| Developmental Disability includes Autism, Asperger's, | | | | problems in my neighborhood. I remember that maybe |
| PDD and other diagnoses. Developmental Delay | | | | 5% to 10% might have had these kinds of problems, |
| includes ADD, Learning Disability, Dyslexia, and more. | | | | but I do not think it amounted to 33%. |
| Then there is Global Developmental Disorder and | | | | What is a developmental problem? |
| Auditory Processing Disorder, and I don't know where | | | | In basic terms, it is some interruption in the |
| they fit in the official structure of diagnostic categories, | | | | developmental process. All living things move through a |
| but I know they are a developmental problem. | | | | life cycle. Much of the early phases of that life cycle |
| I have been working with children with developmental | | | | are spent in developing. From conception to maturity, all |
| problems for a few years. I use the terms | | | | living entities move through a series of milestones. For |
| developmental problems to encompass everything | | | | us humans, we refer to these as our developmental |
| from Developmental Disability to Developmental Delay, | | | | milestones. |
| and even more. In our consulting program we consider | | | | For children with developmental problems, they do not |
| them all fundamentally the same. They differ only by | | | | move through their steps appropriately. They get stuck |
| degrees. We have developed protocols which | | | | at some of the steps. They skip some steps. So, |
| succeed with all of the developmental problems. Our | | | | many of the early learning processes needed for |
| technique cultivates the child's hidden capability for | | | | appropriate maturity, are skipped. And, in some cases |
| becoming age-appropriate. | | | | a child gets stuck in a stage and does not pass out of |
| How many are affected? | | | | it on to the next developmental stage. |
| All of these developmental problems add up to about | | | | In my opinion, all of the unique diagnostic categories are |
| 28 million children in America. The Census Bureau | | | | related to some simple elements. In which |
| reports there a total of 85 million children in America. | | | | developmental steps did the child get stuck or which |
| The APA (American Pediatric Association) tells us that | | | | steps did the child lose? How intense is the |
| one in every six children have a diagnosis for some | | | | 'stuckness?' And, how many steps did the child lose? |
| developmental problem (16.7%). The different | | | | What can be done about it? |
| associations for all of the individual diagnostic | | | | All of the different diagnostic label associations in the |
| categories of developmental problems all agree when | | | | field of developmental problems are clearly speaking |
| they tell us that about 50% of the children with these | | | | on one voice when they say that the 1) developmental |
| problems obtain a diagnosis for their problem (for a | | | | process is blocked and that 2) there is no cure. |
| total of 33%). And, one third of 85 million is 28 million | | | | Researchers in this field do not know what to do to |
| children. | | | | solve developmental problems. Nothing that they try |
| That means that 33% of all the children in every class | | | | affects the developmental process. For decades |
| have some degree of developmental problem. Maybe | | | | professionals have tried everything they can think of to |
| it shows up as an inability to focus or sit still. Maybe it | | | | do and nothing works. |
| shows up as an inability to learn basic skills. Maybe it | | | | After all these frustrating years, they have finally |
| shows up as an inability to hit a ball. Maybe it is so | | | | agreed with each other that there is no cure. And, now |
| intensive, the children never learn to connect to the | | | | it is officially agreed. All of the diagnostic associations |
| context. Maybe it is mild and only an inconvenience to | | | | and all of the committees creating the diagnostic |
| the child and the parents. | | | | definitions have agreed that there is no cure. Now, |
| In whatever form, developmental problems seem to | | | | they invest all of their research funding on finding |
| be growing in numbers. We are certainly getting more | | | | causes instead of finding fixes for 28 million children |
| precise with our diagnoses. And, we are certainly | | | | with these developmental problems. |
| advanced as a country so that we offer those testing | | | | They have attempted many things, but they have not |
| services to more families who otherwise could not | | | | attempted everything. |
| afford it. But, I am not sure this is the reason we have | | | | With our process your children plug the holes in their |
| 33% of our children with developmental problems. | | | | movement through the developmental milestones. Our |
| When I was a child in school, many years ago, I do not | | | | technique cultivates the child's hidden capability for |
| remember 33% of the children having these types of | | | | becoming age-appropriate. |