I am going to be reviewing and hosting a giveaway of the next book in Dr. Robert Melillo's series - Reconnected Kids, but when I read that book, I found myself drawn to questions best answered by going back to the original source, his first book, Disconnected Kids, so, in logical form, I present the review of Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders
first!From the Publisher:
Each year, an estimated 1.5 million children are diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. But even as rates rise, diagnosis and treatment have not changed in 50 years. Since psychiatric drugs, given to more than 20% of elementary school children today, don’t cure them, doctors tell parents these dysfunctions will never disappear.Enter Dr. Robert Melillo and his new understanding of the causes of these disorders: a disconnection between the left and right sides of the developing brain. His revolutionary Brain Balance™ program has achieved documented results, dramatically improving children’s and families’ quality of life. Since 1998, nearly 1,000 children have completed the Brain Balance™ program with remarkable success—behavioral, emotional, academic, and social. Written in an accessible style, Disconnected Kids shows parents how to use this drug- free approach at home, with customizable exercises for physical, sensory, and academic performance, advice for behavior modification, information on foods to avoid, and a follow-up program for lasting results.
My Review:
I have to say that what Dr. Melillo suggests may very well be true for Liam - that there is a disconnect between his brain and his body, which causes him to be sensory seeking and at the same time, overwhelmed by the signals that his body is sending to the brain. Because Liam is still not as communicative as his peers, some of the assessment tools that Dr. Melillo suggests would be very difficult for him to do, but none of the activities are truly out of the ordinary - they include basic stretching, games involving the senses and body awareness. I think that this program is easier to implement for children who are able to give consistent feedback and follow directions better, but I want to share it with his therapists and see how we can include some of the ideas in his program, both formally and informally. I don't necessarily agree that this is a cure for all kids on the spectrum, but I can see how the exercises might help them to get more connected.
One of the things that struck me is how Dr Melillo believes that ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and a host of other neurological disorders are interconnected and manifestations of the same issue - a brain/body disconnect, and I wonder how much of this is true...
Has anyone else tried the regime from Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders
? I'd love to get your feedback.
