by Dr. Jeremy Fritz
Current statistics are revealing significant increases in childhood behavioral and learning disabilities. As of 2007, Autism was impacting somewhere around 1 in 38 boys born in the United States. This is compared to an estimated 1 in 10,000 just two decades earlier. In Florida, learning disorders have jumped from less than 1% in 1971 to as high 20% today.
The alarming increase in childhood disorders has caused many parents and teachers to become frustrated. These parents and teachers struggle to find strategies to help their children/students learn and behave appropriately.
Last month’s article discussed the “disconnected child” as having a brain “out of synch”. Please refer back to that article for a deeper understanding of right and left brain function and the presentation of functional imbalances within the two hemispheres. This month will focus on classroom/home behavioral strategies to help children that are challenged with behavioral and learning disorders. The strategies will concentrate on behavioral tips that are rooted with an understanding brain function.
Prior to discussing classroom/home strategies, one must understand the basic components of how the brain is involved in learning. Most teachers recognize that the brain is involved in all learning, yet little time is spent educating teachers about the basic functions of the brain in learning. A great deal of research into the brain and learning has focused on the concept of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is a term in brain science used to describe the brain as being moldable. This means that the brain has the ability to constantly grow and develop. The function of neuroplasticity is exemplified in all learning as the brain cells sprout new connections, resulting in actual growth within the brain itself.
So what impacts the growth and development of a child’s brain? It is the environment that the child is bathed in. This environment includes everything that the child experiences in his/her daily life. Some specific examples include the following: food choices, movement or lack there of, positive or negative parenting, supportive/non-supportive teachers, family stressors, climate shifts, consistent or erratic schedules, and various other life activities. As one can see, the brain can be molded in both a positive and negative fashion. The environment seems to be the single greatest influence on overall brain development.
Knowing the importance of the environment and brain, it should seem plausible that a child’s classroom/home environment will influence how fast or how well the child learns and behaves. So what exactly is a behavior? Behavior can be defined as the response an individual has to his/her environment. As already noted, the environment influences the brain through neuroplasticity. The point to grasp here is that both parents and teachers have the ability to influence the environment of the classroom, hence impacting how a child responds or behaves.
So, let’s get to the plan. Most of you want to know how to effectively guide appropriate behavior with your children. First and foremost is to set up a game plan or what I will refer to as an Action Plan. It is not realistic to expect your child, especially if he/she is brain imbalanced, to behave correctly without guidance. Would you go into the school year without a set curriculum? Not if your want your child to succeed. So why is that most teachers/parents do not have a set behavioral plan in order within the classroom/homefront?
Noting the importance of the above, let’s dive back into the Action Plan. Here is a simple 5 step process to get things started:
1.) Establish Family House/Classroom Rules: Sit down with your spouse and establish a set of family rules that are in line with your values. The set should not exceed 10 rules and should be short and in a language that is easy to understand. (Example: Be honest, Respect others, Proper hygiene, No yelling, Don’t interrupt, Hand in work on time, etc.)
2.) Set Boundaries: Children need to have specific rules in place to know their limits. If boundaries are not set, children will act out to see how far they have to push before you push back. This is a natural tendency for all children, but children with brain based problems will act out more regularly because of how they perceive the world.
3.) Concentrate on the positive: Try to focus your attention toward your child’s positive behaviors. Our brain can only process either the positive or the negative at any given time. By focusing on the positive, it cancels out the negative per se. I know this is easier said than done, but this is where a plan is really a necessity. It is imperative to evaluate your child’s most common behaviors and your responses to those behaviors. How you respond, will impact both the immediate and future response of your child.
4.) Set goals with your child, not for your child: Sit down with your child and ask them what they want in life. Listen to their interests and help establish goals to attain their dreams. (Of course, there may need to be a little guidance in this process, however, directing your child toward your goals for him/her should not be the focal point.)
5.) Make a point to monitor: Set up a weekly time with your child or family and evaluate how everybody is doing. The best approach is to have specific times set aside to sit down with your spouse and children separately and family as a whole.
When setting your Action Plan, the most important message to send to your children is CONSISTENCY. Children develop a sense of security by knowing what to expect. Remember, the brain develops based upon responding to the environment. When a child’s world is experienced with consistency, the brain can easily predict the outcome at hand and life is experienced without much stress. On the other hand, when a child’s world is laden with mixed messages, the brain struggles to interpret things clearly and a poor response is more likely to occur. The importance of having a system in place to help guide the child’s behavior can not be overstated. My hope is that you will take initiative today and develop your Action Plan.
Dr. Jeremy Fritz is a board eligible Chiropractic Neurologist with the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, certified as a Clinical Nutritionist by the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutrition, and functional medicine practitioner with an emphasis on Childhood Neurobehavioral and Developmental Disorders. Dr. Fritz is also the Executive Director of the Brain Balance Achievement Centers of Vernon Hills, IL & Mequon WI.
The Brain Balance Program® is an individualized and comprehensive approach to helping children with neuro-behavioral and learning difficulties surmount their unique challenges. This proprietary, non-medical program has been successful in helping hundreds of children reach their physical, social/behavioral health and academic potential. We work with children who suffer with ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, Asperger’s and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
For more information, please visit www.BrainBalanceCenters.com.
Current statistics are revealing significant increases in childhood behavioral and learning disabilities. As of 2007, Autism was impacting somewhere around 1 in 38 boys born in the United States. This is compared to an estimated 1 in 10,000 just two decades earlier. In Florida, learning disorders have jumped from less than 1% in 1971 to as high 20% today.
The alarming increase in childhood disorders has caused many parents and teachers to become frustrated. These parents and teachers struggle to find strategies to help their children/students learn and behave appropriately.
Last month’s article discussed the “disconnected child” as having a brain “out of synch”. Please refer back to that article for a deeper understanding of right and left brain function and the presentation of functional imbalances within the two hemispheres. This month will focus on classroom/home behavioral strategies to help children that are challenged with behavioral and learning disorders. The strategies will concentrate on behavioral tips that are rooted with an understanding brain function.
Prior to discussing classroom/home strategies, one must understand the basic components of how the brain is involved in learning. Most teachers recognize that the brain is involved in all learning, yet little time is spent educating teachers about the basic functions of the brain in learning. A great deal of research into the brain and learning has focused on the concept of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is a term in brain science used to describe the brain as being moldable. This means that the brain has the ability to constantly grow and develop. The function of neuroplasticity is exemplified in all learning as the brain cells sprout new connections, resulting in actual growth within the brain itself.
So what impacts the growth and development of a child’s brain? It is the environment that the child is bathed in. This environment includes everything that the child experiences in his/her daily life. Some specific examples include the following: food choices, movement or lack there of, positive or negative parenting, supportive/non-supportive teachers, family stressors, climate shifts, consistent or erratic schedules, and various other life activities. As one can see, the brain can be molded in both a positive and negative fashion. The environment seems to be the single greatest influence on overall brain development.
Knowing the importance of the environment and brain, it should seem plausible that a child’s classroom/home environment will influence how fast or how well the child learns and behaves. So what exactly is a behavior? Behavior can be defined as the response an individual has to his/her environment. As already noted, the environment influences the brain through neuroplasticity. The point to grasp here is that both parents and teachers have the ability to influence the environment of the classroom, hence impacting how a child responds or behaves.
So, let’s get to the plan. Most of you want to know how to effectively guide appropriate behavior with your children. First and foremost is to set up a game plan or what I will refer to as an Action Plan. It is not realistic to expect your child, especially if he/she is brain imbalanced, to behave correctly without guidance. Would you go into the school year without a set curriculum? Not if your want your child to succeed. So why is that most teachers/parents do not have a set behavioral plan in order within the classroom/homefront?
Noting the importance of the above, let’s dive back into the Action Plan. Here is a simple 5 step process to get things started:
1.) Establish Family House/Classroom Rules: Sit down with your spouse and establish a set of family rules that are in line with your values. The set should not exceed 10 rules and should be short and in a language that is easy to understand. (Example: Be honest, Respect others, Proper hygiene, No yelling, Don’t interrupt, Hand in work on time, etc.)
2.) Set Boundaries: Children need to have specific rules in place to know their limits. If boundaries are not set, children will act out to see how far they have to push before you push back. This is a natural tendency for all children, but children with brain based problems will act out more regularly because of how they perceive the world.
3.) Concentrate on the positive: Try to focus your attention toward your child’s positive behaviors. Our brain can only process either the positive or the negative at any given time. By focusing on the positive, it cancels out the negative per se. I know this is easier said than done, but this is where a plan is really a necessity. It is imperative to evaluate your child’s most common behaviors and your responses to those behaviors. How you respond, will impact both the immediate and future response of your child.
4.) Set goals with your child, not for your child: Sit down with your child and ask them what they want in life. Listen to their interests and help establish goals to attain their dreams. (Of course, there may need to be a little guidance in this process, however, directing your child toward your goals for him/her should not be the focal point.)
5.) Make a point to monitor: Set up a weekly time with your child or family and evaluate how everybody is doing. The best approach is to have specific times set aside to sit down with your spouse and children separately and family as a whole.
When setting your Action Plan, the most important message to send to your children is CONSISTENCY. Children develop a sense of security by knowing what to expect. Remember, the brain develops based upon responding to the environment. When a child’s world is experienced with consistency, the brain can easily predict the outcome at hand and life is experienced without much stress. On the other hand, when a child’s world is laden with mixed messages, the brain struggles to interpret things clearly and a poor response is more likely to occur. The importance of having a system in place to help guide the child’s behavior can not be overstated. My hope is that you will take initiative today and develop your Action Plan.
Dr. Jeremy Fritz is a board eligible Chiropractic Neurologist with the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, certified as a Clinical Nutritionist by the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutrition, and functional medicine practitioner with an emphasis on Childhood Neurobehavioral and Developmental Disorders. Dr. Fritz is also the Executive Director of the Brain Balance Achievement Centers of Vernon Hills, IL & Mequon WI.
The Brain Balance Program® is an individualized and comprehensive approach to helping children with neuro-behavioral and learning difficulties surmount their unique challenges. This proprietary, non-medical program has been successful in helping hundreds of children reach their physical, social/behavioral health and academic potential. We work with children who suffer with ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, Asperger’s and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
For more information, please visit www.BrainBalanceCenters.com.
