SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Does the key to reaching children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other neuro-developmental disorders lie in classical music?

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The sight of 5-year-old Johnny Kaminski sitting up when asked may not be a big deal to most people, but to his parents, it's a historic event. Johnny and his older brother Mark both have autism -- a neuro-developmental disorder that robs them of the ability to speak and even look their parents in the eye.

The boys are also easily distracted, according to their father, Bruce Kaminski.

"They'll put their hands over their ears, sometimes, when the air conditioner comes on. Or they'll hear a train in the distance, and instead of focusing on what we're saying, they've got these other noises that they're perhaps concentrating on," Bruce Kaminski said.

But the music of a well-known composer -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- may hold the key to helping children like the Kaminskis pay attention, and in some cases, even learn to speak.

"It's therapeutic application of sound, specifically Mozart and Gregorian chant. And it's the frequency distribution that makes changes in the way the middle ear functions," said The Listening Center spokeswoman Dr. Deborah Swain.

No one really knows why it works, but parents are driving their children long distances to visit The Listening Center in Walnut Creek for a highly structured program called "Tomatis" therapy. The goal is to stimulate the part of the brain that is responsible for processing sound, communicating and establishing relationships.

Advocates of "Tomatis" believe the best way to do that is to send music into the child's right ear while vibrating the same sound through the skull bone.

So why Mozart? His music is unique, according to Swain. She said it uses almost all the frequencies human beings can hear.

"It's the high-frequency sounds we feel are making the difference, and the limited research we have on 'Tomatis' supports that," Swain said.

Swain starts the children on Mozart, then gradually filters out the lower frequencies of the music. Some children don't respond, according to Swain, but she said more than 80 percent of them react, showing some increased awareness of the environment and their own place in it.

For years, "Tomatis" therapy was considered unconventional, but with parents reporting improvements in their children, it has piqued the interest of scientists at the UC Davis Mind Institute.

For Johnny Kaminski's parents, the greatest hope is that somehow their boys will learn enough to eventually face the world on their own.

Soon, parents won't have to travel so far for "Tomatis" therapy. In January, The Listening Clinic will open in Sacramento. Swain charges $50 per hour of "Tomatis" therapy. She said families with PPO insurance usually receive some level of financial reimbursement.

The clinic will be located at 3001 P Street, Suite B. For more information on the clinic, call (916) 448-1500. Or click here to get to The Listening Clinic Web site.