Dyslexia – ‘The Hundred Year Old Hidden Handicap’

Posted on by drjbdunphy

By John B. Dunphy, published in Healing Power, Official Journal of the Irish College for the Advancement of Medicine, Issue 1, Vol. 1
ONE of the most frustrating and, in many cases, debilitating
conditions (academically, emotionally and socially) which presents
in clinical practice is a condition known as dyslexia. Dyslexia is
the best known terminology for a group of conditions whose core
problem is an inability to properly process language, be it written,
spoken or symbolic (e.g. numbers). lt is not a problem exclusive
to school children, but affects many aspects of life both in childhood
and adulthood.
The word’dyslexia’ comes from the Greek, meaning’difficulty
with words or language’. On one website, dyslexia was described
as a kind of mind often gifted, but physiologically different’ This
brain difference is not a defect, but it makes learning language
excessively hard.
The child with a dyslexic mind will have trouble from the very
beginning learning to understand speech and making themselves
understood; they may have difficulty with word recall; with sequencing,
so that words will get twisted – e.g. ‘baggetti, mellow, aminals’.
They may have difficulty distinguishing a’p’, ‘d’ and ‘b’; ‘was’ becomes
‘saw’, ‘Pat’ becomes ‘bet’; ‘nuclear’ becomes’unclear’, etc
What makes dyslexia difficult to recognise in the surgery setting
is that many of its characteristics can be a normal part of the maturing
process of young children. But in a child with dyslexia, these persist
longer than expected so that the child will appear slow in these
specific areas and normal in others.
This can easily be mislabelled by teachers and parents aslazy,
or they may take the view that the child will grow out of it in time’
These children are usually not lazy. ln reality, they are working
harder to fill in the gaps between what they actually see, hear
and feel and how they think about these things in their head and
try to put them into words.
The first recorded description of dyslexia was by a General
Practitioner in the BMJ of November, 1896 – over a hundred years
ago. lt was an event marked by an excellent Ieading article by
Professor Margaret J Snowling in the Journal of November 2nd,
1996 (Vol. 313), entitled: ‘Dyslexia: A Hundred Years on – a Verbal
Not a Visual Disorder which responds to Early lntervention’. lt is
a piece from which I will quote liberally throughout this afticle.
ln 1917, Opthalmologist J. Hinshellwood speculated that
these difficulties with reading and writing were due to a’congenital
word blindness’. Ever since then, the popular view was that dyslexia
was caused exclusively by a visual processing problem.
My involvement in the treatment of dyslexia was by chance’
While attending a workshop in the US on head injury and back
problems 12 years ago, I came across an unusual physical therapy
that had evolved into a treatment for dyslexia.
It can be very frusirating to research this subject, as definitions
differ in the US and Europe. However, most now agree that dyslexia
is a language processing problem, be it written, spoken or symbolic,
resultant from a difficulty in ‘phonological (speech) processing’
which makes it difficult to learn how to match printed letters with
the correct sounds.
The child with dyslexia may have normal, or very high lQ (e.g.
Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, etc.), be very gifted, be an Olympic
athlete, or Formula One racing driver, be a film star, or artist with
great imagination. Many are very musical, with ability to sing and
play instruments at an early age. However, school can be a
frustrating nightmare for them, as it relies mostly on language skills,
ignoring all the other skills these children have in abundance.
Dyslexic children have difficulty learning to read by traditional
methods; have difficulty organising their desks, homework or holding
pencils correctly. They see their less bright classmates succeeding,
while they are failing. They may realise something is wrong, but
may cover it up both from parents and teachers. Their school days
are spent as if swimming against a strong current. Hard working,
they can appear lazy.

What To Watch Out For
1. Avoiding difficult tasks, especially involving reading, writing,
spelling or maths;
2. Spending too much time at, or not finishing homework;
3. Propping head up when writing;
4. Vocabulary exceeding reading ability;
5. lnappropriate or attention-seeking behaviour;
6. Difficulty understanding words in normal conversation;
7. Poor sense of direction;
B. Poor idea of time;
9. Poor motor co-ordination;
10. Stuttering, hesitant speech; poor word recall;
11. Difficulty remembering names;
12. Difficulty following sequential instructions or events;
13. Difficulty following motion or moving things (e.g. balls, people,
traffic);
14. Difficulty making decisions:
15. Feeling of inferiority, stupidity or clumsiness;
16. Difficulty organising daily activities and allotting time;
17. Doing the opposite of what is said;
18. Difficulty differentiating ‘left’ and ‘right’;
19. Difficulty tying shoelaces or buttoning jackets’

Dyslexia tends to run in families and cousins often exhibit other
language problems. lt is more common in boys than girls and may
affect 15% or more of the population. There is strong evidence
that it is heritable – the probability of a boy developing dyslexia if
his father is dyslexic can be as high as 50%.
Gene markers on chromosomes 1 and 15 have been identified
in families with dyslexia. Linkage on chromosome 6, in the region
of the human leucocyte complex, may explain the association with
auto-immune disease.
Dyslexia is a developmental disorder that affects people of all
ages, but its symptom profile changes with age. Studies of children
at genetic risk of dyslexia have reported difficulties in speech
production and gramatical expression at 30 months, followed by
slower vocabulary acquisition during the pre-school years,
culminating in deficits in phonological awareness and alphabet
knowledge in young schoolchildren. Parental reports of delayed
speech and language among children with reading difficulties have
been common in epidemiological studies.
The most comprehensive picture of dyslexia available is in
children of school age. Although, in most cases speech perceptual
abilities are intact, dyslexic children have difficutiy in reflecting on
the sound siructure of spoken words. Such phonological problems
make it difficult to learn how the letters and sounds of printed words
are related.
Most dyslexic children have difficulty using a phonic approach
to reading and their spelling often fails to represent the sound
structure of target words. Although dyslexic children overcome
many of their difficulties, in adulthood they experience subtle
problems with phonological awareness and reading and writing
skills. Functional brain imaging is beginning to elucidate why this
is so; it has been shown that, when dyslexic adults perform rhyme
judgement and verbal short-term memory tasks, they activate only
a subset of the brain regions usually involved. Plausibly, their
phonological difficulties may be due to weak connectivity between
anterior and posterior language areas of the left hemisphere.
Knowledge of the predictors of reading achievement and of
dyslexia has led to innovations in methods of intervention. A
pioneering study in Oxford showed that children who performed
poorly on a phonological processing task before they went to school,
benefited significantly from a training programme in sound
categorisation using rhyme and alliteration activities, particularly
when it was combined with teaching of letter sounds.
Subsequently, it has been shown that training in phonological
awareness, combined with a structured reading intervention, is
an effective form of treatment for poor readers and produces greater
gains than training in either reading or phonological awareness
alone.
A detailed case and family history may uncover dyslexic
difficulties and the routine assessment of pre-school children can
usefully incorporate a test of knowledge of nursery rhymes and
letters. Clinical experience shows that, with regard to dyslexia, it
is a fallacy to ‘wait and see how the child develops’. A delay at
the start of learning to read can quickly develop into a considerable
reading disorder if unattended.
Treating Children With Dyslexia

THESE children are basically frustrated by the world around them.
They have difficulty with right and left. They have little or no sense
of time. They have problems with basic co-ordination.

It is perplexing for the dyslexic child of normal lQ to see less
bright classmates acquire, with relative ease, skills in reading, writing,
spelling and arithmetic, which they themselves may find very difficult,
or impossible. Such children may react with temper tantrums,
psychosomatic symptoms, e.g. headaches, abdominal pains, wetting
or soiling, much to the alarm of parents, teachers and family doctors.
Parents are puzzled that a child that appears bright at home
can do so badly in school. Teachers generally find these children
baffling, as again they appear verbally bright and yet do not respond
to traditional teaching methods that work well for the rest of the
class. They may end up blaming the child or the parents, which
causes great disharmony both at home and at school.

By the time children present to me at our Carrigaline clinic,
they have usually been to a number of psychologists, councillors,
etc. The majority will be boys and often left-handed (not
necessarily). They will have co-ordination problems; will have a
history of early walking rather than crawling; will often have been
frustrated by team sports and are thrilled when the first test I do
is of their muscle strength and can guarantee them improved
sporting performance within a few weeks of their visit to me (i.e.
by correcting their inco-ordination). Once they see this improvement,
they pester their parents to bring them back for the full course of
treatment, not for the academic improvement, but for further
improvement of their sporting prowess.

Left-handedness can be familial. The family name of ‘Kerr’
apparently has a high percentage of left-handed members; so
much so, that their castle stronghold in Scotland was built
entirely for left-handed people, e.g. the railings, stairs, armour,
etc.

“ln our modern world, literacy is a minimum requirement
 in a society run largely via the written word.
Parents worry greatly about the future careers of
their dyslexic children. All careers are possible,
However, jobs requiring good special ability, such as
computer programming are particularly suitable.”

‘BlC’ have developed a rapid drying ink delivery pen, which is
ideal for left-handers as it solves the problem of smudging as the
child’s arm crosses the page.
Some children with dyslexia may have additional problems such
as allergies, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention
Deficit Hyperactive Disorder).
As I mentioned already, the treatment protocol that I have used
over the past 1 2 years evolved f rom an osteopathic/kinesiological
background and began as a treatment for head injury and back
pain. Dr Carl Ferreri, a Kinesiologist/Chiropractor in New York had
observed that, follwing head injuries, he could demonstrate a
disturbance of the normal ocular-labyrinthine reflexes which are
necessary for efficient control of the skull in static and in motion.
He had developed a method of normalising this situation by digital
stimulation of these reflex zones, thus restoring normal function.
Some time later, he came across a research paper describing
similar problems in the skulls of dyslexic children. However, in
these cases, the problem was confined to the right side of the
skull (presumably affecting left brain activity). So he decided to
try this technique and, to his delight, it worked very well. He then
proceeded to expand his protocol to include an interesting eye
tracking technique together with some simple exercises (cross
pattern or cross crawl type). The protocol is completed in
approximately six visits, followed by a further three over 12 months.
As soon as the protocol is completed, the child begins to have
more self-confidence, becomes more competent at sports and
in social circumstances, and can then benefit in an observable
fashion from remedial teaching which, prior to treatment, had made
very little impact.
Exercise regimes have been popular in the US for some years,
e.g. marching-type exercises which apparently gave good initial
results, but sadly disimprove once the marching stopped. lnterest
in exercise programmes has been rekindled by the recent ITV
programme on dyslexia.
Another pleasant exercise programme is called ‘Brain Gym’
and can be done to music. lt improves co-ordination and is fun
for all the family.
ACLD Nationwide offers special reading classes and other
support programmes (see phone directories). Many websites are
worth exploring for information on tinted colour lenses, osteopathic
protocols, diet and food allergies and a host of practical tips on
parenting children with dyslexia, ADD and ADHD.
Therapies using light and colour have existed for many years.
Recently a new therapeutic device has been developed in
Belgium, a Photon Wave Light Stimulator. This allows the patient
exposure to a large number of colours individually and in
combination, at a range of frequencies and wave formations.
The chosen colour and frequency is transmitted via light
stimulation of the eyes and optic nerve, which transmits
‘photocurrent’not only to the visual cortex, but also to other areas
of the brain, including the hypothalamus, influencing sensory
integration and behaviour. This results in improved right brain/left
brain communication, concentration, memory, attention span, Iiteracy,
memory, etc. We have acquired one of these units for our practice in Carrigaline.

Adults
Dyslexia is an underestimated problem in the adult population,
as the main focus is on the school-going children. ln my practice,
I see primary, secondary and third-level students. Adults often ask
for treatment after they see their children diagnosed and treated.
Others present indirectly with back pain or past head injury and
the diagnosis presents itself in the course of testing. They are
invariably relieved to discover an explanation for aspects of their
lives which were previously inexplicable.
ln the UK, over 6% of the population have reading ages of
less than nine years. Over a million are known to be totally illiterate.
ln the US, over 23 million are known to be illiterate (e.g. a quarter
of men entering the US Navy are unable to read simple safety
instructions).
ln the US prisons, most behavioural problems occur when the
TV is turned off, as the vast majority of inmates are unable to
read or write and get bored and irritable. How many of our prison
population are dyslexic is not known. I personally have a high
degree of suspicion that dyslexia ls a major player in this
population group.
Dyslexia in adults can be difficult to spot as it can range from
very vague features in a high lQ, highly successful professional
with lots of drive, to the illiterate, unemployed inmate. The
embarrassment and frustration of an inability to read and write
can lead to persistent anxiety and depression. I have seen peoples
lives turned around by gaining this basic facility.
ln our modern world, literacy is a minimum requirement in a
society run largely via the written word. Parents worry greatly about
the future careers of their dyslexic children. All careers are possible.
However, jobs requiring good special ability, such as computer
programming, or those requiring good verbal ability, are particularly
suitable.
A US study by Prof Margaret Rawson (Sociologist) some 25
years ago into the career outcomes of dyslexic boys showed that
l4% became Research Scientists, 13% Business Executives. .11%
College Professors, 7% School Teachers, 7% Lawyers and 7%
owned or managed a business.
Even though this was a study of middle class students of
professional parents, it demonstrates that investment in the
treatment of dyslexia pays off spectacularly.
References on request.

 

Breakthrough for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities

Posted on by drjbdunphy

Dr John B. Dunphy

One of the most frustrating, and in many cases, debilitating conditions (both emotionally and socially) that has plagued mankind, is a condition known as Dyslexia. Dyslexia is the best known terminology for a group of conditions dealing with the inability to properly process language, be it written, spoken or symbolic (numbers, for example). It does not manifest solely in the academic world of school, but involves every part of our existence. Just consider the following possibilities:

  • Difficulty with reading, writing and mathematics.
  • Difficulty in understanding words in normal conversation.
  • Poor or non-existent sense of direction.
  • Little or no concept of time.
  • Inability to concentrate, even when involved in a particular activity, such as a game.
  • Disequilibrium (balance dysfunction).
  • Poor motor co-ordination.
  • Constantly bumping into things or dropping things.
  • Stuttering, hesitant speech, poor word recall.
  • Inability to remember names.
  • Sharp emotional or mood swings.
  • Need to reread the same word or phrase to get any meaning out of it.
  • Difficulty following sequential instructions or events.
  • Difficulty in following motion or moving things (balls, people, traffic).
  • Various phobias including height, motion-related (escalators, elevators, bridges, etc.).
  • Gets lost easily or all the time.
  • Unable to, or unsure in making decisions.
  • Feelings of inferiority, stupidity or clumsiness.
  • Inability to organise daily activities, particularly in allotting proper time.
  • Doing opposite of what was told.
  • Get drowsy, or tend to fall asleep while driving on a highway or open road.
  • Any many, many more. This is a multifaceted condition, which escapes detection many times because of its diverse symptomatology.

Unfortunately, until recently, Dyslexia was not recognised as a specific problem, but was labelled Minimal Brain Damage, Psychosis of one sort or another, Inferior Mentality, Dumb, Lazy, Inattentive, etc. Some ideas die slowly. The concept that the various problems found in our school systems and society in general, are indeed Dyslexia in origin, has been ignored in many educational, law enforcement and other circles. Parents were told by paediatricians and educators alike that nothing was wrong. “He’s just immature.” “She’s not trying hard enough.” “He’s not paying attention.”  Parents were confused, teachers were frustrated and the child was tormented by failure, isolation, and the knowledge of being different. Nowhere was any help available.

Eye-tracking problems were recognised, and eye exercises, and/or special lenses were tried. Equilibrium faults were recognised, and various drugs were used to suppress these symptoms, and hyperactivity and attention deficits. Co-ordination faults were noticed and special exercises were devised. Allergies were finally recognised as contributory factors, and modified diets have been prescribed. Special educational protocols have been instituted with very limited success, in most cases. Any gain was considered a major breakthrough, and was hailed as a ‘cure’. For some it seemed to be, but nothing to date has been of any meaningful or lasting benefit. As soon as the special activity or drug was stopped, the symptoms returned with a vengeance. The child or adult always had to modify or over-compensate his or her lifestyle, to accommodate the limits imposed by this disability.

The majority of the investigators have determined that this complex disability is a bewildering combination of disorganisation within the nervous system.

Neurological Kinesiology…A Neural Organisation Technique

Applied Kinesiology, a speciality within Chiropractic, was discovered, researched, and developed by Rd. George Goodheart, D.C. et al., since 1964. It specifically deals with the integration of the nervous system and the body functions. It is ideally suited to give the best answer to this perplexing problem. Researchers have taken a giant step beyond the medical and other professionals involved in this and other conditions (Scoliosis, T.M.J, etc).

In 1982, Dr. Carl Ferrari, D.C., in researching the Applied Kinesiology concepts in relation to the survival mechanisms of the human species, recognised the relationship between his Neural Organisation Techniques, and the symptomatology of Dyslexia and all learning disabilities. Combining the organizational effects of the centering and righting reflex systems of the Cloacal, Labyrinthine and Ocular reflex mechanisms; the specific cranial faults found in all dyslexics and learning disabled; and a unique eye muscle fault found only in Dyslexics and the learning disabled, has led to an astounding reversal of all the problems  found in the Dyslexic and learning disability condition (to further confound the experts, as early as the first or second treatment, patients often report selective results).

Of course, in most cases, a series of treatments is necessary to refine and stabilise the initial corrections. However, no one has to wait a long time to know that changes have been made, and normal function is being, or has been established. The number of treatments varies with the individual patient. It is important to note that this procedure is done by hand, and no drugs or other foreign substances are ever used.

Outlook And Follow-Up….What To Expect

Although in most cases, once the corrections are made and stabilised, further treatment is rarely necessary. There are things that may cause loss in stabilisation and return of some symptoms. Any condition which is accompanied by high fever may cause destabilisation, as may allergies which were not stabilised. Emotional and physical trauma, particularly head injuries, should always be a reason for a complete re-evaluation. It is also recommended that after the initial treatment protocol has been completed, the patient returns every month or two for the first year, to make sure that all procedures were completed. Another consideration is that research is on-going, and since the original protocol was devised, many refinements have been added in an effort to make this procedure as complete as possible for every nuance the patient may present.

Catch-Up…How You Can Help

Once the proper neurological and structural corrections are made, the patient is able to learn what he or she was not able to learn before. Therefore, ‘catch-up’ is the name of the game.  It seems that approximately 10 hours of activity (reading, writing, speaking, etc.) are necessary to “programme the computer” for each function.

Because disorganisation and easy distraction have been part of their problem, the patient does not know how to study and learn. Structured time for studying and learning must be provided by the parents, or set aside by the adult to learn. There is no radio, TV, eating, going to the bathroom, etc. JUST LEARNING TIME. The family must co-operate . Cross pattern exercises, either in place, or as a march-type activity (right arm-left leg, left arm-right leg) are extremely beneficial, and in the beginning should be done 20 minutes per day. Because diaphragm control is usually weak, blowing balloons is a good exercise. Buy 100 balloons, blow one up, then blow it up again until it breaks; do one a day for 100 days.

With some effort and proper treatment, dyslexia and learning disabilities are treatable.

The Cranial or Head Injury

Posted on by drjbdunphy

The Cranial or Head Injury

The Problem:

You may have any number of chronic health, emotional or structural problems that could be the result of a cranial injury that has gone undetected. The injury to your skull may have occurred long ago or very recently, but the symptoms you are now experiencing have not been associated with it. Cranial or head injury is probably the single most undiagnosed, and therefore untreated physical problem on the face of this earth. That may sound like an overstatement of fact, but lets look at the record.

You hit, or were hit on the head. You were in an accident or fell and struck your head. Whatever the circumstances, the bruise or laceration healed and it was assumed that everything was then all right. But since then, has your overall function been as it was before? Think about it.

Except for the more severe head injuries, the obvious problems of cranial injury go undetected. There is little real information in the literature on the after-care of a head injured person, and almost no discussion on the lesser injuries. There are almost no examination procedures available to determine if a deficit exists in relation to the injury and there is no treatment protocol for resulting problems. You have to know there is a problem before you can treat the problem. With the exception of some Cranial Osteopaths and Cranial Chiropractors, no noe is even attempting correction of the many problems. The Cranial Injury Complex is essentially an unknown entity.

Some of the Known Facts…

When the skull is injured there may be – unconsciousness, disorientation, memory loss or lapses, confusion, motor dysfunction or disorganisation, alterations in speech patterns, the sense of taste or smell changed or lost, and disturbance of gait, balance, equilibrium, and postural functions. There may be mood and personality changes; concentration and decision-making may become difficult; the person is easily distracted, and time awareness is lost. The list could go on for pages. All these are known to be some of the results of injury to the skull, to a greater or lesser degree, when obvious damage has occurred.

In the book Total Recall by Joan Miniger, Ph.D., a report of a study done at the University of Virginia Medical Centre revealed some startling statistics. Of the 424 post-traumatic cranial injury patients released as neurologically normal, a survey indicated that within 3 months 79% had daily headaches, 54% suffered memory loss and 34% could no longer maintain their jobs.

The Lesser Injury

What about the average person with a lesser variety of injury? Most people hit their head on something or were hit on the head at least once in their lifetime. They did nothing about it because it wasn’t considered important at the time. If we “see it coming” so to speak, our defence system can be somewhat prepared to lesson the effect of the blow, and depending on the extent of the injury, may have no permanent effect on us. In more primitive times, this injury would most likely during a fight/flight situation. The ensuing physical activity would have probably cleared the circuits, and if no severe damage was done to the head, no residual effects would have prevailed. Today, this does not happen and the effects from these so-called minor injuries can imprint in the nervous system and go totally undetected. Any deficiency is usually attributed to something else, or accepted as a chronic condition one has to live with.

Cranial Bones Move

It is now accepted in many scientific circles that cranial bones move, in specific and synchronous respiratory motion. This movement is essential for the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid which nourishes and cushion the brain in the skull. It is also responsible for the balanced circulation of blood in the skull and the drainage of blood and lymph from the skull. Any disturbance to that rhythm can cause either neurological or physiological dysfunction. If the bones DO move – then they can be moved, either by a blow to the skull to DISRUPT the harmony, or a corrective force of a doctors hand to RESTORE the harmony. The fact is dramatically important in the understanding of and treatment of any cranial or skull injury.

The Defence System for Survival

We were created to survive in a primitive and hostile environment. When a dangerous situation or possible injury presents itself, the body’s reflex system must react to protect it from serious injury, if it can. The first order of business is to protect it from serious injury, if it can. The first order of business is to protect the central nervous system from damage and to hold the head on the body. The nervous system is what makes the body work, and in a sense is “us”.

The nervous system is encased in a movable body housing called the skull and spine. Being movable, this body protection mechanism is subject to damage or derangement.

The body has three primal defence systems designed to hold it together and to minimise damage as much as possible.

  1. The reactive muscle system of survival; this system in defence situations, is designed to hold the bones of the skull and spine together, and to literally hold the head on the body. The extensor muscle groups which are our fight/flight muscles – particularly those in the neck – contract to muscularly hold the head in place. If the rhythm of the cranial bones signal a dysfunction, this system remains in place until signalled otherwise. The combination of the labyrinthine and ocular righting reflex systems and the vestibulo-ocular righting reflex system, and their relation to the tonic neck righting reflex system, are the neurological mechanisms involved in this signalling phenomenon. This results in a chronic reactive muscle system imbalance if these reflex systems are not corrected and balanced. The first symptoms noticed are usually chronic posterior neck tension. This causes headaches, eye and special senses problems and chronic weakness of the flexor muscle groups including the anterior support muscles of the neck and abdomen. If a muscle is in a chronic hypertensive state, it cannot rest properly and fatigues easily on stress. The support muscles of the spine, both internal and external, are extensor in nature. If they are compromised by hypertension we lose the stability of the spine on activity.
  2. (a) The defence system of the TMJ – the muscles of mastication (chewing) particularly the masseter muscles in this case, lock the jaw externally to prevent dislocation if struck. The temporalis muscle contraction holds the side joints (sutures) of the skull together. The buccinator muscles tighten over the teeth for protection. Both sets of the pterygoid (internal muscles) are activated to lock the jaw on the inside and to stabilise the sphenoid (centre bone of the skull) on the inside. This muscle action mechanically stabilises and holds the skull together if stuck. The pulling action of the pterygoid muscles flexes the bone causing an increase of tension of the stabilisation to this most vital organ and a resilient wall to facial and dental pains, scalp and head pains, ringing in the ears, dizziness or loss of equilibrium, and a host of other symptoms may be present.

(b) The contraction of the ptygeroid muscles activates the coccyxegeal group muscles on the outer end of the spine. These muscles contract pulling the sacrum and coccyx forward. This action, because of the way the dura is attached, increases the tension of the spinal dura (covering the cord) which stabilised the cord in the canal, pulls the spine together for structural integrity, and again because of the way the dura attaches, holds the head to the body and specifically stabilises the upper neck (cervical) bones. This is the Dural Defence System.

(c) The Facial Defence System…When danger is imminent the muscles of the skin and body fascia contract to hold the body and the joints together, restrict peripheral blood flow, and hold the head on the body. If this system is not released, circulation, joint problems and endocrine problems may ensue. If the defence system is not neutralised because of the continued cranial distress signals – bowel, digestive and sexual problems will become chronic health problems which no one will place in proper perspective.

Successful Treatment

The cranial injury disrupts the synchronous motion of the cranial function, activating the reactive muscle and the dural and facial defence systems to protect the body. The motion and balance of the cranial bones and the balance of the reactive muscle system is restored through proper treatment of the labyrinthine and ocular righting reflex systems of the skull itself, along with the neck righting reflex system which will stabilise the head on the neck.

The muscles of the Temporo-Mandibular System and their reactive Coccygeal Muscle system, if treated properly, will release the dural tension.

The fascia at the base of the skull, if reset and stretched, will release the fascial and skin reflex.

This treatment protocol, researched at the Ferrai Institute, will clear the defence system and restore the structural and functional integrity of the skull, neck, spine and pelvis. With the correction of the confusing signalling from these structural and functional problems, neurological integrity can be restored and most if not all of the chronic problems related to cranial injury can be eliminated. This is particularly true of the subtle head injury, which for the most part is unrecognised and therefore untreated. If there is profound head injury without brain damage, the process is slower but most function will eventually be restored. In the case of brain damage, there are additional cranial and other protocols which can be employed to enhance and/or restore normal neural function.