1) We look at the whole child:

We believe that it is necessary to address all the needs of the child and not to just focus on his or her main disability. Children on the Autistic Spectrum, children with Cerebral Palsy and children with Downs or other syndromes often improve dramatically with a change in diet.
Children with Cerebral Palsy may have intellectual as well as physical problems.
Children with various syndromes may have physical or co-ordination problems in addition to difficulties in understanding and speech.
Even children who are attending school but have minor learning difficulties often have underlying physical co-ordination and /or health problems.

All these need to be addressed if the child is to develop to his or her fullest potential.

2) Children progress best when they are successful:

It is all too easy to be worried about what a child cannot yet do.
However, we have found that if we can encourage a child to improve on what he/she can already do, it helps to give the child the confidence to attempt more challenging tasks.

3) Parents can make excellent therapists for their own child:

In all the countries that we visit, there are many excellent therapists. Unfortunately, there are just not enough of them. In addition to this, a significant number of our children need more than one type of therapy. If they are to receive adequate therapy daily, they might have to travel great distances daily to visit each different therapist. If the parents or carers are taught the multi disciplinary therapy suitable for their child, then he or she would be more likely to receive the therapy regularly.

We have been teaching parents of children with a wide range of neurological problems for over 25 years. In our opinion, parents know and understand their child best and make superb dedicated therapists for their own child.

The ladder teaches the skills necessary for walking

Our main Centre is in St. Briavels, on the border of England and Wales. However, we have regular clinics in France, Ireland, Lebanon, Norway, Jersey and South Africa.
Parents and carers who decide to follow our home therapy programme attend an Initial Training Session. This takes place over three days:

• During the first day, a full history is taken of the child, both pre and post birth. The child is then assessed to find out exactly what he or she can do. The child is measured and finally, our assessment of their child is discussed with the parents.
• On the second day of our Initial Training Session, the parents attend a day of lectures where they are taught why we believe it is possible to improve the abilities of most children using a multi-sensory stimulation programme of therapy.
• On the third day, the parents and carers are taught a programme of therapy to help their child develop intellectually and physically. The importance of good nutrition is stressed.

The parents then return home and follow our therapy each day for 3-4 months before returning for a two day reassessment. The therapy programme is then adjusted to reflect the changes that have been noted at the reassessment.
Parents are encouraged to keep in close contact with us, by letter, phone or e-mail. They are requested to send an Interim Report on their child’s progress between the Initial Training Session and the first reassessment..

It is now generally agreed that the sequence of development is the same for all children, though the rate of development varies with each child. We believe, along with many other researchers and therapists, that if a child omits any step in this sequence, this can affect his or her intellectual and physical development.

Our goal therefore, is to help every child go through the normal sequence of development.

Crossing the midline can be taught in many different ways...

All babies are born with a number of Primitive Reflexes which are designed to ensure their survival. After about 6 months, these primitive reflexes should be replaced by the more sophisticated Postural Reflexes. In some children, this does not happen as it should and consequently, these children may experience learning difficulties, poor concentration and even poor co-ordination, despite obvious intelligence. Fortunately, as a result of the work of many researchers, most notably Peter and Sally Blythe of INPP, Chester, these reflexes can be tested for and, if they remain, can be remediated and allowed to mature using simple but very specific exercises. This, in turn, can improve the child’s reading and writing abilities, concentration and co-ordination.

the wobble board teaches children
about balance and coordination

We believe that most children who are not functioning at the level of their peers can benefit from our multi-sensory stimulation programme of therapy. These include:

• Children with a wide range of syndromes, including Downs Syndrome, Fragile X, Rubinstein Taybi and many others.
• Children on the Autistic Spectrum
• Children with Cerebral Palsy and other kinds of brain injury or damage
• Children who have had accidents of various sorts.
• Children who have difficulty reading, writing, or any other school subjects, with concentration or with the co-ordination necessary to play ball games or do PE at school. These children often benefit greatly from a Reflex Maturation Programme..