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Our Families: Helena Prosser
Helena Prosser
I was born on November 12th 1993. I am an only child, and I live with my Mum, and my grandparents in Oamaru, in the South Island of New Zealand.

Early Days
I wasn't breathing at birth, which was an indication of existing injury although I was 10.5lb, and a good colour. At three weeks old, after recovering from the excessive application of sedatives given in hospital in the first 48 hours, I finally woke up and started screaming, which I did nearly constantly for the next five months, all day and three or four hours each night. Sorry, Mum!

Onset of Seizures
At the age of five months, coming along with my first two teeth I began having seizures. On that first day I had 12 seizures, lasting ten minutes each. At least when having my seizures I didnıt scream! Iım not sure whatıs worse. My seizures continued in varying intensity, frequency and duration every day of my life excepting one year at the age of seven, which was seizure free. Mercifully, and thanks to my home program at the time of writing (April 2005) I have not had a seizure since February 21st 2005!

I slowly became less agitated, so that by a year old, although still heavily seizuring, I was much calmer. I was however completely non-responsive, showed no ability to move independently, nor interact with anyone in my environment.

What can we Do? The Institutes
My Mum had been searching for treatment with no success, until when I was year old she and Nana discovered The Institutes For The Achievement For Human Potential. I went to The Institutes for The Development Of Human Potential, in Melbourne Australia, where the extent of my injury was discovered.

I was diagnosed with profound, diffuse, bilateral midbrain injury. It was shown that I was both blind and deaf, with poor sensation: hypersensitive (oversensitive) in some areas, and hypo (under-sensitive) in others.

So at 15 months of age I began the Institutes' (Australia) intensive program, working seven days a week and 12 hours a day. Over the next five years I worked extremely hard with re-assessments every six months, and a change in program, to accommodate the changes in my development.

I made some wonderful and extraordinary changes during this time. Sight, hearing and feeling much improved. I learned to read, and do maths, and I was gaining a good understanding of the world around me. Though my sensation was still varied, it was less so.

At six years old it was becoming obvious that though the change was good, it wasnıt fast enough, and the decision was made to take me to the Institutes in Philadelphia, in order to access the latest research information, and training.

The Institutes in Philadelphia - my Big Program
Six months after starting with IAHP in Philadelphia, and at the age of seven I went on to an 18 hours a day program of respiratory patterning. Within three months my seizures had stopped for the first time since I was five months old. This was a huge time of change for me, because it also saw my face relax from its permanent frown, and the emergence of what my Mum calls the most beautiful smile in the world! I started making soft sounds which everyone said were lovely, and gained some small movements.

Progress
Over the next five years my vision and hearing improved enormously, and my intellectual development was profound. Today I speed-read adult level books, I do university level mathematics, and I have a vast intellectual knowledge of the world. I have a great love of music, and enjoy a range of styles.

I have always been given an excellent diet, combined with my physiological program, I have been able to avoid serious illness altogether. I have had a few head colds over the years, but nothing out of the ordinary. Medical prognosis was for multiple hospitalizations, chest infections and surgery. So far I have avoided all of these, apart from a period of dental surgery, due to hypoplastic teeth. (Better than real plastic!)

Complications
In November 2004, shortly after turning eleven, it was discovered that I have a liver dysfunction, and a number of blood disorders. It was decided that whilst these problems were being dealt with, I would not return to the Institutes in Philadelphia, but I would be given time to be treated, and recover without the stress of a physical program demanding all my efforts.

ABR
Early on in this time my Mum was impressed by a new program which had been recommended by other families. So Mum and I traveled to Singapore in March 2005 for an ABR assessment. ABR allows the rest time that I require for my recovery, as it is passive for me, but it is also turning out to be quite a positive force for me, offering more answers than were originally sought

Progress with ABR
ABR allows me the time to rest that I require for my recovery from my liver complaints, as it is passive for me. ABR is also turning out to be quite a positive force in our lives, offering more answers than were originally sought.

This is what Mum says about me: "Helena is a co-operative and gentle child, who is very sensitive to others' distress. She has a ready smile, and is beginning to giggle and laugh."

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