Don’t let an Autistic Spectrum Disorder diagnoses keep you down. Scott Mosher didn’t, nor did his family. Scott earned Valedictorian Honors last week at New Smyrna Beach High School. Both of Scott’s parents were teachers and put a strong emphasis on education, along with eating dinner together most nights, helped Scott, stated Scott’s proud Mom. Read more about Scott here.
Those of us in the field of Neurotherapy know how the proper use of Neurofeedback can enhance an individual’s empathy and affection. Hence the positive outcomes we get in this area when working with those challenged with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Another use of Neurofeedback is with couples struggling with their relationship. Neurofeedback helps by enhancing focus, empathy, listening skills, and helps to ‘unstick’ the brain when it tends to dwell on a single event or emotion too much. Read what Scientific American published recently about Neurofeedback.
A child who eats 2 cups of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, a small bag of Skittles, and 8 ounces of Crush Orange will consume 102 milligrams of artificial dye (not to mention lots of high fructose corn syrup). Behavioral tests found as little as 30 mg of artificial dye can cause adverse reactions. European Health Agencies have banned almost anything other natural food coloring….when will US follow suit? Check out this article on artificial food coloring (Photo credit: Ariana Stone)
As most Neurotherapists already know, just like the body needs exercise to be at it’s best, so does the brain. And brains that may have some deficits or control issues can be exercised to become better functioning! One of best ‘exercises’ for the brain is Neurofeedback or Mindfulness training. Check out this recent article from the NY Times!
Adopted children can present very challenging behaviors for adoptive parents. This is partially due to ‘poor’ wiring in the brain of adopted children. In the early stages of life, the neurons in the brain begin to undergo significant connectivity based on their environment. Absences of proper stimuli inhibit proper neuron connectivity in early brain development. But, take heart, adoptive parents! This can be changed, as the brain is very ‘plastic’. Neurofeedback can help the brain of adopted kids make better connections. Here’s an article from NPR on the brains of adopted children>
Mentally strong people do certain things, but also AVOID doing bad things. To strengthen your mental powers, avoid: wasting time feeling sorry for yourself; giving away power; shying away from change; wasting energy on things you can’t control; worrying about pleasing others; fearing taking calculated risks; dwelling on the past; making the same mistakes over and over; resenting other peoples success, for more click here
Great segment on last night’s (Thursday) NBC News about concussions in youth sports. We know that multiple concussions are especially dangerous, even more so when they occur in young brains. Lead researchers are now saying that tackle football should not be started until 14 yrs of age (reasons: young brains are more susceptible to injury, and youth coaches are often times poorly trained) and ‘heading’ in girls’ soccer should be outlawed. Watch the NBC segment here: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/
You have only one brain….take good care of it!
I started using my car’s GPS system a few weeks ago….now I don’t have to read a map, plot a course, anticipate turns, pay much attention to road signs…in other words, don’t have to use my brain….I think my brain is turning flabby.
Getting and staying organized is a real challenge for those with ADHD. Here’s an article from Psych Central Mag that offers 32 suggestions for getting and staying organized. These tips are actually good for everyone. Check them out.
A new long term study on the effects of ADHD medications on student grades is out. The June study looked at medication usage and educational outcomes of nearly 4,000 students in Quebec over an average of 11 years and found that boys who took ADHD medications actually performed worse in school than those with a similar number of symptoms who didn’t. Girls taking the medicine reported more emotional problems, according to a working paper published on the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research, a nonprofit economics research firm. Read more about the study here. Instead of ADHD medications, I recommend Neurofeedback coupled with a few sessions with an ADHD Coach, study skills training, and/or a few sessions of Family Counseling.
