AD/HD:

"What a difference it can make when you find the right place!" 
"Our search for finding the right program for [our boys] with ADD who were struggling with other learning issues was finally over when we discovered the Encinitas Learning Center!  After many long years of trials with programs such as Brain Highways, Cranial Sacrum treatments, extra tutoring programs and a variety of supplements for "FOCUS," we realize that they helped in some way but none were "permanent" nor as quickly effective as when we sent them to the ELC.

I could have easily put my boys on meds which may have made their learning struggle a lot easier for their teachers, but we knew it was just a "Band-Aid" to the real problem ... with many short term and long term side effects.  It doesn't resolve the root of the problem as to how to permanently reprogram the neurotransmitters in the brain with those who struggle with ADD.

I clearly remember the Sunday night we were presented with the IM (Interactive Metronome). I literally had an appointment set for Monday morning with the boys' pediatrician to consider an ADD medication which I (luckily) canceled with the hope of trying one more thing.  I simply felt I'd exhausted every other treatment and was still facing their teachers' remarks that the boys were not focused and falling behind in school.  I went on line to research a variety of places that offer IM and out of them all, it was clear that the ELC would be the only place I'd consider.  They not ony offered the IM and other effective learning programs, but also were offering to literally attend my boys' classrooms in their school to observe how they were being taught.  They proceeded to set up several opportunities with the teachers and principal to discuss how teaching styles and homework might be modified to assist our boys through school.

We devoted 15 hours to IM with a combination of cognitive memory exercises to help with their focus and learning.  Approximately half way through, we were already hearing positive feedback from their teachers.  We took a break from the Tutoring Club (which they enrolled in over the summer -- thinking this would be a quick fix for reading and comprehension) during the month of December and enrolled with the ELC.  They were treated intensively for 15 sessions and when my eldest son returned to the Tutoring Club in January to complete their program, they informed us the first day back that he had jumped from a grade 5 to grade 7 reading level and appeared to be much more focused and more mature!  Again, this was all within the 15 hours we spent at the ELC during the month of December!

Now that the ELC got them focused, we then chose to continue with a program called FastForWord.  This term is clearly what it is.  It "Fast Forwards" your child to where they need to be and fine tunes any area they need in decoding words, comprehension, memory, etc.  The boys can now indepedently sit and do their homework with very minimal assistance and for a lot longer period of time than ever before.  Their teachers are quite pleased with how the ADD "fog" has disappeared and how it's so much easier to get through to them.  Best of all, it's PERMANENT AND NO MEDICATION IS REQUIRED! (emphasis added by the writer)

The boys enjoyed the positive reinforcement from the staff.  We couldn't thank Lynda Detweiler, Sandy Ansari, Steve Baime, Larry Newcomb and the others on staff enough for all their devotion and extra time spent to truly help our boys succeed.  It was time and money "FINALLY" well spent!          M. Family

CAPD:

"You owe it to your child!" (CAPD dx)
"If your child has any learning disabilities ranging from ADHD, CAPD, Sensory Integration, Dyslexia, Autism or others, you need to get in touch with Lynda Detweiler, SLP (Director of the Encinitas Learning Center).  ELC has a wide range of learning programs which she designs individually to address your child's needs.  She has been a godsend for my daughter and her CAPD difficulties.  If it weren't for Lynda, my daughter would have been set back another grade level.  The State Ed doesn't do enough.  You as a parent can do a lot more with the ELC's help.  Give your child the life skills to succeed!"   A.  (Parent)


ELC Academy:

So much to say, so little space! :)
"We placed our 4th grade son (who has speech and ADHD related issues) in the newly formed ELC Academy  in May 2009 because he was not meeting his benchmarks or IEP goals in the public school setting.  The ELC Academy provides intensive academic support and the educators truly listened to us to devise a program that incorporated our concerns and our son's interests.   His teacher masterfully uses virtually every aspect of his day to help him learn and reinforce his skills.  She also creatively changes various aspects of his individualized program to make sure that whatever is being used as a motivator supports the skill or lesson being taught or reinforced. 

As an example, one week he earned tickets for completing his work and listening.  The following week he entered the tickets he earned the previous week on a table to reflect and compare his daily ticket earnings as part of his math lesson focusing upon tables and charts.  He then had homework with math word problems based upon the data in his newly completed table.   He loved doing his homework because he was using word problems and data that meant something to him.  After he completed these related activities, the teacher changed the ticket rewards to penny rewards so that his penny earnings could be incorporated into his lessons involving currency and coins.  

Also, for the first time we receive a detailed daily report that lists  the nature and type of work our son did at school (e.g. math: worksheet using multiple digit multiplication) with notations about his ability to complete the work (e.g. independently, needed 2 prompts, etc.).  We can literally walk in at any time, look at this report and know exactly what he has worked on or is working on for the day.  The open daily communication helps us understand the areas in need of more practice so that we can further support him at home with fun activities geared towards strengthening those areas.  The reporting sheets also help us track certain skills or behaviors so that we can see whether a program is working or whether a certain task needs to be broken down or taught differently to help him learn the skill.  Instead of waiting a trimester to learn if he has sufficiently progressed or is experiencing difficulties, we now need wait only a day!  The ELC program has definitely been tailored and individualized to help our son meet his academic and behavior goals.  L. Lynch (Carlsbad)