Developmental Programme
Difficulties in motor control, eye/hand co-ordination and learning and perceptual skills may be attributable to the omission or interruption of one or more neuro-developmental stages. There are a number of motor and sensory development programmes designed to overcome such difficulties.
At The Sound Learning Centre we are trained in the Neuro-Developmental Delay Reflex Inhibition Programme developed by Peter Blythe and Sally Goddard in the UK, HANDLE developed by Judith Bluestone in the USA and Brain Gym (Educational Kinesiology) developed by Paul and Gail Dennison in the USA. Pauline Allen, Founder of The Sound Learning Centre, is a founder member of the Developmental Practitioners Association (DPA).
We have developed our own unique and effective neuro-developmental home programme. Neuro-developmental Programme (NDP).
NDP is a sensory integration programme widely researched and further developed by The Sound Learning Centre to identify and correct motor and perceptual problems. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘reflex inhibition’ programme as it takes the client systematically through the different stages of development. The aim is to inhibit the Primitive Reflexes that are still present and cause the emergence of the appropriate Postural Reflexes for normal development to occur.
Usually, the Primitive Reflexes develop in the womb, are present at birth and gradually inhibit during the first twelve months as the infant begins to move and grow. They are replaced by the Postural Reflexes which cope with the demands of a gravity-based environment. If the Primitive Reflexes remain, then the Postural Reflexes are prevented from full development, pointing to a central nervous system dysfunction.
Clusters of retained Primitive or underdeveloped Postural Reflexes in the body indicate neuro-developmental difficulties which may impede efficient development of motor control, eye function, eye-hand co-ordination and perceptual skills. Frustration, loss of self-esteem, hyperactivity, hypersensitivity and awkward movement and posture may appear as a developing individual struggles with daily tasks, while family and teachers may remain unaware of an underlying problem.
Neuro-developmental difficulties are often associated with problems during pregnancy, the birth process and early development, or accidents, trauma and sicknesses later in life. Any person of any age may suffer from Neuro-developmental problems and we have found that a remediation programme is effective for adults as well as children.
During a Standard Assessment we gather information through a detailed questionnaire and an initial NDP screening test.
If appropriate, a full Diagnostic Assessment is offered which covers gross and fine motor coordination, balance, patterns of motor development, detection and analysis of primitive and postural reflexes, laterality, oculo-motor functions and visual perceptual ability.
On the basis of this, we recommend and demonstrate a personal programme of exercises to be carried out at home.
The exercises need to be done for about ten minutes every day. A client returns at appropriate intervals so that we can monitor progress and amend the home programme as required.
As the developmental stages are worked through, the presenting symptoms gradually disappear. Improvements in reading, writing, spelling, self-esteem, concentration and coordination are routinely reported.
The Programme is especially valuable for adults and children with dyspraxia, clumsiness, dyslexia, and ADD/ADHD. Associated symptoms like bed-wetting and thumb-sucking often go away. With adults, associated agoraphobia, anxiety and panic attacks may also be eliminated – see also our success stories.
Please Note: The Neuro-developmental Programme (NDP) is not a medical treatment but a developmental training programme.
Our experience shows that our clients have experienced improvements in social, emotional, behavioural or academic performance following our sensory therapies. However we do not claim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, medical condition or any other physical or mental disorder and always recommend that clients consult their medical practitioners as appropriate and do their own research before commencing any of our therapies.