Special Kids Video Modeling Therapy Programs
Friday, May 27, 2005 (14:43:57)

Posted by sylvia

Genetic Engineering News

Helping Toddlers, Children and Teens with Autism, Down Syndrome, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Learn to Speak, Read, Write, Socialize, Self-Help And Play

Pioneered by a father of a boy with autism, Special Kids(C) Video Modeling Therapy Programs this week celebrates distribution in a record 30 countries, helping children the world over with a variety of developmental, cognitive and learning disabilities acquire speech, reading, writing, early academics, personal hygiene, self-help, social and play skills.

"With more than 12 years of countless success stories behind us -- as well as numerous clinical studies that all support video modeling as an effective teaching tool for toddlers, children, teens and others with developmental disabilities -- we're thrilled to see our Video Learning Programs now in 30 countries around the world," says John Sprecher, founder of Special Kids and father of Jeff, a young man with autism. "We encourage anyone who has a child or teen with a developmental, cognitive or learning disability to consider the positive impacts that video modeling -- essentially a highly visual therapy -- can have on their son or daughter, as it has countless other boys and girls."

Special Kids is a company founded almost by accident. In 1989, John Sprecher noted how his son Jeff, then two and newly diagnosed with autism, responded to certain television shows. Sensing an opportunity to teach, Sprecher developed an "alphabet" and "numbers" home video program -- and the previously non-verbal Jeff learned to identify, and speak, the alphabet and numbers within three months. Numerous parents borrowed this program with similar success, then encouraged Sprecher to author an article in the Autism Society of America's magazine.

Sprecher did so - and the demand for programs was overwhelming, with more than 300 letters received from parents and teachers around the world, encouraging Sprecher to mass produce his programs. Within four years, a library of Special Kids Video Modeling Therapy Programs was introduced for sale.

Today, clinical studies show that Video Modeling Therapy Programs are highly effective in teaching children with autism, Down Syndrome, mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. A total of 11 Special Kids programs are now available, as well as a variety of supplementary products.

"Special Kids truly is a case of necessity being the mother of invention," Sprecher says. "Today, one boy's autism has now helped children, parents and teachers in 30 countries -- and more than 500 United States school systems -- acquire communications, social and play skills they might not otherwise have. That makes their lives better, as well as the lives of their parents and caregivers. There's nothing more rewarding than that."

For a complete listing of all Special Kids Video Modeling Therapy Programs, as well as ancillary teaching products, visit http://www.special-kids.com or call 800.KIDS.153. Testimonials, testimonial interviews with parents, product samples, product samples for review and other support materials are all available FREE upon request to milissa@special-kids.com