Annals of Quackery: Hypnosis and Dyslexia

Note: this post has been edited.  I moved my comment, with further criticism, from the comments section to the body of the post.

One Marilyn Redmond is promising "new hope for dyslexia":

Marilyn Redmond, Clinical Hypnotist and Registered Counselor, in Edgewood, Washington is combining hypnosis with other complimentary health methods to improve the process with children and adults. When she heard the latest scientific release that Russian biophysicist and molecular biologist Pjotr Garjajev has scientifically proven that affirmations along with meditation/ hypnosis (another term for meditation) will raise consciousness, well-being, and even change DNA, she became interested in helping students with Dyslexia.

What a load of hogwash.

This is the material I added:

As justification for offering hypnosis for dyslexia, your press release reads in part:

"There is a new use for therapeutic hypnosis and holistic counseling. Harold B. Crasilneck, Ph.D., and James A. Hall, M.D. of Dallas Texas states that relatively little use of hypnosis is used in treating dyslexia. However, they report that “three-fourths of the dyslexic children treated through hypnosis demonstrated moderate to marked improvement.” "

I went looking for scientific evidence of this claim. 

1. Crasilneck and Hall as joint authors have published six articles, according to PubMed. None deal with dyslexia, reading, or learning disabilities.

2. The statement above implies that Crasilneck and Hall have recently announced the effectiveness of hypnosis for dyslexia. The most recent of their articles was published twenty-eight years ago.  This is hardly cutting-edge research,especially in light of the great increase in the roots of dyslexia revealed by brain-imaging studies by Shaywitz, Eden, Beringer and Aylward, among others.  The claim that  “three-fourths of the dyslexic children treated through hypnosis demonstrated moderate to marked improvement.” seems to be drawn from Crasilneck and Hall's 1985 handbook,  Clinical hypnosis: principles and applications, 2nd Ed, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. 

3. Again according to a PubMed search, there are absolutely no controlled studies indicating that hypnosis is an effective approach to remediating dyslexia.

4.  The press release also claims that hypnosis is a valid treatment for dyslexia based on  a "scientific release"  from a  Russian  scientist, biophysicist and molecular biologist Pjotr Garjajev, with the following claims

scientifically proven that affirmations along with meditation/ hypnosis (another term for meditation) will raise consciousness, well-being, and even change DNA

Garjajev has no citations in Pubmed.   The claim for DNA modulation seems to come from the article entitled, "The Biological Chip in our Cells", by Grazyna Fosar and Franz Bludorf, published on their website, "German Magazine KonteXt reports on current developments within the ranges of border science and spirituality."   There are a number of claims made, but no data to back up the claims.  Remember, "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof".  We can reject the Fosar-Bludorf claims for lacking evidence.

5. The press release also states "Frustrated parents and schools have not found ways to improve or resolve this malady [dyslexia] for successful school careers." That is also not true, on two counts.

a. Dyslexia is not a "malady" in the sense of disease, ailment, or unwholesome condition.  It is a neurological variation in how the brain processes the relation between symbol and sound.

b. "not found ways to improve" --this is just a flat misstatement of truth.  Multi-sensory, structured, intensive, instruction in synthetic phonics will allow most children to learn to read.    Anne Alexander and Anne-Marie Slinger Constant's article "Current Status of Treatments for Dyslexia: Critical Review"  (J Child Neurol.  2004; 19 (10): 744-758.) is perhaps the most comprehensive  current review:

treatment studies have shown that the majority of children respond to evidence-based treatment interventions

Yes, there are children who continue to struggle despite being in comprehensive programs, and there is certainly room for improvment in  both diagnosis and treatment options.  Alexander and Constant suggest a checklist:

• An evidence-based program to remediate dyslexia and the phonological system weakness
• Evaluate child's ability to focus/pay attention (remediate as necessary)
• Evaluate the child's  working memory function (remediate as necessary)
• Evaluate the child's executive function,(remediate as necessary)
• Evaluate the child's sensorimotor capacity (the ability for fine and gross motor control. Deficits in this area can lead to dysgraphia.  (remediate as necessary)
• Evaluate the child's psychological status (ADHD and dyslexia have a high degree of co-incidence; anxiety disorders also seem to be associated with specific language disorders)

I do not see the utility for a primary, secondary, or even tertiary role for hypnosis in the checklist above. 

Parents, if your child has difficulty learning to read, do not waste your child's precious brain, or your money,  on twaddle such as hypnosis.  (Or colored lenses, or balance training, or optometric interventions like vision therapy,  or  seasickness drugs or movement therapies.)

Back to the original post:

What should parents of poor readers do?  Here's what works: multisensory, methodical  instruction in phonemic awareness, grapheme-phoneme correspondence, and further training in the structure of the English language.

If there isn't a Masonic Children's Learning Center near you,  an independent  Orton-Gillingham-based remedial program (see list below),  or you can't find other help, go to Susan Barton's website and learn to tutor your child.

A list of  good solid programs follows.  Here's a description of effective teaching.

• Orton-Gillingham       The pure, unchanged, original method.
• Barton Reading & Spelling System Designed for one-on-one tutoring of children, teenagers and adults by parents, volunteer tutors, resource or reading specialists, and professional tutors. This simplified Orton-Gillingham approach is easy to learn. Tutor training is provided on videotape, along with fully scripted lesson plans.
• Slingerland       Designed for classroom settings of young children in the first, second, and third grades.
• Herman Method    Recently acquired by Lexia.  The Herman Method can be used by both parents and teachers.
  
• MTA (Multi-sensory Teaching Approach) as developed by Margaret Taylor Smith.
  
• Alphabetic Phonics       Designed for one-on-one tutoring of children.       This is the method developed at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.
• Wilson Reading System       Initially designed for one-on-one tutoring of adults, their new version can be used with children in third grade or higher.
• Project Read   is  designed to  be delivered in the regular classroom or by special education, chapter one, and reading teachers who work with children or adolescents with language learning problems.
  
• Recipe for Reading    This is a book with associated workbooks that teachers and parents may use to help a child slow to read progress.   It is the least complete of all the systems listed here.
• Preventing Academic Failure (PAF)   "a program for teaching reading, spelling, and handwriting in grades K-3. It has been proven successful in over 25 years of use in public and private schools. Thousands of children, many with learning disabilities, have learned to read thanks to PAF."
• Lindamood Instruction in Phonemic Segmentation (LiPS)

There's also the Institute for Multi-Sensory Teaching.

Comments

[Marilyn Redmond]

I have a problem with your putting down something you know nothing about. I taught school for 44 years and know the anguish of those children. I taught the Slingerland method, which is only a behavior model approach and is helpful to a point. I now know how to help people with their problems from a subconscious approach, which heals at the origin of the condition. Your limited insight from society is only critical and does nothing to enhance real solutions now revealed for people's lives. There are alternative methods that are pioneering and a god-sent to those suffering. It only takes an open-mind and desire to heal the root cause of the condition.

Please share truth and not opinion.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance--that principle is contempt prior to investifation." Herbert Spencer

"There are in truth no incurable conditions.." Edgar Cayce

Ms. Redmond is a Professional Speaker and consultant focuses on Therapeutic Hypnotherapy/ Holistic Counseling. In Manchester’s ‘Who’s Who’ for her pioneering work in healing the causes of trauma and illness. Inspirational and knowledgeable presentations from personal understanding and study. Addresses all addictions, illness,domestic violence, rape, relationships, health, and healing. Shares over 44 years of teaching school, college, and research for solutions. Award-winning international writer, minister and member of the National Speakers Association, American Counseling Association,and American Board of Hypnotherapy.

[liz]

Interesting that you should say "truth". As justification for offering hypnosis for dyslexia, your press release reads in part:

"There is a new use for therapeutic hypnosis and holistic counseling. Harold B. Crasilneck, Ph.D., and James A. Hall, M.D. of Dallas Texas states that relatively little use of hypnosis is used in treating dyslexia. However, they report that “three-fourths of the dyslexic children treated through hypnosis demonstrated moderate to marked improvement.” "

I went looking for scientific evidence of this claim.

1. Crasilneck and Hall as joint authors have published six articles, according to PubMed. None deal with dyslexia, reading, or learning disabilities.

2. The statement above implies that Crasilneck and Hall have recently announced the effectiveness of hypnosis for dyslexia. The most recent of their articles was published twenty-eight years ago. Hardly cutting-edge research.

3. Again according to a PubMed search, there are absolutely no controlled studies indicating that hypnosis is an effective approach to remediating dyslexia.

4. Your press release also states "Frustrated parents and schools have not found ways to improve or resolve this malady [dyslexia] for successful school careers." That is also not true, on two counts.

a. Dyslexia is not a "malady" in the sense of disease, ailment, or unwholesome condition. Yes it is a handicap, but one that can be remediated.
b. "not found ways to improve" --WRONG! Early intervention, and focussed, effective teaching that addresses the child's underlying issues will lead to success.

If you taught Slingerland for so many years, perhaps your technique decayed over time.

Your press release did not say that you would evaluate whatever remedial education the child had already undergone. Certainly there are ineffective programs,such as Reading Recovery, that can lead to further frustration for the child.

[Camille]

Hi,

I have a friend whose son is very seriously dyslexic and on the autism spectrum, and so is his sister, though the sister, I think reads more easily than he does now, learning was quite difficult for her... at any rate, their mom thinks "lindamood-bell" is fantastic. She used to get a journal from the Orton society, and was very well read on dyslexia.

I don't have any opinion about any of the methods you recommended and I'm sure the stuff you labelled as bunk is bunk, but was curious why you didn't mention Lindamood-Bell.

[liz]

Camille said,

"I don't have any opinion about any of the methods you recommended and I'm sure the stuff you labelled as bunk is bunk, but was curious why you didn't mention Lindamood-Bell."

The next-to-last link in my recommended list was for Lindamood-Bell. That program is (a) pretty widely available (b) the difference that made the difference for my dyslexic daughter.

[Camille]

Ah, now I see Lindamood on your list, I was skimming too quicky (hmmm, dyslexia?) before. Thanks.

[Reverend Marilyn Redmond]

I appreciated your thourough research. Try reading "Vibrational Medicine" by Dr. Richard Gerber. Author of Theraperutic Touch Dr. Dolores Krieger says that Dr. Richard Gerber has brought together an extensive compilaition of information on human energy systems that serves to make clear the significant bioenergetic principles emerging in our time for the development of a new "Einsteinian Medicine".

I have healed six addictions, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Fybrmyalgia, hypogycemia, and more through raising my energy, through various support as prayer, mediation/hypnosis, affirmations and other vibrational means. Our bodies are energy fields and when the energy is raised into a higher power, healing results. I am a walking example of this works!

Don't rain on the parade of people looking for healing and are able to look inside themselves and change necessary messages to truth which manifest as wholeness and health. I have never been healthier in my life from this process which will work in most areas of life. Most people work on the conscious level, but our subconscious level is the root of our difficulties.

[liz]

Here's the index-card version:
The seven warning signs that a "scientific" claim requires more examination (all seven, probably bogus; 4-6, bring caution to bear; 1-3, might be plausible:

1. The discoverer pitches the claim directly to the media.

2. The discoverer says that a powerful establishment is trying to suppress his or her work.

3. The scientific effect involved is always at the very limit of detection.

4. Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal. ("data" is not the plural of "anecdote.")

5. The discoverer says a belief is credible because it has endured for centuries.

6. The discoverer has worked in isolation.

7. The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation.

[simon]

Your comment 'twaddle like hypnosis' is far too general to have any credibility. Additionally, your review of the evidence lacks detail, and you consequently appear to be making a polemical argument based on value judgements rather then true scientific evidence (or lack thereof).

There are other areas where hypnotherapy has proven to be effective compared to other interventions and controls/placebos, such as IBS (e.g. Whorwell et al., 1984; 1987), pain control (e.g. Domangue, 1985).

Additionally, you mention the anxiety associated with dyslexia. Add in the low self esteem and depression that can be correlated with the condition, and you have three areas that lend themselves quite nicely to different forms of psychotherapy, such as counselling, CBT hypnotherapy etc. How you managed to miss this amazes me!

I am sorry, but your blanket arguments against hypnosis are extremely sloppy. And the fact that the only source you use is PubMed is rather concerning. Before you go public, you should at least consider a broader range of evidence and thus know what you are talking about. Because at the moment, your comments suggest a dire lack of understanding.

Therefore, to help you, I provide a variety of linkson hypnosis and hypnotherapy research:

http://www.mcmaster.ca/inabis98/woody/de_pascalis0311/two.html

http://www.counselorsassociated.com/lifechange3b.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~surrey.hypno/hypnosis_R.htm

[simon]

I just thought I would add that the person making the claim that hypnosis and meditation and hypnosis are the same thing is sadly lacking in understanding. Allow me to explain the differences:

HYPNOSIS

Brain imaging techniques show an overall increase in activity during hypnosis, particularly in the motor and sensory areas. This suggests heightened mental imagery. Additionally, there is an increase in blood flow observed in the right anterior cingulate, which suggests that attention is focussed in internal events.

MEDITATION

Brain scans show a reduction of activity in the parietal, anterior and premotor cortexes( areas associated with stimuli seeking).

Therefore, very different states of mind.

Source: Carter, R. (2002) 'Mapping the Mind', London, Phoenix, pp. 318-9.

[LG]

Remember, this guy is Russian and his name would be in Cyrillic alphabet. Garjajev is the German transliteration (the Germans tend to use J for our Y sound). In PubMed, that is in English, we usually would expect to see this name spelled "Gariaev." A PubMed search for Gariaev PP shows twelve articles.

[peter walsh]

I believe that Crasilneck and Hall were Geniuses. I have got great results from using their methods.....which are thoroughly tried and tested !

I believe that dyslexia is aggravated by stress , induced by poor reading ability , and expection ,making mistakes and being held to ridicule.....

This can obviously be helped , by Hypnotherapy.....as can Stopping Smoking....Losing weight.....and Alcoholism....which are all "Stress related"....

[peter walsh]

I believe that Crasilneck and Hall were Geniuses. I have got great results from using their methods.....which are thoroughly tried and tested !

I believe that dyslexia is aggravated by stress , induced by poor reading ability , and expection ,making mistakes and being held to ridicule.....

This can obviously be helped , by Hypnotherapy.....as can Stopping Smoking....Losing weight.....and Alcoholism....which are all "Stress related"....

[Pam]

I teach Lindamood Bell in a public school. It hasn't done great things for everyone, but it has helped my most desperate students. One thing it has not helped is their attitude about their abilities. My students come in very closed down about academics- especially reading. There is so much time and effort expended as they resist instruction because of their fear of failure. Even as they make progress they don't see themselves as learners. This is how I ended up reading this page - I want to find out more about hypnosis and disabilities. Clearly hypnosis can change a person's attitude, so why not give it a try? It's not harmful in any way. I have parents pumping their kids full of all kinds of drugs in an effort to change them.
My son has Asperger's Syndrome and I tried all kinds of pwacky treatments for him. Who really knows what worked? All I know is that he's doing quite well - he's in a very competitive college far from home and seems to be doing okay. He still a little weird, but he's able to function.
My students do better when they are happy, relaxed and think they can do it. If hypnosis can help them get to that state, then I think it's worth a shot.