Jenna's Miracle

By Lynn L. West, PhDc, BCETS, LCPC

Lynn L. West & Associates, LLC

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Jenna's Miracle

At barely 9-years old, Jenna is the picture of a bright, bouncy, smart, industrious third grade girl. Jenna looks like a picture in a magazine, with long flowing brown hair that reaches to the middle of her back and a constant smile on her face. Nobody would ever guess that just four months ago, Jenna was struggling so much with learning her academic lessons that she was in danger of falling well behind the pace needed to keep up with the rest of her classmates.
Jennas mother is the consummate teacher, with unwavering patience and never ending encouragement for Jenna, no matter how long it takes for Jenna to learn her school lessons. Despite her mothers best efforts and continuing hope that Jenna would be able to overcome her learning problems, Jennas academic performance continued to be compromised by problems with the nerve pathways in her brain and Central Nervous System involved in the functions of cognitive operations. In Jennas case, her difficulties were secondary to some birth complications that interrupted the flow of oxygen to her brain for a short period of time during the postnatal period. Other than some minor articulation challenges and her relative difficulty with her compromised “attention system”, Jennas developmental milestones have all been meet on time.
Communication on the nerve pathways involved in cognitive operations require enough signal strength and amplitude to move in an orderly manner from one data point to another data point. Signals proceed along pathways in particular sequences until they reach their final designated location and the action in the brain has been carried out. Problems with neurons conducting signaling are observed as behaviors such as distractibility, impulsivity, and an inability to sustain attentional focus or shift mental attitude when required, difficulty organizing and categorizing newly learned information, memory problems and particular difficulties with visual imagery and motor integration.
Jenna was given a psychostimulant to address her “signaling” problems. Psychostimulants work similarly to Viagra, but on the neurons of the brain pathways involved in cognitive operational functions. They boost the signal strength, amplitude and power of the signals so that the information can get from data point to data point, going where its supposed to go and not getting lost, derailed, or grounded on the way to its target location.
In Jennas case, the effect of the psychostimulant was so dramatic so quickly that her mother broke into tears. In two months period of time, Jenna finished all of her past second grade. Her mathematics skills advanced so quickly through three grades that she is now working at the top of her class. Her reading comprehension paralleled her advance in mathematics. Watching Jenna work through two and a half years of learning in less than two months of time is more than amazing; it is just stunning to observe. Jenna has gained self-confidence for the first time in her life. Jenna just beams with pride. This is what a miracle looks like in Jennas world. Everything from now on is possible for Jenna, because she has the key to her success.