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What’s Wrong with my Child and How can I Correct It?
By: Rachel Schumacher

As parents raising our own children, there is undoubtedly going to be difficult phases when our children seem to be going through a hard time, having problems coping at school or their emotional nature a little more sensitive than usual. They maybe finding it difficult to make friends. Their behaviour may be exhausting to the point of frustration for a while.

Generally, our children will grow out of it and move on to the next stage of their life.

But what if this phase continues? Tasks are becoming too much of a struggle and our child complains of being tired all the time, not being able to keep up in the same way as their peers and quite frankly finding it harder than perhaps it should be to cope at school/and or home. ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia and various other labels may have been suggested and your child’s “phase” is now becoming a clear problem and is making their world tougher than it should be. This is when we need to look beyond thinking that it may be just a phase in their development and ask ourselves is there something else going on…..?

There are many factors that contribute to a child being able to move well, speak fluently, play and develop the skills necessary for every day academic, and social learning. Without getting too far into the structure and function of the neuro developmental system they include:

MOVEMENT & DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

As babies we all have a developmental movement sequence that we follow, this maps neurological pathway’s in the brain. Most of it occurs through natural movements and play. First we learn to roll, then to creep on our tummies, then to rock on hands and knees, then to crawl, and then we stand up, gain our balance and learn to walk. All the time we are progressing through important developmental stages, we are setting the building blocks in place for learning readiness. We are building up strength and co-ordination, our eyes learn to focus and we have begun to make sense of our physical world.

SENSORY INTEGRATION

Both hyper and hypo sensitivity cause irregular functions in smell, taste, tactility, vision, hearing and can confuse the understanding of where ones personal body is in space.

It is important to try to understand the Attentional priorities of the children we are engaging, as we each have different priorities based upon our own sensory perception of a situation.
A hypersensitive child will only be able to focus on the system/s that is taking over their central nervous system. If the sensory system has not integrated in a mature fashion it will be impossible to focus on specific activities and block out unwanted background noise, smells, touches and other stimuli. The foundations of the senses need to be rock solid for the higher sensory systems to operate effectively so making us socially, and emotionally more at ease and able to cope with tasks such as reading, writing, and maths.

Spotting signs of a weak or immature neurological system:

Approaching and overcoming theses difficulties

Part of the puzzle is that a child can be struggling for a number of reasons. We need to consider all areas that may be affecting or have affected the child through their life, such as: birth, health factors, nutrition, allergies and intolerances, emotional difficulties, stress, environmental surroundings, reflex integration, sensory sensitivities and developmental milestones.

We need to remember to focus on the causes of the problems not the symptoms.

So where do we go from here?
You may have many decisions to make and it can be hard to know quite what to do to achieve the best outcome. It is important to find the right professional at the right time. One that can guide you with a holistic point of view and refer you to other professionals should they see this as more beneficial.

Answering a questionnaire before you commit to any therapy can be a great way for both parents and therapists to make a start. A clearer understanding and advice can begin to flow from there on. You can also talk to other people that may have gone through, or are going through similar issues that maybe can offer some advice. Find parent support groups that you can join and don’t be afraid to ask about things you are unclear of. Search websites, read relevant material for information and teach yourself about what maybe going on with your child. Be prepared that there may not be a “quick fix” as neurological issues that have manifested over time will also take some time to strengthen and restore balance. Also, always keep in mind, that in order to treat, we must look at the child as a whole.

How can I help my child?

By evaluating, understanding a child and taking a global perspective we can get to the root cause of a child’s issues, identify weak and immature areas and begin to strengthen those neurological systems that are struggling to cope. In doing so we are giving the child the possibility to reach their full potential, strengthening them from the inside out.

There is a free introductory and demonstration evening regarding Integrative Learning Therapy on May 7th (Monday). For details, please visit www.balancehealth.com.hk

Rachel Schumacher is an Integrated Learning Therapist at Balance Health. Visit their website, www.balancehealth.com.hk or call 2530 3315 for more information.


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What’s Wrong with my Child and How can I Correct It? By: Rachel Schumacher As parents raising our own children, there is undoubtedly going to be difficult phases when our children seem to be going through a hard time, having problems coping at school or their emotional nature a little more sensitive than usual. They maybe finding it difficult to make friends. Their behaviour may be exhausting to the point of frustration for a while. Generally, our children will grow out of it and move on to the next stage of their life. But what if this phase continues? Tasks are becoming too much of a struggle and our child complains of being tired all the time, not being able to keep up in the same way as their peers and quite frankly finding it harder than perhaps it should be to cope at school/and or home. ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia and various other labels may have been suggested and your child’s “phase” is now becoming a clear problem and is making their world tougher than it should be. This is when we need to look beyond thinking that it may be just a phase in their development and ask ourselves is there something else going on…..? There are many factors that contribute to a child being able to move well, speak fluently, play and develop the skills necessary for every day academic, and social learning. Without getting too far into the structure and function of the neuro developmental system they include: MOVEMENT & DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES As babies we all have a developmental movement sequence that we follow, this maps neurological pathway’s in the brain. Most of it occurs through natural movements and play. First we learn to roll, then to creep on our tummies, then to rock on hands and knees, then to crawl, and then we stand up, gain our balance and learn to walk. All the time we are progressing through important developmental stages, we are setting the building blocks in place for learning readiness. We are building up strength and co-ordination, our eyes learn to focus and we have begun to make sense of our physical world. SENSORY INTEGRATION Both hyper and hypo sensitivity cause irregular functions in smell, taste, tactility, vision, hearing and can confuse the understanding of where ones personal body is in space. It is important to try to understand the Attentional priorities of the children we are engaging, as we each have different priorities based upon our own sensory perception of a situation. A hypersensitive child will only be able to focus on the system/s that is taking over their central nervous system. If the sensory system has not integrated in a mature fashion it will be impossible to focus on specific activities and block out unwanted background noise, smells, touches and other stimuli. The foundations of the senses need to be rock solid for the higher sensory systems to operate effectively so making us socially, and emotionally more at ease and able to cope with tasks such as reading, writing, and maths. *Spotting signs of a weak or immature neurological system:* Disorganized and/or poor organizational skills Extreme mood swings Not knowing left from right Clumsiness Always in motion Fatigue Problems balancing Easily disorientated Poor sitting position Car sickness Mirror writing The left out child Shoes on the wrong feet Dislike of noisy or sudden loud noises Avoidance of crowded places or team sports Approaching and overcoming theses difficulties Part of the puzzle is that a child can be struggling for a number of reasons. We need to consider all areas that may be affecting or have affected the child through their life, such as: birth, health factors, nutrition, allergies and intolerances, emotional difficulties, stress, environmental surroundings, reflex integration, sensory sensitivities and developmental milestones. We need to remember to focus on the causes of the problems not the symptoms. So where do we go from here? You may have many decisions to make and it can be hard to know quite what to do to achieve the best outcome. It is important to find the right professional at the right time. One that can guide you with a holistic point of view and refer you to other professionals should they see this as more beneficial. Answering a questionnaire before you commit to any therapy can be a great way for both parents and therapists to make a start. A clearer understanding and advice can begin to flow from there on. You can also talk to other people that may have gone through, or are going through similar issues that maybe can offer some advice. Find parent support groups that you can join and don’t be afraid to ask about things you are unclear of. Search websites, read relevant material for information and teach yourself about what maybe going on with your child. Be prepared that there may not be a “quick fix” as neurological issues that have manifested over time will also take some time to strengthen and restore balance. Also, always keep in mind, that in order to treat, we must look at the child as a whole. How can I help my child? Decide on the approach that best suits your child and family circumstances and commit to one approach at one time. Do not mix and match therapies unless you have been given the go ahead by the professional you are seeing. This can overload the child. Explain to your child what you are doing and what you have found out so that any fear or blame of failure can be alleviated from your child. Encourage your child’s gifted areas so they have recognition of special achievement and use positive words of encouragement. Give your child a chance to relax after a hard day at school. It is no different from us being at work all day. Help them to get involved in activities they enjoy and nurture the areas they are naturally drawn towards. By evaluating, understanding a child and taking a global perspective we can get to the root cause of a child’s issues, identify weak and immature areas and begin to strengthen those neurological systems that are struggling to cope. In doing so we are giving the child the possibility to reach their full potential, strengthening them from the inside out. There is a free introductory and demonstration evening regarding Integrative Learning Therapy on May 7th (Monday). For details, please visit www.balancehealth.com.hk Rachel Schumacher is an Integrated Learning Therapist at Balance Health. Visit their website, www.balancehealth.com.hk or call 2530 3315 for more information.