ABM NeuroMovement® – Early Results for a Child with Quad Dystonic CP
We frequently receive incredible feedback from parents who tell us how ABM NeuroMovement® has positively impacted the health of their child. Below is a message from one of the parents who attended an ABM Training Practicum with her child, and the extraodinary results that he experienced with just three NeuroMovement lessons.
NeuroMovement® Testimonial
My son is 8 with quad dystonic CP and has just started ABM. We did Feldenkrais for about 2 years and liked it but just didn’t see much progress. I read the Kids Beyond Limits book and tried implementing what I learned, which was helpful but without a practitioner in our immediate area it was hard to think about going to CA without really knowing if it would work for him.
A few months ago I started praying in earnest about what to do for him as traditional PT, OT, Speech just haven’t helped him. I got an email about a 3-day Intensive at ABM [practicum at the ABM Center for students in training] in CA, applied, got it and off we went from Wisconsin. In that short time I saw huge changes in his tone, less drooling (who knew that would happen???) and ability to do things with his arms/hand that he couldn’t before.
For example on the plane out there, he wanted to open/close the shade, and was so frustrated. We worked hand over hand but still couldn’t do it. On the takeoff from CA, he casually lifted his arm up and pulled the shade down easily. AH – hello, what happened????
I was so excited for his Dad to hold him and feel the difference when we got back. He said “OMG, he feels like a new boy!”
I’m still utterly in disbelief that 3 sessions could allow his muscles to follow directions from his brain! Upon recommendation from Neil Sharp (LOVE HIM!) we are now seeing Suzi Marks (love her too!) in Chicago for Intensives and plan to go back to CA in the summer.
All of that but here’s some PROOF we have. Jones has had a Baclofen pump to help with spasticity for 5 years. For those 5 years, every 6 to 8 weeks we go in to see Peds Neurosurgery to refill the pump and assess where he’s at, make adjustments to the dosage (always increase).
I was so curious to see what they would find after he had the 3-day ABM intensive and 2 sessions in Chicago. They initially remarked that he looked so good.
The reflex test yielded ALL 2’s. NEVER BEFORE HAS HE HAD ALL 2’s. Always 3’s, 4’s with an occasional 2. NEVER BEFORE have they recommended NOT increasing the dosage. He was at 1200 mg per day before there was an issue with the pump last winter and had to have a revision surgery (horrible experience), we have been slowly working our way back up to that dosage, are currently at 600 mg per day, so at half what we were at, we aren’t going up???
They wanted to know what we have been doing to see this drastic change in tone and ability. I was more than happy to tell them about ABM….
I so wish that I had actively pursued ABM for Jones as soon as I learned about it but we are doing it now and I have to believe that the timing is right for us now. I can say that we know that the medical interventions we’ve had have not the miracles we believe are possible. We’ve tried, so you don’t have to!
I also want to add that I have so much hope for him now, that honestly I wasn’t aware I had slowly lost over the years of traditional therapy that was negative, depressing and not effective. Sorry for the length of this post!”
Note: This child was given 3 complimentary lessons during one of the practicum sessions where a student in training, supervised by Neil Sharp, did the actual lessons. These lessons were not given by Neil or Anat personally… and yet the results were so incredible in just 3 lessons!
If you would like information about getting complimentary lessons for your child at one of our upcoming practicums, please contact Mike for more information at mike@anatbanielmethod.com.
