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2012年9月10日 星期一

Rewiring the Brain at the Playground


When I was in college, I used to go down to the playground at Cascade Park and swing. It just felt good and made me happy.

Little did I understand that swinging was just what my brain needed. By stimulating the brain's vestibular system which regulates balance, I got a sense of where I was in space.

The fancy word for that is proprioception, and I had lousy proprioception--always bumping into things, tripping, falling down a lot. So I knew instinctively that swinging was just what my brain-body connection needed. No wonder I loved it.

Swings are an important part of every traditional playground. Money bars are too. The brain loves monkey bars and rings because they require crossing the center mid-line which is essential for reading, writing, math and tons of other skills. I spent so much time on the rings as a kid that I got blisters on my hands and eventually calluses.

You can even hang upside down on monkey bars--another good thing for the vestibular system. Monkey bars help with sensory integration and focus. Not to mention developing strong muscles.

And what about those discs we sat on while the kid who could run the fastest gave the disc several shoves and then jumped on? We would spin and spin until it stopped or one of us fell off and skinned a knee or an elbow. Spinning also helps the vestibular system develop, even improves focus.

So let's jump forward from the 60s to the current movement for imagination playgrounds with lots of movable parts so kids can build things and adventure playgrounds for exploring.

Building things is good. Helping kids develop creativity is crucial. Certainly nothing wrong with exploring. And these new playgrounds do look like loads of fun. After all who wouldn't want to play in sandpit or a pool with running water, operate ropes and pulleys, not to mention create things with giant molded foam blocks in lots of different shapes?

My beef is with the theory that these are "good" playgrounds and the playgrounds of my childhood which helped with sensory integration are "bad." One proponent of the new playgrounds calls the old playgrounds "lame" and suggests we need a movement to get rid of them because they stifle children.

No, no, a thousand times no! Why can't we have both elements in one playground so kids like me can develop better balance and improve sensory integration? And another kid can build something or explore. Who knows? Maybe we'll take turns. I'll swing today. Tomorrow I'll build.

Creativity is only one piece of healthy brain development. With the number of kids with ADHD, ADHD-like behavior and sensory integration challenges, we need swings and monkey bars too.

And swings and monkey bars are just two activities to get kids moving more. To discover lots of activities for moving that help kids learn more easily, I invite you to grab a copy of "Wake Up Your Brain" at http://smartkidssmartparents.com/move-to-learn/




Discover strategies, tips and Brain Games to help ADHD kids and ALL kids do better in school and reach their Smart Potential. Sign up today for your FREE subscription to the "Smart Learning" newsletter. http://smartkidssmartparents.com/sign-up/

from MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D. - The Learning Doctor, helping you help your kids learn quickly and easily every day in every subject even if they have ADHD.

Got a school or PTA newsletter online or offline? A website? You can reprint this article. Just be sure to print all of the article and include my name and the information above.





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2012年9月6日 星期四

Move to Groove: The Importance of Body Movements to Integrate the Brain for Learning


Learning begins at the moment a baby takes his or her first breath. The moment a human being enters this world, they begin to learn. They embark on a journey of exploration, need-fulfillment and the integration of multi-sensory information. Each and every sound they hear, thing they see, touch they receive, scent they smell, and taste they experience is sorted into various parts of the brain and "stored" for future use. As a child progresses through various stages of life, new information continues to be received, sorted, and stored - each new skill building upon the last.

Patterned movement is an important aspect of higher-level learning skills - such as reading, writing and spelling. The amazing truth is that the development of movement and physical orientation in relationship to the world are actually the building blocks to academic learning patterns. Everything a baby and toddler does helps support the foundations of learning language, reading, spelling, and writing. For example, when a baby crawls, the movement of the legs and arms transitioning in opposite sequential patterns is actually sending signals back and forth across the mid-brain: The simple act of crawling is literally making the two sides of the brain "talk" to each other. It is movement and play, discovery and associative relationships, and the gathering of information via the senses that networks the brain for future tasks.

The effect of alternating body movements does not stop after the toddler stage of development. Continuing to integrate alternating body movements during normal play - or any activity - keeps the brain "talking" amongst its parts. Climbing, jumping, skipping, riding a bike, and swimming are all powerful brain networking exercises. The act of doing activities that alternate the right and the left sides of the body continues to promote the exchange of neural information from right to left hemispheres and vice versa, that was initiated during infancy. This process of brain communication is essential to successful learning.

That is why it may be wise to "get back to basics" in life: participating in activities that come naturally to children which have been incorporated into daily life for generations. Some of these activities can include riding a bike, shooting basketballs, playing hopscotch, swimming, playing "tag", jumping, skipping, and so on. As simple as these activities sound, they involve movement from both sides of the body and are powerful brain boosters for learning.

As a Speech Pathologist of many years, I always encourage families to promote more physical activity into their children's lives. This can be achieved in several ways. First, be an example; participate in activities with your children such as bike rides, shooting "hoops", bowling, throwing horseshoes, etc. There are so many activities that families can participate in together; this not only helps you have fun and promote bonding, but it actually fosters brain function development. Here are some general suggestions for promoting whole body activity into the lives of your child:


Reduce the time they spend with their Game Boys and X- Boxes and promote more time for movement activities.

Help your child find a sport that interests them and that allows for whole body movement. Many children like group sports like basketball or baseball, while others enjoy more personalized sports such as tennis. Sporting activities can be competitive or just be played for fun. Encourage your kids to be kids.

Allow your child time to unwind after school before requiring homework completion. After all, they have been sitting in a desk for close to eight hours each day, and their brains and bodies need time to re-integrate.

Encourage writing exercises to promote visual, tactile, and kinesthetic input into the learning process.

Be attentive to how your child learns and attends to his/her work the best. Create learning environments around these observations. For example, you may find that allowing your child to stand at the kitchen counter, while she gently rocks from side to side will help her complete her math assignment faster and with more accuracy. In summary in parents, encourage your child to be more active. Physical exercise that promotes moving the two sides of the body in alternating movements not only promotes better health in general, but it also integrates the brain for systematic learning. Have fun with your children and demonstrate the joys of ole' fashion fun and games. Parents, it is time to move and groove the brain into success!




Lucy Gross-Barlow: As a Speech/Language Pathologist of over 26 years and having practiced in a wide variety of therapeutic settings, Lucy brings to her clients a diversity of patient care knowledge. For the past 12 years, she has specialized her practice in the area of processing disorders and remediation of learning impairments, and she has a passion in seeing her clients succeed in their communicative and learning skills. Lucy now desires to extend the knowledge she has gained in processing and learning remediation to as many children as possible to enable them to reach their full learning and communicative potential in life.

Lucy is a founding partner of The Therapy Group, an association of Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, learning specialists, Speech-Language Pathology Aides, parent teachers, administrators and advocates pioneering an industry in web-based consulting for parents who seek to help their children with learning challenges or those learning with disabilities in achieving academic and social success. Providing parents with resources, learning therapies, proprietary products and programs worldwide.





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2012年7月21日 星期六

Autism - Matching Vibration, and Entrainment of Brain Wave Frequency


It is time that individuals with autism are listened to, even if we do not fully understand. Our typical sensory experiences and perceptions differ from their experiences. Thus our basic concept of reality also differs. Trying to get individuals with autism to fit the parameters of our reality has left them at odds with themselves. Let's begin to examine how they might feel. I will use the question and answer format. My responses will be guided by my inner knowing. Much of which has been influenced by my friends with autism.

What do want me to share with the world?

We want you to share all that you know. The information would not have been given to you if you were meant to hoard it.

Who should I contact and what should I say?

Know your audience and proceed accordingly - advance and retreat as needed. The dance has begun, but realize that you are not dancing alone. The movement is completely choreographed to raise consciousness. It needs to be done without inflicting casualties upon these incredible vessels. Through their service they have attained a godliness not often matched by more integrated souls. Know that nothing comes without vision and fortitude.

What would you like the medical profession to know?

We would like them to use their diagnostic tools to test our brain wave patterns and those of yours. We have told you that you and many others like you send out radio-like waves. Brain imaging technology could be used to measure brain waves during the exchange. Some doctors may be ready to acknowledge the possibility that knowledge is in the soul. We have easier access to that knowledge, since our filtering devices, sensory system and brains are not functioning properly.

What would you like them to know about your sensory system that is not currently being explored?

It is not only that our sensory systems are not working simultaneously or are in sync, but also that our sensory experiences may not be integrated. An object that we see, and an identical one that we feel, may not automatically be perceived as the same object. To further complicate issues, two-dimensional representations (pictures) may not be correlated to three-dimensional counterparts (objects). It is this massive disruption that alters our basic conception of reality. This lack of integration goes beyond the basic five senses: for example, vestibular nerves and proprioceptors may be affected in a similar manner.

What would you like parents to know?

Those of us with regressive autism had intact sensory systems for the first 18 months, and then everything went haywire. That is the time to hold your child close. Talk to his soul and tell him that you are willing to be his bridge. Be your child's Annie Sullivan, for no one will do it better. Invite him into your consciousness and let him become one with the rhythm and flow of your body. Rhythm is the undervalued piece of the puzzle.

What would you like scientists to know?

We would like them to use us as an example of what they already know. Energy and vibration constitute principles of our universe and everything in it, the higher the frequency, the easier the access. Thoughts travel faster than light. Light travels faster than sound. Thus it is easiest for us to receive information in that order. From an educator's standpoint, that is why abstract thought is easier to pick up than concrete thought. It also explains why words and pictures - two-dimensional communications - are easier to pick up than concrete objects. Three-dimensional objects are of a lower vibration and are perceived differently by us than by the more fully integrated sender. Therefore, we break down at that level.

What would you like me to pass on to theologians and physicists?

That they should just reintegrate what they already know and preach that the spirit IS. There is a physical world and a spiritual world. The latter exists before conception and after death. It exists within the physical body and without it. It is omnipotent and lies within energy fields of all people and all things. Communication between the physical and the spiritual world is attainable through intent and frequency adjustment. We do live in two worlds. We experience the spiritual and the natural simultaneously. One without the other is beyond our comprehension and is thus not part of our reality. We see spirits as we see you. We can travel in and out of our bodies at will. We have experienced both Nirvana and the depths of pain. Yet we would have it no other way.

What do you want to share with educators?

We want to let them know that we already know many things. It is just our access and organization of language based thought that causes difficulty. To keep us grounded, you can ensure that being in our bodies is a pleasant experience. Long nature walks helps us assimilate, for it is less painful to be among God's creation than those of man. We receive information from the universe that centers, guides and attunes us to the rhythm of the earth. When in tune with that frequency, we are better able to understand why it so likes to live within the physical body. Music can be used as an entrainment tool. A strong rhythm of agents ready to assist us is particularly effective.

What is the biggest mistake educators make?

The mistake they make is comparing us to them. Coming from a higher vibration, where communication is instantaneous, is our reality. To expect us to conform to the norm of your reality limits both. Expand your perceptions; expand both our realities.

What would you suggest parents and educators do to assist you in functioning in sensory-based reality?

Engage us to join with you in thoughts and vibration. Explain to us at a soul level what you are trying to do. Ask our permission. Be trustworthy and consistent. Let us know if the parameters of the activity changes. Tell us. Tell us that you are here to willingly serve as our bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind. Remind us to focus and attend during sessions geared to helping us gain access.

To master the physical plane is as difficult for us as accessing the astral or spiritual planes is for you. It is a process of raising and lowering vibrations and brain waves. Meet us at a higher vibration and then lower yours by being present, and expect us to follow. Practice, patience, love, and acceptance provide an atmosphere of safety and calm. Without trust, we fear to descend further. We must feel safe in your hands.

What would you like politicians to know?

Individual egos cause separation. We are all entwined within the same energy field. What affects one, affects another. This is true for all matter. Learn to live in harmony by moving toward the center. See each other's perspective and realize that we are all interdependent. Know that might is not always right. There are spiritual laws to abide by. All ideas that bring us together are of love. Love is of God. All things that force us apart come about from fear, and create imbalance. Strive for unity of all people and all things. Our future depends on it.




I have served as a teacher of individuals with autism for many years. What they have taught me was to be sure of nothing, and open myself to the extraordinary. Comments are appreciated. let's get the dialogue going!

Mary Ann Harrington MS

http://web.mac.com/maharrington





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2012年7月11日 星期三

Brain Rules: An Overview of the 12 Brain Principles


John Medina's best-selling Brain Rules describes 12 rules about the brain and its functioning that scientists all agree on. This easy-to-read book explains how we can make changes in our daily lives that will improve our quality of life enormously. This overview will give you a taste of what the book contains.

Rule 1: Exercise- Exercise boosts brain power.

As new research findings are released, it becomes crystal clear: Our bodies are meant to move much more than our current society requires. Turns out our brains are stimulated by movement as well. Add a 20-minute walk to your schedule and reduce your risk of stroke by 57%. Get aerobic exercise twice a week and cut your risk of Alzheimer's by 60%. Any exercise will improve your brain functioning if you are a couch potato.

Rule 2: Survival- The human brain evolved, too.

Humans have adapted and developed large brains to compensate for our weak bodies. Our ability to reason symbolically has allowed us to coordinate with each and understand each others' motivations and intentions.

Rule 3: Wiring- Every brain is wired differently.

Every human brain is unique. Our experiences and our learning physically change our brains. We don't store information in the same way. Our brains don't mature at the same speed.

Rule 4: Attention- We don't pay attention to boring things.

The brain is programmed to notice differences because they might signal a potential threat. We tune out when exposed to the same thing for too long. Learning is tied to emotions. We remember learning that is fun, novel, different. The brain is a pattern-seeker. If we can't fit new learning into a pattern it isn't likely to be remembered.

Rule 5: Short-term memory- Repeat to remember.

There are many different aspects to memory. We know that if we don't process memories by encoding and storing them so they can be retrieved, we won't be able to remember them. Memories are not stored in one part of the brain, but split into fragments and stored throughout the brain. We remember events better if they are tied to an emotion. If you are having trouble remembering something putting yourself back in the same environment may help you remember.

Rule 6: Long-term memory- Remember to repeat.

Our memories are not nearly as reliable as we think they are. It may take up to 10 years for memories to become permanently fixed.

Rule 7: Sleep- Sleep well, think well.

Loss of sleep is a major problem for adults and negatively impacts our memory, mood, focus, attention, reasoning and motor dexterity.

Rule 8: Stress- Stressed brains don't learn the same way.

Our modern lifestyle creates stressful situations that don't dissipate. Stress builds on the previous day's stress until it becomes a chronic situation. Adrenaline and cortisol damage caused by chronic stress can lead to heart attack. stroke, memory loss and impaired ability to learn.

Rule 9: Sensory Integration- Stimulate more of the senses.

Our past experiences impact our perception of current events. You can experience something with a friend but your perception of the event may be very different than your friend's perception. The more senses that are involved in a learning situation the better the learning. Our sense of smell is hugely important.

Rule 10: Vision- Vision trumps all other senses.

Over half of our brain's resources are devoted to vision. It is by far the most important of our senses. Vision is impacted by the brain and what we think we see may not be totally accurate. We learn and remember best through pictures, not words.

Rule 11: Gender- Male and female brains are different.

There are many differences between male and female brains. Male and female brains respond differently to stressful situations.

Rule 12: Exploration- We are powerful and natural explorers.

Just like babies, we learn best through exploring our environment, observing and taking different actions to test the results. We possess mirror neurons that enable us to recognize and imitate behavior. Adults continue to create new neurons and learn new things throughout our entire lives.




Barbara is a professional speaker, seminar/workshop presenter, staff development trainer with 32 years of classroom experience.

Her book, A Teacher's Book of 10s: Best ways to Do Everything in Your Classroom, will be published in the summer of 2011.

Contact Barbara at http://www.barbaratoney.com





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2012年7月9日 星期一

Understanding How We Understand - Basics of Brain Function


The basic unit of the nervous system is the neuron or nerve cell. It has a cell body that houses the nucleus where the DNA is stored, and projections called dendrites and axons. Generally, neurons have only one axon (although it may have many branches at the end) that carries impulses away from the cell body and many dendrites that carry impulses to the cell body.

Imagine that you are the neuron with a special job to do and the dendrites are your ears and the axon is your mouth. Your job is to scream "Go!" when enough of the cells around you say it's OK. So, its like you are on a game show and the audience is all calling out to you telling you what to do. All around you are other cells screaming in your ears. Some of them are telling you to be quiet and some are telling you to scream. In neurological terms, the cells telling you to be quiet are inhibitory because they inhibit your decision to scream. The ones telling you to go ahead and let 'er rip are excitatory. You are listening with your dendrites to all this input from all these other cells and when enough of them are saying scream you decide it's time to let it all out. At this point the neurologist would say you have reached your potential and there is only one thing you can do so you scream "Go!" with all you've got.

Now, you are just one link in a network of neurons and when you scream "Go!" other neurons on their own game shows are listening to you and making their decisions about when they have reached their potential and fire their axons to other cells and so on.

It looks like a jumbled mess but this is a network of neurons. The cells are connected and interconnected to hundreds or thousands of other cells. They are all telling each other to fire (excitatory) or not fire (inhibitory). It is the sum of all this input that causes specific sequences of neurons to fire in what we call a neural pathway. These pathways end up being thoughts or actions depending on what cells are involved.

When you see the sun, the light falls on the retina in your eye and a retinal cell says "Go!" to a cell in the optic nerve and it says "Go!" to a nerve in the thalamus in the brain and that cell says "Go!" to a nerve in the visual center at the back of the brain. In this way, with thousands of cells firing in sequence, we begin to get a picture of our world. It is terribly complex and there is so much information coming in at all times from all the senses it is absolutely amazing that we can put it all together.

When we say "sensory integration" we are talking about the orderly interpretation of all the information we are getting from both inside and outside our bodies. In order to do this we have to have healthy neurons that are doing their part in the pathways that make sense of it all. For neurons to be healthy they have to have input (be it excititory or inhibitory) from lots of other cells. When they get input it turns on their DNA to build more nerve cell just like exercise tells muscle cells to get bigger and stronger.

For various reasons sometimes neurons break down and stop doing their jobs efficiently. This effects other neurons in their pathways and we start to see breakdowns in the way the nervous system operates. By looking at specific clues from behavior or movement, to over or under sensitivity to sound or light among other things, we can figure out what pathways are failing and give special input to those pathways to help build them up again.




Dr. Martin Rukeyser DC, is a Chiropractor who lives and practices in Port Saint Lucie, FL. He maintains a solo chiropractic office called Life Chiropractic http://www.lifechiropracticpsl.com and is also one of the co-founders of the Brain Training Center of the Treasure Coast http://www.flbraintraining.com - a practice dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with Autism, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Aspergers, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Marty has long held a personal and professional interest in brain function and development and the connection between a healthy body and brain.

Dr. Rukeyser graduated Magna Cum Laude from Life University Chiropractic College in 1998. Prior to coming to Florida, he directed two clinics in a medically under-served community in in rural Mississippi. Dr. Marty, was raised in Long Island, NY and met his wife Ashley while in Mississippi. They have two sons, Ben and Jonah.





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2012年7月2日 星期一

Is Your Child's Brain in Sync? Four Ways to Wire Their Brain For Success


Two new studies appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and earlier reports say that brain activity is as equally linked to schizophrenia as it is to skillful meditation.

Dr. Mel Levine, MD in his workshops which focus on the learning process advocates a non-labeling approach that pinpoints and manages the students specific weaknesses and strengths in such a way that does not stigmatize them or oversimplify them.

Dr. Paul Foxman, in his well known book, Dancing with Fear ( 2007) looks at the relationship that anxiety plays in our society.In all of these studies we are realizing the power our brain has to derail our perceptions and thoughts and make our life uneasy or to foster healthy perception and help us to achieve a richer inner life experience.

Results from the above mentioned studies indicate that our brain is a complex community. All the members of this community are cells and as such are active as is reflected in their electrical discharges. How these discharges occur contribute to the different experiences we have in our daily life. EEG recordings back up this study of the brain by reporting on the rate and intensity at which cells on the brain's surface send messages. Some brain waves for example, the gamma ones, send their messages at around 40 times a second. Wow!

According to researchers at the University of Wisconsin, gamma activity expanded across the brain during meditation but according to psychiatrist Robert W. Mc Carley of Harvard, the absence of gamma activity can cause dysfunctional neural activity and schizophrenic symptoms.

As we learn more about the power and function of our brain we can then apply some very simple activities that will make our daily life better, our children less anxious and learning the positive enjoyable experience it should be.There will be much more study on this subject as more and more educators have to deal with children experiencing learning difficulties.

I know as a Structure of Intellect practitioner and a certified Life Management Skills Leader that the brain has to have the precise rhythm and timing to effectively process information, perception , memory and consciousness. In other words kids and adults learn better and feel better when their brain is in balance. I train the brain before I ask it to work. Through a sensory integration program, my students use a ball and a balance board to create rhythm and precise timing in the brain. I am then able to use their intellectual strengths to help train their weaknesses. It's beautiful and it works!

Here are some tips you can try at home to prepare your child for the best learning experience:

1) Create a space for studying. It should be quiet with 60 beat music playing in the background. The brain self-organizes better when it listens to Vivaldi rather than pop music.

2) Give your child a protein snack before or during homework time. Avoid sugar or foods known to be allergens. These foods break up concentration and focus.

3) Do some brain gym exercises before homework time. Any of the cross-patterning where you touch your left hand to your right knee and visa-versa will stimulate both right and left hemispheres.

4) Ask your child to hold their breath for 5 to 10 seconds actually re-energizes our brain's electrical patterns and clears brain fog quickly.

When I use these simple techniques with my students I've seen great results in their ability to prepare for a quiz, an exam or study time. When the brain's timing and rhythm are restored to a healthy balance, depression, anxiety and learning disabilities are healed and they make advances in reading, writing and arithmetic.

As an education coach, I am thankful for the above mentioned studies on brain function. It helps all of us understand more about how we learn and even more importantly gives us new approaches to try at home and in the classroom. We are finding out that we can become super learners while being balanced and calm in our everyday life.

Joan Gibson




Joan Gibson

Optional Title: Four Ways To Train Your Child's Brain For Success.

[http://www.joangibson.ca]





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2012年6月19日 星期二

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) and Avoiding the Problem of Medicating a Developing Brain


Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) appeared first in the 1980 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association. Today ADD means different things to different professionals, depending upon their field, their level of experience and medical knowledge, and their cultural beliefs about how children should act.

Parents are often surprised to learn that there is no particular medical or neurological abnormality present in individuals diagnosed with attention deficit. Instead, the diagnosis depends upon subjective assessments by parents, teachers, or professionals with little or no understanding of the neuroscience of learning and behavior.

In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a consensus statement in 1999 warning that the causes and treatments of ADD are only speculative. In a very real sense, the diagnosis itself is only speculative.

In spite of this, individuals and even very young children who are given a diagnosis of ADD are typically given a prescription for an amphetamine, usually methylphenidate. This amphetamine is very similar to cocaine in terms of its effects on the brain (see Volkow et al, 1995); both drugs compete for the same binding sites on brain cells, both are taken up into the same areas of the brain, and both produce similar psychological effects. Perhaps the major differences are that methylphenidate remains in the brain much longer and the psychological expectations associated with the drug are much different.

Both methylphenidate and cocaine affect the brain by increasing levels of dopamine in the frontal lobes, an area responsible for motor planning, learning, problem solving, impulse control, memory, attention, language, analytical thinking and social behavior, and the striatum, an area responsible for processing and integrating sensory information.

Increased levels of dopamine make the brain feel powerful and happy and can produce addictive behaviors and responses. Elevated levels of dopamine also alter other neurochemicals and affect control muscle movements, sleep/wake cycles, hunger and satiety, arousal, heart rate, blood pressure, and stress responses.

If these altered levels of neurochemicals persist for too long (e.g. several weeks), the brain begins to try to bring the levels back to normal. If a neurochemical has been elevated for too long, the brain will begin to shut down some of the receptors for that neurochemical and will begin to kill off some of the transporters that move the neurochemical through the brain. We call this effect "downregulation."

After about three weeks it is possible to see these architectural changes with the electron microscope; after about four months the changes are significant. Four months on methlyphenidate, for example, will result in the loss of about 75% of the dopamine transporters and 20% of the dopamine receptors in the striatum (Vles et al, 2003). The striatum is an area of the brain critical for sensory processing, learning and memory.

Downregulation can have significant effects on the developing brain long after the drug has been withdrawn. Early exposure to methylphenidate, for example, has been linked to decreased interest in sex, food, emotional experiences, and novelty, and an increase in anxiety and stress levels in adolescence and adulthood (Bolanos, et al, 2003).

Of course, the brain can also "upregulate" by growing more transporters or receptors or making the remaining receptorsor more sensitive. However, upregulatio takes time.

It is dangerous to abruptly stop taking a medication after downregulation has occurred, so following a weaning schedule is recommended. The speed at which an individual is weaned from a drug like methylpheidate is based on the length of time they have been taking the medication and the dosage that they were receiving. A physician familiar with the neurological properties of the drug should be consulted before attempting to wean someone off such a drug.

Regardless of the problems associated with medications used to "treat" attention deficit, the question remains as to why a child is having problems paying attention. There are a host of metabolic, immunological, neurolgoical sensory and psychological causes of inattention including: metabolic disorders, allergies, toxins, sleep disorders, vitamin or fatty-acid deficiencies, thyroid disorders, diabetes, depression, boredom intolerance, high intelligence, high creativity, frontal lobe dysfunction, auditory or vestibular processing disorders, and learning disabilities.

Correctly identifying the underlying cause of inattention can help parents and medical professionals avoid the problems of exposing a developing brain to medications that alter neurochemicals, produce downregulation or create long-term side effects that may be far more serious than inattention.




The author, Michelle L. MacAlpine, Ph.D., is a cognitive developmental neuroscientist specializing in the assessment and treatment of sensory processing disorders, attention deficit, and developmental, academic and cognitive delays.

More information can be found at http://www.braintraining.com

ARTICLE REFERENCES
Volkow ND, Ding YS, Fowler JS, Wang GJ, Logan J, Gatley JS, Dewey S, Ashby C, Liebermann J, Hitzemann R, et al. 1995 "Is methylphenidate like cocaine? Studies on their pharmacokinetics and distribution in the human brain." Arch Gen Psychiatry. 52(6):456-63.

Vles JS, Feron FJ, Hendriksen JG, Jolles J, van Kroonenburgh MJ, Weber WE. 2003 "Methylphenidate down-regulates the dopamine receptor and transporter system in children with attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder (ADHD)." Neuropediatrics. Apr;34(2):77-80.

Bolanos CA, Barrot M, Berton O, Wallace-Black D, Nestler EJ. 2003."Methylphenidate treatment during pre- and periadolescence alters behavioral responses to emotional stimuli at adulthood." Biol Psychiatry. 54(12):1317-29





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2012年5月17日 星期四

Brain Training for Functional Disconnect Syndrome and Other Disabilities on the Autism Spectrum


We have discussed the way nerves communicate and how they decide when they are going to send impulses to other nerve cells. We know that groups of nerves collect information and fire together in pathways that stimulate distant parts of the brain. We also know that it is essential for different areas of the brain to communicate well with each other for us to be able to do the amazing complicated things we do with our brains.

The brain is divided into the left and right hemispheres. In these hemispheres the vast array of jobs that must be done are divided up and organized. Each hemisphere is also separated into special sections or lobes. These are the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. The parietal lobe is mostly concerned with sensation of the body and locating where things happen. There is a map of the opposite side of the body inside each parietal lobe. So the left parietal lobe of the brain feels everything on the right side of the body and vice versa. The same type of thing happens for the occipital lobes sensing vision, the temporal lobes sensing hearing and the frontal lobes controlling muscle movements on the opposite side of the body. The frontal lobe is also what we call the executive center because it is responsible for making decisions and carrying out actions.

Now, imagine you are in a toy store. A train on its track is making its way around the store chugging and whistling. You turn your head to see where it is. As it comes into view you see an egg on one of the cars and you want to pick it up. It sounds like a simple thing but when you really think about it, it involves the whole brain and is quite complex. First, the ears are stimulated, changing the sound vibrations in the air to electrical impulses traveling along nerves. The impulses are sent to the temporal lobe so we can know what we are hearing and to the parietal lobe so we can know from where we are hearing it. The temporal lobes compare all the different frequencies in the sounds and their relative volumes and figure out what that whistling sound is. At the same time both parietal lobes take information from the ears and compare between the two sides which one hears the sound louder and if the volumes are changing to figure out where the sound is coming from.

The temporal and parietal lobes then send their perceptions forward to the frontal lobe so it can decide what they are, what they are doing, whether the sounds are dangerous or not and what to do about it. The frontal lobe then fires the muscles in the neck and moves the muscles in the eyes in perfect sequence to pinpoint the position of the toy train and then track its trajectory. In order to do this, it needs the occipital lobe which is now receiving visual stimulation from the eyes and forwarding it to the frontal lobe. The sound from each ear, the sight from both eyes, and the position sense in all the muscles involved must be synchronized by an internal timer so that differences in lengths of nerves and processing times do not confuse the frontal lobe like watching a movie where the sound is delayed so you see the lips moving but the words don't make sense. I haven't even started to talk about what it's going to take to judge the speed of this train, time the movement of the arm, sequence the firing of the muscles in the arm and hand, and judge and re-judge the pressure on the egg so we don't break it.

Without communication, timing and sequencing within the brain we simply can not operate smoothly in the world. As we know many of our children are experiencing functional disconnections of these different parts of their brains that we may have previously described as "sensory integration problems", clumsiness, poor eye contact, unusually high pain threshold, difficulty following directions or so many other things. The Listening Program, the Integrative Metronome, the other therapies we do in our office and the exercises we have patients do at home are intended to connect or reconnect the different areas of the brain in the proper sequence so our kids can perform the majestic complexity that we all take for granted.




Dr. Martin Rukeyser DC, is a Chiropractor who lives and practices in Port Saint Lucie, FL. He maintains a solo chiropractic office called Life Chiropractic http://www.lifechiropracticpsl.com and is also one of the co-founders of the Brain Training Center of the Treasure Coast http://www.flbraintraining.com - a practice dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with Autism, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Aspergers, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Marty has long held a personal and professional interest in brain function and development and the connection between a healthy body and brain.

Dr. Rukeyser graduated Magna Cum Laude from Life University Chiropractic College in 1998. Prior to coming to Florida, he directed two clinics in a medically under-served community in in rural Mississippi. Dr. Marty, was raised in Long Island, NY and met his wife Ashley while in Mississippi. They have two sons, Ben and Jonah.





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2012年3月4日 星期日

The Toe Bone is Connected to the Brain!


30 years ago, Dr Jean Ayres linked neural function and a child's success in school, or lack thereof, known as Neurological Integration. Neurological problems in infants are seen in sensitivity to bright lights, loud sounds, and quick movements.

There is a marked change in activity levels, they tire easily, seem to be in continuous motion, or tend to sleep a lot. Coordination problems, speech and language delays, attention issues, self-regulation, all indicate problems with neurological integration. This condition is masked in many different ways and it's vital that parents know the signs.

When an infant is playing or interacting, their brain gathers data and attempts to organize it. If data becomes scrambled or disorganized, it's evident in the infant's behavior.

"The number of young children in school showing sensory processing disorders increases every year, currently estimated 12% to 17% of all children in the United States," according to the Sensory Integration Education and Research Foundation.

Postural control

Standing or moving sends signals from our body to the brain and back again. The body automatically and reflexively assumes a particular posture, based on a mix of responses, and what your brain, is telling your body to do.

Pressoreceptors, the millions of pressure sensors over the entire bottom surface of the foot. These receptors send information to the brain which then process, coordinate eight anti-gravity muscles; to keep the eyes level with the horizon.

Any failure in this process disturbs not only balance, but many other senses as well.

Foot position

"Research shows foot positioning directly hampers neuro-development of children," says Dr. Cody Hanish, DC of Sydney. "It is easy to see the value of foot position, posture, and the effects it has on health and wellbeing in the long term."

A survey of 52 five-year-old children showed that 92.3% had knocked knees, 77.9% had hyperpronation, (underdevelopment of the anklebone or heel bone restricting range of motion.) "Pronation is the most common foot problem we see at our Chiropractic clinic in Sydney," says Dr. Hanish, D.C.

"Considering the importance of the feet in neurological information to the brain, this is extremely concerning," says Dr. Hanish, D.C. "By age five, some children have developed rigid, stooped, or sloppy postural habits when standing or sitting, or in coordinated movements."

Being proactive in your child's neurological development

Parents, caregivers, and teacher's have active roles in seeing children who may have neurological problems. Trained Chiropractors can identify the underlying process and prescribe proper activities for the infant or child.

These activities, boost tolerance toward specific stimulations, desensitize overreactions, increase proprioceptive input from the feet, help coordinate movement, and develop neurological integration.

"What the chiropractic clinic, and what you do at home, directly affects neurological development in your child. What greater gift can you possibly give a child?" says Dr. Hanish, D.C.





Cody Hanish, a Sydney Chiropractor and Doctor of Chiropractic, has provided this summary out of a series of articles on chiropractic care posted by Wynyard Chiropractic.

You can find more articles on pediatric and chiropractic care at the Sydney Wynyard Chiropractic Website.





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2012年2月7日 星期二

Children's Health - Brain Development Disorder - Definition and Types


I. Definition

A neurodevelopmental disorder is defined as an impairment of the growth and development of the central nervous system. It effects the child's brain function in controlling emotion, learning ability and memory as well as social interaction. Today, one in six children is diagnosed with some forms of development and behaviour disorder. It is advised for parent to have their child diagnosed early, if they found that their child is withdrawing from social world, failing to learn the basic communication skill or struggle with emotional regulation, etc.. otherwise, a child may be at risk of becoming serious lifelong disability.

II. Most common types of brain development disorder

1. Autism disorder

Autism is one most common form of brain development disorder and one in 166 child is diagnosed with some forms of autism. It is defined as medical condition in which a child has some of the following impairments

a) Speech

b) Social and communication skills

c) Limited interest

d) Repetitive behaviour

2. Asperger syndrome

Children with Asperger syndrome has no problem with speech development, but have very poor social and communication skills. they may talk a lot, but fail to focus and keep up with the subject. they also have a very narrow interest as they may talk about only one single subject for months or years. Some children with Asperger syndrome may also engage in repetitive behaviour such as flagging hand.

3. Pervasive Development disorder

Children who have developed some or mild forms of autism are considered to have pervasive development disorder. Although some symptoms or important signs of autism are missing, they are likely to diagnoses with autism or Asperger syndrome later in their life.

4. Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome effects mostly girl, is defined as a condition of which children lose social and communication skills as well as purposely use of their hand. It may also accompany with symptoms of hand repetitive and seizures.

5. Childhood integrative disorder

Children with childhood integrative disorder may gradually lose their language, social communication and self help skills between the period of 2 -4 years old.

6. Sensory integration dysfunction

Sensory integration dysfunction is a condition of which a child fails to react to the information collected from the scene, caused by abnormal brain function in processing information. Typically, most children with sensory integration syndrome may be under sensitive in reaction to pain or noise or over sensitive in reaction to certain environments such as noise, bright light or often both.

7. Auditory processing disorder

Auditory processing disorder is defined as damaging of the neurological structures and pathways of sound perception, therefore children with this disorder are able to hear sounds but have trouble to interpret what they hear.

8. Expressive language disorder

This is defined as a condition of which the children have a limited vocabulary and difficulty in recalling words or expressing themselves by using complex sentences.

9. Speech apraxia

It is caused by the broken down of the inter-reaction between the brain in controlling the speech muscles during speech. Children with speech appraxia know what they want to say, but can not speak through their voice and their words are difficult to understand.

10. Attention deficit hyperactivity

ADHD is defined as psychological condition of which a child has a poor attention skill, impulsive behavior and hyper-activity. The symptoms may appear to be innocent but annoying nuisances to other children. It effects between 3-5% of children globally and most of them are diagnosed later in their childhood life.

11. Attention deficit disorder

Unlike ADHD, children with attention deficit disorder are diagnosed only with symptoms of poor attention skill and impulsive behaviour. Although, the symptoms may appear only annoying to other children, it can inflict the learning ability of the children in the class.

12. Mental retardation

Metal retardation is considered as a generalized disorder. Children with mental retardation normally fail to adapt or adjust to another type of behaviour or situation. They also have a below average IQ ( 70 or lower) and difficulty in performing routine activity.

13. Hearing impairment

Hearing impairment is characterized as a child have a reduce of the ability to detect or understand sounds. Since the children can not hear well, it may interfere with normal progress of social and communication skills causing disruptive behaviour.

14. Seizure disorder (Epilepsy)

Since the normal function of neurons is to generate electrochemical impulses to act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, the damage or abnormal function of neurons in case of seizure disorder interferes with sensations, emotions, and behavior, resulting in delay or loss of social and communication skills.

15. Nonverbal learning disorder

The problems of the nonverbal learning disorder are not speech and memory, they may seem normal when they talk and understand what they hear, but in abstracted thinking such as non-verbal problem-solving, daily change of routine and social skills.

16. Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury normally caused by physical impacts such as car accident or lack of oxygen circulated in their body for a certain amount of time that damage certain areas of the brain in controlling speech, thinking, behaviour and social skills.

17. Fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is defined as a genetic defect. Children with this syndrome have difficult to control the physical, intellectual, emotional and behavioural aspects in their daily activity as resulting of inherited cause of mental retardation.

18. Tuberous sclerosis

This another type of genetic disease, which causes tumor to be growth in the brain and other organ, leading to seizure, delay development, behaviour problem and sometimes mental retardation.

19. William syndrome

William syndrome is a genetic defect, caused by a deletion of about 26 genes from the long arm of chromosome. Children with William syndrome appear to have unusual language skill and eager for social interaction, but can also be mental retardation and heart problems.

20. Angelman syndrome

This is a condition caused by deletion or inactivation of genes on the maternally inherited chromosome 15. Children with this type of syndrome have severe mental retardation that effect their intellectual and interfere with normal development. The syndrome also accompanies with unexplained smiling and laughing.

21. Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Will syndrome is also another genetic defect caused by missing or partial missing of the seven genes on chromosome 15. Children who was born with Prader-Willi syndrome have delay development and feeding difficulty in infancy and develop compulsive eating and food obsession after age one.

22. Phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuria is a genetically metabolic disorder caused by deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, leading to accumulation of phenylalanine, interfering with development of the brain, causing severe brain damage, mental retardation if it is not controlled by a special diet in their early life.

23. Early-onset childhood bipolar disorder

It is also known as manic-depression. Children who are diagnosed with this disorder have symptoms of frequent mood swing, alternate thinking and behaviour .

24. Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized as a children life is disrupted by unwanted, unnecessary and repetitive thought, as well as an overwhelming need to do certain thing compulsively such as washing their hand many times a day, drinking a cup water before leaving home, etc.

25. Generalized anxiety disorder

It is a kind of anxiety disorder. Children with generalized anxiety disorder always worry about something, restlessness and fear without reason.

26. Selective mutism

Selective mutism is defined as another type of anxiety in which a child who is normally capable of speech is unable to speak or becomes silent in certain situations or in front of specific people.

27. Oppositional defiant disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder is defined as an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, disobedient, hostile and defiant behaviour toward parent and authority.

28. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder association with streptococcal infection ( PANDAS)

It is defined as a condition in which the immune system attack the child central nervous system, leading to behaviour, thinking and movement problems.

29. Reactive attachment disorder

Reactive attachment disorder is defined as an inappropriate social behaviour caused by severe early experiences of neglect, abuse of parent or caregivers between the ages of six months and three years.

30. Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is described as a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality caused by inability of a child to cope with the change in the internal or external environment, leading to hallucination and delusion.




To read more of above subject or Autism, please visit http://neurodevelopmentaldisorder.blogspot.com/

For series of Infertility Articles, please visit http://fertility-infertility.blogspot.com/

All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have the author name and all the links intact. "Let You Be With Your Health, Let Your Health Be With You" Kyle J. Norton I have been studying natural remedies for disease prevention for over 20 years and working as a financial consultant since 1990. Master degree in Mathematics, teaching and tutoring math at colleges and universities before joining insurance industries. Part time Health, Insurance and Entertainment Article Writer.





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2012年2月1日 星期三

How is the ADHD Brain Different?


The medical community views attention deficit hyperactive disorder as a biological condition caused by dysfunctions in the brain - specifically, a deficiency in key neurotransmitters. Although the brain of a person with ADHD is somewhat different from the brain of those without ADHD, these differences are not the only cause of the disorder. ADHD is triggered by many environmental factors, and imbalances found in the ADHD brain are in fact expressions of the real causes of the disorder as well.

How is the ADHD brain different from a normal brain? A medical doctor will probably tell you that the ADHD brain is deficient in two neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. These are the chemicals responsible for carrying signals between brain cells; if there aren't enough neurotransmitters, the brain is unable to function optimally and the person experiences chronic inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. To treat the imbalance, medical doctors will probably prescribe medication to stimulate the brain circuits and temporarily increase levels of dopamine, resulting in increased concentration, higher productivity, and better behavior. But the latest research on the brain structure of ADHD children revealed that the difference in the ADHD brain is not so much due to the lack of neurotransmitters, but rather to a problem with the electrical impulses needed to release the neurotransmitters.

Alternative health care practitioners go beyond the medical explanation of ADHD - a deficiency in neurotransmitters - to locate three major differences in the ADHD brain. All understanding of these three differences is backed up by the latest scientific research.

1) Brain hemisphericity. The normal brain can activate the right and left hemispheres of the brain with ease. However, a person diagnosed with ADHD experiences a deficiency in one of the two hemispheres. Researchers have discovered that the right hemisphere is usually weaker than the left.

2) A developmental delay in brain circuitry. A delay in brain development is usually related to brain hemisphericity. What this means is that a child with ADHD might be ten years old chronologically, but parts of his brain might be functioning at the level of a six year old, which is why he or she suffers from behavioral problems. These developmental problems are caused by complex environmental factors called antecedents and triggers, which is why the right treatment plan for ADHD should be designed around neutralizing these factors instead of temporarily stimulating the brain with drugs. For as long as antecedents and triggers continue to work on each other, the imbalance in the brain stays and the symptoms will not go away.

3) Problems with sensory integration. Due to brain hemisphericity and developmental delay, an individual with ADHD may have issues processing sensory information. They either feel too much (hyperactive) or don't feel enough (hypoactive). Either way, problems with sensory integration often lead to behavioral problems.

Before embarking on a treatment plan for ADHD, your child has to go through tests that can pinpoint any deficiencies in the brain. There are many specialists who can use safe procedures like neurofeedback, sensory integration approaches, or chiropractic neurology to treat any problems in the brain. The best thing about these approaches is that they are 100% natural, which means your child won't be taking any potentially damaging drugs to treat any brain deficiencies that might be found.

Remember that ADHD is a condition caused by many environmental factors; an imbalance in neurotransmitters is simply one of the symptoms. That is why an effective treatment for ADHD must go beyond treating the brain and address the environmental factors triggering the disorder in the first place.




Dr. Yannick Pauli is an expert on natural approaches to ADHD and the author of the popular self-help home-program The Unritalin Solution. He is Director of the Centre Neurofit in Lausanne, Switzerland and has a passion taking care of children with ADHD. Click on the link for more great information about adhd and the brain.





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2012年1月28日 星期六

Is Your Baby's Brain Forming Right Before Your Eyes?


Science begins to confirm much of what we already know about the critical importance of adequate nurturing, in the early stages of life. British scientists are now able to monitor how our brain's "wiring" develops in the first few months of life, because of new imaging technology.

Researchers at King's College London scanned babies brains to monitor myelination, which is a process of maturation by which the brain becomes more effective. Myelination is largely responsible for conducting impulses within the brain; therefore allowing the brain to respond adaptively, or in a functional manner, to surroundings. Scientists scanned the infants monthly from 3 to 11 months, and found that by 9 months, the "myelination had taken place in all areas of the brain." (1)

"We already know that insulating myelin sheaths form the cornerstone of our neurodevelopment." states Sean Deoni, who led the study. The next (and very exciting) phase of study, will involve monitoring the myelination process in premature infants, who have not yet had a chance to fully develop structures in the brain, and compare the major differences between them and "normally" developing infants.

"In very premature babies, myelination can be particularly prone to damage, and the researchers said they hoped their new imaging technique would in the future allow doctors to directly measure whether the treatments given to premature babies are able to help normal brain development." Kate Kelland

Since I am one of the clinicians who provides such treatment to neonates, I will comment on the subject. From my work with premature infants at NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), I have been privileged to experience how miraculously 'adaptive' the human nervous system can be. As an occupational therapist, I have extensive training in the area of sensory integration; however, I truly realized what all that training was really good for, in NICU. Essentially, sensory integration is a science which specifically addresses the way the human brain is able to process responses from the external world, and helps to facilitate an adaptive, or functional response.

It wasn't until my greatest 'Little Teachers' were able to regulate their physiological stress so they could begin dealing with their world: i.e. looking at me (or mommy/daddy), molding into an embrace, discovering their own bodies (their surroundings) and initiating feeding... That I realized the techniques I use: such as deep pressure touch, and VERY graded movement (in a way similar to what our 'normal' nervous systems experience in utero) were very effective in helping this little 'human systems' respond in a more mature and organized way to their environment. It helped them to begin bonding, learning and feeding (important pre-requisites for life).

"By understanding exactly how myelin develops and when this process breaks down, we hope to be able to tailor treatments for vulnerable patients, such as premature babies, and understand what differentiates those that develop normally from those who have some delay or disability." Sean Deoni

We have long been aware of that movement is linked to increased myelination (or conductivity) of the nervous system; I would venture to say, for those of you who are thinking 'bigger is better', that is NOT the intensity but the appropriateness of the movement that helps create an adaptive response. You would not take a baby in a roller coaster ride, but gently rock him/her in securely your arms, monitoring that s/he responds by making eye contact with you, or cuddling--rather than stiffening, or tremoring.

It is easy to recall earlier studies of children in Romanian orphanages who were adequately fed and clothed during infancy, but received little other human interaction (i.e. touch). Some of these children were examined later using Pet Scans, and these revealed much of the functional brain space had simply wasted away. The most successful of these children had learned to compensate, by using other areas of their brain for several functions, which once again reinforces the miraculous adaptability of the human nervous system.

In conclusion, science is continuing to offer 'proof' that early nurturing is essential, if not critical, to healthy development. There are now tools that illustrate the effects of early experience in the neurophysiology of the brain. Evidence further supporting the importance of critical developmental windows, when skills are built for a lifetime.

(1) "Study shows how brain's wiring develops in babies"-- Kate Kelland, Baby Center News

(2) Reuters Resources




Irene Martinez, OTR/L. Pediatric Occupational Therapist, with 18 years of clinical expertise. Holds certifications in NeuroDevelopment and Sensory Integration. Clinical specialist at Miami Children's Hospital, and Director at The Children's Therapy Place. For the most updated information visit http://www.TenderCareforTenderPeople.com





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2012年1月24日 星期二

Move to Groove: The Importance of Body Movements to Integrate the Brain for Learning


Learning begins at the moment a baby takes his or her first breath. The moment a human being enters this world, they begin to learn. They embark on a journey of exploration, need-fulfillment and the integration of multi-sensory information. Each and every sound they hear, thing they see, touch they receive, scent they smell, and taste they experience is sorted into various parts of the brain and "stored" for future use. As a child progresses through various stages of life, new information continues to be received, sorted, and stored - each new skill building upon the last.

Patterned movement is an important aspect of higher-level learning skills - such as reading, writing and spelling. The amazing truth is that the development of movement and physical orientation in relationship to the world are actually the building blocks to academic learning patterns. Everything a baby and toddler does helps support the foundations of learning language, reading, spelling, and writing. For example, when a baby crawls, the movement of the legs and arms transitioning in opposite sequential patterns is actually sending signals back and forth across the mid-brain: The simple act of crawling is literally making the two sides of the brain "talk" to each other. It is movement and play, discovery and associative relationships, and the gathering of information via the senses that networks the brain for future tasks.

The effect of alternating body movements does not stop after the toddler stage of development. Continuing to integrate alternating body movements during normal play - or any activity - keeps the brain "talking" amongst its parts. Climbing, jumping, skipping, riding a bike, and swimming are all powerful brain networking exercises. The act of doing activities that alternate the right and the left sides of the body continues to promote the exchange of neural information from right to left hemispheres and vice versa, that was initiated during infancy. This process of brain communication is essential to successful learning.

That is why it may be wise to "get back to basics" in life: participating in activities that come naturally to children which have been incorporated into daily life for generations. Some of these activities can include riding a bike, shooting basketballs, playing hopscotch, swimming, playing "tag", jumping, skipping, and so on. As simple as these activities sound, they involve movement from both sides of the body and are powerful brain boosters for learning.

As a Speech Pathologist of many years, I always encourage families to promote more physical activity into their children's lives. This can be achieved in several ways. First, be an example; participate in activities with your children such as bike rides, shooting "hoops", bowling, throwing horseshoes, etc. There are so many activities that families can participate in together; this not only helps you have fun and promote bonding, but it actually fosters brain function development. Here are some general suggestions for promoting whole body activity into the lives of your child:


Reduce the time they spend with their Game Boys and X- Boxes and promote more time for movement activities.

Help your child find a sport that interests them and that allows for whole body movement. Many children like group sports like basketball or baseball, while others enjoy more personalized sports such as tennis. Sporting activities can be competitive or just be played for fun. Encourage your kids to be kids.

Allow your child time to unwind after school before requiring homework completion. After all, they have been sitting in a desk for close to eight hours each day, and their brains and bodies need time to re-integrate.

Encourage writing exercises to promote visual, tactile, and kinesthetic input into the learning process.

Be attentive to how your child learns and attends to his/her work the best. Create learning environments around these observations. For example, you may find that allowing your child to stand at the kitchen counter, while she gently rocks from side to side will help her complete her math assignment faster and with more accuracy. In summary in parents, encourage your child to be more active. Physical exercise that promotes moving the two sides of the body in alternating movements not only promotes better health in general, but it also integrates the brain for systematic learning. Have fun with your children and demonstrate the joys of ole' fashion fun and games. Parents, it is time to move and groove the brain into success!




Lucy Gross-Barlow: As a Speech/Language Pathologist of over 26 years and having practiced in a wide variety of therapeutic settings, Lucy brings to her clients a diversity of patient care knowledge. For the past 12 years, she has specialized her practice in the area of processing disorders and remediation of learning impairments, and she has a passion in seeing her clients succeed in their communicative and learning skills. Lucy now desires to extend the knowledge she has gained in processing and learning remediation to as many children as possible to enable them to reach their full learning and communicative potential in life.

Lucy is a founding partner of The Therapy Group, an association of Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, learning specialists, Speech-Language Pathology Aides, parent teachers, administrators and advocates pioneering an industry in web-based consulting for parents who seek to help their children with learning challenges or those learning with disabilities in achieving academic and social success. Providing parents with resources, learning therapies, proprietary products and programs worldwide.





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2012年1月15日 星期日

Whole Brain Thinking


The words in the left hand column are typically associated with the "left brain thinking," and the words in the right hand column are typically associated with "right brain thinking." These are simple generalizations, designed to get you thinking about the habitual thinking patterns you use to approach your work. The more integrated we are - the more we access and use the elements associated with both sides of this list in any given situation - the more effective we can be at generating elegant solutions and creating new systems. Most individuals and most organizations lean more toward one side or the other. Certainly, in our culture most organizational systems use more "left brain" approaches and would benefit greatly by balancing out their methods.

I've developed a short quiz to help you determine your most common brain usage. Quickly scan the list for the words that apply to you in your work. Don't think about it or try to figure it out--go by initial gut instinct. Keep track of how many words in each column describe your own. You don't have to choose between the 2 columns - just check off each word that resonates with you as part of your own process, even if they seem opposite. For example, you may find you already use both detailed and big picture thinking in your work. If so, check both.

Whole Brain Dimensions Quiz(TM)

Left Brain-------------------Right Brain

Rational----------------------Intuitive

Logical -----------------------Metaphorical

Fact based-------------------Aesthetic

Quantitative-----------------Holistic

Sequential-------------------Synthesizing

Detailed----------------------Big Picture

Plan---------------------------Improvise

Mathematical----------------Musical

Administrative---------------Correlative

Language & words---------Imagery

Technical---------------------Visual

Analytical--------------------Emotional

Scientific---------------------Spiritual

Abstract---------------------Conceptual

Order------------------------Movement

Singular---------------------Complex

Preparation-----------------Incubation

Verification------------------Illumination

Objective--------------------Subjective

Parts-------------------------Wholes

Evaluation-------------------Elaboration

Deduce-----------------------Expand

Accuracy----------------------Randomness

Pattern perception---------Spatial perception

Strategies-------------------Possibilities

Safety & security-----------Risk taking

Practical---------------------Impetuous

Remember------------------Fantasize & envision

Adds-------------------------Integrates

Successive------------------Simultaneous

Directed---------------------Flowing

Convergent-----------------Divergent

Splits-------------------------Connects

Sensing----------------------Perceiving

Cause and effect ----------Correspondence

Straight lines---------------Meandering

Verbal------------------------Kinesthetic

Isolates---------------------Interdependent

Deducts---------------------Expands

Distinctions-----------------Relations

Observes-------------------Imagines

Discerns--------------------Generates

Catagories------------------Interconnections

Catalogues & labels-------Incorporates & assimilates

Sorts & separates---------Infuses & blends

Figures out-----------------"Gets"

Concludes------------------"A-ha!"

Segmented-----------------Contextual

Methodical------------------Spontaneous

Levels & stages------------Dimensions

Lists--------------------------Story

Itemizes---------------------Unites

Add up the totals on each side to become aware of your dominant thinking approach. What are your strengths? What are your dominant thinking patterns? Where is there room for expansion into whole brain thinking?

4 Whole Brain "Activation" Techniques

Opposite functions - Spend some time doing everything with your non-dominant hand. Every time you break a dominance habit, you create new neural pathways and give the brain more options. It become easier to think in new ways throughout your day, and easier to adapt, respond and create in high pressure environments.

Colored markers and unlined paper - Instead of using lined legal paper and a pen in meetings, brainstorming sessions or any other work related function, try use unlined paper and colored markers (I recommend the Sharpie fine point brand - they're vibrant and long lasting). Without exception, once you get used to the exhilarating freedom of working "outside the lines" and the new ideas it will produce, you won't go back to being mentally boxed in. Lines have a subconscious effect on us which keep the brain locked in habitual thought patterns. By removing the lines, the brain is more free to think multi-dimensionally instead of just linearly.

Sensory Immersion - consciously engage all of your senses. Instead of coming to a situation from thinking alone, come to it form you sense of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch as well. The more senses you bring into a creative process, the more you expand your thinking and awareness, and the more information you receive.

Embodiment - become the project, problem, vision, product and act from its point of view. New ideas will flood your mind. This is easy to prove. First, try imagining new features to add to any product in a certain time period, i.e., 5 minutes. You will come up with a number of features. Then, pretend you actually are the product - become the product -and start talking from it, again for 5 minutes. You will learn exponentially more about what it "needs." The act of embodying a product, process, concept, etc. will give you new insights and awareness' into the product, and therefore, potential new features, that you cannot get from just thinking about it.




Creativity catalyst and coach Michelle James, CEO of The Center for Creative Emergence (http://www.creativeemergence.com), has worked with thousands of people - from individuals to large corporations - to help them unlock and focus their creativity to develop their signature approaches; draw out new solutions, strategies, services and products; and create inspired work. Using natural principles of emergence with creative process, she developed the Creative Emergence ProcessR. Her techniques have been featured in numerous publications and on television. Michelle paints, performs with Precipice Improv (http://www.precipiceimprov.com), and is a CoreSomaticsR Movement and Bodywork Master Practitioner. She established Quantum Leap Business Improv and founded the Capitol Creativity Network (http://www.capitolcreativitynetwork.com) in Washington, DC. For her free monthly newsletter, email michelle@creativeemergence.com

c2007 Michelle James





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2011年12月14日 星期三

Rewiring the Brain at the Playground


When I was in college, I used to go down to the playground at Cascade Park and swing. It just felt good and made me happy.

Little did I understand that swinging was just what my brain needed. By stimulating the brain's vestibular system which regulates balance, I got a sense of where I was in space.

The fancy word for that is proprioception, and I had lousy proprioception--always bumping into things, tripping, falling down a lot. So I knew instinctively that swinging was just what my brain-body connection needed. No wonder I loved it.

Swings are an important part of every traditional playground. Money bars are too. The brain loves monkey bars and rings because they require crossing the center mid-line which is essential for reading, writing, math and tons of other skills. I spent so much time on the rings as a kid that I got blisters on my hands and eventually calluses.

You can even hang upside down on monkey bars--another good thing for the vestibular system. Monkey bars help with sensory integration and focus. Not to mention developing strong muscles.

And what about those discs we sat on while the kid who could run the fastest gave the disc several shoves and then jumped on? We would spin and spin until it stopped or one of us fell off and skinned a knee or an elbow. Spinning also helps the vestibular system develop, even improves focus.

So let's jump forward from the 60s to the current movement for imagination playgrounds with lots of movable parts so kids can build things and adventure playgrounds for exploring.

Building things is good. Helping kids develop creativity is crucial. Certainly nothing wrong with exploring. And these new playgrounds do look like loads of fun. After all who wouldn't want to play in sandpit or a pool with running water, operate ropes and pulleys, not to mention create things with giant molded foam blocks in lots of different shapes?

My beef is with the theory that these are "good" playgrounds and the playgrounds of my childhood which helped with sensory integration are "bad." One proponent of the new playgrounds calls the old playgrounds "lame" and suggests we need a movement to get rid of them because they stifle children.

No, no, a thousand times no! Why can't we have both elements in one playground so kids like me can develop better balance and improve sensory integration? And another kid can build something or explore. Who knows? Maybe we'll take turns. I'll swing today. Tomorrow I'll build.

Creativity is only one piece of healthy brain development. With the number of kids with ADHD, ADHD-like behavior and sensory integration challenges, we need swings and monkey bars too.

And swings and monkey bars are just two activities to get kids moving more. To discover lots of activities for moving that help kids learn more easily, I invite you to grab a copy of "Wake Up Your Brain" at http://smartkidssmartparents.com/move-to-learn/




Discover strategies, tips and Brain Games to help ADHD kids and ALL kids do better in school and reach their Smart Potential. Sign up today for your FREE subscription to the "Smart Learning" newsletter. http://smartkidssmartparents.com/sign-up/

from MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D. - The Learning Doctor, helping you help your kids learn quickly and easily every day in every subject even if they have ADHD.

Got a school or PTA newsletter online or offline? A website? You can reprint this article. Just be sure to print all of the article and include my name and the information above.





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