FAQ

What kind of difficulties do your clients have?

The Key Clinic sees a range of people with a wide range of varying concerns. For some, they are doing well, but would like to make sure they are optimising their performance, so that achieving well is made easier for them. Others may have learning difficulties at school through to to behavioural and emotional problems. They might be already receiving learning support school or require extra tuition for difficulties concentrating, reading, writing or spelling, or because exam performance is poor. They may be having meltdowns, appear anxious, depressed or have poor self-confidence. Some of our clients have been previously diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia, poor working memory, speech and language difficulties, ADHD, ASD etc. Others come because their parents or teachers feel they may be underperforming relative to their intelligence. We also see adults for a range of concerns from anxiety, depression, post natal depression, gut health concerns and menopause.



What age group do you see?

We treat clients from 3 years old through into adulthood (often treating both children and their parents!) Different therapies can be started from different ages and not all therapies are appropriate for all age groups. Our classic Key Auditory Therapy can be carried out for children from 3 years of age upwards, which can be very helpful if they have speech/language difficulties or delays or hypersensitivity to sounds and/or autistic traits. From 5 years upwards, we can carry out a hearing test and then be able to fully customise any auditory therapy they receive (unless theybhave significant difficulties with concentration which would make this difficult to conduct accurately). We can assess for and treat retained reflexes from 6/7 years of age upwards. The Biomedical team are able to help from age 3 years upwards.



Do you treat more than one child of the same family at the same time?

Having treated one family member, people frequently choose to have additional family members also treated, as they are able to see and appreciate the improvements agined and want to make life easier for others too. We often end up treating siblings and parents too!



Do you provide a diagnosis?

Clinicians can not provide a diagnosis. The priority at The Key Clinic is to address the underlying causes of presenting symptoms in order to be able to help improve functioning. A diagnosis can be beneficial in obtaining extra time and support in school. However, in our experience, these descriptive labels are not objectively measured by biomarkers and can be changed over time.



How do the programmes work?

The principle behind all of our programmes is stimulating the brain via the body to heal itself. The brain’s ability to rewire itself is present throughout our lives and is known as ‘neuroplasticity’. We achieve these neuroplastic changes without recourse to drugs, (which often merely mask symptoms) by the ears, movements, one or more senses, to encourage it to rewire to overcome former difficulties. Our Biomedical work helps balance the microbiome, address any more fundamental functional medical conditions and tackle to underlying biochemical imbalances which can be fuelling emotional and behavioural problems such as hyperactivity , anxiety and depression.



Can I come for an assessment only?

There is no obligation to follow any of the recommended treatments. The assessment, the detailed discussion afterwards and the written report are all of great value in understanding what may be going on and what to do next.



Will you consult the General Practitioner or other Professionals for a medical or personal history?

In general this is not required, but we may request any medical or educational reports you may have. We would be happy to discuss our assessment findings and the programmes we are recommending for your child with your doctor, teacher, psychologist, or any other specialist, with your written permission. In our experience, the best results are always achieved by a coordinated team approach. If there is a history of Schizophrenia, Key Auditory Therapy will not be permitted. It is always recommended that clients seek medical advice regarding the cessation of any medication or other medically prescribed therapy. Appointments at The Key Clinic are kept strictly confidential.



What information am I required to provide?

We will ask for a range of information within the screening questionnaire/consultation in order to gain a full developmental history of your child (from pregnancy and birth history through to developmental milestones, any illnesses and nutritional history etc.) Prior to any consultation, we will ask you to send through any previous reports which you may have been given e.g. Educational Psychologist reports, Speech and language therapists, Occupational therapists, previous nutritional reports, Behavioural Ophthalmologist reports etc. Don’t worry, however, if you have none of these, as it is possible for us to assess and provide therapy in the absence of any other reports.



What if my child is nervous?

It is important that the children coming to us are happy, at ease comfortable during the assessments. This is in order to obtain meaningful results and to ensure they will like coming back again, for repeat visits! Many of them may be lacking in confidence or just fed up with being assessed and ‘treated’. We always go to great lengths to ensure that firstly, they do not feel there is any ‘problem’ with them. They are just visiting us, like many others, to see if we can help make things easier for them. We do not discuss any areas of concern in front of them. We have set up the clinic so that it does not look like a clinic, but more like a comfortable apartment with fun toys and a calm, stress-free environment. We also allow for short breaks during the assessment if required. If you are concerned that your child will struggle, please discuss this with one of our clinicians and we can make the necessary arrangements.



Will I get a written report after an assessment?

Yes, you will get a full written report of the assessment results, with clear explanations of the findings together with our recommendations for any programmes. This is important, should you wish to share the findings with your partner, teachers or other healthcare professionals. A verbal report reading is also included, either in person at the clinic, or by phone (which can conference in more than one person, if required) with one of our clinicians. This is a good opportunity to ask any questions.



What does the Auditory assessment entail?

Regular audiograms simply measure hearing loss, but our more advanced audiograms assess how a person hears, potentially revealing hidden difficulties which may be impacting speech, learning and behaviour.​ The child is given specialised headphones to wear and simply has to respond with a ‘yes’ when he/she hears a sound. This part of the test is looking for potential distortions in hearing as well as any hypersensitivity. We then assess Laterality using a bone conduction device, where the child identifies where they are feeling pure tone sounds. From this, we will be able to ascertain if any difficulties exist which may be hampering performance and devise a customised hearing programme to help remedy the problem.



What does the Neurodevelopmental Assessment entail?

A Neurodevelopmental Assessment involves standardised neurological tests (used by doctors) to assess gross and fine muscle coordination, balance, patterns of motor development, the presence of aberrant reflexes, laterality, oculo-motor functioning and visual perceptual ability. Should the results reveal any immaturities in development (ie.the persistence of primitive reflexes beyond the normal age of inhibition and or the absence of postural reflexes) we will recommend an exercise programme to help mature the system.



What are your success rates?

We have very high success rates in helping improve children’s functioning, with our latest analysis showing an average neurodevelopmental maturity of 93% following Key Neuromovement therapy. Following Key Auditory therapy, of those clients presenting with hearing distortion, 95% of clients achieved improved auditory function. Most importantly, our growth has been driven purely by word of mouth from our satisfied clients. Please refer to the testimonials section of our website for a small selection of these. There is also a significant body of research evidence, documented over the past 30 years, showing the evidence of improvement through INPP devised neurodevelopmental exercise (which we use) and AIT. Please refer to the research section on our website. The idea of neuroplasticity is a relatively new concept, but is now firmly established as a cornerstone of neuroscientist’s understanding of how the brain works. Similarly, there is a wealth of research at The Walsh Institute showing that the Walsh Biomedical protocols we follow result in approximately 80% of clinets being able to come off medications such as Stimulants or anti-depressants (however, this must alwys be done under a doctor's supervision).



Are results guaranteed?

As with any form of therapy or medical intervention, we cannot guarantee specific results, as every individual is different. However, feedback from our clinets has shown 95% report improvements, with over 40% reporting 'significant to extraordinary' improvements. We often see gains in educational, cognitive, emotional, behavioural or social performance as well as general physical well-being. Improvements are sometimes immediate, sometimes continuing in subsequent weeks and months, sometimes not starting until 6-12 months following the the programme.



What does a Key Auditory Training (KAT) programme entail?

Two half hour listening sessions per day with a minimum three hour interval between sessions over 10 days, either consecutively or two five-day weeks within a 12 day period (Please refer to the KAT section under our ‘Key Therapies’ tab)



What does the Neuro-developmental programme entail?

A personal programme of Reflex Inhibition exercises is prepared for the client to carry out either at home or in clinic: The home exercise programme is a prescribed programme of exercises to be completed at home taking 30 minutes a day over a 3 month period. The Clinic Fast Track programme involves two 30 minute exercise sessions per day with a minimum three hour interval between sessions over 10 days, either consecutively or two five-day weeks within a 12 day period. Each session is conducted on a 1:1 basis with a qualified clinician and intermittent assessments will be completed throughout. (Please refer to Key Neuromeovement Therapy on our website)



Are these programmes safe?

Yes, all our programmes are non-invasive. There may occur a few temporary side effects, such as tiredness, as the body and brain begin to change. All our treatment programmes are also directly supervised by a medical doctor.



Will I get a report after each programme?

Yes. We accurately record the results of the standard clinical tests, both before and after treatment, to assess progress and to tailor programmes accordingly. We report any improvements that have been identified during the course of programme.



Do you conduct longer-term follow-up research?

Yes, this is a very important part of our practice, so that we can continually measure and improve upon what we do. Clients will be followed up with at 6 month intervals after treatment ends, to assess progress.



What happens if my child becomes ill during a programme ?

We would not want to continue if your child becomes ill, so we would offer a break until he or she was feeling better. In the case of auditory therapy, we continue from where we left off or start again, depending on the time lapse.



Do programmes have to be repeated?

With Key Auditory Therapy, improvements often continue to occur in the weeks or months following the treatment. For some, this change is enough, but other clinets may choose to repeat the programme with the aim of achieving further gains. We usually recomend waiting at least 3 months before choosing to begin a second course (follow up auditory courses are charged at a reduced rate). Key Neuromovement Therapy does not need to be repeated as the gains are generally maintained for life! Improvements are sometimes immediate, sometimes continuing in subsequent weeks and months, sometimes not starting until 6-12 months following the the programme. In general, one programme is sufficient to fully mature the central nervous system. Included in our programme is a 6 month follow up so we can check in and see how well the changes have translated into everyday life. For some individuals, such as those with severe dyspraxia or underlying chromosomal differences, progress may be slower and a second programme may be required to complete the work.



Can I contact clients that have completed these programmes in the past?

Unfortunately due to client confidentiality, we are unable to provide contact details for past clients. You can find, however, written testimonials on our website.



What are your opening hours?

The London clinic is open from 9.00am -7.00pm and will soon also be opening on Saturday mornings. The Berkshire clinic is open between 9.00-5.30 pm. The Liverpool and West Sussex clinics are open on Wednesdays and Fridays. Our Reception team are on duty Monday to Friday to answer any calls or queries you may have. We also have a 7 day per week Technical team on duty to trouble shoot any technical proglems.



Are you insured?

We carry appropriate Professional and Public Liability Insurance



Do you carry out CRB / DBS checks?

All of our staff receive Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service checks.



What will happen during an Initial Biomedical Consultation?

To allow us to make best use of our consultation time together, we ask that you complete a comprehensive health questionnaire prior to the appointment. Your initial appointment usually lasts for 1 hour for children and 1.5 hours for adults. It will involve a detailed discussion of the client's health history, diet and lifestyle with the aim of understanding symptoms, potential triggers, goals for treatment, and review of any prior diagnostic testing and/or therapies. You will recieve a Biomedical Assessment Report following your appointment detailing any recommended tests and intereventions.



How much do things cost?

The Initial Screening Consultation is £175 (1 hour), which will allow us to 'triage' as to which assessment(s) are required. Assessment possibilities include: An Audiogram (hearing test) and written report £150; a Full Neurodevelopmental Assessment (1 hour) with written report and report reading (45 mins) is £330. If a Biomedical Consultation is required, this is £225 for a child. We will only recommend programmes which are likley to be 'game-changers', based on the results of the assessments, so it is impossible to say precisely what will be needed until after assessment. Our Neurodevelopmental and Biomedical programmes are charged on a monthly basis and range from £150 to £550 pcm depending on what is required. Auditory programmes range from £825-£1,500 for the total 10 day programme.



Do you have to come into one of the clinics to be assessed and/or treated?

All our treatment programmes and assessments and treatments are available remotely. The only current exception is the Audiogram (hearing test), but you can still carry out a course of Key Auditory Therapy without this.