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Original poster

Indigo DDs learnt to read!

54 replies

IndigoBell · 26/04/2011 07:30

Many of you know DDs story. She was totally unable to learn to read or write, despite intensive SP teaching, and huge amounts of interventions and 1:1. She was unable to learn either whole words or through synthetic phonics.

She started Y3 working at a level 1C and still being sent home with red band (level 1) books.

8 weeks ago (last half term) she did Auditory Integration Training.

This cured her auditory discrimination problems, auditory processing delay, and hypersensitive hearing.

Since then we have been doing 10 mins a night reading - working our way through a synthetic phonics program. Last night we finished the program - and she was able to pick up (an easy) Jaquie Wilson book and read it!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NHS Audiologist said there was nothing wrong with her hearing. (Despite it being clear on an audiogram that she had hypersensitive hearing)

The SpLD EP said dyslexia is caused by auditory problems - but all he recommended was a reading pen and dictation software (after agreeing that school were doing all they could to teach her to read)

To anyone else who thinks their DC has 'dyslexia' - don't give up, don't believe it can't be cured, def don't believe the 'experts' - keep trying everything till you find out what helps your DC.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 26/04/2011 07:35

What fantastic news! I know how much work and effort and heartbreak you've had along the way, you must be overwhelmed. Your DD must be so proud of herself now she has overcome the odds with style.
All your persistence paid off..Smile

squashpie · 26/04/2011 07:37

What a heartening story amongst all the worries we mums have! Congratulations Indidgo and your DD! Smile

justaboutWILLfinishherthesis · 26/04/2011 07:47

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Madsometimes · 26/04/2011 08:07

Well done Indigo's dd Grin.

goinggetstough · 26/04/2011 08:09

Great news!

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 26/04/2011 08:15

Oh Indigo I am so pleased for you :o

You have supported everyone else with their DCs learning issues while struggling yourself to help your daughter. She must be so proud :o

Malaleuca · 26/04/2011 08:37

Indigo -this is intriguing. Now a while ago I had a teenage student in the first percentile of poor readers. She did the Listening Programme. Is this similar to the one your daughter did? Isee from the link tyour dd did Tomatis. Are they the same?
My student increased her reading rate,...but, at about the same time as she started the Listening Programme, she coincidentally increased her reading practice (this Twilight books got her hooked) so it is hard to be as categorical as you are. Can you rule out everything else that might have had an effect?
I'm not disputing, just wondering!!

mrz · 26/04/2011 08:48

Wonderful news!!

RoadArt · 26/04/2011 08:52

This is great news Indigo. It is so nice to hear some positive outcomes. Well done to your DD

FriedEggyAndSlippery · 26/04/2011 09:20

Oh indigo I'm so very happy for you and your hard working little girl! Fantastic news. To go from really struggling to reading JW is just brilliant. She must be over the moon!

I studied a bit about dyslexia in college (hope to study it professionally when I am a teacher) and I agree it's about auditory issues. Not to be confused with actual hearing ability. A lot of people don't realise that in the beginning at least, reading is more about sound than vision.

My DSD is 13 and still struggling with reading - you've given us fresh hope.

emy72 · 26/04/2011 09:39

Well done to you both, it must have been a very arduous path. Just goes to show that perseverance can do miracles - thanks for sharing with us, it's so uplifting to hear positive outcomes!!

lovecheese · 26/04/2011 09:39

Well done to your DD, Indigobell, she must feel SOOOO chuffed with herself, and well done to you for persevering.

roadkillbunny · 26/04/2011 09:55

That is wonderful news and gives heart and hope to others who have children who struggle with things.

My dd has also been let down by NHS professionals, we took a highly unusual route in desperation to get to the bottom of what was going on with her and 18 moths ago she has the surgery required to give her more of a level playing field but by that time the delay in her being diagnosed with physical problems that impacted her speech had left her behind when it came to reading and struggling, we have had to work very hard to help her, she left reception on ORT Level 1+ and very poor confidence in herself when it came to reading but her now having more normal oral anatomy and tons of work between school and us at home have allowed her to progress wonderfully this year.

she will be 6 next month and she now want's to read, she now gets pleasure rather then anguish from picking up a book, her school books are now ORT level 4 and she is reading those very well, she is getting full marks in her spellings, she loves to write little stories and she no longer looks at herself as struggling with reading, I have had to tell her to put her book away and go to sleep almost every night of the holidays, a pleasure for me I can not explain! Last night she went to bed clutching 'fantastic Mr fox' to read to herself in bed, she can't manage it all yet but the fact she wants to is just so wonderful so I have an idea of what you are feeling right now, such pride in your dd for her achievements and the work she has put in, relief for you along side a bitter taste in your mouth as you now know it didn't have to be like this, I am so chuffed for you and your dd, I hope she continues to stride ahead, well done to you all x

geraldinetheluckygoat · 26/04/2011 10:00

EXCELLENT NEWS! That must be such a great feeling for both you and her, I bet she can't wait to get to school to show them what she can do! Great news Smile

magicmummy1 · 26/04/2011 10:11

Fantastic news! Well done to both of you for persevering with this - what a result!! Hope you're both suitably bursting with pride! :)

Original poster
IndigoBell · 26/04/2011 10:37

Malaleuca - yes, I can rule out absolutely everything else. Grin It was def the Auditory Integration Training that 'cured' DD.

I think one of the most interesting things is that we have not done huge amounts of reading teaching or reading practice since then to teach her to read - only 10 mins a day.

AIT is based on work by Tomatis, but then his work was extended by Berard. There are loads and loads of therapies based on the work by Tomatis. The only one I can personally recommend though is AIT. None of the other therapies seem to start with an audiogram of the person and then customise the theapy to them. All of the others seem to have a more generic solution, which I think works with some patients and not with others. Whereas because AIT is customised 100% to your actual audiogram the results are far far more stunning.

I have also done the same AIT with DS who has ASD, and also seen a huge improvement in him - but it never occured to me that it would work for DD - mainly becuase the Audiologist said her hearing was fine.

OP posts:
squidgy12 · 26/04/2011 10:38

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munstersmum · 26/04/2011 10:40

What an inspiring post Smile Well done to mum & daughter on not giving up.

moosemama · 26/04/2011 10:50

Fantastic news Indigo, well done to you and your dd for sticking with it - just the kick up the bottom I needed this morning to remind me not to give up.

Lovely to switch on the lap top and hear such a positive story. Smile

telsa · 26/04/2011 10:51

Indigo, if I might ask, what made you think that AIT might help? Were their previosuly signs of auditory disarray with your daughter - such as sensitivity to noise or anything?

Original poster
IndigoBell · 26/04/2011 11:00

telsa - I didn't think that AIT would help. She didn't have any of the classic noise sensitivity problems and I didn't notice her auditory discrimination problems.

Actually I took her to the Sound Learning Centre thinking they would recommend their neuro development program (Retained Reflexes Therapy) - which my DS was doing with huge success.

But once they had done an audiogram on her and an auditory discrimination test I was pretty easily convinced. :)

I was very very lucky in that I had already done it with DS so that I knew it could work (albeit for a very diff problem) and I had the money available to do it.

But never in the last 3 years did I think it was an auditory problem.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 26/04/2011 11:05

That's great news!

I had a quick look at your links, but it doesn't seem to say what you actually do with the child?

Carrotsandcelery · 26/04/2011 11:06

That is wonderful news Indigo. You have done so much to support the rest of us with our children's problems I am delighted to hear that you have had such a massive success yourselves. Well done to your dd [bugrin]

Original poster
IndigoBell · 26/04/2011 11:21

bigTillyMint - what they do is take an audiogram, then create a piece of music that is exactly related to that audiogram, then DD had to listen to that music twice a day, for half an hour, for 10 days.

That's it. The results are permanent and the treatment never has to be repeated. I have no idea how it works or why.

I have the before and after audiograms for both DD and DS and in both cases the results are jaw dropping.

Before they were both spiky with significant hypersensitive hearing. Afterwards both of them had almost perfect hearing ( a flat line at 0 )

We went with Sound Learning Centre who have been fantastic - but very expensive. I believe the first link do the same service but for a fraction of the price (only about £300)

OP posts:
Malaleuca · 26/04/2011 11:42

My student's training was rather more onerous - in that it was spread out over a longer period - and each session was an hour. (I forget the details) I was also told that it would need to be repeated at some point. It was also expensive $2000+ if I remember. Parent was happy though.
I'm always a bit reluctant to point parents in the direction of expensive treatments but i am pleased to have your very positive feedback. After all it is generally the really tough cases that go down these tracks.
My girl had language difficulties and was at a specialist language centre for 4 years, then into mainstream. I started with her as a tutor in Grade 5 for 'reading'. She had had no SP instruction, all whole language so was starting from a quite different pont to your daughter. But, yes, it is good to hear your feedback. Thank you and good luck for future reading!