htm for details of how to get there, where to park and other festival information.

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Rafaele

Digital Compression
Digital compression is mainly performed in the frequency domain. In compressed sound a few samples of the sound are taken but a large percentage of data, up to 90%, can be discarded. For the average listener the sound can still be recognized without this complex data. The result is a smooth wave form, from which many frequencies, especially the higher frequencies, are missing. This is the core of digital compression.

A single wave form smoothed out by compression is illustrated below. This is an illustration of typical MP3 sound.

In addition to frequency compression, sound is also compressed in time, so that fewer samples are played back each second. Here is an illustration of sound waves over a period of time.

After both the frequency and time domain compression processes, the spectrum datum are simplified as illustrated below. (Note: The illustration is overly simplified for easier understanding.) Thus, a huge amount of information is removed and permanently lost. (This is the reason why this type of compression is called “Lossy” Compression.) Moreover, MP3 often uses a lower sampling rate than a CD, which creates a total loss of information above a particular frequency (that being 1/2 of the sampling frequency). Note the sudden information loss over the specific frequency in the illustration.

The sound reproduced from this data file sounds okay to the average listener. A piano still sounds like a piano and a trumpet sounds like a trumpet, but the details, nuance, and musicality are lost. The sound becomes rather dull, and is largely devoid of any therapeutic benefit.

What’s Wrong with MP3?
MP3 data contains a minimum amount of information attempting to reproduce the sound in an acceptable quality. A mere 1/20 of the original information is kept and the rest is permanently discarded. (Instead, you can store 20 times more music in the same media.) The narrowed frequency range is another tactic to compress the file size. It is noticeable that the MP3 music obviously has less high-frequency information compared to CD music. This is a common problem to any digitally compressed audio including WMA.

In contrast, the technology used in Sound Therapy recordings both replicates and enhances the original harmonics and frequencies in the music, using a combination of therapeutic filtering systems and state of the art digital playback technology.

A new enhancement for Sound Therapy
Our new playback system for Sound Therapy being launched this week is a beautifully engineered miniature player called the MINI MX2. The MINI MX2 uses two specialized processes to ensure accurate and harmonic rich playback.

MP Process
The MP (Minimized Polynomial Non-Linear Saturation) Process effectively generates harmonics indicated as “ Generated Harmonics by MP Process ” from a “ Fundamental ” note in the illustration below. The even order harmonics create harmonized, warm and comfortable sound, while the right amount of odd order harmonics makes the sound brighter and sharper, when they are added to the original sound. The result is a warm and comfortable, yet distinguished sound.

BBE MP Process
BBE Sound is a premier audio technology process used to improve the quality of amplified sound for those seeking a superior listening experience. BBE High Definition Sound technologies are a cutting edge advancement in digital sound delivery now in demand by world-renowned musicians and top sound engineers.
Sound Therapy International is now implementing BBE High Definition Sound technologies into our products so that they provide a more satisfying and therapeutic audio experience for our listeners.
The BBE Process, which provides a linear phase advance in proportion to the frequency, is placed before the MP process. The MP process evenly generates higher harmonics from the entire audio bandwidth. Since the BBE-processed sound has a tapered time alignment (the higher the frequency, the more time advance), the generated harmonics are time-advanced in the higher frequencies. This allows the brain to analyze the sound more easily with the least amount of added harmonics. (It is common knowledge in the psycho-acoustic studies that time-advanced harmonics, compared to fundamentals, make the brain’s interpretation of sound easier.)

The BBE process progressively enhances the higher frequencies. The harmonics generated by the MP process tends to have more elements in the higher frequencies compared to the lower frequencies. The degree of this contrast is optimized by the BBE process gain.

The BBE MP process ensures optimum rendition of the complex fluctuating high frequency-rich Sound Therapy retaining its complex variations with absolute detail, clarity and sharpness, for ultimate neural stimulation and brain recharge. Sound Therapy has never sounded better!

Visit our website www.SoundTherapyInternational.com to view our listening programs currently available.

In my work with Sound Therapy I have encountered many, many families facing the journey of seeking help for a child with developmental difficulties. What I have concluded is that it would be so much better if these could be prevented in the first place. But what is the cause?

I have been investigating in this field for some years now, and the evidence is becoming very clear.

Today children are born into a world teeming with toxic chemicals that previous generations never encountered. Research published in the Lancet in 2006 (1) verified that neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, attention deficit disorder, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy are linked to industrial chemicals such as, lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], arsenic, and toluene. These compounds are recognised causes of neurodevelopmental disorders and subclinical brain dysfunction.

Researchers in a variety of studies have found that exposure to chemical toxins during early foetal development can cause brain injury at doses much lower than those affecting adult brain function. For this reason, urgent steps must be taken to protect our children.

Recognition of the risks has led to evidence-based programmes of prevention, such as elimination of lead additives in petrol. Although these prevention campaigns are highly successful, most were initiated only after substantial delays. Another 200 chemicals are known to cause clinical neurotoxic effects in adults. Many chemical exposures occur in the home from the chemical cocktail of cleaning and bathroom products found in most households.

The toxic effects of such chemicals in the developing human brain are not known and these chemicals are not adequately regulated to protect vulnerable children. Sadly, the two main impediments to prevention of neurodevelopmental deficits of chemical origin are the great gaps in testing chemicals for developmental neurotoxicity and the high level of proof required for regulation. Therefore researchers concluded that new, precautionary approaches are needed for testing and control of chemicals which recognise the unique vulnerability of the developing brain.

Meanwhile, families can take steps themselves to learn which chemicals to avoid and protect their children, at least in their own homes. An exciting new initiative called the Help 15 Project is opening the door for many families to do this. Follow this link to see a very moving but encouraging 4 minute video about the project. I hope that some Sound Therapy listeners would like to become involved.
www.thehelp15project.com

(1) Grandjean, P. Landrigan, P., “Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals”, The Lancet, Volume 368, Issue 9553, Pages 2167-2178

The British organization RNID (Royal National Institute of the Deaf) is requesting that Apple and other manufacturers of MP3 players print more prominent warnings about the risks of hearing loss.

The charity group has written to all leading manufacturers of MP3 players asking them to explain potential dangers of using their products at high volumes.

When I speak on the radio I am frequently asked about the danger of i-Pods to hearing and how this relates to Sound Therapy.

There are two important distinctions to make here.

One is that we don’t use i-Pod for Sound Therapy because i-Pod and its proprietary software, i-Tunes, play only Mp3 files, which are compressed, low quality sound. This sound has no therapeutic effect on the ear, and possibly has a detrimental effect as it is not stimulating the full range of frequencies.

In fact it is now possible to play back very high quality, high frequency sound on a tiny, light weight digital player, and this is what our new Sound Therapy players are specially manufactured to do.

The other distinction is that i-Pod or Mp3 users typically listen at very high volume, as you know when on a train you can hear the music of the passenger next to you! In contrast, Sound Therapy listeners listen at low volume, so low that they can carry on a conversation while listening. This poses no danger at all to the hearing.

The RNID, which represents nine million people who are deaf or hard of hearing, states that it is not opposed to MP3 players but wants to encourage people to protect themselves against the cumulative effects of loud music, “so they can enjoy the music they love for the rest of their lives.”

According to a recent survey, 79 percent of people between the ages of 16 and 30 have never seen warnings on the outside of MP3 players’ packaging.

It is sad that, one these warnings are so desperately needed to stop young people from damaging their hearing every day with Mp3 players, and sad that most of them are not even heeding the warnings.

“We know that young people are at risk from losing their hearing prematurely by listening to loud music for too long on MP3 players. MP3 player manufacturers have a responsibility to make their customers aware of the risks and the need to listen at sensible levels and we urge them to incorporate prominent warnings into the packaging of their products,” Dr John Low, chief executive of RNID, said in a prepared statement.

“New technology and ever-increasing storage capacity enables people to listen non-stop for hours” and at louder volumes than ever before. If you are regularly plugged in, it is only too easy to clock up noise doses that could damage your hearing forever.”

Angela King, senior audiologist at RNID, said that ringing and buzzing in the ears after prolonged exposure to loud sounds should serve as a warning of potential hearing loss. She said reducing volume slightly could help minimise ear damage.

A large number of the enquiries we receive at Sound Therapy International are from people whose ears have been damaged by industrial noise or farm noise. Others are from working in the music industry. Unfortunately, we anticipate an increased number in the future from i-Pod listeners.

Once the ear has been damaged, causing hearing loss, tinnitus and possibly dizziness or blocked ear, it is likely that these problems will worsen over the years and can seriously affect a person’s relationships, career and state of mind.

The only medical advice most people are given, once ear problems set in, is to avoid noise and learn to live with it. Fortunately we can offer some hope with Sound Therapy and at least partly reverse some of these problems, but it is far better not to do the damage in the first place.

I have observed over the past 2+ decades that many people’s hearing and other ear related functions do improve as a result of Sound Therapy and its stimulation of the middle ear muscles. Until recently, very little research was done to verify or test the standard hearing theory which was that sound is passed through the vibrating middle ear bones to the inner ear.

Recent research in Germany has brought to light a new discovery about the movement of the middle ear bones. This is that the stapes (stirrup bone) moves in a piston like motion in response to low frequencies, but in a tilting motion in response to high frequencies.

I suspect that a correlation will be found between this discovery and the fact that the high frequency diet of Sound Therapy seems to improve ear function.

What this means is that modern science is now catching up with Dr Tomatis’ discoveries, and the basis for his theory that the right type of sound can improve hearing function.

To read more about this recent research on stirrup bone movement visit this link. http://www.forschungsportal.ch/unizh/p13000.htm

In West Palm Beach Florida a free concert of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven is being played 24 hours a day on a blighted street corner and has proven successful in reducing crime.
Police say drug deals, shootings and thefts have dropped since the experiment began. There are fewer loiterers and statistics are surprising. Drug-related calls dropped to four from February through June, compared to 20 during the same period in the previous year, while calls for service were down to 83 from 119 the previous year. To read the article click this link.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2001/07/08/music.htm

A number of other bodies have tried similar experiments over the years. The idea was originally tested in Canada in the 1990s to clear yobbos away from supermarkets or metro systems.
“Within 18 months, robberies were cut by 33 per cent, assaults on staff by 25 per cent, and vandalism by 37 per cent as the voice of Pavarotti made troublemakers scarper.” Wrote reporter David Sandison.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/mind-the-bach-classical-music-on-the-underground-800483.html
This reporter then discusses theories as to why the scheme works, surmising that it doesn’t fit with antisocial youths’ perception of cool; or that teenagers can hear high-frequency overtones that adults can’t and that this upsets them.
For those of us who listen to Sound Therapy, perhaps we can think of a more humanity enhancing view. I suspect that the effect of the music is to ignite a flicker of the higher aspirations, reasoning and innate altruism of those listening. When these feelings can’t be accommodated by their habitual destructive behaviours and peer group negativity, they leave the area out of embarrassment.
After all, it has been proven in other experiements that Mozart does indeed enhance spatial reasoning skills because it activates numerous brain centres including the prefrontal cortex and superior temporal gyrus, the precuneus of the parietal lobe, with much interconnection of these various networks being activated. Surely all this added brain activity must impact our emotions, thoughts and human drives?
Find the best sresearch paper I have come across on the Mozart Effect by following this link, http://jrsm.rsmjournals.com/content/vol94/issue4/
and look for the article called “The Mozart Effect.”