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Treatment Options and Considerations |
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At least for now, there is no "cure" for a true learning disability, so you should become very suspicious if anyone says they do have a cure. Research is showing, however, that intelligence and processing abilities are not "static" as once believed, but are moldable with the right kind of treatments, administered in an intensive, quality-controlled way. As research continues using fMRI techniques which can view "before and after" effects of many different kinds of treatments, we are learning a lot about how the brain can be "rewired" in quite remarkable ways, and this holds out much hope for both children and adults who have suffered for years with these problems. In the area of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders for example, sometimes called Executive Function Disorders, parents have often been told that the only proven methods of treating these problems are pharmaceutical, i.e. prescribed substances such as ritalin, adderol and other stimulants. This flies in the face of the experience of many parents, of course, who have experienced first-hand the effects certain foods and additives may have on their children's behavior and ability to concentrate. New research is showing a definite connection between high levels of toxic chemicals, digestive problems, allergy symptoms, immune system disorders, high/low blood glycogen levels, protein metabolism problems, etc. and AD/HD symptoms. One noted expert, Dr. John Taylor, discusses these effects in detail for those who are interested, in his book, Helping your ADD Child. Although he does not advocate against the pharmaceutical approach to AD/HD, he believes it is only one avenue to helping both children and adults with AD/HD. Other approaches include nutritional support, toxicological treatment, and behavioral strategies. For more information, or to receive a copy of a special report by Dr. Taylor, click here. Since the discovery of the link between dyslexia and phonemic awareness, research has focused on methods which improve a student's abilities in the auditory processing area. One fMRI study, for example, showed that dyslexic individuals continued to have word attack and word recognition problems well into adulthood, even when they had learned to compensate and read relatively well. Other studies showed that other areas of the brain, in particular the language processing cortex, where word meanings are stored, are being utilized to compensate for the inefficient processing of sounds when reading. There are methods to remediate auditory processing disorders which have a lot of research support, such as the Orton-Gillingham method (see Bright Solutions for Dyslexia. Other methods based upon O-G include Slingerland, Hermann and Wilson Reading Programs. Designed around many of the same principles is Master the Code Whatever the method you are considering, make sure it teaches systematic, explicit multi-sensory phonics, or SEMP for short. Systematic means it follows a system, in a structured sequence, that students can grasp one step at a time. Explicit means they are SHOWN how it works, rather than being expected to figure it out themselves. Multi-sensory means they use other sensory pathways, visual, tactile, kinesthetic, etc. rather than relying only on the hearing pathway to the brain, which is often weak. The Phonics component must include specific, guided practice in discriminating, manipulating and blending sounds in words, something that needs to progress to a largely automatic level in order for fluency in reading to be achieved, and this may require intensive one-to-one attention, especially if the student has fallen significantly behind. One promising new treatment for all types of learning problems is known as PACE Some of the processes addressed include auditory processing (a very strong component of PACE), visual and spatial processing, memory skills (especially what is called "working memory"), logic & reasoning, processing speed and selective and divided attention skills. Rapid Automatic Naming, which has become a recognized piece of the puzzle for many dyslexic individuals, seems to involved a combination of executive function and memory, not to mention processing speed, and these are skills that PACE addresses. One measure of working memory, the Digit Span subtest on the WISC, is often below average for children with learning problems, and is another skill that can be improved with practice. Another aspect of visual processing, difficulty with directionality/reversals, are also addressed through the PACE program. Many children struggle with a wide array of overlapping issues, so PACE would appear to be an excellent option for parents to consider. Please click on the link here to go to the PACE website for more information and/or to find a provider near you. Another new method that is gaining research support and also addresses auditory processing among other areas is known as Samonas Sound Therapy. Based on 50 years of research by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in Europe, Samonas has been in the US for about the past 5 years. The auditory nerve threads its way through every level of the human brain, and intersects with virtually every other bodily system. In today's world, we are subjected to many unpleasant and detrimental sources of sound, commonly known as "noise pollution", and the effects of such pollution may be much more severe than we realize. Most people have experienced the effects of music to inspire, to motivate, to alter moods, and even to improve performance (e.g. the "Mozart Effect"). Samonas is an attempt, through scientific studies and sound engineering advances, to refine and apply the many years of research on sound and music to the achievement of therapeutic goals in areas such as learning, creativity, speech and language, mood, task management, motor skills, etc. See their website at www.samonas.com or contact one of the Samonas practitioners on our Referrals page for more information. treatment | referrals | consultation | contact me |
