I’ve realized that hundreds of people are being directed to my site because they are looking for information on Fast ForWord, specifically, they want to know, does it work? All I can tell you is our experience of the programme. It did work for us. It’s not a cure, but it did have a lot of pretty astonishing results. I am not a provider. I do not make a commission for recommending the programme.
Two of my children have done Fast ForWord. My daughter (12) has some severe learning disabilities and Aspergers (the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum). My son (10) has no diagnoses but has borderline attention problems. I have collected all my postings about our Fast ForWord experience here for easy referral. They are in reverse chronology (most recent first) because I’m sure you’re most interested in the results.
- Fast ForWord — Round Two
- Fast ForWord: Proof!
- Fast ForWord: Changes — II
- Fast ForWord — Language to Reading
- Fast ForWord Musings
- Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
- Fast ForWord Update
- Fast ForWord Comes to Surrey
And here are some other useful links:
If you are a parent of a child with brain issues you MUST READ this book: The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. As a matter of fact, I recommend buying it in bulk and giving copies to your child’s school, teachers, learning assistants, doctors…
Watch a 30-minute episode of the Nature of Things with David Suzuki that highlights the book The Brain that Changes Itself and its author Norman Doidge.
I have also discovered a math programme that I think is FANTASTIC! Jump Math
Scientific Learning Company’s website (the creators of Fast ForWord)
Brain Exercises: (Free) (The first two are from scientific learning company)
- http://www.scilearn.com/products/brainapps/index.php
- http://www.brainconnection.com/teasers/
- http://www.lumosity.com/
- http://www.memorise.org/memoryGym.htm
- http://www.agame.com/games/memory/memory.html
- http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/mathssub.html
If you have had an experience of Fast ForWord (good or bad) please let me know here. There are lots of parents out there that need help to make good decisions and they can’t do that without knowing other people’s experiences.
Tentative Equinox North
Tentative Equinox 
Thank you for sharing some great information.
My son has Aspergers and we are having some sleeping problems right now. Thanks for the links you provided.x
@ clairelouise82: Thanks for dropping by. Has anyone ever talked to you about using melatonin? We’ve been using it, and although, like anything else it’s not a cure-all, it has helped some. Talk to your pediatrician.
I have been blogging about melatinon use for the last week as my son started using it on Tuesday. Were in the UK some had to get it though the GP as it is a perscripsion only med here. The first night was crazy. He slept after an hour but woke 2 hours later and was awake alnight. But since then it’s worked which is amazing as he can lay awake in darkness to 5am and with school at 9am it’s barney. Last two nights he has slept from 8.30pm and it’s helped so much in terms of behaviour. Thanks again:)
Clairelouise.
Hi there
This awesome site of yours finally galvanised me into action and my son is being assessed soon and will start FForword in the next week.
He has reacted so well to Headsprout and other computer type interventions. He has autism and attentional difficulties mainly caused by I think CPD but we will see what the Speech and Language evaluation brings out.
Please could you tell me what kind of baseline test I could ask the Speech and Language Pathologist to do?
For the next 12 weeks he will be following the program then his ABA/VB school will pick it up I believe (might carry on at home if all goes well, we shall see.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Sorry for all these difficult questions!!
MommaJ
@ Momma J: I don’t know what the baseline tests are for Speech and Language. The thing to do is ask the Speech and Language Pathologist and get them to tell you what tests they’re doing and why because that will give YOU an idea whether they know what they’re doing or not. I’ve had all sorts of speech-language experts and they’ve given me everything from a handwritten list of weak areas (in which she wrote down at least two of the items twice), to a verbal discussion of the areas that needed to be worked on, to a full on battery of tests and reports.
IMHO, the most important thing is to LOVE your speech pathologist, to be able to connect with them, know that they’re connecting with your child. They should be able to explain to you why they’re working on the things they’re working and explain to you CLEARLY and with enthusiasm where they see your child progressing. I am describing the best speech path we worked with, and I would drive to the ends of the earth for her services. Don’t settle necessarily for the first speech path that crosses your path. Find someone who chose that field because they love and are fascinated by language and communication and love working with kids.
The baseline tests are important but just don’t get your child bogged down in taking endless tests and never getting to the work.
Stop by again soon, and let us know how things are progressing.
I am doing some research on fast Forword for a friend of mine who has a son with language comprehension problems. At this point, I would like to know who are the good medical specalists in the Vancouver area who have experience with Fast Forword.
Hi,
I was recently directed to your blog by a friend (CM). I plan to pick up the book that you have suggested. My daughter has been diagnosed by the school with CAPD. We are waiting for a referral to the audiology dept at SMH. I am finding that the speech pathologist at the school knows very little about it. The teachers even less. I see that the Surrey school district has implemented Fast Forword. How does this work in regards to using the program. Is it done at school. Is it only offered at certain schools? I presently live in Langley. Really I want to know where to start.
Thanks
Hi and welcome Melisa,
In Surrey it’s just at specific sites so students at those sites get preference but other students can get an after school slot. So, you could always move to Surrey! If you go to the Fast ForWord site there is listing for US and Canada providers. Here’s the link to the parent’s page
The book and finding a provider are excellent places to start. Feel free to come back and let us know how it’s going.
Oh! And I just realized I should have also given you a cautionary note. I went to at least three providers looking for Fast ForWord who then sold me on different programmes other than Fast ForWord. I wonder if there might be less financial incentive to do Fast ForWord or something. Anyway, having tried quite a few other therapies, I would suggest sticking to your original intent of getting the Fast ForWord because in my opinion it’s the most effective. Let the provider know that you’re open to trying other things AFTER you’ve done Fast ForWord but not before.
Do you know if the Surrey school district recognizes CAPD? Do they do an IEP for kids with CAPD and therefore code/ designate them under the Ministry of Education? Are there any school districts that do this? My school district says they never have and never will, however I have been in touch with 2 people at the Ministry and they say that kids with CAPD must be coded/ designated and recieve the adaptations or services needed or they suffer academically, emotionally and socially. I can say this is true. I have 2 sons with CAPD.
I don’t know. Unfortunately, I think it requires a phone call to each district that you’re thinking about attending. I’m sure armed with that information from the Ministry the individual schools or districts would have a hard time arguing otherwise.
I am looking to move back to Surrey. If I phone the school district they should tell me what specific schools have it. My daughter’s speech and language just left the school for personal reasons. So we are back at square 1 again. I will keep you updated. Thank you for the information on the providers. Enjoy your day.
My son, now 11, went from a child with many psychosomatic illness (which on many occasions kept him home from school) who said “I suck at reading – I suck at everything” to a thriving happy, engaged child who is doing well at school. I credit Fast ForWord entirely with his remarkable transformation. When he was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder and as dyslexic in grade three, I devoted my life to researching remedial strategies for dyslexia. My son would always plateau and be left at a level far below his peers. His self esteem and confidence plummeted. I researched the principles underlying Fast ForWord and they seemed to make sense. I am now a Fast ForWord Provider in North Vancouver, BC and am bringing this life changing opportunity to struggling students in my area. Fast ForWord is expensive, but it is worth every penny. Please read our story on the Reading and Learning Pathways web site and tell anyone you know about this life changing opportunity. There are many Fast ForWord providers throughout Canada and the USA who will work with students locally or at a distance. I am happy to connect people with a provider in their area. Our kids are our future.
Thanks for sharing a wealth of info. I am currently researching the FF program for my 9 year old daughter. We live in Toronto, Ontario and unfortunately it looks like FF is not in our school system but found Scholars Education Centre is a provider for the program. Curious if you had any other suggestions for providers. I am guessing there are private and online options to do at home or with a provider?
Sorry, I don’t have suggestions for providers. If it were me, I would make it as easy as possible for myself and likely choose the home online version with only provider consult. But, it depends too on whether you’re more likely to do it if you have to go somewhere at an appointed time. It’s kind of like whether you’re more likely to do your workout if it’s readily available and easy to do at home on DVD or whether you need to join a running group that meets at an appointed time.
Thanks for the information. Very helpful. My son is in Grade 5 and is dyslexic. I have been doing so much research to try to find something to help him. I finally found a Fast Forward provider online – signed up today. I didn’t know there were many providers so I signed up with a U.S. provider for 12 months and it’s costing $229 U.S per month (it was more if I took a shorter duration). He is reading at a grade 1 level so they suggested he could use the 12months. Is this the going rate? Any advice? I wish all schools offered programs like this because reading is not a luxury and I refuse to give up on my son learning to read, even though the school seems to say some kids never learn to read.
Sorry Montreal Mom, I have no idea if this is the going rate. It sure sounds expensive though! Don’t give up on your son. Keep trying stuff. My daughter graduated with a grade 12 diploma and is upgrading her courses now through Adult Education now that the pressure is off to graduate. And with very little assistance from us or her therapists, she’s getting a B in English 12. For her, her turning point was Fast ForWord. For other kids, it could be something else.
Hi, I’m writing a blog about our experience using Fast Forword with my 9 year old son. Check it out if you’re interested! Thanks-Audio Momio
Momio, can you share the link? I’d like to check out your blog.
Montreal Mom, if you click Momio’s name it should take you to her site.
Thanks for finallyy talking about >Fast ForWord |
Tentative Equinox <Loved it!
Hello, curious based on you experience with fast forward did the improvements your children experienced remain? Or after the program did you see them slowly slip back to where they were when they started the program? Thank you! Mindy
Both kids are still readers so that’s good. I would say the gains in short term memory didn’t last and would take ongoing work.
Do you feel that Fastforward helped processing speed in the long run.
Now, that 10 years have passed. What do you think about Fast Forward and how is helped your children?
Wow. It has been 10 years. It’s hard to say. My children on the whole are doing really well. The two that did the program are getting good grades in university. They both still read which they started to do of their own accord after doing Fast ForWord. They both have jobs. It’s just hard to parse out what part of their success came from Fast ForWord. Of all the alternative therapies I tried, it’s the only one I would recommend others to try. But it certainly wasn’t a substitute for therapy, or when necessary medication.
But I forgot about JUMP Math. Fast ForWord and Jump Math are the two outside the norm programs I would recommend.