Brain Training - Does it really work? Tyler's Story

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The science behind Brain Training is Neuroplastcity, or the ability of the brain to re-route or even construct new pathways to achieve what it needs to. The body is so amazing!  Your circulatory system does this as well.  If you have a blocked blood vessel, your body will try to find new routes to circulate to the areas needing blood flow.

Whether we were born with cognitive difficulties, something happened after birth to change our brains (like lack of oxygen or a stroke), or even if we have just learned to compensate for our cognitive weaknesses (think memory, working memory, processing speed, executive functioning, word attack, visual processing, etc), our brains can be TRAINED!!!

Just like you go to a physical fitness expert to help you train your muscles, you can go to a Brain Trainer to train your brain, and get smarter!!!  Yes - GET SMARTER!

The science is overwhelmingly in favor of brain training and neuroplasticity.  The personal testimonials are even more amazing.  I am going to tell you a story near and dear to my heart: that of my youngest son.

Background
Tyler was born with Pulmonary Hypertension.  We did not know this for about 3 days after birth. During this time, while he was in the NICU fighting for his life, oxygen was decreased to his precious brain.  After our Pediatric Cardiologist was called in to run tests, Tyler was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension and he was life-flighted to the pediatric specialty hospital in downtown Memphis - where we lived at the time.  There Tyler was intubated, on a respirator, then changed to an oscillator with NO.  Then, we got the dreaded wake up call to our parent room in Pediatric ICU - Tyler was not improving and they wanted to put him on ECMO (basically all the blood is routed from the child bypassing the lungs, put through the ECMO machine for filtering and oxygenating, then routed back into the child.)  This was to allow Tyler's lungs to rest and heal.  He was on ECMO for 6 days.  Total 12 days intubation.  Praise God Tyler survived.

Other than asthma - which went from severe to now mild and managed - we were home-free with our precious child.  I am certain the doctors told us bedside about the risk of brain damage or learning disabilities, but you can imagine that was NO WHERE near a concern to us.  Save our baby!!
Fast forward to school.  The youngest child, admittedly spoiled, boy was fidgety, forgetful, never competed his work, hated worksheets altogether, but as long as there were modifications, he could read and learn.  He was a sweet, compassionate child, full of life, amazing little athlete - basically a little boy.

Before Brain Training
In 2nd grade, we met Learning RX owners, Kim Bellini and Beth Buzzbee, at a convention. Learning RX is a brain-training center. We had Tyler assessed. In 2nd grade, we were still able to "make it" in school and at home. Tyler did everything the school had to offer to improve school performance - all the extra programs, extra help and even an intense summer reading program. While his reading level did improve, nothing else did.  We did private tutoring, and both my husband and I, trained educators, also worked with Tyler. 

Then 3rd grade hit. It hit hard. HARD. The pace of school, the demands of the teachers, the expectations for independent working, multi-tasking, remembering 3 things at once (put up your book, pull out your spiral, copy what I am doing, then complete the page) were a NO-GO. Tears. Anxiety. Panic attacks.  Hyperventilating. Missing school due to the above.  Meetings with teachers, administrators, diagnosticians, observing the classroom, etc.  Begging, I mean begging not to go.  Failing every paper, every test, every task. Tyler was defeated, deflated and we were out of options.  We went back at Learning RX, enrolled in one of the longest programs they have to offer and committed all-in for the year.  

"The Year of the Tyler" we called it.

I googled his health condition at birth, and there were just a few clinical studies about these kids.  Of the ones that survived... Of the ones that survived... (breathe), about 50% had severe neural-cognitive conditions such as cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation. But of those that appeared "normal," they were finding that at about age 7-9, these kids were finding learning disabilities and cognitive difficulties.  Well that explained a lot. Brain training also made perfect sense as a solution!  We had hope!  

Our year in brain training with Learning RX in The Woodlands, TX was amazing.  Wow what a year! We came in with no other options.  School was literally impossible  The initial scores scared us for his future.  We were already at a loss for his present.  Then Team Tyler trained the brain.  He learned to work harder than he ever had at anything and push through with his eye on the prize. He worked harder than any of us have worked before.

After Brain Training
Look at him now!!!  School is easy, he is making straight A's (whereas before he made straight F's in 3rd grade). Rather than panic attacks before school, he gladly goes now.  He remembers things that were impossible before.

We find out his post assessment scores tomorrow at his Celebration with the Trainers and Owners.  I don't even care what the scores are!  I know they will be amazing!  Learning RX gave Tyler HOPE again, a love for school and reading, the processing speed and tools he needs for life.  He is taking an AR test today on a chapter book he read in 2 days.  Let that sink in. :)

We are forever champions of Brain Training - especially Learning RX!