A new student who is 5 years old is making progress since starting Brainjogging!!! After only two weeks!!! The parent says that they’ve definitely seen advancement! As they were going through the letter flash exercises with him, he was very engaged and focused. He repeated clearly the letters “f” “b” “I” and “a”! He continues to say “up” and “out”, and his teacher stated he said “all done”! He is watching their mouths more and you can see him trying to form his mouth correctly for certain sounds. His babbling has started sounding more like language, too! One of the biggest surprises to his family, has been his engagement in his toys and environment, and not asking us for the television. This is amazing progress considering Mowat-Wilson Syndrome is a genetic disorder that impairs cognitive development. Most children with Mowat-Wilson are non-verbal, however, our little superstar is making big strides with Brainjogging!!
Posts Tagged ‘brain health’
Parents of young children with ADHD should choose Behavioral Therapy over Medication
Monday, September 12th, 2016 by adminIncreasing numbers of children under the age of five are being diagnosed with ADHD, and prescribed medication. For children ages 2-5, whose brains are still rapidly developing, medication can have a variety of side effects. These side effects are often more severe than in older children. Most alarming, is the fact that we have no evidence that ADHD medications do not alter the child’s brain development, since we have no long-term studies.
As such, the CDC recommends behavioral therapy as a first option for this age group. In behavior therapy, therapists help parents build skills to aid in teaching their children how to manage their own behavior. This method has been shown to be just as effective as medication.
Parents have an important role in treating their child’s ADHD. In behavior therapy, parents are trained by a therapist during sessions to learn strategies to encourage positive behavior, discourage negative behaviors, improve communication, and strengthen their relationship with their child. These skills help children at school and home by improving behavior, impulse control, and self-esteem. Although behavior therapy requires more time and effort the benefits last much longer, than just treatment with ADHD medications.
Resource:
More Young Children with ADHD Could Benefit from Behavior Therapy: http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0503-children-adhd.html
New Research supports science behind Brainjogging!
Friday, September 9th, 2016 by adminThe Journal of Neuroscience has recently published a ground-breaking study about the significance of brain training. The purpose of the study was to examine the neurophysiological changes that accompany improvements following working memory training.
In the study a group of children were split into two groups and were given tasks that tested their short-term memory. In one group the difficulty level remained at ‘easy’, while the other group’s games slowly got harder. The team found that compared to the control group, the children’s memory significantly improved and that the memory boost crossed over to when they performed untrained memory tasks. More importantly, the researchers discovered that when the children’s brains were scanned there was a change in the rhythmic electrical signal in different areas of the brain, including the areas responsible for visual processing. After brain training the rhythm became stronger!
What does this mean for our “Brainjoggers”? Keep doing Brainjogging!! The exercises in the Brainjogging program are designed to stimulate the areas of the brain that control processing and memory. The more you do Brainjogging, the more these crucial areas of the brain get activated, and the better individuals are able to process and retain new information!
“Training Working Memory in Childhood Enhances Coupling between Frontoparietal Control Network and Task-Related Regions” – Journal of Neuroscience
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/36/34/9001.full#abstract-1
A Milestone in Language Processing!
Thursday, February 4th, 2016 by admin
Yesterday one of our students made a clear transition from Autism to Language Processing! You’re probably wondering how this could happen!? Well, in autism, individuals have little to no comprehension and do not really understand riddles, puns, or jokes. This student was taught the joke:
Why was six afraid of seven?
Answer: Because seven ate (8) nine!
When he first heard the joke, he took it literally. “I know 7, 8, 9!” But when asked, “Can seven EAT nine? “, he started to laugh!!! And now he tells everyone his new joke!
Riddles are a wonderful method for teaching this transition! Find your old joke books or search online for children’s riddles and jokes to enhance your child’s cognitive skills!
ALERT!!! NEW RESEARCH INDICATES ADHD MEDICATIONS MAY BE PREVENTING YOU AND YOUR CHILD FROM A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP!
Friday, December 18th, 2015 by adminALERT!!! NEW RESEARCH INDICATES ADHD MEDICATIONS MAY BE PREVENTING YOU AND YOUR CHILD FROM A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP!
DOES HE/SHE REALLY REQUIRE MEDICATION? ARE THE REWARDS WORTH THE SIDE EFFECTS?
The most common ADHD medications:
• Boost alertness
• Increase focus and attention
BEWARE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS! ALERT WHEN? FOCUS WHERE? Medications do not dictate with priority! “Stimulants in ADHD medications that boost alertness have a detrimental effect on sleep.” Katherine Kidwell, University of Nebraska
Before turning to medication, try other solutions:
• Journal sleep habits for two weeks to determine if poor sleep habit may be causing ADHD-like behavior in your child.
• Take a look at CURRENT routines and schedules
o Consider whether the lack of structure is the culprit
o REMEMBER, children feel secure with scheduling
• Try a more structured environment.
o Clear schedules
o Definite snack and dinner times
o Clear instructions for children to follow
o Clear homework location and expectation
o Clear bedtime routine including quieting down time with activities such as audio books, reading, or coloring.
After your child is prescribed medication:
• Journal sleep habits for two weeks
• Be sure to follow up with your child’s pediatrician and inform him of any noticeable changes, both good and bad!
Sleep is extremely important at any age. A good night’s sleep allows the body to rest and repair itself and the brain to retain all the information learned during the day and prepare for new information the next day!
“Common ADHD Medications Do Indeed Disturb Children’s Sleep” – by Aimee Cunningham NPR November 24, 2015
Bedtime Reminders for Holiday Break
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 by adminWe have said it before and it is a great reminder over the holidays: Kids need a bedtime routine and a regular bedtime hour. Researcher Yvonne Kelly, from University College, London, has been studying all the details surrounding bedtime in thousands of homes in the U.K. She found that kids with irregular bedtimes exhibited more behavioral issues. Kids with no bedtime schedule were more likely to hit, act out, not get along with peers, and be emotionally withdrawn.
“Kelly thinks young children probably experience an inconsistent bedtime like having jet-lag.” If the time switches from 7:00 to 9:00 to 10:00 to 8:00, the kids experience a jet-lag effect and behavior problems increase. Just like adults, kids are lethargic, become cranky and can have difficulty interacting with others. As parents, we want our kids to be able to handle some of the social expectations that we encounter during the holidays – parties, shopping, and last-minute changes in the family schedule.
We have this biological clock deep inside the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. “This tiny cluster of nerve cells, no bigger than a grain of rice, is super-sensitive to sunlight and other light coming in through our eyes. At the end of the day, when the ambient light starts to fade, a brain hormone called melatonin starts to rise, causing drowsiness.”
Sleep researcher Russell Rosenberg says that children have this rise in melatonin earlier in the evening than teenagers or adults. The natural time for young children to fall asleep is around 7 or 8 o’clock at night. It’s very important to turn off light sources starting about 30 minutes before bedtime. Make it a part of the routine: TV off, computers off, and video games definitely OFF, then brush teeth, read and snuggle into bed. This way, the child’s natural melatonin release will maintain a healthy level in the body and help your child drift naturally off to sleep.
Over the holidays, remember to get your child Brainjogging every day, twice daily, as a way to keep the brain healthy and more prepared to face the inconsistencies that come with the holiday season! If you have questions or need a boost of cheerleading, contact Camp Academia at www.campacademia.com!
Vitamin D and Brain Health
Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 by adminWe all know how wonderful we feel when the sun is out – we are more likely to get outside, enjoy the warm sunbeams on our faces, and feel more inspired to get things done! But what happens when the colder weather arrives and we lose much of that warm outdoor time? We need to replenish Vitamin D through our daily nutrition, as a new study from the University of Kentucky found that a diet low in Vitamin D causes damage to the brain.
Vitamin D, found in foods like tuna, salmon, mushrooms, milk, and eggs, is important for maintaining bone health. It serves other important roles in the health of our organs and tissues, including the brain!
The UK study showed that middle-aged rats that were fed a diet low in Vitamin D for several months developed free radical damage to the brain, and many different brain proteins were damaged. These rats also showed a significant decrease in cognitive performance on tests of learning and memory.
Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with development of Alzheimer’s Disease and certain cancers and heart disease. “Given that vitamin D deficiency is especially widespread among the elderly, we investigated how during aging from middle-age to old-age how low vitamin D affected the oxidative status of the brain,” said lead author on the paper Allan Butterfield, professor in the UK Department of Chemistry, director of the Center of Membrane Sciences, faculty of Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and director of the Free Radical Biology in Cancer Core of the Markey Cancer Center.
Knowing your vitamin D levels is the first step, and, if low, begin eating foods rich in vitamin D, take vitamin D supplements, and/or get at least 10-15 minutes of sun exposure each day to ensure that vitamin D levels are normalized and remain so to help protect the brain. Older clients have also found much success with Brainjogging 5-7 minutes, twice daily! Brainjogging both prepares the brain for learning and improves working memory! If you want more information, visit www.campacademia.com to learn how to keep your brain sharp!
Music Training for the Brain!
Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 by admin
Many of us, as adults, regret that we ever quit playing or studying an instrument. There are many brain benefits that come from musical training! Think about all the things that are going on when a child is playing: his eyes follow the music as well as the conductor’s movement (or teacher’s direction); being aware the entire time of both the music coming from his own instrument as well as the sounds from fellow students surrounding him (or the accompaniment). The complexity involved in practicing and performing music may truly help a child’s cognitive development.
New research presented at the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego suggests that music training increases the neural connections in regions of the brain associated with creativity, decision-making, and complex memory. It may also improve a child’s ability to process conflicting information from many senses at once. The earlier a child starts playing, the better.
“It’s really hard to come up with an experience similar to that as an education intervention,” said Gottfried Schlaug, the director of the Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory at Harvard Medical School. “Not only does it require attention and coordination of multiple senses, but it often triggers emotions, involves cooperation with other people, and provides immediate feedback to the student on how well he or she is progressing,” he said. “Music, on its own, has also been shown to trigger the reward area of the brain,” he noted.
Take a look for opportunities to get your child involved in a musical opportunity – from seeing live performances to learning a new instrument! Many communities have both private and group lesson options, especially through community education programs and local universities or college campuses. It’s worth it for your child’s developing brain.
Brainjogging 5-7 minutes, twice daily, also improves your child’s brain! If you want more information about Brainjogging or individual hands-on sessions, contact Camp Academia today! We always look forward to helping your child succeed!
Brainwashed?!
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 by adminThis past week, researchers at the University of Rochester released study results indicating that while the brain sleeps, it clears out harmful toxins. This study was conducted in mice; however, the implications are that this cleansing process may actually reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s in adults.
The flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain increases quite dramatically during sleep. This increase in flow helps wash away the waste proteins that build up between brain cells. Scientists discovered that when mice went to sleep, their brain cells shrank, making it easier for fluid to circulate. Upon waking, the brain cells enlarged again and the flow between cells slowed to a trickle. Dr. Nedergaard, an author of the study, said it was like opening and closing a faucet; that the differences between sleep and wake were that dramatic.
This process during slumber is important, because the waste proteins getting washed away are toxic to brain cells. It could explain why prolonged lack of sleep can cause problems with brain functioning, like attention and memory. This process also takes a lot of energy, which is why it happens most efficiently while we sleep.
Even though this brain-cleaning process has only been observed in rats and baboons, it could offer a new way to understand human brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. One of the waste products removed during sleep is beta amyloid, the substance that forms sticky plaques associated with Alzheimer’s.
These findings are yet another reminder that good sleep is important and vital to our health. In addition, Brainjogging can also play a role in better brain health. Children are not the only clients to benefit from Brainjogging! Older adults, who have been experiencing memory loss and foggy attention, come to Camp Academia for help. Instead of spelling words and mathematical formulas, individualized Brainjogging word lists include family names, addresses, favorite poems, literary passages and hobby-related vocabulary. It still takes just 5-7 minutes twice daily to make a noticeable difference in more reliable brain functioning!
Swim for Your Brain!
Thursday, August 1st, 2013 by admin
As we enjoy the last few weeks of summer, get swimming to help your brain! A study out of Indiana University discovered that swimming improves brain functioning. 80 year old brains act 30 years younger! When we swim, we engage every muscle from our fingertips to our toes! Our muscles work in sync when we swim – it requires “complete corporeal coordination!” This coordination sharpens motor function, which speeds up how quickly our brains talk to our bodies. Have you ever witnessed your children acting on an impulse only to have them hurt themselves because their brain didn’t get the message to their bodies quickly enough? Swimming improves this communication! Guess what else does? BRAINJOGGING!
Brainjogging stimulates both sides of the brain to improve processing, so when your body needs immediate action, your brain is ready for the challenge!
Enjoy the rest of summer! Play, read, and swim so your brain can be fully ready for the upcoming school year! A new school year begins within weeks! NOW is the absolute BEST time to start your student on Brainjogging!