Healthy Habits: EASe for Autism and Sensory Disorders

EASe, which stands for "electronic auditory stimulation effect," is a unique app designed to help kids who have sound sensitivities, whether from autism or a sensory processing disorder. While I have a daughter who is clearly not autistic, and has not been formally diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder, she has clear sound (and texture) sensitivities that she's had since birth, so I thought the EASe app might be an interesting one to try.

EASe comes in three levels, all available through iTunes: EASe Lite ($3.99), a demo with one song and full functionality except for audio import, where sound settings can be customized and the app comes with four pre-set programs to help a parent or therapist get up and running with the program very quickly. EASe Personal ($39.99), ncludes the full EASe app and a 60-minute module of instrumental music, enough to complete a ten-hour EASe program, with two half-hour sessions a day over a ten-day period. EASe Pro ($99.99), includes the full EASe app and a 60-minute module of instrumental music, and also is capable of importing a wide range of specially prepared albums available at www.easecd.com.

The price of the last two versions might seem steep, but I'm sure that if you're a parent of a child with special needs, you know that the cost is actually pretty small compared to all of the other medical and therapy needs your child may have. The new EASe app and Vision Audio’s other EASe products – therapeutic music CDs and video games – are based on the principles of sensory integration and neurological organization taught by Jean Ayres Ph.D. The nice thing is that using the app (or games available on the main website) can be done at home, with no special equipment. And although the app is new, the company is not - the CDs have been around since 1995, so the company has a history of therapeutic sound use.

I was a little worried after reading the description on the site, that people with a typical auditory response may find them abrasive - I was also a little worried my daughter wouldn't like them at all either. But I don't think I'd use the word "abrasive" to describe them. It's certainly not something I'd choose to play for background music just for fun, but it isn't bad. I think I'd describe more as tinny, almost like hold music being played through a phone.

So, does it work? Well, that's hard for me to judge. I'm going to give it a "yes, but" rating. In the four weeks or so that we've had it, my daughter's sound sensitivity has gone down. However, it's hard to know how much of that is due specifically to the app, and how much of it is due to other factors (her growing up, us working with her in other ways, etc). It has seemed like there's been a much more significant improvement this month than before, though, so that is encouraging.

If you have a child with any sort of auditory sensitivity, try out the EASe lite, just to see how it works. It can be a powerful tool, and wonderful if it works for your child!

Disclosure: I got a complimentary copy of the app to facilitate this review.