Learning Difficulty – Adult

Patient: 46 year old female

Complaint: Patient was working on a second Bachelors degree. She is a smart woman and typically earned A’s. However, she was having difficulty obtaining greater than a C in her statistics class. Even when working on her first Bachelor’s, the patient struggled with math. At that time, she understood the concepts and would even assist others in preparing for exams. Yet, upon testing, while the same classmates she had helped study would earn A’s, Melissa usually only scored around a C.

While assisting me with NIS for their son who is diagnosed with Aspergers, her husband questioned if NIS might helped his wife with the about mention issue. The husband had been trying to help the patient study without success. Both adults were very frustrated with her lack of success.

Medical Diagnosis: The Patient has consistent poor performance in mathematical testing..

Summary: Initial treatment was administered on Thursday. Friday she obtained a B on a statistics test!

The patient didn’t think the treatment could work that quickly. On subsequent Fridays, she obtained A’s and earned an A on the final exam.

  • Patient reported she felt better cognitively and was learning math concepts more easily.
  • She finished a book in 3 weeks instead of her usual 4.
  • She looked brighter, was smiling, and reported she was happier.
  • A sore that had been on her mouth for three years had healed.
  • She reported she felt better cognitively and was learning math concepts more easily.
  • She and her husband reported her manner of dealing with stress was greatly improved.

Results reported later:

  • Improved comprehension with reading and examinations and ability to deal with issues that arise in a calmer fashion. Improved bowel regularity and feels more rested.
  • The dark circles under her eyes were less and the color in her face was better and has fewer facial breakouts. Improved eating and drinking patterns (she is very thin).
  • Ability to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. A bit happier with things around her. Her husband related that her ability to focus has increased dramatically and that her ability to cope with change and sudden stress is much better.

The patient initiated work on this college degree in the fall of 2008. She was initially treated in July of 2009. She graduated in the spring of 2010. At the onset of treatment, her grade point average was 2.8. At graduation, her G.P.A had improved to 3.2.

As the semesters passed, the difficulty of class work increased, and at the end of her program she was doing graduate level research. Although the difficulty of the case work increased, she was able to continue to improve her grade point average. She continued to come in for a session near the end of each semester prior to finals to ensure top grades.


Submitted by: Jacquelin Kilburn, Occupational Therapist
Michigan, USA


Learning difficulties from an NIS perspective. This area may be considered a flagship complaint for the NIS system. Investigation into neurological disorganisation and this very area was where Dr Phillips’ research first began, and what has made him well known locally in New Zealand.

Learning difficulties are expressed by a range of labels: ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, aspergers syndrome & increasingly – autism. Regardless of the combination of symptoms – as far as NIS is concerned they are represented by the one banner of “Neurological disorganization”.

This is an issue most commonly associated with children, but there are many adults that are also affected by this complaint.