Interactive Metronome

What is IM?
The Interactive Metronome (IM) is a brain based rehabilitation assessment and training program developed to directly improve the processing abilities that affect attention, motor planning, and sequencing. This, in turn, strengthens motor skills, including mobility and gross motor function, and many fundamental cognitive capacities such as planning, organizing, and language.

How does IM work?
The IM program provides a structured, goal-oriented training process that challenges the patient to precisely match a computer generated beat. Participants are instructed to synchronize various hand and foot exercises to a reference tone heard through headphones. The patient attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor actions such as tapping his/her toes on a floor sensor mat or clapping while wearing an IM glove with a palm trigger.

A patented audio or audio/visual guidance system provides immediate feedback. The difference between the patient's performance and the computer generated beat is measured in milliseconds. The score indicates timing accuracy.

Who can benefit?
Individuals with motor planning and sequencing problems, speech, and language delays, motor an sensory disorders, learning deficits, and various cognitive and physical difficulities may benefit from the IM program. Adult and pediatric patients who have benefited from IM include those with:

* Sensory Integration Disorder
*Asperger Syndrome
*Autism Spectrum Disorder
*<a href="http://drkevinconners.com/the-clinic/addadhd">ADD/ADHD</a>  
*Cerebral Palsy

ADHD Study
A double blind, placebo-controlled study of 9-12 year old boys diagnosed with ADHD found those who completed the IM program showed significant patterns of improvement in attention, coordination, control of aggression/impulsitivity, reading and language processing. This study was published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March 2001

Timing in Child Development Study
A correlation study of 585 children in the public school district found significant correlations between IM score and academic perfomance in reading, mathematics, language, science, social studies, and study skills. This suggests that timing and rhythmicity play a foundational role in the cognitive processes underlying performance in these academic areas. The results were published by the High/Scope Foundation, a prestigious, non-profit educational research institution.

Today, there are more than 2,500 certified IM providers in over 1700 clinics, hospitals, and universities throughout the US and Canada. Each day the list of providers continues to grow. IM has recieved an abundance of media recognition including CBS Early Show, CNN News, US News and World Report, as well as various segments that have aired on hundreds of TV affiliates, radio stations, and national publications.

For more information, contact www.interactivemetronome.com