#013 Brain Development Crash Course

Today's episode is all about dyslexia! This episode covers a 2001 study that evaluated the physical development of children with dyslexia and found a significant problem with their physical maturity. This study indicates that dyslexia is less of a problem with the brain and more of a problem with the connection between the brain and the body.

This may seem insignificant, but it has reaching implications for treatment protocols. There are lots of things that we can do to improve the brain body connection and mitigate dyslexia symptoms.

www.earlyrootstherapy.com

Find the summary of the study mentioned in this episode here.

Today's episode takes a look at some of the most common retained primitive reflexes that I see. I discuss the Moro, ATNR, STNR, Spinal Galant and Palmer reflexes. Specifically what they are, what purpose they serve in infancy and how their improper development and inhibition impacts children as they age.

If you have a child who struggles with emotional, social, behavioral or learning difficulties, then this episode is a must hear!

Learn more at www.earlyrootstherapy.com

Today’s episode is all about ADHD. Specifically the question of whether or not ADHD is being over diagnosed. This episode covers a brief history of the diagnosis, the different theories around the increase in ADHD diagnoses over the last few decades and a critique of our current system for helping children and adults with ADHD. 

 In this episode I reference a lot of different resources if anyone wants to get more in depth with this topic. Here are some important links:

Diagnostic criteria for ADHD here
Dr. Ruth Schmidt Neven’s podcast episode on ADHD here 
Dr. Schmidt Neven's publication list here
MTA Study Review here
ADHD Long-term medication use and cardiovascular risk here
Large review published studies on ADHD here
Sami Timimi publications here
Keith Conners letter here
British Psychological Society critique of the DSM 5 here
Alan Schwartz exposure of Big Pharma’s influence on ADHD diagnosis here
Crime of the Century Documentary here

My website here

Today’s episode is all about genetics. When I talk about the connection between primitive reflexes, poor brain development and diagnoses like ADHD and Autism I often get the response: But I thought it was genetic? 

The quick answer is yes, there is a genetic connection between ADHD and Autism, but saying this can be very misleading. This episode explores the link between genetics and these diagnoses. We will look at what that actually means and how genes influence developmental delays.

Find my website here.

Today’s episode is all about the history and current research on primitive reflexes. I also cover the three main organizations that offer training on primitive reflex integration and discuss specific research findings. My goal for this episode is to help parents understand what we know, suspect, and need more information on when it comes to primitive reflexes and developmental delays. My hope is that this will help parents find the right care for their children.

Here are links to the three main training organizations. I studied with the Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psychology and LOVE their program (I am obviously biased). You can find information about their programs as well as links to their books and research here. 

They also have branches all over the world and each country has a separate website. You can find information on the U.S. branch as well as a list of current U.S. licentiates here. I think you have to contact them in order to get the contact information of the licentiates though.

You can find the website for the MNRI method here.

You can find the website for the rhythmic movement method here.

When I started this episode I was surprised to see how much new research has come out since I was in school. Below are links to several different studies, some mentioned specifically in this episode some not:

You can find a long list of research authored or co-authored by INPP licentiates here.

You can find a long list of research specifically related to MNRI here.

Here is a list of individual studies related to primitive reflexes. I mention a couple of these specifically in the episode, the rest extra for any other crazy nerds out there who like to really get into the weeds with this stuff. Enjoy!

(I had to just make a numbered list to save character space in this description)

1.
2. 
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

There is more research if any of you get that far! I was very excited to see research coming from so many different areas all saying similar things. Obviously we need research to help refine practices and look at long term impacts, but I am excited that this area is growing. 

If you want more information you can find my website here.

Today’s episode is going to cover one of my most frequently asked question which is: Can you help my child? This episode is going to go over the history of neuro-developmental delay more recently called neuro-motor immaturity and the research on primitive reflexes and the connection between physical and mental development. I’m also going to talk about the most common symptoms I see in the kids I work with and the benefits, limitations and disadvantages of this type of therapy. 

Research Links

https://www.inpp.org.uk/publications

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778413/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.431835/full

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-03619-001

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24092983/

Visit my website to learn more: www.earlyrootstherapy.com

Today’s episode is the final part of our mini series on early development. This episode looks at the immediate postpartum period, the few hours after birth, and how this time period impacts our long-term neurological development. We are talking about things like delayed cord clamping, primitive reflex function and development, attachment, resuscitation practices and more.

You can find my website here.

There is an amazing ted talk called 90 Seconds to Change the World that discusses delayed cord clamping and its benefits here.

You can also find great information on optimal cord clamping at the Wait for White website here.

If you want more in depth information on fetal circulation and transitions there is a cool Khan academy video here. 

There is some cool research on Kangaroo Care here and here. 

This is the second episode in our special series on early brain development. Today we are looking at labor and birth and how this process affects our brain long-term. Many people understand the importance of pregnancy on brain development but often skip over labor and birth and jump right into infancy. Even though labor and birth are relatively short period of time in our neurological development they play a huge role in helping us transition into newborn life and help us set the foundation for future brain development. 

This episode goes into depth on the process of labor and birth and what is happening from the baby’s perspective. It covers normal and abnormal birth experiences and risk factors that can arise during this important time. Labor and birth play an important role in how your child’s brain will function in the future. If we as a society want to curb this explosion of developmental problems we are seeing we have to back up and figure out where they start.

You can find my website here.

 If you want to learn more about the midwifery model of care, breech birth, home birth, the microbiome and other things I mention in this episode, I highly recommend these resources:

The Business of Being Born 

Why Not Home

The Birthing Instincts Podcast 

VBAC Facts 

Microbirth

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (book)

You can find a list of research and resources from the Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psychology Research here. 

This is the first episode in a special series on early development. This series is looking at the neurological development that is happening during pregnancy, birth and the early infancy period and how things that happen during these stages can impact the brain years down the road. 

This first episode is looking at conception and pregnancy. We are going to take a deep look at fertility problems, maternal health, pregnancy complications and more. Each of these stages plays a role in how your child’s brain will function in the future. If we as a society want to curb this explosion of developmental problems we are seeing we have to back up and figure out where they start. 

Below are a few other podcast episodes that discuss similar topics. Enjoy!

The Joe Rogan Experience Episode #1638 Dr. Shanna Swan

Birthing Instincts Episode #315 Advanced Maternal Age: Debunking Myths 

Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psychology Research List

I looked at a ton of research articles on fertility for this episode, if you want to read what I did just google IVF research articles. I try to sort through a lot of it in the podcast episode but I figured I would list what I think is the most important one here. This paper includes reference to a lot of other studies so if you want to go down the rabbit hole it’s a good place to start. 

The Early Roots Website

This episode is a crash course in brain development. We dive into how the brain develops and how early experiences change the trajectory of brain function. This is important to know if you are working with children with developmental delays like ADHD, dyslexia, sensory processing problems and Autism. Understanding brain development enables us to address the root cause of developmental delays rather than focusing on the symptoms.

Early Roots Website