c o v e r s t o r y g

by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

A Groundbreaking Program
for Children with
Neurological Disorders

The moment arrives. She says it’s time to go to the hospi-

tal, NOW! You snatch up the carefully pre-packed suitcase,
fumble to find the car keys, help her maneuver into the car.
Hours later, you stand weak-kneed in the delivery room,
cradling a tiny person whose feet are the most beautiful
thing you’ve ever seen. And so the dream begins. The dream
that every father, every mother, has for their children.

But what if you are told a few years down the road that your
child is not developing normally? A slow progression of
language skills, an avoidance of eye contact—you witness
these things, but you are still floored when the word autism
drops out of the doctor’s mouth, like a bubble released into
the air that floats away, carrying your dreams with it.

You are not alone. Each day, hundreds of American children

are diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s, Tourette’s, attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), dyslexia, processing
disorders and other learning disabilities. For many parents,
the most frustrating aspect of hearing such a diagnosis is
learning that treatment options are often limited.

Or so it used to be.

Unprecedented advances in brain research during the last

two decades have revealed startling truths about neurobe-
havioral/developmental childhood disorders. Researchers
now know what is going on in a child’s brain, and this knowl-
edge is revolutionizing treatment.

Inside a Child’s Brain

“We now know that the most accurate diagnosis for these
children is actually Functional Disconnection Syndrome
or FDS,” says Dr. Peter Scire, board-eligible chiropractic
neurologist and executive director of the Brain Balance
Center in Suwanee. “The latest functional MRI brain
research shows in FDS there is a functional disconnection
between the two hemispheres of the brain. Basically, the
hemispheres are unable to share information in synchrony,

26 north fulton LIVING September/October 2008


Julie Ryan, director of new
Roswell Brain Balance
resulting in the negative symptoms tra-
ditionally labeled as AD/HD, autism and
other disorders.”
According to Scire, children with FDS
experience the world as one watching a
movie where the motion and sound are
out of synch. “One hemisphere processes
information at a slower speed, like dial-
up Internet, while the other hemisphere
is processing at DSL speeds,” he explains.
Children whose right hemisphere is
delayed usually exhibit symptoms of
autism, Asperger’s, Tourette’s, obsessive/
compulsive disorder, oppositional defi-
ance disorder or AD/HD. Left-brained
delays usually present as dyslexia, auditory
or visual processing disorders and other
learning disorders.
Achieving Balance
The discovery of hemispheric imbal-
ance led world-renowned neurological
researcher Dr. Robert Melillo to found the
original Brain Balance Center in Ronkonk-
oma, New York, more than a decade ago.
Scire, who apprenticed under Melillo and
helped to bring Brain Balance to Geor-
gia, explains the approach: “First, we
determine if a child exhibiting abnormal
emotional, social, physical and academic
symptoms has FDS. After we deter-
mine which hemisphere is functioning
abnormally, we design a spe-
cific program integrating
physical (sensory and motor)
activities, cognitive exercises,
and supportive nutritional
initiatives for each child.” The
results are astounding.
Tangible Results
Results occur in just 12 to
24 weeks. “For children who
come to our achievement
centers, life after Brain Bal-
ance means less impulsivity,
less hyperactivity, an abil-
ity to read nonverbal cues
and improved motor strate-
gies,” says Scire. “Sixty to 70
percent of our children go
completely off of their medi-
cation. The remaining 30
percent dramatically reduce
their medication.”
Why does Brain Balance work?
“We literally change the brain through
exercising the circuits and retraining the
hemispheres to communicate effectively,”
explains Scire. Traditional approaches,
which focus on tutoring, behavior modi-
fication or medication, fail to address the
root cause: brain imbalance. “The brain
Are You Concerned
About Your Child?
Brain Balance Centers offer
free parent lectures on
Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. For
more information, please call
770.614.4790.
is designed to be in balance, so once you
strengthen the weaker hemisphere, the neg-
ative symptoms will disappear.”
A Hug at Last
A new Brain Balance Center is opening in
fall 2008 in Roswell. Roswell Director Julie
Ryan, MS, CCC-SLP, paints a poignant
September/October 2008
picture of the change Brain Balance can
bring to families. “Many of these children
shy away from emotional contact and dis-
tance themselves from their parents,” says
Ryan. “I’ve heard some parents say, ‘I just
want my child to hug me.’ And, after the
Brain Balance program, they finally get
their hug.”
“At this point, Brain Balance is the clos-
est thing we have to a cure,” says Ryan.
The astounding results explain why
many families travel from other states to
utilize Atlanta’s centers. Some families
have even moved.
“We have seen hundreds of success stories,”
affirms Scire. Success means children func-
tioning at levels never dreamed of. And
success, ultimately, means the resurrec-
tion of every parent’s dream—the dream
of a healthy, happy child with a bright and
promising future.
For more information on Brain Bal-
ance Centers, call 770.614.4790 or visit
www.brainbalancecenters.com. The new
Brain Balance Center at 30 E. Crossville
Road., Suite 150, in Roswell, 30075 is sched-
uled to open in early November. Assessments
are currently offered at the Suwanee loca-
tion of Brain Balance at 3525 Lawrenceville
Suwanee Road, Suite 101 and in Peachtree
City at 357 Highway 74 North, Suite 5.
Elizabeth Cossick is a writer and educa-
tor who lives in Acworth. Photography by
Jack Tuszynski.
north fulton LIVING 27