Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders Paperback – January 5, 2010

This groundbreaking book describes how to identify the parts of a child's brain that are underdeveloped, along with exercises that stimulate growth in these regions to achieve better "Brain Balance" and improve attention, reading, intelligence, and general functioning. For parents who cannot afford to access Brain Balance centers across the U.S., Dr. Melillo has generously outlined how to apply these methods at home. (While written to help children, the information also applies to adults.) It begins explaining what brain plasticity science has proven: brains can grow new neurons (brain cells) at any age, brain functioning can be improved, and damaged brains can often recover. Ten pages of questions help readers identify which side of a brain is under functioning. Seventy more pages of questions, assessments, and simple, physical tests help discover which brain regions are slower or weaker. While this may seem overwhelming at first, it is relatively easy if done as suggested, step-by-step over a period of days or weeks. Dr. Melillo's years as a professor has delivered a detailed yet concise book with clarity and focus. His work as chiropractor, neurologist, and researcher, brings a deep understanding of how the body can be used to stimulate certain parts of the brain. Just as exercising muscles makes them stronger, the Brain Balance approach uses physical exercises (supported by improved nutrition) to stimulate brain cell growth in specific areas. Doing so brings slower, less developed regions up to speed, rapidly improving a child's ability to function and learn. Both are crucial in early childhood development and remain important throughout the teens. Two decades of research and testing have made this an impressive, unique, groundbreaking treatment. As a recovered mental patient, author, and advocate of non-drug solutions to mental disorders, I believe it should be required reading for all medical practitioners who treat children.Gracelyn Guyol, AuthorHealing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without DrugsWho's Crazy Here?

Our daughter began exhibiting mild "tics" at the age of 7 (throat clearing, humming, sniffing, eye blinking). Our regular pediatrician said it was a normal part of brain development and not to worry (not necessarily true).At age 9 she began pulling her eyelashes out (a disorder called Trichotillomania). This can progress to be a very life altering behavior in which individuals can pull eyelashes, eyebrows, and even scalp hair until the point that they have large bald patches and may be forced to wear wigs.Through a round-a-bout contact, I discovered a doctor that was a student of Dr. Melillo. We took our daughter to see him and he ran a series of approximately 100 neurological tests to determine what was happening in our daughter's brain (everything from balance tests, to eye tracking, etc.).He was able to determine that our daughter had a highly stimulated "left brain" (she has tested in the top 2 percent in the nation academically), but her "right brain" was slightly under stimulated. This made the communication between the two sides of her brain increasing difficult. Because the "left brain" was so stimulated, and unable to communicate properly with the right side of her brain, the over stimulation would "escape" or "release" itself from the brain in the form of her "tics" and the eyelash pulling.We were given homework to stimulate our daughter's right brain to balance out the two sides of the brain (physical, sensory type exercises that were tailor made for her brain needs). Within DAYS our daughter's tics and eyelash pulling stopped (it has been several months now - and they have not returned). Even more amazing, is the fact that (without ANY prompting) she has stopped biting her fingernails. This child had been a nail biter since she was a toddler. She would bite them so far down that the skin would puff up over the ends of her nails. She confessed to me that the reason she started pulling her eyelashes out - was because she could no longer find enough fingernails to bite. Additionally, she has been able to stay better focused in school and we were told by the teacher that she is less "fidgety". Although she has always been highly intelligent, it has always been difficult to keep her on task and focused (I once suspected that she had ADHD).Sometimes, we slack on doing the exercises and I will see that she can become easily distracted again - which tells us we need to get back to the exercises. However, the eyelash pulling, tics and nail biting have never returned.I highly recommend this book and finding a doctor trained in Dr. Melillo's theories. Our regular pediatrician was suggesting "psychotherapy" and medications (which have been proven to make things worse). I shudder to think of what her future would have been if we had drugged her with Ritalin and forced her to look at ink blots.Thank you Dr. Melillo! You're brilliant and I can only hope that I will see every pediatrician trained in this concept in my lifetime! I understand that this same concept works with adults also, and my husband and I are both looking forward to doing our own "brain balancing".

When I read the synopsis of this book and others' reviews, I knew this was the book we needed to help with our son's behavior. Although I knew something was not right for the past three years and suspected Asperger's for the past two, an unexpected and frightening (and unfortunately, accurate) diagnosis of epilepsy a year ago left us at a false end of the line in our search for what was going on with our son. When we got past the initial diagnosis, got his seizures under control and started to breathe again, it was clearer than ever that something was still not right with our cherished son. When the pieces really came together at the beginning of this past summer and we understood that we were dealing with something on the autism spectrum - Asperger's - we were saddened, but not completely shocked. I searched high and low for some inexpensive resources to help us, as pharmaceuticals were not an option for me to give to my son. We did not need to medicate his symptoms, we needed real HELP with the root cause of those symptoms. If you are on the same journey, this book WILL help you. Melillo offers real solutions without the need to medicate your child. It will take a great deal of perseverance and patience, not to mention the cooperation of your child, but it is well worth the investment to buy this book and expend your time putting its strategies into place. Your child can get better and this book will help you yank your child back into a genuine, connected existence. I wish anyone who needs this book well on their journey to wholeness. Take heart - it WILL get better! And buy this book, read it as fast as you can, and get going on doing these brain exercises!