Advance Centres Blog

Models of Diversity’s 'Curves in Couture' in Aid of Advance Centre was a Smashing Success

2011-11-29T02:25:00.000-08:00

left to right: Miss Trinidad & Tobago, top British designer Zandra Rhodes, host of the event and founder of Models of Diversity, Angel Sinclair and Velvet d’Amour.
Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

This was the first plus-size catwalk show of such prestige to have ever taken place in the UK

London – Models of Diversity’s history-making catwalk show Curves in Couture of healthy, curvy models - all in aid of Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique - on 17 November 2011 at Tabernacle W11 in Notting Hill was a great success. Celeb presenters Natalie Cassidy and Pamela Stephenson wowed the crowd with their wit, beauty and support of the campaign. VIP guests such as CEO of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush, top British designer Zandra Rhodes, America’s Next Top Model winner Whitney Thompson and the dance group Flawless were knocked out by the designs and the models.

Pamela Stephenson - one of the two MCs of the show.
Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

Major media partners were The Dish Network in North America and fantastic German plus-size clothing company navabi. Press who covered the event include Sky TV, The Dish Network and Positive TV; Grazia, Hello, More, OK, We Are HQ, Slink, Beautiful, Evolve, Flynet, The Aspen Business Journal, Fresh Fashion Faces, Just As Beautiful, Prima, Lela London, Women’s Views on News, Fab and Heat magazines; Vogue Curvy, Big Pictures; and newspapers The Mail, The Daily Mail and The Voice.

EastEnders star, Natalie Cassidy - one of the two MCs of the show - with the Catwalk Professor.Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

Celebs and VIPs who attended include Zandra Rhodes, John Swannell, the dance group Flawless, Nick Ede, Equalities MP Lynne Featherstone, Eve Pollard, the Countess Sondes, Velvet d’Amour, Whitney Thompson, CEO of the BFC Caroline Rush and her guests, Em McCleave, Eve Pollard, Leee John, Mark Summers, Brenda Edwards, Miss Trinidad & Tobago, Catwalk Professor, Stuart Phillips, reps from the London Diplomat Association, and brand managers from Harrods, Marina Rinaldi, Evans and Debenhams.

Founder of Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique, Linda Scotson, with Cllr Liz Bennett, deputy mayor of East Grinstead.Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

First came The Diversity Show featuring MoD’s professional models of diverse sizes, shapes, heights, ability levels and races, sporting the latest in ready-to-wear fashion from different retail lines as well as independent designers. Debbie van der Putten, star of BBC 3’s Britain's Missing Top Model walked in the show, which featured designers like Eve Pollard, Jose Hendo, Tina LoBondi, Ramil Makinano, Scarlett Black, Aaron Ray Dowie, and Pepe Jeans.

The highlight of the event was Curves in Couture, with top international curvy plus models such as Sophie Sheppard, Lizzie Miller, Robyn Lawley, fresh off the cover of Vogue Italia, and Toccara Jones, in sizes 14-18. The models sported couture, from both up and coming designers like Danielle Liane and Miss Lacy, and established design houses such as Anna Scholz, Carolyn de la Drapiere, Jill Alexander, Ilda Di Vico Couture Milliner, and The House of Scarlet. Kelly Knox, winner of BBC 3’s Britain's Missing Top Model, wearing Renaissance Couture Brighton closed the high-fashion show. A fantastic After Party was donated by Luigi Consoli of Queensberry Club in South Kensington. A full list of sponsors, designers and media partners can be found at http://www.modelsofdiversity.org/curvesincouture

All proceeds from the show benefit East Grinstead-based Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, a unique charity that teaches parents of brain-injured children how to deliver The Scotson Technique (TST), a drug-free respiratory-based exercise to help nourish the brain with extra oxygen that it needs for more normal development. The technique, developed by Linda Scotson after 15 years of research into breathing and recovery of function after brain injury, helps children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism and other neurological conditions. The charity was founded in 1996 by Linda Scotson who is the pioneer of The Scotson Technique. http://www.advancecentres.com Registered Charity 1026049

Thanks to The Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, 18-year-old Tatijana Hall-Roberts from Thurston in Suffolk, whose life was previously restricted by epilepsy and other neurological problems, is now a talented student of fashion design. Tatijana was present at the event, as was Cllr Liz Bennett, East Grinstead's deputy mayor.

In the middle of the proceedings, in between the catwalk shows, Linda Scotson said a few words about her charity and played a short video on the wonderful work it does. It showed that some children with cerebral palsy who are unable to sit at age 2 can still gain full walking ability as a result of The Scotson Technique. This was illustrated by footage of Alex Newton's first independent steps, aged 6, and Linda's son Doran, who now runs half marathons. It also showed Sam Perkins who has hemiplegia, using his affected arm and leg with increasing ease and normality.

"I am enormously grateful to Angel Sinclair for her passionate support of Advance, which is helping to raise the charity into the public eye and to bring hope and encouragement to so many more families with disabled children," said Linda Scotson.

Advance would also like to thank the family of Sebastian Burger whose company L'Isola Buona in Brighton donated their delicious Mediterranean-style sandwiches for the models. Sebastian, who has cerebral palsy, has also greatly benefited The Scotson Technique.

Models of Diversity, founded by former model Angel Sinclair (also the founder of Sinclair Management) is a London-based non-profit organization which advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all races, ages, shapes, sizes, abilities, genders and sexual orientations. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling! Their campaign was founded to stand for equal rights and opportunities within the modelling and fashion industry. MoD is officially backed by the British Fashion Council and has joined with Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone for the government’s campaign on body confidence. http://www.modelsofdiversity.org http://www.sinclairmanagement.co.uk

For more information, please contact:
Linda Scotson
Founder
Advance Centre
..for The Scotson Technique
The Bradbury House
6 Station Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1DJ
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1342 311137
info@advancecentres.com
http://www.advancecentres.com

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

2011-11-24T05:18:00.000-08:00

Mild Hyperbaric Therapy is a safe, effective way to get more oxygen into the body at the cellular level by using pressurized air chambers. According to the Laws of Physics, an increase in atmospheric pressure allows for more gas to be dissolved into any given liquid. Oxygen exists as a gas at room temperature, and the human body is made up almost entirely of water. The chambers used at the Hyperbaric Therapy Center use filtered ambient air with an additional oxygen concentrator to safely administer oxygen to the body with many therapeutic benefits. By allowing more oxygen to penetrate otherwise oxygen deficient areas, relief for many common ailments can be sought, because HBOT enables the body to carry out oxygen dependent processes by dissolving oxygen directly into the blood, plasma and cerebrospinal fluids.

image credit: www.hyox.com

Some doctors are still studying the effects of HBOT treatment for children affected with autism and if it helps –

healing the gut and brain inflammation (two that may be separate issues or experienced simultaneously)
blood flow to key areas of the brain
dealing with gut parasites, yeast or bacteria
or if it helps all four areas

Some Personal Notes

My son has completed 40 HBOT outpatient treatments at 1.3 atmospheres for the first five treatments and then moved up to 1.5 atmospheres for the last 35 treatments.

His improvements are in the areas of:

language (pragmatics)
social skills
It appears he is mastering and acquisitioning in his ABA program much more and much faster than ever before. (They are on theory of mind and advanced skills with curriculum helpers for abstract/new concepts at school.)
In addition, his abstract concepts are really picking up (for example: If I say, “Jeff — tell me a story,” he responds with a full on story; 5-10 sentences long with a start “Once upon a time…” and keeps going!)
Overall health has improved as well in his complexion and his body functions (stooling everyday that look more normal than before).

Tattoos, travels and terrifying graveyards lie ahead for Warwick dad’s challenge

2011-11-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

Matthew Boorman is doing 40 challenges in his 40th year, ranging from eating a sprout a day, shaving his head and reading the entire works of Shakespeare. MHLC-08-10-11 40 challenges

Below is an excerpt from an article found on the The Courier Warwick website:

A MONOPOLY board pub crawl, getting a tattoo, milking a cow and spending 40 nights in a graveyard are just some of the things in store for a Warwick dad this year.

Father-of-three Matthew Boorman of Chase Meadow turned 39 last month and, in an effort to raise money for the severely disabled daughter of his best friend, has set himself 40 challenges for his 40th year.

Mr Boorman is raising money for the Advance Centre where Lea Clarke, six, is being treated for a rare brain abnormality and is aiming to raise over £5,000 for her continued treatment through a series of challenges ranging from the unpleasant to the extreme.

After kicking off the challenge last month he has already shaved his head and eaten a sprout a day, both of which he will keep up for the whole year, and visited 100 of the 1,000 English A-Z of villages.

Other challenges include:reading the entire works of Shakespeare; skinny dipping; throwing a dart at a map of the British Isles 40 times and travelling there that day; doing cheese rolling in Gloucestershire and shaking hands with 40 people he admires.

He said: “I have to keep up with it daily, I have been running a lot and of course eating my sprout-a-day and everything has got to be filmed as proof.

“I’ve been dressing up as Shakespeare and reading the plays out loud on film.

“I have visited nearly half of the 40 football league clubs I need to, and over 100 of the villages, which is ten per cent done already.

“My job is in insurance so I’m on the road a lot anyway and try to work it so I can complete challenges along the way.

“I try to combine some of them, but for example I have to spend an hour in 40 different lifts and if I’m in a lift eating sprouts and dressed as Shakespeare people might think I’m a bit weird!

“Everything has been pencilled in for dates throughout the year. There are certain challenges that I can do indoors. I’ve got the colonic irrigation next month, and I’m not looking forward to that at all.”

He admits the biggest challenge is the London Marathon next April, and is in intense training for it, while getting 40 kisses under a waterfall will be rather less taxing for him.

“People have been very supportive,” he added. “Everybody’s been really good and interested in the charity - I’ve made a grand already, which is really good.

“Unfortunately Lea’s not doing too good, she has deteriorated in the last few months. She’s only eight and is stabilised but not looking that good at the moment. But it is about giving her a quality of life and the Advance Centre is a great place and a very worthy cause.”

To see the full list of Mr Boorman’s challenges, sponsor him and follow his progress, go online:

uk.virginmoneygiving.com/midlifecrisischallenge

Top London Charity Fashion Show “Curves in Couture” to Raise Funds for the Advance Centre

2011-10-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

18-year-old Tatijana Hall-Roberts who will be exhibiting her designs at the show, is now able to pursue a career in fashion thanks to the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique

London – On 17 November 2011 at the Tabernacle, London, a fashion show with a difference will take place in aid of the East Grinstead-based Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, a charity that helps children with cerebral palsy, autism and other neurological conditions.

Top model Kelly Knox, winner of “Britain's Missing Top Model”, and stunning Dutch beauty Debbie Van Der Putten will walk in the “Diversity Show” http://www.modelsofdiversity.org/diversityshow and “Curves in Couture” http://www.modelsofdiversity.org/curvesincouture catwalk show sponsored by Models of Diversity (MoD). All proceeds from the event will aid MoD’s sponsored charity, The Advance Centre. Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC), will attend the event. Both Sky TV and The Dish Network, North America’s third largest cable company, will be making documentaries about “Diversity Show” and “Curves in Couture”, which celebrate healthy models of all ability levels, shapes, races and ages.

Tatijana Hall-Roberts

Thanks to The Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, 18-year-old Tatijana Hall-Roberts from Thurston in Suffolk is now able to pursue a career in fashion. Tatijana will be both displaying her designs and available for interview during the evening together with Linda Scotson, founder of the charity.

Within months of her birth, it became apparent that there was something different about Tatijana. It was only when she had a severe convulsions at 11 months old, that the complexity of her epilepsy began to reveal itself. At two, she regressed and was no longer able to speak and hid in the corner, and her convulsions continued.

Over the next 11 years, Tatijana had continual periods of blue light journeys to hospital, and even with the high dose of the anti-epileptic medicines, continued to have a variety of seizures. Then, a chance stumble across a website for autistic children connected Tatijana’s mother, Tracey, with The Advance Centre and the amazing work that Linda Scotson does with children with brain injuries. It was perfect timing, as at that point the only option the doctors could offer was extensive brain surgery to remove the scarred area of her brain. However it was not without risks and there was a chance that her seizures could get worse.

Instead, Tatijana received treatment from Linda in the latter part of her last year at this school and within weeks of starting The Scotson Technique therapy (TST), her seizure rate decreased dramatically. Tracey Clewer, Tatijana’s mother said, “She had so much more energy, she was able to keep up with conversations again, she began to develop a sense of humour and slimmed down into a lovely well toned hourglass shape. Her skin tone changed from a mottled pale colour to a clear complexion. Her eyes gained a real sparkle to them too.

“In her second year at college, Tatijana elected to major in Textiles and Fashion. TST allowed her to achieve so much more than anyone could have imagined. She ended the year as a prize-winner and achieved high grades which enabled her to get one of only 45 places to study Fashion at Norwich University College of the Arts.

“The gains we have seen over the past two years and the sustained reduction in her seizures and the improvements in her cognitive and neural capacities lay squarely at the feet of the wonderful work Linda Scotson has done through working with Tatijana and in Tatijana doing her TST therapy. Tatijana’s future looks very bright and we have so much to thank Linda Scotson and her team for.”

Linda Scotson, founder of The Advance Centre, said, “I am so happy to have been able to help Tatijana and allow her to work where her heart lies - in fashion. She is a very talented young lady and the fashion world is very lucky to have her. And we are so grateful to Angel Sinclair and her Models of Diversity for putting on this amazing fashion show to help raise funds for us so we can help more children like Tatijana.”

The Advance Centre is a teaching institute for parents with brain-damaged children. From its creation in 1996, the charity has dedicated itself to finding a way to not only advance the abilities of children with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries, but to actually reverse the structural and functional abnormalities. Linda Scotson is the Founder of the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique. http://www.advancecentres.com

Models of Diversity is a London-based non-profit organization which advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all races, ages, shapes, sizes, abilities, genders and sexual orientations. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modeling. MoD is a campaign founded to stand for equal rights and opportunities within the modelling and fashion industry. MoD is officially supported by the British Fashion Council and has joined with Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone for the government’s campaign on body confidence.http://www.modelsofdiversity.org

For more information, please contact:

Linda Scotson
Founder
Advance Centre
..for The Scotson Technique
The Bradbury House
6 Station Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1DJ
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1342 311137
info@advancecentres.com
http://www.advancecentres.com

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

How TST has helped fashion student Tatijana Hall-Roberts

2011-10-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

Within months of her birth in January 1993, it became apparent that there was something different about Tatijana Hall-Roberts. It was only when she had a severe febrile convulsion lasting over 90 minutes, when only 11 months old, that the complexity of her epilepsy began to reveal itself. At two Tatijana regressed and was no longer able to speak and hid in corners, though she did love singing and was extremely creative. The severe convulsions continued. Working with osteopaths and a homeopath, Tatijana made gains and entered mainstream school as a very bright student working a year above her age by the end of her first year at school.

Through the next 11 years Tatijana had continual periods of blue light journeys to hospital, and even with the high dose of the anti epileptic medicines, continued to have a variety of seizures . From the age of 11 to 13 she was fortunate to be at a really emotionally intelligently run school lead by a Head Teacher who dispelled the fear of epilepsy and allowed Tatijana to be a normal child , and by the time she got to year 8 she had very few seizures and was achieving highly in all her subjects and was a talented and creative artist.

A change of school with none of the brilliance of the former school reduced her to a withdrawn anxious girl isolated from her peer group and isolated in the “special needs” room culminating by the end of her third year there in her hiding in hedges at lunchtimes, undetected by the school, as she was too embarrassed by her seizures to be seen. She was failed at every level by the school and left as a very dependent and disabled girl with very low self belief and self esteem. A chance stumble across a website for autistic children, connected Tatijana’s mother Tracey with Advance Centre and the amazing work that Linda Scotson does with children with brain injuries. It was perfect timing, as at that point the only option the doctors could offer was extensive brain surgery to remove the scarred area of her brain however it was not without risks and there was a chance that her seizures could get worse.

In February 2009 Tatijana was assessed by Linda Scotson and for the first time in her life, Tatijana was given real hope of a full cessation of her seizures. Linda explained how her mother’s high stress levels whilst pregnant with Tatijana and her tendency to hold her breath meant that there were many occasions when Tatijana, as a developing foetus; did not get enough oxygen. To protect the brain Tatijana’s body diverted oxygen from the developing lungs and diaphragm to ensure the brain remained well oxygenated, however this situation meant that when Tatijana was born both her lungs and diaphragm were under developed and her growing body needed more oxygen then her lungs and diaphragm could support. With this message of hope and the need to begin the therapy as soon as possible, Tracey asked the school if Tatijana could have a week off school and if the school teachers could supply the work she would need. The Headteacher failed to pass on the message and it was only 6 weeks later that this became apparent, by which time Tatijana was in the thick of her Art and Textile GCSE exams and she could not have time off. The stress of these exams and the frustration of the delays meant that Tatijana had many seizures and time off school and was not able to complete the exams with her classmates; rather she had to do additional hours a few weeks later.

It was in the latter part of her last year at this school that she began working with Linda Scotson and within weeks of starting The Scotson Technique therapy TST her seizure rate decreased dramatically, however it was only when she left this school and went to West Suffolk College and was made to feel good about herself and with the help of a mentor, she began to reconnect with her talents and her personality and self esteem re-emerged. The amazing staff saw her talent and worked to help her develop this, and in this happier healthier environment she was calmer and happier in herself. She was once more taught as a normal talented young lady with a medical condition. Tatijana continued to work with Linda Scotson doing the daily TST massages herself with both accuracy and regularity and more and more positive changes happened. She had so much more energy, she was able to keep up with conversations again, she began to develop a sense of humour and slimmed down into a lovely well toned hourglass shape. She became more and more resilient and was able to handle criticism, pressure and deadlines without having additional seizures as had happened in the past. Her skin tone changed and instead of a mottled pale skin she had clear skin. Her eyes gained a real sparkle to them and she became better at answering questions as she was able to find the words with ease.

In the second year at college, Tatijana elected to major in Textiles and Fashion and the combination of doing something she loved, in an environment in which she felt both welcome and valued and the continued gains from the improved breathing and sleeping from TST allowed her to achieve so much more than anyone could have imagined. She ended the year as a prize winner and got high grades which enabled her to get one of only 45 places to study Fashion at Norwich University College of the Arts in Norwich.

There is no doubt that the quality and ability of educational establishments to deal effectively with Tatijana’s medical conditions has been a direct influence on her seizure rate and level of achievement, however the additional gains we have seen over the past two years and the sustained reduction in her seizures and the improvements in her cognitive and neural capacities lay squarely at the feet of the wonderful work Linda Scotson has done through working with Tatijana and in Tatijana doing her TST therapy.

Tatijana’s future looks very bright and we have so much to thank Linda Scotson and her team for.

The Help Ben Fund on The Advance Centre

2011-09-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

In 2005 we found a fantastic therapy centre in East Grinstead, Sussex called...

The Advance Centre.

Advance is a teaching institute for parents. Parents become students learning all the essential practices to continue the restorative work with their children at home.

From its creation in 1996, the charity has dedicated itself to finding a way to not only advance the abilities of children with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries, but to actually reverse the structural and functional abnormalities.

There is no doubt that the techniques at Advance have had a huge positive effect on Ben and his abilities.

Ben is very fortunate at the moment to receive some funding from a charity called Caudwell Children, which pays for the therapy costs for each visit. This funding expires at the end of 2011.

Excerpted from the Help Ben Fund website.

About Ben Talbot

Ben Talbot is now 12 and lives in Finedon, Northamptonshire.

Ben was 8 months old when we noticed that he wasn’t holding his head up in the same way our older children did when they were his age. We went to see our GP and very quickly found ourselves in the difficult and stressful world experienced by parents with a child who has disabilities.

Over the last 12 years, Ben has been seen by some of the country’s top consultants. Despite the many appointments in various hospitals and the huge amount of tests that have been carried out, no one in the medical profession can diagnose Ben’s condition. Whatever the cause, Ben’s problems are due to a brain abnormality. He has been given the label of ‘Global Development Delay’, which isn’t a diagnosis but a vague description of the day-to-day problems Ben faces.

Ben is unable to roll, crawl, stand or walk. He has learning difficulties and poor communication skills and no real speech. He relies on adults for all his personal care, feeding and mobility. He has problems with his balance, spatial awareness, coordination and gets worried when doing things out of his routine. He needs a wheelchair to get around in when outside and a special seating system to maintain his posture when indoors.

Ben is a very happy, cheeky and loving boy with an infectious laugh and smile, who melts the hearts of those who know him. He has a wonderful big sister and big brother who he loves and who help us to look after him. He loves to join in with whatever the rest of us are doing. As a consequence “what we do, Ben does” has become our motto. This has even led to Ben being pushed up a mountain in his wheelchair, which he loved!

For more information about Ben visit The Help Ben Fund website.

Henry Spencer and The Scotson Technique

2011-09-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Henry on his visit to the Advance Centre, East Grinstead

Our son Henry was born by emergency c-section on 22nd December 2008, he was severely distressed and immediately taken to be resuscitated. Later on that day Henry suffered multiple seizures. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. As time went on he developed severe gastric reflux.

Henry clearly had developmental issues as he could not even hold his head up at just under two years old. He was on 3 different seizure meds and still had 20 or more seizures a day, his quality of life was very poor. By chance via a work colleague we found out about the Advance Clinic. As soon as we could we took Henry up to Advance, our first visit was in October 2010. Within 3 months of starting the Scotson Technique we were able to wean Henry off of all of his seizure meds and get him seizure free for the first time. He continues to make progress in other areas, he holds his head up, is much more alert, his posture is much better, reflux has dramatically improved and after only ever drinking from a bottle is now starting to eat off of a spoon.

After being told by doctors that Henry would be severely disabled and his future uncertain, thanks to Linda Scotson and the Advance Clinic we now have hope.

Carl, Maria and Henry Spencer

Able2UK: The Scotson Techinique - A cure for Disabilty?

2011-09-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

Below is an excerpt from an article found on the Able2UK website:

We are led to believe that those with brain injuries which lead to disabilities such as Cerebral palsy, and Downs syndrome cannot be cured although this may not be the case.

Before you start reading this by the time you finish the article don’t be too disheartened that we haven’t stumbled across a complete cure for certain forms of disabilities. However what you are about to read is a very inspiring piece of information. As you can see, this is quite a long article, but please don’t skip sentences or paragraphs as what you are about to take in is one of the most ground-breaking stories we have ever published on our website.

Doran Scotson was three days old when doctors told his mother, Linda that her new- born son had an incurable brain injury. Linda was also told her son wouldn’t be able to do anything at all. Despite the medical knowledge from the doctors Linda managed to prove them wrong and even managed to potentially reverse the brain injuries.

The assuring thing to realise is Linda isn’t a hippy, she didn’t turn to herbal medicine or chant weird things whilst dancing naked around a burning fire during a summer solstice. Although neither did she go down the route paved for most people with a physical disability, the mundane physical exercises which motivate muscles which are taught by the standard physiotherapist. Linda figured out most people with a physical disability has breathing difficulty and focused her attention on PhD research.

Why breathing? And does Linda have a valid reason to back-up her claim? Fortunately she does...The cells in our bodies need oxygen to carry out all the complicated jobs they are assigned to do. The tissues which cells form create our body organs such as our muscles and the brain. If we breathe normally from birth our cells successfully create the tissues which create the organs, but if a child is starved of oxygen at birth the chain can be broken and that’s when things go wrong.

OK, so now you understand breathing is very important to improve the lives of those born with disabilities, but how can this be put into practice?

www.advancecentres.com

The answer comes in the form of TST. The Scotson Technique is a response to some recently found research that makes very interesting reading. It has been found that young children have more brain cells than are necessary which means a child’s brain only consumes half the oxygen which is available. In adults the cells which look after our memory and learning abilities keep on producing and if the oxygen which flows to the nerves and the brain is increased more brain cells can be produced. How can we increase our oxygen level? By heavier breathing!

When the brain is damaged this can cause weakness to the level of oxygen which disrupts muscle movements and how the brain functions.

TST relies on the working parts of the brain to improve the flow of oxygen to the tissues around the body. To carry this out requires gentle manual delivery of breath and pressure onto the body mimicking the breathing effects on the circulatory systems and body tissues.

And here’s the incredible bit, if The Scotson Technique is performed correctly it can improve speech, sight, understanding, seizures, posture, body movements, walking and transform the lives of many young disabled children within weeks.

As you can probably tell TST is beneficial for young children and if you require more information we strongly recommend you take a visit to The Scotson Technique website where you can find details how to arrange a consultation for £80 and training courses, the first of which requires a deposit of £100. Your child will also remain fully clothed during the assessment.

So, if you ever hear a doctor tell you or a loved one a newly born child with a brain injury has a limited scope of life, bear in mind medical staff are only human and sometimes there are alternative avenues to explore to prove them wrong.

Kelly Knox to be a Catwalk Model in Models of Diversity’s Charity Fashion Show ‘Curvy in Couture’

2011-08-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

Kelly Knox, Winner of Britain's Missing Top Model (photo by Lyon Photography © 2011)

Winner of Britain's Missing Top Model, Kelly Knox, who rejects society’s notion that she is disabled, will help to raise funds and awareness of the Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique charity

London - Top model Kelly Knox, winner of Britain's Missing Top Model, will be a catwalk model in “Curvy in Couture”, the charity fashion show sponsored by Models of Diversity on Thursday 17 November 2011 at the Tabernacle, London. All proceeds from the show will go towards Models of Diversity’s sponsored charity, Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique, which helps children with cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions.

The show will have three top celebrity presenters and at least two celebrity models and it will also be attended by special guest Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council. In addition, the Dish Network, one of the largest cable providers in north America with over 15 million subscribers, will be making a documentary about the show which celebrates disabled models, those of a healthy weight (as opposed to size zero), curvy models and those of all races and ages.

Kelly is the stunning winner of The BBC’s groundbreaking 2008 show ‘Britain’s Missing Top Model’, which led to a shoot with Rankin for Marie Claire. She has starred in a VO5 campaign, appeared on the cover of Diva Magazine, featured as a catwalk Gokette on Gok Wan’s ‘How to look Good Naked’, and has walked in many fashion shows across the UK. In addition, Kelly has appeared in Laha Magazine, The Sun, The Mail, Disability Now, Able Magazine, RADAR, and The Sunday Times. After taking a brief break from modelling, Kelly is back and better than ever!

Kelly says, “I have always rejected society’s notion that I am disabled – even at the tender age of seven I refused to wear a prosthetic arm. I entered the BBC competition in the hope of dismissing society’s preconceptions about what it means to be disabled, and hoped to pave the way for others in the same situation to break out of the constraints traditionally created by the label ‘disability’ and offer inspiration to those who need to develop confidence in the face of negative attitudes towards disability.”

About the Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique

Advance Centre is a teaching institute for parents with brain-damaged children. From its creation in 1996, the charity has dedicated itself to finding a way to not only advance the abilities of children with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries, but to actually reverse the associated structural and functional abnormalities. Linda Scotson is the charity’s founder and pioneer of The Scotson Technique. http://www.advancecentres.com

About Models of Diversity

Models of Diversity, founded by former model Angel Sinclair (also founder of Sinclair Management http://www.sinclairmanagement.co.uk), is a London-based non-profit organization which advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all races, ages, shapes, sizes, abilities, genders and sexual orientations. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling! Their campaign was founded to stand for equal rights and opportunities within the modelling and fashion industry. MoD is officially backed by the British Fashion Council and has joined with Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone for the government’s campaign on body confidence.http://www.modelsofdiversity.org

For more information, please contact:

Angel Sinclair
Models of Diversity
22 Commonside West
Mitcham
Surrey
CR4 4HA

020 8946 7084
info@modelsofdiversity.org
http://www.modelsofdiversity.org

TST (The Scotson Technique) and Down's Syndrome

2011-08-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

About TST and Down’s syndrome

Scottish award-winning film and TV actress
Paula Sage receives her BAFTA award
with Brian Cox.

The bottom line is that for optimum development during infancy and childhood the brain needs increasing amount of oxygen. In fact at the age of 6 years a child’s brain is consuming 50% more oxygen than the brain of an adult. Down’s syndrome children have respiratory problems therefore the potential of the Down’s syndrome child to optimise its neurological development is compromised because of abnormal less adequate breathing.

It is worth noting that the pump action of the diaphragm and lungs is responsible for the return of the deoxygenated blood to the heart (venous return) including the return of the deoxygenated blood from the brain to the heart. Arterial in flow of blood into the brain is determined by venous outflow. Therefore, improving breathing in Down’s syndrome children has the potential to considerably entrance their development.

This is why The Scotson Technique points out and addresses the frequently ignored complex weaknesses that affect the respiratory muscles and lungs.

These weaknesses are caused by the effect of cerebral stress and poor or abnormal motor activity on the respiratory organs. They are also a hidden cause of the brain injured child's structural and functional abnormalities as well as the broad range of symptoms associated with brain injuries.

TST therefore develops the potential of the uninjured brain by enhancing the respiratory and circulatory systems to deliver oxygen to the body tissues. This is achieved by the gentle manual delivery of breath and pulse-like pressures which copy the effects of breathing on the body tissues and circulatory systems.

No matter whether the children are mildly, moderately or severely affected, as The Scotson Technique is applied and the children's breathing improves their development steadily becomes more normal.

Makeover Day Gets Plenty of Media Coverage

2011-07-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

BBC News

East Grinstead Courier & Observer

Having a treat: Tatijana Hall-Roberts, left, gets a makeover from Keeley Knight

East Grinstead Courier & Observer and article reads:

Parents of children with cerebral palsy got a dream makeover at a unique charity event last Thursday.

A number of disabled teenagers were also treated to new haircuts and make-up at the East Grinstead Advance Centre.

The event was put on by Models of Diversity, which campaigns for more diversity among models. Founder Angel Sinclair, who was recently appointed vice president of the Advance Centre, said: “It is very important that people recognise the hard work that carers put in – they are the forgotten heroes. This is a way for us to give something back to the parents, to make them feel good about themselves.”

The Charity uses the Scotson Technique, a drug-free respiratory-based exercise for brain injured children developed by Linda Scotson.

Mrs Scotson, who was also at the event, said: “It was lovely for the parents to all meet each other and get made up, and we have decided we are going to do this every year now. I think this is the start of a fantastic relationship between us.”

Radio Interviews
Linda Scotson, Angel Sinclair and Carla Nunes were also interviewed, live, on BBC Sussex and Surrey Radio and the subject of disabled models, more diversity in the fashion industry and what being beautiful really means, despite a person's physical appearance or level of ability, was a topic of discussion for the radio station, with phone-ins included, virtually all day long!

Models of Diversity Make-Over Day, a Roaring Success

2011-07-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

The story was given full coverage on TV, radio and local newspapers


(from left to right) Carla Nunes, Angel Sinclair, Linda Scotson and Kate Blackett

Last Thursday (14 July 2011), thanks to the generosity of Angel Sinclair and her Models of Diversity, 10 mums (the forgotten heroes) and 3 of their disabled children - one of whom was Doran Scotson, Linda's son - were treated to a full make-over to show the world how beautiful they really are.

Jilly Goolden

Lending their support and accompanying Linda Scotson, founder of the Advance Centre and Angel Sinclair, founder of Models of Diversity, was:

Jilly Goolden, TV presenter and Vice President of the Advance Centre
Cllr Liz Bennett, Deputy Mayor of East Grinstead
Carla Nunes, disabled model who appeared on Channel 4's documentary, "Beauty and the Beast - the ugly face of prejudice"
Kate Blackett, model

The make-over was provided by a make-up artist and a hairdresser, Keeley Knight and friend of Benefit Cosmetics, plus photographer James Lyon of Lyon Photography who provided portraits as mementos for the mums and children to take home and frame. All three gave their time free of charge.

Models of Diversity also generously provided a free English cream tea for everyone to enjoy.

Angel, Kate and Carla beside the cream tea they generously donated

The day began with a live interview of Linda Scotson and Carla Nunes on BBC Sussex and Surrey Radio. Prejudice towards disability within the fashion industry was a hot topic for the radio station almost all day, with scores of people ringing in to tell their stories and views. Later in the afternoon, Linda was interviewed live again by the same radio station, this time accompanied by Angel Sinclair.

At the same time, BBC TV (South East Today) came in to the Centre to record the event, interview the mums, the models, the founders and the supporters. They finished their report by asking all the models and 'make-overees' to do a mini catwalk fashion show for the camera. The item was then broadcast on BBC1 shortly after 6.30pm the same day.

BBC South East Today interviewing model Carla Nunes

The story will also soon appear in the local East Grinstead Courier and Observer who sent their photographer along, as well as in the Sussex-wide Brighton-based newspaper, the Argus.

All in all, it was a wonderfully uplifting occasion; everybody had fun and was so happy whilst, at the same time, the issue of prejudice within the fashion industry had most certainly been raised across three media channels.

Models of Diversity to Hold a Make-Over Day at Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity

2011-06-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

The parents of children with cerebral palsy and some of their teenage children with cerebral palsy are to be treated to a special make-over at East Grinstead-based Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity thanks to Models of Diversity

East Grinstead - Models of Diversity, the campaign that advocates for more diversity in models, is to hold a make-over day at Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity in Station Road, East Grinstead on 14th July 2011, from 1pm - 3pm.

A hairdresser and a make-up artist will treat about 10 parents of children with cerebral palsy and other neurological problems, plus a few of the older disabled children themselves, to a full make-over. Then, their photo will be taken as a memento of the day by the award-winning photographer, James Lyon. The hairdresser, make-up artist and photographer are all giving up their time for free.

Model of Diversity's founder, Angel Sinclair

Model of Diversity's founder, Angel Sinclair, was recently appointed Vice President of the Advance charity and Advance is Model of Diversity's only chosen charity.
Angel Sinclair, on the make-over day: "It's very important that people recognise the hard work that carers put in - they are the forgotten heroes. So this is a way of us giving something back to the parents, to make them feel good about themselves."

"Our parents are amazingly selfless people who are always giving. Every one of them is beautiful so it's fantastic to give them this opportunity to look really gorgeous and to have a photograph to remind them of just how beautiful they are," says Linda Scotson.

About Models of Diversity
Models of Diversity advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women of all races, ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling. They sponsor modelling workshops for people with disabilities, campaign against the tragic effects of the size zero culture, and fight inequality in the representation of real men and women. They look at catwalk shows, advertising and the glossies and rarely see a true representation of real people. http://www.modelsofdiversity.org

About Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity
Advance Centre teaches the parents of brain-injured children how to deliver The Scotson Technique (TST), a drug-free respiratory-based exercise to help nourish the brain with extra oxygen that it needs for more normal development. The technique, developed by Linda Scotson after 15 years of research into breathing and recovery of function after brain injury at University College London, Psychology Department, has been extremely successful in helping brain-injured children overcome movement, learning and behavioural difficulties. The Advance Centre teaching institute is based in West Sussex in the UK with centres in Slovakia, South Africa, Namibia and the Philippines.
http://www.advancecentres.com

For more information, please contact:

Advance Centre
..for The Scotson Technique
The Bradbury House
6 Station Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1DJ
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1342 311137
Fax: +44 (0)1342 305159
info@advancecentres.com
http://www.advancecentres.com

Models of Diversity Founder Angel Sinclair Appointed Vice President of Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity

2011-06-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

(left to right) Angel Sinclair, founder of Models of Diversity with Linda Scotson, founder of Advance Centre of The Scotson Technique

Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique to be Models of Diversity's only chosen charity

East Grinstead - Former model and founder of Models of Diversity has been appointed Vice President of the Sussex-based Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity by its founder, Linda Scotson.

When Angel saw how The Scotson Technique had improved the life of Linda's son Doran, born with severe brain damage and cerebral palsy, she was so moved that she wanted to support Advance to enable many more children like Doran to be similarly helped.

The Scotson Technique, developed by Linda Scotson in 2002, is a unique, gentle, deeply restorative rehabilitation therapy for children and young adults with cerebral palsy, autism, brain injury or other neurologically related conditions.

At Doran's birth, Linda Scotson was told that he would never walk or talk. However, thanks to The Scotson Technique, Doran - now aged 32 - has run two half marathons and is also an artist and he can hold a very good conversation. He has a great sense of humour and is very charismatic.

An additional personal reason that Angel decided to support Advance is because she has a nephew, Curtis, aged 20, with cerebral palsy and has helped Curtis' parents with respite for most of his life.

Angel Sinclair, the founder of Models of Diversity and Sinclair Model Management, is a former model herself and appeared on Gok’s 'Miss Naked Beauty' in 2008. Angel was struck by the great variety of beautiful women participating in the event and how that contrasted with the narrow range we see in the fashion industry. That’s when she decided to promote the use of models that reflects diversity in society, in terms of race, shape, age and ability. Angel campaigns for equality on the catwalk and her portfolio of models includes people of all races, ages, shapes, sizes and abilities - and that includes those with disabilities such as cerebral palsy. At a recent fund-raising fashion show for another charity, one of the models on the catwalk was Doran Scotson himself!

As Vice President, Angel's responsibilities will include both raising funds and raising Advance's profile. Advance will now be mentioned in Angel's e-mail signature as Model of Diversity's only chosen charity, and a link to Advance's website will be included on the Model of Diversity's website.

"I feel honoured to take on this role which I will do to the best of my ability and will raise much needed funds for this wonderful charity," says Angel on her appointment as Advance's Vice President.

"We are so lucky to be supported by Angel - a vibrant woman who has the warmth and compassion to want to help us, and the drive and energy to make things happen," says Linda Scotson, Advance's founder.

About Models of Diversity
Models of Diversity advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women of all races, ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling. They sponsor modelling workshops for people with disabilities, campaign against the tragic effects of the size zero culture, and fight inequality in the representation of real men and women. They look at catwalk shows, advertising and the glossies and rarely see a true representation of real people. http://www.modelsofdiversity.org/

About Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique Charity

Advance Centre teaches the parents of brain-injured children how to deliver The Scotson Technique (TST), a drug-free respiratory-based exercise to help nourish the brain with extra oxygen that it needs for more normal development. The technique, developed by Linda Scotson after 15 years of research into breathing and recovery of function after brain injury at University College London, Psychology Department, has been extremely successful in helping brain-injured children overcome movement, learning and behavioural difficulties. The Advance Centre teaching institute is based in West Sussex in the UK with centres in Slovakia, South Africa, Namibia and the Philippines. http://www.advancecentres.com

For more information, please contact:

Advance Centre
..for The Scotson Technique
The Bradbury House
6 Station Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1DJ
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1342 311137
Fax: +44 (0)1342 305159
info@advancecentres.com
http://www.advancecentres.com

Boxing auction helps support East Grinstead charity

2011-06-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

A pair of boxing gloves signed by heavyweight champion David Haye is just one of the prizes on offer to support a local charity.

HELPING HANDS: Alan Foley (left, back row) and Ross Minter (back row, second from right) with Linda Scotson, of the Advance Centre, (centre, back row) and some of the people money raised from the boxing event will help

- as reported in the East Grinstead Courier and Observer, 9 June 2011, page 6

A charity raffle at The Queensbury Boxing League event on Saturday, June 18, will raise funds for the Advance Centre in East Grinstead. The charity helps support children with brain injuries and was founded by Linda Scotson after her son Doran was born with severe problems 32 years ago.

Event promoter Alan Foley said he was very keen to support local charities.

He said: "We've supported the Advance Centre before, we like to support charities local to the town."

The auction will also feature prizes including a BMW for the day and gloves signed by boxer Kevin Mitchell.

Mr Foley, from East Grinstead, works with former boxer and Dormansland resident Ross Minter to put on boxing matches between experienced amateur fighters and support local causes.

The event on Saturday, June 18, will be held at Effingham Park Hotel in Copthorne.

Excerpted from This is Sussex website.

Marathon men raise money for East Grinstead charity

2011-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Two runners battled through the wind and rain
to raise money for charity.

MARATHON MEN: Ross Thornton (right), manager at the Nuyuu gym and Doran Scotson show off their medals

Doran Scotson completed his second successive Seaford Half Marathon on Sunday in support of the East Grinstead Advance Centre.

The 32-year-old, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was joined by East Grinstead Nuyuu gym manager Ross Thornton.

Ross said: "It was a rough day. Doran took a couple of falls, but he got up and did really well."

The pair beat Doran's finishing time of last year by four minutes and are now looking ahead to the Brighton Marathon in April next year.

The half marathon is hoped to have raised around £2,000 for the charity, which treats children with cerebral palsy and autism.

Excerpted from This is Sussex website.

Please sponsor Doran in the Seaford Half Marathon - June 5th

2011-06-02T16:34:00.001-07:00

(click image to enlarge)
Marathon Men: Doran Scotson and Ross Thornton will be running the Seaford Half Marathon together - as reported in the East Grinstead Courier and Observer, 2 June 2011, page 5

Doran is taking on the Seaford Half Marathon again this year on 5th June 2011. He’s hoping to break his previous record of 2 hours 54 minutes.

All sponsorship funds will go towards helping our children achieve ever increasingly more normal development and the comfort of families coming to us.

Please read the recent article in Reader’s Digest about our work entitled "The Woman Who Works Miracles - Linda Scotson is bringing renewed hope to children with cerebral palsy' in the hope that it will inspire you to sponsor Doran as he thunders on over the Seaford hills.

To sponsor Doran, please click here: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/donate/makeDonationForCharityDisplay.action?charityId=1002723&frequencyType=S

Many thanks!

Advance Centres are now on Virgin Money Giving

2011-05-31T02:44:00.000-07:00

Virgin Money Giving is a not-for-profit company which makes it easy for charities to take donations and for fundraisers to raise and collect money for their chosen charity.

Check out the Advance Centres charity page on Money Giving, here you can start fundraising, make a donation or make a monthly donation. A great example of fundraising is http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/midlifecrisischallenge

The Truth about Vaccines

2011-05-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here you can find out vital information regarding vaccines and the possible adverse effects.

Vaccine Choice ANH Campaign Launches 6th Feb 2009. View Document »

Contradictions Between Medical Science and Immunization Policy. View Document »

Current Childhood Vaccine Programs. View Document »

Danger of Excessive Vaccination During Brain Development. View Document »

Dangerous Impurities of Vaccines. View Document »

Down's Babies Used in Vaccine Experiments. View Document »

Fetal Bovine Serum and Nanobacteria. View Document »

Introduction of Simian Virus. View Document »

The Real Truth: Vaccine Inefficacy. View Document »

The Vaccine Conflict. View Document »

Tuberculosis from Vaccination. View Document »

Vaccination: A Medical Abomination. View Document »

Vaccine Choice: ANH Campaign Launches. View Document »

Vaccine Ingerdients. View Document »

Vaccination May Be More Dangerous Than Swine Flu. View Document »

Vaccine Risk Awareness. View Document »

Vaccines May Fuel Autism Epidemic. View Document »

What is Coming Through the Needle? View Document »

Extracted from Foresight Preconception website: http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/vaccines.aspx

Styled and Frocked Fashion Show in aid of the Tree of Hope

2011-05-02T17:47:00.001-07:00

Amazon Eve with Doran Scotson

On 28th April 2011, a fashion show with a difference was held at JuJu in the Kings Road, London to raise funds for specialist medical treatment and therapy for sick UK children.

The Tree of Hope Children’s Charity joined forces with JuJu and Models of Diversity to create a unique experience for all who attended.

Hosted by Sally Farmiloe-Neville, the guest list included:

Amazon Eve - the World's Tallest Supermodel

Cerrie Burnell - TV Presenter

Emmanuel Ray - Britain's first It Boy

Catherine Balavager

Ben Duncan (Big Brother)

Leee John (Imagination)

Mike Hollingsworth (TV Executive)

From Advance Centres: Linda Scotson and Doran Scotson who was one of the models

The Fashion Show featured creations by:

Bo Carter

Hoss Intropia

Toni Pickles of Get Waisted

Najlaa Jabri was the stylist for the evening and make up was by BellViso Global

Entertainment included:

Comedy duo Teakshow

Crooner Don Wilson

Lipstick Bandits Burlesque

Leee John with Jeremy Marris of the Tree of Hope charity (photo © Mark Gibson)

Cerrie Burnell (photo © Mark Gibson)

One of Tony Pickles' corsets, modeled by Candice (photo © Mark Gibson)

Leee John with Linda Scotson (photo © Mark Gibson)

Linda Scotson with Angel Sinclair, founder of Models of Diversity (photo © Mark Gibson)

John Wood of WorldWidePR.net being pleasantly 'squashed' by Amazon Eve!

One of the models (photo © Mark Gibson)

One of the Tree of Hope hostesses (photo © Mark Gibson)

Leee John with John Wood

Doran Scotson, the model (photo © Mark Gibson)

More photos by Mark Gibson:
http://gallery.me.com/kilts#100519&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=4

Make a Donation here:
http://www.justgiving.com/treeofhope/Donate

Children's Charity Fashion Show with Models of Diversity

2011-04-27T02:57:00.000-07:00

About Tree of Hope Children's Charity
The Tree of Hope offers hope to the families of sick and disabled UK children who need specialist surgery or additional medical treatment and therapy, in order to save their lives, and to give a better quality of life, and to help free them from suffering, by funding the treatment required.

Make a Donation here: http://www.justgiving.com/treeofhope/Donate

Doran Scotson with Angel Sinclair, founder of Models of Diversity

About Models of Diversity

Models of Diversity advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women of all races, ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. They sponsor modelling workshops for people with disabilities, campaign against the tragic effects of the size zero culture, and fight inequality in the representation of real men and women.

28th April

6pm - Late

JuJu

316 - 318 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UH, London

Tickets £20 (including a fabulous goody bag)

You can buy them here:

http://styledandfrockedjuju.eventbrite.com

'JOINING HANDS IN HEALTH' Campaign

2011-04-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

Online Petition to protect our Health, Rights and Freedom of Choice

Did you know... new EU Laws secretly approved behind closed doors, threatens to destroy your health, rights & freedom of choice? Therefore, you will no longer have access to thousands of 'safe' natural products & foods used successfully for centuries to heal illnesses such as Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease or to maintain overall health.

SIGNING THE PETITION TODAY can stop this tragedy and help 'safeguard' yourself, loved-ones and future generations.

This groundbreaking PETITION is uniting UK VOICES to prevent thousands of 'safe' natural products (i.e. foods, herbs, vitamins, minerals, supplements & indigenous remedies) from being banned by 2011. Founder Dounne Alexander MBE.FRSA believes, if this is left unchallenged, it not only poses the greatest threat imaginable to our health, (including our children & future generations), animal welfare and the environment - but also the survival of many cultural foods, holistic practices, therapists and 'small' health businesses. In addition, centuries of ancient wisdom and spiritual beliefs will be written out of the history books and lost forever. With the European Union and UK Government claiming that these Legislations were created to provide greater consumer protection, however, overwhelming evidence shows their true purpose is to assist global population control, power & wealth.

As the 2011 deadline fast approaches, it is vital that we all JOIN HANDS to protect the future... before it's too late.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Over 300 EU Legislations, secretly approved behind closed doors (since 2002), started coming into forced from 2010. To avoid opposition, the European Union (EU), UK Government, Medical Establishment & National Media have worked together to deliberately keep the entire UK population (over 60 million people) in the dark. For this reason, the majority of UK citizens have no idea that as from this year (2010), we no longer have the freedom-to-choose 'natural health products' or the right-to-decide what we wish to eat, drink or medicate - in order to manage our health. Therefore, thousands of beneficial natural foods, proven 'safe & effective' for centuries and still commonly used today (to combat serious illness or to maintain overall health).. are being banned or their potency drastically reduced, making them virtually ineffective. Whilst ancient cultural traditions (such as African, Chinese, Indian, 'Ayurvedic' and other indigenous practices), also developed and used successfully for centuries will be lost forever.

Many in the health industry are alarmed at the sheer disregard the legislations have for the ancient principle that Natural Foods are meant to Feed & Heal. As confirmed by Hippocrates, (the ancient father of medicine), who famously quoted; "Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food", and Paracelsus (father of Pharmacology) who stated, "All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature... the challenge of science is to find it." Also conflicting with the spiritual beliefs recognized & respected worldwide, these legislations will replace 'natural foods' (God-made) with 'all things artificial' (i.e. man-made). In so doing, Religious / Spiritual rights are being dishonoured, disrespected and denied.

However, this is only the 'tip of the iceberg', as strict censorship also means we can no longer speak or teach each other about the merits and health enhancing benefits of natural foods, as handed down from generation to generation. Therefore, centuries of ancient wisdom will be written out of the history books and lost to future generations.

Meanwhile, UK Regulators (funded by vested interests of the Pharmaceutical Industry and employed as EU Law Enforcers & Watchdogs), are currently criminalizing' legitimate manufacturers & practitioners with heavy fines imprisonment, product confiscation, removal of ingredients (they classify as 'medicinal'), or forced business closure... for "the crime" of restoring health naturally. These Regulators have been given more powers than the police and includes the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Trading Standards, Environmental Health, plus others. Their actions are effectively driving the natural health industry underground; threatening the survival of thousands of small (established) health manufacturers, suppliers, practitioners, therapists and consumer health-choice.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT YOU?

If left un-challenged, the impact on ALL OF US; (including YOUR HEALTH) & THE ENVIRONMENT will be catastrophic and irreversible.

The fear is that organic / natural foods & health products will gradually be eradicated and in its place, Genetically Modified (GM), Irradiated, Cloned and other Artificial Foods will be promoted as the cheaper, healthier option, to prevent global starvation. This clever 'spin' was deliberately created to instil fear, so the public would not object to these plans. It is well known in the health arena that GM, Irradiated & Artificial Foods are DEAD FOODS and a major cause of chronic poor health, malnutrition, mental illness and infertility. However, we have been unknowingly consuming GM & Irradiated Foods for over two decades, to the detriment of our health and an already overstretched National Health Service. Armed with this knowledge, would you still encourage more of the same into the food chain?

It is also well known that prescription medication & legalized drugs destroys immunity, are extremely addictive, toxic and hazardous to both health and the environment. Plus, rated the third biggest killers in the world (after heart disease and cancer); with side effects that often leave many permanently damaged. Whereas, natural foods, herbal remedies & holistic treatments (used since creation), has an exceptionally high record for safety, effectiveness and sustainability... yet these legislations actively seek to remove them.

Sadly, when you follow the dotted line, you will uncover a disturbing plan to create an increasingly 'SICK' society, solely dependent on artificial foods, prescription medication & legalized drugs, whilst vigorously destroying the environment. In other words, the creation of wealth through deception, fear and suffering.

THE TRUTH is incredibly disturbing.

What appears on the surface to be consumer health protection,

behind the scenes is actually legalized health suicide.

HOW CAN WE STOP THIS TRAGEDY?

ONLY A NATIONAL PETITION CAN 'STOP' THESE LEGISLATIONS FROM BECOMING LAW. Therefore, we need 35 million people (half the UK population) to sign 'THE NATION SPEAKS petition today.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T SIGN?

From 2011, we will witness the greatest infringement and most restrictive regulatory system ever experienced on our democratic freedoms, personal choice, human rights & natural healthcare... resulting in an unprecedented threat to our lives, livelihood & health as we know it today. Instead, we will be left with a system that will replace 'natural health' and enforce a 'pharmaceutical drug' dependent culture.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

The Powers That Be include the European Union (EU), UK Government, other powerful world Governments, the World Health Organisations, the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation; vested interest from the Pharmaceutical industry, other large Corporations and Media networks. Working together, their goal is to eventually extend the legislations worldwide to create 'what they have called' The New World Order... whose hidden agenda is global population control, power & wealth.

PEOPLE POWER - Through Collective Responsibility.

We elect the Government to serve us, but as they have refused to consult, inform or call a Referendum - we need to take back control. This will effectively remind them to listen to our voice, not only during election - BUT AT ALL TIMES. This way the Queen, Government and the European Union will be forced to obey the voice of the nation.

The Nation's Mandate :

In March 2011, JOINING HANDS IN HEALTH will submit this petition to the Government as the Nation's Mandate to OPT OUT of the EU Directives, Regulations & Codex Alimentarius. In its place, to establish an independent legal framework based on NATURAL LAW & COMMON LAW that will...

SAFEGUARD - Natural foods, vitamins, herbs, supplements & traditional medicines / indigenous remedies; and the natural health industry.
SECURE - The democratic freedom, health choice, human / religious & consumer rights of UK citizens and future generations.
PROTECT - Animal health & welfare.
PRESERVE - Our natural environment.

IT'S TIME TO GET ACTIVE!

"Do not wait for Leaders.

Do it alone...

Person to Person"... Mother Teresa.

35 million signatures may seem a mammoth task, however if overnight success Susan Boyle's audition on Britain's Got Talent, amassed almost 100 million views (on You Tube) in 9 days, then 35 million signatures in 7 months is definitely achievable. President Obama's election victory is another perfect example of PEOPLE POWER through the internet and social networking. Therefore, we can quickly reach this goal, if each person who signs the petition, forwards the link [ www.joininghandsinhealth.com/petition ] to at least 7 people; OR sends via mobile phone, email or social-networking groups (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, Bebo etc).

Please remember to encourage family and friends to do the same. FREE leaflets are also available by emailing info@joininghandsinhealth.com (please type in the subject bar). Kindly pass on to neighbours, local newsagents, local & high street stores, petrol stations, supermarkets, local & national media, businesses, various groups (i.e. campaigns, charities, faith, parent), personal networks, pubs, clubs, colleges & universities, theatres, libraries, internet cafes, tea/coffee etc).

.......................................................................................................................

"This campaign is about loving, respecting & valuing 'LIFE' and therefore, transcends politics, religion, culture, gender, class and race. It is not against conventional medication or treatments but aims to preserve nature; secure consumer rights & protect freedom of choice. However we strongly believe that what is taking place is a violent act against humanity, animals and the environment.

As Mahatma Ghandi once quoted -

The Roots of Violence is:

Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles."

So... the Future is now in 'YOUR' Hands to secure a safer, healthier life for yourself,
your L♥VED-ONES and future generations.

Please 'sign' today & spread the word.

* NOTE. You must be a UK Citizen, Ex-pat and over 18 to sign.

.......................................................................................................................

IN BRIEF - THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS PETITION.

♥ The inspiration behind the petition is founder - Dounne Alexander (61) MBE, FRSA whose business (GRAMMA'S) and extraordinary herbal products have been effected by these draconian legislations. She decided to use her experiences to awaken everyone to the serious dangers we will 'ALL' face, if they are not stopped before 2011. The legislations we oppose to are 'The European Food Supplements Directives', 'Nutrition & Health Claims Regulations', 'Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive' and the Codex Alimentarius guidelines. Please visit www.joininghandsinhealth.com to find out more.

Sign This Petition

The information and images have been excerpted from: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/joininghandsinhealth/

Styled & Frocked Fashion Show

2011-04-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Sophie Price will be modelling for Models of Diversity in Styled and Frocked on the King’s Road on April 28th. Sophie, 21, is the younger sister of Katie Price, a.k.a. Jordan, and will be making her Catwalk Debut. Angel Sinclair says, "We are thrilled and honoured that Sophie will be gracing the catwalk for us in support of The Tree of Hope children's charity".

Sophie Price

Guest List includes:

Cerrie Burnell
Emmanuel Ray
Catherine Balavage
Chelsey Baker
Ben Duncan
Ian Carmichael and Tony Pappas
Leee John
Cindy Jackson

The event will be hosted by Sally Farmiloe-Neville

Models of Diversity will announce the winner of their Competition to be the Face of Models of Diversity 2011

Special guest entertainment including the Teakshow comedy duo. the crooning of Don Wilson and Lipstick Bandits Burlesque and a catwalk show featuring the clothes of up and coming Bo Carter, Hoss Intropia and Toni Pickles of Get Waisted.

Hair styling provided by Gina Conway Aveda Salon and Spas Styling by Najlaa Jabri.

Clothing donations from Primark, Next, Evans and more Catwalk training and direction provided by Shanna-Melissa Alexander and her team at Living Dolls Management

Multi Award Winning Bar, JuJu is the hottest addition to the nightlife scene on World Famous King's Road in Chelsea. Located in the heart of Chelsea, JuJu has won multiple awards since opening.

28th April

6pm - Late

JuJu

316 - 318 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UH, London

Tickets £20 (including a fabulous goody bag)

You can buy them here:

http://styledandfrockedjuju.eventbrite.com

With the guidance and approval of medical practitioners in our health care services, The Tree of Hope Children's Charity will fund grants for medical treatment and therapy within the private sector of medicine in the UK. We will also fund surgery and treatment by medical specialists abroad, where the specific knowledge and facilities are available, in order to treat UK children as quickly as possible. Please visit http://www.treeofhope.org.uk/ for more information (Reg. No:1043092).

Thank You Fundraising Brighton Marathon Runners

2011-04-23T11:32:00.001-07:00

Far left: Doran Scotson and far right: Lili Scotson

All of us here at the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique want to thank the fourteen runners who ran the Brighton Marathon on 10th April to raise funds for our charity. It was a beautiful day and the weather made it all that more of a success.

About The Advance Centre
Advance is a teaching institute for parents. Families are welcomed together with their children including brothers and sisters, in the warm, friendly environment of the Advance Centre. There is a soft play area and cooking facilities. Parents become students learning all the essential practices to continue the restorative work with their children at home.

From its creation in 1996, the charity has dedicated itself to finding a way to not only advance the abilities of children with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries, but to actually reverse the structural and functional abnormalities.

Parents are taught specific exercise techniques which use gentle, rhythmic pressure to strengthen the weak tissue structures of the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles. Gradually applying the pressures to increase the oxygen supplies to the joints of the arms, legs and pelvis also become part of the process. The exercises are non-invasive, pleasant and relaxing with no discomfort caused to the child or parent.

We can assist with all neurologically based conditions whether mild, moderate or severe. Anyone who has a disability caused by brain damage or brain abnormalities. For example: Cerebral Palsy, Hemiplegia, Developmental delay, Microcephaly, Stroke, Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Head injury, Near drowning ...

All premature babies irrespective of their general condition and anyone with: Autism, Learning disabilities, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Behavioural problems, Hyperactivity, Spinal injury ...If your child hasn't been diagnosed yet you may want help to treat symptoms such as: stiff or floppy legs, arms or hands. Poor: ability to sit up straight, speech development, eyesight development and digestion.

Tree of Hope Children's Charity invites you to 'Styled and Frocked' on the King's Road

2011-04-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a unique Fashion Show and help raise funds
for specialist medical treatment and therapy for sick UK children

Head down to JuJu on Thursday 28th April. Doors open 6pm.

An evening fit for a King, a Princess, a Pauper and every Queen in between!

Guest List includes:

Emmanuel Ray - Britain's first It Boy
Chelsey Baker
Liz Brewer
Ben Duncan
Ian Carmichael - the Queen's hairdresser
Tony Pappas - celebrity hairdresser
Leee John
Cindy Jackson

The event will be hosted by Sally Farmiloe-Neville

The owners, Lee Chapman and Leslie Ash, are hoping to attend the Fashion Show.

"We are both delighted that we are able to help the Tree of Hope Children's Charity by hosting this Fashion Show at JuJu."

The Tree of Hope Children’s Charity has joined forces with JuJu and Models of Diversity to bring you a unique Fashion Show and help raise funds for specialist medical treatment and therapy for sick children in the UK.

Business networking opportunities for people in attendance, special guest entertainment including the comedy duo Teakshow, the crooner Don Wilson and Lipstick Bandits Burlesque and a catwalk show featuring the up and coming Bo Carter, Hoss Intropia and Toni Pickles of Get Waisted.

Najlaa Jabri will be our Stylist on the evening.

Book your tickets now

Tickets £20

http://styledandfrockedjuju.eventbrite.com

JuJu Bar Venue
JuJu is a Multi Award Winning Bar and one of the hottest addition to the London bar scene. Located in the heart of Chelsea on the King's Road, they the finest cocktails mixed by some of London's best bartenders.

JuJu Club
316-318 King's Road
Chelsea
SW3 5UH London
United Kingdom

View Map

Marathon spin class raises £800 for East Grinstead charity

2011-04-06T03:11:00.000-07:00

Fundraisers at the spin class

A group fundraisers took part in a marathon spin class at the weekend.

Ten members of Nuyuu gym in London Road jumped on exercise bikes and joined a two-hour spin class to raise money for charity.

The health club in East Grinstead raised £800 for the Advance, a charity which supports a rehabilitation therapy for young people with cerebral palsy and brain damage.

During the two-hour endurance class the participants burnt off more than 1,000 calories with a range of fast sprints and heavy hill climbs.

Ross Thornton, the general manager of Nuyuu, said: "I've been fortunate enough to meet the youngsters this charity has been helping for 15 years and know their need as a small charity for any donation, which inspired me to get involved.

"We just need as much support as we can get to raise as much money as we can."

Ross will also run the Brighton marathon in April and is hoping to raise more than £1,000 for the charity.

Sponsor him at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rossthornton

Excerpted from: www.thisissussex.co.uk

The Autism File: How The Scotson Technique Can Help Children With Autism

2011-03-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

Linda Scotson, The Advance Centre, and The Scotson Technique (TST) feature in The Autism File magazine, Issue 39

Here's a few excerpt of the first few paragraphs of the article:

Linda Scotson, founder of The Scotson Technique (TST) has boundless positivity. Considering the sudden death of her husband five months before her son’s birth, and then receiving the news that her newborn son suffered extensive brain damage from blood incompatibility, many in her
situation may have been disheartened or would have given up completely. However, nothing could dampen Linda’s belief that good things lay ahead. She reasoned that brain growth was complex and far from fully understood; therefore, her son Doran might still have the potential to walk and talk.

Linda believed that her own research and hard work would hold the key to unlocking Doran’s potential which would eventually allow him to lead a full and enriched life. As a result of his mother’s determination, Doran--now 31 years of age--has become a remarkably able and charming young man. He has a diploma in child care, is currently studying art, and has sold seven paintings from his first art exhibition. He recently ran a half marathon to raise money for charity...

What causes the abnormal breathing?
After a long and painstaking study of the existing scientific literature, Linda had collected the evidence she needed to support her theories. It appeared that a wide range of different kinds of stress, including maternal stress, could temporarily compromise the amount of oxygen available to a child’s brain before birth.11 Moreover, when cerebral oxygen decreased, in order to preserve core cerebral function, the foetal circulatory system diverted oxygen away from the developing lungs and diaphragm and into the foetal brain. The result appeared to be a weakening of the child’s respiratory organs at critical stages in their development.

If these events took place in the last trimester of pregnancy, foetal breathing activity, which is vital for normal lung growth, would also be compromised. The possibilities arose that more prolonged or repeated stress upon the developing brain’s oxygen levels could weaken blood flow through the tiny blood vessels bringing oxygen to more vulnerable areas. Linda hypothesized that even if direct damage was not caused, these areas might still be compromised, rendering them less resilient to viral or toxic stresses after birth. Such stress factors might include vaccinations...

How does TST work?
TST is a series of very light-touch, gentle, pulse-like massages that can be made even while children sleep. The light touch means that the pressures gently increase blood flow through the smallest arteries and the capillaries serving the body tissues. The pressures copy the pulses made by the physical pressures of breathing on these blood vessels and the pumping activity of
the diaphragm to return the deoxygenated blood to the heart. The affect is that the capillary walls strengthen and new additional capillary structures grow. This increases the blood-carrying capacity within the diaphragm and lungs making them stronger, larger, and more effective organs. Similar work is also gradually performed on the joints of the body.

If you would like to read the whole article please contact us.

About The Autism File

The Autism File Magazine was founded by Polly Tommey in 1999. Polly Tommey and her husband, Jonathan, had become frustrated by the scarcity of resources and information to support them in caring for their son, Billy, who has autism.

They have since committed much of their lives to helping Billy and others like him. Working from a bedroom in their home, Polly Tommey has become one of the primary spokeswomen for autism awareness in the UK.

The Autism File Magazine has grown with the Tommeys. Over the years it has developed in reputation, stature and distribution to the point where it is now considered the first port of call for many families, children and adults with autism. The magazine has a distribution of more than 50,000 with subscribers from all over the world and is now the twelfth best selling magazine in Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the U.S.

40 at 40: The Midlife Crisis Challenge

2011-03-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

Lea Clarke

Matthew Boorman has given himself 40 challenges to complete over a year from the day of his 39th birthday. So on 20th September 2011 he will be setting off on 40 tough challenges leading up to his 40th birthday on 20th September 2012.

Below is an extract from his virginmoneygiving.com donation page. You can also follow him and his progress on Twitter: @Nemesis123 and his blog: http://www.beardedmonkeyactivity.blogspot.com

Extract from http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/midlifecrisischallenge:

Hi, thanks for visiting my page. Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor me and donations will be quickly processed and passed to charities. Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity's behalf where the donor is eligible for this. I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.

Please also visit www.scotsontechnique.com for details on the excellent charity I am raising for. The picture top left is little Lea Clarke who attends ADVANCE Centre and has benefited from the technique applied.

The Youtube link on this page highlights the 40 challenges;

London to Birmingham Bike Ride (M40)
Walk the entire length of Hadrians Wall
Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
Colonic Irrigation
Keep a shaven head for the whole year
Go to an Opera
Fly in a Hot Air Balloon
Skinny Dip in a Sea/Lake
A-Z of English Villages (40 each letter)
Watch the complete Harry Potter saga in one sitting
Hold a tarantula
Become a member of 40 clubs
Get in the Guinness Book of Records
Ride a horse
Jump out of a plane
Paint a self portrait
Spend a night in 40 graveyards
Catch a fish and eat it that day
Snowboard
Spend one hour in 40 lifts
Have my fortune told
Keep a diary for the whole 40th year
Read all Shakespeare's plays
Win 40 awards, trophies or prizes
Milk a Cow
Get another tattoo
Complete the London Monopoly pub crawl
Sit outside through a sunset to sunrise
Visit 40 Football Grounds
Throw a dart at a map of the British Isles 40 times and travel there that day
Buy 40 things at an auction
Shake hands with 40 people I admire
London Marathon
Get on TV
Kiss my Mother
Get 40 poems/stories published
Adopt a bearded monkey
Kiss 40 times under a waterfall
Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire
Eat a sprout a day

All challenges will be filmed and updated on the page as I progress.

To Donate, click HERE.

Medicinal Herbs Will Disappear in EU and we are the only ones who can stop this

2011-03-17T02:57:00.000-07:00

As of 1 April 2011—less than seven months from now—virtually all medicinal herbs will become unobtainable, or available only through prescription, in the European Union. It's not a done-deal, at least, not quite. If you value your access to herbs, or if you care about access to vitamins and other supplements, please take action. Even if these issues seem meaningless to you, consider the people who do care. Should they be denied the right to the medical treatment and health maintenance of their choice? It's up to us—each and every one of us—to take action.

If you live in Europe, please, sign the Stop the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39...

Consider sending a letter or message to your Member of European Parliament. Go to this page: (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members... to find out who your MEP is and the contact information. Then, send a letter that states, in no uncertain terms, that you strongly support the ANH's actions in trying to suspend the implementation of THMPD and that you hope they will also take a stand in support of the people's right to choose herbal treatments.

If you find it difficult to write such a letter, use this link http://gaia-health.com/articles301/00... for a sample (in the universal .rtf format) suggested by ANH. Feel free to use it.

Try to imagine facing your children or grandchildren when they ask why you didn't. How will you tell them that you really weren't that interested in their welfare? How will you tell them that it was more important to watch the latest fake reality show on television than to take the time to sign a petition or write a simple letter?

Positions

1. http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39...
2. http://www.gaia-health.com/articles30...
3. http://www.gaia-health.com/articles30...
4. http://www.gaia-health.com/articles30...

This is an excerpt from the causes.com website.

The Scotson Technique

2011-02-21T05:15:00.000-08:00

Just returned from a few days in East Grinstead learning about ‘The Scotson Technique’. Met some lovely people, and it definitely gave a lot of food for thought. It’s the kind of thing where from the outside it does look a little bit like bollocks (applying specific pressure to areas on the chest and back to stimulate blood flow in the diaphragm and subsequently improve breathing which in turn aids all kinds of other areas)…but the results speak for themselves really. Met a mum whose little boy used to have loads of seizures every day and they stopped altogether after using the technique. I believe her too, don’t think it’s a coinkidink. He was gorgeous, only 2.

The kids in there were amazing, I just wanted to cuddle them up and take them all home. Made me think about how kids with disabilites or special needs really inspire those kinds of feelings in me…So much more so than typically developing kids. As much as I love the little ones in the nursery I sometimes work at, they don’t inspire this fierce protectiveness in me…I certainly don’t want to take any of them home, little snot monsters, they’re the lucky ones. Mind you…the families of all these kids I saw over the last few days are so bloody amazing, they blow me away-devoting their lives to improving the health and wellbeing of their children. So I suppose they’re lucky too.

Anyway this Scotson thing seems to be pretty effective for people and children who have cerebral palsy, or other more physical disabilities, but we weren’t too sure how it would fit in with Autism. Time will tell I suppose, we’re going to give it our best shot and see what happens!

Excerpted from Barbs de jour blog.

Supporting Hari

2011-02-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

Hari Eaglestone was born in East Sussex in 2006
and now lives in Brighton.

Hari

Hari was typically developing as a baby until 12 months old, when he contracted pneumonia and was hospitalised, requiring oxygen, IV antibiotics and steroid treatments. From 12-21 months, Hari had 14 further A&E visits and 8 admissions for respiratory distress, including a bronchoscopy investigation under general anaesthetic. During this time, Hari's development regressed and by 22 months he had developed severe autism and sensory processing dysfunction, having lost all previous play, language and communication skills. He had no eye contact, did not turn to his name and was non-verbal.

From 2 ½ yrs of age, Hari has been following the Son-Rise approach (home programme with a team of volunteers) to develop social interaction skills. He has thrived on Son-Rise and his eye contact has returned and is now fantastic! Hari can play interactively and loves his team of volunteers. He is affectionate, loving and very cheeky, has started to use some single words to communicate again and is potty trained. We hope eventually for Hari to be able to go to school one day.

Hari has also followed many interventions including a biomedical approach (specific carbohydrate diet, nutritional therapy and supplements), homeopathy, cranial osteopathy, a HANDLE programme for sensory integration, the Tomatis listening programme and we have the first 9 months of the Scotson Technique at the Advance Centre funded (started October 2010).

Hari is a different child now. He has vitality, is joyful and above all, we have hope for his future.

The Tree of Hope Children's Charity is supporting us.

Please help us fund his continued treatment.

www.justgiving.com/Helping-Hari

Tim and Priya Eaglestone

Information and pictures excertped from the Tree of Hope website.

Scientists fear MMR link to autism

2011-02-07T04:34:00.000-08:00

New American research shows that there could be a link between the controversial MMR triple vaccine and autism and bowel disease in children.

The study appears to confirm the findings of British doctor Andrew Wakefield, who caused a storm in 1998 by suggesting a possible link.

Now a team from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina are examining 275 children with regressive autism and bowel disease - and of the 82 tested so far, 70 prove positive for the measles virus.

Last night the team's leader, Dr Stephen Walker, said: 'Of the handful of results we have in so far, all are vaccine strain and none are wild measles.

'This research proves that in the gastrointestinal tract of a number of children who have been diagnosed with regressive autism, there is evidence of measles virus.

'What it means is that the study done earlier by Dr Wakefield and published in 1998 is correct. That study didn’t draw any conclusions about specifically what it means to find measles virus in the gut, but the implication is it may be coming from the MMR vaccine. If that’s the case, and this live virus is residing in the gastrointestinal tract of some children, and then they have GI inflammation and other problems, it may be related to the MMR.'

The 1998 study by Dr Wakefield, then a reader in gastroenterology at the Royal Free Hospital in North London, and 12 other doctors claimed to have found a new bowel disease, autism enterocolitis.

At the time, Dr Wakefield said that although they had not proved a link between MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and autism, there was cause for concern and the Government should offer the option single vaccines - instead of only MMRs - until more research had been done.

The paper - and the confused interpretation of its findings - caused uproar and led to many parents withdrawing their co-operation for the triple jab. Ten of the paper's authors also signed retractions on the interpretation but stood by the science.

This is the second independent study to back up Dr Wakefield. In 2001 John O'Leary, Professor of Pathology at St James's Hospital and Trinity College, Dublin, replicated his findings.

Last night Dr Wakefield said: 'This new study confirms what we found in British children and again with Professor O'Leary. The only exposure these children have had to measles is through the MMR vaccine.

'They were developing normally until they regressed. They now suffer autism and bowel disease.

'The Department of Health and some of the media wanted to dismiss our research as insignificant. The excuse was that no one else had the same findings as us. What they didn't say is that no one else had looked.'

A spokesman for the Department of Health said they had not read the American report, but added: 'MMR remains the best form of protection against measles, mumps and rubella.'

Excerpted from the Daily Mail website.

Brighton Marathon 2011 - 5 volunteers are running for Advance Centres this year

2011-01-27T01:26:00.000-08:00

Following the success of last year's Brighton Marathon, it's all happeneing again on 10 April 2011, and so far, 5 brave individuals have signed up to run for us!

If you'd like to run for us too, we'd be delighted so please let us know! info@advancecentres.com

About Brighton Marathon 2011

This year, Sunday 10th April will see the race route around the city of Brighton & Hove packed with spectators and runners alike; based on the astonishing atmosphere in the city for the 2010 edition, the authorities believe there will be over 100,000 people out supporting the runners as they wind their way around one of the UK’s most iconic cities. On a gloriously sunny day, the atmosphere was quite infectious in 2010 but with over 15,000 entries sold in just 30 days for the 2011 race, there is a Marathon Weekend coming at us which is simply not to be missed!

Text and images taken from the Brighton Marathon's official site. For more information visit: www.brightonmarathon.co.uk

Reader's Digest Publish article on Linda Scotson and The Scotson Technique

2011-01-16T03:08:00.000-08:00

Reader's Digest article entitled 'The Woman Who Works Miracles - Linda Scotson is bringing renewed hope to children with cerebral palsy'

"At 12 months, Beth* was a sick and distressed baby. Her muscles were so stiff that she held her arms straight out in front of her. She couldn’t turn her head or control her tongue. “The doctors said there was little that could be done and Beth’s chances of improving were minimal at best,” says Jane, her mother.

Beth is just one of around 1,800 children born with cerebral palsy every year. Brain damage at the time of birth, sometimes because of a lack of oxygen, makes their control of movement and muscles difficult and erratic. It’s more common than any other developmental disorder and many of these children die young because their poor muscle control has an effect on their breathing in particular, making them prone to respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

It’s thought that they’re unlikely to get much better. “The important thing is to stabilise the condition,” says Dr Mando Watson, a paediatric consultant at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, who specialises in treating these children. “We try to control the seizures, treat any chest infections and also treat the disability—help them feed and make them comfortable, so they can live as full a life as possible.”

But is that really the whole story? Fast forward two years and Beth’s situation has changed radically. “She’s a different child,” says Jane. “She’s so much happier. She’s developed good control of her head and she can bend and raise her arms, and open her hands. She can also stand. Her school was amazed that she could eat solid food and drink from an ordinary cup.” What’s more, Jane has no doubt that Beth’s improvement is due to the approach developed by one determined mother, Linda Scotson."

Excerpted from the January 2011 issue of Reader's Digest.

Visit the Reader's Digest website for more details on how to get a copy of the magazine: www.readersdigest.co.uk

Subjecting Generations As Yet Unborn to Uncontrolled Pulsed Digital Microwave Radiation is Unwise

2011-01-09T01:53:00.000-08:00

Are You Phone Aware ?

Microwave radiation from mobile and cordless phones, wireless LANs, wireless alarm systems, Wi-Fi and any number of modern devices is able to penetrate the body - that’s why its used in microwave ovens. The digital signals these waves carry are often pulsed at biologically active frequencies. The effects on the cells of the body, the developing foetus, growing children, adults and the elderly are now becoming better understood and increasingly raising calls of alarm from eminent scientists, doctors and surgeons.

If you are pregnant, ask yourself...

“What are the chances that uncontrolled exposure to digitally pulsed man-made microwave radiation is good for me, my baby and generations not yet born?”

...or anyone else for that matter...

Microwave exposure at everyday levels is being increasingly associated with Autism and other developmental problems affecting families. Low-level magnetic field exposure is now accepted as being a cause of childhood leukaemia. With the advent of town-wide Wi-Fi, Digital Terrestrial TV and new satellite and other broadband services, everyone's lifetime dose of background electromagnetic radiation is set to rise. When dealing with unknown risks, caution is called for, especially when a growing number of parents are saying “These things are dangerous - Take Care!”

Cordless phone base stations pump out their pulsed digital microwave signals continuously and the handsets do not generally have intelligent power management. Carrying a mobile phone on you body or putting it in a handbag, especially one draped over a pushchair only inches from your abdomen and your toddler’s head, is not precautionary - unless it is switched off.

Be Phone-Aware and minimize your own and your children’s electromagnetic exposure.

Excerpted from the Electric Forester Investigations website. Read the rest of her story here: http://www.electricforester.co.uk

Help with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Hyperactivity ...

2011-01-05T03:25:00.000-08:00

Information by Belinda Barnes from Foresight:

Over the last thirty years I have been helping mothers with children with ADHD – learning difficulties such as dyslexia and hyperactivity through to diagnosed autism, and as we used to say, mental retardation.

What we have found helpful so far:

1. Hair mineral analysis, to find out levels of needed macro and trace minerals, and also of toxic metals such as aluminium, cadmium, lead and mercury.
Where there is a shortage of trace minerals that the brain needs, such as zinc, manganese and selenium, there is usually a very notable improvement when these are supplemented. We have on our website www.foresight-preconception.org.uk a lot of the background research – see particularly work by Pfeiffer, Underwood, Oberleas and Caldwell, Roger Williams, Vallee and Passwater and Cranton.

When we clear the toxic metals this also improves brain function.

2. In many cases the lack of necessary trace minerals may be at least partly due to an inability to absorb nutrients.
This can stem from several causes, the ones most usually seen being:

a) A lack of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase, which is a zinc-dependant enzyme that lines the small intestine. This can be due to a lack of zinc because the tap water contains too much copper and lead. This can be due to copper pipes joined with lead-containing solder, which causes corrosion, which will leach metal into the water. The lack of alkaline phosphatase will inhibit the absorption of nutrients through the gut wall.

b) The vaccines not only pollute the body with mercury and aluminium, but they also contain calf’s lymph (from aborted calves), monkey kidney (from carcinogenic kidneys) red blood cells from sheep, and parts from chicken, mice and guinea pigs.

The bovine lymph may stimulate the population of the baby’s gut to produce atypical intestinal flora. (When a baby is changed from breast milk on to cow’s milk, the intestinal flora rapidly changes to accommodate this).

Because of this, the intestine may become hypersensitive to the ‘Big Grasses’ (normal bovine diet) Where there is only one stomach instead of four, the ability to cope may be seriously compromised. This seems to result in unstoppable diarrhea, or stool akin to cowpat.
Many of these children are much helped by a gluten-free and/ or milk-free diet. Research is showing the gut flora is unusual. We hope the origins of the problem will be realised before too long.

There are 6 further areas all of which may be affecting some children but not others. I feel it is worth trying everything.

c) Homeopathic dilutions/remedies from the vaccines are available from the homeopathic pharmacies - Ainsworth and Helios. These will encourage the child’s body to eliminate the vaccine. It is best if you can tell the Homeopath exactly which vaccine the child received, as the substances used in them do vary.

d) Some of the children have a degree of Fetal alcohol Syndrome, due to parent’s drinking. Sometimes this can be from grand-parents, as it can be passed down, especially in the mother, as her ovaries are formed when she is in the womb. Helios does a Remedy called ETHYLICUM. Depending on the child’s history, this may be useful.

e) There may be problems with electromagnetic pollution. This can be from mobile phone masts, TETRA masts, electrical sub-stations etc. Less visable, but also disruptive are underground rivers and cracks in the substrata that can send up electromagnetic vibrations.
Wi-fi, mobile phone masts etc can be disruptive to sleep.
The use of mobile phones by the mother during pregnancy has been linked to ‘bad-behaviours’ – ie minor brain damage - by 2 Universities in California.
Next door’s computer can put electrical currents through the wall!!
For further information see our website and that of:

Roy Riggs www.roy.riggs.com
Roger Coghill www.cogreslab.co.uk
Patrick Macmanaway www.geomancy.org.uk
Powerwatch www.powerwatch.org.uk
EM fields www.emfields.org

f) Mercury fillings in teeth are known to be unhealthy and to affect brain function. They are also linked to brain tumours by recent research.
FIRSTLY – discourage their use on anyone!
It may however be too difficult to get these removed if they have been put in. There may be homeopathic help available with this also.
For further information see the websites:

Society for Mercury- Free Dentists www.mercuryfreedentistry.org.uk
Also for Drs G & L Munro-Hall www.hallvtox.co.uk
Also for Dr David Heffron www.theellaclinic.co.uk

g) There is also the mother of a brain-damaged son – Linda Scotson who runs the Advance Learning Centre in East Grinstead. She works with oxygen therapy encouraging deep breathing and the use of hyperboric oxygen to get more oxygen to the brain cells. This is one more approach that can give some useful improvement and I feel it is often worth trying if possible.

Linda’s address is:
The Bradbury House, 6 Station Road, East Grinstead, W Sussex
Tel: 01342 311137
Website www.scotsontechnique.com

h) Keeping pesticide free. One of the reasons that the organophosphate pesticides have been linked to central nervous system damage is that manganese is the trace mineral that carries oxygen to the mitrochondria of the brain cell. (This, one of my favourite Professors explained to me, acts like the ‘outboard motor’ to the cell.)

For manganese to be absorbed from the intestine into the blood, (which will then transport it to the brain), it needs the choline containing enzymes to carry it across the intestinal wall.
The organosphate pesticides destroying cholinesterase, which is the nutrient that removes the waste material generated by the enzyme’s activity from the cell. In due course this waste blocks the cell and the enzyme ceases to work. Manganese is no longer available to the blood, and just leaves the body in the stool. If the brain is short of manganese it is short of oxygen which it needs to function. (This is how the insects are killed).

It is therefore a good idea to avoid all sources of organophosphates. This means always use organic food. Pesticide-free carpets and furnishings. Pets without flea collars. No fly sprays or garden pest sprays etc. No nit treatment with children.

i) To avoid other chemicals linked to ‘behavioural problems’ (ie brain function disruption) I suggest purchasing our little booklets ‘Find-Out’ and ‘Watch-It’ for information on food additives and chemicals used in household cleaners etc.

We are very willing to give all the help we can to anybody with problems. We will be very pleased to hear from you.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Belinda Barnes

Lois Russell's Story

2010-12-27T05:03:00.000-08:00

Lois Russell

Lois Ella Russell was born by emergency caesarean at 10.23pm on Wednesday 12th December 2007 after midwives realised that she was in distress. Once born Lois was not responsive for almost 10 minutes. Both the doctors and us, Lois’s parents, thought we’d lost her... but her heart was started again and she was rushed to intensive care where she was kept alive by machines. Over the next month Lois gradually became stronger and started to do things on her own like breathing and opening her bowels. Unfortunately Lois had no suck or swallow reflexes so she was fed through a tube in her nose. Although too young to be diagnosed, we were told Lois would most definitely be diagnosed one day with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, which she now has been. Amazingly at 4 weeks old the hospital allowed Lois home to be with her big sister Mia. Although she was tube fed, having spasms which the doctors believed to be epilepsy, and dosed up on countless medicines... she’d defied the odds and was home!!!

Now, 2 ½ years on and Lois is proving to be the fighter we always knew she was. Although her development is slow and she cannot do many of the things that children of her age can do, she still enjoys a happy life and she adores her big sister and her new baby brother Noah. Lois now has a feeding tube directly into her tummy, but through hard work and therapies we have managed to get her to the point where she has no spasms and is medicine free. She is starting playschool in September where she will have a one to one supporter who will help her to play and interact with other children, something we never thought we would see!

All of these things have been made possible through Lois’s hard work and stubbornness, our determination to prove the doctors wrong, and the most fantastic physiotherapists we could have found. Lois attends The Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre in Flitwick, Bedfordshire for 3 x 1 hour sessions each week. This is a private physio treatment therefore is very expensive at £41 per hour... but to see the results we are getting we would pay the earth if we had it. Gradually over the last year Lois’s body had begun to change. We can now sit her reasonably comfortably in a buggy and a car seat, which was once an impossible task as she was too stiff, and she can hold her head up for short periods of time. Her overall posture is improving and her hand, arm and leg function is coming on so much that she is beginning to interact with people and toys in a way the doctors once thought impossible.

We know that Lois will never be the same as her brother and sister, or do the things that they can do, but we do know that we have never known a fighter like Lois. With more hard work, determination and input from therapy we have absolutely no doubt that she will achieve more than anybody ever thought possible.

To us and those who have come to know and love her, Lois is both a miracle and an inspiration!

Excerpted from Lois Russell's website. Read the rest of her story here: http://loisrussell.web.officelive.com.

Linda Scotson has letter published in Vitality Magazine

2010-12-14T02:15:00.000-08:00

Linda Scotson, founder of the Advance Centres and The Scotson Techinque (TST), had her letter published in the Vitality magazine.

The Vitality magazine is a health living magazine created and authored by G&G Vitamins. Inside, you will find health articles, quizzes and other items of interest to all you health-minded people!

Click on the image above to read the letter

The Scotson Technique featured in Latest 7 - Weekly magazine for Brighton, Hove and Sussex

2010-12-08T04:37:00.000-08:00

A Sussex mother is sending out a message of hope to families of children and young people across the county with brain injuries. Linda Scotson – who was told her three-day-old son Doran was incurably brain damaged – has developed The Scotson Technique. Her ground-breaking treatment has already changed the lives of several hundreds of children both in the UK and worldwide, including the life of her son.

In 2002 Linda opened The Advance Institute in East Grinstead, which soon became a thriving centre where parents are taught the approach. Linda now wants to make contact and help other families in Sussex whose lives are affected by conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism and learning difficulties.

This was the foundation of The Scotson Technique. “The technique, without the use of drugs or invasive therapy, shows the huge restorative potential of the injured brain. Much of the deformity associated with cerebral palsy appears reversible while normal functions can be increasingly restored,” she said. “Children with autism and learning difficulties gain greatly in understanding and gradually lose abnormal behaviour or movement patterns. The real miracle of this carefully measured progress was that it is predictable and works with all children. The unique, gentle, deeply restorative therapy, gradually transforms the lives of the children and young people.”

Linda has written two books and is close to handing in her PhD, which lays out the theoretical basis for the technique. She recently received the prestigious Citizens Commission on Human Rights Award for her work.

At Advance, parents are taught how to work with their children, applying light gentle pressures on the ribcage and joints of their child to strengthen the respiratory organs, improve circulation and nerve feedback messages to the brain.

The pressures copy those of breathing on the internal organs of the body and the light pulsing of blood through the microcirculation. If necessary, the exercises can be done while the child sleeps.

Visit www.advancecentres.com or call Advance on 01342 311137 for more information.

Excerpted from thelatest.co.uk. Read the rest of the story here:
http://thelatest.co.uk/7/news-the-scotson-technique

A Gary Null Production - AUTISM: made in the USA

2010-11-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

.
AUTISM: made in the USA the new ground-breaking film from Gary Null PhD.
83 minutes

Vaccination - the cover-ups,
the natural treatments, the recoveries ..

at

The Eyre Chapel,
Newbold Road, Chesterfield S41 8RJ
behind The Nag’s Head Inn.
near the Littlemoor Rd junction

Sunday Dec. 5 : 1 pm to 4 pm.
admission - free

other talk/film presentations available:
Reversing Diabetes
Cancer : healing from within
Sweet Misery-Aspartame
Chemtrails ...

People for National Health
PO Box 73 Chesterfield S41 0YZ
(01246) 206046 - daytimes

www.autismmadeintheusa.com
www.pfnh.org

World wishes miracle Josh a happy birthday

2010-11-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

A disabled youngster who defied his doctors’ early prognosis will celebrate his fifth birthday with more than 1,000 cards and gifts.

Josh Tippett with sister Caitlyn (photo: Echo News)

Josh Tippett has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and 70 per cent brain damage as a result of his heart failing when his mum went into labour a month early.

Parents Karyn and Martin were told Josh had just 24 hours to live by doctors, but he has beaten the odds to reach the milestone birthday on Monday.

Since a Facebook campaign was set up by his granddad, Robert Clark, a month ago to try to break the record for the number of birthday cards received, his family have been inundated with huge bundles of colourful cards from America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Josh has also received a birthday card from Prime Minister David Cameron.

Well-wishers have also sent gifts including specially made clothing, flags and money to make sure he has a birthday to remember.

Mrs Tippett, 27, of Lincoln Chase, Southend, said: “I am surprised with how global it has become and how many people have sent a card through. It is very humbling.

“One man from Spain who sent a card is even organising a fundraiser to raise money for Josh. We are getting big bundles of post through every day.

“When we show him the cards that have his favourite characters on, like Toy Story, he smiles and his face lights up.”

Josh, who also has a heart condition called Ebstein's Anomaly, has received specialist treatment called the Scotson technique, which strengthens chest and stomach muscles to improve blood supply, nerve and muscle connections, as well as regular Botox injections.

The Kingsdown Special School pupil will be surrounded by friends and family, including his three-year-old sister Caitlyn, for a birthday party on Sunday at the Ambleside Club, Southend

Excerpted from Echo News. You can also read the story here: http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/8620865.World_wishes_miracle_Josh_a_happy_birthday/

Too disabled to fly: Motivational speaker with cerebral palsy 'humiliated' after he's kicked off US Airways flight

2010-11-08T23:22:00.000-08:00

A motivational speaker with cerebral palsy said he was 'humiliated' after being kicked off a US Airways flight after being told he was too disabled to fly alone.

Johnnie Tuitel, who has flown over 500,000 miles giving talks to conferences, said he was told he was a risk to other passengers.

Johnnie Tuitel (photo: Daily Mail)

The 47-year-old was escorted from his seat minutes before the plane left from West Palm Beach Airport in Florida.

He was forced to miss giving a speech in Kansas City to the National Self Advocacy Conference about the disabled.

Tuitel flew alone to the conference on another flight two days after the incident, but had missed his slot to address delegates.

He said: 'I was raised to believe I could grow up doing what I wanted to do and it didn't lead me to any entitlement.

'By them denying me the ability to fly, I couldn't do my job.'

Tuitel, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, had already settled into his seat when the airline attendant who helped him onto the plane asked him to leave.

'Their argument was if something were to happen, I can't help myself or somebody else, which is an assumption first of all,' he said.

'Second of all, the people that made the decision are not medical doctors.'

(photo: Daily Mail)

Tuitel said he was told the plane could not take off as he was 'too disabled' to fly.

A spokesman for US Airways said the ground attendant had been following airline guidelines for disabled passengers.

US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Wunder said: 'The airline requires that the passenger has to be physically able to assist himself or herself in the event of an emergency.

'If the passenger cannot, the airline requires that someone else travels with the passenger who can provide assistance in the event of an emergency.'

Excerpted from DailyMail.co.uk. Read the rest of the story here:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1321355/Johnnie-Tuitel-Motivational-speaker-cerebral-palsy-kicked-US-Airways-flight.html

An Urgent Appeal For Your Support

2010-11-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

This last year we have been ‘flooded’ with funding requests, and all of the children are now having their treatments. This has left our funds very low. We now have 7 children needing expensive surgery and treatment in the U.S.A. and Germany

Alex, aged 7 years, has a brain tumour.

The Royal Marsden Hospital could only remove 70% of the tumour, because of its difficult position.

The remainder has turned aggressive.

In the USA, they have said they have the equipment and experience to operate on this.

It will cost £100,000

But it needs to be done soon

Ariella aged 4 months, has been in hospital with a rare swallowing disorder since her birth in June

Which means she struggles to manage her own secretions and is unsafe to be fed anything orally.

She has been nose tube fed since birth as she aspirates into her lungs any milk and fluids and gets daily suction, which is very uncomfortable and invasive.

Neurological Consultants at Edinburgh Sick Children's Hospital recommend that she goes to a children's clinic in New Jersey, USA that specialises in swallowing disorders.

It will cost more than £5,000.

PLEASE HELP US TO HELP ALEX AND MORE CHILDREN

PLEASE SEND AN URGENT DONATION NOW,

or

CONTACT TREE OF HOPE CHILDREN'S CHARITY TO ASK HOW YOU CAN HELP

Adam's Appeal

2010-10-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Adam with his dad

"Last week we spent Monday to Friday at the Advance Institute for the Scotson Technique at East Grinstead (http://www.scotsontechnique.com).

Each morning Adam underwent a 90 minute session of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). This involved sitting in a pressurised chamber wearing a sealed hood into which 100% pure oxygen is piped. It takes 15 minutes to reach the simulated depth, 60 minutes breathing the oxygen at that depth, and then 15 minutes to ascend back up again. The whole thing is painless, if somewhat dull. We played Yahtzee and card games to pass the time away. Only once did Adam feel any discomfort when on Wednesday he got a built up of pressure in his ear whilst descending. However, all they did was pause whilst the pressure in his ear equalised before continuing further.

In the afternoon, we learnt some of the basic breathing exercises that Linda Scotson has developed to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the respiratory function. This enables the maximum amount of oxygen to be pumped round the body. We also covered some other items like diet, pH balance, electromagnetic stress and more.

The centre is most commonly used by parents of children with neurologically based conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy. We met other families who had travelled from the North of England, from the Midlands and even across the channel from France to seek help and advice.

The atmosphere there was incredibly friendly and full of positive energy. I have little doubt we will return in the not too distant future."

Excerpted from Adam's Appeal's blog. Read the rest of the story here: http://adamsappeal.blogspot.com/2010/09/surgery.html

About Adam
Adam is battling advanced stage Neuroblastoma, an aggressive children's cancer. For 12 months he has been receiving intensive chemotherapy to clear his body of visible cancer and give him a chance of a cure for this monstrous disease. His parents have launched an appeal to raise funds for Adam to access treatments outside the UK. Visit Adam's Appeal at http://adamsappeal.org.

Sweeteners aren’t always as sweet as you may think

2010-10-31T03:23:00.000-07:00

"Several months ago my wife and I were hosting a dinner party in celebration of her birthday and one of our good friends brought over some soft drinks. Of course it’s always nice when a friend contributes to a dinner party but what would you say if I told you that the soft drinks had been laced with poison? It’s very uncustomary of a friend to bring poison to your dinner party in any circumstance.

Well sadly it’s true, this did happen, don’t get me wrong I am not talking about the kind of poison that would kill instantly; I am talking about the type of poison that kills slowly and over time. This form of poison is also used widely throughout the food industry and you may be shocked to find out that at least 30% of the items you currently consume from your kitchen at home have this poison in them. I am of course talking about artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners are camouflaged in so many forms that it can be really difficult to identify them.

The point of this article is not to name and shame specific manufacturers but to educate you and to ensure that you know what you are doing to yourself each time you consume products that contain sweeteners. Currently all over the news you read about our obesity problems as a nation and that there is a possibility that even Doctors will be telling you to lose weight. What this sort of media coverage does is that it makes us go out and buy fat free foods or sugar free foods or free from sugars etc. It’s commendable that we are willing to do this as a nation but most of all you end out with a shopping trolley loaded full of foods that contain artificial sweeteners.

If you type Sweeteners into your search engine you will see that there are over 5 million results on this topic. Some articles link sweeteners to cancer, some link sweeteners to early birth and birth defects whilst others promote sweeteners as well as articles claiming that sweeteners can cause weight gain. It’s frightening that as a nation we would go with whatever we are told like a flock of sheep. It’s even more frightening that we are willing to base our decisions on the opinions of others, where there is money involved there will always be enough motivation to tell you anything to create want and sell something by the manufacturers.

The truth is that if there were nothing wrong with sweeteners why is it such a controversial subject? Why are there more negative tests against the use of sweeteners?

My personal experience with sweeteners is that I used to suffer from de-habilitating headaches every single week. It was like a build-up and then suddenly bang I used to find that I could barely drive myself home. I knew that my weekly headache would arrive either Thursday afternoons or on a Friday mid morning, like clockwork. I could never understand this and there was no logical explanation, a nutritionist told me that it was because I drank to much coffee (2-3 cups a day hardly too much) nothing I did seemed to help. Anyway after a long hard monitoring of what I was consuming I discovered that during the week I was chewing a particular brand of gum, at least 4-5 times a day and whilst doing this I was consuming sweeteners because 99% of the gum available in the superstores contains sweeteners. I discontinued chewing gum and within a week the headaches had stopped. Now headaches are a very rare occurrence for me. I still have coffee and tea etc.

Now being more aware that my body reacts so badly to sweeteners I am more cautious, I remember looking for some tonic water and couldn’t find any that had no sweeteners in it. I eventually had to buy the small 200ml brown bottles which are double the price of any other that have sweeteners in them.

One of my friends told me about a fizzy vitamin C drink that he “loves” which is one of those effervescent tablets. I had a look at the tub and told him to bin them because…yes they also have artificial sweeteners in them. Now even some of the little fancy yogurt pots you buy in the superstores say “0% fat” on the label which looks good and the adverts are great but they also contain artificial sweeteners. A lot of the jams and toppings purchased regularly also contain artificial sweeteners.

The point is that most of us think its ok to have the odd thing that has an artificial sweetener in it and in theory that could be ok, sadly you probably have at least 10 servings or portions per week of artificial sweeteners because most of all the other foods you consume have sweeteners in them without you even realising it."

Excerpted from v4vitamins.co.uk. Read the rest of the story here, written by Paul R Hoole: http://www.v4vitamins.co.uk/t-sweeteners.aspx

Student Conference: Banking Shapes the World

2010-10-27T03:44:00.000-07:00

London, Sat 13th & Sun 14th November 2010: Banking Shapes the World How Money & Banking is at the Root of Debt, Crisis and Poverty, and What We Can Do to Change It.

Does the fundamental design of the banking system automatically lead to an unstable, unproductive, unfair and unsustainable economy and society? If the answer is yes, then should we take the opportunity to truly fix the problem now, or simply make superficial changes and start saving up for the next bailout?

Event Schedule
Day 1 10am - 6pm
Saturday 13th November

Afterparty 7.30pm @ University of London Union, Malet Street (2 minutes from the conference venue)

Day 2 10am - 3pm
Sunday 14th November

Event Venue
Room B04, Birkbeck College Malet Street London WC1E 7HX - Google Map

Event Fee & Registration
The conference fee is just £10 (to cover the venue and other costs - there's no profit) which you can pay by Paypal.

Students can register for the event on the positivemoney.org.uk site.

Visit the positivemoney.org.uk site for more details about the conference and speakers.

Running the Cardiff Half Marathon for Adam Bancroft

2010-10-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

“I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon to raise funds for Adam Bancroft, Adam is 6 years old and suffers from a number of problems; low muscle tone, epilepsy, mild to moderate hearing loss and severe learning difficulties. Until December 2009 they did not know what was causing Adam’s conditions but after genetic testing it has been confirmed that he has a very rare Chromosome 15 duplication disorder. He is one of only 7 children in the world with this diagnosis.

One of Adam's symptoms is also a very low oxygen uptake in the blood. You and I should have approximately 97 to 99% of oxygen in our blood but Adam's saturation levels have been recorded as low as 51% nearly a half less than he should have. This lack of oxygen is believed to have a profound effect on Adam’s quality of life. Without proper oxygenation his body does not restore itself and does not build muscles properly like yours or mine can. It also has a huge effect on his learning. He is not verbal and uses a special communication device to tell us his wants and needs.

He also has severe low muscle tone throughout his body which makes co-ordination and balance very difficult. His parents were told that Adam might never walk but through the constant input of physiotherapy and occupational therapy Adam can now walk a small distance.

Adam Bancroft
Click on the photograph to make a donation.

To help Adam overcome these challenges he attends the Advance Centre in East Grinstead every 3 months.

This centre applies the Scotson Technique which is a deeply restorative rehabilitation therapy for all children and young adults with brain injury. The technique aims to provide a restorative pattern of developmental improvement by addressing core weaknesses within muscular tissues of the respiratory system which affect trunkal structure, metabolism and motor and cognitive function.

The focus is first upon weakness in the respiratory system and therefore low oxygen uptake, which is viewed as a serious barrier to the brain's restorative potential.

Over time the results and increased oxygen provide the necessary enhanced foundation for the child's more normal future development.

By enhancing Adam's respiratory and circulatory systems, the Scotson Technique develops the potential of the brain to function.

His parents have seen a difference already; he is not as tired all the time and he is beginning to learn. Adam's walking is stronger and he can sometimes walk unaided giving him a huge sense of independence. He loves it and he is so much happier since he started this therapy.

Each weekly therapy training course costs in excess of £1,000 including accommodation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

His parents have funded the first three sessions themselves but now need to fundraise to keep going.

Please can you help support in raising funds. I worked with Adam's mother Georgina and have watched Adam's progress in the press and from another colleague at work. Please help raise funds for Adam so that Adam and his parents Georgina and Steve continue this valuable treatment which is proving so beneficial to Adam.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please please support me to raise valuable funds for Adam.”

Donna Woods

You can help raise funds by donating to Donna's run via JustGiving

www.justgiving.com/AdamBancroft

[information was taken from www.treeofhope.org.uk]

Aiden Cox's Story

2010-09-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Aiden on Holiday

Our son Aiden (now 8 years old) was born at just 24 weeks gestation. That’s 4 months early! Weighing only 1lb 9 oz – he was a twin and with such extreme prematurity, he was given only a 5% chance of survival. His twin sister Darcey sadly lived for only 2 hrs, but against all the odds, Aiden survived. At 4 days old, he suffered a massive bilateral, intracranial brain hemorrhage causing major brain damage that all the medical team thought would kill him, but he survived.

At three weeks old, he underwent major heart surgery, and at 3 months old, he needed laser eye surgery for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) to prevent him going completely blind. During his 6 month stay in hospital, he had over 25 blood transfusions, temporarily changing his blood group from A to O!! He developed chronic lung disease from being ventilated for so long, and he had numerous life-threatening infections.

December 2001, 1 day old

When he eventually came home, we were given a terrible prognosis of his quality of life, from total blindness and deafness, to a complete vegetative state. He would be doubly incontinent; he would certainly never talk and probably never communicate. He would have severe learning difficulties, he would never attain any functional head, hand or body control and would have no chance of any independent life. He would be in and out of hospital with constant lung and breathing difficulties, he would only be able to eat a pureed diet and would need dietary supplements. He would require constant medication for abnormal brain activity that may develop into epilepsy; the list went on and on….. This however, and all credit to Aiden's incredible strength of character, and Linda Scotson’s dedication is a far cry from his life now.

We’d been told his brain damage was irreparable and extensive, and there was nothing we could do to change that; we would simply have to manage his symptoms while he lived with the consequences. At 18 months old, the consequences were all too obvious. He was in constant pain, his body twisted and contorted in constant spasms; he couldn’t lie flat on his back as his spine had already become arched with the muscle contractions. He couldn’t lie on his front as his chest bone stuck out with such a deformity that you could see it through his clothes. He couldn’t talk or cry properly but just made a kind of gurgling, choking noise all the time (his NHS consultant explained it away as loose muscle tissue in the back of his throat and it would always be like that). And we could not make any eye contact with him as his eyes constantly wobbled and rolled around.

We were annoyed, angry and frustrated that the only explanation the NHS could give us for every new symptom that arose was simply that “that was CP and there was nothing that could be done about it”. This was not an explanation and it was not going to help our beautiful son.

His brain was damaged – we understood that, but surely something could be done to help. Surely the body, with its amazing capacity to repair itself, given the right circumstances, could heal, could restore?

We searched the internet for hours and everything we found talked about physio, moving the legs, moving the arms, but on the understanding that nothing would really ‘help’. This was just tea and sympathy; to us, that just didn’t make sense. His brain was damaged; we didn’t want a sticking plaster in the form of physio. We wanted someone to help his brain heal itself. And then we came across the Advance site. The text talked about improving the breathing and how that was the key to restoring the brain's capacity to heal; not moving the arms and legs but cutting straight to the chase and doing something to help the brain.

We booked an appointment immediately and within a week, had our first meeting with Linda. We’d got used to imparting our knowledge of Aiden to the numerous medical professionals we were introduced to. They wanted to know endless details: how much medication did he take, how many infections had he had, how much surgery, how were his bowls etc etc etc - while they took endless notes, and would then return the verdict that nothing could be done. That was CP?

Linda was different. She didn’t really want to know much - it didn’t matter much to her what had happened before. She explained why he was like he was, what had gone wrong, and how her exercises would start a cycle of restoration that would help Aiden achieve his potential. No promises of a quick miracle fix but a fundamental and predictable change in how Aiden’s body and brain would begin to heal itself. We asked lots of questions we’d not had proper answers to before, and all of them she answered with a clear and simple explanation and also a solution as to what could be done to improve it.

Despite her convincing explanations, we left very skeptical. Why had none of this been tried before? Why weren’t the medical profession following a similar route? Was she just a quack? But what she had said just seemed to make sense. After a lot of talk, we finally decided to take a huge leap of faith and booked in for our first session a week later.

Oct '03 – Before treatment – note spinal curveture, and chest deformaty

Learning the exercises was a nightmare – Aiden’s type of CP (server quadriplegic, dystonic, athetoid, Cerebral Palsy) meant that he moved, twitched and had spasms constantly. But the exercises required us to make feather like movements on minute areas of his body. We likened it to trying to correctly stick a pin in and octopus on speed!!! We eventually came to the conclusion that the only time we would be able to do the exercises was when he was asleep – and so began our nocturnal round of 3hrs of exercises each night while Aiden slept.

We began to see, or more correctly hear, changes very quickly. Within 6 weeks, the rasping, choking noise that filled our lives, dramatically reduced. His chest deformity seemed to be flattening out and his whole body seemed to be uncurling. It was changes that were so obvious to us as parents that it gave us the encouragement to carry on.

By the time we returned 3 months later, Aiden was beginning to make his first controlled vocal noises. His chest deformity was so reduced, you couldn’t notice it through his clothes anymore, and he was now able to track and follow objects with his eyes.

Jan '05 – After 18months of treatment – note straight spine and normal chest

Without taking up a whole book of Aiden’s progress at Advance, the changes we have seen have been truly remarkable. To list but a few:

He takes NO medication.
He eats a normal diet.
He is completely continent – something we were told would never be possible.

Aiden passed his first English Speaking Board preliminary exam when he was 6 years old with Distinction! And he passed his 3rd LAMDA Speech and Drama exam with Merit! His vision has improved so much that now, with the help of contact lenses, he is reading well.

May '10 - His sister’s birthday

His concentration is exceptional and his learning is on a par with children of his age!!! His head control is 90% functional and he is able to independently drive a motorized wheelchair, getting himself into all the usual trouble that a normal 8 year old boy does!

He has only been admitted to hospital twice in 8 years with breathing difficulties and on each occasion, and after consulting Linda, has been discharged in super quick time to the disbelief of the medical staff.

He laughs and smiles a lot!

Given his 'shopping list' of problems, all the medical professionals we meet say they can’t quite understand why Aiden is like he is. But we know – and the best thing is, he is still getting better! We are 7 years down the line and are still seeing improvements and changes we never thought we would. He can lay still now - something we all take for granted but something, given his diagnosis, Aiden should never have been able to do.

Last year, he was fascinated watching the Para Olympics and was encouraged by seeing people like himself achieve amazing things. So he decided he wanted to sail. He now attends a regular sailing club for disabled people. He has to sail with an instructor at the moment because of his age, but knowing Aiden’s determination as we do, as soon as he is old enough, he’ll be out on the water on his own. He has passed the bronze sailing exam (knowing the name of the ropes and the sails etc) and he worked out that, although he will be too young to enter the next Olympics in England, he will be old enough for the next ones - so watch this space!

May '10 – Most recent trip to Advance

Linda and the Advance Centre gave our son his life back. They gave his brain and body the chance no one else thought was possible.

Thank you Linda

Elijah's Story

2010-09-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

" ... my son was a walker and I was going to make sure he would remain so!!"

Elijah was born at full term, after a traumatic birth where the cord was wrapped around his head, causing his oxygen supply to be cut off for around 10-20 minutes.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy was eventually diagnosed when he was 2 1/2 years old.

I was being told that my son (who has always walked) would end up in a wheelchair in the future. It seemed inevitable that he would just get worse and worse and worse. Improvement just wasn't an option. Well this was no good to me; my son was a walker and I was going to make sure he would remain so!!

I discovered TST (The Scotson Technique) at around this time whilst searching online for anything that could help.

When we first met Linda, Elijah was very unsteady, falling every few steps - easily 200 times a day. He wouldn't even put his arms out to cushion his falls. For this, he was given a Kaye walker and a helmet.

His only means of getting up from the floor was dragging himself up onto a piece of furniture, which was really bad for his feet.

Elijah has always been a walker, but on first starting at Advance, he stooped forward all the time. He also talked but the clarity was very poor and he dribbled a lot. He would also use the dreaded W sit.

" ... he stands tall and straight and has greatly improved balance."

Now, after just one year of TST, Elijah only falls about 5 times a day, he stands tall and straight and has greatly improved balance.

His speech is so much better; he uses longer sentences and I can understand him so much more now. He has great sense of humour!

His sleeping has improved and he now sleeps all through the night

As his hips are starting to open up he can now sit cross legged and can almost get up in the centre of a room (I did witness him do this once).

The range of movement in his feet is starting to increase; we hope to bring his heels down and he now has no Kaye walker and no helmet.

He even recently walked across a cobbled path and managed really well.

Just the other day whilst walking his sister home from school, he refused to hold my hand and walked the rest of the way, which took around 5 minutes and he did it with extreme confidence and pride in himself (and no falls).

Elijah has improved so much in such a short space of time and he delights in the new things he is able to do.

We still have another 2 years of TST ahead of us and I am very excited as to what improvements this will bring.

I can't thank Linda and the team enough. They have changed our lives and given my son a future.

TST is hard work, it takes up 2 hours of your life, 6 days a week, but the rewards make it all so very worthwhile. How could you not do it?

ITV have two reports on the Advance Centre and The Scotson Technique

2010-09-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

On ITV, the UK Television network, two completely unrelated reports which both featured the Advance Centres charity and The Scotson Technique, were broadcast on the same day.

Below are the two reports, with a short description and video (videos only viewable in the UK).

Help-without Drugs

4.40PM Thu Sep 2 2010

A young boy's life has been transformed thanks to a specialist treatment developed by a woman from East Grinstead. Matthew Barton has cerebral palsy and since undergoing Scotson's technique, he no longer has a curvature of the spine and is able to talk and even sing. Charlotte WIlkins takes up the story and talks to Matthew's mother Jane and Linda Scotson who created the "Scotson technique"

Meridian Regional News - ITV Meridian Tonight

Sleep problem 'cure'

7.08PM Thu Sep 2 2010

The family of a disabled boy from Swansea who found himself having to sleep for around 20 hours a day, claim a 'miracle' cure has left him bursting with energy.

Six-year-old Adam Bankcroft has a range of disabilities. His condition often leaves him feeling tired and weak but after receiving a new treatment, his mother Georgina says his life has been completely transformed.

National News for Wales - ITV Wales Tonight

See also: http://itvwalesblog.com/2010/09/02/family-claim-miracle-cure-has-helped-disabled-son/

Adam used to sleep for 20 hours a day - now he's 'fizzing' with energy

2010-09-02T22:15:00.000-07:00

THE family of a disabled boy who would sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day said it was a "miracle" he was now bursting with energy.

Adam Bancroft with his mum Georgina

Swansea six-year-old Adam Bancroft's life has been turned around after his parents Georgina, aged 41, and 44-year-old Steve fought for him to have specialist treatment.

The Morriston youngster has a range of multiple complex disabilities, including epilepsy, autism, severe learning difficulties and low muscle tone, along with moderate deafness.

Last Christmas he was only one of seven children worldwide to be diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder — known as Idic 15.

It means that he was born with four copies of the chromosome, instead of the typical two. In some cases the disorder has led to sudden deaths, which are understood to be linked to seizure activity and sleep apnoea.

Mrs Bancroft, who lives in Cae Eithin, in Morriston, said they had been able to enjoy their first family holiday in years to Ireland following Adam's treatment.

She said: "It's such a miracle. I can't believe how well he's come on.

Progress

"He still has severe learning difficulties and his progress might be slow but it is forward moving and we are so very proud of him."

The youngster underwent the Scotson Technique, which helps to develop the potential of the uninjured brain through the gentle manual delivery of breath and pulse-like pressures, mimicking the effects of breathing on the body tissues and circulatory systems.

Mrs Bancroft said she had really noticed a change in his character.

She added: "We learn an exercise to increase the blood flow around Adam's diaphragm, thus encouraging the oxygenation of the underdeveloped muscles that support it.

"Adam is so much calmer, his posture is better, he is learning and making decisions, he is developing a cheeky sense of humour and his energy levels are increasing and so is his enjoyment of life."

Support for the family came from the Bexhill-based charity Tree of Hope, which offers funding to children who need specialised medical treatment.

Donations can be made towards children, including Adam, through the Tree of Hope website or the charity's Just Giving site.

Excerpted from www.thisissouthwales.co.uk. Read the rest of the story here.

Advance Centre is now listed on the Hampshire County Council's website

2010-08-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

Advance Centre's hyperbaric therapy is featured on the County Council's website for Hampshire

The listing includes this summary:
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves breathing a high concentration of oxygen, in a chamber, under greater than normal atmospheric pressure. HBOT assists children with cerebral palsy on The Scotson Technique (TST) by helping improve oxygenation of cerebral tissue and their ability to develop a more flexible and responsive breathing pattern. The HBOT programme helps to improve the cerebral metabolism and encourage a more flexible and responsive use of the respiratory muscles. Some of the other conditions, which can be helped by HBOT, include Trauma or sports injuries, fractures, muscle injuries, post -operative healing, anaemia, stroke, asthma, MS, ME, neurological conditions and other related problems.

You can visit the link here: Hampshire County Council Website

Eyes Wide Open Events – Presents ‘What on earth is happening?’

2010-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

A day of presentations and discussion on humanity’s first steps to freedom.

Understanding why our world is like it is and what we can do to assist the changes predicted for 2012 and beyond.

Presenting three inspired teachers for our times

Ian R Crane
Just who is running the world? Facts about the Gulf of Mexico Oil Crisis

Frances Hutchinson
What you really need to know about money, prosperity and sustainable economics and how to achieve it

Terry Boardman
The most crucial century for the last 2000 Years and YOU are living in it Why?

Also featuring:

Sound Experience
‘It’s a matter of Intere$t’ - A play by Linda Scotson

Forest Row Village Hall, East Sussex (photo: Jason Jarrett)

Event Details:
Date: 10.10.10
Venue: Forest Row Village Hall, The Square, Forest Row, RH18 5ES
Tickets: £20 or £25 with light lunch

Contact Details
Telephone: 01342 825598 or 01342 823127
Email: sarah.charlton@yahoo.co.uk

Comprehensive harmonization from the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiations, water pollutions and more...

2010-08-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

Comprehensive harmonization from the harmful effects of:

Mobile and DECT Wireless phone radiations
WiFi and computer emissions
Televisions, lights and all household electrical appliances
Mobile phone masts and high voltage power lines
Geopathic stresses (such as water veins and curry grids)
Polluted drinking or bathing water
Driving your car
Many other interferences...

Blood cells before and after memon® phone harmonization

In the modern day, we live in a plethora of electromagnetic radiations, water pollution's and even earth bound geopathic stresses. Such interferences are emitted from mobile phones, high voltage power lines computers, WiFi, DECT cordless phones, magnetic grids, water veins all the way to the very electricity that passes through all the wires of our houses. Our water often is often endowed with harmful substances such as fluorine, medicinal residues, pesticides and energetic memories of everything that it has been exposed to before it reaches our taps.

All of these are unnatural energetic stresses our bodies and minds are having to cope with each day we live. These are just some of the pathogenic interferences that are harmonized through the comprehensive effects of the memon® transformer family.

Designed for use in the home, office, car, swimming pool or with your mobile and wireless DECT phones, the memon® crystal based quantum devices neutralize pathogenic interferences so thoroughly that the environments in which we live, and the water we drink, are brought back to natural states. Cells behave as if they are free from the presence pathogenic energy emitting technologies. This is achieved while at the same you can continue to use use such technologies normally. An example of this is shown in the dark field blood analysis video, done in conjunction with the phone transformer.

[Information taken from: www.inharmonywithnature.co.uk]

Antidepressants May Not Benefit Autism Patients, Study Finds

2010-08-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

Results from a new analysis, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, found limited evidence that the use of antidepressants by adults with autism may help treat the condition. Clinical trials also revealed no evidence that the use of the medications may benefit children with autism.

The antidepressants examined in the study, also known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are commonly given to patients with autism, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate with others.

The analysis examined findings from a previous U.S. government-funded study involving Celexa (citalopram) as well as six additional clinical trials involving SSRIs. While it is estimated that nearly 40 percent of children with autism have been treated with an antidepressant, results from the analysis showed that the use of SSRIs were no better at treating symptoms of autism in children than a placebo.

The study also noted limited evidence in the improvement of anxiety, depression and other symptoms in autistic adults treated with SSRIs.

According to researchers from the study, "there is no basis for recommending the routine use of SSRIs in treating autism." However, researchers do not recommend cessation of the medications in patients who are experiencing relief from symptoms of autism after taking SSRIs.

Additional information about drugs and drug side effects may be found on DrugWatch.com.

It's a Matter of Intere$t

2010-07-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

'FUNNY MONEY' was a humorous free evening with money as the subject, consisting of a short play written by Linda Scotson - 'It’s a matter of intere$t' and an animation film by Paul Grignon - 'Money as Debt' followed by questions and discussion.

The event, organised by Sarah Charlton, was held on 15th July, 2010 at the Village Hall in Forest Row, East Sussex.

Here is a video of the play, 'It's a Matter of Intere$t':

About Linda Scotson
As well as writing the play, 'It's a Matter of Intere$t, Linda founded and runs the charity Advance Centres, which helps children and young people with brain injuries and autism by using The Scotson Technique, a process that is a response to recent research in neurobiology.

St Ives Farm Campsite

2010-07-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

Gloriously secluded site with panoramic views overlooking Ashdown Forest (Winnie the Pooh country). Adjacent to a network of footpaths. Fishing lake nearby.

St. Ives Farm Camping, courtesy of Jason Jones

Description
St Ives Farm is a quiet rural site offering outstanding views overlooking Ashdown Forest (The home of Winnie the Pooh). The site is situated adjacent to a network of footpaths, and a bridle way to access the Forest Way, for the cyclists amongst you, all making for a peaceful break away without having to use the car.

They have 15 touring caravan pitches and 30 tent pitches available, with prices starting at £7 per night.

The campsite is based on a private farm in a delightful countryside setting, way off the beaten track. For those of you that enjoy fishing, there is a large course fishing lake on site.

They are open from April to the end of October.

Nearby Attractions
Sackville College, East Grinstead Town Museum, Saint Hill Manor, Sweetwoods Park Golf Club, Ashdown Forest Llama Park, Bannister's Bakery Limited, Wakehurst Place Gardens, Pooh Corner, Eden Valley Museum and the Penshurst Vineyards.

Location and Directions
Butcherfield Lane, Hartfield, East Sussex, TN7 4JX. see map

From Hartfield village, take B2026 north. Take 1st turning left and carry on for 1.5 miles. Take the next left following camping signs.

Facilities include:

Electrical hookups
Dogs Permitted
Showers
Toilet Block
Washing up
Laundry
Chemical Disposal
Fishing on site
Camp

[information taken from www.ukcampsite.co.uk]

Haitian peasants say: Monsanto, get out of Haiti!

2010-07-16T03:01:00.000-07:00

Haitian peasants march against Monsanto on 4th July

The earthquake which devastated Haiti killed more than 300,000 people, injured 500,000 and made more than 1 million homeless. Haiti’s vulnerability to natural disasters has several causes. The colonial and post colonial countries present in Haiti – especially Spain, France, the United States – the financial institutions, the international corporations and the national political and economic powers are responsible for this situation.

As to the American firm Monsanto, it is the world’s largest seed producer…producer of genetically modified and hybrid seeds. This year, Monsanto’s profit dropped by 19% compared to last year at the same time. The drop is due to a decrease the sales of herbicides and chemicals. As Monsanto cannot raise its prices, it has to find new consumer markets. Monsanto’s presence in Haiti is possible thanks to international agencies and the American embassy, WINNER and USAID. Its mission is “furthering America‘s foreign policy interests in expanding democracy and free markets while improving the lives of the citizens of the developing world.”

Excerpted from Rainforest-Rescue.org. Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.rainforest-rescue.org/protestaktion.php?id=595

/jw/

An evening of..... FUNNY MONEY!!

2010-07-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

.
Linda Scotson

Want to know where your money really goes?

An evening of FUNNY MONEY

Event Description:

‘It’s a matter of intere$t’ - A short play written by Linda Scotson

'Money as Debt' - An animation film by Paul Grignon (45 mins)

Followed by questions and discussion.

Date:

July 15, 2010 from 8pm to 10pm

Location:

Forest Row Village Hall, The Square, Forest Row, RH18 5ES

Organized By:

Sarah Charlton

Entrance Fee:

FREE - Donations welcomed

Doron raises £2,000 from half marathon

2010-07-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Doran Scotson, right, with trainer Matt Wren after the Seaford Half Marathon

Doran ran the Seaford Half Marathon for Advance and here's what a local newspaper - the East Grinstead Courier and Observer - said about his tremendous achievement:

A MAN who has his heart set on the Paralympics has raised nearly £2,000 for charity.

Doran Scotson, who was born severely brain damaged, ran the Seaford half marathon in support of East Grinstead Advance Centre.

The 31-year-old, who is also a keen painter, completed the 13-mile course in two hours, 54 minutes alongside his trainer Matt Wren.

Doran's mother Linda, who founded the Scotson Technique, said: "He was absolutely amazing. He now has his heart set on the Paralympics, which has always been a wish for him."

The online version of the article can be found here.
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Walking with Imaan

2010-07-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

The blog 'Walking with Imaan', which follows the life and progress of Imaan who was born with autism in 2006, recently featured the Advance Centre in a post entitled "The Scotson Technique".

Here are a few excerpts:

We started the Scotson Technique (TST) on Imaan in October 2009. The technique was developed by Linda Scotson and involves various gentle massage techniques to strengthen the diaphragm followed by other body parts.

Linda Scotson

Linda developed this alternative treatment approach after noticing that a majority of children with neurological damage had breathing difficulties. She founded the charity Advance and subsequently the Scotson Technique.

Imaan at the Advance Centre

We have been documenting the changes using photographs and have noticed small but significant changes to the shape of Imaan’s chest. Previously, he used to sit with a slouch but now sits up straight. His breathing is much more regular and though he still snores, it is not as bad as it was a couple of months ago.

We are now looking forward to going back to East Grinstead, West Sussex for the second phase of the Scotson Technique training course next month.

Click here to read the full blog post. You can also follow Imaan's progress on twitter @imaanbiz
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Doran and Linda Scotson Featured on the BBC

2010-06-19T00:53:00.000-07:00

l to r: Lili (Doran's sister), Nicola, Doran, Linda and John (Doran's parents)

When Doran Scotson was born 31 years ago, his mother, Linda, was told by her doctors that he would never walk or talk or function 'normally' at all, and that there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it. So the fact that Doran recently completed the 13 miles of the Seaford Half Marathon in under 3 hours caught the attention of the BBC who then wanted to interview him and Linda, founder of the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique charity, to hear how this incredible achievement had come about.

BBC Surrey Radio Interview of 16 June 2010

Nick Wallis asks Linda Scotson how she came to develop The Scotson Technque, and hears Doran's plans for the future (the Para Olympics!)

Listen to BBC Interview

(Click the Play the button in the strip above to listen to the interview)

BBC South East Today TV Report of 8 June 2010

The report includes footage of Doran Scotson during his Half Marathon and an interview with Linda Scotson at the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique in East Grinstead.

What is The Scotson Technique?

It is a unique, deeply restorative rehabilitation therapy for children and young adults with cerebral palsy, brain injury or brain abnormality. The Technique develops the pattern of recovery by addressing deep core weaknesses within the micro-circulation of the respiratory system which affects structure, metabolism and motor and cognitive function.

If you feel The Scotson Technique could help your child or someone you know, please don't hesitate to contact us for more details.
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Doran Scotson completes the Seaford Half Marathon in under 3 hours!

2010-06-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Doran's training has paid off with the run going very well, completing the Seaford Half Marathon in 2hrs 55mins.

Doran Scotson (right) with Fitness trainer Matt Wren (left), along with their completion medals and Advance T-shirts

The run was featured on the local TV news (BBC South East Today) and Linda was interviewed by BBC Sussex & Surrey Radio (to be broadcast soon). Images, videos and podcasts to follow soon. Watch this space!

Local newspaper reads "A MIRACLE man ... set to compete in a half-marathon."

2010-06-03T02:32:00.000-07:00

The East Grinstead local newspaper has written an article on Doran Scotson and the half-marathon he is taking part in to raise sponsorship for the Advance Centre Charity. In the article entitled 'Doran takes on daunting marathon.' they discribe Doran as a 'MIRACLE man'.

Newspaper clipping from the East Grinstead Observer and Courier

Here are a few excerpts from the article which can also be found online.

"A MIRACLE man who was told he would never walk or talk is set to compete in a half-marathon.

Doran Scotson, who was born severely brain-damaged, will take on the 13-mile challenge in Seaford on Sunday.

The 31-year-old defied medical opinion after his mum Linda developed the Scotson Technique – a restorative form of rehabilitation therapy for young people with cerebral palsy and brain damage.

She said: 'Running has been something he's wanted to do since the beginning of the year. He's been so fortunate to find his trainer, Matt, because they have bonded so well and it's made a huge difference to him.'

To sponsor Doran, visit www.justgiving.com/advance"

The 2010 Seaford Half-Marathon is held on 6th June. The route around Seaford will take in some of the spectacular views over the Weald from the South Downs as well as the beautiful Downland Village of Alfriston and the Cuckmere Valley.

All sponsorship money will be donated to the Advance Centre Charity.

Click here to donate now

Doran Scotson set to run the Seaford Half-Marathon for Charity

2010-06-02T02:26:00.000-07:00

Seaford Half-Marathon

Doran Scotson has got his running shoes on and is all set to run the Seaford Half-Marathon on 6th June to help raise funds for the Advance Centre Charity.

The route around Seaford will take in some of the spectacular views over the Weald from the South Downs as well as the beautiful Downland Village of Alfriston and the Cuckmere Valley.

Sponsoring through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. So it’s the most efficient way to sponsor - whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Doran Scotan

Here's a personal message from Doran:

"I was born in 1978 and was told I would never walk. Now I am running the Seaford Half-Marathon on June 6th 2010 !!!!!!

This is due to the wonderful therapy called The Scotson Technique (TST) whose home is the Charity Advance. This charity helps so many brain injured children and young adults to improve all their abilities and reach a new potential.

I hope you can make me a generous donation to help others as I have been helped by Advance.

Many warm thanks and Best wishes."

Doran Scotson

About Doran
When Doran was born he had severe brain injuries. Linda had no examples of recovery to encourage her but knew she had to do something for her child.

Based on her understanding of the importance of the respiratory system, Linda studied to Phd level and developed The Scotson Technique, a gentle non-evasive, drug-free therapy with consistently astounding results.

Doran is now in his thirties and attends college, keeps fit at the local gym and helps his mother at the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique in East Grinstead. He is also an accomplished artist and his work has been described as 'inspirational'!

About Advance
The Scotson Technique is a unique, deeply restorative rehabilitation therapy for children and young adults with cerebral palsy, brain injury or brain abnormality. The Technique develops the pattern of recovery by addressing deep core weaknesses within the micro-circulation of the respiratory system which affects structure, metabolism and motor and cognitive function.

Sponsor Doran Now

The joy and challenge of parenthood - Written by Catherine Prosser

2010-05-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

The joy and challenge of parenthood took on a new aspect when Jason and Cath Prossers’ baby daughter Emily was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia.

Emily Prosser

During her birth, the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and body, causing her to be starved of oxygen. After 3 weeks in special care an MRI scan showed damage to her brain. Her parents were told she might have trouble with her coordination, but she would be monitored over the next few months. At seven months it was obvious that there was more than a slight problem as Emily had not reached any of her developmental milestones, her muscles frequently went into spasm, she could not sit up, grasp a toy, her eyes had developed an alarming squint and she cried all the time. It was then that a pediatrician broke the news to the family. The prognosis was that Emily would never walk, would always need help with her daily routine, had visual impairment, hip problems, speech issues, and muscle tightness. The list was endless.

Although devastated by the diagnosis and disheartened by the NHS emphasis on the worst case scenario, they looked at other treatments that could help Emily. After researching all the therapies out there for brain injured children, The Scotson Technique was the most obvious choice as it made such sense. Within 3 months of finding the ‘Advance’ website, at the age of 12 months, Jason and Cath had travelled to East Grinstead with Emily to start the program.
Before the therapy, Emily’s body would often go into spasm, the muscles in her shoulders were tight (she could not raise her arms above her head), her right side was causing her to lean over permanently to one side, her legs were tight, her feet and hands clenched, she could not hold an object and she had no coordination. She also had severe reflux.

Within weeks of starting the therapy we started to see physical changes as her body relaxed, she physically looked straighter, the spasms subsided and the reflux improved.

Four and half years later at the age of 5, Emily is still on the therapy and her quality of life and abilities continually improve. Emily can now sit up independently, her body is now growing straight and unimpaired by tight muscles, (she is average height for her age) she can wrap her arms round her mum and dad and give them a hug, kiss, say yes and daddy, raise her arms above her head, weight bear and walk steps when supported, hold a paintbrush and paint, attempts to feed herself (although a bit messy!), eats lumpy food, passes objects from hand to hand, is showing herself to be very bright at school, enjoys books, rolling playdoh, riding on the back of her dads bike, sitting in her Little Tikes coupe car and being pushed by her younger brother. She has also just started using an electric chair in the school playground. She definitely understands and knows what she wants (she chooses her clothes, what she wants to eat, tells us through pointing what she wants to play with) and she has just started using basic Makaton sign language…. She is not far off being potty trained either. She can also ‘belly laugh’ and giggle (as a baby she could smile, but couldn’t coordinate the muscles in her mouth to laugh). She is now starting to drink out of a cup, rather than a bottle with a teat.

Yes the therapy costs money, however we have managed to pay for this by fundraising and we have got into a nice routine of doing her exercises which Emily enjoys (she lies there and watches Balamory!). We have recently made her a quad box to lie on to encourage her to have more tummy time and are in the process of applying to a charity to fund a specially adapted trike for her. Emily is a happy cheerful little girl, who enjoys life to the full.

Boxing night helps children with brain injuries

2010-05-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

A visit to the Advance centre from former professional boxer Ross Minter last week, to hand over £500 raised at a raffle held during the Queensbury Fight League, made the newspapers.

Below are a few excerpts from the online version of the local newspaper, The East Grinstead Courier and Observer.

Illustrated newspaper article with a photo of Boxer Ross Minter,
pictured at Advance with Charlie Willingham, four, who suffers from cerebral palsy

"A charity treating children suffering with cerebral palsy and severe brain injuries received a special visit from a boxing star.

'I found out through my recovering from a boxing injury what great work Advance does with kids,' said Mr Minter, who heads up Fat Lip Promotions, organiser of the event.

The former English welterweight champion used the Station Road centre during his recovery from fractured ribs, with the help of Advance's oxygen chamber.

'The work they do there is amazing,' said Mr Minter. 'They use the Scotson Technique and work with brain-injured children without any form of drugs. It is all done through massage and oxygen.

'I was introduced to a lot of children, including Linda Scotson's own son Doran, who was supposed to never walk and talk, but he proved them wrong. He's great.'

Alan Foley, from Fat Lip Promotions, added: 'There are so many worthy charities out there that we could have nominated to donate the money to, but we really wanted the money to go to something in our own community.'

Raffle prizes included a new BMW for the weekend and a glove signed by boxing superstar Ricky Hatton."

Many thanks to Fat Lip Promotions and the Queensbury Fight League.

Official Opening of Nuyuu Fitness Gym East Grinstead with donations given to Advance

2010-05-07T03:41:00.000-07:00

Official Opening Launch at nuyuu East Grinstead Thursday 13th May

Come and celebrate the launch of nuyuu fitness in East Grinstead and join us for an exciting, fun filled evening!

Nuyuu Fitness Gym, East Grinstead

nuyuu will be hosting a Well Being Fair from 4pm with alternative health and beauty treatments available.
Come and have a go in their families Rock ‘n’ Roll dance class from 4-5pm
Try your hand at Water Polo from 4-6pm.
Proceeds from a silent auction will go to Advance, their local charity.

The Mayor of East Grinstead will perform the ribbon cutting ceremony at 7pm followed by Award-winning comedian Phil Kay from 7.30pm. Drinks and complimentary food will be available throughout the evening.

For every person that attends from 4pm onwards, nuyuu will donate £5 to Advance, so simply by showing up you will be supporting a good cause. And if you come in some kind of fancy dress, then it's £10 per person.

Email Nuyuu fitness (eastgrinstead@nuyuu.com) for more information or to confirm your place now.

We look forward to seeing you all there!
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Linda Scotson receives a Human Rights Award from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) UK

2010-05-05T02:06:00.000-07:00

The award was presented to Linda Scotson by professional boxer Ross Minter on 24 April 2010 at CCHR UK’s annual awards ceremony at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead.

Here are some extracts from his presentation speech:

"Each year, CCHR honours courageous individuals who have made a significant difference in society.

Imagine a child, who has been brain damaged, and all the complications that go with this, or a child who suffers from autism or some other medical condition that inhibits his or her ability to walk, talk or do everyday things.

I've witnessed children with these disabilities first hand. Through my boxing career, I've suffered many injuries from cuts to my hands, face and broken bones.

Ross Minter

On my route to my own recovery, I've gone through many different treatments. I was introduced to a technique that provided me with a cure and a rapid healing without the use of harmful drugs or invasive treatments.

Tonight, I am proud to introduce a lady who has provided a therapeutic system for brain-injured children; a system that doesn't rely upon a chemical fix to suppress symptoms, but one that addresses the needs of children in a natural way.

She found that every brain-injured child she met had a problem with his or her breathing. It was an observation that proved vital in her research.

Linda studied at the University College London. Her research showed that neurological defects led to respiratory problems. She proved the abnormalities associated with brain injury could potentially be reversed and developed what came to be known as the 'The Scotson Technique' - showing recovery was possible.

The real miracle of this treatment was that it worked with ALL children.

Thanks to Linda's passion and determination to find a better life for her son and others like him, the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique has now helped over 500 families worldwide."

Linda Scotson, centre, with the Advance Centre team

Linda spoke about her pleasure in receiving this award:

"I am both very encouraged and honoured by this award for which I thank Margaret and CCHR with all my heart.

When I was first offered the opportunity to begin a PhD to look at breathing and brain injury, it was a bit of a leap of faith. Where it would lead? After rather long years of research, I now stand on a much firmer ground. I must also therefore thank John, my husband and my children, Doran and Lili for all their nobility of spirit, having to live in a house with every table and chair and sometimes even the floor covered with papers and books (sitting down and eating meant moving everything cautiously into little paper towers and not breathing too heavily).

I really also have to thank Margaret for giving me the DVD 'Making a Killing'. Parents who arrive at Advance may be pretty feisty but they have often had a long, often lonely and frightening struggle to prevent their children from being given prescription drugs.

Making A Killing DVD

'Making a Killing' is an empowering documentary and they are consequently stronger and even feistier after viewing it.

The children all depend on the courage of strength and spirit of their parents, so at Advance we try to nurture parents too.

The human brain is a bright and beautiful organ but cannot survive, and was not intended to survive, in isolation. That's so obvious. Our thoughts and feelings emerge as a result of our activities. The outside world is borne in on us and we play with it. All this activity also both moulds and depends on the way we breathe. It is thus impossible to separate human development from the act of breathing. All areas of the brain affect the way we breathe and breathing affects the way we think. When things go less than well, it is therefore wisest to look first for any weaknesses and abnormalities in the way we breathe. If the weakness and abnormalities can be smoothed away, health is more likely to be restored.

Treating breathing thankfully is the very opposite of drug prescription and it's actually very simple.

Moreover, non invasive simple remedies that can be put into the hands of ordinary people have a great beauty to them but of course they are not viewed so rosily if you are in the business of selling drugs. We have previously suffered a tremendous block on publicity for this therapy. One must ask why, because there is so much joy involved and so much freeing of the human spirit. Therefore I can only turn again to Margaret and CCHR and thank them once more for lifting us to public awareness. To have such true and courageous friends will help us increasingly reach more and more families and their children.

Bless you and thank you.

May your work go from strength to strength."

CCHR International and CCHR UK present Human Rights Awards to individuals who have displayed exemplary courage in the worldwide fight for the restoration of basic human rights in the field of mental health.

Gary Foley raised funds for Advance Centres

2010-04-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

Gary Foley

Gary Foley ran not one but two marathons, Brighton and London, to help raise money for Advance.

Gary was one of the 7,589 runners that crossed the start line for the first ever Brighton marathon on 18th April 2010.

And only a week later, Gary also ran the London marathon which was held on 25/4/10. The marathon route runs along the River Thames on the south side and then the north side after crossing the river by the famous Tower Bridge. The route passes various London landmarks along the way including Buckingham Palace, Tower of London and the London Eye.

With generous donations from many people, he raised over £1000. Check out his donations page to see more details and a list of all donations.

Well done Gary on running the Brighton and London marathons and raising all those funds!

Doran Scotson makes the papers

2010-04-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

With an article entitled 'Artist takes creative exhibition by storm' Doran Scotson is featured in the local newspaper, East Grinstead Courier & Observer.

"An "inspirational" artist brushed aside his learning difficulties to excel in a village exhibition.

Doran Scotson was born severely brain damaged and was told he would never walk or talk.

The 31-year-old has defied belief to get where he is today and sold seven paintings at his first public show in Forest Row on Saturday April 3.

His mother Linda, who founded the therapeutic Scotson Technique, said: 'He's an inspiration. This was his first art exhibition and all the other painters warmed to him and took his work very seriously.

Doran sold the most paintings of all the artists who displayed their work at the village hall in Forest Row.

As well as developing an interest in painting, Doran enjoys exercise and is set to run a half marathon in Seaford in June."

(Excerpted from the newspaper article, which can also be found online.)

Doran Scotson caught on Google Street View

2010-04-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

In 2009, Google Street View was touring the UK photographing each road and have now published their results with 95% of the UK now covered. By chance Doran Scotson was spotted entering the Effective Education Centre in East Grinstead.

View Larger Map

About Doran Scotson
When Doran was born he had severe brain injuries. Linda had no examples of recovery to encourage her but knew she had to do something for her child.

Based on her understanding of the importance of the respiratory system, Linda studied to Phd level and developed The Scotson Technique, a gentle non-evasive, drug-free therapy with consistently astounding results.

Doran is now in his thirties and attends college, keeps fit at the local gym and helps his mother at the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique in East Grinstead.

About the Effective Education Centre
"Our purpose is to give people a rich academic background and a broad range of abilities to successfully launch them into higher education, a career and life itself.

More broadly, we want to help build a better world through effective education."

(Excerpted from their website - www.effectiveeducation.net)

Miracle Artist Doran Scotson Shows Inspirational Art

2010-04-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday 3rd of April
Forest Row Hall, Lewes Road, Forest Row, West Sussex, RH18 5ES

Paintings by Doran Scotson

The Art exhibition that took place on the weekend was no ordinary exhibition; it was quite miraculous!

Doran with his artwork exhibition

When artist Doran Scotson was born, his mother (an artist herself) was devastated to hear doctors say he would never be able to walk, talk, or in fact do anything, as he was so severely brain injured. Linda had no examples of recovery to encourage her but knew she had to do something for her child.

As the saying goes "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" - this was Linda! What she went on to do for Doran, and many other brain injured children worldwide, is incredible. Based on her understanding of the importance of the respiratory system, Linda studied to Phd level and developed The Scotson Technique, a gentle non-evasive, drug-free therapy with consistently astounding results.

Testimony to this are Doran’s incredibly inspiring paintings which were on show in Forest Row Village Hall in West Sussex on Saturday 3rd April 2010.

More of Doran's beautiful pieces

Doran is now in his thirties and attends college, keeps fit at the local gym and helps his mother at the Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique in East Grinstead.

Check out photos from the exhibition and more examples of Doran's work.

For more information please visit www.advancecentres.com
or call Tara Gibson 07806678412

Polly Tommey of Autism File Speaks to the Autism/Asperger's DSM V Question

2010-04-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

photo: www.autismfile.com

"I think we have a problem; maybe people with Asperger’s and autism should not be underthe same umbrella. It seems to me that we are dealing with two completely different conditions.

We know all about the similarities, but it’s the differences that concern me at the moment, and it’s the differences that are so apparent in the calls that I receive every week.

I get calls from people with Asperger’s who say they need help with things like getting into mainstream school, getting into college, getting a job and keeping it, finding somewhere to live within commuting distance of their own community, making friends, getting a girlfriend, getting a diagnosis. Many are proud of what makes them special and proud to be a part of the Asperger’s community, but they want the wider community to accept them for who they are and to help them find their place.

Parents and caregivers dealing with autism tell me what they need: a school or place that meets their child’s needs without having to take the school district to court every step of the way; a curriculum that recognizes the overriding importance of independence and social skills; more access to specialized speech and language therapy; more access to educational and therapeutic approaches that can help reduce anxiety, improve behavior and enhance life skills; and medical and nutritional needs to be taken seriously as a matter of urgency. Perhaps most importantly, they need the support of doctors who can recognize and treat the various medical issues that plague so many of our children. They need someone to help them get fit and ready for learning, and, of course, they need an answer to the burning question that many are afraid to ask: what will happen to our children when they become adults?"

Excerpted from www.ageofaustim.com

Read the full article from issue 35 of The Autism file.