0:00:10 > 0:00:13I'm more used to being in the Dragons' Den,
0:00:13 > 0:00:17but today, I've come to my old primary school.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Somewhere I've not been for over 40 years.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I've mixed memories of my time here.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27PUPILS: Hello, Theo!
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Oh, how good are you!
0:00:29 > 0:00:31- Bye.- Right, see you later. - PUPILS: Bye.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35I had fun here, but school was really tough.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I found it really difficult to keep up with my friends in the classroom.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44Reading, writing, spelling - it baffled me, and it was only when I had kids of my own
0:00:44 > 0:00:47and they were diagnosed with dyslexia
0:00:47 > 0:00:49that I realised it was my issue, too.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Maia also found school difficult.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Spelling was very bad, my handwriting was a big problem.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I'd spend twice as long on work than other students would
0:01:05 > 0:01:08and the marking would come back and they would say
0:01:08 > 0:01:12"this is nice work, Maia, but you could easily try harder."
0:01:12 > 0:01:14And I was trying so, so hard.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19She was enormously unhappy, just enormously unhappy
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and every day was a struggle to get through that day
0:01:22 > 0:01:24or to get her to go into school.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28I felt quite inadequate. I felt like I was stupid.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33It was a constant battle, which took its toll on everybody.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36It's sort of death by small degrees,
0:01:37 > 0:01:42it's just small things just constantly, kind of...
0:01:47 > 0:01:50When she was 12 years old, Maia was diagnosed with dyslexia.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54At that point the question really was,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58we're armed with this information now, well, what do we do about it?
0:01:59 > 0:02:03My experience of dyslexia has led me to get involved with bibic,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06a small charity that works to help children with a range
0:02:06 > 0:02:11of developmental problems such as autism, cerebral palsy and dyslexia.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Robert seemed like a perfectly healthy little boy,
0:02:16 > 0:02:21but as he grew up, his parents realised he wasn't developing as he should.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Wave hello to Daddy!
0:02:24 > 0:02:26He was diagnosed as partially deaf
0:02:26 > 0:02:28but there seemed to be other problems.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31We started to realise there was something else going on.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36He was finding it very difficult to speak, he was finding it difficult
0:02:36 > 0:02:39especially to read, to do simple puzzles.
0:02:39 > 0:02:45Robert's problems communicating meant he could only express his frustration through violence.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49By the time he was 8, he was regularly being excluded from class.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52He would hit out at anyone or anything.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54He would get really angry with things
0:02:54 > 0:02:58and at one point he did make a hole in his wall.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01He could not stop touching people, pushing people.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03It was just impossible for him.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06We were just in this black hole and we couldn't get help.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Conditions that affect a child's brain
0:03:12 > 0:03:14can affect not just their schoolwork and learning
0:03:14 > 0:03:18but also their social, physical and communication skills.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Bibic offers these children a tailored therapy program,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24to be implemented by their families at home,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27which aims to tackle all aspects of their condition.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Ben is 10 years old.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33He has a number of developmental delays
0:03:33 > 0:03:35which have made him lack confidence,
0:03:35 > 0:03:36and he is selectively mute.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Rough and scratchy.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40When he first came to bibic, he was only able to talk to family
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and whisper to a couple of school friends.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47I was very worried about him, about his future
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and even at the age of seven, he was very concerned himself,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53saying "what's going to happen to me? I won't be able to get a job,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56"I won't be able to get married and have a family
0:03:56 > 0:03:57"if I can't speak to anybody."
0:03:57 > 0:04:01And his self-esteem and his self-confidence was just so low.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08After an initial assessment his bibic therapist, Jeanette,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11recognised his brain had difficulties processing sounds,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14including that of his own voice.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Ben, I'd like you to just copy these shapes for me.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Ben also had problems with short-term memory and coordination,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23which further dented his confidence.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Under the bibic programme, the child is given exercises and techniques
0:04:28 > 0:04:32to take away with them and do at home with their family.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37They're designed to stimulate and open new brain pathways.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Nice and strong.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44The programme can make life-changing differences to families.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47You can have a very different child,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51quite unrecognisable in the way they interact with people,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54compared to how they were when they first came.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58He just seems to be on the up now. His confidence is so much higher.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03He goes to a school of 130 pupils and speaks to all of them,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06speaks to all the teachers now,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and he's like a totally different boy.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I'm just so proud of him, really.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Perhaps the most important aspect of the bibic programme
0:05:21 > 0:05:24is how it can help parents understand their child
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and become aware of their frustrations.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29For many parents, it can be the turning point,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32enabling them to support their child more effectively,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34and face the challenges together.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Roll one.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Robert had his first bibic assessment a year ago
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and the therapists established that his brain was having
0:05:42 > 0:05:45a lot of difficulty processing touch and pain.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49His parents were given a set of massaging exercises to do at home.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54The massaging was supposed to stimulate all your muscles,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57get your body to recognise all the different feelings.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01And he now does, for better or worse, he now feels pain.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06- Mr Tongue sees an even bigger hole. - ALL: Aaahhh.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10The therapy also tackles Robert's difficulty forming words.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13He's also talking a lot more.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15A dog and a rectangle.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17He's starting to read now.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Very small quantities, but he's starting,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22we're seeing the progress, again.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24B... got...
0:06:24 > 0:06:29I feel like we're starting to enjoy life.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33In the space of a year, I guess it's fair to say
0:06:33 > 0:06:35that we've got a new son.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40After Maia was diagnosed with dyslexia aged 12,
0:06:40 > 0:06:41her parents found out about bibic
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and went along for their first assessment
0:06:44 > 0:06:48I love the place, bibic is brilliant.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50It was such a warm welcome.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54The therapists suggested that Maia use coloured filters
0:06:54 > 0:06:58to help her read, and gave her techniques to boost her memory.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01You get this feeling that you're not going to be judged.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03You're not going to be thought of as stupid or as lazy.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Maia's come to meet me so I can find out how she's doing now.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I'm dyslexic, and you're absolutely right.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Early on, when nobody realises what your issues are,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20it's incredibly, incredibly tough.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Frustrating. I didn't think I was going to finish school.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25- Right.- Once I'd been through the programme,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29I left school with 10 GCSEs, A-stars in them,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33I went on to do my A-Levels so I have 3 A-Levels now.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- OK. - MAIA LAUGHS
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- Wow!- I'd kind of given up before then, even though I knew
0:07:38 > 0:07:40I was dyslexic before I went to bibic.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43It was only after I went to bibic
0:07:43 > 0:07:47that I felt like it was worth trying, like I was worth trying.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49It's changed my life completely.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53The bibic programme can help families
0:07:53 > 0:07:55unlock their child's full potential.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59But to change the lives of more children,
0:07:59 > 0:08:00the charity needs your support.
0:08:00 > 0:08:07Please go to the website where you can donate.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10If you don't have access to the internet,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12then call 0800 011 011.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16And if you can't get through, please, please, please keep trying.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21You can also donate £10 by texting GIVE to 70121.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Texts cost £10 plus your standard network message charge,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28and the whole £10 goes to bibic.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Telephone calls are free from most landlines.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Some networks and mobile operators will charge for these calls.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Or, if you'd like to post a donation,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38please make your cheque payable to bibic
0:08:38 > 0:08:41and send it to Freepost, BBC Lifeline Appeal.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Remember, if you're a UK taxpayer,
0:08:44 > 0:08:49the charity can collect Gift Aid on your donation, worth another 25%.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Just send in a note to say you want your donation
0:08:52 > 0:08:54to be subject to Gift Aid,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and include the date, your full name and address.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Thank you.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd