Nope, Have never tried Feldenkrais or alternative methods with Alex although I have done a small amount of research on many of them. Alex's medical history is such that the mobility part of CP was the very least important issue up until he was a bit over 3.5 yrs of age. Up until then breathing and eating and the rest of his GI system were a major issue. Heck he was 4 yo before he started to be as tall as his medical chart ( only a very slight exaggeration, it takes up a 2 shelf trolley cart to transport it) Working on independent mobility has only been possible these past 2 years. A recent visit with his physiatrist in which he was to be evaluated for botox injections in his feet before he starts horseback riding next week had the doc deciding against the injections saying that enough has been done invasively ( he had SDR at 4yrs, adductor surgery at 5 and Botox 2x before this) that he didn't feel Botox would be of much benefit. The doc was all for the  horseback riding however. The PMR dept of University of Michigan is currently conducting a survey on Complimentary Alternative Medicine( CAM) and was looking for input on things such as feldenkeis, Conductive education, HBOT, herbal,TES etc. In the small amount of research that I've done I've been rather disturbed by how should I say this *passionate* matter of many of the CAM practionioners. For myself I find that many of the studies done to support or *prove* the method is THE way to help a person is conducted by the very people who have clinics promoting the model. Seems like a conflict of interest to me. Also from other parents I've talked too the methods are so time intense and the practioners will blame the parents for not trying or believing hard enough in the method thus it is their fault if the results aren't seen that the practioners promise. The Doman method comes to mind here. Right now if I was to do an CAM with Alex it would be conductive educ and/or TES. Speaking as a mom of a 6 yr old who just happens to have spastic quad CP I need to balance the need for Alex to do normal 6yr old things vs. therapy. If I can combine them so much the better. I haven't given up on hope that Alex may someday be an independent walker using just canes/crutches ( he uses a rifton walker right now with ease but it has a lot of support) but am more than comfortable with the idea that a wc will be his main mode of transportation.  
Joanne 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [log in to unmask] 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 2:35 AM
  Subject: Re: Part of the Story....


  Thanks, Joanne! 

  On another note, Have you considered some kind of Feldenkrais or other 
  neurologic type body work for Alex? It really helped me with straightening my 
  feet and hands, and helped my speech tremendously. I just finished reading 
  the yoga journal, (July-August) and it was an amazing issue. It had articles 
  about many different types of massage, and even mentions that massage can 
  help CP, and other diagnoses. In India it is the custom to give all children 
  full body massages daily until age 7. And the way they describe some of the 
  things like pouring warm liquid on the head, it made me relax just thinking 
  about it. I am gonna try one of those soon. My Feldenkrais teacher also has a 
  degree in aryuvedic medicine.   

  Matt, you may want to check out this issue of yoga journal... They have also 
  a website www.yogajournal.com