What to Do About Your Brain-Injured Child

by Glenn Doman

Glenn Doman―pioneer in the treatment of the brain-injured children and founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential―brings hope to thousands of children who have been sentenced to a life of institutional confinement. In What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child, Doman recounts the story of The Institutes’ tireless effort to refine treatment of the brain injured. He shares the staff’s lifesaving techniques and the tools used to measure―and ultimately improve―visual, auditory, tactile, mobile, and manual development. Doman explains the unique methods of treatment, and then describes the program with which parents can work with their own children at home in a familiar and loving environment. Included throughout are case histories, drawings, and helpful charts and diagrams. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

GLENN DOMAN is the founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential to which parents from every continent have been finding their way for more than a half of a century. He and The Institutes are famous for their pioneering work with brain-injured children and for their work in early development for well children.

In addition to dealing intimately with more than twenty thousand families over the last fifty years, he has strongly influenced millions of families through the book What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child and the creation of the groundbreaking Gentle Revolution Series of books and materials that teach parents how to teach their babies at home.

Glenn Doman has lived with, studied, or worked with children in more than one hundred nations, ranging from the most civilized to the most primitive.

He was distinguished for outstanding heroism in action during World War II and was knighted by the Brazilian government in 1966 for his services to the children of the world.

Glenn Doman is the principle lecturer for the many courses given by The Institutes for the parents of well children and brain-injured children. When he is not lecturing in Philadelphia or around the world, he is nose-to-nose with parents and children, discovering better ways to make hurt kids well and well kids more capable.



from http://www.iahp.org/Glenn-Doman-Found...

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure where to begin for this review. I read all of Glenn Doman's other books. I was impressed. I (kind of) started Callie on the programs. She loved them, but I wasn't consistent enough. This book, however,is why he wrote the other books. The research behind this book, is, well, phenomenal in my mind. It is quite literally life changing. Recently we started therapy with a woman who was trained under Glenn Doman. She was trained at his Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia for her own son was had was told wouldn't be able to do anything. Within a year, he was suspected to be a vegetable. He is now a teenager and doing amazingly well.

I don't claim to believe that this book and his techniques are going to "cure" Samantha. I don't think I'm that naive. However, I do believe that we will see miracles. I really do believe that. After only a few weeks, we are already seeing changes, and those, to me, are miraculous. What will she be like after 6 months? I don't know. But the research behind his methods are interesting...and to me, make a lot of sense. In fact, though in the 1960s when things for Doman and his team were beginning to really take off other doctors didn't believe them, a lot of their techniques are widely used today in hospitals, therapies, and even in my own daughter's classroom at school. The people doing the work may not know it was Doman who "founded" these methods, but some of it has become quite mainstream.

I'd recommend this book to everyone. It doesn't matter if you have a "special needs," or what Glenn Doman calls brain-injured, child/adult that you are caring for or not. The information is very valuable and easy to read.

[Stephen Gallup · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book while on the waiting list to take my developmentally disabled baby to Glenn Doman's Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. A chiropractor had previously told us to read his Teach Your Baby to Read, which prompted me to contact the Institutes and then apply.

We were on the Institutes' Intensive Program for four years, from 1986 to 1990, during which time my immobile son became a walker and made other impressive gains, and I later wrote about the experience in a memoir (published in 2011).

For someone who has the driving motivation to find answers for a beloved child's poorly understood problems, Doman's book offers perhaps the first glimmer of hope. His account tells how he and the other founders of the Institutes arrived at their philosophy, and while some of what he says was out of date even when I read it, it all sounds very common-sensical. Given the sad fact that generally no other resources are offering anything approaching hope, the appeal of this sort of thing is undeniable.

My view of the Institutes itself is more complicated than my view of this book (for details, please listen to an interview I gave here), but the book deserves its enduring place in the literature.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems to be an introduction to the Doman method of physical therapy with a sales pitch for the program at the Institutes. There were some ideas that were good from this book. I'm very excited to try a couple of them with my child. However, most of the examples were not applicable to me, and some were quite extreme. I wouldn't recommend anyone try the entire method with a child. It seems harmful. This isn't a book that will give you a program to use on your brain-injured child, but it does have some ideas to get you started. However- I did enjoy the writing and the author's personality.

[Erskine Maytorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read, not sir it’s style but the discoveries made, the process, the incredible insights that have changed the way we look at brain injuries at a time when even today, in 2025, we still question what is possible when Trail Blazers like Dorman already setup protocols that teach of how little we know about brain injury and recovery. As someone who has mostly recovered from a partial spinal cord tear and dual brain hemorrhage with all the symptoms you’d imagine in such an injury, I can tell you this book really helped me figure out how to get better, and how to go about it.

[Te-Shen Gan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a parent of a teenager who is a brain injury survivor and has undergone two years of progressive rehabilitation - inpatient and recently, out-patient. I am hope to put the exercises in this book to test and also sign up for their online course.

It is an easy to read book filled with anecdotes and stories of the Institutes of Achievement of Human Potential.

[Breanna Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the title is a little jarring (originally written back in the 50’s and 60’s), I gleaned so many new revelations of both hurt and well children and their development. I do believe Doman is one of the firs pioneers in discovering neuroplasticity and offering HOPE.

[Andrew Tolson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A conflicting book, but offers some very useful perspectives on helping kids with disabilities.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting narrative but a quick google shows his ideas have not stood the test of scientific rigour which could lead to dangerous thinking or practice now.

[RWaggoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book on how the brain works and it’s remarkable ability to adapt and grow. More of a history than a “how-to” so the title could be misleading.

[Dale Goh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book to change my life. I initially wasn't sure whether to get the book as the title didn't seem relevant to me. But after meeting Glenn Doman in person, I wanted to know more about him. Boy, am I glad I did. This book chronicles the amazing journey he took to discover cutting-edge brain development facts, not through conventional means but being surrounded by a passionate team of like-minded gamechangers who were passionately working hands-on every waking moment with brain-injured children. An inspiration to read how a humble man with pure intentions can become great. Highly, highly recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book! My son had a severe brain bleed after birth and he as at risk for developmental delays and problems. This book is a must-read for anyone caring for someone - child or adult - with any kind of brain injury. The work that Doman and the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential are doing is miraculous. They give solid reasons for parents and caretakers of the brain injured to hope and work to help the ones they love recover from brain injury. Amazing. Anyone interested in how the brain works would enjoy this too.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on your journey to help your disabled child. Without The Better Baby Institute, I would never have been able to get my son to walk. Their exercises were invaluable. The specialists were surprised. This book does not promise miracles, but it will help you reach more of your child's potential.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew! Finally finished. Not that the book wasn't interesting, just that I have been so busy. I was slightly disappointed that it held little practical advice, but I think those must be in his other books. This book was more of an overview of what can be done and the history behind it all.

[Mafalda Cardim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book written in a casual, narrative style that often clashes with its academic content. The message, however, is impressive. Learned a lot about the brain body connection.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative,gave me alot to think about.

[Tan B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, that started us on the path to become our child's therapist!

A must read for all parants who have a child with additional needs!