Dyslexia and Vision Therapy

Posted onJanuary 17, 2024January 17, 2024AuthorBarbara B.

Many people are not aware that dyslexia and vision therapy go hand in hand. Most children with dyslexia need vision therapy in addition to their other interventions. Furthermore, children with reading struggles are often misdiagnosed with dyslexia or attention issues when they simply need vision therapy. What we are talking about is more than eyesight or reading glasses. It is visual development issues that can be corrected easily. Visual disabilities are missed in many children with reading disabilities even when seeing an optometrist regularly. This happened with my own son for years.

Vision Develops

Vision development starts in the womb and accelerates after birth. It also strengthens as the child begins to bat at objects, pull them to their mouth, and later move around to explore their environment. Underdevelopment can happen when milestones are missed. For example, not integrating the primitive reflexes, or missing the crawling stage. These can contribute to poor vision development. When the visual processing and visual motor control do not develop properly, it can cause reading disabilities but goes unnoticed. The child has nothing else to compare their experience with.

Find A Vision Therapist

Vision vs. Eyesight

It may seem confusing, but vision and eyesight are not the same thing. Eyesight is the ability to see something clearly (known as Visual Acuity 20/20) and is tested with eye charts and other equipment at regular Optometrist visits.

Vision, on the other hand, is more than just eyesight. It is a skill developed as the child grows. Vision is the brain’s ability to use the images from both eyes, coordinate the images in the brain, and control eye movements. There are several dysfunctions of vision that cause learning disabilities, especially in writing, reading, & math.

Symptoms of Visual Dysfunction

Loses place when reading.
Diagnosed with dyslexia.
Diagnoses with ADD or ADHD.
Loses attention reading.
Avoids reading.
Gets nauseous when reading.
Tires quicker than others when reading.
Eyes burn after reading.
Gets headaches reading with or without glasses.

Treatment

Because vision is learned after birth, it can be stimulated and exercised to develop through exercises with an optometrist who has a fellowship in COVD (College of Optometrists in Vision Development). They will assess your child’s vision therapy and dyslexia needs in 1-2 appointments. If your child requires vision therapy, they usually recommend weekly or bi-weekly appointments with one of their therapists. You will be sent home with exercises to work on daily. It usually takes about 12 weeks and makes a life-long difference for your child.

Diagnosis

To get a proper diagnosis of visual skills, you will need to see an Optometrist with a Fellowship in COVD. I find them reasonably priced and well worth your child’s future. You can find one in your area at the COVD page Find A Doctor. Be sure to check the tick box for ‘Board Certified in Vision Therapy’.

We used Dr. Davies here in our home state at Utah Vision Development for my son. We were all super inspired at the transformation my son went through with his vision development and reading. He once hated to look at a page in a book. It even made him nauseous. Now he reads for pleasure!

If you have a child struggling with Dyslexia or other learning disabilities, we highly recommend finding one in your area for a consultation.

Why Do Primitive Reflexes Return

Posted onNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023AuthorBarbara B.

I have been asked why some primitive reflexes return after doing integration therapies. Also, why do some reflexes seem to get stronger before improving while doing the integration therapies? I did some research because I was curious about it too. Previously, I had a daughter who showed no signs of the Landau until I got further into integrating her Moro. Then the Landau became very apparent and noticeable.

Primitive Reflexes Return During Integration

In researching this, I spoke to one of the greatest minds of our time on the subject, Dr. Robert Melillo. He uses and studies primitive reflex integration. As a matter of fact, he has for over 25 years now. Several studies have been done on his work that I will reference below for anyone who wants to get to know his work better. I learned from him and others that they can appear to increase while integrating properly.

Many children who have present primitive reflexes do not feel their own body well and have lower sensory responses. Therefore, physical or audible triggers, such as the ones we use to trigger a reflex response when testing, will not produce much response in their body at first. However, as they start to integrate those reflexes and their brains start to connect and respond on a higher level, there is a greater response to the triggers.

As a result, many take this higher response to the stimuli as a worsening primitive reflex response and discontinue their work. This is unfortunate because the integration exercises are often doing exactly what they should be doing, creating higher function in the brain and body. Therefore, many reflex integrations are discontinued when they should have persevered a little longer and seen them fully integrated.

The Exception

However, there are times when a reflex becomes stronger to a slight degree. This happens when doing hemispheric integration to the wrong side. In hemispheric integration, the clinician uses sensory stimulation to one side of the brain to help with an underactive hemisphere. It is important when doing one-sided stimulation to get it right. If the clinician mistakenly diagnoses the child with an underactive left side, further stimulation to the right side can increase the reflex. If he is correct in the side he stimulates, there will be an immediate reduction in the response to the reflex trigger. This is shown beautifully in this YouTube video wherein Dr. Robert Melillo was recorded showing this example after one of his conferences. Check it out.

Primitive Reflexes Reappear After Integration

Some have seen primitive reflexes reappear after complete integration. This can have several answers.

First, were they truly and completely integrated? Many see them diminish and parents stop the therapy shortly after. They can become almost unnoticeable during integration. We do the exercises for an additional month after there is no sign of them.

Second, it helps to look at the person as a whole. What were other struggles in their life? Were they ADHD, Autistic, ADD, had Sensory issues? Are those worsening again as well? This is a clear picture as to the health of the neurological connections in the brain. My daughter with ADHD did great for a couple of years after integration and hemispheric stimulation. As she approached puberty, she seemed to be having some of her old problems again.

I had to revisit some of the reflexes and hemispheric integration exercises again. This was explained to me in this way: The underactive or overactive neurons that contributed to the initial issues may have become slightly under or overactive again as the brain matured. This caused some underconnectivity in the brain and allowed some re-appearance of symptoms again. Even though it was on a much lower level, it did need some follow up treatment.

Third, and less common. In some children and adults, there is true brain degeneration or damage that will cause the return of reflexes. Such is the case with stroke, dementia, seizure disorders that cause brain damage or other brain degenerative diseases. Furthermore, trauma to the brain, such as injury or abuse, can also cause a reappearance of the reflexes.

Conclusion

With this said, reappearance of the reflexes should only happen in isolated circumstances. In other words, if integration is done correctly and completely, they are usually gone for good. If you’re a clinician who sees reappearance of reflexes a lot, try doing the exercises longer and use different methods of testing after a few months of exercise.

Check Out Our Primitive Reflex Integrtion Training

Harvard Study on Dr. Robert Melillo’s Melillo Method which includes primitive reflex integrtion

Persistent Childhood Primitive Reflex Reduction Effects on Cognitive, Sensorimotor, and Academic Performance in ADHD Dr. Melillo and Dr. Leisman 2020

Resources on Primitive Reflex Integrtion

Primitive Reflexes All Physical Therapists Should Know About

Posted onNovember 29, 2023November 29, 2023AuthorBarbara B.

Primitive Reflex Integration for your physical therapy patients can make a world of difference in a short time. Primitive Reflexes have been found to cause neurological underdevelopment which affects the body’s movement, behavior, development, vision and sensory processing. Find out what they are and how to Integrate Primitive Reflexes.

What are They?

Primitive Reflexes are the special reflexes that develop in the brain stem before birth. This set of involuntary Primitive Reflexes help the baby with positioning in the womb, birthing, the first breath of life, feeding, urination etc. Most of these Primitive Reflexes go away through the first year of life as higher functions of the brain and muscle control develop.

If the reflexes remain, they interfere with the neurological organization of the brain which causes learning, behavioral, social, sensory and health problems. These remaining reflexes are unnoticed muscle movements in older children and adults that would not normally be noticed if one did not know what to look for. They cause ongoing issues until they are solved through exercises.

Primitive Reflex Testing

Retained Primitive Reflexes Spinal Galant Integration

Retained Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex integration

Retained Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex Integration

Retained Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Labyrinthine Reflex

Retained Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Landau Reflex

Retained Rooting Reflex

Retained Palmar Reflex

Retained Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Moro Reflex

What Can Be Done?

If any of them remain past 12 months, they are called Retained Primitive Reflexes and they are a problem. There are simple exercises that can solve each one. This process is called Integrating Primitive Reflexes. Once they are integrated through these little exercises, many Learning Disabilities, Behavioral, Sensory Disorders, and health issues disappear or are greatly improved. You need to check for each of them, even if your child is not displaying the usual symptoms. If one remains unnoticed, it slows improvement in cognitive function. We will soon be adding information on Retained Babinski Reflex.

Symptoms when Primitive Reflexes Remain:

Because Primitive Reflexes start at the base of the brain. Functions that try to develop above them don’t wire properly. It can cause or contribute to:

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Asperger’s

Hemispheric Imbalance

Sensory Disorders

Hyper Activity

ADHD

Speech Disorders

Social Disorders

Asthma

Dyslexia

Dysgraphia

Dyscalculia

Immune Problems

Other Health Issues

Other Learning Disabilities

This is the first thing to check for. They can solve a multitude of problems. Other therapies or Brain Stimulation such as Hemispheric Integration Therapy, work best if Retained Primitive Reflexes are integrated or are being exercised first or at the same time.

How did this happen?

There are many children and adults that for one reason or another still have one or more Primitive Reflexes remaining. Some causes may include a traumatic birth, lack of “tummy time”, too much time laying in seaters or swings, induced labor, and traumatic C-Section birth. Most of the time, there is not a known reason.

Fear not. These are simple assessments and exercises that can be done 10 minutes per day for a few months. Then stimulate the other brain functions with these cognitive exercises and the Disabilities often go away or symptoms improve amazingly. Click on the individual pictures above to see the tests and exercises.

Medication Free Interventions for Childhood ADHD

Posted onOctober 13, 2021October 13, 2021AuthorBarbara B.

Managing ADHD can be challenging, especially in childhood. Struggling to regulate one’s energy levels and focus can often be misinterpreted as unruly behavior, which can leads to kids getting into trouble for something out of their control.

Fortunately, the CDC reports that approximately three in four children with various types and forms of ADHD now receive treatment. While medication is given depending on the severity of cases, interest in medication-free interventions has also grown in recent years. Medication-free strategies focus on behavioral adjustments more than neurochemical or hormonal changes. These are worth considering for a more holistic view of ADHD treatment.

Positive Parenting

Positive parenting is an approach that some parents may implement for children with ADHD. It aims to be sensitive to a child’s individual needs while tackling the challenges that require empathy and respect from your child. One aspect of positive parenting is providing positive attention, which focuses on giving children healthy doses of quality time and attention. It results in fewer behavioral issues like whining, repeatedly asking questions, and bothering siblings. It also fosters a better relationship with your child, so positive consequences such as praise become much more effective. Furthermore, kids respond better to disciplinary measures such as time-outs when they receive consistent “time in.” This can be accomplished without medication, and when done right, it is an effective way to manage ADHD symptoms.

Organization

Organization is one skill that people with ADHD struggle with, which is why it is best to master it as early as childhood. In author John Ratey’s classic book Driven to Distraction, he and his co-author offer plenty of valuable first-person insight. The tools presented are useful for both children and adults, particularly when it comes to depending on someone to stay organized. Keeping a healthy and collaborative relationship with your child will reduce stress at school and at home.

Whether it’s keeping assignments in a notebook or keeping study areas at home free of clutter, getting organized is key to make the day a little easier for children. By instilling and reinforcing organizational skills (where your child may struggle), you are empowering them to reciprocate in their areas of strength, whether that’s pouring energy into a big project or finding creative solutions to problems.

Meditation

Meditation may seem like an unorthodox treatment, but it can be quite effective at training cognitive skills to improve attention and focus. Practices that involve meditating, breathwork, and yoga can all cultivate traits that can help develop awareness, neuroplasticity, and overall wellbeing.

If you’re not too convinced about the benefits of these practices, read Dr. Sue Morter’s The Energy Codes, which is a seven-step guide grounded in neurobiology and energy medicine to promote deep healing. With this in mind, try doing yoga as a family or teaching your child basic mindfulness techniques, particularly when he or she starts to feel stressed or overwhelmed. These are healthy coping mechanisms they can develop early on and use later in life.

Diet

Another medication-free intervention that is easy to do for your child is changing up their diet. Certain foods, additives, and preservatives may increase hyperactive behavior in some children. It is best to eat whole foods, particularly protein, complex carbohydrates, and omega-3 fatty acids instead. Avoiding carbonated beverages and sugary juices can also avoid an exacerbation of symptom. If you’re not sure what is causing triggers for your child, then an elimination diet may help you determine what is best for them.

Primitive Reflex Integration

Testing for and integrating the neonatal Primitive Reflexes has proven very beneficial, which our post discusses at length on Solving Learning Disabilities.

It’s important to understand that ADHD treatments are not limited to medication. How a child is encouraged to live their life can have serious consequences on how they manage their condition. Parents can help the most by considering both.

Ways To Treat ADHD Without Medication

Posted onJuly 23, 2021June 6, 2023AuthorBarbara B.

There are ways to treat ADHD without medication. New information coming forward now shows that there are alternative treatments for ADHD. It takes more effort than popping a pill. What I am talking about today are some daily brain exercises that are proven through a recent study at Harvard to reduce ADHD to the point that children in the study no longer met the criteria to be diagnosed as ADHD. And the best part, it was at-home exercise activities with their parents that did the trick.

Dr. Robert Melillo developed what is known as the #MelilloMethod, also known as the Brain Balance Method. He has thousands of case studies showing its success in his clinic and centers over the past 25 years. However, many were still skeptical of his method until Harvard University contacted him a couple of years ago to do an ADHD study at Harvard of its affects on ADHD children and teens. He gave his method to them. Furthermore, his program included at-home Interactive Metronome exercises as part of the treatment. Interactive Metronome are rhythm exercises where the child gets immediate feedback as to how close to the beat they are. These exercises together constituted the exercises for the study. The results follow.

Harvard University Study on ADHD Alternative Treatment

His method included 3 types of exercises as the at-home treatment:

Primitive Reflex Integration Exercises

Sensory exercises to the right hemisphere of the brain.

Interactive Metronome exercises (rhythm exercises)

They studied boys and girls ages 8-14 who were confirmed to have ADHD.

In just three and a half months of self-guided at-home exercises with their parents, the children improved dramatically. And 36% of the children scored 40%+ better in hyperactivity and inattention tests, making them no longer qualifiable as ADHD.

Harvard University Study on ADHD Results:

“This is a degree of improvement that we have not previously observed in children with ADHD unless they were receiving medications, and then only if they were receiving the correct medication at the optimal dose.” Pg2

“ Note that prior to treatment the subject was in the top 3-15% of most hyperactive individuals within their age range. Following treatment their activity measures were in the 29-65% percentile indicating that they were no longer clinically hyperactive and well within normal range.”

The Method for ADHD Without Medication

Dr. Melillo did not keep the method to himself, but put it all in the book Disconnected Kids and is constantly lecturing around the world. Other countries accept it more readily than the U.S. That is until the Harvard study published in 2019. It is now beginning to make traction here in the US.

So, I Trained with Dr. Melillo

After we used it for our own children, we were so passionate about its results, that I trained with Dr. Melillo directly. And, just this month certified as an Interactive Metronome trainer.

Learn More On My Pre-Recorded Webinar

I started an Instagram to publish short videos and pics of the exercises. Follow us to see video and pic examples of the exercises.

See other ADHD Treatments Without Medication on our blog.

Moro Reflex Test For Children Of All Abilities

Posted onMarch 16, 2021November 29, 2023AuthorBarbara B.1 Comment

Testing for a retained Moro Reflex can be difficult with a very young or disabled person. This is an alternative test you can use to test for the Moro Reflex or Startle Reflex.

Start by having the child lay on the ground with their palms down. Lift their head off the ground and quickly lower it to ilicit a Startle Reflex. If they have a retained Moro Reflex, they may do one or all of the following:

Jump
Flip their palms over.
Heave their chest for a few seconds.

Warning: Consult their physician before doing this test if there is a chance it may be unsafe for them. For example, if they have a seizure disorder, neck problems, etc.

Be sure to check out our other Moro Reflex test . Also, our other Primitive Reflex tests and exercises.

If a Moro Reflex is present, it can contribute to:

Easily Distracted
Hypersensitive to sensory stimuli like light and sound and touch.
Over sensitivity to motion causing car sickness
Or under sensitivity to sensory stimuli
Overreacts
Impulsive and aggressive
Emotional immaturity
Withdrawn or timid and shy
ADD
ADHD
Autism Spectrum
Asperger’s
Sensory Disorders
Difficulty making friends
Depression
Dyslexia
Health Problems
Allergies and Asthma
Anger or Emotional Outbursts
Poor Balance and Coordination
Poor Digestion and Food Sensitivities

Make a difference now. See our products for Integrating the Moro Reflex.

ADHD Treatment Without Medication

Posted onJuly 7, 2020August 13, 2021AuthorBarbara B.

To find the right ADHD treatment without medication, you need to know a few things first. ADHD is a brain-based issue, it can be intensified by gut issues, environment, discipline methods and more. With that said, many parents choose to go a more natural or holistic method to avoid the stimulants Ritalin and Adderall. The results vary depending on the severity of the child and the diligence of the parents. But it has definitely been done successfully with many children. See the typical ADHD symptoms.

Our daughter has shown marked improvement with the natural methods that we have taken. So, let’s talk about what I have learned.

There is no one supplement that can reverse ADHD. There are many who claim to, but there is no way a supplement or herb can solve the overactive parts of the brain without some cognitive exercises to go along with it.

ADHD is a matter of several factors. It involves neurological wiring, gut health, early development and nutrition. The good news is that it can all be helped with at-home treatments which result in a reduction of the ADHD symptoms and issues. Some parents have seen complete reversal of ADHD. Here are some of the natural treatments that we have successfully used. Here are more ways to treat ADHD without medication.

Cognitive Exercises at-home

Studies have shown that children with ADHD have underactivity in the right hemisphere of their brain. This is coupled with higher activity in the left hemisphere. Because the left side of our brain is the activator and the right is mostly the inhibitor, there is no balance of impulse and impulse control. This is the case with their actions, social interactions, emotions, speech etc. Some simple brain activities done with the child at home can improve this imbalance remarkably and bring the right side up to balance with the left. This method was studied by Harvard University a couple of years ago and found to be very affective. We used this on our daughter and loved the results. Learn more about brain stimulation exercises for ADHD.

Pre-Recorded Webinar ADHD Cognitive Exercises

Coffee or Caffeinated Teas

They have found that stimulants have an opposite affect on ADHD children. Caffeine can actually help them calm and focus some. Ritalin is actually a powerful stimulant called methylphenidate, but can cause severe side effects and lose effectiveness over time. Caffeine works on the same principle, but on a much lower level.

Guarana Herb

Guarana herb can be found on Amazon and has natural stimulants in it. Studies show improved test scores for children who take it.

Probiotics

Part of the symptoms of ADHD are gut related. The brain under stimulates the digestive track which leads to food intolerances and constipation. The body reacts to the intolerance by creating inflammation. This includes inflammation in the brain which aggravates brain function and will make their behavior worse. In addition, it sometimes includes achiness or swelling in their joints, specifically their ankles and knees.

Primitive Reflex Exercises:

Primitive Reflexes are the special reflexes that develop in the brain stem before birth. Most of these Primitive Reflexes go away through the first year of life as higher functions of the brain and muscle control develop. If the reflexes remain, they interfere with the neurological organization of the brain which contributes to ADHD, behavioral, social, sensory and health problems. These remaining reflexes are unnoticed muscle movements in older children and adults. They are not normally noticed if one doesn’t know what to look for. The reflexes cause them to walk apelike or with an unusual gait. They are solved through exercises.

Supplements

Because of the gut issues, ADHD treatment without medication need to include added nutrients. However, many supplements cause more inflammation in their body. Dr. Robert Melillo understood this and created supplements specific for these ADHD kiddos.

Homeopathic Drops and Pills

I have tried some calming drops, they helped somewhat especially in her nighttime bath. Lavender and Chamomile oils are known for calming and relaxation.

Things to Avoid

There are some foods that kids with ADHD should stay away from. They have a very hard time digesting the larger chain molecules in gluten and dairy. This is usually a problem because they have very limited food preferences due to their sensory issues. They usually love foods with one or both of these. Such as mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, yogurt, ice cream etc. There are great gluten free, dairy free alternatives to these on the gluten-free isles of your supermarket, or a health food store.

Red and blue food dyes are not natural and have an almost immediate affect on them. My child shows immediate twitchiness and aggression after foods and drinks with red and blue additives.

Refined sugars and corn syrups are triggers. Watch out for regular table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream and pretty much everything good. Try to find some fun alternatives for them with natural sweeteners. We use Agave to sweeten our daughter’s food as much as possible. In addition, there are candies with natural coloring and less refined sugars at most health food stores. If they are going to have some at a party, reduce the portion size.

Another trigger we found was peanut butter. My sister-in-law and I noticed a definite increase in ADHD type actions within a half hour of our ADHD kiddos eating peanut butter. Some theorize it is because they are GMO’d. I don’t know the cause, but the result is evident.

Keep a journal of what they eat and their behavior. You might find other triggers specific to your child.

Conclusion

ADHD treatment without medication can be a real racket. In a sea of conflicting information, you could spend thousands of dollars trying everything out there. For instance, they have proven that parents of ADHD children spend thousands more per year on their children than neurotypical kiddos. The best results I have seen come from gut health and the cognitive exercises. This isn’t a quick fix, but a steady win. Furthermore, both are affordable and can be done right at home.

Primitive Reflexes Occupational Therapists Should Know About

Posted onMarch 9, 2020November 29, 2023AuthorBarbara B.

Primitive Reflex Integration for your occupational therapy patients can make a world of difference. Primitive Reflexes have been found to cause neurological underdevelopment which affects the body, behavior, development, vision and sensory processing. Find out what they are and how to Integrate Primitive Reflexes.

What are They?

Primitive Reflex Testing

Retained Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Labyrinthine Reflex

Retained Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Landau Reflex

Retained Rooting Reflex

Retained Palmar Reflex

Retained Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex

Retained Moro Reflex

What Can Be Done?

Symptoms when Primitive Reflexes Remain:

Because Primitive Reflexes start at the base of the brain. Functions that try to develop above them don’t wire properly. It can cause or contribute to:

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Asperger’s

Hemispheric Imbalance

Sensory Disorders

Hyper Activity

ADHD

Speech Disorders

Social Disorders

Asthma

Dyslexia

Dysgraphia

Dyscalculia

Immune Problems

Other Health Issues

Other Learning Disabilities

How did this happen?

Autistic?

Posted onFebruary 7, 2020May 14, 2021AuthorBarbara B.

Is your child showing signs of autistic behaviors? Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by a child that has impaired communication and social skills. But, being autistic is so much more than that to families living with an autistic child or sibling. These wonderful children really are so bright and creative. Their struggles are real. Their little light seems to have dimmed during their toddler years and the information in their mind seemed to get trapped. Don’t despair. That bright child you saw at age one is still in there. With neuroplasticity, specialists have proven that we can rebuild lost connections in their brain. There are interventions now.

What happened?

Nobody knows for sure. Environmental differences, genetic traits and nutrition are so variable between children in different families, that it makes it almost impossible to pinpoint a cause or number of risk factors. Specialists have found some things that are consistent across the autism spectrum disorder. Certain neurological deficiencies that may not be the cause, but when stimulated with early intervention, produce fantastic results. We have linked to them below.

Specialists have also found that children that are very bright can actually have one half of their brain that matures rapidly and leaves the other half a little behind. This is often the case with autistic children. Their left brain skills matures fast. When the right side cannot keep up, the connection between the two halves weaken and disconnect. This is called Functional Disconnection Syndrome. This is why they start out super bright, then start to lose the connections.

Symptoms appear between 1-2 years of age. The child starts to show signs of sensory processing issues. They start to lose some to the tricks they learned in their first year of life. Communication and social problems start to take root. They begin having outbursts that are no characteristic of the usual ‘terrible twos’. They avoid eye contact and start to withdraw. It is time to stimulate neurological growth. Click here for more signs of Autism.

One Place To Start

Children with autism often have a retained Moro Reflex that should have disappeared in the first year of life. There are simple exercises that can integrate this reflex. This often helps reduce some of the outbursts and impulsivity of Autism. Read more about that on our post. Moro Reflex Test and Moro Reflex Exercises.

Attention Deficit Disorder ADD

Posted onFebruary 7, 2020December 16, 2020AuthorBarbara B.

A Asperger's Syndrome ttention Deficit Disorder or ADD is characterized by symptoms of attention difficulty without hyperactivity. But, attention difficulty is not the only symptom. These kids often cannot finish a task or complete the last step of anything. They walk away and leave the fridge door open or forget to restart the dryer after taking their shirt out. These kids are fantastically creative, but have ‘their head in the clouds’ at homework time, dreaming up solutions to the world’s problems instead of doing their homework. These kids really are fantastic and will probably be the next inventors or philosophers. We don’t want to change that. But, something has to be done, right? We can’t have mom going crazy, trying to get their homework out of them every night. Click here for more ADD Symptoms.

Imagine helping them keep that creativity and achieve the ability to focus and finish projects when needed. If they could, they would be a hybrid, right? They would be creative and responsible. Well, you can. Attention is a neurological development consisting of many parts of the brain and can be learned.

Baby usually learns attention around 4 months when he or she starts to focus on daddy’s face, waiting for him to ‘coo’ and talk. Or, when watching mommy dangle a stuffed bunny above the baby seater. As they get a little older, their attention span should grow with them. If it hasn’t, some intervention can make a big difference.

There are several contributing factors to low attention span. Often in ADD kids we see stalled Primitive Reflex Integration in the brain stem area. This means these neonatal reflexes were not suppressed during the first year of life as they should be. The area of the brain called the Basal Ganglia is stimulated by certain motor movements and in turn suppresses the reflexes and stimulates the higher functions of the brain. If the Basil Ganglia is underdeveloped it cannot fully suppress the reflexes. Theses reflexes contribute to learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder. They are the troublemakers. Also, Sensory motor skills are very important. Attention requires the ability to take in different stimuli, such as sound, language, sight, touch etc., then process it, plan and execute action or inaction based on what was just received. This is attention. Weakness in the sensory input, processing and execution will also cause a drop off in attention ability.

Auditory Processing Is Important

ADD kids struggle picking up everything the teacher says. This is usually caused by low Auditory Processing skills. For example, they may hear the teacher’s assignment, but due to Auditory Processing issues, may not hear the due dates, deadlines and other details. There are plenty of resources online to improve Auditory Processing Skills. We love Brain HQ. They have great Auditory exercises online and in apps.

A great book for stimulating Auditory Processing skills is Brain Integration by Dianne Craft. It is a self published book, so not well proofed, but brilliantly gives a daily plan with great activities that will help correct Auditory Processing Disorders and other disabilities. Dianne has worked with challenged kids for over 20 years in her office and as a Special Education teacher. She compiled her successful strategies into the book with easy actionable routine plans.

We saw huge improvement in our kids, when we brought these function up to par. We are excited for you to see the same. Good Luck! Email us and let us know how it goes.