Your Child Has Been Diagnosed with a Disability, Now What?
Kevin Maher had been an engineer for 25 years in the semiconductor industry. His life took an unexpected turn in 1997 when his daughter was born 3 months premature. Soon after, his daughter was diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy and handed a lifelong prognosis of severe mental and physical disabilities. Refusing to accept the grim prospects of their daughter’s future, Kevin, and his wife, Rhonda, set out on an odyssey of determination, education, and faith, committed to improving their daughter’s outcome.
Kevin was providentially directed in the development of a number of items to help his little girl. He and his wife, Rhonda, wanted to provide daughter, Mackenzie, every possible opportunity for improvement, and knew that children with these types of challenges benefited from vestibular stimulation.
Add More Active Play Time to Improve Learning
The vestibular system is situated in the inner ear. The vestibular apparatus detects changes in speed and directions of head movement. The vestibular system forms an equilibrial trail with the visual and proprioceptive system (the ability to know where one is in space, to have a sense of time, and even to have a sense of humor) and it also has an influence on the nervous system. The main functions of the vestibular system are: to maintain equilibrium, to direct the gaze of the eyes, and to preserve a constant plane of vision. The child enjoys stimulating his/her vestibular apparatus and challenging his/her equilibrium skills against the earth’s gravitational pull from the first time he/she lifts their head. It makes sense that a child’s learning can improve when the child’s vestibular system is stimulated. Don’t take away active play time, but add more.
A Fully Automated and Computer-controlled Multi-axis Rotating Chair
Rhonda spent hours helping Mackenzie with her summersaults and other exercises that would stimulate her vestibular system. It was during this time that Kevin envisioned an apparatus consisting of a child’s car seat and bicycle wheels. This apparatus was the forerunner of what is now known as the AeroStim—a fully automated and computer controlled multi-axis rotating chair.
Another almost impossible task for Mackenzie was learning to write. Kevin and Rhonda and Mackenzie’s older sister spent hours helping Mackenzie with this task. When Kevin became aware of a software prototype that could help children learn to write, he acquired it for his company, UltraThera Technologies, Inc, and called the product PointScribe.
The PointScribe Writing Program Significantly Increases Writing Performance
PointScribe (PS) is a multi-sensory, interactive software for teaching students of all ages and abilities to write, using captivating visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation. This devise is changing the way educators and therapists across the country teach handwriting. The results from a recent study suggest that the PS writing program does significantly increase writing performance among children with special needs. Click Here to Download the Full Report.
The Maher’s have taken their difficult experience and turned it into a blessing for others. Mackenzie is now 12 years old and is mainstreamed in two of her classes, she is getting straight A’s, and those doctors that told the Maher’s they’d most likely have to institutionalize their child, underestimated the power of faith.
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What an uplifting story this was. It’s amazing what we as parents can do when it affects our children. “The Power of Love” is often look on as a catch-phrase, but this story just goes to prove it is much more than that.
Thank you!
Do you people have a facebook fan page? I looked for one on twitter but could not discover one, I would really like to become a fan!
this post is very usefull thx!