Awakening Ashley: Mozart Knocks Autism on Its Ear

At 18-months, Ashley still didn't talk. When she wouldn't turn around when her name was called, her hearing came into question. She fixated on minute pieces of dirt and only ate a diet of crunchy foods. She wrapped herself up in a thick fog--impenetrable to everyone, except for Barney the Dinosaur. She worked puzzles like a kindergartener and was computer savvy before she was two-years-old. Late-night searches on the Internet hinted at a reason. A neurodevelopmental specialist confirmed it. AUTISM--a communication and social interaction disorder--a diagnosis that shook the foundation of a family and shattered a mother's world. Ashley could "hear." But she couldn't "listen." A therapy to retrain her ears to perceive sound better took her back to the time in the womb--where listening begins. With the help of Mozart, Ashley was awakened! Her brain's desire to communicate was kindled, fostering a connection with her body, her family, and the world around her. Ashley had recovered! But how could Sharon Ruben, a clinical researcher in her own right, convince the skeptics without clinical trial data to prove its effectiveness? She didn't need data. She had Ashley--it was all the proof she needed! "Too many families are devastated and left without hope by a diagnosis of autism. "Awakening Ashley" restores that hope. This is a story of Sharon Ruben's courage to move beyond the label and her undying efforts to educate and advocate for her daughter's recovery." --Valerie Dejean, Director, Spectrum Center, Bethesda, Maryland