Thursday, January 23, 2014

Free Parent Presentation: Dynamics of the Brain




What:  Free Parent Presentation:  Dynamics of the Brain
When:  Saturday, February 8, 2014 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
Where:  Brain Balance of Austin
                   3267 Bee Caves Rd.
                   Austin, TX 78746



At the event you will learn about the exciting Brain Balance Program and how it can help your child succeed academically, behaviorally and socially. You will also have the opportunity to ask all the questions you may have.  Call to reserve your spot today!  512-328-7771

Please note the material being presented requires your undivided attention and therefore we ask that children not attend.
 



Thursday, January 9, 2014

Free Parent Event: What's Happening to our Children Presentation

At the event you will learn about the exciting Brain Balance Program and how it can help your child succeed academically, behaviorally and socially. You will also have the opportunity to ask all the questions you may have.

When:  Saturday, January 18th, 2:00 PM
Where:  Brain Balance of Austin
3267 Bee Caves Rd. #118
Austin, TX 78746
 
Call today to reserve your seat!  512-328-7771

Monday, November 4, 2013

4 Tips to Help Your Child Deal With Frustration


It’s perfectly normal for young children to become frustrated from time to time. However, behavioral experts note that children with learning or behavioral issues like ADHD and Asperger’s may have a reduced capacity to moderate their behavior appropriately to suit environmental cues. In other words, your child’s frustration could turn into a meltdown. Fortunately, there are ways you can teach your child how to channel these negative emotions into positive actions.

Encourage Your Child to Take a Break
When a child is very frustrated, it’s likely that his frustration level will only increase if he tries to forge ahead and complete the task at hand. Instead, encourage your youngster to take a short, productive break. However, bear in mind that a break from homework should not involve turning on the TV or playing video games. This will only create an association between a reward and the undesirable behavior. Instead, invite your child outdoors to kick a soccer ball around with you for a few minutes. Give your child a high protein snack like nuts. The power of aerobic, outdoor exercise and protein is amazing!

Discuss the Issue with Your Child
Depending on the maturity level of your child, once he has calmed down, ask him to sit down with you and explain why he is frustrated. Often children with ADHD or high functioning autism lack the ability to express their feelings. In this case acknowledge their frustration and give them an “A or B” choice to make when they feel overwhelmed. For example, “Would it be better to yell more or do you want to play your other game instead?” Encourage him use his words to tell you what’s wrong. When talking with your child, you can model good behaviors by using a calming tone of voice and exhibiting patience.

Teach your Child how to Belly Breath
Diaphragmatic breathing is a technique that we teach every parent at Brain Balance. While taking a deep breath in push your stomach out, then slowly exhale for twice as long as the inhale, pulling the belly in. Teach your child this first in a standing position. Once they have mastered it, it can be done sitting. About 5 breaths is what it takes for most kids to calm down. This serves two purposes: it is a great way to redirect a child who is about to melt down and it gets oxygen to the brain so that they make the better choice.

Remind Your Child of Past Successes
Your child may be frustrated because he is having trouble finishing a homework assignment, such as a math problem. You can restore his self-confidence by reminding him that he successfully completed his math homework the previous week, or that he scored well on a test recently. Tell your child that you are confident he can solve the problem if he is patient.

What about you? How do you help your child overcome frustration? Share by commenting below!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

October is ADHD Awareness Month!

October 2013 is ADHD Awareness Month! Brain Balance Achievement Centers is proud to share our comprehensive ADHD Guide to promote awareness and understanding of the disorder. We’ve included all you need to know about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and invite you to share this great resource!

ADHD is a condition characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. To be diagnosed, the condition must cause significant impairment in daily functioning in at least two settings. While all children experience these symptoms occasionally, a child with ADHD will experience these symptoms to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to function at home and at school on a recurring basis. The disorder affects 15 million Americans of all ages and is NOT a result of bad parenting.
ADHD has three subtypes:
  1. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
  2. Predominantly inattentive
  3. Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive
Click here for a checklist of signs and symptoms to help you determine if your child’s inattention and impulsivity are behavioral or if they could indicate ADHD. Find various articles below that will help your family understand the root cause of ADHD, manage behaviors, and reduce or even eliminate symptoms!

Tips for Managing ADHD
The demands and structure of school can be a stressful for most kids, but if you have a child with attention issues and learning difficulties, it can be even more stressful. With careful planning and practical strategies, your child’s school career can be well managed, even for those families dealing with attention and learning disorders.
Setting Rules For Your Child With ADHD
In this post, we continue our discussion by sharing specific rules and guidelines to help children maintain their focus and commitment to their goals. With consistency, organization, and dedication you can help your child succeed.
Motivating A Child With ADHD
How do you encourage a child with attention issues, who may try to avoid homework and chores, to complete those tasks with minimal arguing and stress? Find useable, practical strategies here for successfully motivating a child with ADHD.
Diet and Nutrition for ADHD
At Brain Balance, we know from experience that food plays a role in attention and behavioral issues, and we must closely examine a child’s diet for a whole-person approach to reducing symptoms. A recent study published by the Lancet found that in 64% of participating children, ADHD symptoms could be contributed to a hypersensitivity to food.
Research Shows Disconnect in Brains of Kids with ADHD
The University of California – Davis Center for Mind and Brain recently released a report showing that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have areas within their brains that fail to connect when they attempt a task that measures attention. Since the right hemisphere of the brain regulates impulsivity, attention, and socially appropriate behavior, a child with decreased right brain activity may be hyperactive, oppositional, disruptive, and even aggressive.
Control Study Finds Brain Balance Program Eliminates ADHD in 81% of Participants
A new randomized control study conducted by doctors in the Medical Neurology and Neuroscience field found that a drug-free, multi-modal program is significantly effective for eliminating symptoms associated with ADHD, as well as producing significant cognitive improvement. After a 12-week intervention program that improves right brain connectivity, the researchers found that 81 percent of children who enrolled in the multi-modal program no longer fit the criteria for ADHD.
More About Brain Balance
Clinical research indicates that most neuro-developmental disorders have in common an under-connectivity between the two hemispheres of the brain called Functional Disconnection Syndrome. After completing a comprehensive assessment in one of our centers, our team will develop a customized program to address your child’s particular issues. Our program integrates physical, sensory motor, and cognitive exercises with nutritional guidance to effectively address the root cause of these issues, leading to a reduction or elimination of negative symptoms and behaviors. Contact us today to learn more!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

E-Readers and Musical Training May Help Those With Dyslexia



A recent study published in the online peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS ONE discusses the benefits of e-readers for people with dyslexia. At least one third of people with dyslexia suffer with visual attention deficit and can be overwhelmed by small lines of text (1). The shorter lines of text easily available through E-readers can eliminate visual over-stimulation for many people with dyslexia ultimately leading to better comprehension and speed. Click here to review full study results, and watch below as Dr. Robert Melillo, creator of The Brain Balance Program®, discusses e-readers for reading difficulties and methods for improving the root cause of dyslexia on Fox News.

Watch the latest video at http://video.foxnews.com

A recent study conducted at Northwestern University provides evidence that people who perform better on rhythmic tests also have enhanced neural responses to speech sounds. Conversely, kids with reading problems who participated in the study consistently had trouble keeping time with music. At Brain Balance, our program directly addresses each child’s specific  rhythm and motor skills, leading to new and better neural connections. Since the left hemisphere of the brain controls learning and processing information, a person with decreased left-brain activity may have difficulty with reading and writing, processing speech and language sounds, and coordinating motor movements. Our individually customized sensory motor and cognitive activities improve left-brain connectivity leading to increased processing and learning skills. The bottom line? Symptoms of dyslexia decrease as rhythm, motor skills, and visual processing improve. Contact us today to learn how the Brain Balance Program® can help your child connect with success!


Source: (1) E-Readers Benefit Some Dyslexics, September 20, 2013, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266346.php
 

Friday, September 13, 2013

Signs of a Left Hemisphere Delay



Signs of a Left Hemisphere Delay:

• Does you child have difficulty completing tasks or is he easily distracted while trying to complete simple jobs around the house?

• Does he seem to forget how to do things that he has been told over and over again how to do?

• Does your son or daughter avoid doing homework or does it take several hours to accomplish a few math problems?

• Does your child hate change or love to do the same thing over and over?

• Does your student incessantly play video games rather than read books or go outside to play?

• Does your student have trouble remembering what he read earlier on in a chapter or forget what the story is about just after closing a book?

• Is your child’s handwriting inconsistent in size, all over the page, or made up of backward letters?

• Does your child have trouble starting their homework?

• Does your child have trouble making or maintaining friends?

• Does you child have trouble understanding what they are reading about and do they have difficulty figuring out what is going to happen next in a story?

• Do they have trouble writing down all their homework assignments? Is there agenda filled out completely or do you need to stay on them to get it completed?

• Does your child have trouble spelling or sounding out words?

If you are saying yes to some of these questions, there is hope!

Academic difficulties and trouble learning can often be the result of an imbalance between the two hemispheres of the brain. While a student may be quite efficient in one area, he may very well be slow or lagging in others. When there is an imbalance or a hemispheric delay, it isn’t the end of the world! Brain Balance is here to help!  Give Brain Balance of Austin a call at 512-328-7771

Monday, August 19, 2013

An Inside Look at ADHD

 The following infographics from The Brain Balance Achievement Centers of Greater Philly share an inside look at ADHD. 

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder) is a mental disorder characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention and/or hyperactive-impulsive behavior. There are three types of ADHD: Type 1 is predominantly characterized as problems with attention and is sometimes referred to as ADD while Type 2 is predominantly characterized as hyperactive and impulsive behavior. Type 3 combines symptoms of both.


What are some common strengths and weaknesses of kids with Type 1 and Type 2 ADHD?


If your child struggles with symptoms of ADHD, we invite you to consider the Brain Balance Program®. A new control study shows that our program eliminates ADHD symptoms in 81% of participating children after completing a 12 week program. Clinical research indicates that most neuro-developmental disorders have in common an under-connectivity between the two hemispheres of the brain called Functional Disconnection Syndrome. After completing a comprehensive assessment in one of our centers, our team develops a customized program to address your child’s particular issues. Our program integrates physical, sensory motor, and cognitive exercises with nutritional guidance to effectively address the root cause of these issues, leading to a reduction or elimination of negative symptoms and behaviors. Contact us today to learn more, and don’t miss our 2013 Back to School Guide!