News and Views from kSero
Enriched Environment Transforms Brain-damaged Child	October 7, 2007
The story of Caitlin McOrmish is nothing short of amazing, UNLESS you understand how adaptive the brain is and how it responds to enriched environments. As a baby, Caitlin contracted mumps, which, her parents were told, caused irreversible brain damage. She was destined never to lead a normal life. Fast forward 27 years, and Caitlin just completed her Ph.D. in neuroscience and published research on stimulating the brain. Caitlin and her parents attribute her success to their refusal to accept the orginal prognosis-- a dismal one, at best. Instead, her parents began intensive stimulation and enrichment in the home environment, which helped her exceed anyone's expectations. Caitlin's story goes beyond a human interest story about perserverance. It illustrates how remarkable the human brain is, and how it adapts to stimulation and enrichment. At kSero, we've seen lives and families transformed from training the brain and improved diets. Read the story.