Disconnected Kids

The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders

By: Dr. Robert Melillo

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Each year an estimated 1.5 million children - one out of every six - are diagnosed with autism, Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Dr. Robert Melillo brings a fundamentally new understanding to the cause of these conditions with his revolutionary Brain Balance Program™. It has achieved real, fully documented results that have dramatically improved the quality of life for children and their families in every aspect: behavioral, emotional, academic, and social. Disconnected Kids shows parents how to use this drug-free approach at home, including:

• Fully customizable exercises that target physical, sensory, and academic performance
• A behavior modification plan
• Advice for identifying food sensitivities that play a hidden role
• A follow-up program that helps to ensure lasting results

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2009 Roelty Corporation (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

" Disconnected Kids offers a visionary new approach for helping many children with brain-based problems. These valuable clinical insights add much to our tool kit for caring." (Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence)

More interested in promoting product

Until chapter 10 all the book did was promote his brain balance product and 50% of the whole book was about "FeelGood Success cases"
His diagnosis and testing methodologies are spot one... but the 'cures' and methods he wants to take your money for in his brain Balance locations are extremely vague, pseudoscience and definitely not proven.
50% of the book was designed to make an otherwise ignorant parent buy into his program.

Must read book!!!!

I started reading this book, due to issues I’m having with my eight-year-old son. He began having disciplinary issues at school. He has always been my difficult child, but I kept thinking he would outgrow it. It has now affected not only him, but our entire family. I reached out to a child psychologist for help. They tested him and found out he has sensory processing disorder and more than likely a few other issues. I had never heard of it. Of course, as the mother and the nurturer – I dove into research. I asked a lot of questions and got a lot of different answers. Not sure where to turn, someone mentioned Brain Balance to me. I got on the Internet and did more research. Growing up with dyslexia, I understand exactly what a learning disability causes for a child. My parents did the best they could with me at the time, but it is the last thing I wanted my child to have to deal with. After reading this book, spending hours of watching YouTube videos and reading everything I could to get more information about Brain Balance – I decided to take my son in and get evaluated. Come to find out, he has a right brain deficiency, which explains a lot of what is going on. We have just started the therapy and I am very hopeful that this is our solution. This book gave me hope as a parent and it explained a lot of things that were going on. It helped me get the information I needed to help my son. Most people come to a book like this, because they feel something is wrong or they don’t know what else to do. I almost wish that the techniques and knowledge in this book was taught to me as a parent earlier. Putting a lot of this information together explained a lot of what has been going on with my son almost since he was born. I’m not an uneducated person, but apparently I am uneducated in this aspect of my life. Kids do not come with a book of instructions and being a parent is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. This book has steered me in what I think is the right direction and for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel hopeless. Not only does this book make sense from a parents aspect, it makes perfect sense from the aspect of a person that has dealt with dyslexia her whole life. If you are having any issues at all with your child, this is a must read book. Fill yourself with knowledge. Educate yourself, listen to your gut and follow your parental instincts. Don’t just believe everything everyone tells you. Make sure it makes sense. Brain Balance completes the entire picture. Why fix one problem when there are multiple problems to address. Yes, it’s not a cheap program. Yes, it takes a lot of commitment. However, occupational therapy, medication, doctors appointment, psychiatrist appointments, principal phone calls, letters from the teachers, temper tantrum‘s, bad behavior – isn’t that a lot of work too? How much are you willing to pay to truly help and fix the issues your children have to make them better adults. That’s what our job is as a parent. Read the book and decide yourself.

This is a SCAM !! This book is a 12 hour long advertisement

I am a physician. My son has autism. Like most parents of autistic children I would pay or do almost anything that would help my child through school and life. Parents such as myself are often targets for profit hungry snake oil salesman such as the author of this book.

This book does NOTHING other than give fake anecdotes of autistic children that were amazingly cured by the "Brain Balance Center".
Seriously nothing but 12 hours of stories of children magically cured by the Brain Balance centers $7000 twelve week long class.

There is NO legitimate science behind this "treatment". There should be a special place in hell for people that profit off the desperate hopes of parents such as myself.

Do NOT buy this book and do not waste your time and money on their "Brain Balance Center".

Pseudoscience Sales Pitch

The doctor claims to have a cure for autism. While he does reference some published studies defining the scope of the autism problem only vague references to his own unpublished clinical trials are referenced to backup his conclusions about the cause. Further more he essentially blames parents for causing autism in their children. Of course this can all be cured if you just take your child to his franchise chain of clinics. This is nothing more than a sales pitch using guilt to extort well meaning parents looking for something to help their children.

Shame on you Dr. Melillo.

scam! scam! scam! do your own research,

After reading the book too many red flags came up, too many promises. this doctor uses the feelings of desperate parents. This is totally wrong! do your own research on this program and the "doctors". I wish these claims were true I really do! however I find these claims to be unfounded. On the surface it seems to have some logic, but after a hole lot of nothing my conclusion is that this is a scam.

Preliminary Provisionary review - Gonna Try it out

Disclaimer #1- I started listening to this because my wife bought the book. But my opinions are my own. :) (Pianomom is my wife, I'm Bennyfifeaudio)

I'm a father of 6 kids. We homeschool them all. Taking in both sides of our family, we over 2 dozen of nieces/nephews. I know of at least 3 of them that have been formally diagnosed as being on some end of the Autism spectrum.

Disclaimer #2 - We are not rush to the doctor kind of parents. We read copiously, but are not any kind of trained medical professionals. As such, we have sometimes "self diagnosed" ourselves and or our children - Take it or leave it. My wife, we're pretty sure has un/self diagnosed fibromyalgia. I have professionally diagnosed anxiety/depression. I have been on an antidepressant regularly for more than a decade now. Would I like to not have to take a pill? Sure. I even tried it for about 6 months a couple years back. When winter hit & I was an emotional wreck for a week, I knew it was time to get back on Fluoxetene (generic Prozac). I am not ashamed that I have to take a pill to feel like myself. There are innumerable people I know who I think would also benefit immeasurably from doing so, but won't even consider it.

Disclaimer #3 - Of my 6 kids, I'm pretty sure at least 4 of them are on the adhd-autism spectrum to at least a degree & both my wife & I have adhd to a degree. I've always been an insufferable fidgeter, among other things. NONE of us have been diagnosed or have even really sought out specific medical help for it (I'll get into why later), though we have tried dietary changes that have helped in some cases.

Disclaimer #4- We are Do it yourself-ers when it comes to a lot of health things. Not that we never visit a doctor, counselor, whatever, but we live in the information age. Granted there is certainly some garbage out there in that glut of information, but if you don't actively consume information regularly & evaluate it FOR YOURSELF, you will never really know.

Disclaimer #5 - Before writing this review, I read almost every other review on this book in whatever format they consumed it in (or claimed to do so - "Skimming" something to me does not give you the right to pass judgement on it based on your narrow viewpoint).


Ok. Got the disclaimers out of the way? I listened to this book because as my kids have grown, I have often had conversations with my wife about them & even just in the last week, found myself saying "I just don't know how to connect with X anymore." To which she replied, "Have you ever really?"


I love Each And EVERY ONE of my kids. They are amazing & I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. But sometimes I just can't comprehend the way their brains work! I'm sure every parent has been there with their kids, but when it is a continual thing, or the same problem over and over, you begin to question your ability as a parent, along with if something actually is wrong with your kid.


Here's the why of our not getting our kids, and sometimes ourselves diagnosed:

1: My wife's Fibromyalgia - In looking up her symptoms & doing our own research, we've found that the medical establishment can do virtually nothing to treat it. We have found some things that have been beneficial in diet & other things. The medical community is very good at diagnosing something based on symptoms. It gives you a LABEL to work with Sometimes, they are spot on correct. Other times... I'm sure they're doing their best.

2: With LABELs, come expectations & stigma. There are times when I think you absolutely need to find out what is going on medically from a medical professional & I'm getting a lot closer to that with some of what has happened with our kids. But not quite yet.

3: I grew up with a cousin who was pumped full of Ritalin for years. At 18 he had a heart condition caused by it. I'm not blaming his parents or the medical professionals that treated him, but the amount of chemical concoctions we pour into our bodies that have only been created in the last 50 years, and therefore don't really have a lifetime of data to back them up, always makes me a little hesitant to pour a new chemical into my kid.


So... to get to my review. First I want to review what other kinds of reviews are out there for this book. They fall largely into 2 categories (with 2 subcategories): 5 stars from parents who have either tried it & it has done wonders from them, or at least parents who are inspired by what they read & are excited to have something to hope for, and 1 Star reviews from members of the Medical Establishment who discount anything Melillo claims because he's a chiropractor and not an MD/PHD (sorry Andy, I do still think its awesome you got yours though) or from those who only believe someone with an MD/PHD who often didn't even read the entire book, and not one of them who have actually tried it. Many of the 1 star reviews felt like it was an infomercial, with Melillo just trying to sell desperate parents his services. I realize some of these reviews may have been for an older version that didn't include his self directed course, but its there now at no extra charge.


Did I feel compelled to go to one of the cities hosting his 12 week Brain Balance course? No. But I do feel compelled enough to try it at home & see what happens! If there are simple exercises that I can do for 12 weeks to help me function better, don't I owe it to my family to at least give it a shot? And likewise, if there are exercises that can exorcise some of the autistic or ADHD demons that have haunted my kids for years, shouldn't we try it out and see? I owe it to my kids to try this and see if it is what he claims. At the very least, I don't see how it can be any worse than chicken soup for a cold.


I found Melillo's writing informative and encouraging. I did not feel like I was being sold a product. Just being able to understand more of why my kids may be behaving a particular way has already enabled me to be more patient with them - and with myself. Again and again, I heard him describing 4 of my kids, sometimes myself & sometimes my wife. Labels can at least help to have a place to start.


For me - I'm giving Melillo a prelimanary & provisional 5 stars. Thank you for your work in this field & trying to help with an epidemic that is touching millions, sometimes amidst scorn for decades. I've narrated a similar book (not on autism) under a different name because of the controversial nature of it. Here's my provisions for the 5 stars - Give my family & me 4 months to try it out. We already printed off the assesment forms last night for each of our kids & started filling them out. If at the end of the 4 months, it's made a good difference in our family, the 5 stars will remain. If it turns out to just be chicken soup, That will be changed to 3 stars. If I find it is in fact harmful, I will join the 1 star crowd, but it will be a qualified 1 star. Either way, I'll check back in 4 months to let you know.


As for the narration - Tom Perkins gets 5 stars either way. He did superb. Engaging enough in a book that might seem pedantic otherwise. I'm already listening to it again at 3.5x speed (a first for me) in order to let the ideas & info percolate a little more, but his narration still holds up, even at that break neck pace. I'm not so sure mine would. Kudos, Tom!

I really did not like this at all

What would have made Disconnected Kids better?

Self promoting, not explaining the science behind it, not grounded. I don't recommend it.

Would you ever listen to anything by Dr. Robert Melillo again?

no

Book of Lies

The so called Dr of this book is a quack, selling a false hope to parents. I have been studying for my masters degree in Special Education for two years and have been studying child psychological since I was in high school. I am also dyslexic, the man claims the with his holistic behavior approach learning disabilities such as dyslexia, Ausitum, ADHD can be cured through his methods. Where as a healthy clean environment with positive applied behavior instructions can aid a person in managing symptoms and developing methods of balance to become productive in society they sadly with never be cured. these are on going life conditions that with proper support can be managed. Please don't lose hope if you are a parent of a special needs child.

Can't wait to implement with my child

Loved it. Still purchased paper copy for implementation purposes. The process of moving from evaluation and assessment to implementation was not as clear cut as I would like, but maybe that is because I too have a right brain deficiency.

program is great

I hope it works! ive started with my son. he is 4, almost 5. will update my review after the start of 2016 when we are done!
I cant believe he makes it seem so simple! but you cant argue with science.