Reversal of my position on NACD/Doman
Melissa Ames
reversed my position on NACD/Bob Doman. This is true.
At one time, I did hold NACD/Bob Doman in high regard. We were clients
for four years. I'm glad that we were able to teach Cristen to read and
I'm glad for some of the other exercises that we did. However, Cristen
did not go for her first NACD evaluation until she was almost four years
old. She was already speaking in 3-4 word phrases, was beginning to be
conversational and was beginning to recognize many printed words prior to
Bob Doman ever laying eyes on her and prior to us ever listening to any
tapes purchased from NACD. While at NACD, Cristen learned
how to read, do addition and subtraction, skip, become less tactile
defensive and to speak with good articulation. Perhaps she could have
learned these things under some other program since the exercises on her
NACD program are not unique to NACD. Perhaps she could have learned
more if enrolled in another program. I have since done much research and
found that Sensory Integration therapists do many of the same types of
things. I also wish that we had spent more time in the handwriting dept.
and taken Cristen to a vision therapist. In addition, Cristen was not
reading on the 6th grade level as we were told. When we left NACD, she
was barely reading on the 3rd grade level. I have to laugh when I read
these anecdotal reports of NACD kids reading on "a first grade level, ninth
month" because I remember sounding like that. Unfortuneately, I believed
in Bob's integrity as a professional and didn't question his testing
methods. There is quite a bit more to reading and language arts than
decoding words. There is also more to math than computations. Open-ended
comprehension questions and the conceptual side of math exercise a much
higher level of thinking than rote spelling and math computations but this
was never addressed while we were at NACD. New parents are tricked into
believing that their kids are functioning at higher levels than reality
would indicate, in my opinion.
The problem for us arose when it was time to do auditory training. Auditory
training did help Cristen, initially. It re-trained the frequencies in her
brain so that she became less hyperauditory. She also seemed more lucid and
she also began to interact with people and her environment in a more
appropriate way. She started craving company instead of being content to
sit in front of videos and she also started reading with expression instead
of one word at a time in a monotone. I was excited. Cristen was almost
acting like a "normal" child, whatever that is. She just looked different.
Then our headphones
broke. We had to get new ones and while looking at the criteria for proper
headphones, I realized that the ones that we had been using were not proper
in that they did not distinguish between the right side and the left side.
Due to their cheapness, they were sort of attenuating the sound so that the
right side was not delivering differently than the left. Cristen had
gotten some good benefits, without getting the potentially bad ones that
would result from having the headphones on the wrong ears.
When we got the new headphones, the right side of the headphones was more
weighted. NACD had directed us to put the right side of these headphones
on Cristen's left ear due to her left handedness. NACD and ICAN (the
"neurodevelopmentalists" that defected from NACD) maintain that a lefthanded
person needs to be right brain dominant. This would mean that the left
ear, eye and foot should all be the dominant ones. So NACD had us switch
the wires on the headphones. This is why they wanted the right side to go
through the left ear to hold with their theory on dominance. I believe that
some of the ICAN people have the parent purchase an attenuator now, after
what has happened to some children, but Thom Simmons, an ICAN
"neurodevelopmentalist" has said that he does indeed switch the wires for
some children.
This wire switching has caused many problems. My daughter regressed in
function over the course of the last two years we were with NACD. She began
speaking with a stutter and lost alot of language she had previously had.
I tried to get help from NACD. They would not admit that the Samonas Sound
Therapy had caused the problems. They said E-Coli had caused the problems.
Of course, having established a trust relationship with Mr. Doman, I went
with that, even though my husband was beginning to get suspicious. How can
E-Coli cause someone's dominant ear to shift. In retrospect, I believe that
Bob just told us Cristen tested left for
ear dominance, since she was functioning well. When our evaluator was
switched about the time Cristen got E-Coli, he actually told the truth, that
Cristen was right earred dominant. Besides, Bob never anesthesized
Cristen's left hemisphere while we were there, nor did he ever, to my
knowledge, perform a dichotic listening test. He could say anything he
wanted. How were we to know if
he was right or not. Since our departure from NACD, Bob has told many that
Cristen's problems were a result of E-Coli. I even told people that because
that is what Bob told me and I stupidly believed him. But now, not only is
Bob speculating that
Cristen started stuttering because of E-Coli, but so are his followers,
(unfortunately, I used to be one). Even more silly is the fact that
Cindy Ringeon wrote to me privately and told me that antibiotics can
cause permanent damage to the auditory system. Cristen never took any
antibiotics for E-coli. Her doctors didn't want to complicate matters.
They don't treat E-coli 157 with antibiotics if they can help it but instead
keep the body hydrated so the body can rid itself of this deadly bacteria.
It seems that all the Domanists are upset that I am telling this story. It
sort of puts a damper on their dominance theory.
How were we to even know if he was telling the truth or not? We finally
left one and a half years ago.
I spoke some of the ICAN people who maintained that the dominance conjecture
perpetuated by the Domans was something to be pursued. At this point, I was
fairly confused and didn't know what to do.
I read some books. (SAMONAS SOUND THERAPY by Ingo Steinbach and
BIOSPYCHOLOGY by Pinel) I searched the web for studies to support the
Doman theory on Dominance. I found NOTHING except what was written by
the Domans and his followers. I did find the studies that I posted in
respose to Ken's post earlier. I have many more bookmarked. All these
studies support the brain as being two dominant hemispheres with specialized
function on both hemispheres. It is the communication between the
hemispheres that is important. Each hemisphere is equally important for
different functions and the smooth transition from one hemisphere to the
other across the corpus collasum is necessary to integrate the two
hemispheres into one efficiently functioning mind.
We have started re-doing the Samonas Sound Therapy. We have done three
months of level I and have begun level II. We put the right side of the
special headphones on Cristen's right ear even though she is left handed.
She is responding very well in many ways. She is singing many new
frequencies on key. She is drawing recognizable pictures for the first time
in her life. She is playing with others all the time and talking to them.
She is not content to sit in front of the tv.(She was before if I'd let her)
She likes to play imaginary games with her brothers. She is speaking
better. Her stutter is lessoning, but I doubt that it will disappear until
we do the Laterality cds (Level IV) which work on interhemispheric
communication. Cristen's dance teacher has told me that she is now doing
the steps in time to the beat of the music and was wondering what had
happened. Prior to last March, she was a fraction of a second behind.
Cristen's auditory memory and processing skills have improved, as have her
visual/perceptual skills.
These improvements are due to the fact that the correct locations within
her brain are being stimulated now whereas before, the wrong part of ther
brain was being stimulated and her language center was being shut off for
long periods during the day. This was evident by the confused and
disconnected state of Cristen's function.
Why did I post all this? Ken seems to be making light of the fact that
I've reversed my position. Unfortuneately, there are people who follow
advice of those they meet on the internet. Many people went to NACD
because of the things I wrote about them in years gone by. When this
tradgedy occurred, I could have disappeared and never said anything. After
all, now I have egg on my face. NACD isn't the wonderful and helpful
organization that I made it out to be. But that wouldn't be very helpful
to others. I view this list as an exchange of information. I felt that
I owed everyone the truth.
Melissa
KM...@aol.com
writes:
<< Since our departure from NACD, Bob has told many that
Cristen's problems were a result of E-Coli. >>
Whatever happened to professional confidentiality? No matter what you said
Melissa, in public or private, I think it is abhorrent that he would discuss
Cristen with other people. That alone should serve as a big fat red warning
light to other parents.
Kathy, Liam's mom (2 1/2)
Brett Ames
Well, I suppose all of them could deny that Bob told them that. I suppose
that I should add that this is just my suspician. They can say that I said
that, because I did, back when Frankie was born. I believed what Bob told
John Jacquith, our evaluator.
I cannot prove that he has told them this, however, I have good reason to
speculate, since he has in fact, devulged professional confidentiality, via
private e-mail, about someone else that was telling the real truth about
NACD. What other course of action does he have but to try to discredit
those who speak the truth out against him?
Melissa
Ken
did state that in spite of the (not named) people's "reversal", I STILL
CONTINUED to follow their advice. Why? Because I highly respect the opinions
of those people and I still tend to FOLLOW their advice.
They made their story about NACD and Bob Doman public to this list a long
time ago, and it is surprising that it is thought of as "new information".
Incidently, MY comments are about GLENN DOMAN, from, IAHP,(NOT NACD and Bob
D.) so the readers need to be very careful to dfistinguish between the teo
anf the confusion which a casual reader could experience.
Mr. Frink
Brett Ames
>A careful reader will see that I did not name Mr. or Mrs. Ames, although I
>did state that in spite of the (not named) people's "reversal", I STILL
>CONTINUED to follow their advice. Why? Because I highly respect the
opinions
>of those people and I still tend to FOLLOW their advice.
I was careful. I see that you didn't mention us by name, but that is who
you were talking about, isn't it? Did you write to another couple about
homeschooling and NACD?
>
>They made their story about NACD and Bob Doman public to this list a long
>time ago, and it is surprising that it is thought of as "new information".
I don't recall anyone saying it was NEW information. I like to repeat it
from time to time, just in case we have any new parents who are considering
using their services. All this gets posted to DEJA news as well, so there
are many more people reading it than our list members. If I can prevent
someone else's child from going through what Cristen went through, it will
be worth the time I took to repeat myself.
>
>Incidently, MY comments are about GLENN DOMAN, from, IAHP,(NOT NACD and Bob
>D.) so the readers need to be very careful to dfistinguish between the teo
>anf the confusion which a casual reader could experience.
Glenn Doman, Bob Doman, Alex Doman...they're all the same. They all
perpetuate the same conjecture about dominance. It's just wrong.
>
Melissa Ames
Ken
perpetuate the same conjecture about dominance. It's just wrong.>
Melissa Ames"
I'm sorry Mrs. Ames, but I just don't see how you are able to put all these
people "in the same boat".
I don't understand your comment about "Dominance". I never said I was
intellegent or highly literate.
Based on what you wrote about me, which you and I know is incorrect, who are
you to name something as being "just wrong"?
If I read what you write correctly, you are saying, "All those Doman's are
wrong".
Again, I must stress that MY defense is of the Glenn Doman I know as a
result of reading his book, "How To Teach Your Baby To Read". My defense is
based on the results my son has had.
Incidently, my son, and my wife do not appreciate you calling me a
"pornorgrapher, and a threatener" I am neither of these.
Before I knew the Lord as personal Savior, I went to a topless bar or read a
Playboy magazine, on occasion, but I haven't done anything like that in over
twenty years.
I have described the medical problems of my wife, (partial hysterectomy
because of H.R. Robins Dalkon Shield) and the resultant family problems
which are documented in public record (Loss of Consortium), and I cautioned
Basic betty on a documentry Television program I have recorded on tape about
how dolphin therapy turns ugly in some Florida resorts because guests are
allowed to fondle the dolphins inappropriately which causes the dolphins to
become hostile, but that is not "pornography" even if it was perceived to be
that way.
Also, I tried to listen to e-mails which got off track when a woman wanted
to confide in me as to what her husband experienced as a child in an abusive
relationship with his Father. I replied that it really was not that bad as
there were many worse things, and she became upset that I was not a passive
"listener", so we ended the conversation, whereupon, she has written that I
wrote porno to her, when in fact, the porno was what she wrote me about her
husband and his Dad.
If anyone reads the words of Glenn Doman in his book in chapter seven, I do
not believe they will find reason to "poo-poo" it.
If anyone reads my posts or e-mails from day one online, I do not believe
they would find reason to "Poo-poo" me.
Love to all,
sincerely,
kf,JD*
(Just a Dad*)