What a difference it made!

by Tonya L. Davis
(Omaha, NE United States)

My son was diagnosed with PDD with possible Autism at the age of 3. We were in Paris, France at the time and within 30 days we returned to the US and was now stationed in Arkansas. After being back for about 5 months my son was accepted into a Preschool with a full time Occupational Therapist and a full time Speech Therapist.

After the OT had assessed him she asked if we were looking for alternative treatment and I said yes because I didn't want him to be on drugs since there was no none drug for Autism. The OT then suggested the Wilbarger Brushing method because he was assessed at being severe with his sensory defensiveness.

Before we started therapy it was important that we were going to follow the protocol to the exactness because the therapist said because of his severity we needed to do it every hour on the hour. Now when I say he was severe he was extremely severe. He couldn't stand loud noises, he couldn't wear tags in his clothes, he couldn't stand to walk on grass, he couldn't take changes in his schedule, he couldn't stand for someone to touch him, he didn't like to have his hair washed, he couldn't stand hair cuts, he didn't like to have his teeth brushed, he couldn't eat most foods because of the different textures, he was afraid of using the potty for a bowel movement and the list went on and on.

However, after starting the therapy and following it exactly the progress my son was making was very evident. One memory of the proof the therapy was working was when one day my son was on the patio playing with his ball, like he always did (barefeet), the ball got away from him and rolled onto the grass about in the middle of the back yard.

Well before therapy he would just point and cry because he was also speech delayed. Well, anyway, long story short, before I could get up from my chair, I looked up because he wasn't crying and there he was standing in the middle of the back yard holding his ball, barefeet and all. My husband and myself cried because he acted as if nothing special had happened and that day he discovered that he loved how grass felt on his bare feet.

I have so much proof how this therapy works if it is done right because my son is now 15 years old, eats whatever he wants and will try any food before saying "no", his social skills are off the charts, friends and all and has a real sense of humor, and he plays the drums and most all of the percussion instruments in his High School Marching Band!

Thank you so much for changing my son life in such a profound way with such a simple little instrument, the surgical brush and joint compressions.