Nana - A Success Story

Nana was born in Japan when her mother was forty years old. Her birth was a difficult one and an emergency C-section was needed.

The first sign of a problem was the very dry skin and rash on her face when she was just three months old. Nana continued to have upper respiratory infections throughout her infancy and early childhood. She was prescribed steroid medications when her condition worsened as it often did through the years. Nana was slow in her mobility development and in developing language. She had difficulty in playing successfully with other children.

Once Nana entered school, her problems became even more apparent. She did not join her classmates in play, and she could read and write but poorly. At seven years of age, Nana was diagnosed as autistic.

When Nana was eight years old, her parents attended the What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child Course. They that learned Nana had a moderate, diffuse, bilateral, posterior cortical and midbrain injury, and began an intensive treatment program with her.

A year later, Nana was reading commercial books at her age level. She had begun reading in English as well as Japanese. After she began to brachiate, her manual coordination improved greatly. She began to enjoy writing, and she wrote original stories in both Japanese and English. She began having conversations successfully.

After another year on the Intensive Treatment Program, Nana was doing superbly. She had become a gymnast. Her reading, writing and typing skills were all well above average, in both Japanese and English. She was healthy and no longer needed steroid medication. She had begun volunteering at a local pre-school on a weekly basis.

At ten years of age, Nana returned to school, this time as a better reader, a prolific writer, and a successful conversationalist. She was eager to return, and confident that she would succeed.

In the following fall semester, Nana passed the National Standard English Test at the Second Associate Level, an exam typically taken by graduating high school seniors. She received scores of 90% in writing and conversational ability. She has since passed the next higher level as well. She is a cheerleader in school and participates in group activities.

Nana is now in her last year of elementary school at her age level. She is studying for her junior high school entrance exams along with her peers. Nana's goal is to enter the private school of her choice, and proceed towards her career goal of becoming a journalist, reporting in English as well as Japanese.