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The search is great, and it can be brutal for the parent who struggles for answers and help for their child on the autism spectrum.
D.A.N. protocol, and functional medicine combined with Hemispheric Integration Therapy resulted in success, and this progress started happening very rapidly. This family from (Oregon) flew back and forth for treatment at the Mane’ Center, and were amazed at the swift progress their son started making right from the start!
This parent testimonial from the mom, speaks to the importance of getting to the “core” or source of her son’s problems. His speech has improved dramatically, along with his motor planning, gross and fine motor skills.
This is the link to her testimonial about finding answers that meant thriving results for her 16 year old son, Christopher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGVzsgW2yGo&list=UUts4lDVcw-_iKKXTQuxdStQ&index=2&feature=plcp
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Sweet sarcasm? The very thought may seem like the biggest oxymoron in the world! Sarcasm, Sweet, I don’t thing so. Of course, when we are victims of sarcasm, it is very cruel. Yet, what if we don’t understand sarcasm? What if we just don’t get it when someone is being sarcastic with us? For instance, What if someone told you, “Well, you look so nice today.” Let’s say they were being sarcastic and so this statement was said with a slur in their voice and a facial expression that didn’t fit with anything nice. Now imagine, that we respond with the sincerest of a “Thank You” to this sarcasm…BECAUSE…we just don’t get it. Even though we don’t understand the slur, it may confuse and upset us, as the words do not seem to match the face.
Now imagine it’s not us at all who experiences this situation…it is our child and we watch painfully as this scenario unfolds. If we have a child with Aspergers or on the Autism Spectrum, no doubt we have endured this torturous experience. We wonder perhaps… Do they understand the sarcasm? If they understand, do they feel hurt and humiliated? Or does the sarcasm even bother them? We don’t know most times and we long for the ability somehow, someway to get inside our child’s head and heart to be able to understand how they perceive these things. That way, we would also know how to pick up the pieces and soothe the specific hurt, if in fact there even were some injury. We just don’t know do we?
I would like to share with you a conversation that I heard from the back seat of my car. This particular conversation came from my two children, one with ASD who has never understood sarcasm and his typical younger sibling, not ASD. It went like this: “Here Jacob…You play the bad Guy.”, said my ASD child as he handed his brother the enemy toy figure. He brother quipped back with a sarcastic smile and slur, “Well, thanks a lot, Levi.” The next statement made me forget to breathe…”Jacob, you’re being sarcastic aren’t you?” What? Did I just hear that right? He recognized “Sarcasm” for the very first time in his life of 11 years! This happened 2 weeks ago and in addition to recognizing more incidents of sarcasm, he has used expressions with double meanings, such as, “Thrown under the bus”, used in the right context, very naturally, and even being able to explain what this expression meant to a younger family member as it’s not meaning a literal bus. Wow!
A sigh of relief also has come over me! Social/Emotional Intellect as it emerges in our children is the best sleeping pill ever! Our children may possess all the intellect in the world, however, as parents, we worry constantly about our children’s ability to find happiness and have successful social / emotional relationships with others. To mature successfully, and thrive as humans, we must be able to incorporate our greatest gift, the Emotional/Social Connection with others. In order for this to be a success, we know that two things must happen: 1. our children must be able to understand others. And: 2. our children must be able to be understood by others. To the extent that this is the case, the more likely we as parents can breathe more sighs of relief as we slowly start letting go and the time comes when they have to make it on their own, if in fact this is possible. It can be a very scary thought even with typical children and much more frightening for our parents with children on the Autism Spectrum.
Things such as sarcasm, humor, pragmatic language, broadminded thought processes, etc., all have huge effects on social/ emotional awareness. The greater the understanding of these socialites, the better the overall understanding of others can be, along with greater understanding of oneself. These very things, can be taken for granted when they are not missing. However, if these have been lost somewhere inside our beautiful children, and then, found, it is like a hidden treasure, worth more than we could ever have thought possible. It is in this instance, you see, that “Sarcasm” can be sweet and as sweet as honey, as long as it is “Understood”.
By: Kimberly Larochelle
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Ahhh…the life of a child…So wistfully happy, and ultimately carefree. With not a care in the world, a child is free…free from life’s stresses, and so it is, and so it should be the best time of life. This state of being is usually true of most typical children, but to most of those that are within the Autism Spectrum…it is not. For these children, life in general is just the opposite. Instead of being carefree…they are worried. Instead of being happy…they are frustrated, and fretful. Life for them can be “too Loud”, “too Confusing”, or just “too Much”… For example, I give you…”A Day at the Beach…” The sounds of the waves…so very pleasant, and relaxing…for MOST, and yet for them, these same sounds that can relax us and even lull us to sleep…can be as a “Frightening Roar” to these children. Let’s add just another sensory component to our scene, shall we: The “feel’ of the warm sand, as it squeezes between our toes…it is a wonderful sensation …for MOST, and yet for them, the texture of this same sand is as an extreme irritant, and it’s sensation attacks their “Tactile Sense”, and it can be painful to them. Let’s add to this picture yet again… “The Bright Sunny Day”, as the sun beams and glistens on the water like sparkling diamonds…Beautiful…Yes…for MOST, and yet for them, the bright sun is too bright, as they cover their eyes, in search of shade, and relief from the onslaught of the sun. Add the occasional sounds of the “Sea Gulls”. as we watch in delight, while they soar and land upon the shore, lifting their heads and calling to whomever may hear them…an intriguing delight for MOST, and yet these same sounds are as literal “Shrieks” that jump out of the air suddenly, and startle them to their very core. Those on the Autism Spectrum have some very bewildering sensory issues, as some of their senses are overly sensitive, and yet others under sensitive…add to the confusion , and you will find that there is varying combinations of overly and under sensory issues and degrees, and all unique to each individual. I used to say, “If only I could get inside my little boy, and see the world through his eyes and ears…I would know…I would KNOW…”
And so… “A Day at the Beach” …for many on the Autism Spectrum…really is NOT… “A Day at the Beach”… It is very much a stressful and dramatically exhausting endeavor for them…and just the opposite from the way that we think of the occasion, and the expression that we loosely use to describe something easy and stress free…in other words: “A DAY AT THE BEACH” By: Kimberly Larochelle
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| The Movie, “Walking in the Dark”, created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Brian K. Dery, is making another film debut in Atlanta on April 30th. This movie/documentary about the world of Autism is exceptional and it has helped and touched the lives of many in regards awareness, and as a practical guide to those of the Autism Community and all others who would like to understand and help those that struggle for answers. A huge “Congratulations” and “Thank You” goes to Brian K. Dery for the great efforts he made in getting this film made! Here is the link to the movie trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =c_erZhKP018 |
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Those of you that have heard me speak regarding autism spectrum disorders as it relates to functional neurology and hemispheric integration therapy many times here me discuss brain development from the bottom up and also brain function from side to side. Although this is an older video it’s still briefly discusses brain development and function from the lower centers to the higher centers as well as between and about the cerebral hemispheres. Carl Sagan who is featured in the video does discuss brain development from an evolutionary perspective , if that bothers you consider it an exercise in comparative anatomy and not dealing with evolution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfBKZYrxgM&feature=player_embedded.
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I am speaking tonight at H.C.C on Hemispheric Integration Therapy at the Dale Mabry Campus for those of you who are local and interested please call the office for details. Sorry about the last minute notification. 813-935-4744
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Patients often ask me why other medical disciplines are not looking into these types of concepts such as neuroplasticity. In fact, they are, it will just take a while for these types of approaches to become more mainstream. This link will connect you to a post that is a little bit ” thick ” in that it may be difficult to understand, however it does show how others are using the concepts of neuroplasticity, right and left hemisphere, and primitive brain and Neo cortex. It is not specifically regarding autism and the spectrum or Hemispheric Integration Therapy however I wanted you all to see that others are grabbing these concepts from neuroscience and attemping to apply them.
http://communitywork-schweicks.blogspot.com/2009/11/mindfulness-trauma-and-brain.html
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This is the case of a six-year-old child who presented with a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. He is also hyperactive. He has tantrums and can become aggressive. He has difficulty with social situations. He can be very intelligent in particular with regard to things that he enjoys such as dinosaurs and maps. He is a picky eater. He has some sensitivity to sounds and dysgraphia.
Incidentally noted was a misalignment of the eyes. But was this misalignment of the eyes really just an incidental finding or was it really a great clue as to where this child’s functional lesion originated from. We know that the number one comorbidity associated with autism spectrum disorders is in coordination. We know that the cerebellar and vestibular systems are intimately involved with balance and coordination. We see that many children on the autism spectrum in fact do have functional vestibular lesions as part of their problem and presentation.
So we can evaluate the child’s neurologic system as well as his vestibular system? Here are some things that we might look for . Are his eyes misaligned at rest? Is there any change in the alignment of his eyes with eye movement? Is there any involuntary movement of his eyes? Are his eye movements smooth and not ratchet like? Is his head tilted or rotated? Does the tilt and/or rotation improve when he closes his eyes? Does the child get dizzy easily? If you spin him in various directions, does he have an appropriate vestibular response?
By assessing function and determining where the issue lies, we can begin to formulate a treatment plan that will stimulate that pathway that is under functioning using the concepts of neural plasticity. In this case, we determined that the muscle was functionally short. We determined that there was an issue with the neurologic feedback system and the neurologic control of the length of the muscle. There was an issue with all the neurologic inputs to the muscle that help determine what it’s normal resting length should be. By addressing this functional vestibular lesion as well as other associated neurological dysfunction that we were able to pick up on his examination, the child has made other improvements which are more in line with what his parents brought him in for. So we know that the eye misalignment was not his primary complaint or what was a the greatest concern to his parents. However, it is an interesting and observable window into the physiologic changes that can be made with the appropriate functional treatment of his nervous system. That is to say, we cannot see the strengthening connections from his vestibular nucleus to his cerebellum for example but we can see the alignment of his eyes improving. This is what functional neurology is all about, observation, understanding, application and observation again. There was another clue in this child’s history that made it apparent that this was a functional lesion. This child had had three surgeries to correct the misalignment of his eyes. That is, they would operate to address the length of the eye muscle. The misalignment would correct temporarily and then return. This occurred three times. This is a simple clue to the functional neurology practitioner that indicates that the misalignment was not in fact a structurally short eye muscle but a functionally short eye muscle. That is, that the muscle was shortened due to faulty neurologic integration.
What else are we seeing with this child? His hyperactivity has improved, his temper tantrums have improved and he has not had a bowel or bladder accident in several weeks. His teacher relates that this past week was the first time that the child was able to do his writing work at school. He wrote seven words. The teacher states that he is having improved attention. He also played ball with his father for the first time in his life.
To explain how the vestibular system may be interrelated with issues such as hyperactivity, tantrums and social deficiencies is beyond the scope of this article. However, you can be aware that vestibular issues are common in children with autism spectrum disorders. Manifestations of vestibular malfunctions such as misalignment of the eyes may be related neurologically to symptoms being expressed as autism spectrum disorder and not an unrelated incidental finding. And now hopefully this is something you are aware of and can observe.
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One of the major concepts of functional neurology is that of neuroplasticity. That is, to understand how the functional neurology and hemispheric integration therapy can help your child, you must understand that the brain can change and be rewired. The book then I always recommend that my presentations is the book entitled “The Brain That Changes Itself.” CNN he a series of reports on the rope last the city by the order of this book. In case you missed it here is the link that shows a clip from Monday’s report. This is at the heart of functional neurology and something you should understand if you are interested pursuing this type of treatment for yourself or your child.
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I have been warned that writing about possible problems with international adoptions might upset some in the international adoption community. Yet, I feel compelled to write this article. One, because this information should be available to those making a decision regarding these types of adoptions. Also, because it is a perfect example of how sensory and motor delays can cause autistic type presentations.
I had the pleasure of treating a wonderful young girl that was adopted from China. This was actually my introduction into the world of international adoptions and possible complications. The next few sentences highlight some of the issues I have been informed of. Many times the ratio of caretaker to child in some of these orphanages can be as high as 40 to 1. Many times, these children only have their diapers changed once daily. There is the possibility that their hands may be tied as the hands may be considered dirty. Children may never have been taken out of that crib. In fact, they may just have a drip type tube from which to get sustenance. This I was told described the conditions in one of the better orphanages. I was given a copy of a book relating to a term “the dying rooms .” This is a term relating to some of the horrible conditions in the Chinese orphanages during a certain time period. The phrase “Dying room” can be googled and you will be able to find information regarding a book and a television program relating to the same subject. This particular child had not been out of her crib until she was adopted at 18 months old. Therefore, she could not crawl or walk and certainly could not feed herself. When I saw her she was approximately 12 years old.
In the functional neurology model we look at the motor system as being an important driver to brain function. Naturally then development of the motor system is considered paramount development of brain function. Any Situation in which a child did not scoot on time or crawl on time or misses any of their motor milestones becomes a red flag. Primitive reflexes and lower areas of the brain become inhibited as higher areas of the brain develop. If there are inefficiencies in this process, there tends to be inefficiencies in optimal brain function at the highest levels which is what we see in autism spectrum disorders. Therefore, this child was a perfect model for this concept. The fact that she was never out of the crib until she was 18 months old. She had no motor or movement stimulation. She had very little sensory stimulation whatsoever the first 18 months of her life. It is common to see these children stimming and head banging in their cribs looking for some environmental stimulation from the outside world. As I have often said in my presentations to parents and professionals alike, most people realize that if you affect the brain such as in a stroke, you will affect the body. Most, however, do not realize that it is to the receptors from the environment that drives brain activity. Therefore this child’s very limited environmental stimulation had a high probability of presenting with developmental delays, sensory issues and autistic like symptoms.
This child’s functional neurologic examination was exactly as one would expect. She still had primitive reflexes present. She had sensory integration issues mostly related to touch and sound. She had incoordination and a balance disorder. With the appropriate functional neurological examination I was able to localize her functional lesion. Thanks to great cooperation from a dedicated and loving mother, we were able to implement a treatment program to correct her deficits. What is seen most commonly in regard to the application of hemispheric integration therapy with these children is that the ADHD and sensory type symptoms seem to improve first. I then began to get reports from her mom that her cognitive skills were also improving. This child was home schooled and had tutoring. Fairly quickly I began to get reports from mom stating that her reading level had moved up several grade levels. So once again, we got to see the motor cognitive link in action. I recall being in a functional neurology class and hearing the instructor say that “plants don’t have brains, only things that move have brains!” It was something obvious but that had never occurred to me. And so, this wonderful child was an excellent example as to how motor training can drive brain development. Of course, it was not quite as simple as just motor training. We have to incorporate the sensory stimulation and eventually layer her treatment together with cognitive exercises also so as to allow for multi modal processing. However, with the appropriate examination and monitoring of her treatment program allowed us to quickly adapt the program to her rapidly changing findings mostly on a weekly basis but at times on a daily basis.
In my office, we see many boys, as boys tend to be affected by autism spectrum disorders more than girls. However, we have seen quite a few girls and a disproportionate amount of them have been internationally adopted children. So today I got to kill two birds with one stone. I was able to write about functional neurology and hemispheric integration therapy with regard to autism spectrum disorders and inform prospective parents about a not commonly discussed situation with regard to international adoptions.
