What a piece of work is a man!
how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty…
W. Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act ll, Scene ll)
There are those human beings, be they parents or educators, whose pride is affected by the academic performance of their siblings or pupils. Those who perform well academically are immediately categorised as more deserving of respect and honour. Their names appear on honours scrolls, while, for the rest, their efforts are awarded with the prejudice of the educational system. I do not wish to sound like a whole bunch of sour grapes, but rather to express my opinion, namely, that our educational system very often identifies an underachiever’s problems, labels them, but offers little, if any workable, long-term solution when in fact there is amazing help at hand that WORKS. Audiblox develops the brain and the development continues after completion of the program!
My son was lost in a sea of words, in an IQ boat that was shot with holes. Gaping holes, which the learned specialists labelled “psychoneurological dysfunction,” “concentration problems,” “poor motor planning,” “poor visual spatial perception,” “dyspraxia” and “poor visual memory” to name but some fearsome sounding terms. As for the rest of the boat? “… his nonverbal abilities lie within the superior category.”
The recommendations? (quote):
- “That Dieter be examined by a neurologist in order to rule out a possible underlying epileptic condition.
- “He will need some form of medication to improve his concentration.
- “Although Dieter is probably too old to benefit much from therapy, I suggest that he is seen by an occupational therapist.
- “He will probably find high school very difficult.”
X
So these were the laurels awarded to Dieter after two visits to a neurologist, two EEGs, hours in the waiting room, the anxiety caused by a psychologist’s report (which used terms that would impress most others educated in this field — but meant very little to an ordinary mother reaching out for help and hope for her floundering child).
Classrooms are mostly overcrowded. Teachers are stressed as never before in an effort to cope with underachievers — disadvantaged for whatever reason, and “special or remedial classes” only help to a certain measure.
Dieter was teased by other children, and very unhappy with life. Labelling did not help. His teachers could not help. He avoided my help for fear of lowering my estimation of himself, so avoidance tactics became the order of the day. There were many shouting matches, tears, explanations, bribes and threats, but to no avail. He was only capable of doing his best and not anyone else’s.
Learning and studying traumatised him, affected his health, ruined relationships at home and in the classroom and he soon became very insecure and lonely. He sought acceptance yet was unable to find an acceptable place in everyone else’s sun.
It is only those mothers whose children have learning disabilities who know what a very lonely road it is to walk along.
Dieter’s seventh-grade mid-year exam [June] brought the matter to a head when the ugly reality of presenting the exam timetable again refused to disappear. His report was bad, coupled with the words “there is no way that Dieter will pass seventh grade.” That struck terror in his heart and broke mine, because I knew what a repeat of another grade would do to his already shredded self-confidence. We both cried. He, because he so very much wanted to taste success for obvious reasons and I, because my instinct told me that “Dieter is capable of doing better” which is what was usually stated in his reports.
Audiblox entered our lives in a quiet, simple way. A friend of mine had carried a similar heartache for her son, for far longer, and had travelled far and wide in search of help for her son before she discovered Dr. Jan Strydom’s key to open the door of an abundance of life. He had compassion for healing broken children, and in turn encompassed the adults in this world. When a child discovers his real potential, a wholeness descends on the entire community. When a child’s mind is fed in a positive environment there comes a dawning of a brand-new wonderful world. There is someone out there with outstretched, loving arms to take them home to security. There are many case histories of success and this is Dieter’s:
In the latter part of August I applied to a high school for Dieter’s admission, which he was granted. He commenced with Audiblox some time in August shortly before the September exams. I could not understand how little brightly coloured blocks and patterns on cards could mend a boat with such ghastly holes. The course is given in a fun way, challenges the participant who is unaware that he or she is actually learning from grass roots to concentrate, memorise, read, spell and grasp mathematical concepts, etc.
Much energy was spent hoping that the results would be dramatically positive. Imagine the disappointment when the report showed a very marginal, insignificant improvement. More tears were shed (by mother — for his cause) but Dieter was encouraged to continue, as more time was needed for a true test of Audiblox. Consequent to the September report an interview was arranged with the principal to discover whether or not Dieter’s needs could be accommodated. Armed with the knowledge of Dieter’s problems I was advised to seek admission to a smaller school where he would receive “individual” attention.
But hope still burned eternal in my heart and I approached the principal of another high school with the same purpose in mind. Can I forget the marvellous words, “lets give him a chance. We will do whatever we can to support him but he will have to work hard.”
In three months, he excelled from no hope being held of passing the grade to passing with 43 percent (33.3% pass mark). That was dramatic! That was more like it! In the first term test of the following school year the results were highlighted with 80’s, and an average of 50 percent. He can now remember, in sequence, 88 coloured blocks (concentration problems? poor visual memory?).
At the end of January a visagraph was done to assess Dieter’s reading ability. He was reading at a second-grade level. On May 21st, another assessment was done. He is now reading at a second term, ninth-grade level.
Audiblox has bonded this mother and child more closely and has brought healing and wholeness to Dieter and slowly but surely he is able to cope with challenges. In other areas of his life this has had a rippling effect.
Success with Audiblox does not depend on age, nor condition, nor one’s station in life. Only on one’s need to succeed!
Mrs. A. Grünewald
Note on Dieter’s photo: A stock photo was used.
Mrs. A. Grünewald. Dieter's mother
