I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Irlen Institute and the Semper Fi Fund for their support of all combat veterans. These two organizations have partnered together to provide a method of relief to our soldiers that have so valiantly served our country.
Approximately 70% of our military returning from the Middle East suffer from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Helen Irlen, creator of the Irlen Method and author of Sports Concussions and Getting Back In The Game of Life quoted Washington Post Staff Writer Christian Davenport:
“Brain injuries are the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. The soldiers are routinely exposed to brain rattling blasts that can send ripples of compressed air hurtling through the atmosphere at 1,600 feet per second. Now the soldiers are struggling to come to terms with an often-invisible wound. In some cases, even apparently mild brain injuries can leave a soldier disqualified for service or require lifelong care that critics say the Department of Veterans Affairs isn’t equipped to handle. Since 2000, traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been diagnosed in about 180,000 service members, the Pentagon says. But some advocates for patients say hundreds, if not thousands, more have suffered undiagnosed brain injuries. A Rand study in 2008 estimated the total number of service members with TBI to be about 320,000.
Among the symptoms related to TBI are frequent headaches/migraines, fatigue, anxiety and irritability, difficulty sleeping, concentrating and reading. These veterans also experience anger, frustration, depression, and difficulty communicating due to the constant pain. The Irlen Method utilizes colored spectral filters to help alleviate these, and many more symptoms. The soldiers that have been provided Irlen filters have been amazed at the immediate relief provided by this non-invasive method of dealing with headaches/migraines and all types of symptoms caused by TBI.
I consider it an honor, as an Irlen Diagnostician, to work with the Irlen Institute and Semper Fi to help our veterans. Although Semper Fi is generally thought of as an organization serving active and retired Marines, they assist all active duty and retired combat veterans.
In order to learn more about Irlen Syndrome you can visit irlen.com and take a short self-test. I would love to provide information to anyone who is interested in this method. Please call Mary at (941) 447-2226 or email me at [email protected]