We are Helen and Mike Downey. We originally
trained as veterinary surgeons in South
Africa.
However in 1969
our second son, Aidan, was born with Rubinstein
Tabyi Syndrome. Our search for answers
to his many problems led us first to the
United Kingdom and eventually to the United
States. In the United States, it was explained
to us that Aidan’s intellectual,
physical and physiological problems were
all related and that to improve his abilities,
we needed to work on all these areas.
We were given a multisensory stimulation
programme of therapy which we had to carry
out daily. Within a few months Aidan’s
understanding and co-ordination had improved
dramatically as well as his chewing and
health. We were so impressed that we sold
our veterinary practice in Wales and went
to study neurodevelopmental rehabilitation
in Philadelphia.
We returned to
the United Kingdom in 1979 and together
with a colleague, Anne Halsted, who had
had a similar experience as us with her
daughter Catherine and who was also trained
in Philadelphia, we created the St Briavels
Centre for Child Development.
During the following
years, we saw some 1500 children with
a wide range of disabilities from over
30 countries. However in April 2003 we
left the St Briavels Centre to allow us
more freedom to develop areas of particular
interest to us.
Thus
Brain
Solutions was formed.
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