Introducing Diamond Potential

Diamond has already progressed beyond predictors of outcome in the medical literature. This means, her initial prognosis was limiting. Her parents were informed that she would not progress this well and this quickly.

Diamond’s Story

I first saw Diamond at the developmental preschool where I worked as an early childhood special education teacher. I saw an adorable little girl using a walker with her physical therapist and the strangest thought occurred to me: “I want that child.” I did not know for sure if she was even in foster care. My husband and I were foster parents and were already caring for one little girl with special needs and I really wasn’t looking for another. To make a long story short, I inquired about her and we became her foster parents in mid July 1999 with the intent to adopt her.

Diamond was born 7 weeks prematurely (at 31 weeks I believe) on February 19th, 1997. At birth, she had problems with reflux. At about 3 1/2 months, she vomited a bottle and aspirated. She developed pneumonia and required mechanical ventilation for a few days. Upon her discharge, she diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Her mother was unable to care for her and she was placed in medical foster care. She stayed in one home for a few months and then was moved. She remained in the second foster home until she came to live with us at 2 years, 5 months.

Diamond attended a developmental preschool where she received special instruction, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

My early memories of Diamond are a very stiff little girl who had difficulty bending her body and using her arms. She preferred a crouched position with her hands in high guard. She was especially resistant to using her left hand. When she played on the floor, she laid on her stomach and manipulated toys with her right hand. She would raise her head up but was not able to prop herself on her left elbow or maintain a side-lying position. She could scoot a few feet using her arms only; she did not move her legs much. She could feed herself with a spoon and with her fingers, but the food needed to be placed to right of center as she had great difficulty bring her hand to midline, especially the left hand. She was able to pull to stand, but would fall. She would not hit her head when she fell because she was in such a flexed position. She also was able to scoot off of her toddler bed (a bed that is low to the ground and uses a crib mattress) onto her knees but again was so flexed that she could not push away from it. Her chin would get stuck on the mattress and she could not pull her arms up to the mattress to push herself away.

My other foster daughter, Jameea, was already receiving physical therapy from an IMT therapist in Kansas City at the time Diamond was placed with us. I soon switched providers and the IMT therapist began to see Diamond at the end of July or in August of 1999. After the therapist had worked with Diamond for awhile, however, her neck and back were extended enough so that she would hit her head when she fell. She was very soon (after 1-3 treatments) able to easily crawl up and down the hall.

Diamond attended her first Intensive Program in the summer of 2001 (end of July, beginning August) for three days. The biggest change that I noticed after three days of IMT treatment was decreased “ticklishness”. She was quite sensitive to touch and would jerk her body into a flexed position when someone would put their hands around her torso to pick her up.

Her next Intensive Program was for another three days in the summer of 2002. I spoke with Sharon about Diamond attending intensive Programs monthly at this time and made the decision to travel with her frequently for therapy. Because of medical malpractice litigation, Diamond has the funds to receive large amounts of therapy. We have traveled to Intensive Programs at CenterIMT clinics in Bloomfield, CT; Boulder, CO; Albuquerque, NM and Atlanta, GA. Diamond continues to improve after each intensive Program and each therapy session with her IMT therapist in Kansas City. Beginning in February 2003, Diamond began Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) treatments at the Hyperbaric Healing Institute in Kansas City, MO. To date, she has received just over 90 treatments of HBOT. She was also seen by an OMD (doctor of Oriental Medicine) this summer (June-August) for acupuncture treatments.

Diamond has also used the TES (Threshold Electrical Stimulation) unit which has been very beneficial for trunk and general strength! She has also done therapeutic horseback riding since 2 ½ or 3 years old and her IMT therapist in Kansas City now does hippotherapy. We did some karate over the summer and that was beneficial for her to isolate movements on one side of her body, e.g. kicking with one leg and leaving the other leg grounded and punching with one hand while bringing the other hand next to her shoulder.

I am quite impressed by how much progress Diamond has made, but yet feel discouraged when I see how atypical and far behind she is motorically. On the other hand, I can’t even imagine what she would be like at this point without IMT and HBOT. I do not know how much the acupuncture helped as she received treatments simultaneously with HBOT, but I suspect that it helped some. I am very grateful for the hope that I have through practicing IMT. Her orthopedic surgeon also notes progress with therapy, but also believes that Botox and tendon releases would be very helpful to her. She has had Botox injections in the past, but I am reluctant to do any more as I felt that after the third or fourth set wore off, her spasticity seemed higher than before the injections. Her physiatrist more than once has suggested a motorized chair, but as long as she is making progress I will keep her moving as much as possible. At this point, I do not see her ‘plateuing’ in her motor development.

My Story

The children in these stories are healing and progressing towards Recovery. These children have all received Integrative Manual Therapy. The stories are written by their parents.

Danielle’s Story

Danielle was born with a weak immune system. She spent the first several years of life in and out of hospitals with a variety of illnesses. Mostly, the problems centered around her respiratory system and included multiple episodes of croup. At the age of four, she began experiencing migraine headaches, bloody noses, and trouble hearing. At five, she began having occasional seizures. Our pediatrician suspected a brain tumor. A full round of diagnostics tests revealed little additional information concerning the cause of these symptoms and our doctor could not offer any recommended course of treatment except to ‘wait and see’ if the tumor developed to the point where it could be detected and then treated. At about this time we discovered that she was also quite dyslexic. Nearly all of the numbers and letters she drew were reversed and, though extremely bright, she was having enormous difficulty learning to read, write, or do any formal school work. Her respiratory difficulties continued. She had a nearly constant, barking cough that became such a routine part of her life that the remarkable events became the short periods when she was free of coughing.

At seven, she broke her wrist and was briefly hospitalized for surgery. After this trauma, she began a nearly constant string of high fevers, headaches, bloody noses, and seizures. Our pediatrician said that he thought the brain tumor was finally manifesting. Another MRI, though not conclusive, seemed to show something abnormal on the right lower lobe. He was still not sure what it was and wanted to do more tests.
It was at this point we turned to IMT for an alternative approach. Having spent the last three years trying to get help for her condition through traditional western medicine with little or no success, we felt we needed to seek answers elsewhere. Two weeks after her wrist surgery, she began receiving regular treatment with IMT at CenterIMT SanFrancisco. Within three months, the dyslexia had improved to the point where it was no longer evident in her writing and she began reading with a vengeance. Similarly, her headaches improved and nearly disappeared, as did the frequent nosebleeds. Finally, the seizures decreased in frequency and she has been completely seizure free for nearly a year. Her persistent respiratory troubles that have dogged her since infancy are also a thing of the past. The occasional cough is just that, occasional and no more severe than any normal child her age.
In short the course of treatment provided by IMT had a profound and virtually miraculous effect on Danielle’s health and quality of life over the past two years. We are extremely grateful for their intervention in our lives and look forward to continuing progress toward good health and a full life for our daughter.

Emma’s Story

My daughter, Emma, was 10 years old when she began receiving IMT. At this point in her life, she had not consistently slept through the night without wetting her bed, since she was an infant. Sometimes, if we woke her at 11pm and then again at 4am to use the bathroom, she wouldn’t wet the bed. But usually, even this would not work. We tried limiting fluids in the evening, having her clean her own bed, and do her own laundry. We did not want to do any additional behavior modification (such as the equipment which wakes you when you are wet) or medications. The bed wetting was limiting her willingness to stay over at friends for the night or even having them stay over at our home.
In October 2001, she was evaluated at CenterIMT San Francisco and a treatment plan was created for her which focused on her kidneys and ureters. Within one month of beginning the treatment plan, her dry nights began to increase, going from 1 or 2 to 3-5 a week without us having to wake her. These became progressively more consistent until in late March 2002, she no longer had any bed wetting incidents! In fact, now she even wakes up during the night to go to the bathroom. This was a first in her entire life. By March 2002, we also stopped limiting her fluid intake in the evening.

In May 2002, she was to attend a science camp where she would be gone for 4 nights. She was concerned that with the stress of being away from home her night time bed wetting would return. A plan was made with her teacher to deal with the situation if there was a problem. Emma’s teacher was very supportive of her. Emma attended the science camp and had a wonderful time. She didn’t wet the bed once while she was away. She is now 12 years old and attends middle school. She has not had any problems with bed wetting since March 2002.
She often uses NFP for daily problems that pop-up, such as headaches, stomach aches, hitting her leg, muscle cramps. She feels good when she can

Amelia’s Story

Amelia was born by C-section at 37 weeks and weighed 5lbs and 11 oz. She was diagnosed with ‘failure to thrive’ and remained below the height/weight charts for several months. At nearly nine months, she would not roll onto her stomach and gave no interest in attempting to crawl. She had grown steadily but remained very small, especially in weight. We had her assessed by an IMT therapist who indicated Amelia had compromise in her vascular system. As this was treated we saw immediate results. After the first session, she was rolling onto her stomach and following the second session, she was crawling. At 2 years old, Amelia had difficulty with her digestive system. She suffered from such severe constipation and she would throw up everything she ate. This went on for more than a month. She received IMT with nutritional support and within a few days her digestion normalized and she had no further problems. We utilize IMT on a regular basis for our child to support her immune system and maintain her overall health. She is incredibly healthy, bright, and active. She has come a long way from the ‘failure to thrive’, developmentally delayed baby of 5 years ago. We are grateful for what IMT has provided for Amelia.

Landen’s Story

The difference that IMT has made in my son’s life is unbelievable. Landen was on 12 different medications before we started IMT. He was always sleepy, lethargic, and was never truly happy. He was a very sick child. After 2 sessions (4hrs apiece), we started to notice a difference. He literally could not breathe. But, after 2 sessions, he no longer struggled to breath. Within 2 weeks, we noticed Landen reaching for the little things he wanted. The look in his eyes resembled that of a healthy child. Within about a month, Landen began to eat more and more by mouth.

Anyone who knew him before IMT, and sees him now says, “He looks so healthy and happy.” Now here we are, 2 months into therapy, and he improves every day. He is now only on 2 medications, for his seizures. He is off of everything else, because he does not need them. We are so ecstatic to have our son, our HEALTHY AND HAPPY son back. The progress Landen has made is incredible!!! I believe this program would be very beneficial to all sick children. It has made a tremendous difference in our lives. Thank God for IMT.

Benjamin’s Story

When we brought Benjamin home from the hospital two days after he was born, he cried incessantly and seemed to forget how to nurse. I had a lactation consultant come to my house several times over the next week to assist with the nursing. Finally, Ben started to get the hang of it. But I remember thinking he seemed to forget what he had learned several times. Ben’s weight gain was very slow. He stayed the same weight for nearly two weeks.

In the beginning, the most concerning thing was his temperament and overall unhappiness. He was usually fussy and irritable and throughout the day and night would have ‘fits’ of horrible screeching and screaming for no apparent reason to us. He rejected any kind of comfort, such a rocking him or holding him.

When Ben was 2 ½ months old, I finally brought him to our pediatrician. My pediatrician diagnosed Ben as having a severe case of colic, but told us that the good news was we only had another couple of weeks to go. Two weeks later, there were no changes with Benjamin’s ‘colic’.

I took Benjamin back to the pediatrician at around 5 months of age and basically heard the same thing that I heard at the 2 ½ month appointment. He has colic and there is nothing we can do. Meanwhile, I knew in my heart that this wasn’t the case. I knew of babies that were colicky and this wasn’t Benjamin. He had no happy times during the day at all. He was unhappy continuously, didn’t seem interested in anyone and anything around him ever. There was no interaction except trying to console this inconsolable baby. He was extremely sensitive to all sound and stimulus.

Another difficult situation was his sleeping patterns. He seemed unable to sleep for more than 1 ½ hours at a stretch, no matter the time of day or night and would wake up in one of his fits. I am a structured, routine-oriented kind of mother and it didn’t make sense to me that Benjamin couldn’t sleep for longer stretches of time. Something was amiss.

I brought him to the pediatrician again at around 7 or 8 months old and this time we decided to bring him to a gastroenterologist. Ben had reflux; he would spit up all the time, and seemed to have those classic digestive symptoms, such as gas or bringing his knees up to his stomach. The gastroenterologist recommended that I give Ben Zantac. The doctor wanted to do other testing but I decided not to put Benjamin through these uncomfortable tests, knowing in my heart that the tests wouldn’t help us understand what was bothering my baby so much.

During all these months, Ben didn’t seem to change much. He was quite unhappy, not very responsive to any ‘positive’ interaction. He wasn’t interested in his big sister, who is 19 months older or me or my husband. He seemed to overreact to everything. He detested his bath time and diaper changes, getting dressed, having his nose wiped; he couldn’t console himself. He was not interested in toys at all and didn’t seem to know how to play with them.

Benjamin’s fits began to lessen at around 7 months. There was even a two week period around mid January 2001 that he turned into a different baby. He was playing and happy at times. But then he had one of his fits again and he started to revert back to his old ways. His fits became more infrequent but they still occurred and his overall temperament was still very unhappy. Mostly Benjamin seemed irritated by something. To me it most often seemed like it stemmed from his head; possibly something wrong at his nose, eyes or ears. He would start rubbing one of these areas and start whining and crying. Almost like he had an allergy or he was over-stimulated.

Benjamin’s bowel movements were not normal. When I was nursing he did not go very often, sometimes every 5-7 days. When we started formula and baby food he was very constipated and he always seemed to have pain stemming from his digestive system.

Feeding times were always the most stressful time for us. Benjamin would have fits in his high chair all the time. Every morning when I would put him in his chair he would scream so strongly. I would have to take him out and try to console him. This would happen at lunch and dinner too. He acted like he was in excruciating pain. This went on for months and months. Then we had the most trouble at dinner time. He screamed so badly almost every time. When he was 14 months old, I put him on a completely gluten free and casein free diet and his bowels changed. He still experienced constipation sometimes but the consistency of the stool was different – healthier. We saw many changes in his social interaction, speech development and overall communication since we put him on this diet.

I had Ben checked for celiac disease and allergies. Everything came back negative except for immune tests. His IgA level was abnormally low, as was his IgM level. My pediatrician sent Ben to an immunologist who felt that it was caused by transient hypogammaglobulinemia (pernicious anemia) in infancy. He told me to get him tested in 6 months and he thought it would be within normal range.

Benjamin’s gross motor and language development would often progress but any new skill he seemed to learn would be forgotten, quite often by the next day. Occupational therapists diagnosed Benjamin with sensory integration dysfunction. He had self regulation and sensory issues which hindered his ability to act on the environment and his body in a productive manner. He was in O.T. and Speech therapy for a total of 5 hours per week.

Benjamin’s speech therapist introduced us to IMT when he was about one year old. Her husband had acute back pain for years and tried everything, including surgery. She shared with me that when he found IMT, it changed his life. Our speech therapist introduced us to an occupational therapist who was practicing IMT. Our O.T. sent us to Connecticut for Benjamin to get ‘Mapped’ and then we began regular weekly sessions.

Benjamin has been receiving IMT for about two years.
Throughout the last two years of treatment, we have seen incredible progress in all of Ben’s problems: his digestive system, his temper tantrums, social interaction, sensory integration and language development.

The first part of his treatment plan was focused on his digestive system. We saw changes immediately. Initially, his bowel movements were so painful that we couldn’t leave the house. Now, they are perfectly normal, occurring daily and of normal consistency. Once his digestive system was functioning normally, we were able to focus on other things. On a weekly basis, our therapist would find specific parts of his body that needed immediate attention. Sometimes, we could see immediate results from our session, either positive or negative and sometimes we would need another session or two to really enjoy the efforts of the therapy. But there was no doubt that the IMT that Benjamin was receiving was changing him.

His food issues vanished. He could tolerate all textures and meal times were not a battle anymore. His sleep patterns changed. He was able to sleep through the night until about 5am and currently he goes to bed at 8pm and sleeps until 7am. A total of 11 hours, completely acceptable for a 3 year old! His tantrums lessoned and became more controllable. We understood each other better and could reason more.

We saw Sharon this August and she felt that she probably would not have to see him again because he was almost done with IMT (initially, Sharon had seen him a couple of times a year because she was so concerned). He still will need maintenance but the core of his therapy is near completion. It’s difficult to say that he is completely finished because there is always something that could use some ‘fixing’.

Today, Benjamin is 3 years and 4 months old. He is a typical 3 year old who is successful in pre-school, loves to play, makes jokes, learns, interacts with everyone; he is developmentally where he should be with his gross motor skills, language skills, self-help skills and fine motor skills. He has lots of interests and is a joy to be with. To us, it is a miracle! When we think back a couple of years ago of all our fears and just how difficult our lives were, we are so grateful that we were able to find IMT and we are in awe of the changes and the normalcy that have in our lives today.

We have decided to continue therapy for our daughter who has problems with her eyesight. We hope to see results so that she will not have to wear eyeglasses during her childhood. We look forward to our continued relationship with our wonderful, amazing IMT therapist and again, so thankful that we found IMT for our family.

Jacob’s Story

As an infant, Jacob was diagnosed with microcephaly, static encephalopathy, global delay, and hypotonia. He was also having multiple ear infections.
Jacob has received IMT as well as other interventions since January 2000 and continues with these treatments today. The progress he has shown is that he is much healthier, he has more static balance, he shows more awareness and interaction, he has better muscle tone, his ear infections are reduced, and he is verbalizing sounds now where he was non-verbal pre-treatment.
The process of IMT treatment has been a journey of hope, and it is allowing Jacob to reach his full potential.

We have learned to never give up hope, for hope gives you strength. We have also met the most incredible people through our journey with Jacob.

Zeldie’s Story

My daughter, Zeldie, was born 9 weeks early. She is one of triplets born on December 10, 1994. Since her birth, she struggled with many different medical problems, mostly due to her premature birth. She has severe respiratory attacks, infections and wheezing pneumonias, which required many hospitalizations and medical treatments. She also suffered from a seizure disorder and was treated with many different anti-seizure medications.
During her first few years, Zeldie received lots of different therapies for her growth and development through early intervention. She had to wear special braces on her feet for a couple of years to loosen tight muscles in her legs.
When Zeldie was 2 ½ years old, we introduced her to the potty, and that’s when we noticed her having a problem with infrequent urination. We took Zeldie to many medical professionals and none of the doctors were able to treat Zeldie successfully. The only two suggestions were to do intermittent catheterization, which was extremely painful for Zeldie and very difficult for her family or perform major surgery to relieve Zeldie’s urinary retention.

After more than a year of running around to different doctors, we decided to discuss Zeldie’s situation with her physical therapist. She highly recommended us to bring Zeldie to CenterIMT for treatment. So we decided to take the long trip and bring Zeldie to Connecticut (to see the real professionals).
At her very first session, Zeldie felt an urge to use the potty for the first time in more than a year. We were amazed at the instant response, so we felt that would give this a try and continue treatments in hope to see permanent changes in this multi-medically involved youngster.

Although the trips were extremely tough and very costly, we still continued going, and thankfully Zeldie showed slow but steady progress. We continued therapies for a couple of years. All her previous medical issues are past history. They include and are not limited to: She no longer sees a pulmonologist for her severe asthma and RDS, and she no longer takes any medications for this. She’s off all seizure medications. She’s been seizure-free for many years. She no longer needs to be catheterized and we omitted the possibility of surgery.
When Zeldie saw her urologist at her last visit, he was shocked and stunned to see that she’s perfectly fine. “We’ll just keep an eye on her”, he said.

Therefore, I cannot thank and appreciate and support enough of the work and services which CenterIMT has offered to my Zeldie, and we and pray Zeldie will always remain as happy and healthy as she is today!
Thank you again.

Travis and Kara’s Story

My son, Travis was born on July 31, 2000 via In Vitro Fertilization. I had a 17 hour labor with several heart defibrillations and forceps delivery. Following an MRI scan in January 2001 which showed mild brain damage, Travis was diagnosed with Opisthotonus, a form of Cerebral Palsy where the neck and trunk present with severe, uncontrollable arching. The neurologist thought that he would be walking by the age of two. Travis was put on valium to try and relax the neck and trunk. The neurologist was hopeful that Travis would not need the valium for the rest of his life but he would make no guarantees. I could not imagine my child being on valium the rest of his life.

I discovered IMT through some friends who were meeting with my father in London. They had been taking their child to CenterIMT in Connecticut and recommended that I look into it. My first appointment was in Asheville in February 2001. I immediately, with the neurologist’s approval, took Travis off the valium. We returned every week for our 2 hour appointment. Our goal was for Travis to be “sitting tall” by 12 months and walking by 18 months. We achieved both goals. We returned to the neurologist a year later, and he had no explanation for the “cure” in Travis’s condition other than to say he did not need to see him again. There were no physical signs or symptoms of any kind that showed that Travis was anything other than a healthy 20 month old child.

When Travis turned two, my daughter, Kara was born. An easy pregnancy, labor and delivery. She was a natural pregnancy. She received treatment immediately and started to going to CenterIMT Asheville when she was 6 weeks old. She is very mild mannered, strong and smart for her age. She has had one cold in 14 months. She is walking and talking, climbing, swinging and sliding, just like children that are at least 6 months older than her. She has advanced ability in problem solving and comprehension.

Both children continue to receive and greatly benefit from IMT treatment. I know that without IMT, my son would not be the typical three year old that he has become. I look at him running around with his friends and can’t believe how far he has come. It breaks my heart to think of the alternative.

Jennifer’s Story

When my daughter, Jennifer, was 3 months old, she developed a fever of 105 degrees. A urinalysis revealed an infection, and she was given a course of antibiotics. We were referred to a Pediatric Urologist at Boston’s Children’s Hospital for further evaluation. Jennifer underwent a battery of tests, and she was diagnosed with a condition known as Ureteral Reflex. There was a problem with the ureters, that allowed urine to back-flow to the kidneys, creating a situation that could damage her kidneys. The doctor explained to us that his primary focus would be to protect her kidneys from permanent damage, by keeping her on antibiotics daily, in hopes of preventing further infections. He would monitor her kidneys and ureteral flow on a yearly basis and if she didn’t outgrow this condition by the age of 6, she would have to undergo surgery. Being new parents, we were terrified at what the future held in store for Jennifer. Would she someday need a kidney transplant?

Our prayers were answered in the form of a Physical Therapist, who had studied numerous forms of Manual Therapy. After the first session, I knew Jennifer was going to be all right. She underwent several sessions of visceral techniques, and my fascination with the work, lead me to a career change into the field of Integrative Manual Therapy. This career change led Jennifer into the hands of an Integrative Manual Therapist to whom we are forever grateful. She was able to receive treatment every other week for a year. Our next visit to the Children’s Hospital confirmed what we already knew. The right kidney and ureter were 80% better and the left was 60% better.

Jennifer continued to receive Integrative Manual Therapy on a monthly basis over the course of the next year, and as the toxins left her body, she continued to heal. We ultimately were able to discontinue the antibiotics and Jennifer never had another infection. As for her overall growth and development, she continues to be in the highest percentiles for height and weight, and by the age of 3 ½, she was able to read. She is our miracle child, and a living testament to the power of Integrative Manual Therapy.

Logan’s Story

On October 22, 2000, our fourth child was born; a son, Logan. We were so excited and so were his sisters to finally have a little brother. At first, everything seemed wonderful. Then at six weeks old, a trip to the doctor for a suspected ear infection started the beginning of a nightmare for our family. Our son’s doctor became very alarmed over his head shape, which by this time should have rounded out.

At an appointment with a neurosurgeon, Logan was diagnosed with cranial sagittal synostosis (premature fusion of the sagittal suture, which is the dividing line from the center back of the skull). The back of our son’s head was very narrow and positioned down near his neck.

The doctor recommended surgical skull reconstruction, but made it clear that it was no guarantee that another suture in the skull would not become jammed. If that happened it would require further surgeries. We did not feel good about the surgery, especially after the doctor described how they would cut Logan’s skull bones apart, manually reshape them and wire everything back together. We researched every option available to us, as our son had other problems that were quickly surfacing. Nystagmus (constant up and down eye movements), curvature of the spine, cortical blindness (he has only some peripheral awareness and gives no indication of forward vision), hypotonia (low muscle tone in his upper body), hypersensitive gag reflex, and developmental delays. We found a specialist in Connecticut that offered and advanced type of physical therapy called Integrative Manual Therapy that would be able to address all of Logan’s dysfunctions. We were excited hearing about how IMT could help Logan.

We took him to five Intensive Programs by his first birthday. Gradually, we started to see improvements; his whole body straightened out, his spine no longer curved into a “C” shape when we laid him down. The curvature of the spine had been resolved for him! The constant up and down eye movements (nystagmus) stopped. We would see more and more improvements in his head shape after every Intensive Program. The back of his skull (occiput) slowly shifted into the correct position. His overall head shape has improved dramatically.

In his second year of life, fundraising efforts provided enough funds to cover trips to four Intensive Programs and along came more improvements for Logan. By June of 2002, at 20 months old, he was finally able to lift his upper body off the floor and position himself on his hands and knees. My husband and I cried as we watched our son reach a goal we had waited a long time for. July and August brought more exciting changes for Logan as he was now able to eat solid food without vomiting at 21 months old, prior to this point he could only eat baby food of a thin consistency. He was now able to transfer himself from lying down to sitting or standing, without crying for someone to move him. He so desperately wanted to be mobile and now he was, because he was now also able to walk independently! By the end of 2002, his remaining problems were in speech and vision.

Fundraising efforts this year (2003) provided enough funds to cover two trips to Intensive Programs. By the end of May, he was saying “mama” and “uh-oh”. At his therapy session in June, his therapists told us that he was responding so well that they assured us he would be making huge gains verbally. As so he has!! He is now talking very well and is able to convey his likes and dislikes. He also loves music and is always singing. If there is no music playing he will say, “I want to listen to music” and then tell us specifically what song he wants to hear. He only has to hear a song once to know the words. Some of his favorites are “Jesus Loves Me” and “I Will Shine” – and shine he does! Even though he still suffers from cortical blindness and has only limited peripheral awareness and no forward vision. He is always smiling, happy and playful.

His therapists have stated that with continued therapy he will someday have normal vision. It is our hope and prayers that Logan will be able to continue to receive Integrative Manual Therapy. W could never have imagined that it would have produced such incredible changes in our little boy. IMT is the miracle that we were praying for when we first found out that Logan had so many problems. We are so thankful that God led us in making the right decision to pursue treatment with IMT and avoid skull reconstruction surgery.

Casey’s Story

During the fourth months of my wife’s pregnancy we discovered that Casey had club feet. At first, we were quite upset, especially since we had no complications with our first two children. The good news was that we had time to prepare for the best measures to take to help her upon her arrival. After doing our own research and discussing her situation with many in the health field we discovered that club feet could be reversed in most cases. We preferred to use the least invasive measures and wanted to avoid the aggressive surgery option at all costs.

Upon her arrival, even though we knew her condition, the appearance and position of her feet were shocking. Her feet were pointing at extreme angles down and in toward each other. At times it looked like they were pointing backward instead of forward. I immediately started with IMT for Casey with a focus on her whole body initially and not just her feet and legs. Initial progress was good and surgery was definitely out of the picture. Within a week, we started her on an eight week program of serial casting during which I continued to treat her with IMT. Since the casts were removed she has continued to be treated regularly with IMT, by myself and others at a couple of Intensives, and is doing great.

Casey turns one on November 8, 2003 and is taking her first steps. The position of her feet is good and the range of motion at her ankles is normal. The swelling and lymphatic drainage problems are gone. Casey has had a few follow-up visits with the podiatrist and he is very pleased with her progress and development. As her parents, we hope for her continued development and chance to run and play with her brother and sister.
Working for CenterIMT, I experience almost daily the profound changes the work can produce I the pediatric population. Now seeing these changes in my own child has only deepened my respect and appreciation for the work.

Tehila’s Story

Our daughter, Tehila, began walking at 15 months and, as she started to spend time upright, we noticed a swelling at the base of her spine that looked bruised. At her next well-baby check-up, we asked the pediatrician to look at Tehila’s back. “Oh, that’s nothing”, said the doctor, “Everyone’s bodies are made differently”. Our parents’ intuition told us that this was not an answer we should settle for, so we brought Tehila to CenterIMT. After watching her walk across the room, and upon further evaluation, the therapists agreed that Tehila presented as if she had a mild case of Spina Bifida. When we heard those words, we were frightened and worried about what this would mean for our daughter. The therapists explained that through Integrative Manual Therapy, the presentation of this abnormality could be changed without any invasive procedures, and Tehila would be spared any further manifestation of Spina Bifida, such as impaired coordination. Tehila is now 5 1/2, has a healthy back, and understands that she can participate in the care and healing of her body. Periodic visits to CenterIMT reassure us that she is continuing to develop in a healthy manner.

Chelsea’s Story

My child, Chelsea, was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. She was very easily distracted, extremely active in class, very excitable, and unable to concentrate for any length of time on her school work. She was put into special education classes so she could receive more one-to-one help from her teachers. She also began taking Ritalin which later was changed to another drug, Concerta. Chelsea’s school work and attitude towards her work really began to suffer during the first part of her fifth grade year, and hr teachers became really concerned, as well as us, about her work and the upcoming move to middle school.
In March of 2003, Chelsea began therapy at CenterIMT in Fayetteville, GA and continued until the end of the school year until the middle of July ’03. We, as parents, were unsure about stopping the therapy but she was going to be out-of-town a lot during the summer. The progress Chelsea made from March until June was exceptional as far as her teachers and we were concerned. All hr grades improved (from D’s and F’s to all B’s). Her teachers called us at home about 3 weeks into the therapy, and asked us what was going on because they had noticed a sharp change in her attitude, her attention level and quality of work. All of her teachers were experiencing this positive movement. She began taking supplements combined with a sugar-free diet that were recommended by CenterIMT. Family members began to notice how calm she was becoming; she gained self-confidence, a maturity level that was not there before March ’03.

Chelsea began another round of therapy in October 2003 to further strengthen the improvement already realized from the previous therapy. She no longer takes any medication for ADHD. The first quarter of sixth grade went well, 1-A, 3-B’s, 2’C’s. She is still in the process of learning proper study habits, but her attitude and efforts are there. We, as parents, are extremely happy with the work at CenterIMT, and we have suggested it to other parents for their children with similar problems as Chelsea’s.

Hannah’s Story

At six months of age, Hannah was suffering from serious reflux problems, which caused great discomfort for her and stress for the family. We had discovered IMT and took her in for an evaluation of the problem. They worked on her for about 20 minutes and the reflux vanished! At that time, we were first time parents and we only asked that she be evaluated for correction of that problem. They did not solicit further but there were further problems.
Five months later, Hannah was trying to move independently. She began rolling across the floor but was unable to pull her legs up underneath herself. We also had noticed that when she stood in a stationary upright position (like a walker) with toys, the balls of her feet folded underneath. We thought that this might be developmental. But as time passed, other issues began to suggest that we needed to have her full evaluated. Her head was very large at birth and she was 4 months old before she could hold her own head up. At 10 months old, she was still unable to pull her knees in and crawl like other babies. She sat extremely erect when drinking a bottle, her head was held as far back as possible when eating, and she would wring her hand with white knuckles as though she was uncomfortable. She struggled with solid foods and seemed to choke a lot for her age. Her left hand was turned under and she could only clap on the backside of that hand. She had severe and repeated ear infections in both ears, tremendous head congestion that led to chest congestion (the way we understood it). She often received breathing treatments with a breathing machine along with Albuterol in order to breathe without struggling so hard. She was on antibiotics constantly. They were all beginning to phase out of effectiveness. The pediatrician and an ear, nose, and throat doctor both recommended tubes be placed in her ears.

At this point, we finally returned to CenterIMT for a full evaluation. After approximately tow visits, the need for the breathing machine ceased to exist! As we continued to see the IMT therapist, we quickly began noticing changes in her flexibility and she began to crawl. She drank her bottles and eventually from cups without tilting her head in an awkward position. CenterIMT supported us with information on how to help drain the congestion from her head and ears and we began to see the ear infections reduce and go away. Our pediatrician was willing to use less medication as she began to see results from the IMT. Ultimately, Hannah no longer had ear infections and tubes were never discussed again. Hannah was able to stand and walk on her feet properly. She was able to eat solid foods without so much difficulty. The use of her left hand became normal.
The day that Hannah could lean forward while sitting on the floor and touch the floor with her chest was an extraordinary one! The most incredible part of the IMT involvement is that we know some things to do to help her when she is dealing with sickness or pain. She is very aware of her body and what she needs. We are completely confident in the treatment offered through IMT and no matter what happens to Hannah, we know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that the therapists at CenterIMT Atlanta will be able to help her heal and become well again.
We owe our daughter’s health and well being to IMT. Hannah is physically no different than any other child – maybe healthier. She is cognitively beyond her peers. She is better in tune with her own needs than any average child that has not had the privilege or benefit of services through IMT. We will continue to seek treatment for any further injuries.

Elena’s Story

Our second daughter was 3 ½ years old when we found Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT). Prior to IMT, our family was hostage to her allergies. We live in Hong Kong, and the pollution there is horrendous and only exacerbated the problem. As parents, we tried everything including cooking large beetles as prescribed by a Chinese herbalist to relieve her from her allergies to and endless list of foods and medications (dairy, eggs, nuts, most frits, some antibiotics, etc.) and other common allergens (wool, dust, etc.). We used cortisone and other more potent medications on her eczema until her wrists and other areas turned white from the scars.

As you may know, it is not easy living with a child that has a special condition. Birthday parties were a nightmare. How do you explain to your child that she cannot have the cake and ice cream everyone else is eating? As for restaurants, our first question to the waiter was always, “What oil do you use for you cooking?” Swimming was also out of the question since chlorine made her eczema worse. Our other two daughters had eczema as well but our second daughter’s condition was the worst. I can’t remember how many times we rushed her to the hospital because her face and hands swelled up from an allergy attack. It was the unknown that was the most frightening. What in the world caused these attacks? How can I leave her side when I’m not sure when it will happen again?

The worst was when we bought a self assembled computer desk from a well known European manufacture for her room. She woke up every morning with swollen hands. Her feet were covered with funny little white bumps. It took us 3 days to figure out that it was probably the desk. Can you imagine how weak her body must have been to be allergic to a piece of furniture?
I use to pray for her eczema to go away: “Dear Lord, please let her hurry up and outgrow all of her allergies. Please take the allergies away”.

Then I realized I was not praying correctly. My new prayers began: “Dear Lord, TEACH me how to get rid of her allergies. Teach me how to make my children stronger and healthier individuals. I want to have ‘normal’ kids who can roll around on the grass and not have to worry about them accidentally eating something with nuts in it or about bees in the yard or about whatever else that can cause allergy attacks. Show me what to do.”

My friend told me about an IMT therapist, who worked from a small room here in the heart of the business district in Hong Kong. She had cured my friend’s son of all his dairy allergies. I was willing to try anything.

Three months after she began treatment with IMT, my daughter ate ice cream! I can’t tell you the feelings that swelled in all of our hearts. Ice cream, milk with cereal, pasta, cookies. Our lives were completely changed. It was as if we were kept prisoners in a dark terrible place and now all of us, including my two other daughters, were shown a wonderful light. We were free at last!

I am not a doctor and cannot explain how the process works. IMT is not something that is easy to understand, especially for people who are used to conventional medicines. Prior to IMT, our doctor, a renowned local allergy specialist, prescribed very strong medications for her like cortisone for her eczema, oral bronchodilators like Bricanyl and Meptin, as well as steroids like Pulmicort taken via an inhaler for her bronchitis and Zyrtec for her allergies. With the help of IMT, I began to slowly wean my daughter off the heavy medication.

Based on my understanding, conventional medicine suppresses the symptoms or can only give you quick short term solutions. IMT treats the underlying problem, layer by layer. In other words, IMT goes to the source of the problem while conventional medicine doesn’t. I now understand that we are the sum of everything we do to ourselves, what we wear, what we eat, etc. We now try to learn as much as we can about the ingredients in anything that we ingest. We also use supplements that are good for us such as fish oil. Also remarkably, we have found good results using green tea for skin rashes, where before we relied on cortisone. For IMT to work, it takes hard work, dedication (many hours spent doing Neurofascial Processing at home) and patience. It was well worth the effort for us!

Today, my three daughters all roll on the grass. They have wall to wall wool carpeting in their rooms. They are free from all eczema and they are strong swimmers. My husband and I are now proud parents of ‘normal’ children. We no longer worry about food or external allergies. We are free from ALL allergies. I pray and thank God every day for bringing us to IMT. We thank IMT for education us in how to be more responsible parents and how to keep our family healthy. It is a new beginning for us and it is a constant battle against all the Genetically Modified foods (GMO), pre-packed and fast good world that we live in but we are trying.

I now pray like this:
“Dear Lord, can you please TEACH my husband to stop eating all of his junk food and for him to stop giving them to the children and can you get him to go and work out a couple times a week?”
Well, it doesn’t hurt to try…

Maksym’s Story

Our son, Maksym, was born August 28th, 2003 after going through a 20 hour delivery, with pain medications and an epidural. He was diagnosed with hydrocele in his right scrotum. He also had noticeable limitations of his right leg and right arm in active movement. We could sense increased temperature in the back of his pelvis (sacrum area). Intermittently, he was restless and crying and was often irritated during feeding time.

Immediately after he was born, we began Neurofascial Process (NFP). We use NFP in our home on a daily basis for self-help. It immediately pacifies Maksym (in a matter of minutes).

Maksym was evaluated at CenterIMT at 2 weeks old and had IMT to free up restrictions in his sacral plexus which immediately increased his range of motion in his right leg during active movement. Two weeks later, he had IMT to his digestive system and it took a day or so to notice the difference in him. Following this treatment, he was more peaceful and relaxed. His third visit to CenterIMT improved the range of motion in his right arm. For the first time, we were able to see Maksym reach up to shoulder level and up to his head with his right hand. We plan to continue treatment with IMT since his hydrocele size is diminishing (slowly but surely). Overall, IMT has offered hope and solutions to our concerns and problems. We recommend IMT to any parent who has a child challenged with any problems.

Kayla’s Story

If there is one thing my daughter Kayla has taught me, it is patience. Born with a diagnosis of macrocephaly (a large head) and hypotonia (low tone), we were told by the neurologist that she would grow out of it. But the diagnosis didn’t quite identify the magnitude of the symptoms. She was basically all over the map with gross motor issues, fine motor and visual processing delays. She never crawled – her head was too heavy to be held up by her tiny low tone body – and she started walking on her own at the age of 4. It was like watching child development in slow motion.

Now, at age 11, we have learned a lot and realize there is so much more to find out. Therapy has filled calendar for eleven years. From Sensory Integration O.T., Osteopathy, P.T., Auditory Therapy, Sensory Learning, and IMT, we try almost anything. The common denominator for all therapies is non-invasiveness. Although I don’t know where Kayla would be without so much intervention, I know she has made tremendous gains. She has continually progressed and become a great kid with a kind heart.

Since starting IMT in August 2002, we have seen some wonderful gains. Kayla is definitely more aware of her surroundings, commenting on the colors of cars driving by. She verbalizes more and is much more responsive to requests. I’m a big advocate of trying to get the body back on track and healing itself. That’s why IMT makes so much sense to me.

Our ultimate goal is for Kayla to be a typical child-socializing with her peers, studying at age appropriate grade level. But for now, we just hope for as many gains as possible. Our hope is that she will be able to live as an independent, normal (whatever that means) and happy adult.

Kaitlin’s Story

Our daughter Kaitlin, who is almost 10, was diagnosed with Asthma in the fall of 2001. Shortly after, we brought her to CenterIMT Bloomfield, CT where she was given NFP “homework”, supplements, modifications to diet, and IMT treatment.

During the two years we have been going to CenterIMT, we have seen her health improve dramatically. Her Asthma rarely bothers her and is far less severe, and the sinus infections she has suffered through 2 or 3 times a year have been reduced to once a year. Overall, her health is much better and her diet is much healthier. We all look forward to seeing her health continue to improve. We also feel it is a realistic expectation to see her Asthma-free in the not-too-distant future.

Chiara’s Story

Feb 23, 1998
I am writing again to inform you of Chiara’s progress. Since she was at the last intensive program a number of things have changed for us. I say us, because not only have you helped our daughter but Chiara’s progresses have had a tremendous impact on our whole family.
She is definitely happier since the releasing of all that anger and rage. She has verbalized it to me several times. “She’s happy!” Referring to herself. Her description of words seems to have increased over night. Instead of just one word she will use 2 or 3 adjectives along with the word.

She had an absolute blast at her birthday party. I have to say that there were 5 children with the diagnosis PDD or Autism at the party. Chiara was the only child participating with all the typical children. She did everything. Chicken Dance, the limbo stick, and the YMCA and all appropriately.

She is much more loving and caring to her brother, Cosmo. Instead of Cosmo flinching when Chiara comes near him he actually trusts her now. She used to just lash out at him now she hugs him.

Chiara has also taken a special liking to her doll. She goes to bed with it, asks for it and so on. She seemed to have missed this particular step in child development. (She never wanted anything when she was younger). I consider this a positive step forward.

Today I told her that she will be going for swimming lessons in March. She bugged me for at least 2 hours. “Go swimming at the Y. Put bathing suit on.” She wined over and over. I interpret this behavior as something a typical child would do. She had never displayed this before.
These are just a few of the new changes I have seen. We are looking forward to seeing you again for the Intensive Program. We can’t thank you enough. There is a saying that goes: “When I count my blessings every day, I count you twice!”

July 27, 1998
It has been a few months since I have written about Chiara’s changes, so here it is. We (meaning all the family members) have noticed many changes in Chiara. Especially in the past 2 months I’ll say. She is now verbalizing so much more it is incredible. I am talking about appropriate language; there is of course some repetitive speech and nonsensical language. However there seems to be a different way about her. The only way that I can describe it is a more connectedness about her. She is (definitely) defiantly more “with us”.

After last week’s therapy, I did notice some regressive behaviors from Chiara. I mentioned to Tom today about the sleep disturbances. She actually had 3 this past week. She was also putting many small items in her mouth. She had been sprinkling leaves in front of her eyes which is an old behavior too. Now every time I notice regression in her behaviors, we always see progression around the corner. (Thank God!)
My husband also pointed out to me that she seems more sure of herself. About 2 weeks ago she started swimming by herself. She was not able to do 2 things at the same time (Kick her feet and move her arms.) The more that I think about it she has also started to ride her bike much better, pedaling and being able to look out at a distance. Her language is much more spontaneous. She always verbalizes to get her needs met. She is now able to describe things with descriptive words and in full sentences at times which is a huge improvement. She is also now able to argue with me!!! Most people complain when their children argue with them—that will never be me!! Chiara will go back and forth and stand her ground, looking me in the eye and being very persistent!
One area that I haven’t noticed much is in verbalizing about herself. There seems to be confusion about how to refer to herself. She rarely uses I, me, and mine. It’s always “Chiara’s turn” or “One for Chiara,” unless I correct her and then she will correct what she had said. I am really looking forward to the new plan you have written up for her, especially the “Who am I?” system. I know there will be positive results from everything you do. It is very exciting for all of us. I can’t thank you enough. I have to tell you that you are the only people that have ever given us a positive feeling and of course positive results for our child. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

January 15, 1999
As I write this letter to you, I am recapturing all the miraculous progress that my daughter Chiara has made since she has been under your care. This past year nothing has been nothing less than a miracle to us. I have Chiara go through major changes and I know that the future holds so much for her. You are the only professionals that have ever given me a positive outlook for my daughter. My positive feelings are then reflected towards her and she is able to succeed all the more.
When we first started with you, Chiara was having a definite sleep pattern disturbance. She would wake up 3 to 4 times per month anywhere between 3:00 and 5:00 am and could not fall back to sleep until 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning. This happened to her every month. I can now say that the last time she went through that was the month before she started therapy with you. (October 1997)

Her language is coming along beautifully. She is talking more and more everyday. Every argument she gives me is music to my ears (believe it or not). She actually told me yesterday “I love cupcakes”, as we were putting them into the oven together. I always knew that she liked them because she would eat them, but to hear those words out of her mouth is a joy that I myself cannot express.

Chiara has started reading complete books out loud this past year. She reads age appropriate books and enjoys them immensely. Over the summer she started riding her bicycle and began swimming under water. She is able to express her wants to me which is a giant step forward. She tells me she wants to go to the mall or library or she wants something on TV. Simple requests for other children. With your help my special child is overcoming her difficulties. My husband melts when he comes home from work and Chiara yells “Daddy’s home!” and runs into his open arms.

I feel compelled to share with you spiritually, a personal experience I had. After a particularly difficult session for Chiara she has fallen asleep in the car on the drive home. As I glanced at my precious child sleeping, I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. I broke down crying. I asked God is this the right treatment for my daughter? Will this treatment help her? I am so unsure. How do I know? Please help me to know if it is right. I always prayed to God for wisdom so I can make the right decisions for my children, to please guide me to the people that will help Chiara, and to please send only Godly people into our lives. For the rest of my life I will never forget what happened. As I drove west on 84, truly telling God my heartfelt concerns, there was a break in the clouds. Rays of sun shone through and I remember how beautiful it looked. With my next breath a sense of relief came over me like I never felt before. The next thought in my mind was “Everything Helps”. I believe this to be the heavenly answer that I was asking for. I also believe that Center IMT is the answer to my prayers. After seeing all the progress that Chiara has made there is no doubt in my mind that this is the right therapy for her.

We are very much looking forward to Chiara’s future gains that we know will take place. We do have one regret and that is not knowing you 7 years ago when Chiara was born. I want to give you: Sharon, Tom, and all at Regional Physical Therapy and Center IMT a very sincere Thank you for all that you have done. I am forever grateful.

Laura’s Story

Our daughter, Laura, is now 12 years old and is a delightful, smart, outgoing, happy, and enthusiastic child who presented in the very early months of her life with emotional struggles. Laura was adopted at birth and was brought home two days old. I recall that she had more frequent bouts of crankiness as a child that developed into more and more anger which was very noticeable at 2 ½ years old. While I was having a conversation with another adult, Laura would kick the other person in the shin. She was also asked not to participate in various playgroups and dance classes, and got in frequent trouble in nursery school and kindergarten. Laura is a wonderfully spirited, creative, and intelligent girl who appeared to have a lot of anger. We started using psychologists when Laura was three years old, but this seemed fruitless and only created more anger in Laura.

We were blessed to have had the Integrative Manual Therapy tools to work with Laura. She received phenomenal treatment to address her physical needs and the anger began to melt away. Each year in school there would be a need for less disciplinary actions and improved socialization skills. We were concerned about what the years ahead would bring if we did not find help. Integrative Manual Therapy has truly made a difference in all of our lives. Laura is a much happier child, has appropriate means of expressing herself, and has grown into a wonderful young woman, with the exclusive help of Integrative Manual Therapy.

Anna’s Story

Anna is now a 14 year old girl. She is very athletic, partaking in soccer, ice hockey and tennis. She has a four year history of seasonal allergies. Anna began having significant problems in the spring of 2002 with endurance during sports. She had difficulty catching her breath after relatively short shifts. She could no longer play mid-field (an endurance position) and was alternated between forward and goalie, allowing her more time to catch her breath. In hockey last winter, a sport with shorter shifts (approximately one minute), Anna was only able to last for 20-25 seconds.

In December 2002, Anna received treatment at CenterIMT which included recommendations for supplements, and a gluten elimination diet. Fortunately, and surprisingly, Anna’s respiratory status improved in just 3 days! Without prompting, her coach asked, “what did you do?” She stayed gluten-free for eight months. Anna played soccer this fall, back at her former mid-field position, and is now playing hockey without any respiratory difficulty.

Alex’s Story

I would like to share my experience using Integrative Manual Therapy with my son, Alexander. When Alex was born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck three times and he was a ‘blue baby’. The doctors had to administer oxygen at the time of his birth and he had a low Apgar score. Since Alex was born, he was prone to frequent colds and was diagnosed with asthma and food sensitivities. He was bottle fed from birth but developed allergies to the formula. He was placed on soy formula and also developed allergies to this. He was then switched to a rice formula and other formulas for children who were hypersensitive to traditional formulas and soy, before starting mile at a year old. Alex soon developed allergies and sensitivity to dairy products, wheat, gluten, shellfish, and many other food groups. He has red welts on his cheeks, a frequent runny nose, and was developing asthma along with recurrent ear infections. Alex never cried or was fussy, but we would notice drainage from his right ear once his eardrum was perforated. Alex’s eardrums have been perforated at least three times before the holes stopped repairing themselves.

We initiated Integrative Manual Therapy to treat Alex’s immune system, improve his respiratory status, and balance his cranium. Alex stopped taking his asthma medication at five years old and we eliminated foods that he was sensitive and allergic to. Alex became a stronger, healthier child, but we were still concerned about his perforated eardrum. When he was seven years old, Alex was seen at Boston Children’s Hospital by the chief ear, nose, and throat doctor. He recommended that Alex undergo surgery, having a graft taken and transplanted to his eardrum in hopes that the hole would close. Alex also has had several audiology evaluations showing a significant conductive hearing loss in his right ear.

We chose not to have the surgery performed, but to use Integrative Manual Therapy in hopes of treating his eardrums and hearing loss. I am happy to say that Alex is almost 10 years old and we have just come from a visit to his family physician, who reports that the hole in his eardrum is closed. He has not had any signs or symptoms of asthma for several years and has not missed a day of school in the past two years. We truly believe that it was Integrative Manual Therapy that was the tool responsible for healing Alex.

Alec’s Story

My child, Alec, was diagnosed with autism as a young child. He had the following problems: limited receptive and expressive language, anxiety, fear, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), lack of awareness, allergies, yeast, and incontinence.

Alec received IMT as well as other interventions from: January 2002 to the present.

Alec has shown the following progress: improvement in receptive language, loss of fear and anxiety, improved social interaction with family, friends, schoolmates, improved regulation, he seems more “grounded”, and improved balance.

Our hopes and dreams for Alec include speech and an elimination of all self-stimulatory behaviors and tics.

We have fears about Alec’s independence, however, we are seeing Alec’s potential through treatment. We do assume or limit expectations regarding possibilities and progress for Alec as we have seen progress that we thought was not possible. We are realizing that if we expect more and we will receive more.

Brooke’s Story

No one knows why. Brooke became autistic and lost all speech at 6 months old.

Brooke was severely autistic; three to five people were required to hold her down for therapy. Her neuroaggressive behaviors were as bad as it gets!

Brooke received IMT. Today, Brooke is healing. She smile(s) and kisses her family and therapists. Words are returning; therapists expect her to have normal speech in the future. She is no longer aggressive. Indeed she is a delight!

Jessica Lee’s Story

I want to thank CenterIMT and all who worked with my daughter, Jessica Lee, last fall on her ADD. I came to you when I found out her problem was so bad that the private school she is attending wanted me to withdraw her because they couldn’t meet her special needs. Well, last week she was recognized for achieving high honors. And this Friday night she will be recognized at Portland Seadogs baseball game for “Most Improved Student of the Year” from her class. Her name will be announced for everyone to hear and her name will (be) displayed on the scoreboard.

I believe this incredible growth in Jessica is in part a credit to a very dedicated teacher AND in part to the treatment she has received from CenterIMT. So please join Jessica in celebrating a year of tremendous growth that will be with her a lifetime!!!!! And I would like to thank all who are a part of her treatment for the wonderful job done!!!!!

Ryan’s Story

Ryan experienced several problems early in his life. Mainly, he was what the doctors classified as “colicky”. After 2 ½ years of diligent searching, I found a doctor who diagnosed my child with Candida. His symptoms, along with losing words and not talking by age 3 lead to concerns of autism with more than one doctor. Other major concerns with him included possible mercury toxicity.

Ryan has received IMT (as well as other intervention) from May 2002 to the present. Ryan has shown the following progress: Ryan’s complaints of stomach aches are very infrequent whereas prior to treatment, he was restless during the night as well as had “temper tantrums” due to his discomfort. Now Ryan is much more socially agreeable. His body is better able to function normally due to IMT treatments.
I feel that the process of IMT for Ryan has significantly altered the path of his life. He is able to lead a more normal existence than he would have been able to without this treatment.

I hope and dream that my son will recover from the extreme intestinal condition as well as learn to speak normally prior to his entering regular school, and also that he may function as a normal child in a normal school environment.

The fear I have about his future is the long-term effect of the late diagnosis of his condition. If we had known earlier, we would have been better able to get the condition treated and well under control before it progressed to the stage it reached.

I have ventured to have Ryan tested for autism. The results will be forthcoming in the near future. I believe we have circumvented this condition through IMT treatments, faith and diligence to Ryan’s improvement.

Gregory’s Story

Gregory was born on May 18, 1993 at 37 weeks gestation weighing 4lbs. 11oz. He is a triplet. At 5 months, he started showing autistic-like symptoms such as rocking when sitting up and gazing at his hand. He seemed to be in his own little world. By 2 years old, he began experiencing chronic ear and sinus infections. He was also a very active child. Like a ‘superball’ bouncing off the walls and ceilings—perpetual motion. This got to be exhausting for us, as parents. In October of 1995, at 2 ½ years old, he was diagnosed with autism. He was non-verbal.

In 1996, he underwent a genetic evaluation. Results: slightly increased plasma level of 3-methyl Glutaconic Acid in the urine. Treatment: Carnatine. He was re-tested again in 1999 and test results came back normal.

In February of 1998, he had a neurological evaluation by Dr. Ann Neumeyer, an associate of Dr. Margaret Bauman of the LADDERS program in Boston. Her diagnostics confirmed the diagnosis of autism.
During this time, I was concerned about his lack of weight gain. He was gaining 2 to 3 pounds a year. He did not look healthy at all. He looked frail and malnourished. In fact, between August 1999 and August 2000, he only gained 1 pound, putting his weight in the 10th percentile!!!!
In February of 1999, he visited several doctors who performed a complete metabolic evaluation. Tests showed that he was suffering from mild to moderate malabsorbtion as well as yeast/fungal overgrowth of the digestive tract. He was treated with Nystatin, along with a liquid multi-vitamin and Flaxseed Oil. In addition, the doctor recommended that Gregory have an MRI. The results from the MRI showed an ‘Arnold Chiari grade 1 malformation’ which means a mild anatomical malformation at the base of the brain where there is a mild protrusion in the cerebellum down through the opening hole of the base of the skull.

During this time, I was concerned about his lack of weight gain. He was gaining 2 to 3 pounds a year. He did not look healthy at all. He looked frail and malnourished. In fact, between August 1999 and August 2000, he only gained 1 pound, putting his weight in the 10th percentile!!!!

During this time, his chronic colds and sinus infections continued. Within 4 days of finishing each course of antibiotics to treat his sinus infections, the greenish/yellow discharge would again cultivate! Hi pediatrician recommended that he see an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist who recommended that he have his adenoids removed and in January 2001, he did. The adenoids were removed, the sinuses were “washed” clean and he was put on 2 different antibiotics for 2 weeks. Within 4 days of finishing this course of antibiotics, he again started to cultivate the greenish/yellow discharge! The ENT specialist recommended that he have the pneumococcal vaccine and in February of 2001, he did. However, the sinus infections continued.

In October of 2001, Gregory had his first visit at CenterIMT. After he was examined, a treatment plan was written up to be performed by an IMT therapist in Maine and a homework program of Neurofascial Process to be performed by us at home. Tom prescribed appropriate vitamins and supplements for Gregory. In addition, Tom conducted a heavy metals test on Gregory which showed that he had elevated aluminum. This heavy metal toxicity was treated with various supplements.

In June of 2002, he had his second visit at CenterIMT. His treatment plan with his IMT therapist in Main was up-dated. Motility tests for vitamins and supplements were conducted and up-dated as well.

In August of 2002, Gregory spent 20 hours at CenterIMT in the Intensive Programs. By August of 2003, the treatment plan and the vitamins and supplements were evaluated and up-dated one more time.

It has been two years since Gregory began been receiving services from CenterIMT. The sinus infections are gone. He has gained 20 pounds in two years. He is alert, and very cognitive. He has learned to ride a scooter, a two-wheeler and roller skates all on his own!!! This is very significant for 2 reasons: In the past, Gregory needed to be taught everything and even then it would take a while before things “clicked” with him. Secondly, he never engaged in appropriate play, choosing instead to self-stimulate. He has started babbling. We have heard legitimate words and even a sentence! More important, he has CALMED DOWN – A LOT!

Our experience with CenterIMT has been very, very positive. The most impressive aspect of their approach to treating people is that each person’s treatment plan is individualized and not a “one size fits all” approach.

On our first visit to CenterIMT, we were asked to write down goals that we had for Gregory. Today we are being asked what our plans are for future expectations. We never thought about future expectations because we never thought that Gregory would make it this far, developmentally speaking. And, if this is as good as it gets, WE’LL TAKE IT!!

However, if I had to name one thing that I would like Gregory to accomplish, it would be to have him become more verbal. Even though he has no problem communicating now, either by pointing or leading us to what he wants, it would be great if he could utter 3 word sentences.

Chloe’s Story

Chloe was diagnosed at birth with Severe Global Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy and Cerebral Palsy. She suffers from seizures, severe brain damage, curvature of the spine and scoliosis, and cerebral palsy. She began receiving IMT treatments in March 2003 and continues to receive treatments to date. Since beginning treatment, the arching in Chloe’s spine has improved significantly. The curvature of her spine has decreased from 58 degrees to 28 degrees. Chloe has also shown progress in the position of her eyes which are now more midline in certain positions. I feel very positive that progress will continue with further IMT.

Though I have fears about her head not turning midline, and about her inability to walk/stand/sit, and have unobstructed vision, our hopes are for Chloe to be completely healed (a miracle) and more specifically, for her to speak, crawl, walk, and use her hands freely to laugh and play. Chloe continues to develop and grow and reach some milestones despite oblique opinions. Chloe is very alert and is very precious to me (and many people).

Rachel’s Story

I’ll never forget the day when Sharon saw Rachel, palpated her cranium and said, “No wonder she cries all the time – she has lived with headaches her whole life”. My mouth dropped open and I wanted to cry for my daughter – I was sad, confused, angry and wanted to do everything to help Rachel – all at the same time.

It was 1998 when I first brought Rachel to Regional Physical Therapy (RPT / CenterIMT Bloomfield, CT). She was almost 3 years old. Her gross and fine motor skills development was right in line with other children her age, but emotionally she was extremely ‘clingy’, she cried all the time, she didn’t transition well and had ‘super-sensitivity’ to clothing. She had to wear her socks inside out so the seams wouldn’t touch her toes. One day, she tried on EVERY pair of underwear and every pair that went on her came right off because she said they hurt! It was so frustrating for both of us – I think we cried for a few hours and didn’t leave the house that day.

Rachel received treatment at RPT. She will continue to do so for the rest of her life, as will Alexa – my older daughter. At first, Rachel would cry all the time, didn’t want people to touch her and got the nickname ‘squirmer’ from George! Over time, Rachel became a happier child. I can’t say that one day it was so bad and the next it was so great – but rather it was a gradual progressive improvement in her behavior and emotions. She became happier, more able to focus. She stopped having headaches – and I’m guessing that she didn’t even realize she had headaches… but probably felt less pressure on her cranium and didn’t realize that that was what ‘normal’ felt like.

I remember my mother making me take Rachel to Newington Children’s Medical Hospital. She wanted a neurologist to look at her. The neurologist basically laughed at us – and said you’re bringing her here because she doesn’t like her underwear and won’t wear embroidered shirts? She practically threw us out. At CenterIMT and RPT, they uncovered protective modes and areas in Rachel’s anatomy that could be ‘fixed-up’ to reduce and even eliminate something simple, but extremely frustrating, as sensitivity to clothing. If I didn’t have Sharon in my life – not only would I still be dealing with clothing sensitivity issues – but I don’t even want to think about what else might have surfaced – if gone untreated.

What I’m trying to say is that Rachel seemed pretty normal to the lay person – and that even if someone appears normal – they might not be and there is always a need for treatment – to get to an even higher level of normal… so a medical doctor might say if it’s not broke – don’t fix it. We would say – it’s not broke – but how can we make it better. I don’t want people to think that only severe diagnoses can be treated by us like Cerebral Palsy, failure to thrive, etc. ANY child/person can become more whole/better with our treatment!

Through the years and through treatment, Rachel has grown into a wonderful young girl. She is now 8 years old. Both of my children receive “well-treatment” regularly and it is this treatment which helped them transition through my divorce. Weekly IMT sessions, with a good dose of IDAP (IMT for problems associated with emotional issues), prevented stress overload, gave them an opportunity to express feelings, release negative energy and learn a positive language for living life.

Both children are more aware of their body functions than most ‘normal’ children their age. They take fish oil every day (Strawberry flavored), they use Near Magic for every bruise and scratch, from time-to-time they take various supplements and most importantly, they know how to perform Neurofascial Process. If you find either of them (and this happens rarely) with a tummy ache, sore throat, runny nose, etc – you will most certainly find them with one hand on the area of dysfunction and the other hand on their ureters. How many 3rd graders know where their ureters are?

Christopher’s Story

Christopher was born on March 30, 2001. He was born 2 months premature and weighed 3 lbs and 6 oz.

Carol, my wife, had a very difficult pregnancy and was sick throughout it. CenterIMT Bloomfield identified severe mastitis in Carol which we were able to successfully treat early on.

Christopher was very ill when he was born. His bones were extremely weak and sick. If it were not for the help of CenterIMT, Christopher would not be where he is today. For the first several months of his life, Christopher was treated by “waves of practitioners” coming to our house into the night. We spent hours doing bone work to his entire body. We saw a naturopath who recommended baby formula alternatives as recommended by CenterIMT. CenterIMT also recommended specific nutritional support for Christopher. We used these supplements through his first year.

Developmentally, Christopher was behind. At 6 months of age, Sharon performed an “Unwinding’ on him and the next day he began rolling which he had not done before. In January of 2002, Tom and Sharon taught a course in Unwinding at CenterIMT Atlanta and they used Christopher as a demo to incorporate the developmental stages into the learning. We were speechless watching it. I cried, Carol cried’ so did Christopher as we watched a truly incredible process unfold. The next day he began crawling and moving amazingly in all ways. Thank you, Sharon and Tom.

Where is he today? Of course he is home with us. He is jumping, running, and trying to do all that his older brother does and more. He is an amazing child. He is so loving and warm and gentle. Are we grateful for IMT? ‘Yes’ does not suffice. Christopher is a great testimony to both IMT structural and functional work and to Biophysiography (nutritional wellness branch of IMT); how they support one another and more.

As Christopher’s speech is beginning, we are recognizing some delays that need to be addressed. He is also slightly anemic. We will keep upgrading his IMT and put these issues behind us.

Our dreams for him are to be healthy and happy and achieve his dreams.

To all involved currently and in those first few months, Thank You.

Matthew’s Story

Matthew has had a lot of IMT and I cannot imagine our life without IMT. From the illnesses, to the episodes of food poisoning, to the behavioral issues, to the physical problems, Matthew has progressed amazingly. He does not take medicine and has been on antibiotics only once in his life.

Last year, he started preschool and because of his history, Carol (my wife) and I were weary of how he would do. We recognized that Matthew still needed more IMT. When he began preschool, his teacher recognized that he was having difficulty with listening, following directions, and fine motor tasks. She also noticed that multi-step directions and routines at school were very hard for him and she recommended testing for ‘praxia’. We agreed to this assessment, while CenterIMT identified issues of sensory integration and visual dysfunctions.

After 30 hours of IMT, Matthew progressed beautifully in school. By the end of the year he was reading, and cutting and pasting. His fine motor skills improved amazingly. The bottom line is that he had a successful year because of IMT. This year, he began full day kindergarten and is doing very well. The current issues that we are working on with IMT are improving his bowel and bladder function, diet and nutrition, and improved cranial function. Initially, Matthew had significant cranial problems – the shape of his head was very flat in the back. After IMT, the shape of his head is becoming more normal. At school, sequencing, such as putting several things in order, requires extra reinforcement as do following directions. I am beginning to look at these issues not as problems but as opportunities – opportunities for growth and healing. Matthew is a beautiful and bright child and our wishes for him are to be at peace, to be healthy, and for him to be doing what he should be doing in life.

To all of our friends and my colleagues at Regional Physical Therapy and CenterIMT: Thank you for your past and ongoing support.

Bryce’s Story

Our son, Bryce, was diagnosed with a rare form of Congenital Muscular Dystrophy when he was 3 years old. He is now 6 years old and his many challenges include muscle weakness, balance issues, waddling gait, inability to climb stairs without assistance, torticollis, and failure to thrive.

Bryce has received Integrative Manual Therapy from June, 2002 until present. He has also been enrolled in a YogaKids program since January, 2003. Prior to IMT and Yoga he received other therapeutic interventions such as chiropractic, cranial sacral therapy, and osteopathic treatments (for a short period of time).

Bryce has shown good progress in his motor abilities: walking much faster, more stability (less/falls tumbles), improved gait and better overall posture while standing or sitting. Since receiving IMT treatment his immune health has greatly improved and his energy level is higher. Bryce is also more self-confident and displays less anxiety in new situations.

My husband and I attribute much of his progress to IMT. His therapists have shown great patience during treatment creating very positive nurturing and caring environment. We are pleased that Bryce has been so receptive to the non-invasive approach used during IMT. It is apparent to us that Bryce feels IMT is an important part of his life right now.

We are aware that Bryce may have respiratory complications in the future, but remain positive and hopeful that this will never materialize. We also hope that Bryce will begin to thrive and will be able to maintain a healthy weight as he grows. Finally it is our dream to see Bryce, as an adult, living independently… no wheelchair, no orthotics and with no memories of invasive surgeries.

Based on our experience with IMT we are convinced there is no limit to a child’s potential.

Sincerely, Marianne & Greg

Steven’s Story

Integrative Manual Therapy has had such a positive impact on my children. Steven is nine years old and received treatment to end dyslexia when he was five. While he was in preschool, we noticed that Steven had a difficult time learning letters and numbers. The next year in Kindergarten he could not learn his letters, count past ten, recognize any number past 5, skip, and he could not ride his two wheel bike without training wheels. When he practiced writing his letters, they were turned backwards and they were not written in order or on a line. He did not understand that this was unusual. Steven became very discouraged and he was placed on a special learning plan. The summer before his first grade year Steven received IMT treatment consisting of six hours of NFP (all process centers to all process centers at the same time). At the end of the processing, we were told to wait three months and we would see a very positive change in Steven’s problems. Three months to the day Steven began to skip, he rode his bike without training wheels and he began to score 95-100% on all of his Reading, Spelling and Math tests at school. Prior to this, he was scoring 5-15% on his testing. Steven’s confidence began to soar. Steven started first grade with a Pre-K reading level and in special education at the end of first grade his reading level was second grade with no special education help. His math skills were strong and he no longer turned his letters and his writing was graded out at above grade level. It was exciting for his father and me because Steven was no longer discouraged to learn – he just loved school now.

Carley’s Story

Carley, my daughter, is now five years old and has been receiving IMT for three and a half years to help her with Spina Bifida. Because of IMT Carley did not have a shunt put in, she has not had any surgeries as is common to Spina Bifida children being treated in the traditional medical model. She has not had to have spinal fusion surgery, tethered cord correction nor any speech, vision, language therapy common to Spina Bifida children. Carley participates in ballet and she can now perform all ballet step positions and leaps. She still is battling bowel and bladder control but we are confident that with continued IMT treatments she will gain control in the near future. She is a normal, happy five year old kindergarten student. Without IMT this scenario would not have been possible.

IMT has helped our family in so many ways and has brought great confidence in our children’s lives.

Thank you,
Terri

Steven’s Story

My Story
Written by friends of Steven

My mother told me I needed to go for therapy. Janice in London, Ontario; CenterIMT in Toronto; Regional Physical Therapy in Connecticut.

My name is Steven. I was essentially blind. I was diagnosed with Smith McGinnis disease, and my mother was told I would be dangerous and abusive to myself and others forever. She was told there was only one solution: to keep me in isolation, in a room without windows or other stimulation, until such time that I should be institutionalized.

I was supposed to be mentally retarded. But I can say the alphabet backwards. I was supposed to be aggressive but I sure do love being with people! And they love being with me!

Nim’s Story

What do I know about potential? Nim was born blue. We lived in the desert during his early years. As a hysterical mother, seeing his blue lips, his blue fingers, his constant cough, I dressed him in a winter coat and a winter hat during the fall, winter and spring. In the desert. All the other desert mothers thought I was weird!

Nim got shots of penicillin weekly. Weekly! For two years! Almost 30 years ago, I did not understand about antibiotic resistance, about liver problems because of excessive penicillin.

Nim’s lungs are normal. His liver is healthy. He is never ill, and thus never needs antibiotics.

What is human potential? Watch Nim surf. For this mother, all children with severe lung problems can scuba dive, and surf in 20 foot tunnels!

Mia’s Story

Mia is the sister of Diamond. They were both adopted, at different times, by Sherri and Neal . They both have potential. Diamond has a trust fund. Mia’s access to therapy is limited only by funds. She was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and was a candidate for orthopedic surgery. She received IMT. She no longer needs hip surgery.

Mia has a most remarkable story!

After not providing foster care for about a year and half, my husband and I decided to begin to take in children again for the state of Missouri. Two prospective placements had failed, so in mid July of 1998 we still had no foster children. At this time I received a call from a foster care worker looking for a home for a child with cerebral palsy. The fact that I even received this call is incredible because my request to our home licensing worker to have our home put on a “medical foster home” list had been ignored. A social worker looking for a placement for a special needs child had called every medical foster parent in the county, but no home had any openings. My friend, whose name is alphabetically listed at the end of the medical foster home list, told this worker about our home, so we received a call. The worker really did not know much about the child, just that she had cerebral palsy, was tube fed, and that the child was entering foster care because of starvation. After making sure that we were ‘trans-racially approved’, we were given the approval to take this child.

Two days later, on July 15, 1998, my friend (the same one mentioned above) and I met the social worker at The Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO to pick up Jameea. This was exactly a week before her fifth birthday. My first impressions of Jameea were that she was quite ugly and that she most likely possessed very little cognitive skill. She was on the lap of a relative and she looked like a monkey, but not because of her skin color. She was so emaciated that the muscle around her mouth protruded outward. This look was aggravated by an underbite.

I carried her through the long halls of the hospital to my car with very little effort as she only weighed about 18 pounds. I took her home and when I changed her diaper I was horrified to see that her anus hung out of her bottom. She was so malnourished that her behind was concave. I could see her Ischia. When I picked her up, my hand was directly under her coccyx and I felt like my hand was almost inside her body. Even though she was very tight and she had very little (if any) hip abduction, there was a great deal of space between her thighs. I could almost get my thumb and middle finger together around the largest part of her thigh. I wish now that I had known more anatomy as her skin was like tissue paper and I could see not only every bone (ribs and vertebra were very easy to count), but the insertion points of the muscles at the joints. For about three days I could hardly look at her without tearing up. I will always remember dressing her one night and the light hit her chest just right to enable me to see the upper chambers of her heart push out above a rib and then the lower chambers push out below that same rib. She really looked no different than a corpse you might see in a picture from a concentration camp. The night I brought her home I fed her the dosage prescribed by the hospital, put her to bed, fed her the next morning and took her to my friend’s home so I could work. She gave her one more feeding after which she exploded with vomiting and diarrhea. After playing with her feedings, I found that she could really only tolerate about an ounce of formula per hour. I do not remember how long this went on, but she was fed around the clock for at least several months. We also constantly battled constipation.

When Jameea arrived in our home, she had absolutely no movement except for her tongue. She did not smile. Her only expression was a grimace with a moan. She did not move at all in her bed; she did not roll or kick and I do not remember her even moving her head. I know that she did not lift her head for at least several days when held on a person’s shoulder. Her hands were so fisted that I had to clean them with Q-tips. Her tone was extremely high and she kept her elbows flexed with her hands near her arm pits.

After a few weeks with us I noticed that Jameea was wheezing. I gave her a breathing treatment, but it really did not help. Later that day she had her fist of three ambulance rides to the hospital because of asthma. Of those times, she was admitted once for a couple of days and always sent home on steroids. She was finally put on a daily dose of Flovent (which she still uses) in January of 1999 and although she has had a few trips to the ER, she has not required the use of an ambulance since then.

As you can see, Jameea was a very involved little girl!

After Jameea’s placement, I immediately began to seek out appropriate therapies for her. I contacted a former co-worker who had started her own therapy company and requested a physical therapist who would have good skills with a client with multiple and severe disabilities. A couple of weeks later, Jameea’s path crossed with Leslie Watson (an IMT therapist in Kansas City) and Jameea’s (and our entire family’s!) life took a dramatic turn for the better.

While in the hospital, an appointment had been set up for Jameea to be seen in an orthopedic clinic. I took her to that appointment and the resident that initially saw Jameea stated that the doctor (who would see Jameea after the resident at this same appointment) would probably not even prescribe therapy at this time (as she seemed so fragile). I did not have a stroller for her for about a month so she was held a lot. (Still is!) But the doctor prescribed therapy and told me to keep holding her and Jameea soon began treatments with Leslie twice a week.

I was a special education teacher and had been taught by therapists how to “range” the children with cerebral palsy. I immediately began to stretch her when she came to live with us. One day as I was stretching her leg (gastroc), I became careless and stretched too much. I felt something “give” and Jameea screamed. I was absolutely sick to my stomach. It was either that day or very soon after that Leslie called to schedule her first appointment. I explained that I had injured Jameea while stretching her and Leslie explained that she does not stretch her patients. Whoever head of such a thing?! NOT stretching a tight muscle? Needless to say, I was quite suspicious and arranged my schedule to meet her at the sitter’s home for the initial appointment.

The friend who was watching her (same friend as mentioned above) was also a special education teacher and had had a lot of trans-disciplinary experience, specifically with NDT trained therapists. She was also my former boss and respected mentor. We both listened and learned as Leslie told us about the importance of the alignment of the sacrum and pelvis. She showed me how Jameea’s pelvis was asymmetrical by putting my fingers on certain points and comparing them. Leslie also taught me to do Strain and Counterstrain Techniques and gave me a home program. I was shocked that she wanted to really work on motor skills with Jameea. My experience with other PT’s working with children as severely involved as Jameea had rarely gone beyond stretching. Leslie informed me that teaching motor skills was her job. What a refreshing attitude!

After a very few therapy sessions Jameea began to move. I first noticed that when I went to get her up in the morning she was laying diagonally in the bed. Then, she would wake up crying in the night because she had learned to move her leg and was getting her toes caught on the bars of the crib. (She soon learned to move her foot herself.) As a teacher I had worked with children that were as developmentally delayed as Jameea and was shocked at her progress. She really accomplished more in the first three months I had her than I ever expected her to accomplish in a lifetime. She soon got to the point where she could bear weight on her feet and really enjoyed being in a stander. She could even do “squats” occasionally, bearing her full weight on her feet and lowering her bottom down to her heels and standing up again (with her hands held of course). I was faithfully performing the Strain and Counterstrain Techniques and noticed not only increased ranges, but also a decreased tightness. The orthopedic surgeon took notice of her progress also and told me at one visit that some children never get to reciprocal kicking. If I remember correctly, it was then that he wrote the therapy prescription for “Integrative Manual Therapy.”

This is the early part of Mia’s story. In fall of 2000 (the same time as Diamond), she was adopted, at which time her name was changed to Mia Christine.