Learning to Achieve

My son suffered from a lack of oxygen at birth. One year later he fell down a flight of stairs in his walking-ring. For some time before the fall I was trying to tell the doctors there was something wrong with him. They always said there was nothing wrong. A few years later I started him with speech and occupational therapy. This continued until he had to start school. They then told me he could not attend an ordinary school, he had to go to a special school. Which he did.

At this school he was learning but at a slow pace. This school closed down which left us with no option but to send him to a normal school but in a special class. This was a BIG mistake. At times I would go to the school during school time and find him playing outside with toy cars. I asked why he was outside and not working inside with his lessons. I was told that he did not have to do anything he didn’t want to. His choice was to play with cars and that was okay with them.

We then moved to another town where he was also placed in a special class in a normal school. The school psychologist and teacher called me in; they asked me on several occasions to give my son Ritalin. He was then put on Ritalin. On a few occasions when I went to his class, he and many of the other children were asleep. They were all on Ritalin. When that teacher left and the new teacher called me in she asked me if he was on any medication, as he was very emotional and wanted to sleep. I then took him off Ritalin and his weepiness stopped and he functioned better in class.

At this time we moved to Pretoria and La Vern was sent to a special school. There was no control and discipline at this school. I was then told that he had reached his ceiling. I therefore took him out of school. A few years later I had someone giving him private lessons. We then heard about Audiblox. Up until then La Vern could still not read, spell or write. He was at this stage already 20 years old.

We started with Audiblox, which he has been doing for two years. He is able to read, write and tell the time. He is not there yet but there has been a lot of progress. Not only has his schoolwork improved but his general knowledge as well. His confidence has improved. So has mine as I know I can send him into the bank and he will do what needs to be done etc. His memory has improved so much that he tells me people’s telephone numbers and reminds me of things to be done. If I could give advice to parents out there: Don’t let someone tell you, your child has reached his ceiling. As this is total rubbish, Audiblox has proved them wrong. It was a long walk and at times I felt like giving up, but we didn’t and I am so glad.

Thank you Audiblox,
Mrs. Nell