We have chosen to put Amir on the Sensory Stimulation programme, Brain-Net at the Alison Centre in the U.K. This programme is based on a concept dating back to the 1930’s developed by Dr. Temple Fay, a neurosurgeon.
This is a programme whereby the hurt child must be given the opportunity to begin to learn about balance, co-ordination and mobility – to give the hurt child an opportunity of retraining their own central nervous systems.
Dr. Fay discovered that all children develop along identical lines and children complete several specific stages on their journey to functional maturity. Responsibility for each stage lies with a different level of the brain and if any one of these levels is damaged then the functions associated with this level are impaired and any further progress will be inhibited. Thus the principal behind the sensory/motor stimulation programme is to provide fresh stimuli to whichever brain level that maybe impaired to encourage functional improvements.
The programme is based on the fact that our brains have an enormous built-in redundancy factor and few of us use more than 10% of our brain capacity. The stimulation programme aims to utilize some of the dormant neurons; in effect to teach them how to perform the functions of those millions of neurons that have been destroyed and to provide the hurt child with a real future.
To encourage functional improvements of the brain, the child must be given 5 types of stimuli: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. In order to increase central nervous system transmission, the stimulus must be increased in terms of its frequency, intensity and duration. This simply means that one has to stimulate the child often enough (frequency) the stimuli must be strong enough (intensity) and it must be done for a long enough period of time (duration). A comprehensive list of stimulation exercises is carried out to develop 6 main functions in the child: visual, auditory, tactile, mobility, language and manual competence. In addition to developing the 6 main functions mentioned, the programme also attempts to enhance the physical environment of the brain to encourage better neurological organisation.
Amir has been on this programme for two years and has made tremendous progress. Under the guidance of the Brain-Net Team, I know this home programme will continue to enhance Amir’s development.
Fezia, Amir's mom