Success Stories:
Cerebral Palsy

Unlocking Potential
Success within our individualized programs usually looks like incremental progress points that lead to unlocking more and more potential. Breakthroughs are not uncommon as students and families work closely with their Jacob's Ladder team.
Cerebral Palsy
Student Name: Samantha
Age: 4
Diagnoses: Cerebral Palsy
Functional Challenges: Samantha entered Jacob's Ladder exhibiting low bodily movement awareness and could not walk independently. She lacked foundational gross motor movement ability (sitting, running, etc.) and progression, and had difficulty comprehending and using language.
Through qEEG brain mapping, we identified and measured areas of Samantha’s brain where communication flow was lacking (hypo coherence) or where communication flow was locked and/or was overly used (hyper coherence).
Using her top 10 areas of challenge for hypo coherence and top 10 areas of challenge for hyper coherence as the focus of her individual model of care, we set for Samantha three primary goals:
Goal #1: Communicate appropriately in moments of heightened emotionality
Goal #2: Manage “fight or flight” response in daily situations
Goal #3: Comply with routines and caregivers and understand expectations

"The doctor told me, 'I need you to understand, she will never walk like you, she will never talk like you, she can be the best that she can but she will never do that like you.' But now, I see her talking, I see her walking, she’s started jumping, she’s started running, and I see her so happy – and I am so glad we’re here and found this place."
- Samantha's Parents
Samantha's Program and Functional Gains
As Samantha developed the proper connections between areas in her brain, she experienced substantial gains in her physiological and behavioral functioning. Connection improvements seen in her follow up qEEG brain map are shown below.
Starting at Jacob's Ladder
Low proprioceptive awareness and gravitational insecurity, prohibiting independent walking
Inability to complete foundational gross motor movements and progressions
Challenges with language accessing and production
8 Months Later
Increased awareness of body and overall muscle control and coordination allowing for independent walking
Development of gross motor movements and foundational patterns that lead to higher level cortical function in the brain
Improved comprehension of more complex language, as well as an explosion of original thought statements and conversations with multiple exchanges
Samantha's Brain Improvement
As Samantha developed the proper connections between areas in her brain, she experienced substantial gains in her physiological and behavioral functioning. Connection improvements seen in her follow up qEEG brain map are shown below.
Communication flow between Samantha's Somatosensory Cortex and Superior Temporal Gyrus was lacking by 3.22 standard deviations from a normalized connection.
Through Samantha's individualized model of care, activities were implemented that improved her communication flow to +0.58 standard deviations from a normalized connection

Communication flow within Samantha's Somatosensory Cortex was locked and/or overly-used by +4.10 standard deviations from a normalized connection.
Through Samantha's individualized model of care, activities were implemented that improved her communication flow to +1.47 standard deviations from a normalized connection.

Areas of Focus
Somatosensory Cortex (Left)
- Localizing sensory input for the sensations of pain and touch
- Mirror neurons for movement
- Spatial perception and imagery of movements

Superior Temporal Gyrus (Left)
- Links to amygdala for associations between social and emotional processing
- Initial consolidation of memories, including storage and retrieval

Primary Somatosensory Cortex (Left)
- Sensorimotor integration
- Mapping of sensory input – homunculus

Secondary Somatosensory Cortex (Left)
- Localizing sensory input for the sensations of pain and touch
- Mirror neurons for movement
- Spatial perception and imagery of movements

Find out how Jacob's Ladder helps children with cerebral palsy maximize their potential.

Jacob's Ladder School & Therapy Centers
Roswell (Main Campus) & Atlanta (Buckhead)
407 Hardscrabble Road
Roswell, Georgia 30075