HELLO
I’m going to take a little time to share with you our experience at Fonsorbes (near Toulouse), where we were given a warm welcome by Jacqueline and the staff of the Association Dominique.
On the 1st day, we met the therapists of the Devenir Institute, and gave them Lyam’s detailed history.Then we did lots of different exercises so that they could evaluate our little ray of sunshine’s tactile skills, hearing/comprehension, vision, mobility, language, manual aptitude etc.
The 2nd day, we discussed the different aspects of the brain, and how they function (primary reflexes, etc).
On the 3rd day, the therapists gave us a made-to-measure programme for Lyam, based on the results from the 1st day’s evaluation, and showed us how to do the exercises with him.
We now have a 6-month programme to follow before the next evaluation on 1-2 April 2010, consisting of 3 sessions a day, each session lasting 3/4 of an hour.
There are exercises to help his co-ordination and develop his bilateral movements for crawling, walking on 4 limbs, and finally walking, exercises to reduce his spasticity and inhibit his primary reflexes, via different massages of his ankles and hands, and, as time passes, reading exercises and Maria Montessori’s tactile letters to help him understand more abstract concepts.
We love this approach, which stems from the belief that the brain is ‘magic’ and has plasticity, so that even if there are lesions it’s possible to actively stimulate the ‘relay’ zones, which can then transmit all the correct information.
So, the prospect of lots of work for the 3 of us over the next 6 months! We need to organise ourselves well to manage these 3 sessions alongside our already full timetable with Lyam, and in parallel with sessions of physio, ergo, psychomotricity, orthoepy and osteopathy, but we want to do the best for him. With your support, love and encouragement, we’ll do it, with joy.
To continue this intensive programme for Lyam, and to provide him with the materials and care he needs if he’s to improve and reach his true potential, we rely on your continuing generosity and support. Please donate whatever you can, and let your friends and acquaintances know about Lyam too, so that they can visit this site, and add their support to yours.
Love and kisses
Maryline
