PeterPan Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Has anyone actually DONE this??? I've seen it mentioned a lot, but I wasn't sure if that was in the theoretical or the done this category. And if you did it, what were your results over the long-term? I'm looking at the sample videos on their website, and as much as I WANTED to be impressed, I'm not sure I am. Seems like some of those things we could do in other ways and be just as good, with just a dab of creativity here. No rocket science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolanda in Mass Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 My son, for whom it was recommended by his doctor, is researching it. I started doing a little research on it as well, mainly through an ADD forum. Been kinda' busy to give it a serious look, however. The price quoted to us by the doc was $2k. Is that what you've been quoted? Any chance for partial insurance coverage? Yolanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 It was recommended for my 9 yo. We were quoted $1500 at our local university. One of my questions was whether the results would likely be sufficient to negate the need for ADHD meds, and the answer was no. We elected to do Interactive Metronome instead because it was covered by insurance as part of my dd's OT. I think there is a pretty good research base for cogmed, but it's only going to lessen symptoms as opposed to curing or fully remediating anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 Yllek, that's exactly why I'm asking!!! I looked at the video demos of Cogmed, and it looks like things you might be able to replicate at home, with real objects. That's interesting how many areas the working memory was affecting in your ds. I think the VT had dd doing digit span stuff on the computer. Cogmed does add some twists with crossing auditory and visual, distractions, etc. Still it seems to me this OUGHT to be something we could replicate at home. And now that I hear how much it is costing, it totally seems that way to me. I mean mercy, a 20 percent increase on a digit span of 5 would only be *1* digit! Surely I could get 1 digit of increase doing ANYthing at home, kwim? That just doesn't seem reasonable to me. Well interesting. Since I'm clearly not nuts, I'll now start to see what I can find, hehe... I like your observation that working memory affects how many words they can hold in their heads for dictation. That's a frequent issue on the boards. Gotta think about that. See cogmed attacks both auditory and visual working memory, does it backwards and forwards, and really mixes it up. I'd want to make sure we were attacking it thoroughly, if that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 Ok, since we're talking about this, anybody know anything about BrainTrain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 (edited) Ok, what about neurofeedback technologies? I'm finding several programs that use those and claim to work on working memory or the executive portion of the brain. Edited December 24, 2010 by OhElizabeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I looked into this when dd5 was still completely mute and approaching her fourth birthday. In other words, I was starting to think fate had dealt me a child who would have lifelong impairments and was starting to clutch at straws. I had a friend who tried interactive metronome with an autistic child comorbid dyspraxia. She felt it worked, but after a week of no therapy during a holiday she felt they were back to square one prior to commencing therapy six months earlier. I believe she uses it as a backup now when they are going through a particularly rough patch, but it's time intensive and has nom lasting effect. I ended up going with an ABA style approach, though not quite that intense as I couldn't afford it. Dd5 was severe though, but is fine at now after intervention. Ds9 only got public therapy once every two weeks for half an hour, and it wasn't appropriate as he wasn't diagnosed with dyspraxia till 7. They are both fine now, but it took a lot of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I forgot to say not to assume working memory is an issue in a dyspraxic kid. Ds9 can remember accurately how stains got on clothes that we pull out o put on ds2. Due to the delayed diagnosis, I had put this kid through just about every available test trying to find out what was going on. His memory is phenomenal. Dd8 is even better (no dyspraxia) but dd5, well, I guess she can remember her name. I guess I'm just trying to say not all dyspraxic kids would benefit from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 No, the IM would be for dd, who does not have verbal apraxia. But that's an interesting connection! I have definitely heard stories of IM not sticking, and that from purveyors of it. But I also made the connection that these people had not done OT first. There's some discussion that OT creates a neurological foundation for the IM (or anything else) to stick. I really don't know. In any case, I appreciate hearing your story! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 The mother and ds I referred to had ot from age 2 ongoing to now (9). The IM was at about five or six, I think. As I said, I haven't tried it. If it isn't with dyspraxia, it is probably outside my experience at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Wow, that's amazing. That's the thing that gets me about OT. I don't feel like I'm getting $100 of benefit when I plunk out for an hour. Speech I do, and VT I did. But not OT. I've been thinking we might do some rhythm things at home. I even saw a dramatic difference in dd's remembering to do chores and things just with VT. They said this was common, because they were doing activities that crossed over into working the executive side of the brain. To me this means there are more ways than one to work on executive function, working memory, etc. I even found some apps for the ipod touch that would work on working memory and executive function! So things are definitely changing. I'm just not sure these expensive therapies are the only way to get there. I need to find more options. For now, this moment, I'm putting my money into more REAL things and less therapy. I have some neat stuff I want to buy from Timberdoodle to work on visual perception, that type thing. If I could find some activities integrating metronome, rhythm, and whatnot, that would be awesome. Less mom-driven, more gamelike would be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) I personally have only had my kids in ot for a year. In Australia you can go to your gp and get up to 18 funded ot visits In a year. We paid for three hours each week. The theory we working on was that if we got other skills as strong as possible, that would take pressure off other areas to allow the kids to focus on speech. I'm not sure if it helped In that way, but she was also helpful in working on handwriting with the older two, and dd5 went from 5th percentile to 85th percentile with fine motor (not sure how this actually benefits her). More importantly, dd8 got therapy which meant that the issues with her being 'normal' and 'not needing therapy' improved. Unproven things I've tried: fish oil. I swear by it. I'm sure that I notice a difference. High doses b complex vitamins I'm sure only made their wee go yellow. The low point was trying, in desperation, mega b12 shots. That didn't help at all, and the kids were unimpressed. I guess I was feeling rather desperate then. I found the final year early childhood teaching student who would so creative play for hours, developing and extending the play was more worthwhile than anything else. She was also trained up by the OT, and speech therapist, and did the courses in cued articulation and spading methods. In other words, she was paid to play with kids a few days a week, integrating everything. As I was juggling a newborn, two dyspraxics and schooling, it was wonderful and the best thing I've spent money off (it worked, and it reduced stress). Edited January 6, 2011 by GypsieFamily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Gypsie, I didn't realize you are in Australia. How interesting! I love your idea of the teaching student working with the kids and pulling together so many skills and methodologies. It's good practice for her and fabulous for you! I'll have to watch to see if anything like that would ever come my way. If I found it, I'd definitely pounce! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Just wanted to add, that acquiring therapeutic games and tools was a priority of ours. It's funny that this year living in a caravan we have only room for duplo, Lego art and craft, the kindles and iPods for each child. I was worried about leaving these things I'd acquired. Well, now they have to find things to play with and it's really lovely to see the way leaves, sticks, stones, flowers etc get used to build things. I was so worried about doing therapy and so speech-focused, and doing excursions to zoos and museums, extracurriculars, play dates, hs group etc. Now with traveling we have time to do much more free play, and i haven't noticed any deterioration. I have times that I think it would be nice to have the ot to teach dd5 to write (I don't like that one), or deal with new issues. Or the speech therapist to work with ds2. But really I'm able to do that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 That's a really good point! If I were to have another dc (no guarantees given my previous 10 year gap), and if the dc were to be apraxic, at least I already know these things and how to help him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Yes, the hardest part is getting the diagnosis. Once you have learnt what to do, it gets easier. The speech therapist always said that what we did at home was more important than what she did once a week. By number three, it gets easier. But as I said, three dyspraxics is enough for me. I would have loved more, but it is too much time away from the other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Well I have to say, you've given me a little more courage on this whole birthing issue. Truly, I was starting to feel like it was a don't-birth-more-kids, you-don't-deserve-them curse. It's totally weird because we LOVE our little boy and are immensely happy with him. You just sort of wonder if you ought to, or if it's some kind of sign. Yet he doesn't mind his existence or problems. He has such a happiness and zest for life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Ds9 was always so happy and indifferent to his issues. The only time it bothered him was the 6 mi this we sent him to school before considering and starting home Ed. The kids excluded and bullied him. The teacher was worse, she assumed stupidity and woukdnt challenge him. She looked for deeper issues, as this was before we had the diagnosis. Dd was only upset for a little while at 3 and 4 because dd8 babies her excessively and she wanted to be a big girl. No malice, but a lit of conflict. I went through that birthing attitude when I was pregnant with ds2. Dd5 and ds9 were taking up so much time, and energy, and dd8 was getting so little, that we decided no more (vasectomy) because I was sure I couldnt cope. Now ds9 and dd5 are ok I regret that decision, but oh well. Thanks for mentioning the CDs. I talked to dh and his attitude was that it was very cheap compared to other therapies. So, I'm going to get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 I'll be interested to hear how you like them! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I'll let you know :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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