Dr. Guy Bérard

There are many children and adults around the world who struggle with listening tasks, and whose lives are made stressful by this difficulty.

Bérard Auditory Integration Training (or Bérard AIT) was developed by Dr Guy Bérard, a French Ear- Nose- and Throat specialist living in Annecy, France, to normalise the ways in which the person processes auditory information.In other words, it works to equalise the hearing response across all frequencies across the hearing range.

AIT has over 40 years of scientific research and there are over 28 clinical studies documenting its efficacy.

The original device used was the French-built AudioKinetron. The training itself consists of twenty half-hour sessions spaced over the ten consecutive days. The fluctuating sounds of FST becomes a kind of exercise that strengthens the ear’s ability to modulate sound. It is evident that some powerful changes occur during FST, and reports of lifealtering improvements are heard from satisfied users.

There was a need to improve on the method of delivery of AIT. The old devices are costly, bulky, and have the disadvantage that a client has to travel to the rooms of the practitioner to obtain the training. The new concept in AIT provision called Filtered Sound Training (FST) dealt with this problem. It runs from a laptop. This development opened the door to the possibility that the client can receive top-quality AIT/FST in the comfort of their own home.

The PortaFST device

Recently, a new system has been developed – a tablet-based delivery method. This excellent product, called PortaFST, has just made FST/AIT become even easier to do.

FST is offered in a personalised package of 20 half-hour sessions. These sessions are done twice a day consecutively for 10 days. Changes that occur in listening and learning are seen over the period of 4 months following FST.

FST/AIT is a non-medical approach that often has far reaching benefits.