F.A.Q.

Could you please tell us what tests you used in your assessment and how my son scored relative to his age group? We have had many assessments and therapies in the past and are keen to see how your work compares with what we have done previously.
  • Our assessment is not based on tests that are standardised or normed statistically. While our work is based on many areas of established research, it is relatively uncommon. We ask our client - child, teenager or adult - to perform a range of tasks so we can observe how they do them, what they find easy and what they find difficult. We consider the methods they use to complete a task and use this to find out why there are differences in their performance.
    An example is a six year old boy who can read something quite complex despite the fact that he cannot write even the simplest words; we are not trying to standardise either activity, but to understand why there is a difference and what we can do so the child can reach his potential in both areas. Working on the cause of the writing problem will often give even further gains in the area of reading.
    There are many children who have standardised tests that put them within the “normal” category when they are actually having considerable difficulty within some areas and have great strengths in others. Intelligence tests are a classic example of this because someone may perform at the top of the spectrum for some tasks and at the bottom for others. They are then given a score that is in the middle when the figures are averaged. This does not give an accurate picture and does not give any indication of what to do to correct the difficulties

    There are many children who can satisfactorily complete early maths testing but who have no conceptual understanding of what they are doing. We see many children who fall into this category. They are getting normal or average results, but as the work becomes progressively harder  they are heading towards significant confusion unless their conceptual basis is sorted out.
    There are children who, at a young age, can read and write at a normal or average level yet are showing signs of major difficulties. A beginner reader who has big print, pictures that give clues to the content of the words, limited words per page and repetitious reading vocabulary may have 90% accuracy but may be heading for major difficulties by Year 3. This is when the size of the print is reduced, the pictures are not included, the number of words per page increases and the complexity of the vocabulary and limited repetition create a scenario for serious confusion and error.
    Equally so with movement. A small child may be tracking and catching a ball while others cannot, but if you observe them using body positions that favour one side over the other, using monocular rather than binocular vision and performing with rigid shoulders, elbows and wrists, then this child has a range of potential difficulties. A child of the same age who is not yet tracking and catching may not have these problems if their overall system is developing in an appropriate manner.
    In a social context we often find young children to be oblivious to many aspects of other children's behaviour, but as they grow older almost everyone in a class has thoughts and feelings about those they think are less capable, outside the norm, or in some way unacceptable to their peers. This can be a tragic situation for some children who have managed reasonably well at a young age, yet later find themselves isolated and unwelcome in a range of peer related social contexts.
    back to 
topBack to top
I was surprised to see the audiology report on my child. It seems to show up many hidden problems. What effect would these be having on her learning?  What should we do now?
  • In some cases a child may have auditory processing problems that affect their language development since they cannot process certain frequencies effectively. In other cases a child can have a latency problem where one ear is functioning differently to the other and this can cause major central processing difficulties. These processing difficulties can, in turn, be causing problems with language. Inability to isolate individual sounds from background noise can affect motor organisation. If background noise continually intrudes and cannot be blocked out it becomes very difficult for a child to operate efficiently, especially in a classroom situation.
    In any of these cases it would be possible to proceed with occupational therapy, speech therapy, alternative movement programs, auditory programs, neurofeedback or focusing programs and yet still miss the point. It is unfortunate if a child and family put in a great deal of time and expense for a very limited result.
    It is essential to look holistically at each child and to see the whole picture, what might be causing problems and what sequence of activities and therapies will best address these issues.

    back to 
topBack to top
You list four recommendations for our son: auditory assessment, kinesiology,  homeopathy and bioscreen testing. Could you please explain which areas would be specifically addressed by each of these assessments and what new therapeutic options each of these would give us.
  • When building a remedial program, our recommendations are based on the findings in the assessment and feedback from those we refer to. The core issue is the holistic approach. The following is some information that will give you a background to our methodologies. Please note that each area is not separate and distinct from the others, but rather the interventions act together in supporting the needs and treating the problem.

    Structural Problems
    There are many ways in which our body parts can be misaligned. If these seem to affect the functional efficiency of the child we seek interventions that will assist. Kinesiology has been found to be of great benefit to many children with learning difficulties.

    Functional Problems
    There are several areas which can effect a child’s efficiency:

    Neurochemical problems can affect concentration, attention and mental efficiency.

    Early Childhood Reflexes are essential for proper pre- and post- natal development but if they are inappropriately retained, instead of converting into our later stage reflexes, they act as blocking agents.

    Sensory Motor Areas of hearing, seeing, feeling movement and controlling movement and so on have to be efficient, or the developing child is deprived of certain essential inputs. We therefore need to know about and, if necessary, improve the acuity of vision, hearing and other senses and to improve any subtle deficiencies in the way the child processes what they see, hear, touch.
    In finding out how the child functions with regard to these matters we are assisted by Bioscreen tests for metabolic problems, Homeopathy and Kinesiology which help the body develop through the stages of retained primary reflexes. Audiology testing gives an indication of any problems related to hearing and central processing and points to whether sound therapies would be of benefit.
    These interventions work together, addressing many problems in common and should not be thought of in terms of remedy A will fix problem A and remedy B will correct problem B.

    Specific Developmental Delays
    Specific Delays can occur in the patterns of changes which should happen during our pre-school years, to prepare us for the complex demands of our social and educational lives.
    Many developmental delays can be tracked back to the fact that there have been blockages in the functional areas. For example, we cannot expect to develop a full capacity for complex language if we have not heard clearly or have not been able to process fully what we have heard during the early years of life.
    It is far more difficult to develop finely controlled and differentiated movements in articulation, hand and eye movements if inappropriately retained reflexes still want to lock in certain movements that are no longer needed. If structural and functional impediments are resolved then further changes in the way a child functions can be capitalised on to develop learning.

    Being Ready and Able to Learn
    Certain types of pre-school development prepare us for reading, others for spelling, mathematics, handwriting, problem solving, organising and so on. Clearly, if earlier problems in the developmental, functional or structural areas are undermining the child’s efforts to learn, merely reteaching the weak subject is not the most efficient way to go. When we have done all we can to improve the child’s capacity to learn, then teaching and reteaching can be attempted with more success.
    These interventions can help ensure that children with learning disabilities can enter adulthood less damaged and with more opportunities than would otherwise be the case. For these children straight teaching and reteaching alone is never enough to ensure they reach their full potential.
    back to 
topBack to top
What if another professional suggests my child goes onto medication for ADD / ADHD?
  • This is a controversial issue which must be considered on an individual basis. It should be discussed and considered carefully before a decision is made. At Learning Creations we aim to overcome the factors that contribute to ADD / ADHD. We will be happy to discuss this with you at an assessment.
    back to 
topBack to top
We understand the need for holistic assessments. Which assessments should we begin with?
  • Some children have one or two structural, functional or developmental issues; some have many. We have to look at the whole picture and then prioritise - look at which issues are the most severe and which may be a contributing cause or point of overload for the others. We can then look at what can be done to most effectively, efficiently and enjoyably improve the overall situation.
    To use an analogy, if an orchestra has three people playing out of tune and two people playing out of time there is no point in fixing just one.
    It is the holistic and eclectic approach combined with ongoing observations and adjustments to a program designed to meet a learner’s needs that has the greatest hope of helping children reach their true potential.
    Plenty of therapies offer improvement and hope but this does not necessarily equate with truly enhancing present skills, reaching potential or attaining success at an age appropriate level in late primary school or high school.
    We see plenty of teenagers and adults who could have been helped when they were younger but who have struggled tragically for many years.
    We also see many children who, despite hours of occupational therapy, speech and learning programs, have never developed the skills needed to reach their potential. While they have undergone enormous levels of intervention with limited success they are usually able to make substantial improvements if they are given a period of intense developmental work.
    Developmental movement, auditory processing and linear and spatial sequencing all have to be effective before an individual is ready to learn successfully.

    back to 
topBack to top
My child has already had speech therapy, occupational therapy and various remedial programs. What will you do that is different?
  • The programs you mention can be a great help, though they usually treat the symptoms rather than the causes of the problems. Difficulties with reading, comprehension, writing, maths and spelling are all symptoms. When the neuro-developmental delay that causes the problem has been corrected the programs above are more effective.
    back to 
topBack to top
Would intervention make my son feel singled out at school?
  • This is something that you need to consider as parents. Some children thrive on a period of intense intervention outside of the classroom and then integration back into the full-time classroom. For some it is better to have a more limited period of intervention and for others the idea of working outside of the mainstream is so disturbing that it would not be at all helpful during the school schedule.
     In saying that, there are some children who experience subtle and painful levels of rejection and unkindness that increase as they get older. Once this is established it can stay with them for long periods of their schooling. Sometimes an intense period of sequencing, motor and social training can have a huge long term benefit that far outweighs any short-term inconvenience at a young age.
    back to 
topBack to top
What is the likelihood of success with the therapies you suggest for my child?
  • The assessments and interventions we recommend are needed to help identify the range and impact of difficulties, and assist in attempting to identify which are the major contributing factors to their performance and learning difficulties. There are no guarantees.
    We have seen some children with gut problems where, once they are addressed, go through major change. Sometimes the associated difficulties repair themselves without further intervention. We see the same with auditory work, kinesiology and homeopathy.
    We also see children with numerous areas of minor or major consideration that all have to be addressed equally before success is reached. Most children fall somewhere between these two extremes.
    It is the identification of areas causing concern and the holistic aspect of intervention that offers the greatest opportunities for true success.
    back to 
topBack to top
I haven’t heard of this approach before. Can you assure me that these methods would be helpful?
  • It is not possible to predict a specific outcome. Every case is unique. Given the experiences we have had at our Centre and the observations we and others have made over time with a large number of students, we believe the approach we use is the best place to start in order to meet the needs of children with profiles such as these.
    back to 
topBack to top
Can I talk to other parents whose children have done your program?
  • We would be happy to provide you with the contact details of families who are willing to share the story of their experiences.

    back to 
topBack to top
Do Educators support Learning Creations methods?
  • Many of our clients are referred by special needs teachers in their schools. Increasing numbers of teachers from schools, the TAFE system and universities are attending Jim Hooson’s seminars and screener and program training to find out more about treatment of learning difficulties.
    back to 
topBack to top