Dr. Fitzgerald's Pinnacle Program

 Our Multisensory Program is designed to help adults and children meet their visual, cognitive, academic, and developmental goals. Our Program incorporates vision, proprioception, and auditory to help re-train the brain. This sensorimotor integration technique has helped individuals who report the following conditions:

- Autism

- ADD/ADHD

- Trauma/PTSD

- Sensory Integration Disorders

- Developmental Delays

- Acquired Brain Injury

- Vision/Concentration

- Behavioral Problems

- Anxiety/Depression

- Balance/Coordination

The Program is a 30-day process and consists of three phases. The first phase includes one-hour sessions in the clinic for 12 consecutive days. The second phase is done at home and includes using the light instrument as directed for 18 days. After the first 30 days, patients will return to the clinic for a follow-up appointment with their doctor or therapist they will make further recommendations at this time. It is important to note that results are not immediate, but rather gradual. The peak time for results is around three months but can carry on through 18 months.

Breaking It Down: The Three Phases

  Phase 1

Patients will come to the clinic for 12 consecutive days for an hour-long session each day. In addition, they may work with a therapist before or after the session on other skills. It is important to be on time and committed to attending all sessions to maximize the benefits and outcome of the program. Please note that this program is not a cure-all solution however, it can provide a starting point toward recovery and/or development.

Phase 2

Patients will take home a light instrument to use for the remaining 18 days of the program. They will watch the light for 20 minutes before going to bed and again in the morning upon waking up. During this time frame, patients may also return to the clinic 2-3 times per week to work with a therapist, depending on their overall goals. If a patient does not live in the area, the clinic staff can provide additional activities for home use and/or recommend a therapist closer to home.  The more a person does during this time, the greater the results will be.

Phase 3

After finishing the 30-day program, patients will return for a scheduled checkup with their doctor or therapist. An ongoing plan of care will be established at this visit and additional therapy may be recommended. It is important to note that the program does not stop here; patients will continue to benefit from the effects of the program up to 18 months after completion.

Training the Brain: The Three Components

Visual The Program uses a light instrument that projects a variety of colors, each with its own purpose and effect. Just as sunlight can affect our mood, these different wavelengths of color help to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the body. Vestibular The vestibular motion of the chair helps to support balance. It gently rotates in a figure eight and is built to mimic the natural rhythm of the human body. The process also helps to realign crystals in the inner ear that may have been affected. Auditory Patients will engage with a variety of music through headphones during each session—the selection will vary by day. The volume will vary throughout the program, with emphasis on the right ear. Studies have shown right ear dominance is better for auditory and language processing in the long term.
 

Programs Offered Include:

Sensory Learning Program
Syntonic Phototherapy
The Listening Program
Interactive Metronome
NeuroFeedback
FitLight
Cognitive & Memory Programs (Captain’s Log MindPower Builder, Memory Train & Memory Xcel)
TNT Reading
Computer-Aided Vision Therapy (CAVT)
HeartMath
Organizational Coaching
Red/InfraRed Light Therapy
Individual Psychotherapy
Group Social Skill & Discussion
Groups
Art Classes
Agility, Performance & Skill Training
Yoga Classes  

What is the Sensory Stimulation Chair (SSC)? The SSC places the patient's body in a position where its pressure is distributed evenly. This is also known as the "neutral body posture", where the feet at times are elevated slightly higher than the head, which relaxes the body and puts it in a calming state. 

SSC creates a "zero Gravity Experience"

How does zero gravity work? SSC rotates the patient in a continuous semi-gyroscopic motion. Benefits from this motion:

• Reduces the impact of gravity on certain areas of the body
• Stimulation of the semi-circular channels for balance and spatial awareness
• Improvement in learning abilities, focus, and attention

About Vestibular Rehabilitation 

The vestibular system is a uniquely designed structure located in the middle ear. It is essential to our functioning on a daily basis. This system detects movement and gives us an understanding of where our head/body are in space in relation to the pull of gravity. This system is like the "compass" of our brain! 

Children with vestibular processing dysfunction have poor coordination skills, fine motor skills, and may be 

described as the child who 

"doesn't stop moving." 

Patients who have sustained neurological insult to the brain (i.e. traumatic brain injury, stroke, brain tumor) may also benefit from SSC. Many have problems with balance, dizziness, and visual-spatial processing.

Sensory stimulation integration incorporates therapeutically imposed movement, visual, and auditory activities, and their/or working on one sensory-motor system. 

How the Program Works

The visual and vestibular systems are engaged by sensory inputs of light and motion. The auditory system is engaged by language and sound. 

When there is a breakdown in communication between these three sensory systems, developmental delays may be present as well as sensory overload. 

By simultaneously stimulating all three systems with light, sound, and motion this allows those systems to work together and adapt to multi-sensory input. This intervention may result in functional improvement in: 

•Speech

•Perception

•Understanding

•Social Interaction

•Gross and Fine Motor Coordination

•Ability to Learn

•Improvements in vestibular imbalance

•Improvements in balance and visual processing

Our program usually consists of 12 consecutive sessions on the Sensory Stimulation Chair. Each session lasts an hour. During the session, each of the three systems described will learn how to adapt and communicate with each other, making changes to the patients multi-sensory systems to work together. 

How the SSC Stimulates Each System

With the SSC there is a computerized instrument that is used to stimulate the visual system. The instrument is programmed with 71 color sequences of 30 and 60 minutes. The unique colors used in this program are designed to gently cycle from dim to bright at pre-programmed 

intervals. 

The SSC has a state­of-the-art proprietary rotation device that allows for semi-gyroscopic chair rotation, in either the right or the left direction. This type of movement activates the vestibular system in your inner ear, which actively tells your body where it is spatially. The vestibular system also activates our eye movement system. A strong and stable core allows us to hold our eyes steady on a target while moving our body through space. Without our eyes working properly in conjunction with our vestibular system, visual information is not interpreted properly. This in turn makes it difficult to read, write, drive, throw and catch a ball, balance, and participate in everyday life activities. 

While on the SSC, the patient wears noise­cancelling headphones. This allows little disturbance as the musical selections play to activate the auditory system. The use of music provides the ear with the experience of the different pitches of tone from high to low. This incorporates sensory integration through a different channel of the central nervous system. This input of sound also influences the muscles surrounding our core vertical support. Sound should elicit an orienting response, which in turns activates the postural muscles which enable our bodies into an alert, upright position. 

During our day-to-day activities of 

daily living, all parts of the 

vestibular-visual-auditory triad are required to function at optimal 

levels. All systems working together 

will properly provide us with a good understanding of the "spatial 

envelope" in which we live. Without 

full integration of all systems the 

sensory information received will be interpreted in a fragmented way 

that does not make sense or causes confusion.