Testimonial From Not Given
Regarding: Anxiety
View More TestimonialsTrevor’s official diagnosis by Dr. Chez (neurologist for Sutter Neuroscience Medical Group, 2800 L. St. Suite 340, Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 454- 6667) was entered into his school records.
Diagnosis: Oth Spec Perv Dev Dis, Active – Primary
Disorder Attention Deficit W/ Hyperactivity
Mood Dis in Oth Cond
Sterotypic Movement Dis
Oppositional Difiant Dis
Urinary Incontinence NOS
Trevor’s performance at school was discussed by his teacher Pam Driscoll. She mentioned that although Trevor was more controllable while taking Respiradol (sp?), his academic performance was low. This is reflected by his most recent progress report with the following results:
Reading= below grade level,
math= far below grade level,
writing and grammar= below grade level,
homework= below grade level,
cooperation= below grade level.
According to Pam, Trevor’s ticks calmed down while taking this medication but he was more robotic in nature and lacked interest in his work. When Trevor started to have a continuous urinary incontinence, we (his parents) decided to cease giving him Respiradol fearing that it was adversely affecting his kidneys and/ urinary tract. Upon ceasing the medication, Trevor’s various symptoms immediately returned with a vengeance. He became very agitated, hyper, and defiant. His ticks greatly increased in number and duration. They would last as long as three hours. Within 1 week of halting Trevor’s medication, his teachers concluded that they could no longer teach nor control him at school. They tried putting him into a quiet darkened room by himself to do his work and even this step was to no avail. Trevor was extremely frustrated, would sincerely try to do his work and fail, and then broke down and cried. Not knowing what else to do, his primary teacher and special ed teacher decided to send Trevor home for the remaining week before school for independent study.
Within that week, Trevor used the
Alpha-Stim®
device for a period of twenty minutes three times a day. His symptoms rapidly and remarkably calmed down during this period however he was still defiant about doing his homework. We then decided to pursue obtaining the
Alpha-Stim®
device for Trevor. An initial attempt to have Dr. Chez prescribe this device for Trevor proved unsuccessful as this Dr. was unwilling to prescribe technology that he did not know anything about. Attempts by me and his nurse to send him to the
Alpha-Stim®
website were unsuccessful. So, I had the device prescribed for me for the treatment of my fibromyalgia.
During the 1 1/2 week period following the ceased use of the
Alpha-Stim®
device, all of Trevor’s symptoms returned but not to the same high degree as before. Upon using the device again, Trevor’s progress was much slower and more difficult to discern. We decided to increase Trevor’s treatments from 20 minute sessions three times per day to 60 minute sessions three times per day. After this change, I received phone calls from both his regular teacher and his special ed teacher proclaiming that they had seen great improvements in Trevor’s behavior and academic performance at school. This point was reiterated by Pam Dricsoll, his primary teacher, during the IEP meeting. Her comment was that, although Trevor’s ticks were more frequent then when he was taking Respiradol, his interest, ability to focus, and overall academic ability greatly has increased during the period
Alpha-Stim®
was used. He is participating in class discussions and is asking questions. She pulled me aside after the IEP meeting and implored me to not place Trevor on meds again but to continue using the
Alpha-Stim®
. In her opinion “alternative therapies which do not have side effects” where always preferable to use verses drugs. I asked her to keep a journal of Trevor’s progress in school and she said that she would be happy to do so.
The school nurse also seemed extremely interested in the
Alpha-Stim®
device and requested more information about it. I told her that I would send her to the website (www.headtotoerelief.com) if she could drop me an email with that request. By the time I got home from the meeting, her request for more information was waiting in my in-box. She mentioned that it would be great to have the
Alpha-Stim®
device for use in her office at school.
Members of the meeting were also very interested when I told them of an incident I had with my son the night before. Trevor found some cream soda that had been left here by his grandmother. Unknown to me, he had a large glass of soda. Soon afterwards, his ticks really escalated and he became much more agitated. At this point, I thought using the
Alpha-Stim®
may be effective in taking him down a level or two. When I asked him to use the device he said no. Then I told him to use the device and he literally exploded and became verbally and physically abusive and defiant in his behavior. He turned red, hit me, and had tears of rage. I threatened him with spending the rest of the day in his room if he did not let me put on the
Alpha-Stim®
device. He continued to say “no” so I physically hauled him off to his room. Not wanting to stay in there, he decided that he would use the device instead. The device was set at a level between 3 and 4 since Trevor said this was comfortable for him. After 15 minutes of use, Trevor was completely calm. Within 1/2 hour, Trevor was asleep. The device was used for a period of one hour. When Trevor later awoke, he was again in control of his behavior and acting appropriately. It was a remarkable transformation to witness!
Judy Bryant, the district psychologist, plans to bring in California Diagnostic Center to observe Trevor for one day. They then will make recommendations to hopefully fulfill his future academic needs. The plan is to have another IEP meeting to take place at the end of February to assess Trevor’s progress with the
Alpha-Stim®
device and to discuss the possible implementation of the recommendations for Trevor by the Diagnostic Center.
