Saturday, October 23, 2010

Information Storage in the Brain

Learning Difficulties = Information storage and retrieval issue in the brain
Hemisphere control in the brain
The brain is naturally divided into right and left hemispheres. The left side of the brain predominantly controls the right side of the body and the right side of the brain predominantly controls the left side of the body. So, neurologically, the right side of the brain controls the left eye, ear, hand, and foot and conversely, the left side of the brain controls the right eye, ear, hand and foot. In the right-handed person, the left hemisphere of the brain is normally the dominant hemisphere containing fine motor skills functions that are usually indicated by right handed eating, writing, throwing, hair brushing, and etc. In the left-handed person, the right hemisphere will normally control the dominant left side of the body and fine motor skills.
Mixed Dominance in the brain
Neurological disorganization develops when there is mixed dominance between the dominant hemisphere of the brain and what is supposed to be the dominant eye, ear, hand or foot. Mixed dominance and neurological disorganization occurs when for instance: a child eats, throws, and writes with the right hand, kicks with the right foot, sights a telescope with the right eye, but listens and takes in information with the left ear. This child will accomplish other tasks with the dominant right side of the body but will listen to the phone with the left ear or may turn their head to the right to favor the left ear when listening intently. This mixed dominance is not limited to just the ear but can occur in the eye, ear, hand or foot in any combination.
Why Mixed Dominance is a problem
The problems caused by mixed dominance are brain disorganization and neurological processing inefficiencies.
Mixed dominance can be found at the root of many problems such as dyslexia, emotionality, slow thinking, poor judgment, poor sense of time, distractibility, poor coordination and control of motor function, academic shortfalls, stuttering, bad judge of distance, and a host of other inefficiencies of the brain.
You cannot achieve organized function in a brain that is disorganized!

The brain is partitioned into two hemispheres. These hemispheres are right and left and are tied together with a small bundle of nerves called the corpus callosum. Information is transferred between the hemispheres via the corpus callosum. One of the brain’s hemispheres will be dominant and the other subdominant.
When the brain stores information in the subdominant hemisphere that should be stored in the dominant hemisphere of the brain it then has to retrieve the information across the corpus callosum.
The solution to this dilemma is to retrain the brain to store the dominant hemisphere information in its proper place, and the subdominant information in its proper place.
Testing for eye and ear dominance:
Observe and note which hand is preferred for skilled activities like eating, writing, throwing and fine motor skills. This hand preference will normally indicate which hemisphere of the brain is the dominant hemisphere. Once you have established which hemisphere of the brain is dominant and which one is subdominant you should observe which eye and ear are dominant. The eye and the ear should follow the dominant hand. For instance, if the subject is right handed then they should be right eye and right ear dominant. If the subject is right handed then looking through a cardboard tube like a spyglass the subject should use the right eye. When pointing a finger at an object with the arm extended the right eye should lead down the arm and straight to the object.
To test for the dominant eye of the subject have them point at an object both near and far. Then have the subject close the right eye and leave the left eye open. If the object moves in the subject’s field of vision and they have to re-align the pointing finger and arm then the right eye was dominant. If the object stays still and there is no re-alignment of the pointing finger then the left eye is dominant and the subject is mixed-dominant. If the subject is right hand dominant then the right eye should be dominant. If the subject is left handed then the left eye should be dominant.
Using observation determine which ear is dominant. Which ear is used for listening to the telephone? If the subject is handed a wind-up watch and asked to listen to the ticking the subject should prefer the appropriate ear by holding the watch up to the dominant ear. If the subject is right handed then the ear preference should be the right ear also. If the subject is left handed then the left ear should be dominant.
Solutions for Mixed Dominance:
If the subject is mixed dominant in the eyes then the errant dominant eye can be simply occluded with an eye patch for several hours a day and especially during reading, math and other academic functions. For instance; if the subject is right handed but left eye dominant then patching the left eye for occlusion will allow the information to enter the right eye and thereby be properly stored in the dominant hemisphere of the brain. Conversely, if the subject is left hand dominant but right eye dominant then occluding the right eye with a patch will bring about the desired results. (It may take several weeks or even months of occluding to establish the appropriate eye dominance.)
If the subject is mixed dominant in the ears then the errant dominant ear can be simply occluded with an ear plug for several hours a day and especially during listening activities, reading, math and other academic functions. For instance; if the subject is right handed but left ear dominant then plugging the left ear for occlusion will allow the information to enter the right ear and thereby be properly stored in the dominant hemisphere of the brain. Conversely, if the subject is left hand dominant but right ear dominant then occluding the right ear with a plug will bring about the desired results. (It may take several weeks or even months of occluding to establish the appropriate eye dominance.)
Occluding the appropriate eye or ear can bring amazing academic results in short order. As you occlude the errant eye or ear function you provide specific and intense opportunity for the brain to build and establish the desired neuro-pathways. These pathways may start out like a small ant trail but the more traffic you send down the ant trail the bigger the trail becomes. So it is with the brain and with neuro-development. The more neuro signals you send to an area of the brain the bigger the connection becomes and the more efficient the information traverses the neuro- pathway. If the brain has a bigger pathway built to the wrong part of the brain as in mixed dominance than limiting the traffic on that pathway via occlusion will allow that pathway to decline while you effectively build the new pathway to the desired area of the brain by sending all the traffic in that road.

Copyright 2008, Craig Stellpflug


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Belle E Boo

"Hey Belle.  That hospital over there is where you were born."

"I remember.  I was so excited that day!"

I was so excited that day, too!  You were my 4th baby girl and I couldn't wait to hold you.
So tiny.
Perfect.
You looked right at me and smiled.
And then, I blinked.  And now you're almost 5.
Beautiful.
Impish little smile.
So smart.  So strong. And so fast.
A tiny little athlete.
Silly girl.  So fun and full of life.
You'll always be my Belle E Boo.

And I'm never blinking again.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Are You Smarter Than A....

I love this show.  Even though it makes me feel dumb.  I rarely know the 5th grade answers.  And I think those little genius kids up there on their panel already know the questions.  There's no way those kids are that smart, or that excited to be there.  

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to play my own little game.  (These are actually all from my kids' curriculum.)  Play along if you want to feel dumb, too.



1st grader:   In English, we have 26 characters that make up our alphabet.  Ancient Egyptians used      
                    heiroglyphics.  How many characters did they use?
                    A.  26
                    B.  more than 2000
                    C.  560
                    D.  7

2nd grader:  About how many times a day do you breathe?
                   A.  8,000
                   B.  21,600
                   C.  75,500
                   D.  700

3rd grade:   In what year was the Magna Carta signed?
                   A.  1800
                   B.  1215
                   C.  451
                   C.  2001

4th grader:   What is the name of Shakespeare's play about a prince who has to avenge his father's death?
                   A.  Richard III
                   B.  Hamlet
                   C.  High School Musical
                   D.  Henry V

5th grader:  What animal, known as the flying squirrel, is nocturnal, lives in trees, and flies?
                  A.  Marsupia Flyer
                  B.  Sugar Glider
                  C.  Mammalia nocturna
                  D.  Sweet Dancer

                
Ready for the answers?  Let's see how smart you are......

 ..........scroll down.......




......... a little more........



ANSWERS:  all the correct answers are B.    How well did you do?

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Samson


My hair is short
My eyes are brown
My tail is short and stubble
I'm overweight and my face looks like
It ran into a shovel

I live to lie
Out in the sun
With the cool grass on my tummy
I won't get up, not for anyone
Unless I smell something yummy

My life is cush
I eat and sleep
Then scratch at the door to be with the fam
If no one answers, I'll get frustrated
And give the door a body slam.

Although I look
Sad all the time
It's all a big charade
Just rub my belly, that's all I want
Then, go on with your day.

These little kids
They pull my ears
And poke me in the eye
Oh, the plight of a fat boxer...
It's a hard life.... sigh....

I snore, I fart
I clear a room
I'm proud to call it my habit
I have no tricks, no talents, no rules I know
I don't listen or obey.  Look!  A rabbit!

I know they love me
Those people in there,
They'll never get rid of me
So, I'll just lie here and catch some rays
And you can fill up my food bowl, please.





Monday, October 11, 2010

Wiggle, writhe and whine...

As I learn more about the neurodevelopmental approach to dealing with learning differences, I am amazed at the tools we have to help our little ones.
If you are a teacher in a classroom, or a teacher to your own littles at home, or a parent who helps your littles with homework in the evenings, you may be faced with a student who is fidgety and squirmy.  A child's ability to sustain attention, or focus, is a basic learning requirement.  When a child cannot sit still or focus, he/she cannot effectively learn.

The vestibular system is located within the inner ear.  It is a tiny system of canals that are fluid filled and lined with hair-like structures.  However, it is vital for marking your position in space (knowing where you are), balance, attention, motor coordination, the ability to scan with your eyes to read, and emotional regulation.  ALL of these are issues for my child - we often have very wriggly, unfocused, crying, writhing on the floor moments in our day.

The good news is that the greatest stimulus for the vestibular system is movement of the head.  When the head and neck move, so does the fluid in the canals.  The fluid pushes those little hair-like structures and activate a neurochemical reaction that is transmitted to the brain.  The brain then registers the movement of your head in space.  And, helps maintain a level of alertness, coordinate vision and hearing, and  provide better posture and stability.  ENGLISH, PLEASE: move head = stimulate brain.

So, if you have a child in your care like I do with some of these symptoms:
slumping in seat (poor posture)
tipping chair back, falling off chair
moving all the time, or seldom moving at all
fidgeting, having trouble sitting still
bumping into walls or other children (general clumsiness)
trouble judging "personal space"
skipping lines when reading
trouble kicking or catching balls
overly emotional

you may have a child with a possible vestibular dysfunction.

How you can help:  (the fun part!)

Simple ideas include providing a variety of seats that allow movement - ball chairs, rocking chairs, or taking breaks to dance, sway, work on a balance beam, stand on one leg or do a yoga pose.
Another way is to sit the child on a spinning chair (an office chair, bar stool, etc) and spin the child with their head dipping down and up, in alternating directions at varying speeds.

And don't forget breaks outside!   Swinging, merry go rounds, hanging upside down on the bars - all excellent exercises for the vestibular system.

I'm having a blast learning all this stuff!

Puppy Dog Tails

I always knew I wanted a son.  I grew up at the ball fields cheering on my two brothers and I've always dreamed I would be back there with my own boy.  Boys are easy.  All they need is a stick.
Or some dirt.
Or a tree.
Or a hose.
And they're happy.
Then, the Lord blessed me with four beautiful girls.  And as much as I adore my baby girls, and as much as my husband did NOT want any more children, I longed for a boy.  I ached for a boy.  I prayed and cried and my heart hurt for a boy.
It's that feeling you get (and no matter how many children you already have, it's the same feeling) when you know there is to be another life.  And the anticipation and angst can almost kill you.
And one year ago, I got my boy.

It's pure bliss.  He's delicious.  I can't get enough of him.  He's beyond rotten.  Spoiled to the core.  After all, he has 5 mommas and we give him whatever he wants.  It won't last forever - I'll raise him to be a respectful, responsible, hard working man.  But, right now, he's my snuggle bug who makes my heart melt into a puddle of jello whenever he cries.  So, he gets what he wants.

But, if you saw him.  You'd give in, too.
See?
Pure deliciousness.
And he loves the hose.  Some baby advice:  When they're crabby, put them in water.
He could play all day in the hose.  And I could just sit and watch him.  All day.

Every single time he gets a drink, he jumps.  It surprises him every time.
And he's off to find a stick.  Yummy boy.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Stuffy, fuddy duddy Christians

My husband and I have had this conversation a hundred times.  When we find out that we weren't invited to a party, or he wasn't asked to play on the neighborhood basketball team, or nobody came to our Christmas party... we start asking each other.  Are we boring?  Do we come across as fuddy, duddy Christians who don't know how to have a good time? Do people not invite us because they feel like they can't be themselves around us?

I know this is ridiculous.  I know everyone likes us.  :)

But, there is a misconception about Christians that has haunted us since the beginning of time.  And I was a part of it before I became a believer.
Boooooring.  Judgmental.  No humor.

Boy, was I wrong!  My favorite, craziest, most hilarious, good time, party throwing, spontaneous people are Christians.
Maybe because we have joy in the Lord, maybe because we know that this life isn't all there is.  Maybe because we know we have a gracious, loving, forgiving Savior who has our back and loves us just the way we are.  That's reason enough to throw a party every day!

Christians know how to throw down!  We know how to laugh until snot flies across the room.
I recently discovered a hilarious site called Stuff Christians Like that literally makes me laugh out loud at every post.  It is satirical, sarcastic, pithy and right up my alley.

Check it out when you need a good laugh, like every day.

Stuff Christians Like