"So what's new?" you ask? well . . .

There's plenty going on in Grace's world!  Last fall we (I) became desperate to get to the bottom of Grace's processing issues (expressive and receptive language - and sleep issues and academic issues, etc).  What did I do?  Why, of course, I  ** googled ** it!

Now I realize that there's nothing wrong with 'leaving it be because it was -meant- to be', but I want so much more for Grace.  She's a champion.  She's determined.  She's beautiful and intelligent.  And she deserves as much as we've got to give.  And you might say I've realized that she's 'my reason for being' - the basis of this new-found determination . . .

So when I googled 'improving auditory processing' I came across some information about 'primitive reflexes'.  Hmmm, never heard of it.  Ok, so I skimmed over it and then went back to my home base of Facebook.  There in a post on the iLs page (a listening program we've been doing for a couple of years that has had remarkable results), I see someone commenting about Kathy Johnson and the Pyramid of Potential.  So I went to the site and started reading . . . for the equivalent of a full day I read with interest . . . then I ordered her book . . .

Then the book came and I read it in one sitting.  And an entire, refreshing new sense of hope came over me . . .  I just had a good feeling about it . . . you know how it is.  Sometimes something just feels 'right'.   Amazing . . .

Now, to make a very long story shorter, this 'book' has lead us to learn that Grace has audiological processing issues.  Yes, we had her hearing checked through the years and it has always been perfect, but this is different - she only processes 80% of what she hears in her left ear, and 44% of what she hears in her right ear (with background noise)!  So don't let good results from a typical hearing exam fool you!  We did!

This 'book' also lead us to learn that Grace's visual processing is that of a 3 to 4 year old - her eyeglass prescription was only about 2/3 as strong as it needed to be (that was fixed first), and now we are participating in 'vision therapy' (21 weeks of - essentially - eye/brain exercises) to get her visual processing to be equivalent to her age (this evaluation process was amazing!).  So don't let a 20/20 eye exam fool you!  We did!

And this 'book' introduced us to the process of integrating her primitive reflexes, which will promote creating new neurological pathways, getting both sides of her brain working together, which will allow her to conquer the challenge of academics!

So last October we started about the work of integrating her primitive reflexes using the Pyramid of Potential materials.  And we started seeing results!  While googling different methods of integrating these reflexes (for variety and cross-check), I came across Brain Highways and 'organizing the brain'.  Another entire day spent reading . . . fascinating . . . same basic concept, but a little more structure to the program, which intrigued me . . .

In the meantime we've also discovered The Infinity Walk (interestingly enough I've since learned that it is an upcoming component of both vision therapy and Brain Highways) and how working with a metronome can improve processing speed.

So this week we start Brain Highways boot camp . . . And when I say we, I mean 'we'.  I will be doing the program WITH Grace so my brain is going to get organized, too!  This is all in addition to ice skating (x2), gymnastics, swimming (x2), full days of school (except the Monday holiday, thank goodness), and home ABA/AVB with our favorite ladies (x3)! 

Wish us luck!  See you in 8 weeks!  It's all about organizing and I LOVE to organize!