| Another Way of Looking at Developmental | | | | not seem to be any major advancement |
| Difficulty By Rodger Bailey, MS What if | | | | because everyone is sticking within |
| the current medical, psychological, and | | | | their paradigms. Advancements all seem |
| pharmaceutical approaches to | | | | to be in how to get more precise labels |
| developmental difficulties are all on | | | | and descriptions. No one seems to be |
| the wrong track? What if there was a | | | | coming forward with anything significant |
| cultural solution to these problems | | | | in the areas of treatment or prevention. |
| that you could do at home and all the | | | | I recently visited a university and |
| symptoms would be gone in a few months? | | | | talked with a director of the psychology |
| The current 'wisdom' for these | | | | department. This department of this |
| developmental difficulties is that there | | | | university was focusing on Autism and |
| is no cure, you might grow out of some | | | | Asperger's (a high functioning form of |
| of the symptoms over time, but you | | | | Autism). Their education and their |
| really need to take these medications | | | | research efforts were focused on |
| that are prescribed. And, you may need | | | | identifying the minute and precise |
| to take the medications for the rest of | | | | symptom differences between Autism and |
| your life. Developmental difficulties | | | | Asperger's. The 'Psychology' paradigm |
| or developmental delay or developmental | | | | for these disorders is that there is no |
| problems shows up as some combination of | | | | cure and there never will be. They are |
| these conditions: * A lack of focus and | | | | not looking for a cure. They are only |
| concentration * Poor coordination * | | | | focusing on how to get better at the |
| Inability to do anything for more than a | | | | diagnosis of these conditions. When I |
| few seconds * Inability to sit still | | | | told this university psychology |
| * Inability for follow instructions * | | | | department director of my own personal |
| Inability to connect to the context * | | | | experiences of working with hundreds of |
| Impulsivity * Extreme sensitivity to | | | | children with these conditions who lost |
| light, sound, or touch * Poor self | | | | their symptoms, he explained that there |
| control * Poor self image and self | | | | is no way to achieve symptom reduction |
| esteem * Poor athletic performance * | | | | and elimination. My experience did not |
| Poor musical performance * Poor | | | | fit his paradigm, so it was not |
| academic performance * Poor speech | | | | something he could hear. I approached |
| development * Poor emotional | | | | this university in search of graduate |
| development * Poor social development | | | | students who need research projects for |
| The current diagnostic process for | | | | their doctoral studies. Their paradigm |
| developmental difficulties involves | | | | is so strong, no one from that |
| identifying how many of these behaviors | | | | university wanted to explore my |
| a child displays. But, what if none of | | | | techniques, even though I have |
| these specific behaviors is really | | | | remarkable results with developmental |
| important with respect to a solution for | | | | difficulties. The same is true for |
| the child? What if the solution is | | | | medical doctors, clinical psychologists, |
| something really basic? In the last few | | | | and teachers. They think there is no way |
| years, I have worked with over 300 | | | | to fix these conditions and so they |
| children and adults who have | | | | concentrate on precisely identifying |
| developmental difficulties. My | | | | these conditions. All efforts for |
| experience is that between 70% and 80% | | | | treatment are designed to help parents, |
| lose all their 'symptoms' by following a | | | | teachers, and other children cope with |
| rigorous exercise program. I'll tell you | | | | the children with these conditions. |
| more about this later. Discoveries | | | | What will happen when we talk about a |
| uncovered in research in the last few | | | | program you can do at home for 40 |
| years are leading to new paradigms in | | | | minutes per day, three days per week, |
| many fields. In many instances, a | | | | for only three months, and all the |
| multidiscipline approach is leading to | | | | symptoms will be gone in six months? |
| new insights because of the unique | | | | This does not fit the current paradigm, |
| frames-of-reference from those multiple | | | | so the 'professionals' will not review |
| disciplines. Many people working | | | | it, study it, prescribe it, or tell |
| together from different fields are | | | | anyone about it. For them, this does not |
| sharing ideas and learning from each | | | | fit their current paradigm, so it cannot |
| other. These shared ideas are leading to | | | | exist. Well, there is hope. If you want |
| dramatic improvements in understanding | | | | to read about my paradigm of |
| for all involved. However, in the areas | | | | Developmental Difficulty (which includes |
| of developmental difficulties, many | | | | how-to solutions), read through my |
| disciplines are all looking at the | | | | website: If you have someone in your |
| problem, but few are sharing what they | | | | family with some of these conditions, |
| are discovering. Because they are | | | | contact me by email and I will be glad |
| holding onto their own paradigms, little | | | | to guide you to a solution for them. |
| advancement is being made. There does | | | | |