LD Remedy… We Hold the Key!

Helping People… Unlock their Potential

Living and Learning… Movement is Central!

Neuro-education connecting Neuroscientific research and learning suggests the most effective ways to optimize body brain cells and systems to boost attention, sharpen focus, heighten motivation, enhance learning performance skills, and extend memory.

But what if, despite our good intentions and diligent work, these methods don’t work?

Then take a step backwards and return to the basics, helping the challenged learner retool their sensory, processing and motor systems that may be struggling. One or multiple systems might be involved, including the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, reflex, tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems.

Let’s explore each of these systems over the next few months. Discover what people are doing to mature the sensory input system, brain processing/memory system, and motor output system called upon to express learning through talking, writing, art, music, sport, and other life-enhancing performance skills – this will be great fun!

Vestibular Disorders Cause LD

Remedy learning disabilities by first starting here

The vestibular system located within the inner ear unifies the visual, auditory, tactile, and proprioceptive (body) systems involved with attention, focus, eye tracking, auditory discrimination, posture, laterality, directionality, sitting still – all of which affect writing, reading, language development, concentration and ultimately self-esteem.

If the vestibular system is weak, an overwrought hypervestibular system is easily overwhelmed with school activities. A slow hypovestibular system is underwhelmed with its low muscle tone and weakened sensory and motor functions.

What to do? Test the vestibular system first, then use specific movements to strengthen the hyper or hypo systems.

Daily physical education offers vestibular stimulation needed by students to excel, especially those falling behind. For a spin on this key learning system visit Vestibular.org.

4th of July Movement Routine

Feel physical fireworks following the actions

Rather than sitting and listening to the 1812 Overture performed to fireworks, why not create your own sparkle, mimicking my complex movement routine and echoing the lyrics. Dress in red, white and blue to experience total release. Can you do it? Engage your pre-frontal cortex, motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, visual, auditory, vestibular and kinesthetic body brain systems. This is the same body brain network that involves academic performance skills. Ka boom! What a blast!

Physical Education NCLB Solution

Mastering the Sense of Balance is the Learning Breakthrough

Frank Belgau is the ultimate Physical Educator. He developed the Learning Breakthrough program, helping people of all ages calibrate their brain, enabling it to absorb and process information more easily and effectively. Participants strengthen neural transmission and unlock their learning potential with physical activities designed to strengthen the vestibular system – central to sensory input and motor output needed to learn effectively.

Learning Breakthrough offers a drug-free ADD and ADHD treatment building brain fitness. Brain processing allows us to read, write, talk, stay focused, remember and perform athletically. It’s time people serious about NCLB No Child Left Behind practice methods designed to move child forward academically. Let’s get frank about this, share the science – and move on it!

Vestibular System is Key to Learning

Reading, writing, speech, attention and memory are impacted

http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php shows possible symptoms of Vestibular Disorders. This sixth sense helps regulate vision, hearing, balance and movement. Many students challenged by school have weak vestibular systems resulting from insufficient childhood play, rolling, swinging, spinning, and other robust stop and go activities. More than ever, playgrounds with swings, merry-go-rounds, slides, teeter-totters are needed. Unfortunately these are disappearing -- as is Physical Education. What a shame!

Thanks to VEDA, http://www.vestibular.org/ Vestibular Disorders Association the public is informed. Hopefully people will take action, putting a spin on the importance of body brain exercise leading to academic success.

Jeff Haebig

Upcoming BOOGIE Blogs

BOOGIE Blogs you can look forward to next week!

1/16 NCLB Developmentally
1/17 Engaging ‘Tweens and Teens
1/18 Learning and Behavior Problems Solved
1/19 Motor Planning and Sequencing
1/20 Heart-Brain Connection – Video
1/21 Vestibular System is Key to Learning
1/22 Physical Education and the Brain

Wellness Quest offers free DAILY Health Care-toons, wellness challenges, health benefits, inspirational quotes and jokes.

Rhythmic Bal-A-Vis-X Improves Reading

Balance, Auditory, Vision Exercise Builds Body-brain Integration

http://www.bal-a-vis-x.com/ describes a program of rhythmic exercises using Balance Boards, bean bags, and balls to build new body brain networks. The vestibular system is targeted since it unites the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic systems involved with reading, math and other academic pursuits. Social skills are also developed during teaming and peer teaching!

Bill Hubert created Bal-A-Vis-X activities teaching in the Wichita schools. He successfully identified why children and teens were struggling at school. Influenced by Frank Belgau, Carla Hannaford, Paul Dennison, Carl Delacato, Ingolf Mork and Sister Aegedia (all of whom will be featured on Body Brain Boogie blog)… Bill set out to strengthen eye teaming and smooth eye tracking, auditory discrimination, sensory dominance, laterality, directionality and other body brain functions called upon to read, write, and perform math.

Read Bal-A-Vis-X by Bill Hubert and get yourself tossing, catching, bounce-juggling and balancing in fun rhythmic ways. Experience intellectual, social and emotional gain improving your body brain.

Jeff Haebig

Autism Issues and Sensory Therapies

Read Temple Grandin's article regarding Holding Therapy

Read http://www.thechildrenscenteraz.org/HoldingTherapy.html by Temple Grandin to better understand Autism... its causes, related sensory problems, brain research, sensory therapy, and tactile research. The article focuses on Gentle vs. Forced Holding. The author relates her own experiences as an autistic person using this therapy. This is a wonderful article by a leading expert.

Jeff Haebig

Reading Improves through S'Cool Moves

Develop the Magical Mind and Reading through Movement

Debra Em Wilson is a developmental reading specialist, author and educational consultant. She has developed physically engaging programs that improve children's reading skills through body brain activities. Her article http://www.schoolmoves.com/magical_mind.html cites many reasons movement is essential for school success. Check out Debra's programs, better yet, utilize them at home and at your school. Everone will greatly benefit with S'cool Moves!

Jeff Haebig

Are Big or Small Movements Best?

Which actions boost attention best – large or small?

That is an excellent question. There are many variables that we will soon address; for example, does the child prefer angular, twisting and rotating actions to stimulate their hypo-slow vestibular system, or linear forward and backward movements to calm their over-sensitive hyper vestibular system? Play catchy music and encourage people to move freely – watch how their body brain seeks the most satisfying movements.

You might offer a follow-along movement sequence that combines fine (small) and gross (large) motor movements, with age appropriate complexity that challenges the mind. Physcally connecting gestures to words or lyrics engages the auditory, visual and kinesthetic systems boosting attention. Crossing the body’s vertical mid-line stimulates both sides (hemispheres) of the brain.

In their own way, (moving big or small) encourage people to mimic gestures and echo the words shown on http://www.wellnessquest.com/videos.html. This Vibrant Learning Sequence engages the basal ganglia (brain’s transmission) connecting thinking, feelings and motion. This demands more attention-boosting dopamine (transmission fluid) to aid mindbody shifting. It's also the pleasure/reward chemical raising motivation. Memorizing the gesture sequence recruits the cerebellum, further boosting attentional centers.

Above all, encourage people to move freely in fun, safe and satisfying ways.

Jeff Haebig

Natural Ways to H.A.N.D.L.E. ADHD

New Perspective on ADD and ADHD with Natural Solutions!

The HANDLE Institute http://handle.org provides Highly Effective, Non-Drug, Holistic Treatment for Learning, Behavior and Other Challenges. What does HANDLE think about ADD/ADHD? Visit http://handle.org/index2.html and get their perspective. I like Judith Bluestone’s approach, addressing attention deficit as APD… Attentional Priority Disorder.

Activities are offered that strengthen the vestibular system and treat hypersensitivity of the senses including touch, vision and sound. Once again, the body brain has remarkable ability to strengthen itself through movement and exercise! Hats off to HANDLE for heading us down that natural path.

Jeff

Balancing is the Learning Breakthrough

Balance and Vestibular System Development is Key

Dr. Frank Belgau developed The Learning Breakthrough Program. At the University of Houston, he directed the Perceptual Motor and Visual Perception Laboratory. In particular, he focused on the effect of balance and the vestibular system and developed the Belgau Balance Board. Over decades, he established the use of the balancing activities made dramatic improvement in children’s reading and academic performance skills. Read about the astounding improvement at http://www.balametrics.com/results.htm, better yet, try Bala-Metrics and experience the improvements in intelligence, reading, and behavior yourself.

http://www.balametrics.com/theory.htm the Theory Behind The Learning Breakthrough

http://www.balametrics.com/explain.htm Marvelous series of articles relating balance to ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Handwriting, CAPD, Reading, and Academics. Topics include Multi-Sensory Integration, Spatial Awareness, Integration of Brain Hemispheres, Brain Timing/Reaction Time, Sequencing, Binocular Teaming, and Proprioception.

Motion Sickness -- Mayo Clinic

What Role Does Exercise Play in Easing Motion Sickness?

Watching the YouTube http://podcasts.mayoclinic.org/2008/11/24/motion-sickness-2/ video from Mayo Clinic regarding motion sickness... I noticed that remedies suggested did not include exercise designed to strengthen the vestibular system, part of the inner ear that connects balance, visual, auditory and proprioception systems. Let's ask some experts what they think about this. Please comment, better yet, share your thoughts with using video too.

What a wonderful way to share information. Check out Mayo Clinic's Podcasts and then let's make our own Podcasts to show our thoughts and practices, emphasizing how movement and exercise can effectively remedy physical conditions.

Jeff