Josh’s Brain Balance Therapy

We are believing for Josh to continue receiving therapy through The Brain Balence Center. We believe it is a crucial step in the process of him overcoming autism. He was diagnosed with PDD-NOS at 3 years of age, and later given an autism diagnoses. He has completed one installment (3 month/36 sessions) of the program, and we have seen a lot of progress! In July, he was granted a scholarship by the center for an additional month due to his hard work and our family's strong commitment to the program. His latest assessment revealed that he needs to continue the program for a second installment (3 months/36 sessions).

Of his eight primitive reflexes 2 were released (yea!), 1 is mild, and 5 are severe. He has established a left dominance profile which is great! Before Brain Balance, his dominance was not certain. He showed marked improvements in several areas: he went from 17% to 32% increase in perception; 22% to 38% increase in processing; 17% to 37% increase in spatial awareness; and 21% to 80% increase in sensory motor skills. We are working toward 100% increase in every area. He is 3-4 grade levels behind in spelling/reading concepts, and 7-8 grade levels behind in math concepts. Oral expression is K3 level, which is an improvement from PreK0 where he was three months ago. It is working! We praise God for that! These results are a clear indication that we must continue down this path. The therapy provides a wholistic approach equipping him, and us with the tools needed to overcome in these areas. As we continue building Josh's functional levels towards the 100% goal, the more he will be able to develop cognitive skills and appropriate behavior.

The cost of the recommended program was initially $16,550 covering 3 installments (9 months/108 sessions) of therapy. We are happy to report that the first four months have been paid in full because of the generous support of our friends and family! So far we have been able to save over $3,122 off the initial cost! This fund raiser will help us with the second installment (3 months/36 sessions). When the second installment is completed, Josh will be be retested, and we will determine how to move forward from there. Each therapy session is 1 hour and he would receive 3 per week. Over the years, we have seen much progress and many miracles following God's leading into therapies such as, physical, occupational and speech as insurance, and personal finances allowed. We believe this is the next step in his journey, but we cannot do it alone. It is not considered "medical" by our insurance because it is based on the science of neuroplasticiity, an exciting "new" science in the field of Neurology. However, this program has been implemented for the past ten years, and is having great success in the lives of many children on the autism spectrum. Dr. Robert Melillo is the neuroscientist who developed the program. You can google him to see his credentials, and learn more about the Brain Balence Center.

We would like to express our gratitude to all who have given towards this project. Every gift is so precious to us and means the world to our family! Your kindness has truly been God's hand extended towards us. We pray that blessings come back to you 100 fold! We would also like to thank everyone that has prayed for our family on this journey. "Every successful endeavor begins with prayer." - Pastor Terri Pearsons.

The following information is about PDD-NOS from the Brain Balance website:

PDD-NOS is a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum that is often referred to as atypical autism. A child who receives a diagnosis of PDD-NOS usually falls into one of the following categories: The child is high functioning, but is experiencing cognitive issues and/or language delay that would prevent an Asperger diagnosis. The child has many symptoms of autism, but fewer perseverative behaviors than an autism diagnosis requires.

Symptoms may include: Unresponsive to name by 12 months of age; Does not point at objects to show interest by 14 months; Does not play “pretend” games by 18 months; Avoids eye contact and wants to be alone; Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings; Has delayed speech and language skills; Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia); Gives unrelated answers to questions; Gets upset by minor changes; Has obsessive interests; Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins in circles; Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel.

Research results published in the Oxford Journal Cerebral Cortex show that study participants with autism spectrum disorders have decreased inter-hemispheric connectivity in brain regions responsible for regulating behaviors associated with the disorder. This connectivity issue is called functional disconnection syndrome, an imbalance in hemispheric brain communication that is at the root of learning and developmental issues. Since the right hemisphere of the brain regulates creativity, non-verbal learning, communication, attention, and socially appropriate behavior, a child with decreased right-brain activity may have trouble reading body language, regulating repetitive behaviors, and maintaining eye contact, attention, and mood. The Brain Balance Program combines individually customized sensory motor and neuro-academic activities that are designed to improve right-brain connectivity leading to a reduction or elimination of behavioral symptoms. In addition, our nutritional guidelines are supported by recent research that stresses the importance of a healthy diet in decreasing symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.

Help and Hope for PDD-NOS

Neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to improve and change throughout a person’s lifetime, is fundamental to the Brain Balance Program. Our drug-free, integrated approach brings parents and kids together to achieve a common goal of improving symptoms of PDD-NOS so they may reach their full potential.