New Brain Fitness Device Help Children with Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are real. A person can be of average or above-average intelligence, not have any major sensory problems (like blindness or hearing impairment), and yet struggle to keep up with people of the same age in learning and regular functioning. A learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. The term learning disability is used to describe the seemingly unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills. These skills are essential for success at school and work, and for coping with life in general. LD is not a single disorder. It is a term that refers to a group of disorders. Currently, almost 2.9 million school-aged children in the US are classified as having specific learning disabilities (SLD) and receive some kind of special education support. They are approximately 5% of all school-aged children in public schools. These numbers do not include children in private and religious schools or home-schooled children.

July 16, 2004 -- Research Documents Breakthrough At Home Brain Fitness Program Provides Help To Children With Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorders Without the Use of Narcotics.

Learning disabilities are real. A person can be of average or above-average intelligence, not have any major sensory problems (like blindness or hearing impairment), and yet struggle to keep up with people of the same age in learning and regular functioning. A learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. The term learning disability is used to describe the seemingly unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills. These skills are essential for success at school and work, and for coping with life in general. LD is not a single disorder. It is a term that refers to a group of disorders. Currently, almost 2.9 million school-aged children in the US are classified as having specific learning disabilities (SLD) and receive some kind of special education support. They are approximately 5% of all school-aged children in public schools. These numbers do not include children in private and religious schools or home-schooled children.

The Learning Breakthrough Program is a balance and sensory activity program designed to help better organize brain processing. The program entails a child watching a DVD or VHS which takes him or her through tasks such as throwing beanbags, tossing balls at a bounce back target while standing on a unique balance board or tapping a hanging ball. The program comes complete with all equipment needed and a step-by step instruction manual. The program is suitable for anyone 7 years and older. Improvement becomes permanent after 9-12 months of use for fifteen minutes twice daily.

How did the program develop? In the 1960s. Dr. Frank Belgau then director of the Visual and Motor Control Lab at The University of Houston began experimenting with children who had high IQs and were having difficulty reading. Influenced by ground breaking NASA research, Dr. Belgau began using balance exercises and found that reading ability improved. He first published the program in 1982. Since then he has trained numerous education specialists and parents how to administer the program. In 2003, the program was revised to be easy to use in a school or home environment.

How is the program used? The simple activities take about 15 minutes to complete. For maximum benefit they should be performed twice daily. Combinations of various activities work to improve most all areas of learning and performance. We use many of our senses together when we learn. So, everyone follows the same program. However, each person will progress to more challenging levels at different rates. The program is uniquely designed to allow for this. As one reaches higher levels of balance while doing the activities, underlying structures involved in learning get progressively stronger. This can help keep boredom at bay and kids like the involvement.

Can this help children with attention deficit disorder?
If a child is currently under a doctor's care and is being prescribed medications such as Ritalin or any drug that may impair vision or balance, a discussion with the physician is recommended prior to starting this program. Children should not stop taking their medication without the specific direction of a physician. The Learning Breakthrough Program may be considered as a drug-free additional therapy when used under the supervision of a physician. This program is not medical treatment. It is a learning and performance enhancement exercise plan.

Results and Research
The Learning Breakthrough Program was used at C.L. Milton Elementary School in Laredo, Texas. After only four months of twice daily program use, eighty-three 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students (BAM), all with Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and other Non-Specific Learning Disabilities had, on average, a 75% greater amount of reading progress as compared to a control group of non-learning disabled students from the same grades. According to the school principal, learning disabled children typically progress in reading ability only 25% to 50% the amount of non-learning disabled students over the same period of time. Showing a 75% greater improvement, with everything else being equal, shows substantial and significant progress as a result of performing Learning Breakthrough activities. All students were tested before the program began in January 2004. After re-testing in May, the non-LD control group of students showed a 45% increase in the percentage of correct test scores compared to test results from December 2003. The LD students who participated in the Learning Breakthrough Program, showed a 121% increase. The program, testing, data capture and analysis were all administered and compiled by school personnel. This is an amazing reversal!

A School Principals Perspective
"I had looked at everything I could find says Mrs. Ratliff principal of the C.L. Milton Elementary School and the balance and sensory exercise Learning Breakthrough Program made sense to me, so much so that I took the leap and put it in my school. My goal was to help other parents who I knew from experience were as frustrated as I was and who were additionally desperate to help their children succeed. Its devastating to see youre your own child depressed, frustrated, and losing self-esteem by the minute. The same thing had been happening to many children in my school and I just couldnt sit by and do nothing to help them."

Because The Learning Breakthrough Program strives to improve on a foundational level, it addresses a wide variety of problems. The program can not only help struggling children catch up, but can also help gifted children excel. It enables parents and educators to address the roots of processing problems, rather than just the symptoms. The Learning Breakthrough is a one time, good for life purchase of $329.00 and is available online at www.learningbreakthrough.com

Kit Contents:
1 Belgau Balance Board
1 Target Stand/Target Pins
3 Bean Bags
1 Super Ball Toss Back
1 Pendulum Ball
1 Visual Motor Control Stick
1 Learning Breakthrough Program Activity Handbook