More and more children start school with some form of developmental delay.
We know that early brain development is one of the most important pathways to ongoing learning, behavioural competence, positive social relationships and health. Brain development requires special consideration during the early schooling stage because critical changes follow. An appropriate school readiness program could facilitate identifying any weaknesses.
The site within the brain which controls movement is shared with the location for procedural learning. In fact, it is during the early years when almost all children learn to move, balance, speak and read feelings. Later they learn to handle more difficult tasks like reading, music and understanding themselves. But not all children learn these things in the same way. Some children don’t process information properly during their early years which may result in delays in learning, socialisation and motor co-ordination and thus limit their potential.
Neuroplasticity research shows that brain development is dependent on environmental stimulation, and that quality input is vital for proper development. Quality input is critical for rich brain development. An example includes some sensory processing disorders, which altered tactile, or sound may manifest as altered emotional or motor events from the brain. Often such children (and parents), are not aware until academia becomes more challenging. As such, school work becomes a challenge and home routine is frequently stressful.
There is a clear link between poor motor development and cognitive dysfunction. Combined with disturbance to balance systems, non-integrative primitive reflexes and lack of postural control, a child with such brain developmental delay will not learn in our current school setting.
Brainstorm offers functional and neurological assessments for children. Clinical assessment of the child’s balance, righting and posturing reflexes, primitive reflexes, motor control and cortical endurance, are important areas routinely addressed in an examination. We highly recommend having your children assessed to optimise their brain health and development and prepare them well for school.
