Parents with children have many experiences and worries that many people don't even think about. The story told by a young mother teaches us the importance of taking timely action, talking to other parents and finding the right solution.
Agnė (name changed) was no different from the other children until first grade, sometimes struggling to say long words and learning poems. She was able to express her needs in sign language until the age of five and then in words. Because the mother-daughter bond was strong enough, they understood each other well, which is why little Agnes did not feel the need to express her feelings or actions in words. A month into the first grade, the mother heard of a great concern from the class teacher, who mentioned that her daughter was completely unable to connect letters, even though she knew them, which meant that the child not only did not know how to read, but also where to start.
"The text dictated by the teacher was a jumble of fragmented letters, not like words. My shock and horror was confirmed by the speech therapist. She diagnosed a phonemic disorder," the child's mother described the situation.
A young mother shared her problem with other mothers with children: her group, her friends, her colleagues. One colleague, who had experience working with children with a wide range of disabilities and had tried many approaches, recommended the Braingym centre.
"I was very clear about everything, and I also found out that there are a lot of people with this disorder, but that didn't make me sad. I wanted to help my child here and now. I wanted her to read and write like other children," says the mother about her determination to take action as soon as possible to help her daughter.
- How long afterwards did you start to notice the first results? What changed?", we asked Giedrė.
We started going to this centre and to my surprise the results came after just two weeks. I noticed that my child is already combining letters and can read short two-syllable words. I calmed down a little. After the first month, I went to the class teacher to ask how my first-grader was doing, and the teacher was surprised by the results. In her opinion, the child had made very good progress. I talked to the teacher every month. Her answer was always the same: "It's not by steps, it's by leaps and bounds that the child is moving forward!"
- Braingym trainers work with the child during the sessions in the form of games, which are said to "train the brain". How would you rate the work of a coach?
Of course, no methodology, no work, is done without people. I have always enjoyed the cosy atmosphere of the Braingym Centre, which is thanks to the staff. The coaches are young, enthusiastic, working from the heart and enjoy the results as much as the parents or the children. The goal of their work is the result. I am very grateful to my daughter's trainer Raminta. Thanks to her efforts and empathy, my child is reading and writing. She is able to concentrate and have confidence in herself. So, thank you very much.
- How do you feel about the results?", we asked my mother for her assessment.
Four months of work has resulted in my child keeping up with the requirements for first graders in reading and writing. She reads and writes like a first grader. I am happy that the despair that I had in the autumn has disappeared.
Not only coach Raminta, but also the whole team of the Intellectual Development Centre is happy about Agnes' achievements. The brave mother's story is the second Braingym success story that will inspire parents not to give up and not to be scared by difficulties, as young mother Giedre did.