Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Effect
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
By Karen C. Alberta, Can.

I am a single parent of two adopted children. All of us have utilized the Neurodevelopmental program at various times since 1987.

My son was labeled ADHD, and later FAE. Before he was on program he had an attention span of only five minutes and, at the age of 8 when I adopted him, was at pre-K to kindergarten levels educationally. The school system was unable to meet his needs so I was advised to home educate him from the age of 9. After only three months on the program, there were major improvements in his attention span, his distractibility, and his fine and gross motor skills. By the age of ten he had caught up to the grade level of his peers in all subjects, and in reading was several grade levels ahead. Because of other life problems he was unable to complete grade 9, but his program has worked so well that late, at age 18, he was refused "Services for Persons With Disabilities" funding because his I.Q. was too high.

My daughter was diagnosed FAS shortly after birth. When I adopted her at age 8, she was in Special Ed. at school in mainly kindergarten levels. With home-schooling and the ND program she began to make gains. By age 12 she had completed grade 4 curriculum levels in a regular program of studies. I know that without the neurodevelopmental program she would never have achieved that as her cognitive abilities are quite affected.

I, myself have used the program in the past to help me, as I was a left hander who was changed by the school to be a right hander. This mixed dominance caused me difficulties with coordination, memory and learning technical skills. More recently I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis with symptoms of memory loss, poor concentration, loss of balance, difficulty processing information, restless leg syndrome, extreme fatigue, difficulty finding the words I want to say, etc. I tried various medical and alternative treatments but I found my best results when I started on an individualized neurodevelopmental program. I have improved in all cognitive, motor, and sensory areas. Combining the ND program with my medical treatment has greatly enhanced results compared to others I know with the same illness.

I thoroughly recommend the ND program for use, for not only for those with disabilities, but for all children. If a school system integrated the ND approach in its classrooms, I know they would be very pleased with the results. And so would the children! A relative of mine who is a teacher used the general ND approach with her own child as a pre-schooler with the result that the child is two grades ahead of her peers and is still near the top of class. This child also does well at the other areas of life, winning medals and prizes for gymnastics, swimming, triathlon, modeling, and writing competitions.

I have also use the same ND approach in nursing a brain-injured adult in the years before the ND approach came to Canada. The medical diagnosis was that this 30 year old woman would always be in a vegetative state and live in a nursing home. This woman has been living at home for over ten years now, and although confined to a wheelchair, has been on trips as distant as the Philippines. She keeps track of her own business affairs and writes letters on her computer. She has enough speech to make her needs known. She is happy to be with her husband, not in a hospital.