It’s always good to see celebrities using their fame to help people. Learning Breakthrough salutes British star Kara Tointon for going public about her Dyslexia. Kara Tointon’s BBC Documentary, “Kara Tointon: Don’t Call Me Stupid” will help people overcome the stigmatization and seek treatments that can and do help adults with dyslexia.

From the BBC.UK site:

Actress and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Kara Tointon has battled with dyslexia all her life and longs to be able to read a book from cover to cover.

You can see how Kara tries to overcome the condition in Kara Tointon: Don’t Call Me Stupid on Thursday 11 November at 2100 GMT on BBC Three. The programme will also be available on the BBC iPlayer.

via BBC News – Kara Tointon’s struggle with dyslexia.

 

Our clients are frequently telling us that overcoming the stigma is one of the hardest things about seeking treatment for dyslexia.  This documentary will help thousands of people by shedding light on the dyslexia challenge.

Guest Blogger

I am asked regularly about my association with certain “alternative” approaches to learning disabilities. I was recently talking about vision therapy with a New York Times reporter who was asking me about skepticism observed in the medical profession regarding the topic. I told her I believe it is important to keep an open mind when it comes to alternative treatments.  Most of these programs do not have the funds to undertake the multi-million dollar prospective studies that are needed to conclusively test these programs.  Nonetheless, many of them, like Learning Breakthrough, have merit and have helped people a great deal.

I offer Learning Breakthrough in my offices as a powerful, approachable and inexpensive treatment that complements our other therapies wonderfully.  I have found it valuable for clients with ADHD as well as dyslexia and other learning differences.  It is not purely vision therapy, but rather an “integrative therapy” that makes use of several different brain systems.  It is designed to get the brain working as an efficient, tight-knit system. Many of the clients who have completed the program have reported such improvements as a reduced or eliminated need for medication; better academic performance; increased organization skills; and heightened executive functioning. I hope you will read into the detailed background information posted on the Learning Breakthrough website to get a better feel for what I’m talking about.

• Sensory-motor Theory

• Neuroplasticity – Sensory Processing

With respect to vision therapy, I told the reporter I believe there is something to it. What the “something” is – is up for grabs, but we are learning more and more about how the vestibular system, visual system and auditory system can all be made to work better together and  improve the treatment of attention deficit, dyslexia and other learning differences.  My own son’s reading problem was helped by his doing vision and vestibular exercises based on the same methods Learning Breakthrough uses which is how I came to gain an appreciation for this particular “alternative” treatment.  This is not hocus-pocus.  The fact that medication is the best researched intervention is due to the fact that the drug companies are the only groups with enough money to fund such expensive research. I referred the reporter, and I would refer you, to the work of Dr. Mel Kaplan, an optometrist in Tarrytown, NY who is, in my estimation, a genius and a true innovator in the field.

But note, developmental optometrists are not the only professionals that understand and apply Learning Breakthrough’s ideas. Occupational therapists, physical and speech therapists, audiologists, education specialists, and physicians have all seen client improvements along the lines of those that I’ve seen.

I tell my patients that I want to use whatever works, as long as it is safe and legal. If we wait for a New England Journal of Medicine article to report on the validation of every treatment, we’ll be waiting a long time. To me, the integrative approach–making use of all the possible tools I have in the toolbox–is the best way to go.

All the best, Ned Hallowell

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MARRIED TO DISTRACTION
Announcing the publication of Dr. Hallowell’s new book, Married to Distraction: Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption. See a preview now! It hits the bookstores March 16, and is available to be ordered on Amazon and other online stores now.

Thrilled to say that after a few module choices, we finally put some updated and compelling testimonials (in several sections) onto the site here: Dyslexia, Autism and Attention Deficit Testimonials.

The range of learning challenges that LBP has helped with over the years is fairly, if not completely, represented with this batch of testimonials. We also have easily identifiable, tabbed categories including an area for adults and seniors as well as one for professional developmental therapists and doctors. The new testimonials include comments on Aspergers Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Verbal Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit, reading challenges, athletics and coordination, handwriting, balance, focus, homework efficiency, adult ADHD improvements, Sensory Integration Disorder successes and others.

Take a look and by all mean share your story with us. For more information on the testimonials you see please email us.

Thanks as always for not keeping Learning Breakthrough a secret.