Posts Tagged ‘Reading dysfunction’

 She Loves To Scuba Dive

That’s what I knew about Joanna!  What I didn’t know is how much she’d overcome in her early years.  Here’s what I learned from her mom:

“Three and one half years ago, our youngest daughter, Joanna, was struggling socially, academically, and relationally.  After 14 months on Little Giant Steps program she had improved in all academic areas; 2 grade levels math and more than 5 grade levels in Word Recognition and Reading Comprehension.  She now has been off the LGS program for two years, and last week we had her evaluated again.  During these past 2 years she has gained more than 3 and ½ grade levels in math and maxed out reading comprehension.  Joanna is rapidly finishing high school with the most dramatic improvement in math. Her brain is still sharp!”

What was related to me, is that to fine tune her brain for rapid decision making needed for her hobby—scuba diving & underwater rescue!  It is so gratifying to see young adults who come up and through challenges.  Little Giant Steps exists for people like Joanna.  We are so blessed to see that when the brain gets organized, the visual and auditory processing increased, and dominance issues are addressed; a new life emerges. A life full of potential and adventures that earlier were never thought possible.  Thanks to Jan Bedell, M.Ed, M.ND. who has worked so diligently to create programs to serve those who deserve and desire the elimination of learning issues, poor memory, and many  learning disabilities.

Results Are Always The Most Important

From a client’s mom:

“He is doing so great.  I have a science test that he took recently.  It was so hard!  He got a 108%!  I was super proud of him!”

“This young lad came up seven grade levels in reading in 18 months from 6.8 to 13.8 (grade level placement scores used by schools) and completely maxed the comprehension in a year! He started out at a sixth grade level there, too! He’s only 12 now!  He did not like reading or learning before and after 18 months he loved it!”  ~ from his ND who tested him, provided him with a neuro-developmental/educational program, and then re-tested him every 4 months. 

Reports like this are not unusual from our parents and teachers as they watch children who are on the Little Giant Steps Neuro-Educational Programs.  They have the fortunate vantage point to witness how our clients change and become academically successful when their brains become organized, their processing abilities improve, and their hemispheric dominance is firmly established.  It’s not really rocket science…. it’s what nature provides (demands) during those early years of neuro-development.  Unfortunately, we are doing things with our children in our society that has left many of them with gaps in their neuro-connections, and the mind-body communication doesn’t get the developmental stimuli it requires.  Sure our kids learn to cope and compensate, but by the time they reach 9 years of age, typically, you’ll see them begin to suffer academically, as they try and have failed enough times their frustration and feelings of failure cause them to turn away from all that is good about learning. They can’t function within the windows of opportunities  given in a school environment. No human being does well with a serving of failure each and every day.

Now, The Good News

And there is good news!  Little Giant Steps is here to make sure those learning difficulties are resolved, eliminated, and a new confident successful person emerges.  Please look at how fast these children achieve proficiency in math, word recognition, and comprehension by reviewing these tests of our clients.  If you know of a child, teen or even an adult struggling with learning, then you owe it to them to send them to this site.  We recognize we may not appeal to everyone, but more people than not, after they’ve investigated what Little Giant Steps does,  how we work, they take advantage of our screenings we do throughout the year, and most just call to make an appointment to be evaluated, because they know after reading our articles; they have found what they need.

Just When You Least Expect It!

We’ve been on the LGS Neuro-Educational Program and know it works….

“I finally completed the boys monthly status report and I am mailing it out tomorrow, but, I wanted to share something with you that happened this week that is not on the report. Trent wanted to invite a friend over to spend the night, but we were in the car and the number was not accessible. I told Trent that he could call him on my cell phone and amazingly he remembered his friend’s home number, but that is not even the best part. His friend was at his grandparent’s home (who he stays with quite often). I asked Trent if he knew that number and at first he said that he didn’t, then, Trent said, Wait, I think I know it and sure enough it was the right number.

My heart leaped for joy. Last year this 13 year old boy was doing good to remember his own phone number and now he is a walking phone directory. Praise God!!!!!! We have seen other signs of progress after being on the Neuro-Developmental Program that I included on our monthly report, but this one was a dozy. I think God knew that we needed the encouragement to keep going and finish the race. Thank you guys  at Little Giant Steps so much!”

Little Giant Steps is dedicated to helping all children learn easier, process information more efficiently and create improved short and long-term memory.  We utilize what God’s provided ~ the neuroplasticity of the brain.  A feature that can create new neuro-pathways, stronger connections.  Visit us online for more information.  Also, see the research we’ve completed in public schools.

Since the weekend is coming, we are going to share with you some cold hard facts about the results of our Neuro-Educational Programs and the results we see in just four (4) months of doing the program right at home with the supervision of their parents.  It’s really remarkable!  We hope you’ll take the time to really study these results.

The following test results are raw data from client files. All received a battery of preliminary tests upon admission. The tests establish baselines on educational grade level functional abilities. All received a neurodevelopmental evaluation and an individualized plan was written by the neurodevelopmentalist. All programs were executed by the parents after being trained in specific activities on their child’s individualized program, with the exception of adults participating on the program. This report also shows the educational grade level scores after four months on the recommended program via a repeat of the same battery of tests. Parents following initial training, were supervised via follow up calls. Support was available at all times. LGS cannot guarantee programs were followed as recommended, but tracking sheets were used to help parents stay on schedule. Many clients continued the program, and completion scores for those are listed, as well. Both males and females participated.

7.11 to 8.8 years of age

8.10 to 9.4 years of age

9.8 to 10.4 years of age

10.6 to 11.11 years of age

11.11 to 12.2 years of age

12.2 to 13.2 years of age

13.3 to 14.11 years of age

15.0 to 20.5 years of age

54 and 55 years of age

 Parents Often Underestimate The Difference They Can Make!

Little Giant Steps has been working with families for over 20 years showing them how they can be the “game-changer” when it comes to helping their child through math or reading difficulties.  In fact, over these many years, Jan Bedell, The Brain Coach, has been developing programs that not only help a child grasp the concepts of math, but work at helping the child process information much better.  A Neuro-Education Program, whether it’s addressing functional issues found in ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Sensory Disorders, PDD, Down syndrome, or Special Needs, works on the foundation of learning at the root causes in the brain!  If the brain is not organized, and neuro-pathways are not complete, then the child may show signs of some or all of the learning disabilities mentioned above.

 Learning Disabilities or Difficulties Are Not A Life Sentence!

 Here are some parents  telling of their experiences who have taken advantage of our in-home programs (Developmental Foundations (5-Adult), Early Learning Foundations (2-5 yr.),or who’ve  had an Evaluation with Individualized Programs:

“When I was asked to use one word to describe my experience with Little Giant Steps, I said, life-changing. When our daughter started the program, she was highly frustrated, emotional, and her attention span was terrible. The only way she could focus on school work was in a totally quiet environment. She wanted to help and follow instructions but could not remember. She was also hyper-sensitive, we had to cut out all tags from her clothing. Megan improved two grade levels in math, word recognition and comprehension in one year.“  T.E., Plano, TX

“My son was 10 years old, in the 4th grade and having problems at school (and other places), becoming too emotional in class and causing problems with off-task behavior. When he did get really upset, it took him a very long time to calm down. He was brilliant at some times and totally absent-minded at others; having trouble recalling what he had mastered the day before. Focusing on tasks for 15 minutes was a real challenge and his work required constant supervision for him to complete assignments. He longed to play with other children but would withdraw when playmates were around. He was hypersensitive to touch and had trouble controlling his hands. There were other issues as well.

We took our son to an Educational Diagnostician and a Pediatric Neurologist. Both professionals agreed he was a bright child with mild ADHD. One advised medication and the other did not. Then, I heard a talk given on neurodevelopment and what kinds of problems it can correct. It was as if they were talking about our son. We had our son evaluated and began a Program of Neurodevelopment. By the end of 6 weeks, he began to be able to skip; he had never been able to do this. By the end of four months, he was going to the principal’s office less than once a week, before it had been 2 — 3 times a week. By the end of the school semester, at about 5 months, his interaction with his peers had dramatically changed and he was not so solitary as before.

During the summer, he surprised us by swimming in a straight line across the pool (without any coaching). In summers past, he always swam in a curve, since one side of his body would not do what the other side would (3 years of swimming lessons had been unable to correct this). This year, in the 5th grade, we have seen steady progress. Our son can now stay on task for hours a time and can remember much better what he has learned. He has not been to the principal’s office once!  This Neuro-Educational Program really works! Everyone is a lot happier at our house these days. Neurodevelopment is an answer to prayer.  Grateful in TX.

 One Word To Describe Experience with Little Giant Steps

“When I was asked to use one word to describe our experience with Little Giant Steps (LGS), I said, “Freeing!” I knew Joseph was smart.   He had a hard time focusing and when he did math, he jumped all over the page. It took him hours to get school work done. Also, he would have little bursts of frustration with his brothers and was hard to reason with. I was tired of always having to keep my eye on him and everything.

After the improvement  in his brother’s life (from the LGS Neuro-Educational Program), we decided to have Joseph join the program. Joseph really took the initiative and work up early and did his hour of therapy before his other school work. It has been very freeing to see him change.  At completion he is reading  at 10th grade level.  He is actually enjoying Algebra and he can focus and complete his work twice as fast.  He doesn’t skip around anymore.  I do not have to check on him constantly and he is trustworthy to get his schoolwork done.  He gets along much better with his brothers and will actually reason out situations.  He is much calmer, yet fun and still our comedian . R. Bradley, TX

  Infants Sitting Upright Most of Their Waking Hours = Developmental Gaps

 I learned the hard way about this.  I was a germ-a-phob (frightened of having too many germs around my children). Therefore, my son spent very little time on the floor where he should have had the opportunity to strengthen his muscles, establish strong efficient neuro-pathways between his brain and body and help map the brain as to the location, locomotion, and responses of his limbs and mobility of his body.  Thanks to the Neuro-Developmental Approach, (a methodology Little Giant Steps has implemented for thousands of children with learning issues) my son’s brain and body were brought into alignment as God intended and his future became very bright and still is today!

Without the pressure, tactility, experience of temperatures, textures, and all those experiencial factors being practiced each day, he was left with gaps in his development.  He was bright, but unable to do things like tracking sentences with his eyes. Color within the lines. Coordinate movements.  His brain was very disorganized as was evident when he talked and of course his constantly loosing his stuff and creating messes where ever he landed for ten minutes.  Even developing either his right or left handedness was still up in the air by the time he was ten!  Yes, his developmental status was leaving him in a dysfunctional position with his school work, trying to read, write, and achieve what he was capable of intellectually.

Sitting upright in swings, car seats, high chairs, etc. does not allow those little toes to push against the hard surface.  Nor, do the arms, elbows, hands, and fingers experience the weight of the body and the pushing up, which is crucial in developing the muscles that will allow the child to bring their heads up so the development of sight gets off to a good start.  It’s a cascading effect on physical and cognitive development and each year the child gets further behind if no intervention is implemented.

What Is The Solution?

The solution if you see them struggling with organizing their thoughts, struggling to remember, muscles being weak, reading and tracking objects with their eyes, comprehending, failing at phonics, is to get your child evaluated, put on a neurodevelopmental program and pick up all the stages of development they lost due to ignorance as to the cost of leaving them in all these “gadgets” that look great, but are really best for dolls, not living, breathing, developing infants!

Here is the article that will more fully address this issue:  Teaching Babies .  But simply what is the best you can do for your new born?  Have them on a hard surface (floor so they won’t fall) and allow them to “root” and “scoot” around for as long as they will. I know it’s not as convenient for you, as you can’t see their face quite as easily as when you’ve got them in a car seat sitting on the counter, but the dividends in creating a neurologically efficient child who’s body and brain are truly in sync allows them to reach their full potential!  Don’t just think about this….Do It! Your child’s future is the most important thing you can affect positively and establishing an efficiently functioning brain that will last him/her a lifetime is worth more than gold!

Learning Difficulties Can Be Resolved

At this time of year many of us are looking for the right costume for Halloween.  Children get very excited about “what they’re going to be this year”.  At our house, it looks like the “Caveman” costume will prevail.

As I think about children dawning masks and disguises, I immediately think about those daily challenges children with learning issues hide or cover up.  #Little Giant Steps#, a neuro-educational consulting group, is all about eliminating the need for children, teens or adults to wear a disguise about what they are able to learn or understand. In fact, there is a name for this behavior of “covering up”.  It’s called “Coping and Compensating”. 

Relying On Coping and Compensating Is Always Second Best.

There are programs out there, many grace the halls of our educational systems, that only teach coping and compensating.  Unfortunately, that is not the best solution for us today, in light of the research and developments concerning the function of the brain and body and how most learning issues can be eliminated if we address the root cause of the problem.  When I say root cause, I am talking about the symptoms that the individual displays.  How do you think our society decides on the diagnosis of learning issues? By looking at the symptoms.  Now the big brave question is; “Can these symptoms be treated at the source”?  Where’s the source? In the brain. Yes, they can and have been addressed through the Little Giant Steps Neuro-Educational Program quite easily, because we are talking about the root cause of our functional abilities, which is reflected by what happened to us as infants with our early steps of development.

What Intervention Is The Best? 

What #Little Giant Steps# has seen over the years is by utilizing the feature of the brain called “plasticity,” specific stimulating activities that mimic early developmental steps and stages can, in fact, cause the brain to become organized at the most primitive levels of the brain (the pons) and can also positively effect the mid-brain.  It allows the brain to create many new connections not only within the brain itself (that have been delayed in developing for a variety of reasons), but also establishes effective and efficient communication neuro-pathways (connections) between the brain and body. Our programs have been likened by our clients in this way, “It’s like going from a dial-up connection to high speed connections on the Internet.”  

#Little Giant Steps’# intervention methods are totally natural, no drug therapy needed, allows the areas of dysfunction and deficiency to heal or change and develop into what God had originally intended.  When a child, teen or adult reaches their appropriate level of function or grade level, the individual graduates from the program. The assist (completed development) that was needed to get the “connections” functioning properly has set the course for even more complete and total developmentally functioning brain and body are in order, as was designed by the Master of Creation.

Please see part of the thousands of children we’ve helped to become whole and reach their full God-given potential by viewing the results of our testing them on Math, Word Recognition and Comprehension.  All programs are done at ones convenience at home with parents, siblings, or (if a family prefers) with a tutor trained by Little Giant Steps.  We’ve made the whole process easy, convenient, and while you may be busy for a time, there comes a time when you’ll see your child (or maybe yourself) making progress in academics, coordination, behavior, conceptual abilities, and most important ~ you’ll see an individual who has mastered his or her abilities and now approaches the world with a healthy curiosity, and confidence to seek and enjoy the many mysteries of life and learning.  The need to disguise, mis-direct, act out, or create distractions are no longer needed. The coping and compensating that drains energy disappears. Life does not need a mask any longer.  And, as one little boy who was on program for the #symptoms of dyslexia# told his father, “Dad, I don’t have dyslexia anymore.  I’m over it!”  Now, the whole family has a new outlook on life, as what he said was true.  He no longer is required to struggle. In fact, he’s functioning above grade level! He is functioning with neuro-efficiency!  His mind and body were now working in unison, the way God intended.  It’s all a matter of  fixing developmental function for those at Little Giant Steps, and it’s the best life-long answer!

P.S. Please check out our Professional Programs and our At-Home Programs : “#Developmental Foundations# or pre-school: “#Early Learning Foundations#” . If math is the problem, see “#Rapid Recall System#” ~ you may what to check out the research done in public & private schools on this one! It’s amazing!  OH!  I almost forgot those of us over 18:  #Memory & Motion #.  God bless!

A New Way To Prepare For Learning

At Little Giant Steps learning is be made easy! How?  By utilizing the most up-to-date technology where learning is concerned.  Where does learning really happen?  In the brain.  If a child has a disorganized brain, which unfortunately, so many of our children today have due to the lack of getting the proper (required) neuro-stimulation in their early months of life.  Why is this the case? Because, instead of babies being on their tummies during their waking hours, parents put them upright in seats where they have no way of feeling resistance to their environment and the fact is, all of the developing neuro-pathways that come about from the stimulation from being on their tummies are left in a state of incompleteness.  Therefore, the brain and the body’s lightening fast highways never get constructed in the degree that allows for efficient processing of information.  Babies must go through steps of development.  It’s a requirement.  They must have the opportunity to feel the sensations (rough, smooth, cold, warm), resistance, responses to their reflex actions, [which is how the brain is mapped] that can only come from having their whole body on the floor where they have to raise their head (neuro-muscular, sight, and sound), rock their bodies (proprioception ~ knowing where you are in space ~ too close, too far, etc.), digging their toes and hands into the hard surface of the floor where they push, pull, rock and roll (balance, coordination, beginning of locomotion coordination).  For more information on Teaching Babies, please read this article.

Symptoms of Dysfunction Tell Us Where the Root Cause of the Problem Lies.

For each learning problem there is a root cause that can be identified and remedied. When the brain and body are communicating efficiently then sensory input is improved and the learning process can become a joy. Learning Disabilities has become an epidemic in the United States.

Labels like Dyslexia, ADD/ ADHD, PDD (Developmental Delays), and Autism are hampering more and more schools from teaching effectively, and children receiving the academic success they deserve. These labels have invaded the lives of children and their families and have forever changed the landscape of education. Has the joy of learning been diminished? Yes, it has without a doubt. The professionals at Little Giant Steps are trained to utilize the Neurodevelopmental Approach and have had many years of success in making learning fun again! Little Giant Steps addresses these “symptoms” by using a two-fold assessment. First, using a battery of educational tests, a baseline for math, reading and comprehension is established. Next, a developmental evaluation where nine levels of development in six areas of function are assessed. This information gives the Neuro-Educational Specialist the basis for writing an individualized program. The program will address the root causes. The one common element in all learning issues, from our point of view, has to do with sensory dysfunction. Built into the brain is the element of neuroplasticity which is the natural ability of the brain to repair those areas that are deficient, incomplete, or damaged.We firmly believe that we can make a difference in the lives of our clients because we’ve seen it over and over again. Learning can truly be made a joyful experience that will last a lifetime.

Educate yourself about how you can make a significant difference in your child’s life, and see him flourish in school. Help him to become the whole person God intended, a person who can reach their fullest God-given potential!

A White Paper You Need to Read

#Little Giant Steps’ #founder, Jan Bedell, M.Ed, M.ND (Master Neuro-Educational Specialist) boldly declares a statement of truth that can ignite a revolution against old school ideas and can set a young generation free from dyslexia. Jan produced a “White Paper: #Dyslexia#, The Neurodevelopmental Approach” when completing her masters degree. In 2009 she created  “Dyslexia ~ A Workshop For Parents” to help parents understand what can be done to eliminate the symptoms of dyslexia. It can be downloaded immediately.

Parents Can Be Equipped To Help #Dyslexia Be Eliminated#

Hear from a mother who knows how the truth has set her son free. The Neuro-Educational Programs available through Little Giant Steps has many success stories from real families who know the truth. Knowing the truth about the root causes of dyslexia can empower parents and teachers to blaze a trail through traditional mindsets and perhaps stop an epidemic of learning disabilities that currently claims the lives of one in five children. Does anyone care about these disheartened children? Will anyone help their struggling families? Is anyone brave enough to champion a life-saving effort?  Jan Bedell, mother of a mentally challenged young adult, has sacrificially labored for two decades to work with dyslexic children utilizing The Neurodevelopmental Approach  and has successfully addressed root causes of dyslexia. She has set them free from debilitating symptoms by using brain-based, scientifically proven methods that she makes available to parents, teachers, and tutors. Dyslexia is no longer a life sentence. There is hope! It’s up to you to change the course of your child’s life encounter with his full God-given potential and release him/her from the symptoms of this disabling learning issue: Dyslexia.

Jan Bedell is helping families. Jan Bedell has produced a scholarly piece as a way to introduce new information and evidence about dyslexia.  She’s prepared an article entitled, “Dyslexia: The Neurodevelopmental Approach” ~ a shortened version of the research paper.  If you wish to see the entire paper, please email cj@littlegiantsteps.com with Dylexia Paper in the subject line and I’ll send it all to you.  Thousands of families have been helped and are deeply grateful for your neurodevelopmental solutions.