New Online Introduction to Autism Course

Just a quick announcement of our new online course, done in coordination with Professional Learning Board. This course is a great overview of what autism is and differences that people on the spectrum have compared with neurotypical. The course gives many opportunities for parents and teachers to try approaches to make learning and interaction easier for students with autism.

Find my new online course: Introduction to Autism at http://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/introduction-to-autism-class/

Needs of the Lower Brain Must be Met for the Upper Brain to be Fulfilled

Our Lower Brain holds our developmental and survival resources. Sometimes these resources are called “primitive” because they are with us from the beginning and are foundational for our growth and survival. However, if the Lower Brain ain’t happy, the rest of the person usually can’t be fully happy either. The Lower Brain can feel unsafe because of issues dealing with gravity, body in space sense, efficient energy use, inconsistent sensory input or conflicting signals.Let’s look at these issues more closely:

Gravity: From the moment of conception our developing body-brain system must do a dance with gravity. To live, cells, organs and tissues must push against gravity. Our first developing sense deals with measuring and reacting to gravity. Most developmental issues have their genesis with issues around gravity regulation of muscles and tissues. Autism, dyslexia, low tone, ADHD and other concerns have challenges with gravity.

Body in Space: All of our senses constellate to let us know where we are in relationship to other people and things in the environment. It is the basis of our sense of boundaries. If this body map isn’t well established, the body-brain system sends out an unconscious alarm. This alarm is often picked up by the Upper Brain as generalized anxiety. Although anxiety is usually associated with emotions, a physical feeling of lacking safety will trigger negative emotions. People on the autism spectrum, those with OCD, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental issues can have issues sensing their body in space.

Efficient energy use: Development is all about learning how to conserve and use limited neural energy wisely. When unnecessary energy is being eaten up by overworking Lower Brain functioning, the result is often a burst of energy and then exhaustion. This pattern is often seen in ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder and other syndromes.

Inconsistent sensory input: The body-brain system does not like to receive conflicting sensory signals. It would be like someone seeing a barking cat. The alarm signals go off. The brain wants agreement among the differing senses. If one sense is consistently giving unreliable information, the body-brain system will block or transform that information to improve agreement. This is a very inefficient use of neural energy and can interfere with day-to-day functioning.

Conflicting signals: The sensory system is not the only system that dislikes conflict. If a person has retained infant reflexes in the Lower Brain and the Upper Brain wants to move in a way counter to the reflex pattern, tension arises. It is as if one horse is pulling one way and the other another. Both horses do not get where they are going and use a great deal of energy trying. Most people with neurodevelopmental or learning disabilities have retained or atypical infant reflexes that interfere with planned motor activities.

Autism Awareness Month Part 2

Autism is a spectrum disorder where different developmental milestones vary widely. One area that is consistent in all folks with autism is weakness in the gravity sense. All people with autism have issues with any or all of the following:

The gravity sense organ, the semi-circular canal and its ability to read and react to gravity

The cranial nerve and tracts that connects the gravity sense information and intake of sound into the brain stem

The cerebellum with the brainstem that modulates muscle tone and presorts sensory input

Why is this important? One of the most important reasons is that weakness with the gravity sense and other body senses can cause the Lower Brain to send alarm signals to the Upper Brain often resulting in anxiety.

Addressing the issues of the body senses can make this functioning better and lessen anxiety.

April is Autism Awareness Month Part 1

Mind sharing develops in a sequence and in relationship to verbal and nonverbal language. Most people on the autism spectrum have delay in these areas. Both developments depend on a well functioning sensory-motor-reflex system.

Mind sharing for a newborn is undifferentiated. All is one mind and being: the baby, the parents, the environment.

As a baby develops into toddlerhood, the self-mind develops. The toddler learns to understand her own mind and responses with "Me!" and "Mine!" All others are considered part of the toddler mind and therefore should always know its needs and wants.

As time goes on the young preschooler now knows that you have a different mind and that she must ask endless questions to find out what is in your seemingly Olympian mind. The preschooler doesn't know your mind, but still believes that you know hers. She believes that mother knows what she did even if she wasn't there.

Then one big day, the child realizes that minds are separate and that others can't see into her mind. Now she realizes that she can tell an untruth and others will not know. As she grows older, she realizes that when she plays and share minds with others, she sees all new visas, making social interactions irresistable. She finds that each person is a surprise treasure box ready to be opened.

Viruses and the Brainstem

My daughter sent this article to me with the note: "Proving you right, one study at a time." The article is about chronic fatigue and its link to the murine leukemia virus.



http://http//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/23/AR2010082304486.html



This is a retro virus that the study found in 86.5% of those with chronic fatigue. Truthfully, this study has not been replicated at this time. However, I think one of the barriers to the analysis is that this virus is not the ONLY virus that can become retro and subtly or overtly attack the brainstem affecting the sensory-motor-reflex systems and therefore the physical and mental health of others.



Last year I met Dr. John Martin, who has worked as a pathologist at U of California on what he called "stealth viruses". He was at the time considered a fear monger and was put on leave at the University for challenging the existing blood reserves.



It has been my opinion for some time that retro or "stealth" viruses could be contributing to the waves of odd, vitality sapping syndromes we see, including, ME, CFS, EBS, and others. They may also, as Dr. Martin suggested play a role in other neurodevelopmental issues including PANDAS, autism and even schizophrenia. Until we find out, keeping our brainstem in the best of health is imperative.

Triclosan: Our Germ-proof Bubble Breaks

Triclosan is a pesticide that was introduced in 1969. Fast forward to 2010 and it is a nearly ubiquitous antibiotic additive in liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, toothpaste, make-up and even clothes and toys. It has been suspected of disrupting the endocrine system, especially in development for at least five years. And to make matters worse, Triclosan is not removed or filtered out of our water sources and accumulates there, making our water toxic as well. 75% of the population have Triclosan in their urine. Because of the connection to hormone and neurochemical regulation, it is being looked at as one of the environmental assaults that may increase autism. Thyroid issues have also been linked. There are researchers (from the Soap and Detergent Association) who pooh-pooh all concerns. The EPA has stated that recent research raises "valid concern" about the chemical.

One last note: just use liquid Castille Soap for hands, faces, hair, pets, floors, counters, etc. The research states that regular hand washing with soap and water is as effective as our chemical bombardments.

HANDLE Principles 2: There is no silver bullet

As the year mark of the passing of Judith Bluestone comes around, I will continue the principles that she articulated and developed as a part of the HANDLE Approach.

There is no silver bullet. There is no "cure" for neurodevelopmental issues. Only through gentle challenges of weak systems can we harness the developmental power that each of us has within our body-brain system. This can move us forward in our functioning.

There are many snake oil salesmen offering the "answer" to autism, ADHD, dyslexia and so on, but although many approaches can help individual systems, no one approach can "fix" these issues. The truth is that we should reframe our search into helping people with their own personal goals that are evading them. A goal might be to talk, to walk or to play a musical instrument.

Nutrition, cranial sacral therapy, speech, OT, PT and many more approaches can give a piece. The HANDLE approach works on the sensory-motor and body senses better than any therapy that I have seen. When I added the reflex motor resources to the mix, I find a powerful tool to help most people make their goals. And this is powerful indeed. Thanks, Judith.