Questions about Brainware Safari?

[butterfly113]

Has anyone used this? DS10 has ADHD and Aspergers with pragmatic language disorder, sensory integration/processing disorder and dyspraxia.
We are currently undergoing speech therapy, and interactive metronome and OT. This program looks awesome, but is expensive. I know if these things were done in a clinical setting, the cost would be much more. I know this first hand, as speech and OT are out of pocket for us and yikes! Anyway...
For those of you that have used this, is it worth it? Can the child go through the different levels in any order, or is the order of skills/levels preset? Also, once they complete a skill or level, can they go back and practice more? What about once they go through all of it... is it something that they can use to keep their skills honed, or once it is complete that is it?

Thanks!

[butterfly113]

:lurk5: :lurk5:

[natalie]

We are currently using Brainware Safari. You can get it here (https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_hsbc_epp_order&Itemid=897) for only $79 (or $59 for the download only version).

It was recommended to us by our SLP for my son w/problems very similar to those of your ds (he also recommended we use it with our other children as well). A local school district has had such success and improvements with it that they are now planning to use it for their entire student population. We've not been using it that long, so I can't speak from personal experience as to its effectiveness.

The student can chose the activities to work on, but certain ones are blocked until they master others and other such restrictions. Once they have completed an activity, or the program, it is my understanding that they cannot go back and do things again.

[Laurie4b]

We used it for our ds. He showed clear improvements in working memory and some of his visual perceptual skills. He seems to have lost the working memory gains at this point. I don't know whether it is hormones knocking his system sideways or whether sleep issues are interfering, but I've been contemplating having him redo it. For the $59 through Homeschool Buyers co-op, the kind of improvement we saw lasting for about a year is a good thing.

[butterfly113]

Will Brainware Safari help with processing speed? DS10 had the WISC IV done last fall and all of his scores were fine except for processing speed.

Verbal Comprehension High Average

Perceptual Reasoning Superior

Working Memory High Average

Processing Speed Low Average


Will Brainware Safari help with processing speed?

[Laurie4b]

From what I understand, there is nothing out there that any research says helps with processing speed. I have one with low processing speed, too. If you find anything, please post it.

[wapiti]

From what I understand, there is nothing out there that any research says helps with processing speed. I have one with low processing speed, too. If you find anything, please post it.
:lurk5: (I find it so odd that for two of my kids, working memory is their highest score on the WISC and processing speed the lowest , in one case a difference of over 70 percentiles)

I thought that Interactive Metronome was supposed to help with processing speed, with the caveat that it is controversial because the gains tend to be temporary, i.e., the research didn't pan out. It's been a long time since I looked at that, but it seems, just from reading various boards, that it's becoming more popular.

:lurk5:

[butterfly113]

OH I SOOOO pray there will be gains with Interactive Metronome. Especially since we are paying out of pocket and it IS NOT CHEAP! UGH! Our insurance battle has been a nightmare.

When you read about all of the things it helps with on their website, it does look hopeful... we shall see. Several of the OT where we go for therapy say it has done wonders for several of their patients. I'm hopeful. One of our biggest issues is with sequencing of tasks.

We have only gone for three sessions, I will post more as we go through more therapy.

[asta]

From what I understand, there is nothing out there that any research says helps with processing speed. I have one with low processing speed, too. If you find anything, please post it.

Biol Psychol. 2000 Oct;54(1-3):1-34.
Relationships among processing speed, working memory, and fluid intelligence in children.
Fry AF, Hale S.

Department of Psychology, Campus Box 1125, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Abstract
The present review focuses on three issues, (a) the time course of developmental increases in cognitive abilities; (b) the impact of age on individual differences in these abilities, and (c) the mechanisms by which developmental increases in different aspects of cognition affect each other. We conclude from our review of the literature that the development of processing speed, working memory, and fluid intelligence, all follow a similar time course, suggesting that all three abilities develop in concert. Furthermore, the strength of the correlation between speed and intelligence does not appear to change with age, and most of the effect of the age-related increase in speed on intelligence appears to be mediated through the effect of speed on working memory. Finally, most of the effect of the age-related improvement in working memory on intelligence is itself attributable to the effect of the increase in speed on working memory, providing evidence of a cognitive developmental cascade.

So... it appears that, by working on "working memory" one simultaneously works processing speed (and fluid intelligence).

HTH


asta