LuLu finished her FastForward for Language training in mid-March. Fast ForWord is a brain-based software that improves auditory processing, language processing and ultimately reading skills. Scientific Learning Corp, the makers of Fast ForWord, claim that their program helps 90% of all children. I’m happy to report that LuLu is in that 90%. On her initial post-test (there will be another post-test in three months), she showed significant gains in phonological areas, especially Word Discrimination and Phonological Blending. She jumped over a year of age equivalents in these areas. But, alas, LuLu has significant auditory processing deficits and is still over three years below her age equivalency in this area, and even further behind in others.

Even more difficult for her are the Working Memory tasks, an area in which she did not make gains. The Speech/Language Professional who administers our Fast ForWord tells me that the working memory improvement is usually the area that it takes the longest to see, and along with attention and focus, may require the most remediation. LuLu may very well show some gains a few months from now because the brain continues to reorganize and use it’s newly increase auditory processing skills to improve.

These improvements she has made have manifested themselves both in a slight increase in her reading fluency and a definite increase in her reading comprehension. She is able to more clearly articulate what she’s learned from reading. She still struggles greatly with tracking issues and dropping endings off of words (likely a manifestation of her significant visual processing problems, which we have yet to address.)

The SLP recommends that we go on to do the Fast ForWord Language to Reading program (another 4-12 weeks; another hefty fee). And we will pursue, just as soon as we get the insurance company to make good on their promise to pay (preauthorization letters mean that eventually they will pay you something…not that you won’t have to do battle to get it!)

Fast ForWord for Language has helped LuLu to better understand what we say to her. Frankly, I didn’t understand what she didn’t understand until she was able to tell me. Now, rather than get highly agitated, she’s able (sometimes) to say things like “Would you repeat that?” Yesterday, for example, she asked me very calmly “Would you please cut my waffles up for me? When I’m so hungry, like now, it’s hard for me to cut them.” I was amazed with her clarity of thought, her articulate communication in the face of mounting anxiety (hunger), and her willingness to ask for help. Previously grunting and maybe even cussing would have been her mode of communication until I had offered help or guessed what was wrong. This unwillingness/inability to ask for help is not all auditory processing related, but it’s not all emotional/attachment related either. Now that she has the growing language processing ability she’s able to formulate the request easier. And if she maintains her emotional stability and trust that I will respond…she’s able to ask for exactly what she needs!

The testing helps put into focus for me how impaired my daughter’s communication is (despite the school’s belief to the contrary). Even after significant improvement in the areas of Auditory Comprehension and Auditory Reasoning, she’s still functioning in the 2nd percentile of kids her age, with the age equivalent of a 4 year old (and she’s 10). This lends new meaning to how we communicate with her and totally amazes me that she is academically anywhere near grade level. (We’ll be seeing about that with some academic testing results to come shortly.)

Here’s my initial blogs on Fast ForWord:

We've Started FastForWord - Part 1
We’ve Started FastForWord-Part 2

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