Utilizing the Neurodevelopmental Approach
By: Linda Kane, Certified Neurodevelopmentalist
The Neurodevelopmental Approach is like no other approach to human development. It is unique in its approach of looking at the whole individual, not the separate pieces. Taking the individual pieces and understanding of how they interrelate will greatly enhance what you do as you work with your child.
The potential of any individual is based upon the opportunities presented them. If appropriate, specific opportunities are presented, there will be greater outcomes. If opportunities are not offered, often due to the limitations set forth by the self fulfilling prophecy of a “label”, less will be achieved.
Down syndrome, for example, is a label and you have to reach beyond the expectations of that label. The paradigm for Down syndrome was primarily determined over a century ago by Dr. J. Langdon Down. When Dr. Down identified the twenty-first chromosome abnormality, he began assessing the commonality of individuals who shared this condition. His observations led to forming the paradigm, and thus the expectations for individuals with Down syndrome. However, the individuals he observed were those he worked with in institutional settings. The assessment was made based on individuals who had very limited opportunity presented to them. I would suspect anyone of us would have far different outcomes had we spent our lives institutionalized.
Genetic conditions do have physiological effects to the body. Autism, Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, on the other hand, are examples of symptomatic labels. There is no such disease as “Autism”, “Dyslexia”, “ADD” or “ADHD”. Rather, these labels are given based on symptomatic score cards. Check enough “boxes” on the Autism score card and you will get the label PDD-NOS. Check other combinations of the boxes you might receive an Asperger’s label. Yet another combination will yield a SID (Sensory Integration Disorder) or Full Spectrum Autism. It is subjective and based on a person’s outward function. Labels limit. Labels are dead ends.
I challenge you to look beyond the expectations for your child with a label or challenge and set your goals high Use normal function in all areas as your measure and goal. You will never achieve your child’s highest level of function with subnormal goals and lowered expectations No one really knows how much each individual person will be able to achieve. Without any question though, normal function will never be achieved if that is not at least the targeted goal. Most of the individuals we have worked with have far surpassed the predictions and expectations of their challenge. Normal, typical function is achievable. It takes a lot of hard work. The work involves building proper neuro-pathways and connections and normalizing the central nervous system.
The central nervous system is amazing! Modern science is beginning to understand what Neurodevelopmentalists have known since the early nineteen hundreds. The brain is not hard wired. There is incredible plasticity and redundancy with the brain. If you stimulate appropriately you can improve function. If you stimulate with the appropriate frequency, intensity, and duration there will be improved function. It has been erroneously thought structure determines function. However, the truth is function determines structure. By inputting the proper function, you can improve function, and thus alter and improve structure. It is a matter of knowing what stimulation is needed.
Just presenting the proper stimulation is not enough. We need to be our child’s motivation, as well. Children with delays (whether neurological, genetic, sensory, or with learning) tend to resist change. They tend to be very happy just where they are. They are not eager to get to the next level. Often they do not show the motivation and determination to progress. This lack of motivation has nothing to do with being lazy or slow. We believe it has everything to do with their first year being delayed. Children are designed to go through their first year of life rapidly. Typically developing children learn to crawl, creep, sit up, pull up, cruise, stand, and walk usually within their first twelve months. Typically developing children learn change is normal, change is good, and they desire change. Children with physical challenges do not go through those developmental stages fast. Too often their first year is spent fighting for their life. They learn change is not normal, change is not good, and change is not what they want. Children with sensory and learning issues often go through these stages much too quickly. Both types of children have immature neurological systems.
Development is a hierarchy of stages. Each stage is dependent upon the previous stage. When stages of development are skipped or not thoroughly completed, the foundation is weak. There will be corresponding inefficiencies and problems. Crawling (army style on the stomach) and creeping (on the hands and knees) are essential stages of development. The lower levels of the brain are organized by crawling and creeping in a synchronized cross pattern. Our children often miss these stages by doing easier forms of locomotion. They roll. They scoot. They crab crawl. These should be avoided at all cost. Moving a child through the proper cross crawling pattern to input the correct stimulation to the brain is critical. With the correct input, the brain will have better opportunity to develop as it should.
The brain needs proper information in order to utilize the body correctly. Often our children’s central nervous system does not send the information appropriately. Responses from the senses can by hypo or hyper sensitive. Have you ever tried cutting your child’s hair while they were sleeping? Has your child ever had a raging ear infection that you did not know about until you went for your well baby check up? Does your child hate water? Do they fuss about temperature? Do they over react over the smallest thing? All these are symptoms that the neurological system is not functioning correctly. The good news is the sensory system can be normalized through proper stimulation.
Most families desire to take the primary responsibility for their children’s welfare. Sadly, too often the family feels the least equipped to take on that role. It is our hope to give you some expertise for working with your children’s tactility system. There are some simple activities you can do with your child to build the pathways for proper neurological function. You will not get good output without good input. The tactility receptors affect every area of your child’s life. It is imperative to get the correct signals inputted. With just a little bit of time, several times per day, you will have significant impact on your child’s development. You can normalize their tactility receptors.
To improve the deep tactility receptors, you can do an activity called Deep Pressure. Children who bed wet, are too rough, have too high a pain tolerance, or are uncoordinated would greatly benefit from this activity. You apply pressure to the point of response. For most of our children, that will be very deep. You squeeze and hold starting at the fingertips working up to the shoulders, and then from the toes to the hips. For very young children we recommend four times per day for three minutes each time. For older children we recommend two to four times per day for five minutes each time. This will do amazing things for so little effort. When the brain can feel the body better, it can utilize the body better. When the brain utilizes the body better you can directly see improvements in muscle tone, fine motor, gross motor, and oral motor. All for such little effort!
To improve the surface tactility receptors, you can do an activity called Tactile Glove Stimulation. Children who over react to little cuts, are excessively ticklish, bothered by tags in clothing, only wear certain types of clothing, etc. will greatly benefit from this activity. Using the scratchy bath gloves you find in the cosmetic department of stores, you will very lightly rub the surface of the skin. As with deep pressure, you will rub from the outer extremities of the four limbs into the torso of the body. Do this a couple of times per day for two to three minutes each time. Whether a child does not feel on the surface as they should or they are overly sensitive does not matter. The same activity, over a period of time, will normalize the surface touch!
To improve the tactility receptors of the face and head you can do an activity called Trigeminal Stimulation. This is for the children who can not stand haircuts, hair combing, or things touching their head or face. This is also for those who have their food all over their face and do not even realize it. For infants you will use your fingertips with light, wispy strokes to stimulate on the face, neck and head. You may also use light patting with the fingertips. For older children you will do deeper stimulation as well as the light stimulation. Achieve the deeper stimulation by using firmer strokes. Do this activity two to four times per day for two minutes each time. The trigeminal nerve is the largest nerve of the body that carries the sensory information to the brain from the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The trigeminal nerve is very important. By stimulating it with enough frequency, intensity, and duration over a period of time, you can normalize this nerve.
To improve temperature receptors you should stimulate the child’s four limbs with varying temperatures. Use warm to hot and cool to cold stimulation. You can use wet washcloths, warm/cool packs, etc. Do the temperature activity a couple of times per day for a couple of minutes each time.
All these activities are simple to implement and can easily be interspersed into everyday life. If a child is having hyper sensitivities, you may need to work into the full activity. Our inclination is to not do what is bothersome to our child. However, the opposite is what needs to be done. We need to stimulate the hypersensitive areas in order to desensitize them. We hope this gives you a good start with some neurodevelopmental activities.
It is our belief at Hope And A Future that the paradigms for children with challenges are changing and will continue to change. You and your children have the ability to change the world, and the world’s belief system, in the process of reaching their fullest potential.
Back to ND Articles
The Neurodevelopmental Approach is like no other approach to human development. It is unique in its approach of looking at the whole individual, not the separate pieces. Taking the individual pieces and understanding of how they interrelate will greatly enhance what you do as you work with your child.
The potential of any individual is based upon the opportunities presented them. If appropriate, specific opportunities are presented, there will be greater outcomes. If opportunities are not offered, often due to the limitations set forth by the self fulfilling prophecy of a “label”, less will be achieved.
Down syndrome, for example, is a label and you have to reach beyond the expectations of that label. The paradigm for Down syndrome was primarily determined over a century ago by Dr. J. Langdon Down. When Dr. Down identified the twenty-first chromosome abnormality, he began assessing the commonality of individuals who shared this condition. His observations led to forming the paradigm, and thus the expectations for individuals with Down syndrome. However, the individuals he observed were those he worked with in institutional settings. The assessment was made based on individuals who had very limited opportunity presented to them. I would suspect anyone of us would have far different outcomes had we spent our lives institutionalized.
Genetic conditions do have physiological effects to the body. Autism, Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, on the other hand, are examples of symptomatic labels. There is no such disease as “Autism”, “Dyslexia”, “ADD” or “ADHD”. Rather, these labels are given based on symptomatic score cards. Check enough “boxes” on the Autism score card and you will get the label PDD-NOS. Check other combinations of the boxes you might receive an Asperger’s label. Yet another combination will yield a SID (Sensory Integration Disorder) or Full Spectrum Autism. It is subjective and based on a person’s outward function. Labels limit. Labels are dead ends.
I challenge you to look beyond the expectations for your child with a label or challenge and set your goals high Use normal function in all areas as your measure and goal. You will never achieve your child’s highest level of function with subnormal goals and lowered expectations No one really knows how much each individual person will be able to achieve. Without any question though, normal function will never be achieved if that is not at least the targeted goal. Most of the individuals we have worked with have far surpassed the predictions and expectations of their challenge. Normal, typical function is achievable. It takes a lot of hard work. The work involves building proper neuro-pathways and connections and normalizing the central nervous system.
The central nervous system is amazing! Modern science is beginning to understand what Neurodevelopmentalists have known since the early nineteen hundreds. The brain is not hard wired. There is incredible plasticity and redundancy with the brain. If you stimulate appropriately you can improve function. If you stimulate with the appropriate frequency, intensity, and duration there will be improved function. It has been erroneously thought structure determines function. However, the truth is function determines structure. By inputting the proper function, you can improve function, and thus alter and improve structure. It is a matter of knowing what stimulation is needed.
Just presenting the proper stimulation is not enough. We need to be our child’s motivation, as well. Children with delays (whether neurological, genetic, sensory, or with learning) tend to resist change. They tend to be very happy just where they are. They are not eager to get to the next level. Often they do not show the motivation and determination to progress. This lack of motivation has nothing to do with being lazy or slow. We believe it has everything to do with their first year being delayed. Children are designed to go through their first year of life rapidly. Typically developing children learn to crawl, creep, sit up, pull up, cruise, stand, and walk usually within their first twelve months. Typically developing children learn change is normal, change is good, and they desire change. Children with physical challenges do not go through those developmental stages fast. Too often their first year is spent fighting for their life. They learn change is not normal, change is not good, and change is not what they want. Children with sensory and learning issues often go through these stages much too quickly. Both types of children have immature neurological systems.
Development is a hierarchy of stages. Each stage is dependent upon the previous stage. When stages of development are skipped or not thoroughly completed, the foundation is weak. There will be corresponding inefficiencies and problems. Crawling (army style on the stomach) and creeping (on the hands and knees) are essential stages of development. The lower levels of the brain are organized by crawling and creeping in a synchronized cross pattern. Our children often miss these stages by doing easier forms of locomotion. They roll. They scoot. They crab crawl. These should be avoided at all cost. Moving a child through the proper cross crawling pattern to input the correct stimulation to the brain is critical. With the correct input, the brain will have better opportunity to develop as it should.
The brain needs proper information in order to utilize the body correctly. Often our children’s central nervous system does not send the information appropriately. Responses from the senses can by hypo or hyper sensitive. Have you ever tried cutting your child’s hair while they were sleeping? Has your child ever had a raging ear infection that you did not know about until you went for your well baby check up? Does your child hate water? Do they fuss about temperature? Do they over react over the smallest thing? All these are symptoms that the neurological system is not functioning correctly. The good news is the sensory system can be normalized through proper stimulation.
Most families desire to take the primary responsibility for their children’s welfare. Sadly, too often the family feels the least equipped to take on that role. It is our hope to give you some expertise for working with your children’s tactility system. There are some simple activities you can do with your child to build the pathways for proper neurological function. You will not get good output without good input. The tactility receptors affect every area of your child’s life. It is imperative to get the correct signals inputted. With just a little bit of time, several times per day, you will have significant impact on your child’s development. You can normalize their tactility receptors.
To improve the deep tactility receptors, you can do an activity called Deep Pressure. Children who bed wet, are too rough, have too high a pain tolerance, or are uncoordinated would greatly benefit from this activity. You apply pressure to the point of response. For most of our children, that will be very deep. You squeeze and hold starting at the fingertips working up to the shoulders, and then from the toes to the hips. For very young children we recommend four times per day for three minutes each time. For older children we recommend two to four times per day for five minutes each time. This will do amazing things for so little effort. When the brain can feel the body better, it can utilize the body better. When the brain utilizes the body better you can directly see improvements in muscle tone, fine motor, gross motor, and oral motor. All for such little effort!
To improve the surface tactility receptors, you can do an activity called Tactile Glove Stimulation. Children who over react to little cuts, are excessively ticklish, bothered by tags in clothing, only wear certain types of clothing, etc. will greatly benefit from this activity. Using the scratchy bath gloves you find in the cosmetic department of stores, you will very lightly rub the surface of the skin. As with deep pressure, you will rub from the outer extremities of the four limbs into the torso of the body. Do this a couple of times per day for two to three minutes each time. Whether a child does not feel on the surface as they should or they are overly sensitive does not matter. The same activity, over a period of time, will normalize the surface touch!
To improve the tactility receptors of the face and head you can do an activity called Trigeminal Stimulation. This is for the children who can not stand haircuts, hair combing, or things touching their head or face. This is also for those who have their food all over their face and do not even realize it. For infants you will use your fingertips with light, wispy strokes to stimulate on the face, neck and head. You may also use light patting with the fingertips. For older children you will do deeper stimulation as well as the light stimulation. Achieve the deeper stimulation by using firmer strokes. Do this activity two to four times per day for two minutes each time. The trigeminal nerve is the largest nerve of the body that carries the sensory information to the brain from the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The trigeminal nerve is very important. By stimulating it with enough frequency, intensity, and duration over a period of time, you can normalize this nerve.
To improve temperature receptors you should stimulate the child’s four limbs with varying temperatures. Use warm to hot and cool to cold stimulation. You can use wet washcloths, warm/cool packs, etc. Do the temperature activity a couple of times per day for a couple of minutes each time.
All these activities are simple to implement and can easily be interspersed into everyday life. If a child is having hyper sensitivities, you may need to work into the full activity. Our inclination is to not do what is bothersome to our child. However, the opposite is what needs to be done. We need to stimulate the hypersensitive areas in order to desensitize them. We hope this gives you a good start with some neurodevelopmental activities.
It is our belief at Hope And A Future that the paradigms for children with challenges are changing and will continue to change. You and your children have the ability to change the world, and the world’s belief system, in the process of reaching their fullest potential.
Back to ND Articles
