September2010

Curriculum Vitae – ELAD VASHDI

Personal details

Name- Vashdi Elad

Mobile - (972) 052-3638340

Phone – (972) 077-3290023

Email -

Web site -

Address – P.O. Box 197, Aloney Aba, 36005, Israel.

Date of birth - 12 October 1973.

Status – married + 3 children.

Education:

Institution / Faculty / Degree
2007 - 2009 / Nova Southeastren University, Florida USA / Allied Health and Nursing / DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy)
2002-2004 / Zinman college, Natanya, Israel. / Master degree in physical education
1996-2000 / Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. / Sackler faculty of Madison / Bachelor degree in Physical Therapy

Additional studies:

Institution / Faculty / Subject
2000-2002 / Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. / Sackler faculty of Madison / Postgraduate course in Child development

Work experience

2002 – today Founder and Director of Yael Center – treatments for children with special needs.

2000 – today Local and international Consular for therapeutic teams of child development in areas of motor development, multi-disciplinary therapy and motor-speech treatment.

1996- today Private treatments for children with developmental disorders, especially with autism and apraxia of speech.

2004- todayLecturer at courses on topics as motor development, speech and motor treatment, multi-disciplinary therapy, mental retardation and more.

2005- today Lecturer of the courses “Basic principles of the VML method” and "Advanced training – The VML method".

2004-2006Lecturer at the project “Active Playground”. Monitoring children at risk at the Orthodox community education system.

2004-2006 Director of teaching programs at the Trump International Institute of continuing education in developmental disabilities.

2001-2005Physical Therapist at special education for mentally retarded children at Beit Issie Shapiro.

2001-2002Tai Chi teacher for patients after stroke at LewinsteinHospital.

2000-2001Physical Therapist at Lewinstein Hospital (Rehabilitaion). Daily Care ward.

2000-2001Social guide for group of patients after head injury.

Active Participation in Scholarly Conferences

Conference / Place and Dates / Title of Presentation
Autism conference / Tel Aviv, January2010 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Yael Center third national conference / Haifa, May 2008 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
National child development conference / Tel Hashomer, Hospital, Ramat Gan, Israel. Febuary 2008 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Applied behavior Analysis conference / Zinneman College, Natanya, Israel. January 2008 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Autism conference / Tel Aviv, May 2007 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Yael Center second national conference / Raanana, December 2006 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Beit Issie Shapiro 4th international conference / Tel Aviv, July 2006 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method
Introduction to mental retardation, Ministry of education. / Raanana, July 2006 / Physical activity and Mental Retardation
YaelCenter first national conference / Herzelia, April 2006 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method and VML workshop
Israeli Association of behavior analysis conference. / Natanya, January 2006 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method and VML workshop
Autism conference / Tel Aviv, May 2005 / Motor-Speech Therapy via VML method.
Conference of sport therapy association of Israel / Raanana, May 2005 / Constructing Multi-disciplinary program.
Conference of Physical therapy association of Israel / Dead Sea, March 2005 / Multi-disciplinary case manager.
Conference of Child Development association of Israel / Haifa, November 2004 / Compliance of mentally retarded children to physical activity
Conference of Occupaational therapy association of Israel / Haifa, July 2004 / Compliance of mentally retarded children to physical activity
Beit Issie Shapiro 3rd international conference / Tel Aviv, June 2002 / Treadmill treatment for toe walking.
Conference of Physical therapy association of Israel / Tel Aviv, may 2000 / Tai Chi workshop

Organizing Scholarly Conferences

Conference / Place and Dates
Yael Center third national conference / Haifa, May, 2008
YaelCenter second national conference / Raanana, December 2006
Introduction to mental retardation, Ministry of education. / Raanana, July 2006
YaelCenter first national conference / Herzelia, April 2006
Introduction to Autism, Ministry of Education / Raanana, December 2005
Conference of sport therapy association of Israel / Raanana, May 2005
Introduction to Autism, Ministry of Education / Raanana, April 2005
Music Therapy in Autism / Raanana, December 2004

MA – The compliance of children diagnosed with moderate-severe Mental Retardation to motor treatment. . Advisor: Dr. Yeshayahu Hotzler.

Children diagnosed with severe mental retardation have a variety of functional motor difficulties. The motor treatment in this population therefore is important and its success depends on several factors including accurate diagnosis, good treatment program, proficiency etc’. Compliance to treatment is one of the crucial factors influencing the success of the motor treatment. This study investigated four criteria that might influence compliance: a) the distance between the therapist and the child b) conditioning, c) defining the action space and d) modeling. These criteria were tested in two procedures: walking on a treadmill and going through a motor tasks course (3 mastered tasks versus 3 novel tasks). The research assumptions were: 1) These factors will increase compliance in the different motor tasks 2) The compliance in performing mastered tasks will be higher than in novel tasks.

A group of 17 children participated in both procedures. The compliance for the treadmill procedure was measured by the number of times the child expressed dissatisfaction from the task. In the motor tasks course the compliance was measured by the time it took to complete the task and the time it took to move from one task to another. Results- modeling was found in both experiments as the only factor that improves compliance to a motor task. Time was found as a valid measurement for compliance. Conclusions – peer modeling can increase compliance to motor treatment.

Published articles and books

Vashdi E., Y. Hutzler & D. Roth. (2008). Compliance of children with moderate to severe intellectual disability to treadmill walking: a pilot study. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 52(5):371-379,

Vashdi E. Roth D. (2005). Effect of Backpack (weight) carrying on erector spine and trapezius muscles recruitment, in a child with hypotonia, scoliosis and severe mental retardation. The physiotherapy journal (Hebrew). Vol 7,1: 5-8.

Vashdi E. Roth D. (2004). The effects of treadmill (inclination) training on toe walking of a child with Mental Retardation and Cerebral Palsy. The physiotherapy journal (Hebrew). Vol 6, 2: 19-22.

Vashdi E. 2002. Long distance runner (Hebrew). Achva LTD, Haifa.

Articles and books in preparation

Vashdi E. Hotzler Y. Roth D. 2006. Validity and reliability of measures assessing compliance to motor treatment in children with moderate to severe intellectual disability. IJOT (Hebrew). In editing.

Vashdi E. 2006. Mommy I can speak(English). In editing.

Original projects

Developer of several unique professional projects:

  1. MDT Method – Multi-disciplinary therapy. A method and system that define the roles of staff members in multi-disciplinary team, creates the image of multi-disciplinary therapist and case manager. The system includes a wide database of treatment programs from all developmental areas, evaluation form and treatment principles.
  2. VML Method – Verbal Motor Learning. The method was built out of field work with autistic children on speech via motor learning principles and touching techniques. The method is mainly directed for children and adults with apraxia/dyspraxia of speech. It has evaluation forms, theoretical structure, treatment principles, philosophy, clinical reasoning and treatment techniques. I writing a Manuel for the method and teaching it for SLP’s, physiotherapists, teachers, therapists, tutors and parents. There are hundreds of children that had been treated by the method.
  3. VML algorithm – The VML method has a very unique logical basis. I wrote the logical basis of the system as an algorithm which is now being translated into a mathematical formula. Later it will be built as software in which people will be able to enter the patient’s evaluation and get the treatment program. It will a worldwideweb based software.
  4. Day center – the day center is a professional supportive multi-disciplinary system to which a child with special needs attend once or twice a week. The child gets 4 hours of one on one treatment according to his needs. The therapy is conducted via MDT method and VML method if needed.