Lucy and Anat Baniel Method

Lucy has Spastic Diplegia CP, and her Mom, "Dangerdays", would like to share their experience with the Anat Baniel Method. She discovered ABM while she was researching options on the internet. She felt that regular PT just wasn't enough anymore. Lucy had been doing weekly PT for over two years, and her Mom just didn't feel that it was helping enough, so she decided to try ABM because she thought it would give Lucy the chance of walking. Lucy was 3yrs 9mo old when she first started.

Here is what Dangerdays has to say about ABM:

Describe a typical session:

The session is very relaxed from start to finish.  My daughter  played with toys and have a snack while the lady who worked with my daughter started doing simple movements with her. Showing my daughter a comfortable way of sitting instead of the W sitting. My daughter was so relaxed that she actually feel asleep during a session. The session goes on for about 55mins to an hour. And all the while the my daughter is very happy and content and playing away. She showed my daughter how to find her feet when slding down from the table she was working with her on..she was helping my daughters arms and shoulders be more relaxed. Overall, after doing 2 years of physio that my daughter didn't like at all, the Anat baniel method was very refreshing, and gentle.

Please share some of the changes (good and bad) you saw in your child:

We stayed for a week and did 2 sessions a day for 5 days. After 2 sessions we were back at the hotel, and my daughters feet and legs (that are usually stiff) were like jelly, she was saying that she could really feel her legs. and she was really enjoying this new feeling. As well as that. when she was sitting on her bed that night. her back was SOOOO straight we couldn't believe it. She was sitting so straight it was hard to take it. Then the next day after the morning session, we went to a toy shop to look around and she cannot walk so she was standing holding onto the shelves, and usually her heels are not touching the ground when she stands up like that. And her heels are flat on the floor with ease. and with every step her whole 2 feet were firmly on the floor and it was amazing. Anyway. we did a lot more sessions and months went by and to be honest that's all the results we can. And after months of her sitting on her new way. she returned to sitting in the W position. Which is sad. But the lady we worked with said we should try and go to america to see Anat Baniel herself, But we just simply cant afford this. We are not doing the Anat Baniel anymore. But we have started a new therapy called Health In Motion. You can find out about it at the Health In Motion website toronto. 

Would you recommend ABM to someone in a similar situation?

I would recommend it to someone who has the money to do it ALOT..because with alot of it and very often you will see results.

What do you wish you had known when you were making the decision to try it out?

I wish I could have known about Anat Baniel Method when my daughter was only a few months old. because the younger the child is, the more the brain is able to make new connections.

Please share some more of the details of your experiences.

I think that all us parents can do is try everything that is natural and that wont harm out children. I was offered Botox for my daughters thigh heels and within 2 sessions of ABM, her heels were down. So, that just showed that natural methods are definitely a better option. I stopped my daughter using her walker and her AFO's like the ABM practitioner recommend, as Anat does not believe that walker and AFO's helps a child. And she

does not believe in stretching a spastic muscle. So, My daughter does not do physio anymore. She does not do ABM either, she crawls around on the floor and walks along things. She can go to the toilet all by herself and wash her hands afterwards. She even took 12 steps the other day. No AFOs just trainers on her

feet and she did it..not saying it was perfect. But she did it. I think we should try not to rely on walkers and wheelchair and let our special kiddies try and do as much for themselves as we can. At 1 year old my daughter couldn't even sit by unaided. And now at 4years old she took her 1st steps. Do what you feel is right for you child.

Right now we are doing exercises from Health In Motion and she enjoys doing them. I hope that someday she will walk. but if she doesn't, I will be happy with what she can do... Not what she can't.

Overall, Dangerdays gives ABM 4 out of 5 stars.