The background to Snowdrop begins with my own son, Daniel who was born in 1987 with profound brain injuries resulting in cerebral palsy. It was through our efforts to help him at clinics all over the world that I became interested in neuroscience and child development. This interest led me to study at university and ultimately to develop my own programme to try to help Daniel. This I did, with astonishing success, as we were able to bring back his vision and hearing, - which had been knocked out by his brain injuries.
After many years of study, I earned a host of qualifications and decided that I should use the knowledge I had gained to try to help other children. My qualifications are as follows.
- BA (Hons). Based in Psychology and Child Development.
- PG Cert. Professional Studies in Education
- PG Cert. Social Sciences
- PG Dip. Language and Communication Impairments in Children
- MSc. Based in Neuroscience and Child Development.
I assess the child in the eight major areas of development, (visual, auditory, tactile, cognitive, mobility, language, hand function and social development) to ascertain their position in each area on Snowdrop's developmental profile. This gives me the child's current developmental age in each area of development. I then construct a series of developmentally appropriate activities, each activity designed to stimulate the child in a particular area of development. Each sequence of activities lasts between 20 - 30 minutes and can be repeated throughout the day as the parent's time allows. Obviously the more repetitions to which a child is exposed, within reason, the greater the chance the child's brain will respond, using it's inherent plasticity to build new connections between brain cells and the more progress a child will make!
Why I believe Snowdrop is different, (and better)!
Although I am a qualified professional who has gained a great deal of knowledge through research, I also a parent who has the benefit of experience. - Experience of raising a child with profound cerebral palsy and autism. I believe this gives me a unique insight, because when it boils down to it, - I am one of you! I have lived through the traumas, the trials and tribulations, (and the joys), which you experience every day. This helps to keep my feet on the ground and to make my programmes realistic and 'do-able.' I know how it feels to go night after night without sleep and to have to sit and watch your child suffer seizure after seizure. I am therefore better able to understand your difficulties as a family and therefore to understand the problems your child faces. This enables me to help you do something positive to help your child.
Although Snowdrop has only been up and running for two years, the remarkable successes I am seeing with children from all over the world, who are making developmental gains that were previously thought impossible, is highly encouraging.
If you would like more information about Snowdrop's programmes, please email me at info@snowdrop.cc or call 01884 38447 (UK) or 44 1884 38447 (Internationally).
If you would like more information about Snowdrop's programmes, please email me at info@snowdrop.cc or call 01884 38447 (UK) or 44 1884 38447 (Internationally).
