Is there an advantage in an intense approach when re-training the brain?

Question:

Is there an advantage in an intense approach when re-training the brain? I’ve seen research that shows a drastic improvement when a student completes a program that is 20 hours a week for 4-6 weeks. Is that a better approach versus a 3 hour a week program?

 Answer:

That is a great question! Improving the brain's processing and learning does require intensity, consistency, and frequency. We believe how much depends on the individual. Some children do not do well working for multiple hours a day. They just fatigue too quickly and then do not do as well for the rest of the time. The brain cannot learn if it is stressed. In addition, when working with a child for multiple hours a day, the individual may require more breaks and game time which takes up part of those hours you are paying for. We have serviced some clients with a lot of hours over a few months especially when they are not local and are here from out of town temporarily. At the same time, for some individuals, having an intense schedule can be beneficial and build the skills up very quickly.

A nice visual is to think about each of us having a bucket in our brain. That bucket can be filled with new learning and the size of the bucket will be different for each individual and sometimes for different learning skills. Once the bucket is full, it cannot hold any more and will begin to spill over. That is when you see a child who is frustrated, tired, or anxious. If you keep trying to put more into the bucket because the school district says you have to or because your time isn't up in your session, you are wasting your effort. The brain needs to integrate the new learning and empty the bucket so it will be ready again to receive new information.

We see this especially with children who have moderate to severe Dyslexia. We've had a few students that become sleepy and begin to lose consciousness after working in an Orton-Gillingham reading program after 10, 20, or 30 minutes. I know of some parents who have gotten functional MRI scans done that have actually shown the slow down or stoppage of activity in the brain when that 'bucket' is full. At that point there is nothing we can do, they are done for that day. Over time we can get the brain to last longer and learn more at a sitting, but it takes time to get there. That's why we customize everything we do from the programs we choose to the length of the sessions and what we do during the session.

Research does confirm that in order to make a difference, increase weak processing skills, and close the gap when a student is behind that the right program with intensity, consistency, and frequency is the key. The intensity and frequency depends on the individual and the program. We’ve seen huge changes in students’ abilities with three hours, six hours or twenty-two hours a week. With cognitive skills sometimes an individual also needs time for maturation and integration. If we were to provide cognitive enhancement for an individual over nine days at four hours a day we would not see as significant an improvement as doing it six hours over twelve weeks.

 

New Book Every Parent of a Dyslexic Child Should Read!

The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan
A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child's Confidence
and Love of Learning
by Ben Foss

This book is going to revolutionize how we talk about, and deal with, dyslexia.

There have only been a few books that excited Susan Barton, dyslexia expert, so much that she stayed up all night to read them. This is one of those very rare books.

Ben Foss, a successful adult with severe dyslexia, shares facts, advice, and strategies along with stories from his own life - and those of more than 400 other adults with dyslexia he has interviewed in the past few years - to create a blueprint for parents.

His theme is a child with dyslexia is not broken.

Parents must take a very active role in helping their child accept, understand, and embrace their dyslexia - so their child does not end up suffering from severe shame caused by feeling defective.

How? He starts by forcing parents to face and deal with their own fears and myths.

Then he shows them how to empower their child to dream big, deal with the school system, balance tutoring with accommodations and technology tools, become part of the dyslexia community - and so much more.

Released on August 27, this ground-breaking book is available in print, as a Kindle ebook, and on audio. To order it on Amazon, click here.

To learn more about Ben Foss, click here.

What is Rhythmic Movement Training?

 

Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) is a motor training program developed by psychiatrist Harald Blomberg MD, based on the spontaneous rhythmic movements that are common to babies. Dr. Blomberg discovered that these spontaneous rhythmic movements are of fundamental importance to brain maturation, and lay down the foundations for neural pathway growth. Many people are familiar with the idea that crawling in infancy is important for future learning, but there are many other movement patterns, beginning in the womb, that are also important for future learning, as well as emotional, physical and social skills. RMT teaches the brain and body movements that it had not naturally acquired during development.

Rhythmic Movement Training is particularly useful for children and adults with challenges including ADD/ADHD, attention issues, dyslexia, coordination difficulties, developmental speech and learning delays, sensory processing disorders, and many other challenges.

Reflex integration consists of Neurodevelopmental Movement and other tools that develop and mature the body’s reflexes for optimal functioning. According to Dr. Blomberg, this improvement can be explained by the stimulation and linking up of different parts of the brain caused by the rhythmic exercises. Most of the movements are done on the floor, either with a partner or solo. Some movements involve light touch, and for younger children, many of the movements can be done playfully.

To be effective, the rhythmic movements need to be done consistently and often. Doing rhythmic movements regularly provides profound benefits and helps to increase functioning in the following areas:

 

Attention Impulse Control Muscle Tone Sensory Processing Motor Abilities Reading Learning Ability

Writing Visual Skills Speech and Language Development Brain Connectivity Physical Strength and Stamina Muscle Control Emotions

 

The neurological effects of the rhythmic exercises are sometimes noticed after a short period of time, but the changes may not be lasting until the different areas of the brain have been sufficiently stimulated and linked up. This often takes a minimum of three to six months, and in children with severe challenges it could take a year or more of consistent movement. In addition, some children, especially those with ASD, need to be on a gluten and/or casein free diet to receive optimal effect of Rhythmic Movement Training.

 

Harald Blomberg M.D., is a specialist in psychiatry, with more than twenty years of experience helping children and adults with problems that include motor problems, attention deficit problems, learning disability and autism. Harald Blomberg teaches Rhythmic Movement Training and Reflex Integration in Sweden and all over the world.

Online Support Group for Parent of Children with Special Needs

                     Friday Night Whine Party

 

 

Where: Your webcam in the comfort of your own home.

Attire: PJs and slippers, etc…

BYOB: Grab your favorite beverage – no designated drivers needed!

 

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be tough. The highs are really high and the lows are really low. We all need a little time to connect, laugh, vent, get ideas for our kids, and make new friends. Join the Whine party!

Upcoming Parties:

Friday, Sept. 27 @ 9pm

Friday, Oct. 18 @ 9 pm

Friday, Nov. 29 @ 9 pm

 

RSVP with Dani @        autismx3mommie@gmail.com

Brain Test to Diagnose A.D.H.D. Is Approved

 The Food and Drug Administration announced on Monday that it had approved the first brain wave test to help diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.

The test uses an electroencephalogram, or EEG, with sensors attached to a child’s head and hooked by wires to a computer to measure brain waves. It traces different types of electrical impulses given off by nerve cells in the brain and records how many times those impulses are given off each second.

The test takes 15 to 20 minutes, and measures two kinds of brain waves — theta and beta. Certain combinations of those waves tend to be more prevalent in children with A.D.H.D., the Food and Drug Administration said in a news release.

      

The disorder is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children. About 9 percent of adolescents have A.D.H.D. and the average age of diagnosis is 7, the drug agency said, citing the American Psychiatric Association. Children who have it tend to be hyperactive, impulsive and exhibit behavioral problems.

       

The maker of the testing device, NEBA Health of Augusta, Ga., gave the F.D.A. data from a study of 275 children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17, with attention or hyperactivity problems. Clinicians used the device, called a Neuropsychiatric EEG-Based Assessment Aid, in combination with traditional testing methods, like listing the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, behavioral questionnaires and I.Q. testing.

      

An outside group of researchers then reviewed the data and decided whether the child had the disorder. The results showed that the device helped doctors make a more accurate diagnosis than using traditional methods alone, the F.D.A. said. An agency spokeswoman said it did not release the study’s data.

      

William E. Pelham, the director of the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University, which conducts research on the disorder and treats children who have it, was skeptical about the test. Traditional methods of diagnosing the disorder are relatively accurate, he said, and years of research on brain function have not added much to those methods. The NEBA device, he said, only supplements other types of tests and would serve only to increase the cost of diagnosis.

“What’s the point?” he said. “We’re not going to run out and buy one of these machines to do diagnoses, because it is totally unnecessary.”

      

Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the F.D.A.’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement that the device would help health care providers more accurately determine whether A.D.H.D. was the cause of a particular behavioral problem.

By Sabrina Tavernise

 

 

 

A version of this article appeared in print on July 16, 2013, on page A14 of the New York edition with the headline: Brain Test To Diagnose A.D.H.D. Is Approved.

Senseez - Colorful Pillows that Vibrate for Kids with Sensory Issues

 

When our son was first diagnosed with sensory issues there wasn't much information out there or products to help improve our lives. Since then there have been some wonderful books and products designed to make life better.

We wanted to about a product we've learned about called Senseez pillows.

Senseez pillows were developed by a mom whose son always had trouble sitting in one place. After he was diagnosed with a special need, she spoke to an occupational therapist who recommended a vibrating mat. While he loved the vibrations, the mat was large and heavy, needed to be plugged in, and made her son stick out when he used it.

Senseez pillows help with relaxation and calming down. Children who are easily distracted, have tactile sensitivities, trouble concentrating, and difficulty with getting to sleep can especially benefit.
Senseez pillows are lightweight, portable, easy to clean, are colorful, and offered in five different shapes.

 

Children with sensory processing disorders or sensory integration dysfunction enjoy, and often need or crave, the input these pillows provide. Under sensitive children benefit because the pillows can provide the input needed to help calm and regulate their system. You could even place the pillow next to your child to help them drift into a peaceful sleep. The Oversensitive child can benefit from using a Senseez pillow because it can help to increase their tolerance to tactile input. Either way, its uses within the scope of a sensory processing disorder are invaluable.

 Kids can use them anywhere:
- Home
- School
- Library
- Restaurants
- Car or plane rides
- The dentist
- Haircut

Senseez pillows are made with a vibrating unit that is self contained with a secure door to the batteries which means no cords or electrical wires.  The vibrating unit can be removed and is replaceable. The pillows are made from vinyl, which makes them easy to clean and water resistant, and stuffed with thin layers of poly foam. The Senseez pillow comes with a tactile vinyl or furry cover.

To learn more or to order to go: http://senseez.com/

 

Binghamton University Study Aims to Improve Dyslexia Treatment

Neuroscientist Sarah Laszlo wants to understand what’s going on in children’s brains when they’re reading. Her research may untangle some of the mysteries surrounding dyslexia and lead to new methods of treating America’s most common learning disorder.

How to Participate
Participants in Sarah Laszlo’s Reading Brain Project play a computerized reading game while researchers measure their brain activity. Children in kindergarten through fourth grade are eligible for the Binghamton University study and will receive $50 or an equivalent gift for their time. To sign up your child, call 607-269-7271 or e-mail readingbrain@binghamton.edu. For more details, visit www.binghamton.edu/reading-brain.