VERA VAZ DE ALMADA GRADUATION FROM THE DOMAN METHOD® PROGRAM
In the 22nd week of pregnancy, a routine ultrasound detected that baby Vera had a serious brain injury in the cerebellum region of the brain. From the ultrasound, she was diagnosed with Dandy Walker malformation. Her prognosis was not optimistic – parents were recommended to not move forward with the pregnancy. They were told if Vera was born, she would live a life of severe developmental delay, with little hope.
While mom was still pregnant, parents started to look for answers. They knew the Jardim family, a family who had two children on the Advanced Doman Program, one of which had already graduated from the program. The Jardims recommended that parents consider the Doman International program. Parents also saw a video of Spanish singer Bertin Osborne talking about his child’s experience on the Doman Method. After hearing it from two different sources, parents decided that the program was worth looking into. A month before Vera was born, parents spoke to Spencer Doman on the phone and decided that they would begin the Doman Method after Vera was born.
They took the online Doman Method® Course: From Special Needs to Wellness before Vera’s birth. The family started implementing the Doman Method program soon after Vera was born. The family put Vera on the Inclined Floor many times in the day. They also did balance activities for babies with Vera to help her move better and feel her body. Programs for visual, tactile and auditory stimulation supported her sensory pathways.
While baby Vera was progressing on her Doman Program, she experienced other unexpected health concerns. Her head size began to grow abnormally by 4 months of age and she had to undergo an operation to put a shunt at the age of 6 months for progressive hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is very dangerous, but baby Vera made it through the operation. A few days after the operation, she came down with a serious infection in her shunt that forced Vera to stay in the hospital. The shunt had to then be removed in an emergency surgery to save her from the infection. She ended up being in the hospital for 2 months before being released.
Despite the operation, at her first evaluation at Doman International, at the age of 7 months, baby Vera demonstrated that her development was reaching many age-level neurological milestones! This encouraged her family to persevere in helping Vera with the Doman Method.
At 7 months, Vera was beginning to crawl on her belly on the flat floor. She continued to progress in her mobility, learning to crawl all over the house, then learning to creep on her hands and knees, and making her way to stand up holding on to furniture to begin to stand. Vera’s Cognitive program began with a Reading Program, and then a Doman Cards Program with pictures was added to give her encyclopedic knowledge. This started young Vera’s great curiosity and desire to learn.
At her second evaluation, at the age of 14 months, she could now recognize pictures and symbols, had some words of speech and was starting to take her first steps! From a cognitive standpoint, she was actually above age level in various ways.
During this period Vera’s cognitive program was designed to help her learn about the world around her and support her growing intelligence, along with many opportunities for enhancing speech development. By 15 months, Vera started walking independently!
At 2 years of age, Vera had demonstrated extraordinary results. She has achieved milestones in crawling, creeping, and walking in mobility development. She had over a 100 words of speech and was speaking in short 2-3 word phrases. This earned her a Language Victory in addition to her mobility gains! During her evaluation she demonstrated great understanding and followed all instructions very well. At that time, parents and the staff of Doman International decided to give Vera a Graduation to Life.
A Graduation to Life is the beginning of an experimental period where a child is able to experience life like their peers. They attend classes with their well peers and participate in group activities. Vera started going to swimming, music and later gymnastics classes. The Graduation to Life allows parents and the staff to observe the child in “normal life” and confirm that the child is fully ready to succeed in all areas. If the child is successful during this period, the child receives a Full Graduation from the Advanced Doman Program. If parents observe any challenges or issues that would prevent the child from being successful, then the child would restart the Doman Method Program until they are ready for Full Graduation .
That was 1 year ago. Vera has continued to thrive during her Graduation to Life period. Now at 2 years and 8 months of age, parents confirm that Vera’s speech is superior to her 3 older siblings when they were the same age. She has rich back-and-forth conversations that many well children her age could not have. Her understanding is well above age level, and she demonstrates the ability to read words and comprehend sophisticated information from her Cognitive Program. She is a bright and social child. She was cooperative during her evaluation yesterday and was happy to follow instructions, something many 2 year olds would not be willing to do.
Vera is now at a 3 year old level in every area on the Developmental Profile. While she is 32 months of age, her Neurological Age is 35 months. She has received Understanding, Crawling, Creeping, Walking, Running, and Language Victories!
A book was just published in Portugal with amazing and inspiring stories, and Vera’s story was included in the book. The book’s title is “I Believe in Miracles”.
The team at Doman International are proud to graduate Vera from the Advanced Doman Program, and congratulate her and her entire family for this amazing achievement. We now ask that Vera and her parents come forward to receive her Graduation Certificate and to be congratulated by the staff!