Primary reflexes emerge in the first few weeks of foetal development. These are
involuntary movements which help us through the birthing process. In the first few
months of life they are very important to our survival. The automatic responses help
the baby respond to its environment. In normal development the primary reflexes should
be integrated within the first year of life so that we can develop voluntary movements
and more appropriate adult reflexes. When the automatic reflexes are retained they can
block or interfere with the development of more complex skills, motor control, eye-hand
coordination and cognition.
For example, the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex links the turning of the head with
the extension and flexing of the limbs. If the head is turned to one side the arm and
leg on that side will extend outwards while the limbs on the other side will bend at the
elbow or knee. This reflex should not be retained after 4 - 6 months. Its retention into
early childhood can interfere with voluntary control of movement into postures such
as the handwriting position - when we turn our head to the side we want to bring our
arm inwards, not outwards.
The Segmental Roll is a reflex designed to help the baby roll over in preparation for
crawling. It should be acquired by the age of 6 - 10 months. If the shoulders are twisted
to the left or right, the hips should follow in order to ‘unwind’ the body. Similarly, if the
hips are twisted the shoulders should follow. This reflex should be retained for life and
should contribute to smooth, rhythmic contralateral movement. Children who have
difficulties with fluid, coordinated walking often have not acquired the segmental roll.
The Palmar Reflex is activated in a baby by touch to the open palm which will cause the hand to grasp or grip. The grip is made stronger if the object being gripped is attempted to be removed. If this reflex is retained past 6 months a child will start to compensate for the lack of differentiation and fine motor skills.
This reflex is put in place to develop the muscles in the hands and movement of the fingers. A similar reflex is present in the feet called the Plantar. These two reflexes are sometimes connected and can also be linked with the sucking reflex. This can be seen when a baby is feeding where the hands sometimes knead at the same time.
If this reflex is retained it will have an impact directly on finger strength and fine motor function. It can also affect what is sometimes referred to as differentiation, as it is difficult to allow specific messages from the brain to reach the fingers without the other hand, the feet or the mouth and tongue becoming involved and moving as well. Stiffening the hands or doing movements that require fine control movements in an awkward way, such as holding a pencil or pen with an awkward grip, usually occur as a result of this reflex. Combined with an overly angled head when writing, this tension can move up into the shoulder and impact the neck.
Retention of several of these reflexes can be an indication of delayed lateral integration (efficient links between the two sides of the brain). Successful therapy such as kinesiology can help remove these impediments and specifically designed developmental work can improve integration. 
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Our body is made up of many systems that must be integrated so we can function efficiently. All these systems are interconnected; nothing stands alone. They include: sense of taste and smell, touch, vestibular system, muscle tone, proprioception, kinesthesis, auditory and visual systems, interhemispheric integration and fine motor and motor planning.
It is essential that all of the systems function properly and also support other systems. Because they are interconnected, the body will still cope if one system is not functioning properly, but will do so by maladapting. This means that instead of functioning efficiently the body is using excessive energy. A child may be able to perform adequately during the school day but, due to putting in so much effort in order to function "normally," may be excessively tired and cranky by the end of the day.
Taste and Smell
Taste and smell are the first systems to develop in the uterus. If a child has a taste or smell dysfunction they may be hypersensitive (high sensitivity) or hyposensitive (low sensitivity). Either one can cause atypical behaviour. |
A child who is hypersensitive towards smell might dislike perfumes, household
products, certain foods or plants. They may cause an allergic reaction, headaches
or migraine, breathing difficulties. At the other end of the spectrum, a child who is
hyposensitive towards smell is not receiving feedback from the environment.
Studies have shown that this can contribute to memory problems.
If a child is hypersensitive to taste, they may develop a food intolerance. A child
with hyposensitive taste may crave very salty or very sweet food.
Touch
We get tactile information from our receptor cells, our skin. When we touch
something we gain information regarding texture, density, temperature. We also
gain information from passive touch, e.g. from our clothing brushing against us.
If we are hypersensitive to touch we may avoid certain situations or react
defensively to unexpected sensation such as having our hair brushed by another
person. We may be irritated by seams in clothing or tags in shirts. Tactile sensitive
people may also be picky eaters because they do not like the texture of certain foods.
At the other extreme, people who are under responsive to touch may want to touch
things repeatedly in order to get more sensory information and they may only respond to
intense sensation and deep pressure.
Vestibular
Our vestibular system is located in our inner ear and gives us information on where
we are in relation to gravity. It lets us know whether we are upright, tilted, moving
or standing still.
People who have a dysfunctional vestibular system may have poor balance, suffer
from motion sickness, rock excessively, or become dizzy when looking at moving
objects. They would find activities such as rollercoasters very
distressing.
A weak vestibular system can affect other systems such as muscle tone. Our
vestibular system sends messages to our central nervous system telling the body
what is required in order to perform an activity. If the body is not getting enough
messages, it will not generate enough movement and the result is poor muscle tone.
Apart from affecting muscle tone, a weak vestibular system may also have a
negative impact on other systems such as visual tracking, proprioception and
auditory processing.
Kinesthesis
Our kinesthetic system sends information to our brain regarding the degree of
tension in our muscles and joints. An example of our kinesthetic system in action
is our ability to get dressed in the dark. People who have weak kinesthetic sense
may rely heavily on vision.
Proprioception
Our brain must take in information about our body movements if it is to send out
efficient signals to control a continuing sequence of movements. The vestibular
sends messages about how we relate to the vertical, kinesthesis sends messages
from muscles and joints. General body movement, eye movements and articulation
all depend on the brain receiving proprioceptive information. If this system
functions well there will be good body awareness. A weak system may result in
clumsiness and sometimes an unusual need for close physical contact.
Auditory
Our auditory system is not just about the ability to hear but also about processing
what we hear. Much of our learning process relies on the auditory system. Many
people may test within the normal hearing range but may not be able to follow a
set of instructions, due to auditory processing delay. This may be caused by one
ear not processing at the same speed as the other. People with auditory
processing delay may show delayed speech development or regularly ask for
directions to be repeated. Some people have sensitivity towards certain frequencies.
They may place their hands over their ears when they hear certain sounds, e.g.
the sound of a toilet being flushed, the sound of an aeroplane, a vacuum
cleaner or the wind.
We recommend one of two sound therapies, depending on the auditory profile:
Auditory Integration Training and The Listening Program. Both have proven
very effective.
Developmental work in this area involves auditory
discrimination, auditory sequencing and auditory direction activities.
Visual
Our visual system does not just involve our eyesight. Eye movement also plays an
integral part. A child who has poor eye tracking skills will find tasks like reading
and following a line of words very difficult. Shifting gaze from one object to
another, such as looking up from a workbook to the blackboard, may cause strain
on the eyes. Sensitivities to black and white contrast may contribute to reading
difficulties. Light sensitivity can also cause strain.
If we do not integrate our visual system with other senses, especially our vestibular
system, we may have problems with visual / spatial processing skills. This can
cause difficulties in understanding concepts such as above, below, between and
around.
Interhemispheric Integration
Everything we do requires the efficient linking up of different parts of our brain.
Specific bodily functions are controlled by different areas of the brain including
the left and right hemispheres. Efficient links between these areas are essential if
we are to function successfully. Poor coordination between the left and right sides
of the brain shows as a midline. The presence of a midline past the early childhood
stage is an indicator that these links are not operating well. As a child develops we see
the two hands learning to cooperate and the two eyes teaming - the midline becomes
less of a barrier. When this development is delayed we may see difficulties in such
areas as motor coordination, eye-hand coordination, directionality with letters and
numbers, sequencing, speech and language problems.
Sensory Motor
Areas such as hearing, seeing, feeling and controlling movement
must all be efficient or the developing child will be deprived of certain essential inputs.
If necessary we need to improve the acuity of these systems and to improve any subtle
deficiencies in the way the child processes what they see, hear, taste, smell, touch, etc.
A combination of work by specialised professionals with development programs
designed to meet the needs of the individual can have a very beneficial effect.
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This is the capacity we develop to recognise the position or the experience of body
parts and of objects in the environment. It is the essential ability that enables us, for
example, to efficiently perform the function of sitting on a chair at a desk with a
pencil in hand, feet on the floor, writing in a book. We use one hand to hold the page
and to help position our body, while the other hand and arm are in a continuous flow
of movement placing words on the page.
Our body relates to the position of the desk, the chair, the book, the objects and
people in the room and the environment beyond the room. Though we regard this as
a simple task it is one that involves our senses on many levels.
Our senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell, proprioception, vestibular, etc) provide
feedback to our brain, enabling us to perform efficiently in three dimensional space.
The development of this capacity depends upon a number of functions having
operated throughout early childhood, but at a fundamental level it seems to depend
on the asymmetry of our sensory, perceptual and motor functions.
The midline is the first point of reference around which we develop from functional
symmetry to functional asymmetry, with the two sides integrating in a major-minor
relationship.
As a child develops, the two sides of the brain extend links across the midline - the
hands learn to cooperate and the eyes work as a team - and as development continues
tendencies toward right or left dominance in eye, hand, foot and ear function emerge.
Dominance may vary with different functions - for example, the dominant side for
motor control could be the opposite side to that controlling vision. Many people with
mixed dominance have no difficulties but if processing problems occur at the same
time further investigation is required. Mixed dominance is often a complicating factor.
Position in space may be considered as the relationship of one’s centre to particular
parts of the body, environmental objects or the relationship between the two.
A related aspect of position in space is the area of spatial relationships.
This refers to the capacity to appreciate and act upon the relationship of items in
environmental space. Whereas position in space refers to the relationship of one’s
midpoint to an item, spatial relationship refers to the relationship of one item to
others as perceived by the individual.
Consider a man who is playing a set of drums. He is sitting on a stool with drum
sticks in his hands, surrounded by the drum kit. He is using the sticks to beat the
various drums. The drums are arranged in a certain order, each relating to the other
in order to produce the optimal sound.The drummer is using a variety of senses to
assist him to remain in an upright position, interact with each drum, produce a rhythm.
He relates to each drum from his centre, and he regards each drum in the kit in relation
to the others. On a larger scale he is also perceiving the relationship between the other
musicians, the music they are playing, the audience, the room in which the event is
taking place.
Driving a car is another example. You relate to the car in which you are sitting and
you also view the relationship of other cars on the road - your car to them and each
of them to the other and to the constantly changing surroundings - pavement, people,
buildings, trees, sky.
Playing a game of softball, a girl relates from her midpoint to the bat she is holding
in her hands, the base she is standing on, the ball that is being thrown to her, the
other players distributed around the field and the wider environment around the
location. She also perceives each object in relation to the others - the fielders trying
to catch the ball, the runners trying to reach the next base, the excited crowd.
In all of our everyday actions these abilities are essential for efficient
performance. While most of us take this for granted, if the systems that contribute
to these functions are not working efficiently and harmoniously, the result can be
difficulty in functioning and learning.
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This aspect of our mental processing allows us to organise our thoughts, ideas and movements. All the systems in our culture are organised in a linear fashion - time, number, reading, problem solving, planning.
Some of us adapt to this system easily, but those who have delayed linear sequencing may have problems in many areas such as analysing, organising tasks, following directions, following rules, understanding time and number concepts, spelling, written expression and motor planning.
Some indicators of problems with linear sequencing are:
- inability to understand consequences
- problems with punctuality
- difficulties with Maths
- inability to read a clock
- confusion about where to start a project
- difficulties with problem solving
- inability to complete tasks |
- problems expressing ideas in an organised manner
- difficulties following directions
- often losing concentration
- working better one to one than in a group
- inability to cope with change
Linear sequencing can be enhanced through a series of developmental tasks designed
to meet the needs of the individual. It may be necessary to begin at a very basic level,
working on the concepts of 'start,' 'finish' and 'next.' As the student develops, the
tasks can become more complex and the duration and spatial demands increase. Tasks
should begin with single attributes (colour, shape, size, sound, spatial orientation) and
progress to multiple attributes as development takes place. Progress should be made
from single systems to dual systems and multiple systems.
Tasks can be visual or can involve auditory or movement based activities. For example,
creating a sequence of objects with the attributes of colour and shape / developing a
rhythm pattern by clapping, jumping or tapping / experiencing duration of time while
completing a simple task / trampoline program involving sequence of movements
(motor planning).
Enhancement of linear sequencing gives the student greater learning potential at school
and in many other aspects of life.
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Many children are diagnosed ADD / ADHD, so many that it almost seems to be an epidemic. It is important to consider that the symptoms of this sort of disorder can be very similar to those present in:
- poor sensory integration
- metabolic or nutritional problems
- auditory processing difficulties
- visual concerns that effect learning
It is vital to find the appropriate treatment if a child has one or more of these problems.
Medication for ADD / ADHD?
The issue of whether to use medication to treat ADD / ADHD is a controversial one that can only be decided on an individual basis. If factors that contribute to attention deficit disorders can be overcome then a child may no longer need medication. While medical intervention may improve behaviour in the short term it can mask developmental issues that are likely to cause the disorder.
The underlying causes can be eliminated long term if they can be treated with a developmental approach.
Sensory integration development - with enhanced ability to process sensory information and improved central nervous system organisation, children can develop the foundations necessary for attention and learning.
Nutrition - our diet and the ability of our digestive system to absorb nutrients forms the basis for all biochemical reactions. Thus our diet affects the whole body - especially the brain and nervous system. There have been significant changes in the Australian diet in the past few decades: diets high in calories but low in nutrients, reduced vitamin and mineral content of foods, heavy metals and toxins such as lead, mercury, pesticides and herbicides in the environment. All these combine to have an effect on development and learning.
Auditory Processing - The Listening Program, used in conjunction with our learning programs, can play an important role in overcoming attention, listening, auditory processing and sequencing problems and can improve the speed of both auditory and visual processing.
Visualisation - techniques for visualising and increasing speed of visual processing are a very effective part of the Learning Creations programs and help improve visual attention.
Addressing these factors is a vital part of diagnosis and treatment for attention deficit disorders.
2. Skills - Juggling
Juggling is a great skill to master. When someone goes through the steps, becoming competent in each one and building on that to get to the next stage, suddenly they are delighted to find they can juggle!
Not only is this a great confidence booster, it also capitalises on skills learned in the program - focus, integration, working across the midline, coordination.
It is fun to learn and fun to teach and can help relieve stress. While it is initially easy to pick up, juggling is challenging and no matter how good you get there is always more to learn.
Your Feet
While juggling keep your feet still and make sure they are totally under your control. Do not chase runaway balls - let them fall if you can’t reach them.
Start with One Ball
Hold it in your dominant hand and throw it to your other hand in an arc. Throw easily from one hand to the other, ten times in a row.
Some children may have to take time to focus between each throw - it is important to establish what is needed for each individual.
Two Balls
Hold one ball in each hand. Throw the first ball and, as it begins to descend, start to throw the second ball. Both should travel in an arc. Balls should go slowly and be above head height.
Three Balls
Ball one is held in the front position in one hand. Ball two is in the opposite hand. Ball three is in the back position of the first hand.
Throw balls 1, 2 and 3 but do not catch them. Use a table for the balls to land on.
-Repeat this action and this time catch only ball 3. Repeat the same action and catch only ball 2. Repeat the same action and catch only ball 1.
Catch balls 2 and 3. Catch balls 1 and 2. Then catch balls 1, 2 and 3.
Four Balls
Follow the same steps as with three balls, plus the following . . .
Throw all four balls and catch 1, 2, 3 but don't catch the fourth throw - repeat 10 times.
Next catch balls 1, 2, 3 and 4 (make sure you are focused!)
Five Balls
Follow the same steps as with four balls, then add Ball 5
Continue the process.
Variations
- Throw the last ball over your shoulder then catch by putting a hand behind your back
- Throw the last ball in the air and spin 360ยบ, return to original position and catch ball.
- Throw the last ball under your leg and catch it.
- Juggle in pairs - two people, six koosh balls, four arms.
Problems and Solutions
I move forward as I juggle.
This is a common problem. Stand in front of a wall, or a bed to keep you from moving forward.
I can't throw ball number 3, I just catch ball number 2.
Concentrate on throwing ball number 3. Do not even try to catch ball 2.
The balls keep hitting/there isn't time to make the throws.
Pay extra attention to making your throws an even height at eye level.
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