|
 We've seen small steady changes, which is
all that we really ever hoped for. We weren't expecting miracles. You don't
exactly know what the kicker is that gets him motivated whether it's the Oxygen
treatment or the Conductive Education or a combination of both but it's been
successful for us. Once we started working with the Conductor, it was life
changing for us because it got us into the right frame of mind. It answers our
questions to say that we know where we want Jacob to go. How do we get Jacob
there? Conductive Education is the answer to that question for us.
Jacob's a very social child and he enjoys the other kids being
around him. I think it helps to motivate him. Sometimes he laughs when they
cry, and sometimes he joins in with the crying but he's working hard and making
steady progress and that’s what we were hoping to see. He was walking
some. His head control has dramatically improved and I guess that’s the
biggest thing that we've seen. The exercises we were shown to do, is only going
to continue that, and we hope that will be the next big step for us.
We're very satisfied with the camp as a whole. The accommodations
are very adequate. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents to
compare notes and to say this is what we've tried and to find out what somebody
else has tried and you can't get that information anywhere else. You can't get
it from the medical community and you certainly aren't going to get it if you
don't get around to other families. One of the highlights of the trip is the
meeting other people, making friends, or swapping e-mail addresses and be able
to continue that transfer of information. It's been a wonderful trip for us.
We've really enjoyed it and we've even had good weather the whole time.
The group setting has been good on both sides because not only
have we made friends with other parents and other children, but Jacob has too.
It's a great motivator. We walk with Jacob down the hallway and we've had as
many as four other families in the hallway saying , “Go Jacob Go!
” and cheering him on and that’s
wonderful. We can't get that at home. It's the same thing with the classroom
setting, because we can carry Conductive Education on in our house but you
can't get a classroom setting. It's been a wonderful experience to see that.
How much has this helped vs. what we're doing now. It kind of answers questions
as to how we want to go in the future.
 One of
the things that we have come to realize is that it appears to be all over North
America, but I can certainly say for the United States, that our system has
evolved into a very caring, compassionate system for taking care of kids with
special needs. That is not always what the kids need. In fact, on most
occasions this is not what the kids need! Conductors have shown us that the
kids with special needs can be treated just the same way typical kids can be
treated. The difference is that it takes them a little bit longer to learn it,
you have to make a different path to learn it, but they can do it! But if you
coddle them and stick them in a wheelchair, then that’s what you're going
to get. If you don't put them in the right position to where they can learn how
to do anything from putting their socks on and off, to feeding themselves, to
walking, they're not going to learn it, sitting in a wheelchair. Conductive
Education has helped us get rid of the wheelchair and it’s a major goal
for us and for Jacob
I wish that we had started Conductive Education when Jacob was 6
months old instead of when he was 6 years old. That was the biggest change that
we found since we’d gotten involved with Conductive Education. I just wish
we had started it earlier. It puts you on the right path, as far as I’m
concerned. It’s a path that’s going to get you to where you want to
go faster, if you want independence for your child and I think that’s what
all parents of kids with special needs are looking for. Sometimes it’s
tough decisions and the Conductors make the kids work but…it’s just
like any kids, if you have a typical kid with homework and they come in and
they’re tired, and they say, “Dad I don’t want to do my homework
tonight” you’re not going to sit there and say “Come here and
sit in my lap and I’ll rock you to sleep”. You say “I’m
sorry, you’ve got to do your homework” and this is the same thing
you’ve got to do with kids with special needs. They’ve got to do
their homework. You’ve got to be their primary therapist and you've got to
work them and get them doing the things they need to do, and Conductive
Education shows you how to do that. We couldn't be happier getting on a track
of Conductive Education. It's been the best change for us since we've had Jacob
and so it's great and I would heartily advise it for anyone just wanting
independence for their child.
For more information and to receive a Free DVD call
Kevin (Director) at 1-800-442-6992 or email kevin@abilitycamp.com |
