Testimonials

  • Catriona, age 6 – Attention Difficulties and Auditory Processing Difficulties 

    Catriona, age 6 – Attention Difficulties and Auditory Processing Difficulties 

    “…Catriona’s has improved tenfold. Reading , spelling, interaction in class. But most importantly Catriona’s behaviour is back to normal. So it looks like the work you’re doing is giving many children a better chance in life…”

    Hi Ronan, 

    Just a brief update on Catriona’s pro29. Cathal, age 2. SLDgress. Heather went to catch up with Catriona’s teacher, to be honest I was very nervous. 

    Needless to say I was blown away when Heather came home and told me Catriona’s has improved ten fold. Reading , spelling, interaction in class. But most importantly Catriona’s behaviour is back to normal. 

    So it looks like the work you’re doing is giving many children a better chance in life. 

    That’s a mighty sense of job satisfaction. 

    Best wishes, 

    Aidan , Heather & Catriona, March 2018 – Dublin 

  • Owen, age 3 – Speech & Language Difficulties

    Owen, age 3 – Speech & Language Difficulties

    “…The results were almost instant, over the course of phase 1 Owens vocabulary exploded and very quickly he was able to put 2 words together with ease…He’s more sociable and confident and can follow instructions without hesitation…The headphones didn’t bother him whatsoever and he saw it as play time…”

    Our son, Owen, had approx. 100 words as he approached his 3rd birthday, most of which were very difficult to understand due to poor pronunciation. He would get frustrated when we couldn’t understand him and was prone to tantrums when told no. 

    Cluas was recommended to us by a friend whose son was also experiencing speech difficulties. 

    The Cluas office set up is fantastic for children with plenty of toys to allow them explore without feeling under pressure. The consultation with Cluas was very thorough and we were made aware that Owen had a significant speech and language delay, it became apparent that we had been over estimating how much Owen understood as he was relying on gestures and environmental cues. He was unable to answer simple questions such as ‘what’s your name’, ‘what age are you’. As a parent this was a very worrying reality that Owen was so far behind his peers. 

    We decided to go ahead with the Cluas program and started 2 days after his 3rd birthday. I was skeptical about how Owen would react to the headphones but they didn’t bother him whatsoever and he saw it as play time. The results were almost instant, over the course of phase 1 Owens vocabulary exploded and very quickly he was able to put 2 words together with ease. He was able to answer questions relating to his name, age, sisters name etc Part of phase 1 was targeted at improving Owen’s understanding and we could see he was making great strides in this area too, we were better able to reason with him and saw less tantrums and frustration. It was post phase 1 that we were able to successfully toilet train Owen as his understanding increased. 

    Phase 2 saw Owen go from strength to strength learning colours, numbers, singing songs and he began putting more and more words together. 

    Watching Owen during phase 3 was like pieces of a puzzle coming together, suddenly he was using connecter words, verbs, understanding and using concepts like ‘under’, ‘out’, ‘in’, ‘on’ etc. 

    When we started our Cluas journey it was evident that Owen couldn’t communicate effectively and it felt like we would never be able to catch him up, now Owen doesn’t stop talking! He’s more sociable and confident and can follow instructions without hesitation. He recently started Playschool and settled in straight away, I know he would not have been ready for that transition prior to doing the Cluas program. 

    Throughout the Cluas program the support and guidance from Ronan has been incredible, his expertise and practical advice have been a constant source of comfort. He has a wonderful manner with children and Owen always ran into the office happy to be there. 

    It is astonishing to think how far Owen has come in such a short space of time. We feel the program has unlocked Owens potential and would highly recommend Cluas. 

    Many thanks, Lisa. 

    Lisa, September 2018 – Dublin 

  • Henry, age 2 – Speech & Language Difficulties 

    Henry, age 2 – Speech & Language Difficulties 

    “…Although skeptical of how it would work, we decided to proceed with the program and have not looked back since. We could see an instant improvement in Henry. His progression has been fantastic and it’s been great seeing his personality open up as a result…”

    At 2 years of age Henry was practically non-verbal. He spoke only a handful of words. Initially we had put it down to laziness or others speaking for him. 

    After being referred for Speech and Language Therapy by the Public Health Nurse we decided to go to Cluas. Henry was diagnosed with a heightened sensitivity to sound. When explained everything fell into place and made sense to us as to why Henry would run when the hoover, hairdryer was turned on and why he would shy away when singing songs. 

    Although skeptical of how it would work, we decided to proceed with the program and have not looked back since. We could see an instant improvement in Henry. His progression has been fantastic and it’s been great seeing his personality open up as a result. 

    At times the program has been testing with Henry being pushed to his limits but every minute has been worth it when we see him grow with not only vocabulary but in his confidence also. 

    Family and friends have been amazed at the progress Henry has achieved in such a short space of time. 

    Ronan and Pascal have been fantastic and we thank them for all the support they have provided. 

    We would 100% recommend Cluas. 

    Audrey, August 2018 – Dublin 

  • Peadar, age 5 – Sensory Processing Disorder 

    Peadar, age 5 – Sensory Processing Disorder 

    “…Without the Cluas staff’s personal concern and experience, I don’t think he would have progressed as far as he has.  Peadar may never filter sound as effectively as the average person but he can now tolerate, cope and live with it in a way that has improved his and our family’s quality of life…”

    Peadar was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder at 3 years old. He would get distressed in noisy environments, becoming hyper or even noisier himself and he always talked at the top of his voice in supermarkets, cafés, playgrounds etc.  I was concerned about how he would cope in school, both in the classroom and noisy yard. 

    Cluas was recommended to me and he did their consultation at 4 ½ years old.  It showed his hypersensitivity to noise and his inability to filter background sounds effectively.  The moment Peadar started the therapy, he showed improvements in balance, ability to focus on play without seeking feedback from me, reduced sensitivity to touching textures he didn’t like (e.g. certain foods and water), and was more patient with his noisy little brother.  Some days, the music overstimulated him but I was able to contact Cluas at any time and they always responded immediately with advice and solutions that best helped Peadar to cope and continue.  This individual attention was replicated in the response to the continuing consultations, where Peadar’s specific needs were reflected in the tailoring and tweaking of the programme to help him progress. 

    Over the course of the Cluas programme, friends and relatives have commented on how much more socially engaged Peadar is, holding two-way conversations and reacting calmer and more naturally with other children in noisy places.  The big test came on the first day of school with nearly 400 kids and their parents filling the concrete walled yard with incredible noise.  Peadar never covered his ears, never cried, and didn’t shout!  He spotted his friends and went over to play with them, showing no signs of distress from the noise.  Amazing.  He now comes home from school full of chat about what he learnt, so I know he is filtering sound and listening to his teacher. 

    Peadar required a number of extra therapy stages before showing a lasting effect but they have been worth it.  After the final stage, he even stopped talking at the top of his voice!  Without the Cluas staff’s personal concern and experience, I don’t think he would have progressed as far as he has.  Peadar may never filter sound as effectively as the average person but he can now tolerate, cope and live with it in a way that has improved his and our family’s quality of life – thanks to the Cluas staff and their listening programme. 

    Laura, September 2017 – Dublin 

  • Owen, age 12 – Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder 

    Owen, age 12 – Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder 

    “Owen is a 12 year old boy with gross motor dyspraxia and sensory integration dysfunction.  Before the programme he had difficulty sleeping, concentrating for long periods and bi lateral coordination. Following the Cluas programme he is sleeping better and achieving more of his potential at school. He is generally calmer and happier. I would strongly…

    “Owen is a 12 year old boy with gross motor dyspraxia and sensory integration dysfunction.  Before the programme he had difficulty sleeping, concentrating for long periods and bi lateral coordination. Following the Cluas programme he is sleeping better and achieving more of his potential at school. He is generally calmer and happier. I would strongly recommend this programme.” 

    Patricia, June 2017 – Dublin

  • Brendan, age 6 – Sensory Processing Difficulties

    Brendan, age 6 – Sensory Processing Difficulties

    “…Brendan was diagnosed with a SPD and the Cluas program was recommended to us by the occupational therapist…He has now finished the program, and we are thrilled with the results… He now loves school and his teacher is delighted with him and with how much he has improved…”

    Once Brendan started school it became apparent that all was not right. He was lost in his school work and had no confidence. He was a very cross little boy. He was diagnosed with a SPD and the Cluas program was recommended to us by the OT. 

    We were willing to try anything to help Brendan. 

    He is now finished the program and we are thrilled with the results. Our happy little boy is back. His school work has hugely improved, everyone who knows him has commented on the positive changed in him. 

    He craves knowledge and loves to show you what he knows. His tantrums are gone or at least are normal for a six year old. 

    It certainly was a challenge for Brendan going through the program but we kept it positive for him and bribed him as needed to get it done! 

    He himself can see the changes. He now loves school and his teacher is delighted with him and with how much he has improved. 

    Thank you Pascal and Ronan for running this wonderful program. 

    Claire, March 2017 – Dublin   

  • Russel, age 14 – Dyslexia 

    Russel, age 14 – Dyslexia 

    “…We took our 14 year son, who is dyslexic, to Cluas in August 2016… The results have been very positive.  At our most recent meetings with his teachers 50% of them, without our prompting, commented on our son’s improved concentration and ability to listen in class…”

    We took our 14 year old son, who is dyslexic, to Cluas in August 2014. During the previous 6 months we had a number of discussions with his school in which it was brought to our attention that our son had serious problems concentrating in class. Additionally, we were told that he was disrupting the class because he was also distracting some of his fellow pupils. 

    We were looking for a solution and discovered Cluas on the internet. At first we were a bit sceptical but as we did additional research and read more about the approach we became more comfortable with the program and decided to give it a try. 

    Once our son got used to wearing the headphones for 2 hours at a time the program went very smoothly. 

    The results have been very positive.  At our most recent meetings with his teachers 50% of them, without our prompting, commented on our son’s improved concentration and ability to listen in class. The others, when asked, gave us similar feedback. We asked all of his teachers if he was still distracting the other pupils – we got an emphatic ‘no’ to the question. In fact we got no negative feedback from any of his teachers. 

    Many thanks to Pascal and Ronan. 

    Robert, February 2017 – Dublin 

  • Soracha, age 16 – Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Difficulties 

    Soracha, age 16 – Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Difficulties 

    “… Soracha was refusing to go to school and since starting the Cluas program she has greatly improved in her self-esteem. It was a bit of a struggle to get her to keep the headphones on but as she noticed the improvements she did not mind it anymore…”

    Soracha had major difficulty starting in fifth year in school and was refusing to go to School. Soracha started the Cluas programme in November ‘15.  She got sick during the course and Ronan and Pascal had great patience with her and gave extra time for the programme.

    Soracha has changed school but we have noticed  improvement in her self-esteem.  She acknowledges how well she can concentrate now and is reading novels.  She will do her school work without nagging and seems to enjoy it more.

    At the start she was not too happy with the ear phones for a whole two hours but as she noticed the improvement she did not mind the second and third part of the programme.

    I would recommend this programme to any young person with dyspraxia.

    Siobhan, June 2016 – Co. Galway 

  • Rian, age 4 – Speech & Language Difficulties, Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Rian, age 4 – Speech & Language Difficulties, Autism Spectrum Disorder

    “…My son, age 4, was non-verbal, showing some characteristics of Autism. He was in his own world, anti-social, and would often get very upset for no apparent reason… Since starting the Cluas programme we noticed big changes in him. The humming was gone. He became more focused and aware of everything happening around him…”

    My son, age 4, was non-verbal, showing some characteristics of Autism. He was in his own world, anti-social, and would often get very upset for no apparent reason, spend a lot of his time humming to himself, to name a few. I came across the Cluas.ie website and felt that he needed this to help him. So, after talking to Pascal, my husband and I started the Cluas programme without any delay. 

    Within days of the first session, we noticed big changes in him. The humming was gone. He became more focused and aware of everything happening around him. It is as if he has come out of a dream. He heard us every time we called him. He would respond to us all the time, anywhere we are. He became curious about everything, even at school. Most of all, speech started coming. Initially this was just single words. He was not upset like before because he was expressing himself using his words. 

    Now he is happier being around his big sister and even playing with her. Interaction has started at school as well. He got a girlfriend (!) recently, which is an amazing thing that we did not believe was going to happen. He is even interacting with other adults in the school. He likes running around and playing catch with everybody in the park. He is listening to his teacher, sharing toys with his friends and even knows most of his friends’ names. He feels more grown up now, and he is even comforting his big sister when she is crying. 

    The most difficult part was to get him to keep the headphones on. When Pascal explained the program to us, we said he is not going to do that for sure. But we were determined to change him. So we changed ourselves first by becoming more firm, deciding to stick to whatever we were telling him to do. 

    The crying was always breaking our heart but we just kept going. The more he progressed, the more we got the courage to stick to the program. Now, I have my son, who is saying full sentences, wants to go out to play, is always looking for us, and is a happy child around his family, and no longer in his own little world. 

    Just a message to parents out there, don’t think twice about the program if you want to get your child back. It is a very hard path, but you will eventually get there. Where there is a will, there is always a way.  

    Siobhan and Kevin, June 2014 – Dublin 

  • Killian, age 4 – Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Killian, age 4 – Autism Spectrum Disorder

    “Diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at three years of age Killian’s parents didn’t know where to turn next to help their child. But after hearing about Cluas from a friend, Robert and his wife decided to contact Cluas – an Irish organisation who provide programs for children who show signs of development delay.”

    SEE VIDEO!!!

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=rnK3V7Mzd6I%3Fsi%3D5UgBmZMVv4qwTGax

    Terrible quality but can we incorporate 

    Robert, May 2016 – Co. Longford