Neuro therapy
You may have already visited the children, teen or adult page, here we continue the story finding out how I assist with the challenges and struggles being experienced.
When your brain is functioning in an optimum way then your interactions with the world are improved, social interactions, learning, organisational skills, problem-solving, emotions etc.
What is seen in the classroom as bad behaviour, lack of impulse control, poor social skills and difficulty in learning, despite good intelligence, may, in some cases, be symptoms of an underdeveloped central nervous system.
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This issue of what’s called “neuromotor immaturity”, is simply areas of the brain which are currently underdeveloped. Often parents say “my child just seems so immature”. When we target these areas using movement - neuro exercises, those areas start to mature, then an overall maturity and skill development gradually starts to happen.
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I look at the whole person to determine the cause of the difficulties. I look at what has happened for this person from conception onwards, carefully identifying any indicators to determine where the breakdown occurred and indicators for immaturity in specific areas of the brain.
I ask; are all the systems in the body working together? Speech, eye muscle movements, gross and fine motor, auditory processing, cognitive functioning, language and communication, balance and the vestibular system are all covered.
I consider ‘are the early centres in the brain mature.’ These are located at the brain stem level and indicate the maturity of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and show the place from which we should begin.
I use Neuro Developmental Therapy to overcome these immaturities within the CNS and stimulate maturation from the earliest point of where the challenges began. Getting to the root cause. This movement program is treating difficulties at the core giving the brain a second chance at learning.
Program structure
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All appointments can be in person or online,
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We meet for a free initial consultation, You learn hear in depth about how I may help, and I learn about the struggles being experienced.
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You go home, decide if you would like to work together, then if yes book an assessment.
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At the neuro assessment, I conduct a thorough evaluation to identify developmental immaturities.
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I then develop an individualized home-based program specifically designed to improve the immaturities and start you on your journey of optimal brain functioning. This will take no more than 10 minutes a day
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A week later you return for a check appointment, where you do the exercises and have a chance to ask any questions. This gives confidence you are completing these correctly. If you usually see me in person this can be done online.
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You implement the program at home with your child. If you have queries between appointments you are always welcome to contact me.
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Review appointments are undertaken every 7 weeks, at this appointment we discuss progress and you are given a new set of neuro exercises. A week later you have your check appointment.
How can this help?
I want tell you a little story about the initial consultation for a child, not every child will experience the difficulties I have listed, some will be less complex and others more, but this provides a good example of a discussion I have with many families. This will give you insights into what changes you may see if you decide to work with me. This is slightly different for a teenager as they will be present at this appointment. Adults please see the adults’ page.
When I first meet a new family, I always meet them without their child so we can have a frank conversation. This will start with the question “Hi my name is Yvette, please tell me the story of why you are here today?”
Families usually tell me a little about their child, often starting with some nice little stories. Then we segue to the tricky things.
When talking to a family, I am often told that their key concerns are emotional regulation, sensory challenges, such as touch, clothing (pants), textures or sensory seeking or avoiding behaviours and food challenges related to eating a limited range and texture issues. The food limitations are stress inducing to the parent as they are worried because they know nutrition is so important.
When parents talk about the behaviour struggles, they are concerned that after being gently redirected or faced with a small challenge the child reacts with anger, tantrums or retreats.
If it is a younger child, they might talk about missed milestones, such as rolling, crawling or speech delays (babies page).
If the child is old enough for school, we often discuss learning struggles. These include; reading, writing and concentration issues. Frequently listed are playground issues including making and keeping friends.
After taking the history of their child, I can then make connections between the symptoms they are experiencing and the root cause of those.
We then discuss the brain. Why it might be hard for their child to connect with them, to trust and to form strong attachments. We have discussions around the brain being in fight, flight and/or freeze all the time and how this hinders growth. The brain has the fight/flight mechanism to protect us, of which the reason this may be happening is discovered at this appointment. It could be a food intolerance, early trauma, the birth process, a specific event, or the cause can be unknown.
When the brain is protecting us, it can’t develop well in other areas. We see a range of delays in interpersonal skills, balance, co-ordination, learning, behaviour challenges and sensory challenges. The list is far too long, but each child will be impacted in their own way.
If the early part of the brain is underdeveloped, then the higher centres in the brain, where our learning occurs and where our critical thinking stems from, isn’t able to develop naturally.
The golden part of the discussion is next, what can be done. Our brain isn’t set in stone, it can change, it can learn to trust and not be in a state of being on alert all the time. The fight, flight or freeze mechanisms can be matured.
If the Vegas Nerve is underdeveloped and we see an underdeveloped parasympathetic system. This system is responsible for our bodies ability to relax and deal with stress, regulate our behaviour and develop strong attachments. We can strengthen this nerve and when we do so the families report that their child is speaking up more about their needs, or is more relaxed, not so emotional, more easily reasoned with and more playful. They report the child’s sensory system has improved and they can eat textures that they gagged on before. That they are eating a wider range of foods.
When we address the brain stem then learning starts to develop, reading, writing, attention, co-ordination all start to improve. For the younger child, speech, balance, co-ordination, communication, imaginative play, co-operative play and drawing/fine motor skills all improve.
Children need a start to life where they feel safe. When that happens, their brain interprets the environment as safe and develops at an expected speed and milestones are met, interpersonal skills are developed and a joyful life can begin. If this is not the start that the children has experienced, it can come later, we can work to give the brain a second chance at learning.
By addressing the underdeveloped areas in the brain, using neuro movements for 10 minutes each day, the child is able to have restored function to their brain and live a full joyful life.
At the end of the discussion families are informed understand some things they can do and have options around what they can do next, knowing their child’s symptoms are not set in stone but can improve.
After this appointment
If you are a parent coming to talk about your child I ask if possible, that both parents come to this appointment to allow you to both have the information and have opportunities to be informed and ask questions. At the end of the appointment no decision is made and you are encouraged to go home and let me know another time if you have decided for us to work together.
Book an initial consultation
To book an initial consultation please phone or email me. You can also fill out my pre-assessment questionnaire.
Where to next?
You can book a free initial consultation, phone or email me. Please fill our the pre-assessment questionnaire before this appointment.
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You can read some testimonals from previous clients.
Meet Yvette, who is the director of Move Learn Connect.