So we felt very alone as we tried to figure out what was going on. For the first year of Jake’s life we frequently felt alarmed as we noticed non-typical behaviors and responses, but they were subtle, and as he was such a smiley, happy and alert child, we were told not to worry. 

Then we noticed that our child wasn’t learning properly. He was late with walking and talking. He never crawled. We had done the alternative method of potty training from birth so he skipped crawling and instead bounced around on his bottom. I noticed that he never signed back to us, communication being a part of the early potty training method. He was late to walk and talk and even then, he would come up with a word, say it exclusively and constantly for a few weeks and then forget it. When we taught him things like how to clap, we had to practice it for a while every day before he would try to imitate it, then if we didn’t practice it daily, he would forget that too. His adorable little body seemed oddly stiff, he didn’t cuddle in like most babies did and while he would sit there and smile, he seemed lost in his own dream world and did not respond to much around him. 

After rounds of specialists, three days after the birth of our second child, when Jake was 19 months old, we were given the diagnosis of Potocki-Lupski Syndrome, a genetic disorder, a replication of a tricky part of chromosome 17. The pediatrician gave us some pages photocopied from a sterile medical textbook listing the myriad of things that our child was never supposed to do and all the difficulties that he would face throughout life. We were floored and devastated. I leapt into research but everything I found on his diagnosis upset me more and I spent the first few months of our second child’s life crying. I remember asking another pediatrician about what Jake could be expected to achieve in his life and he told me proudly about a similar child who had made his first independent phone call with some limited language by the age of 18. While I understand now how incredible these milestones are for families of children with special needs, however as a new parent at the time, I did not find that information comforting. I asked another doctor what “developmentally delayed” meant, hoping that it meant he would just catch up later. She gently told me that it was a polite term for “mentally retarded”. Indeed as my darling baby could not even master or remember “clap”, how on earth was he going to build higher order skills to handle life? 

Fortunately we have always been alternative minded and I managed to shake myself away from depressing mainstream research. I turned to Down’s Syndrome as a more commonly known genetic disorder, figuring that some clever parent there had found some breakthroughs for their child. And indeed I was right! After scouring FB pages and parent groups, I found in the Down’s Syndrome world that amazing things were happening for children who had either one or both of two things: biomedical intervention and neurodevelopmental therapy. So we decided to launch into both. It took a few years to get going with the biomedical, but with NACD we were able to start immediately. Out of all the neurodevelopmental organizations I liked NACD the most as they had a program that cut to the chase with the most time effective and modern methods, and they also offered ongoing parent support and coaching which as a floundering and disorganized parent, I knew I would need. 

At the time we stared, I remember Jake had a lot of unusual behaviors, every time he saw the ocean he would freeze and stare it and refuse to move on. As we lived in a small island community glimpses of the ocean were frequent. He’d open and close cupboard doors, arrange things in straight lines and never wanted to interact with other kids. He had very limited speech, and all sorts of motor skills problems. He could not even pedal a tricycle. 

I can’t remember much about that time now quite honestly. I was frequently sick and exhausted from having 2 children close together and with an undiagnosed autoimmune condition in the background. My husband and I did program as best as we could though and I remember starting to feel hope. Jake’s mind started to unlock, he started to be able to learn and we discovered he had a few superpowers, an amazing ability understand and order numbers, remember items on sight and he could even say his alphabet backwards. For a child diagnosed with a severe short term memory problem, this felt like sunshine from the heavens. NACD kept guiding us with program and as a family we were feeling more and more normal every day. We started a biomedical approach with specially developed Nutrivene vitamin supplements around the age of 4 and then everything really came together, Jake seemed to “wake up” to a new level of awareness, his speech and motor skills took off and we were so happy. Our second child, typically developing was put on program too and he was well ahead with all his milestones. 

While I don’t remember too many details of that time now, suffice to say we went from despair, hopelessness and rounds of specialists who used lots of big words but actually did nothing to actually help, to feeling like a happy, hopeful and normal family. We no longer felt like a “special needs” family. Program was very hard in those first years, but we were getting results and our lives back! It was wonderful to finally feel like a “normal” family.

We moved overseas then and stopped our NACD program for many years, happy to just live a normal life. Jake still had challenges, but he doing so much better. He started school with an aide but his superpowers really helped him through, from a child who couldn’t remember how to clap he now had the most astonishing memory! He had a phenomenal ability with geography, and started winning the school’s geography contests from first grade. He beat all the high school kids and even the school superintendent when he stepped in as a special guest. He knew every country, capital, flag, location, shape, and once he mastered that he turned to history and somehow developed an incredible grasp of historical details on top of that too! 

We started formal homeschooling formally around third grade when the covid lockdowns started and muddled through that for a few years. When Jake hit puberty it became apparent to his father and I that he needed further help. He was still having a lot of trouble with reading, he’d been recently diagnosed with an eye tracking problem but the mainstream offered us nothing except devices to learn to live with it. We had tried everything but gotten nowhere. He still had struggles with social skills and motor skills, and while his speech was reasonably good, it was still hard for him. 

As the worry started rising again, we turned to the place where we’d found hope before, the NACD! And in just 7 months back the results have already been incredible! Jake started in November at an auditory processing of 4-5 and in 7 months is has now just touched on a 7! His maturity and awareness has developed in leaps and bounds with it. His eye tracking is improving and reading is getting easier for him every day. He can swim now, and his social skills are improving. He has developed a love for math as the NACD teaches it, and will joyfully tackle page after page of his math text book just for fun. Before NACD he struggled with basic concepts. He is taking off and once again we couldn’t be happier. My only regret is we didn’t get back to it sooner, but fortunately NACD is helping us to catch up and overcome for that lapse quickly! 

I should mention my second son, DJ too. While typically developing he did program for a year or two when he was barely a toddler, and he has continued to go from strength to strength. When he started school the testing they gave him said that he was in the top 1% and was considered gifted and talented. When he was 9, he started getting impatient with all the attention Jake got for his his impressive history and geography knowledge and told me he wanted a superpower too. After watching Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata on you tube he decided that it was a pretty nice song, and he wanted to play it. He slowed down the finger movements from a You Tube video and copied them. Within just a few months he was playing piano surprisingly fluently. A music teacher at a summer camp a few months after he started hailed me down one day with wide eyes asking me if I knew that DJ was unusually talented. He is now 12 and works in our community playing piano at events. He is well paid and makes great tips too! 

Everything that DJ does he does so easily and at a high standard. Around the age of 10 he the took up the Rubik’s cube, mastered it in record time and at high speed. It didn’t take him long to get to world competition speeds on nearly of the all the cubes, but then he lost interest and moved on. He is very entrepreneurial, and through primary school would frequently came up with new games or projects which fascinated and created a following amongst other kids. 

Previously homeschooling DJ in math was not working and he had seemed to be going backwards so I put him back in school for math. He was doing reasonably well, but after starting NACD for just a few months his teacher contacted me in amazement asking what we were doing as in the MAPS testing DJ had suddenly jumped from a 6th grade level to an 11th grade level almost overnight! Here’s the message I got from his teacher: “Hey Melissa, just wanted to share some great growth from DJ on our winter math Maps test! He improved his score by +18 points from his fall score! (+3-5 is a significant amount for a year so this is pretty impressive!). Went from a 6th grade average to testing at the 11th grade average! Very proud of him and the hard work he has put in.” A jump of 18 points in a season when 3-5 is a significant amount for a year? Wow. The only thing we had done differently was to start NACD again and get to work on his processing! 

Would DJ be doing so well without the early intervention of NACD in making sure his development was all so perfectly addressed? I guess we will never know but as a mom I am sure NACD had a lot to do with it! 

NACD are truly miracle makers. Sara, our evaluator has laser vision and doesn’t miss a thing. Our program is perfectly tailored to both children, exactly what they need. The parental support and coaching is beyond invaluable. Any behavioral, teen attitude issue is quickly nipped in the bud, and we have a smooth running household now where my boys help out, are well behaved, and are developing into responsible, helpful young adults with initiative. Amy is a coaching wonder woman, and has helped me tremendously to get my act together. NACD offers a whole family, whole life perspective that gives you the perfectly tailored program to your child and life, with the support you need to put it into action, while missing nothing. Chores, responsibilities, and the child’s personal growth and happiness are all a part of it. And guess what? The kids love it. They think homeschooling is fun. Working on processing is central, and we celebrate every step up. Processing parties are the new fun thing in our family! 

Our life can truly be measured in BEFORE and AFTER NACD. All the behind the scenes staff are incredible too, and I can honestly say that I feel like they are family, a group who has always been there for us, giving us the answers and support we need to live our best lives. We are living our dream in remote Alaska, a wild and different life, unconstrained from needing to be in city centers, near specialists and therapists. Life is happy, hopeful and wonderful and I will be forever grateful. 

The post Martin Family Testimonial appeared first on NACD International | The National Association for Child Development.

The Murphy Family’s experience with NACD has come at three major crossroads in our life. The first was when our oldest son was 18 years old and sustained a traumatic brain injury and shattered pelvis in a car accident. Two years later, we sought out NACD again when I (Kara) was completely overwhelmed by all the different learning challenges and exceptionalities that we were facing with our homeschooled children. I’m not sure, but I think we may set a record when we started “doing program” with seven children all at the same time. Our third major experience with NACD was when we found out that the baby I was carrying had spina bifida, a birth defect that affects the spine in a similar way to a spinal cord injury. Patrick’s lesion level was quite high, and the prognosis was that he would likely never walk, move or have sensation below his waist, he would not be able to urinate on his own, and he would be unable to control his bowels for his whole life.

On the first two major challenges, I can report that our experience with NACD was a complete success. Our son, Rich, made a full recovery within a year of his accident, an outcome that is unheard of for people with a TBI. Within two years of starting the six boys and one girl “on program,” all of the children were performing at, and mostly above, grade level in all subjects. Two are still in high school, but the rest graduated on time or ahead of schedule. Three are married, have children, and two own their own (or are part-owners of) businesses. 

Patrick is seven years old and his story is still being written. He started crawling and pulling up to standing when he was eight months old. He can currently stand for up to 30 minutes independently and takes up to 10 steps on his own. He has control of his bowels and is able to catheterize himself into a toilet. Patrick’s strength is constantly improving, and we have hope that he will get to the point that he will be able to walk independently.

We were devastated when a state trooper showed up on our doorstep on February 6, 2013 to report that on his way to a men’s morning prayer meeting our 18-year-old son slid on black ice, lost control of his car, and smashed into a tree. He was flown by helicopter to a bigger hospital in the next city. Steve arrived at the hospital first and had to confirm Rich‘s identity. He was rushed into surgery where a portion of his skull was removed to allow for the swelling that comes from a traumatic brain injury. We spent eight days in the ICU not sure if Rich was going to make it or not. Once he was stable, he was moved by ambulance to another hospital, where an orthopedic surgeon put a steel rod through his pelvis. While he was recovering from that surgery, we got a call from a family who had gone through a similar thing and had seen our prayer request on our church’s email loop. Knowing that we were homeschoolers and very committed to providing as much therapy at home as we could, they thought we should know about NACD. We are so grateful that that family reached out. We were still in the hospital when we talked to Bob Doman for the first time. He helped us to create a strategy to get Rich transported back to our home instead of being sent to a facility where he would receive one hour of therapy a day and spend the rest of his day staring at blank walls. 

Sixteen days after his accident, Rich came home. Because Rich was not able to stand or walk and at that point we had to transport him via ambulance, our first evaluation was over video conferencing. I still remember that very first program we received. I remember looking at the frequency and duration columns and thinking that the frequency referred to how many times per week an activity needed to be done. Surprise! That was how many times per day the activity needed to be done. At that stage of our life, we had 10 children at home, six of them we were homeschooling. “Doing program” was a big change. I (Kara) couldn’t implement all of it on my own alone. Other family members got involved and some of Rich‘s friends even helped him with program activities. Six months after starting his program, Rich was almost one hundred percent recovered. This is astonishing compared to most statistics about people who suffer from a TBI. 

We continued “doing program” with Rich for another six months and then he went back to working full-time and pursuing his life goals. He is now married, the father of seven, and part owner of a construction business. 

It was about a year later when I was in a crisis. Overwhelmed with seven children ages 16 to 4, all homeschooling, most struggling with academics, and feeling like we have been dealing with the same problems over and over without any long-term solutions. There was some overlap of problems between the children, but by far the worst challenge was our eight-year-old who I would later find out was what we call “stimmy.” For an entire year I tried to teach him to read using the “best” method and program available. We were still on lesson three. He showed zero comprehension. It was in the middle of the night and I was crying out to the Lord for some kind of solution when he brought to mind some of the activities that we had done with Rich after his accident. I wondered if NACD could help us. As I looked into it, it became very clear that NACD would not only help our eight-year-old, but it would be very beneficial for all the children. Some of the challenges that we have dealt with include what would have been labeled auditory processing disorders, dyslexia, hyper mobility, and eye tracking disorders. Each child’s particular mix of these was individual, but there was a lot of overlap between them. 

That’s when we may have set a record for the most children to begin NACD at the same time. We took an entire day of evaluations just for our family—Matthew, Harrison, Jonathan, Jackson, Gabriel, Josiah, and Maggie. 

At our first evaluation, I was convinced that we had wasted our money. Miss Ellen sat and talked to each of the children, gave them a couple of simple academic placement tests, and had them perform a series of activities. After all, I had given my children lots of placement tests. And what were those simple little activities supposed to tell her? The answer was—everything! I think I sat with an open mouth while Ellen gave in-depth insight into each of our children’s personalities and challenges. She was able to explain why the methods and programs that I was using were not the best for each child. And for the first time since beginning homeschooling, she offered answers to the problems that had plagued us. 

This time when I received our first programs, I knew that the frequency number meant how many times per day. I believe I spent the first three days after receiving the kids’ programs wondering, “how in the world are we going to get all this done?” How would we have survived without the practical suggestions of our NACD coach, BJ?

The first thing we did was pair older and younger children together. The two oldest and our adult daughter, Elizabeth, who was still at home, paired up with the three youngest and the fellows in the middle got me. Of course, I had to train the older three how to do the activities with the younger ones, and some of their activities I chose to do myself, but I believe that helping their younger siblings prepared them to be good parents in the future. I made checklists, put them on clipboards, and inspected what had been accomplished every day and every week. We went from being a “relaxed homeschool” family to being a very structured homeschool family. It was a big cultural shift. But it worked. One of the children went up four grade levels in reading in the first three months. We finally understood what was going on with our eight-year-old and we had strategies to use to address the underlying problems and, more importantly, to fix them. 

That’s one of the things that sets NACD apart from most “special needs” programs. The goal of NACD is to fix underlying problems rather than to teach strategies to accommodate problems. 

We had just gotten to the point that we felt like we might be able to back off a little from “doing program” so intensively all the time when, at the 20-week ultrasound, we found out that our new baby would be born with spina bifida. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect, and Patrick would be born with an already damaged spinal cord. His first surgery was 16 hours after he was born, his second when he was three weeks old. 

From the time we found out about Patrick’s diagnosis, we were in close contact with Ellen and Bob. As soon as Patrick recovered from surgery, we began program with him. Patrick’s program implementation is still a whole-family affair. His older brothers do most of the physical pieces with him. (Ironically, Patrick thinks that his “program” is only the physical activities that he does with his brothers. He doesn’t realize that all the sequencing, reading, math, and unit studies are part of his program, too.) 

When Patrick was two and a half, his little sister joined the family and became the tenth Murphy child (of twelve) to become an NACD kid. Truthfully, the earlier you start NACD with your little ones, the more fun it is. They learn so quickly and it is easy to accelerate their learning which makes learning even more fun. Our NACD programs also prevent certain problems from occurring and catch things earlier, which is a huge benefit in addressing issues. 

NACD has benefited our family in innumerable ways. After thirty years of homeschooling and our many years in the homeschooling community, we can’t recommend it highly enough.

The post Murphy Family Testimonial appeared first on NACD International | The National Association for Child Development.

My name is Susan Olmstead, and my husband Rudd and I are blessed with three children: Verity (12); John (9); and Giselle (6). I grew up in a large, intense, Texan family before marrying a marine and working as a cardiac nurse. A few years passed before we started a family. We thoroughly enjoyed the cute kiddos but as they grew, I worried about their education and secretly wished to find a school that could take the responsibility off our hands. We had no idea the lessons that were in store for us!

As John grew, my health struggled and our resources were diverted along that vein. By the time we moved to the desert of Southern California, my health was depleted and Verity and John stepped into the public school system. Overtime, we grew increasingly concerned about what we were witnessing in the school. Verity seemed to regress in her reading, and so when COVID hit, we decided to try homeschooling.

Starting out in 2020, homeschool life was rewarding. The kids’ bright personalities resurfaced, and they were bursting with creative energy again. However, overtime, I noticed Verity still wasn’t progressing in her reading. Year after year, we tried reputable curricula and popular co-ops. I even reached into our savings and bought out an entire PreK-5^th grade Montessori school when it closed after COVID! Just the same, Verity continued to struggle with her reading. 

At this point in time, our days consisted of me coaxing my kids into finishing school assignments. Verity would read a page and cry in frustration. In fact, she cried easily in any subject as soon as she stumbled over a new fact – her confidence was bankrupted (much like my own). I was so tired by the time school was finished, that I’d retreat to my room for a spell, scrolling through my phone in vain. Unsurprisingly, housekeeping took a backseat which made everything worse. Most concerning to me of all was that I felt the connection with my kids was slipping away. At night, I lay in bed, thinking about the future and silently crying. Our homeschool life was nothing like what I had hoped for.

In the summer of 2023, I urgently hoped for a breakthrough (Rudd was deployed for a year and from experience, I knew I needed to offload some stress STAT). I suddenly remembered a friend had mentioned how NACD helped her grandson. I curled up on the couch in the living room, and began scrolling through the website, reading testimonies, and listening to videos. I felt a glimmer of hope and scheduled a consultation. From that moment on, my life has felt like a ship emerging from a storm, steadily sailing towards the NACD lighthouse. 

I learned quite a few things from implementing our NACD program. Firstly, it‘s a wonder how much my behavior effects my children’s ability to process and learn. Of course, the coaches were more subtle and didn’t come right and say it. They were full of helpful, creative ideas for whenever my kids (and I) would get stuck. Another surprise was learning how important it was to have fun and to play with the children throughout the school day. As a result, my connection with the kids has been revitalized and our relationships have thrived. I’ve also learned how effective it is to lavish attention when my kids achieve something positive. What a difference a well-timed compliment makes to boost their confidence and initiative. Similarly, we are learning the value of incentives. I wasn’t raised this way and thought the rewards would spoil the kids. Instead, they are hungry for ways to earn and negotiate for more. I often hear Bob’s voice in my head, “Look for ways to celebrate and build them up,” and sternly, “Don’t teach unless you’re having fun!” Hardly a day passes that I don’t recall something helpful from a coach or evaluator.

In the summer of 2024, having worked with NACD less than a year, it was fun to welcome my husband back from deployment to a completely different home. The kids are more confident and a bigger help around the house. Verity loves to read books and gets a thrill out of figuring out difficult words. I can stick to a schedule and play with my children without feeling exhausted by day’s end. I am so grateful for all the skilled support, insightful feedback, and timely encouragement we’ve received from the NACD professionals. The phenomenal lighthouse crew has brought us ashore. We found our resting place and I’m excited for the future!

The post Olmstead Family Testimonial appeared first on NACD International | The National Association for Child Development.

Our oldest had gotten sick at 7yo with something that was different from other sicknesses. We have no idea what it was, but what we did know is that it changed the way her brain functioned – it was VERY obvious. She developed some behaviors that were completely out of character and unexplained. My background is mental health, so I looked into things like OCD, PANDAS/PANS, anxiety, etc., but nothing really explained what was happening. We also spent some time working with a behavioral therapist, with very minimal results. And even then, it didn’t address the core issue – it was more of a band aid for one specific symptom. In addition to the behavioral therapist, we saw our family doctor, a neurologist, chiropractor, neuropsychiatric specialist, etc. Something was going on in her brain, but no one knew what it was or how to address it. And what was previously a fantastic and close relationship between her and I turned into frustration, anger, resentment, tumult. We were both miserable.

One of the NACD evaluators, Lyn Waldeck, came to one of our homeschool moms’ meetings to talk about NACD. It was great information, but I wanted to know what it was like from those actually utilizing NACD’s services. So I spoke with other families who were on program. In the end, I felt like this was our best (and only) hope. I finally told my husband, “Look, we can spend all kinds of money and time and effort going to all kinds of ‘specialists’ and hoping they can give us answers, or we can just bite the bullet and go through NACD, and have them tell us exactly what’s going on and how to address it.” He agreed, and I can tell you in all honesty that it’s been nothing short of life-changing for us. Not only did they explain what was happening in our daughter’s brain, they told us how to address things in VERY SPECIFIC detail. Now, to be clear, they couldn’t tell us what happened that changed her brain – and honestly I don’t think anyone can – but they were able to tell us how her brain was processing information, and how to deal with it so that her brain could function at an optimal level. They got their whole team together to create an individualized program FOR HER. Not a generic, all-kids-will-benefit-from-these-things kind of program – it was a “your kid’s brain is unique, so her program is unique” kind of thing. I’m not being dramatic when I say it changed our lives. They not only have helped with neurological issues and academic guidance, but behavioral issues, as well. It’s been worth every penny for us. My daughter’s concerning behaviors and extreme emotionality have disappeared, and she is excelling in so many ways. We’ve since gotten our younger daughter on program with NACD, and it’s also been such a relief! 

I love the fact that NACD is a “one-stop shop.” Our youngest daughter has a speech impediment, and instead of running around to (and paying for) speech therapy, extra appointments and time, NACD has a speech therapist. NACD believes that no one knows their child better than the parents. And no one wants children to succeed more than their parents. So they teach parents how to do the activities they would otherwise be doing in other appointments (speech, OT, PT, etc.). They teach you very simple ways to address your child’s issues, at home, on your own schedule, at your own pace. This saves everyone a lot of time, expense, and stress.

As a homeschooling family, the options for curricula, co-ops, etc. can be extremely overwhelming. Because NACD is so individualized, and because they take the time to get to know their families, they are able to say, “This is how your daughter’s brain works, so this specific curriculum would benefit her most.” And then they actually give guidance on how to use the curriculum so that it works best for the child. Without NACD, figuring out which curricula for each of our daughters would be extremely stressful (and expensive). 

There is no question or concern that is off-limits with NACD. I know I can email, text, or call our coach about anything. And believe me, I have sent many, many long emails. The personalized help has been priceless.

Every parent, at one time or another, has wished they had a manual for parenting. NACD, for us, is like having that individualized parenting (and schooling) manual. We’ve gone from, “This should only be about a year commitment to address some specific behaviors,” to, “We can’t live without NACD!”

The post Hale Family Testimonial appeared first on NACD International | The National Association for Child Development.

We had been through nearly four years of searching for answers to our oldest son, Matthew’s, angry outbursts, failure to follow through with instructions, with fear and stress weighing him down. When I was at my whit’s end and totally misunderstood by other moms, a woman from our church told me about a neighbor who had success in helping her child who was experiencing similar things. She handed me THE MIRACLES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT. With great anticipation, I listened intently. When Robert Doman claimed that the kids with ADHD were the “easy” ones, I was ready to prove him wrong.

During this time, my life had been reduced to keeping our other children safe from their brother, who would throw heavy objects across the room, kick, punch or scare them with his hour -plus long temper tantrums. At bedtime, I would have to climb to the top bunk and lie next to my now eight-year-old son, who had never been able to sleep through the night. He would hold my hand in a death-grip for security and it would easily be 1 am before I could sneak away. By five a.m. he would awake and come into my and my husband’s bedroom. Being a bright child, he knew how to manipulate and confuse us, wearing us down.

When I say that we had tried everything under the sun as a solution, I mean it. From rewarding good behavior to taking away items or privileges for disobeying, to counseling and professionally recommended nutritional changes to medical exams. Yes, avoiding certain additives, preservatives and foods did help some with his hyperactivity, but overall, we were still facing what seemed like insurmountable obstacles.

On the day of our first appointment with NACD, Matthew was having an OCD meltdown. He turned pale and felt like vomiting. We literally had to drag him into the car and then into the building. As soon as Bob Doman greeted Matthew and instructed him to go upstairs, he got off the ground and walked behind Bob. It was as if he were following the Pied Piper!

After he was evaluated in each area of brain development, Bob called us into the room, while our son was instructed to wait in another area. Bob shared the results with us, explaining that Matthew felt like everything was out of control, and therefore felt the need to try to control everything around him. He proceeded to show us where there were neurological inefficiencies and how each of these areas would be addressed. He created and showed us how to implement a personalized program that would prove to bring success to our child’s life. Three key words were given to us:

Frequency

Intensity

Duration

Bob then shared with Matthew the new boundaries and consequences for breaking the new rules. He also emphasized to us the importance of giving ten times more positive input verses negative input. Knowing that our son would test the waters made me feel very nervous. Would I be strong enough to hold him accountable to the new standard? The next day, Matthew crossed the line and consequences were given. It was a whole year later before he attempted that again!

Each day, I endeavored to be consistent in doing each and every activity, exercise, or academic pursuit. During the years that we did NACD program, we grew into a family with nine children. You can imagine how busy it was as we homeschooled. Since Matthew required a quiet atmosphere to focus on his work, we eventually hired a tutor to help with some of his program and other academics. One day it dawned on me that Matthew was thriving! He had gone from not being able to read anything at eight years old to reading on an adult level at age eleven. Now he was able to carry out instructions and go through his routine without us having to constantly repeat ourselves. His interactions with family members was slowly getting better. He was finally ready to attempt writing skills. His auditory processing and visual memory were both improving. The OCD behaviors were decreasing.

At 17 years old, he wrote in to the NY TIMES for the OP-ED page and his response was published. He went on to have his writing appear about a dozen times on the Op-ed page over the next several years. Matthew graduated from Harvard University and is an excellent communicator.

What we discovered along the way is that finding answers is like searching for all of the pieces of a puzzle. In Matthew’s case, it was a combination of counseling, dietary changes, learning to be more consistent, endless prayers and for sure a key component was the brilliant assistance we found in the NACD family.

Two of our other children also experienced excellent assistance from their NACD programs. One of them was displaying what appeared to be autism. I love the fact that NACD does not label children, rather, they specialize in helping each child reach their full potential. Diligently working on auditory processing, visual memory, reading and math skills, etc., James made strides in every area of brain development.

Another son was born prematurely and needed assistance in the areas of kinesthetics and language development. It wasn’t too long before George went from not being able to utter even a single word to catching up in his language skills. Over time, he completed all of the areas of brain development as well.

We are forever grateful to Bob and his caring, qualified staff for coming alongside of us as parents. They equipped us with the tools needed to intervene where there were obstacles and encouraged us all along the way to do our best in helping our kids reach their full potential.

Reprinted by permission of The NACD Foundation, Volume 33 No. 4, 2020 ©NACD

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It is the desire of every parent for their children to receive the best possible education. We even choose homes that are located in the finest school districts. Educational needs of our children, from infancy on, become paramount. Most families, like us, have not felt the need to investigate alternatives to the traditional school systems in which we grew up.

One day, our vision of “school” changed when I had the opportunity to visit with a homeschooled child. Curious, I asked her what she thought about learning at home. This young girl pulled up a chair and began sharing her reasons. I was very impressed as she carried on an enlightening conversation. Most children her age would not have sought eye contact or shown interest in a discussion with an adult. She sparked my interest and touched my heart. I had to know more. We began an investigation by talking with homeschool families, reading any information we could find about it and attending our first Teacher Parent Association Workshop. Reading The Right Choice-Homeschooling by Chris Klicka confirmed what was in our hearts. For the next year I examined The Big Book of Home Learning Vol 2 – Preschool and Elementary by Mary Pride for our beginning curriculum. I made pages of notes, listing the pros and cons of each curriculum and then wrote for further information. I so desired to be the best teacher for Ethan and I thought I needed the “best curriculum,” too.

When our oldest son Ethan turned 5, we felt it was the perfect time to begin learning numbers and letters. Since he had turned 2, he had shown an ability to speak fluently using language appropriate for a child much older. People in public would often comment on his speech and then ask, “How old is he?” They would say, “Oh, he is so smart.” What they didn’t always see was his inability to sit still with a mind switched on high, calling himself the “Eveready Bunny.” We were sure if he had gone to pre-school or began elementary school, that he would have been labeled Hyperactive with Attention Deficit Disorder.

As we began our phonics and math lessons each day, we would look at the cards and repeat them. Soon, Ethan had them memorized, although he would consistently reverse letters and numbers. Relatives assured us that he would outgrow the reversing process by 3rd grade. I was not satisfied with that answer. What about the precious time between now and then? Back to the process at hand, we’d go on to new sets of cards and by the end of the week when I’d review the cards from the week before, he wouldn’t remember them. We would both become frustrated and angry, culminating with me asking my 5 year old, “Why don’t you remember?” We’d take a break, I’d ask for forgiveness and pray for greater patience and kindness, then begin again, fresh with new expectations. Ethan resisted our mornings of homeschooling and it seemed we often ended our battle’s with tears of confusion, regret, and guilt.

Here was our precious little boy whom we’d dreamed about and prayed for while we struggled with infertility for seven years. I recalled the way God had brought his birth mother into our lives and the relationship we had developed with Ethan since birth. We indeed believed Ethan was a miracle for us. With all of our deep, intense feelings for him, we couldn’t understand why I couldn’t teach him effectively. Maybe we just needed to give him more time to mature and wait with the phonics and reading, recalling the philosophy of Dr. Raymond Moore. My own self-doubts began to emerge. I prayed daily that we might find an answer to our learning problems.

Then in May 1995, I came upon an article in the C.H.E.C.K. (Christian Home Education Confederation of Kansas) News about a parent who faced many of the same problems as we did and the solution they had found through NACD (National Association for Child Development) based in Huntsville, Utah. After completing the articles I knew I’d found our help. I called to speak with the author and obtained phone numbers for NACD as well as a certified consultant living in Dallas, Texas.

We immediately ordered the tape series by Robert J. Doman, Jr., Founder of NACD. The four audio tape series are Guide to Child Development and Education, Child Management, Learning Disabilities, and the Parent Teacher. As we listened, we began to receive valuable information as to how we could take specific steps to help Ethan learning more effectively. We also felt encouraged in our home learning endeavor as Mr. Doman indicated that parents are the best teachers for their children because the process can best be achieved one-on-one, we “know” our children and care passionately for their well-being, more than anyone else could.

We could hardly wait for our initial evaluation and the opportunity to begin teaching Ethan more effectively so he could learn more efficiently. What we found interesting was that the whole child was evaluated: behavior (attitude); diet; sleeping patterns; word recognition; math; and dominance (auditory, visual, manual and foot).

We obtained a great deal of information about mixed dominance and how the brain receives, processes and stores information. Ethan preferred his left hand to write, but would rather throw a ball with his right hand. He kicked with his left foot, but used his right eye and listened with his right ear predominantly. These simple differences allowed information that he saw and heard to be stored on the left side of his brain, as the information from his hand and foot activity was stored on the opposite side of the brain. In actuality, there was mixed dominance that made the brain’s processing of information (crossing from one hemisphere to the other) much slower, if not impossible to retrieve.

One of our primary goals, even prior to reading or math, was to achieve neurological organization and primary side dominance of the brain. Ethan began wearing glasses with the right eye covered, a silicone plug in his right ear and total emphasis on using his left hand and foot. To encourage Ethan, I even began wearing glasses with my left eye covered, a silicone plug in my left ear and emphasis on using the right side of my body. My biggest change came in my usage of the telephone. I had always listened to the phone with my left ear so I could write with my right hand, so I changed that habit. At first the sound seemed far away with poor clarity, but within a few weeks, I began to prefer listening with my right ear. I believe that my involvement in learning dominance has helped Ethan to continue. The glasses and ear plug have become second nature to him. We have used these aides for the past seven months and look forward to Ethan’s next evaluation as to the progression of his left-side dominance.

We soon realized the importance of Auditory and Visual Processing. How many numbers a person can remember when a series of numbers are read aloud to them, one second apart, is Auditory Processing. Normally, the number of digits remembered should match the individual’s age, up until age 7 or 8. Visual processing is determined by showing a card with digits printed on it for three seconds and observing how many digits can be remembered. Ethan’s initial Auditory Processing was 5 and Visual Processing 5. It has been more difficult for Ethan to practice and advance at Auditory Processing, especially if there are any distractions. In seven months, he has now advanced to 6 and 7 respectfully. Remember, every digit advancement represents one year of learning.

Every day Ethan wears his glasses and ear plug. Five days a week, he performs approximately 18-20 activities with specific attention to the frequency, intensity and duration of each. The goal is for Ethan’s mind to be stimulated and for learning to be fun. One vital aspect of this type of learning is that we must supply Ethan with input before he can process it and give feedback. This is the most important, yet most difficult aspect to remember and perform, because it was opposite to the way I was taught. I read the information and formulated the answers in my mind, always ready for questions. I remember memorizing information specifically for testing and then subsequently forgetting it. I now find myself grieving for those lost years of optimal learning, especially now that I’ve learned about specific input for appropriate development. Although I cannot go back in time, I can now make a significant difference in my child’s learning process and I am grateful for that opportunity.

I find great importance in following the prescribed activities (frequency, intensity and duration) as closely as possible. There have only been a few days of illness that have kept us from our weekly goal of 100%. Once we’ve become adjusted to our program, we usually accomplish it by noon, which leaves the afternoon free for further stories, explorations, play with his two year old brother, or time for the whole family. One of the greatest blessings has been the opportunity to keep our focus on Christ. We have learned to ask one another for forgiveness, to pray and read the Bible together. We have become more transparent with one another.

There is great joy and satisfaction in witnessing the growth and development of children as well as the awesome responsibility to help them attain their greatest potential. We believe that with the specific input and advancement which NACD offers, we can achieve that goal. We are indeed thankful.

Reprinted by permission of The NACD Foundation, Volume 10 No. 15, 1996 ©NACD

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