Overcoming Autism in Hawaii – A Story of Hope
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Overcoming Autism in Hawaii: Transformation of a child and a family.
I was curious to learn from well known brain trainer Susi Sorensen about the results she has seen with Hawaii children with autism. The more I learn about autism in Hawaii I learn that more families are affected by this condition. It is not only difficult for the child but a great challenge for the whole ohana.
Webwise: Susi can you tell me about a client with autism.
Susi: Yes, this family with a young child came to Learn2Focus as a referral from a local Hawaii doctor with a diagnosis of autism.
When he first arrived he was like a Tasmanian devil whirling around the room, down the stairs out the door with screaming tantrums ,throwing himself on the floor…it was not pretty!
Webwise: Wow! Have had other clients like this?
Susi: Yes, I had an almost identical case 3 years ago and that boy is now considered neurotypical (meaning normal brain function – normal kid -actually functioning above normal ahead of his class).
Webwise: Ok so what did you do?
Susi: We knew that Interactive Metronome, the brain training program Learn2Focus pioneered in Hawaii, was the right fit for him.
He was unable to even undergo the normal screening. So we jumped right into the training.
IM uses specific physical motions coordinated with a steady metronome beat to train the brains pathways toward its natural rhythms and normal functions.
He couldn’t do any of these on his own to begin with so I would move him through the prescribed motions that research has shown to be effective. In a short time he learned to do them by himself.
I was then able to add cognitive tasks such as a hands on concentration type game, and visual processing and discrimination activities.
He responded very well and by the 4th session he was doing a lot of the program by himself
By end of the first month his mother was able to ask him about school and for the first time he could answer.
Webwise: What was the next turning point?
Susi: Their was a dramatic decrease in tantrums in our sessions , at school and at home.
At the end of a few months one of the parents told me with a big smile “His teacher is reporting that the boy is now a completely different child”
He is clearly on his way to recovery.
I have had similar dramatic results with several other children who are on the autism spectrum and each time is incredibly rewarding to me and beneficial to the child and their entire ohana.
Learn2Focus provides Interactive Metronome in our Honolulu training center as well as our new IM-Home program that empowers families anywhere in Hawaii to use this powerful technology at home under the guidance of Susi Sorensen.
