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Unlocking Learning Potential
February 2010
February Events
Whats Happening at the Center?
As usual,
our free
introductory seminar will occur on the second Monday
of the month - February 14 at 6:00 p.m. For those who
attend, they may participate in the following screenings:
Neurodevelopmental Screenings
up to 30 minutes; $40.00
·
Neurodevelopmental Screening (auditory and
visual processing; dominance; gross motor)
·
Attend the 2nd Monday of the month
Free Introduction to the Neurodevelopmental approach
·
Afternoon Seminar for all participating
families to explain results of screening and mini-plan of
action.
·
Mini-Plan of Action about 30 minutes of
daily activities; for those who follow through a minimum of
80%; reporting every month and upgrade to another of the
non-test assessment plus or neurodevelopmental evaluation
administered by our resident neurodevelopmentalist within 6
months, they will get a $40.00 discount on the upgraded
service.
Brain Development
and Learning
in 2 Parts
Learn how to apply what we
know about brain development
for learning reading, math
and other subjects.
February 11 &
18 2:00-4:00 p.m.
8907
Gravelly Lake Drive SW
Lakewood, Washington 98499
For information and
directions:
maggie@centerforneurodevelopment.com
$20.00 per
family (Includes handouts) --
Space is limited.
Send to: P.O. Box 99369
Lakewood, Washington
98496-0369
(Or call with credit card
information (253) 581-1588)
Download a
flier to share the above information on
www.CenterforNeuroDevelopment.com.
Also, we have a
number of products and materials for sale:
Used books and curriculum
New Christian books
New Homeschool Helps materials
New Special Helps materials
Chemistry equipment in a 3 drawer cabinet on wheels
You may browse our
products when you come for an appointment or simply call
ahead for a time when you can shop.
February 1 is the beginning of the 2nd
Semester for our classes. See the attachments for class
offerings.
Down
Syndrome - A Christian Neurodevelopmental Approach
By Cyndi Ringoen, Linda Kane, Kay Ness
(Cyndi Ringoen is our Neuro
Developmental Advisor and Evaluator; Like, Cyndi, Linda Kane
and Kay Ness are also Certified Neurodevelopmentalists with
the International Christian Association of
Neurodevelopmentalists.)
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The first
purpose of this paper is to give you hope for a bright
future for your child with Down Syndrome. A diagnosis of
Down Syndrome typically comes with specific lists of what to
expect and what the future holds. Don't believe them. What
the future holds is not something that is predetermined or
preset. Future abilities are based upon the opportunities
that are presented to the individual specific to his needs.
Far too often, learning opportunities are not given to a
child when the diagnosis gives such dismal predictions. As
the parent or relative of a child with Down Syndrome, you
have already heard the negatives: slow development, language
impairment, mental retardation and possible health problems.
You know that the cause is a genetic anomaly, either trisomy
21, translocation or mosaicism. You have been recommended to
put the child in special services with early intervention.
You have been told to lower your expectations for this
precious child. You do not have to settle for this dismal
future vision for your child. With the proper intervention,
the future can be very bright and promising for your child.
Nothing in
creation can compare to the amazing capacity and
adaptability of the human brain. Traditional thinking has
believed that there are limits to the brain's capacity.
Research into neural plasticity of the brain (the brain's
ability to change and adapt) is greatly changing how we work
with individuals with injuries, learning inefficiencies,
sensory problems and genetic syndromes. While traditional
thinking is catching up with the concept of neural
plasticity, it is something that neurodevelopmentalists have
been working with since its pioneering days in the 1940's.
METABOLIC
ISSUES
The extra
21st chromosome causes metabolic imbalances, which result in
many of the characteristics associated with Down Syndrome.
Without intervention, it can be looked on as an anomaly with
a degenerative process. The good news is that with specific
metabolic and nutritional intervention, this cycle of
degeneration can be broken and more normal growth and
function can be achieved. Addressing the nutritional and
metabolic needs of the child with Down Syndrome is
critically important in helping the child grow and develop
normally. The effects can be profound and should be
investigated as soon as possible.
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
Often,
expectations for children with Down syndrome are lowered and
therefore they are not offered opportunities for normal
development, both mentally and physically. Typically,
learning is slowed down in order for the child to be able to
develop at his own pace. Also, children with problems are
put into a specialized setting with other children with
major learning and physical challenges. Experience has shown
that the reverse should be happening. Using an accelerated,
specific stimulation program, great progress can be
achieved. Because of the brain's neuroplasticity, function
determines structure. How one uses his brain actually
changes its physical structure. With a specific stimulation
program in a normal environment, normal structure (mental
and physical function) can emerge. It is impossible to
achieve normal development in an abnormal environment.
Children should live, learn and work in a normal
environment.
MOTOR
DEVELOPMENT
One of the
first and most important issues that must be addressed with
a child with Down Syndrome is that of low muscle tone. This
can be seen in the child with floppy joints, slow
development in mobility (crawling, creeping and walking) and
generally weak muscles. It is important that the proper
developmental steps are followed and at the appropriate
time. It is often tempting to have a child sit up before the
child is able to put himself in and out of that position.
Until a child is able to do so, he is not developmentally
ready to sit. He has not developed the muscle tone necessary
for properly supporting his spine. Putting a child in a
standing position prematurely can cause hyperextension of
the knees and other structural concerns. Both activities,
done prematurely, will limit the appropriate developmental
activities the child should be doing, such as developing a
cross pattern crawl and creep down on the floor. With
appropriate stimulation, weak areas can be improved and
corrected and normal structure and function can be achieved.
SPEECH AND
LANGUAGE PROBLEMS
Breathing
problems, especially congestion and mouth breathing are a
common concern of children with Down Syndrome. Mouth
breathing is very inefficient and shallow breathing and does
not develop proper sinus structure, does not get as much
oxygen to the body, especially the brain (a baby's brain
uses about 50% of the oxygen taken in, so it is very
important). Mouth breathing also desensitizes and thickens
the tongue, resulting in oral motor problems with speech and
eating. Often, mouth tactility in a child with Down syndrome
is low, and special attention must be paid to stimulating
the mouth, tongue and lips. Attention should be paid to how
well the child chews and whether he has a normal sense of
taste and smell. All of these issues can be addressed with
proper stimulation and therapy to normalize function and
structure.
Because of
the tendency toward congestion, special attention should be
paid to the hearing. Chronic congestion may result in fluid
in the ears that can severely retard development of the
auditory pathways to the brain. If a child cannot hear well,
a child cannot develop good speech. The vestibular system
(the system of balance) is also part of the inner ear
structure. Fluid in the inner ear can also delay mobility.
Because a child with Down Syndrome may have a high pain
tolerance, that child may have an ear infection or fluid in
the ears without the parent being aware of it, because the
child does not feel the pain appropriately. So, it is
important to have the ears checked regularly for fluid with
a simple test called a tympanogram. If fluid is present, it
is recommended that it be aggressively treated. Tubes are
often needed to keep the ears clear.
Little
children are "wired" to learn language and the child with
Down syndrome is no different. Neurodevelopmentalists do not
recommend teaching the young child with Down syndrome sign
language. The reason for this is that the child will learn
to sign very, very well. And if a child can sign very well,
then that child will not need to talk to communicate. If it
is hard for the child to talk because of congestion and
hearing problems or oral motor problems, and it is easy for
the child to sign to get what he wants, guess what the child
will do? The child will sign and not talk.
Neurodevelopmentalists seek to achieve normal function.
Having to undo the teaching of sign language is frustrating
to parents trying to get the little children to talk.
Parents whose children have been taught to sign have had to
go through long periods of time ignoring the signs and
demanding language in order to shift the mode of
communication the child uses. Better to not start on that
path in the first place.
How a child
processes information auditorily will be a direct reflection
of the amount of language a child acquires and uses.
Auditory sequential processing is the ability to hold pieces
of information in short term memory. Auditory tonal
processing is the ability of the brain to correctly process
tones. There needs to be good, clear auditory input of
specific quality and interest to develop these processing
abilities and good language.
ACADEMICS
One of the
greatest delights of this work is seeing children defy
labels. Knowing how to teach academic material in a
developmentally appropriate fashion has helped children with
Down Syndrome learn to read and do mathematics and do them
well. The child's strengths and weaknesses must be assessed
and an individualized learning program is the most efficient
way to help each individual learn at the fastest rate.
SENSORY
ISSUES
A child
with Down syndrome can have a wide range of problems with
sensory issues. Often a child will have many different
tactility issues. The skin surface can be too sensitive or
not sensitive enough.
The deep
sensors may not sense pain appropriately. The child may not
sense temperature appropriately. These tactility issues may
vary on different parts of the body, such as, hands may be
too sensitive, the face and head may have low sensitivity
and so forth. Each child must be assessed individually to
design an appropriate stimulation program to remediate any
problem areas.
Many
children have vision problems. The visual system of the
young child is very plastic and changeable. Looking at the
developmental levels of vision and providing appropriate
stimulation opportunities for normal function is preferable
to resorting to artificial means of vision enhancement. It
is preferable to try to achieve normal vision and
convergence (the ability of the eyes to work together)
before the looking at artificial means of glasses or
surgical intervention.
Problems
are sometimes see with eye contact and central detail
vision. Sadly, some children with Down syndrome are getting
an additional label of autistic or "autistic-like" symptoms.
This is a symptomatic label simply describing an individual
with many sensory dysfunction issues. By treating the root
cause of the problems rather than treating the symptoms,
sensory dysfunction can be improved and often resolved with
appropriate stimulation.
CONCLUSION
Though your
child was born with Down Syndrome, there is much joy and
hope. The future can be bright and the parents need to be
supported and equipped with information and techniques to
help their child reach his full potential. With knowledge
and information appropriate to their child, parents can have
the joy of helping their child defy labels and achieve his
full, God-given potential.
Permission
is granted to share this information with others as long as
credit is given and our contact information is included.
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