Parents With Purpose

Shackles for Babies

2012-02-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

Yep, you read it right---"Shackles for Babies". I can hear you---"WHAT!" You are outraged and really hoping this is some sick, twisted practical joke. Sorry to disappoint, but this is no joke. This awful thing is happening to babies all over the United States! The "Shackles for Babies" devices are sold by the finest and well-known retailers and are frequently the "most favorite" presents at baby showers. "WHAT????"

One definition of shackles is "anything that serves to prevent freedom or movement." Using that definition, here are some additional illustrations of "Shackles for Babies":

Perhaps you have some "Shackles for Babies" in your home. Perhaps your child "loves" them. Perhaps you don't think you could live without them. But, please consider some information before you use your "Shackles for Babies" again.

Humans are built to move. Before birth, one of the most important signs of health is movement. Your obstetrician is sure to ask, "How much does the baby move?" They may even have you do a "kick count" to measure your baby's wellbeing. If you report to a healthcare professional that your child is not moving in utero, everyone starts getting serious. You'll likely get an ultrasound and numerous little tricks will be tried in an attempt to wake up that baby and get it moving. Bbbbbbbuuuuuuutttttttt . . . . once that little one enters the world, they are wiped off, swaddled up like a burrito and flipped on their back. They are unable to move their arms, legs or even turn their heads. Hhhhhhmmmmmmmm . . . what just happened? Why is movement so vital one moment and strictly prohibited the next?

Paralysis, paraplegia, quadraplegia, etc.----those are all words that strike fear into the hearts of mothers. We would be devastated for our children to suffer from any of those conditions. Yet we IMPOSE those conditions on our child by strapping them into devices that prevent them from moving. A wheelchair can move much better than an infant swing, but we'd be heartbroken to put our child in a wheelchair. Why aren't we heartbroken to put them into "Shackles for Babies"?

When men sit on the couch watching sports all day, we call them Couch Potatoes. When people laze around in their pajamas in bed all day, we call them Slugs or Sloths. Why would we force our infants into the same conditions we abhor in adults?

Movement is beautiful. People love to watch beautiful movement. During the Olympics, we all re-arrange our schedules to see the gymnastics, track & field, swimming, figure skating, etc. When people run or swim or flip gracefully and skillfully, it is one of the most exhilarating sights. Why would deny our offspring the opportunity to begin that most liberating task of movement?

Babies are born to move---they need freedom in the prone position to learn to use their arms and legs in a coordinated way culminating with independent travel---getting across the room to find out what is in the cabinets, under the plant, in Mommy's purse, etc. They learn independence by moving to satisfy their wants and desires. They learn to use their two eyes together to focus on a single object, and thus LEARN depth perception. Yes, depth perception is LEARNED first by being in the prone position----and not for just 15 minutes a day.

Infants should spend their waking hours in a safe, clean, warm environment in the prone position. Infants can only see a short distance initially---on their backs they don't have the opportunity to learn to use their vision and converge the vision of their two eyes. (Nope, mobiles and baby gyms don't change this---the mobiles don't give them an opportunity to learn and explore their environment, visually or otherwise.) The perfect way for an infant to learn to use his vision properly is to be on his tummy, when the ground/floor is just a short distance away and his toys are nearby. He learns neck control and back strength in a much healthier and functional way.

The natural progression of mobility is to first crawl on your belly (sometimes called the army crawl or commando crawl), then creep on your hands/knees (medical definition is creeping, most Americans call it crawling), THEN walk, hop and run. This development is crucial for vision, respiration, digestive motility, coordination and neurological organization.

Please do not use the "Shackles for Babies" for convenience. These devices cause terrible results in the structure of these infants (look at the pictures and see how misaligned their legs, back and head are). They keep the precious little one from exploring his world. They also isolate the child from other people---who is playing with a baby in one of these devices???? Usually, no one.

Is your house going to get torn up if your baby is free to move? Yes. Is it going to be harder to clean, cook and do laundry if your baby is on their stomach on the floor? Yes. Are their clothes going to get more worn out and dirty? Yes. Are you going to have to be a LOT more diligent about keeping the floor clean and free to small things that might be choking hazards? Yes. Are the results worth it? More Yeses than I have space to type!

Please do not limit your child's opportunity to move during his waking hours. Please let life on the floor be a way of life. (I have an opinion about sleeping hours, but that is another post for another day.) Please do not deny your child the chance to enter into the joyous world of movement. Let them figure out their arms & legs and use them for the purpose God designed them. That is a designer I don't think should be argued with.

"They'll Outgrow It"

2012-02-16T16:45:00.000-08:00

I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard the phrase, "They'll outgrow it." I'd be rich because this is one of the default answers given to so many mothers whose children are struggling. I have some real problems with this answer.

1. Why did they grow into the issue in the first place? If this is a problem, it's a problem. Why do they have the problem? Something is obviously going awry, and the CAUSE is my biggest concern.

2. How do you know? Maybe they will and maybe they won't. You cannot guarantee they'll "outgrow" an issue, and then you will have #3.

3. Why wait? Why waste my child's growing and maturation time just watching a problem? Why not identify what the root cause is and go to work right away to ameliorate the issue?

Sometimes--not always, but sometimes--the "they'll outgrow it" advice comes from a lack of information about what to do about the problem. They don't have anything left in their tool kit to combat the issue, so "wait and see" is the bottom of the advice barrel.

If you are uncomfortable with your child's development, YOU ARE RIGHT. If you see your child falling behind their peers in social graces, academics or motor skills, don't feel ashamed about wanting to start work right away to help them. If someone tells you to "wait and see", then don't hesitate to get another opinion. Information is easily-obtainable in this information age---keep looking until you find what your heart tells you is right!

Then your child has a much better chance of "outgrowing" an issue because their parent is setting up the right environment/activities to support the brain in that growth.

Constipation

2011-12-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Warning: This blogpost is about poop. (If you are a Cub Scout-aged boy, that means it's really awesome!) But the simple truth is we should all poop. Pooping is good for us---in fact, it is essential to our health. Unfortunately, pooping is not effortless for some people---and that's called constipation. You should have a bowel movement one to three times each day. That bowel movement should not be over-poweringly smelly. It should be well-formed and resemble a long sausage. Little stones or grape-like shape is still constipation. Watery or loose stools are diarrhea, and that's not healthy poop either.

Bowel movements are a very important way for your body to discard wastes and toxins---and it needs to do its job in order for the rest of our system to function efficiently. I read once that if you were standing behind a car that was shooting smoke out of the exhaust pipe---and that smoke smells putrid and is a horrid dark color, you pretty well know that SOMETHING is wrong with the internal workings of that vehicle. You may not know WHAT is wrong, or HOW to fix it, but you KNOW that car needs help.

Same is true for children. If what is coming out the back end isn't healthy, then something is going WRONG in the internal workings of your child. Something else I thought worthy of mention is that when you're in traffic, you want to get AWAY from the car that smells bad and is belching noxious exhause---and the same is often true of kids with constipation issues. Why? Because of the smell? Well, sometimes that is certainly an issue. But there is more.

Now we get to the heart of what I felt so strongly about writing this morning. Digestive issues, including constipation, are directly related to behavior issues! This can't be emphasized enough. Whenever a child has disruptive behavior, poor social connections, wide mood swings, depression, etc. there is a VERY high chance that digestion is the culprit. If not the sole culprit, then at the very least a partner in crime. Please do not under-estimate this important factor of health---including MENTAL health. There are endless studies pointing to nutrition combined with exercise as the most reliable CURE for depression. The side effects are all positive. Anti-depressants are proven to be riddled with terrible side effects, short-term effectivness and expensive!

There are many, many facets of good digestion and making sure you/your child is completely emptying their bowels EVERY DAY. The types of food eaten, the amount of water, the types of food to AVOID, supplements, exercise, etc. The answers are not the same for every child, but it is VERY important for you to find the answers for your child.

Recently, I had an infected tooth and was on anti-biotics for 20 days. Although I had seriously NEVER been constipated before in my entire life, the anti-biotics resulted in some real struggles in the bathroom department for me. And my attitude was in the tank! Everything and everyone annoyed me. I was impatient and frustrated easily. All of a sudden, I was much more understanding of what people with chronic digestive disorders deal with. Poop moved WAY up my priority list when I realized the stress it placed on my entire system---with the symptoms being my behavior.

Here are some good things to consider when dealing with constipation:
1. Nutrition---get ALL junk and sugar out of the diet. They are AWFUL for your system. Yes, a healthy system can detox a certain amount of poor eating. However, if there are issues, stay away from these toxic loads.
2. Water---Drink 1/2 ounce of water for every pound your/your child's weight EVERY DAY. Example: A person weighing 100 pounds should drink no less than 50 ounces of water each day.
3. Probiotics---The friendly bacteria that help with digestion. They also keep yeast at bay. I like Primal Defense by Garden of Life. There are many good ones. Do your research and take a GOOD probiotic.
4. Oxypowder---This is a natural cleanser without negative side effects frequently associated with laxatives. You will likely have to purchase this on the Internet. We've used this in our home and found it to be really effective. You can use a maintenance dose of this also.

There is a lot more information available that is important for understand and resolving constipation issues. But what I learned from my own experience is that this is an ESSENTIAL. We cannot expect our children to function happily or sometimes even function at all when there are toxins backing up in their system. If your child is struggling in any area, please monitor their bowel movements and take hasty action if you see any issues with constipation or diarrhea.

I can report a relief in my mood and attitude once I resolved this issue for myself. Consider this high on the list whenever you see any unwanted behaviors in your child.

;^) Donna

Some good reading material: Healing & Preventing Autism by Jenny McCarthy & Dr. Jerry Kartzinel. This has an excellent chapter entitled "Poop: The Whole Story on Constipation, Diarrhea and Your Kid's Behavior".

The Happiness Project

2011-12-01T12:22:00.000-08:00

I recently came upon a blogpost written by Gretchen Rubin, the author of The New York Times Best Seller, The Happiness Project. Gretchen spent a year testing out every theory of what makes you happy. I am just beginning to read this book and will be reviewing it on the blog, probably in Spring 2012. Until then, I just wanted to point out something she wrote about in her blog (www.happiness-project.com).

It seems that science and experience both agree that happiness is found in what you do EVERY DAY, and not in what you do occasionally. The vacation getaway to the beach doesn't have near the impact on you that your daily routine does. She specifically mentions a friend who thinks she is a routine exerciser because she works out for 2 hours approx every two weeks. NOT! The person who is likely to find happiness from exercise is the one who runs every day, even if for short period of time/distances.

This is also true when it comes to neurological programs for your child/family. You won't get the satisfaction from occasional programs that you get from daily programs (5 days per week). The routine, consistent performances are the ones that bring personal happiness and a sense or accomplishment---plus success as your child grows and improves!

I really appreciated this blogpost---I am going to more carefully examine my daily routine and see what is actually eating my time. And does it bring my happiness? I may enjoy something (a television show, Facebook, email, reading blogs, etc), but does it contribute to my happiness. If not, does it belong in my every day routine?

I know doing programs from Parents With Purpose on a daily and consistent basis brings results for your child---which brings changes to the whole family. Every mom I've interviewed who actually DOES the program CONSISTENTLY, says it was hard, but it made them happy. Even before their child was ready to graduate from the program, they felt happy.

I challenge each of us to really look at our day, fill it with what really brings happiness. Realize the difference between temporary pleasure and happiness. While temporary pleasure is fine for an occasional treat, we should be CONSISTENT with what brings real happiness. For me, knowing my child is growing and thriving is one of the things that should be on my "happiness" list every day!

To listen to some interviews from mothers who have done the program, visit http://www.parentswithpurpose.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23

Dear Diary

2011-10-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article published by The Deseret News about a woman named Cleia Schow Barrett, who is now 86 years old, who has kept a daily journal EVERY DAY SINCE JANUARY 1, 1939! For almost 73 years, she has faithfully written in her journal about her life EVERY DAY. There is a lovely picture of her together with ALL the journals she's kept over the years---it is remarkable.

Writing a short bit about your day isn't that remarkable. It doesn't take much time or make much of a difference at all. If she'd only written on one day, she probably wouldn't even still have the entry. If she'd only written for a year or two, the book would probably be tucked away in an attic somewhere, but not the subject of a newspaper article.

What IS remarkable is her daily diligence. She wrote EVERY DAY for almost 73 years---and counting. I am so impressed with her consistent performance. So here is an AMAZING lesson I have learned from Cleia Barrett---I can do something very simple every day and it will become something spectacular and valuable over time. Can you imagine if Cleia had started out her journal writing thinking about how much she would have to do over the next 73 years? How intimidating and overwhelming would that be? It might have scared her out of even beginning.

I am guilty of trying to eat the whole elephant at one time. My day is usually composed of simple things. I need to do the simple things and LET THEM BE SIMPLE. They're not hard and I don't need to intimidate myself by worrying about how many times I'm going to have to do them for the rest of my life---just today.

And so are your programs. Parents With Purpose programs are not NASA Laboratory experiences. There is nothing remarkable about doing one day's worth of program. However, over time, it becomes very powerful. The remarkable things become the results you from doing small things EVERY DAY (5 days a week). Just do what you need to do today, and keep going.

Like Mrs. Barrett, when we get further into the journey, we will look back and see we've learned and grown so much. She said, "I think that I cared enough about my own life that I was in charge of my own life." WOW! She cared enough about her own life to decide what she wanted and how she was going to attain it. Interesting perspective---caring about your own life.

Mrs. Barrett's daughter, Collette Judd, has also learned from her mother's journal-keeping habit.
"Time passes and there are good things to remember about it." Yes, time passes, programs can be hard, but there are GOOD THINGS to remember about it---a good thing to remember.
"There are times when you have to work really hard to hold on." Yes there are. But you DO have to hold on in order to achieve your goal.
"It doesn't seem like you are progressing day to day, but when you look back you really have." I see this in almost every re-evaluation. It is so easy to remain focused on how much work we have left to do, that we fail to see how much we have already accomplished. I frequently remind parents where their child was when they began the program and their response is, "Oh my gosh. I'd forgotten just how bad it was." Laying out the exact progress is one of my favorite things about re-evaluations for that very reason---we often fail to see the progress.

Thank you, Mrs. Barrett, for your excellent example. I'm uplifted and reminded that I CAN and NEED to do things consistently. It is NOT impossible. But it IS powerful!

If you would like to read the original article about Mrs. Barrett, you can do so here: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/61592/Dear-Diary-Daily-record-kept-for-72-years.html

The Best Thing Fathers Can Do for Their Children

2011-10-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

The #1 best thing fathers can do for their children is to love their mother. This indicates a solid family structure and both traditional values and statistics tell us it is the best indicator of successful children. That's a great things for fathers to know and work toward.

But what does "love their mother" entail? It involves a LOT of things, such as:
1.     A kiss in the morning and a kiss goodnight
2.     Opening her door
3.     Thanking her for all her hard work
4.     NEVER allowing the children to speak disrespectfully TO her or ABOUT her
5.     Remembering special occasions---birthdays, anniversaries, Mothers Day (big one!), etc.
6.     Continuing to date her
7.     Offering unsolicited help with the dishes or the laundry or other household chores
8.     Noticing if she changes her makeup or hairdo or gets a new outfit
9.     Giving her some time to herself
10.   Telling her you love her

Oh, I could go on and on with ideas. They are numerous. I'm sure you have your own suggestions also. But I would like to talk about one particular idea that is extremely important----respecting her understanding of the children.

I have, unfortunately, witnessed many fathers discount the mother's opinion when she says she knows something is not quite right for their child. Mothers have pleaded for someone to listen to their concerns and help them find ways to help their child---and the dad says, "I disagree and I veto any further action on this subject." Well, this is where steam starts coming out of my ears. Because while that father was putting his foot down, I see the look on the face of the mother. She is almost broken in half now. She knows, and she knows deep in her gut with that sense that was given to mothers by God. There is no argument in her mind---only wanting to know what to do next. And now there is a roadblock. And it's the very person who should be her partner.

So "what to do next" means her focus is shifted away from helping her child and back to dealing with someone who won't believe and trust her. The very person who should be supporting her and praising her dedication won't trust her about her very own child. He trusted her to be the one to nourish the baby in utero, to give birth, to get up in the night to feed, to change the diapers, etc.----but doesn't believe her when she says, "I know something needs extra attention here. I know something should be going differently than it is."

So here is my advice on the best thing fathers can do for their children----trust their mother to nurture and care for them, even if you don't see it the same way. (Of course, there are some basic ideas to agree upon---hopefully you cleared those up BEFORE a child came along.) But if your wife has concerns, then support her and help her.  99% of the children who are struggling are FIRST diagnosed by their mother. She knew long before other family members and certainly before the professionals. She is not lying or imagining things---quite the opposite. She knows what "well" looks and feels like, and she knows that something is awry. She is not borrowing trouble just for fun---those struggles do not increase her "fun" quotient.

My own husband wasn't really quite sure what to think when I told him I knew something was wrong with our youngest child. But he believed me. When that something meant we needed to take action, I wanted to fly to Philadelphia and start working with our son myself. In his words, he was on "quackwatch", but he never said a negative syllable to me. He already knew I was our child's best advocate. Six months into it, he saw the progress and knew we were on the right track. He understood and believed what I had known earlier---but in that time when he was "quack-watching", he let me do what I instinctively knew was right for our son.

My husband understood the special gift given to mothers---sometimes called "mothers' intuition" and how powerful it could be. He knew this gift began with Mother Eve and has continued through the annals of time. He knew that when I became a mother for the first time at 5 am on a June morning in 1984, that gift was bestowed upon me. He also knew this gift was never used for my benefit, but always for the betterment of our children. He knew that God trusted me with this gift, and he did, too.

And that level of respect and trust is #1 on the list of "loving their mother". Thank you, Bart, for loving me so well for almost three decades. I am a better person because of you! Young fathers---love your child's mother, it's the best thing you can do for your children. Ever.

Never Give Up

2011-10-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

David O. McKay wisely stated, "No success can compensate for failure in the home." I love how eloquently he teaches us that family is more important than the rest of the world. That our efforts with our children and spouse are long-term investments. That all the glory and money the world could heap upon me would pale in comparison to having a righteous, happy family.

However, I recently heard a story about a reporter further questioning the author by asking for his definition of "failure." His answer was that failure is giving up. This is really food for thought.

How many parents do I know whose children are struggling, and they have given up? They are just going to love their child and send them to whatever program the public school offers and be satisfied with whatever comes. How many parents are just praying their child will "outgrow" their struggles and somehow magically be able to pay attention and sit still after puberty hits? How many parents think it's okay if reading is hard for their child because it must be genetic---the parents and grandparents struggled, too. How many parents just turn their head when their child attempts to participate in sports or playground activities because their child "runs funny"? To my way of thinking, these strategies are all "giving up".

The reason I say these strategies are "giving up" is because a) they seldom bring success and b) there is no action being taken by the parents. It's not enough to hunker down and survive---we, as parents, need to be learning and taking action for our children EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, even if those steps are unpleasant, tiring, demanding and take every ounce of our strength. We cannot let others be in charge of our child's progress. We can certainly get help, but we are ultimately responsible and should keep ourselves in the drivers' seat.

I, sadly, watched the Detroit Lions play the Dallas Cowboys today. Detroit was losing 20-0 in the third quarter. But they still never gave up. They fought and fought and came back to win 34-30. They didn't give up. They looked completely defeated, but they never quit. They played football for the entire 60 minutes and because they took every possible chance they were given, they WON.

And, as parents, we should, too. Don't give in to a negative prognosis from a professional. Don't let anyone tell you that parents aren't qualified to make decisions about your child. Don't give up because it seems progress is coming too slowly or not at all.

Learn, learn, learn, learn. Inform yourself. Get a VARIETY of opinions and don't discount your instinct regarding your own child. If you have professionals working with your child, know every detail and be in the ring on your child's side. Make your time at home with your child productive. Stay focused and dream at night about your child's success. Work like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on God. And never never never give up!

Alarm Clocks and Independence

2011-09-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Since the departure of five of our children---off to college---the logistics in our home have changed dramatically. Most recently, we are re-decorating the three upstairs bedrooms for the three remaining occupants of the land of Bateman. This means my house is messy and dusty, I have paint of various shades in places paint was NEVER meant to be, and I'm EXHAUSTED! It is in this condition that my story for the day begins.

It was 4 am---yes, I said FOUR A.M. I'd been up until a little after midnight the night before because I was helping paint in my daughter's room. I should have had my eyes tightly closed and been sitting on a relaxing beach in dreamland. But I wasn't in dreamland because my daughter's cell phone alarm was going off in the room adjacent to my bedroom. Did I mention it was FOUR A.M.? I finally awakened enough to realize I had to find the darned thing and turn it off myself because no one else was even stirring. They were obviously able to sleep right through that annoying sound, but I was not. I finally located the sound in the bottom of a school bag under a table (those of you on the program would be proud:). I was completely annoyed by this time and really considered finding the closest hammer to permanently end the interruption of my much-needed sleep. I mean I REALLY wanted to destroy that phone---and then wake up my daughter (the operator of the offending phone) with LOTS of really annoying sounds. I restrained myself and went back to bed.

When I awoke at 5:45 (my usually time), I was calmer. However, I was determined to take her cell phone away from her for a week and tell her I would be determining what time alarms would go off---not her. Then I had a shower, some breakfast, some scripture time and decided I was wrong. It is VERY tempting to slam shut the door when things are not going well. However, do I want my daughter to someday be able to set an alarm, go to sleep and awaken on time without my help? Why, yes, I do! Does my daughter need less practice with alarms or more practice with alarms? She obviously needs more, and maybe a lot more. Does this mean I may have future interaction with other cell phone alarms at ridiculous times of the morning? Yes! Is it worth it if I can send my daughter off to college independently in three years? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!

When our children struggle with particular tasks and skills, it is very tempting to say that they can't do it, and remove the task. Perhaps we even do the task for them. (I type with chagrin since I've done that thousands of times over the course of my 27 years as a mom.) I already obviously know how to set an alarm and turn it off, but do I know how to teach it? Obviously I need some practice. :/

This isn't limited to alarm clocks and cell phones. We really need to look at where our children are and what the next steps to their independence should be. Perhaps they need to practice putting away laundry, or maybe they are ready to learn how to do their own laundry. Maybe they can help learn to set the table or maybe they are ready to prepare a meal. What is the next step for them?

Once we have determined their next step, we need to give opportunities for intentional practice. I am having my daughter set alarms many times throughout the day/evening. She is conditioning her brain to hear and respond to the alarm. She is setting the alarm for all kinds of things---her favorite tv show, dinner time, how long to brush her teeth, how long to work on a project, etc. She is completely annoyed by the whole thing and has done her fair share of eye rolling and sighing. That's okay because she is learning and that is the point. We will keep "practicing" with the alarm until she is completely successful.

And then we'll choose something else. Because she is only 15 and she still has a lot to learn. And I still have a lot to teach her before I feel confident in her independence. It won't happen by accident. And no one else but her mother cares enough to give her this information and develop her skills. Gotta go---the alarm just went off and it's time for our favorite show. ;^)

Mission Accomplished

2011-09-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

I was in Provo, Utah this past week leaving five of my eight children to attend Brigham Young University. My childdren ages 27, 25, 22, 20, and 18 will all be taking classes there this fall. We had lots of fun spending time with our five oldest children. I must admit when the time came to drive away, there were a few tears. Saying goodbye was hard, really hard.

Other friends dropping off their children at various colleges around the country reported the same feelings. We have been comforting each other as some of our children have left the nest. As we have been talking, we've relived moments of triumph from the past few years---touchdown passes, interceptions returned for touchdowns, dance trophies, half-time shows, pep rallies, toilet papering houses, homecoming and prom dates, band performances, choir awards, fund raisers, service at the nursing home, game-day lunches, bus rides, etc.

So now this group of good kids is in college, and while we are ALWAYS mothers, we can say, "Mission Accomplished!" Each of these new freshman is A) academically successful (They are attending Princeton, University of Texas, Oklahoma State, Brigham Young, Southern Virginia, Texas Christian, Baylor and others), B) physically coordinated (They are football players, baseball players, drill team dancers, cheerleaders, track runners, etc), and C) socially gracious (They are well-liked by many friends, but also their teachers and their friends' parents). They still have a LOT of growing up to do, but they are ready to do this outside the protective and watchful eye of their parents---and this is the goal of successful parents, to raise capable independent young men and women. My "well done" goes out to each of these fine parents.

But not every mother of an 18-year-old with tears in her eyes is crying because her child is successfully leaving home. Some of them have tears because their child is NOT succeeding---and those are the bitter tears every parent would do anything to avoid. If only they could have known two things A) what to do and B) when to do it. I do not propose to have every answer to both of those questions. I do, however, have some suggestions to answer at least part of the questions.

What to do--There are a LOT of things to do to help ensure the success of your growing child and, again, I don't propose to have every answer. I do, however, think it would be wise for your first step to be making the decision to be pro-active. I have know many parents who have lamented taking the "wait and see" approach.

Once you've decided to be pro-active, then educating yourself would seem to be the next likely step. Find out how children develop and what milestones to look for along the way. Do not simply take someone's word for it---learn from a variety of good sources for yourself. You can begin by taking the Brain Development class---either online or in person. Check out this seminar information.

Make your home a brain-stimulating environment. Nutrition, activity levels, intellectually-challenging opportunities, and others are areas where parents can make some choices that are intentionally set up for growing the brains of children. Be willing to act contrary to popular culture in your child's best long-term interest.

Stay the course--Raising children to be successful young adults is not a sprint, it is a marathon. It is something that requires dedication and staying focused on the goal. Don't give up. Having a good support system is helpful is very helpful! The Parents With Purpose Forum may be able to help.

Enjoy the journey with your children. If your children are succeeding, nothing should be more enjoyable. Participating in and/or watching my children's activities are my FAVORITE things to do. Of course, there are tough times that go along with the good ones, but if your children are learning and growing the right direction, even the tough times are helping achieve your goal.

If you look at how your child is progressing along his pathway, and you are not comfortable with their progress, consider another approach to help them. If YOU are not happy, then don't let other people tell you to stop being pro-active on behalf of your child. And that brings me to my next point---when to do it. This is a simple answer---NOW. Don't wait. Start on the "What to Do" list right away. Your time with your child will fly by. Make the best use of these fleeting years while you still can.

My goal for parents participating in the Parents With Purpose program is for them to have the same tears I had last week. I want you all to experience the successful moment when you confidently send your young adult on their way. It is a hard moment, but it is what we should be working toward. Congratulations to all my friends who have shed those tears recently. Mission Accomplished!

I saw a car accident today!

2011-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

While waiting to pull out of a parking lot this morning, I witnessed the car just in front of me cause an accident. That sound was AWFUL! Smoke coming out of the hood of the car was AWFUL! Noticing one car was full of children was AWFUL! Seeing the face of the man who caused the accident was AWFUL---he seemed like a nice man who just didn't see the other car coming. It appeared to be an AWFUL mistake. I stayed on the scene to give my account to the police. And that was AWFUL, too. I didn't like placing blame on an apparently concerned man. The whole thing was AWFUL. I was even a little shaken by the ordeal and was grateful I lived nearby. I didn't have that far to get home.

It's been years since I've witnessed an accident happen---and I can count on one hand the numbers of times I have in my entire life. But does that mean there aren't many car accidents? I see thousands of cars safely driving all the time. Shouldn't that mean I can rest assured that accidents aren't a real danger? Every adult I know drives and they're just fine---mostly. So out of curiosity I did a little Google search and found the following statistics about 2009 traffic accidents in the United States:
*More than 5.5 million car accidents
*Nearly 31,000 accidents were fatal
*More than 2 million people were injured
*61% of accidents involved only one vehicle
*An average of four children (age 14 & under) were killed in car accidents EVERY DAY
*Nearly 500 children (age 14 & under) were injured in car accidents EVERY DAY
This information did NOT help calm my shaken nerves at all. I don't know about you, but I think 5.5 million is a LOT! But I had many errands to run today, and I had to drive to get those done. But you can sure bet the accident made some changes to my behavior. I looked twice and sometimes three times before I pulled out or changed langes. I was more careful about the speed limit. I was more observant about the drivers around me. I walked to some of the places that were just up the street.

I have had the comparison to vaccinations in my head all afternoon. Vaccinations produce negative reactions every day. Children sometimes die from vaccinations and many children are injured. I wish I could give you statistics, but honestly there are no reliable sources of those numbers. I won't quote people who have a vested interest in swaying the numbers one way or the other----and those are the only people really publishing numbers. But I can reliably report this: I have witnessed negative vaccination reactions. The mother driving a carload of children today had the exact same look on her face that other mothers have had when they report the injury to their child.

Just because we don't personally witness car accidents, doesn't mean they aren't happening---they ARE. Just because we don't personally witness vaccine injuries doesn't mean they aren't happening---they ARE. Even vaccine manufacturers admit this and the U.S. Federal Government has set up a fund for vaccine injuries---they happen. I know car accidents happen because of the report of people who witness them and report them. I know vaccine injuries happen from the same source. I will never forget a mother from Texas who contacted me and told me about her perfectly well, normal-developing, happy baby boy who began screaming nonstop and lost all of his mobility and language skills before the sun set on the day of his vaccinations. She literally watched her son unravel before her eyes. And she is not alone. I personally know mothers from all across the U.S. who have very similar reports. And I refuse to call them liars, uninformed, or hyper-emotional. They saw what they saw. I saw a car crash and the policeman had no reason to doubt my report. I have no reason to doubt the report of mothers who just want their child to be well again.

Parents are not necessarily looking for someone to blame for their child's injury. They want to warn other parents of a potential hazard. Today I saw people rush out of nearby shops to help the accident victims and to direct traffic away from the wreckage. While people were still at risk, helping them get to safety was the ONLY concern. No one was condemning the driver who caused the collision, that will be sorted out later by the proper parties. So will the vaccine scenario. But in the meantime, you can merge into safer lanes and slow down in order to avoid becoming part of that misfortune.

I am not completely anti-vaccine, just like I am not completely anti-driving. But just as I took some extra precautions when driving, I think there are common sense extra precautions for vaccines. I do NOT recommend vaccinating children and I do NOT recommend abstaining from vaccinating your children. I can point out information, and parents make decisions. I am not trying to sway that decision one way or the other. But please, before you vaccinate your child, inform yourself with some variety in your sources. In other words, please look twice and perhaps three times before you think about pulling into traffic. It is my opinion that you need to form your own opinion---your pediatrician's opinion is only one opinion. You wouldn't let someone in the back seat tell you it is safe to pull out, you would check yourself. You may decide after checking traffic conditions, that it is safest to take another route---and this can apply to vaccinations also. Another route may be your best bet.

If you are reading this blog, then you have the Internet and you can do your own research. You spent a considerable amount of time and effort learning to drive a car---spend a few hours reading and researching vaccinations. There are some children who should not be vaccinated. There are some children whose vaccinations should be limited and should be spaced out. Just like pulling your car into traffic, there is NO RUSH. Please do not be pressured into vaccinating.

I am not trying to villify your pediatrician or nurse or healthcare practitioner for vaccinating your child. Just like today's accident happened at the hands of a well-meaning person who just honestly didn't see the oncoming car because his view was partially obstructed----well-meaning medical professionals may not have the entire perspective in their sight. They may be doing their best to safely navigate the situation, but may nonetheless cause an accident.

I know children who are living with the results of a vaccine injury and seeing this is AWFUL. Just like my experience this morning, I will stay on the scene. I will do my best to help those involved in an AWFUL situation.

Brain-Injured Often Denied Therapies

2011-08-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

I read an article published in The Dallas Morning News, Friday, August 12, 2011 with the title listed in the subject line of the blog. (Thanks to my hubby who always brings these articles to me!) This article points out a few facts that are exactly what is WRONG with our current system.

Problem #1--Gabriella Giffords--the AZ Congresswoman who was attacked/shot and received a terrible brain injury as a result--has received a lot of wonderful therapy that was developed for veterans who often come home with TBI (traumatic brain injury). Here is the problem---many vets don't get this therapy! Congress gives itself soooooo many privileges and this is really beyond outrageous. Why are veterans denied treatment when they put their lives on the line for us every day? Their families makes so much sacrifice and the least we can do is do our best to return their loved ones in the best possible condition. Congressional privilege---Problem #1!

Problem #2--Tricare (Insurance company that administers veteran benefits) denies treatment to veterans because they don't deem it medically necessary. The Department of Veterans Affairs has embraced rehabilitation for TBI, yet Tricare denies benefits. I have personally witnessed this. Problem #2---"Insurance companies don't want to pay for quality-of-life improvements". I don't think the ability to sleep through the night, have a normal relationship with your wife and children and be able to hold down a job are too much to ask!

Problem #3--The typical cost is $27,000 for one hour a day of treatment over six months! YIKES! You could hire a live-in aide for that amount of money! While I understand that some families need help because of the physical challenge of the situation, many of them can be trained to make a big difference themselves and then supplemented with a part-time aide. I am shocked that the VA doesn't have a system that is more cost-effective---except I'm not that surprised because government agencies don't have the best track record. Poor cost management---Problem #3!

Problem #4--The average veteran receives only three weeks of therapy. This is ridiculous! Three weeks is not long enough to make substantial changes. I am delighted for clients who make big changes in six months and they are usually children, who generally progress faster. Three weeks = weak sauce = Problem #4!

So here is my take:

#1--I think Congress shouldn't have special privileges, but the military should. Period.

#2--Quality of life is absolutely a medically-necessary situation. We have to return library books in good condition, the military shouldn't be any less.

#3--$27,000 could get hyperbaric, a home program and a part-time aide for six months. We should be careful with the money that is dedicated to our veterans. It would not be hard to make this happen---I personally know people lobbying Congress through the Department of Defense to make this happen. It's been over 10 years and the battle continues. The people soaking money out of the system are VEHEMENTLY opposing these common-sense measures. It should stop and stop NOW!

#4--It sometimes takes several years for children to completely make the way to wellness. We don't put a time limit on them. Their worth is never limited by time. If we are using the available resources WISELY, then we could make sure vets can progress at a good rate without placing time limits on them.

I hope we'll also consider some of these lessons for our children who are struggling---let's dedicate our resources to efforts that get good results and make the best results of our family resources. Let's be devoted to their wellness and stay the course for them.

If you want more information about veterans and the crisis of traumatic brain injuries for them, please visit www.hyperbaricmedicalfoundation.org and read the NBIRR study information on the page. Then contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators.

2011-08-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Schedule Change!!

Dallas Seminar now scheduled for September 10, 2011---same location.
The tuition is only $25, which is $100 below the regular price.

Calendar Time!

2011-06-28T15:06:00.001-07:00

Parents With Purpose has three Brain Development 101 seminars scheduled in the coming months:

July 30, Plano, TX area 8 am - 5 pm
Days Inn 19373 Preston Road, Dallas TX 75252
For information or registration, please contact Donna Bateman at 214-502-2827 or donna@parentswithpurpose.com

August 6, San Jose, CA 9 am - 5 pm
For information or registration, please contact Patty Ezell at 408 362-9780
or patrealee@gmail.com

September 24, Portland, OR area 8 am - 5 pm
For information or registration, please contact Erika Glancy at 503-620-2082 or erika.glancy@gmail.com

For more information regarding the seminar content:
http://www.parentswithpurpose.com/ and find "Seminar" under the "Services" tab

Running Speed

2011-06-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

UCLA recently released the results of a study which surprised some very accomplished researchers---but not me. I don't claim to have a fraction of the intelligence and certainly cannot compare with the education levels of these researchers, but I already knew what they are so excited to discover. However, I am VERY excited about new research to support the connection between mobility and brain function---especially with how it connects to learning.

Professor Mayank Mehta led the UCLA research team in analyzing the gamma rhythm---typically originating in the hippocampus---in mice. According UCLA Newsroom, "The researchers found that the strength of the gamma rhythm grew substantially as running speed increased." This may not be thrilling enough to keep many people up at night---but let's look a little deeper at the inferences and implications of this one finding.

First--the hippocampus. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system--which is largely responsible for processing emotion, smell and sound. The hippocampus is horseshoe shaped, with one side of the horseshoe in the left brain and the other side of the horseshoe in the right brain. This structure serves by indexing our memories and sending them to the proper cerebral areas for storage, and also by retrieving these memories when called upon. The hippocampus is critical for learning processes and is the focus for research into Alzheimer's Disease, dementia and other memory-related diseases.

Understanding the role of the hippocampus in the retrieval of information makes it easy to see its vital role in learning. The gamma rhythm in the hippocampus is critical during periods of concentration and learning. This rhythm is known to be controlled by attention and focus. The study from the UCLA team was shocked to find that running speed also controlled the gamma rhythm. So this gives us an extra factor to control the gamma rhythm and thereby improve learning. If you struggle with attention and focus, you can turn to running as another source to improve your gamma rhythm and make learning easier. This should give all PE teachers and track coaches more ammunition to combat funding cuts for their programs in schools. It should give parents motivation to get their children running. Children have every reason to DEMAND their parents run---no one wants to suffer watching their parents slowly fade away as the memory increasingly fails. (I'm getting on the treadmill right after I finish this article. I promise!)

But what if you can't run well? What if you are uncoordinated and thus run slowly? (The study specifically pointed to gamma rhythm improving as the running speed increased.) If lack of stamina prevents you from running fast, then more running and aerobic exercise will increase your stamina. But if coordination is the obstacle, then more uncoordinated running will not lead to coordinated running. This is where an understanding of ontogenetic function becomes very important. Ontogenetic functions are those where one neurological function done in sufficient quantity and quality lead ONTO the next higher level of function. In mobility, this pattern goes like this:

1. Ability to freely move all joints and limbs

2. Crawl on the belly in a coordinated fashion (aka army crawl or commando crawl)

3. Creep on hands/knees in cross pattern (commonly called "crawling" in the U.S.)

4. Walk using the arms for balance

5. Walk independently in a cross pattern

6. Run in a coordinated cross pattern

So, if one ability in the ontogenetic pattern is not appropriate, we look at the previous skill and stimulate it. So if creeping is awkward, look to crawling. If walking or running is uncoordinated, creeping organizes the ability to walk/run.

Why? Because the brain functions from the BOTTOM UP. Impulses are received and sent to our spinal cord, which then sends the signals upward to the base of the brain---the medulla spinalis. The medulla processes signals and then sends them to the pons. They are then routed through the various parts of the midbrain, where they are processed and sorted out to the various areas of the cortex. If at any point in this process there is some disorganization or improper processing, the area of the brain which is next to receive the signals is operating on faulty information---so of course, we can't expect perfect function from faulty input. And where did the faulty input come from? The "lower" level of the brain. This is very simplified but adequately explains why we focus on lower levels of function to help higher levels of function--because the brain functions from the bottom up.

So now, back to our UCLA study---running improves the gamma rhythm. This is solid evidence which is now atop the mountain of previous studies of various areas of the brain that point to one particular fact---movement is the organizer of the brain. Dr. Svetlana Masgutova said it most succinctly when she said, "You cannot change a brain without moving." Research is pointing to running to help with depression, anxiety, preventing Alzheimer's, dementia, and now learning.

This is NOT just exercise in general, as is touted by many. This is coordinated, cross patterned movement. Aerobic dancing, swimming, yoga, pilates, etc all have MANY wonderful health benefits, but they are not cross-patterned (the opposing arm/leg move in synchrony) and thus not beneficial to these particular neurological patterns. They are not effective at targeting the specific areas of the brain we want to----basically the overall organization and efficiency.

Crawling, creeping, walking, and running are neurological organizers. They have many other great side effects like increased respiration and disease prevention, and that makes them very desirable for anyone who is struggling or whose child is struggling. Mobility in all its glory is beautiful to see---the whole country stops to watch the Olympics, the Super Bowl, etc. We just need to remember this isn't something reserved for professional athletes and it is quite possibly the answer to learning problems and other neurological challenges. Simple and effective---sounds good to me! Now I really should keep my promise and get on that treadmill. :)

The study can be read at www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.Pone.0021408

Book Review and Give-Away! Think Smart by Richard Restak, MD

2011-06-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Richard Restak is the author of 19 books about the brain. I am reviewing, today one of his most recent publications, Think Smart.

I liked this book and found it an exciting read. I even made a list of "things to do for my brain" from his suggested activities. However, I found the book to be a bit ironic. From page 69, "Mental exercise differes from physical exercise in that it provides specific limited benefits while physical exercise bestows generalized benefits."
Really? Because Dr. Restak goes on to talk almost exclusively about mental exercises for over 200 pages. He provides almost COUNTLESS mental activities to help increase brain function and gives physical exercise only a casual mention. I know there are so many books about exercise on the market already, but there really are NOT many books about exercise and the brain. Since you can't change a brain without moving, I am disappointed that Dr. Restak didn't at least lay the foundation of physical exercise.

Now for some of my favorite quotes from Dr. Restak in Think Smart
Page 8, "We create new patterns of neuronal organization according to what we see, what we do, what we imagine and most of all what we learn."
All these "what we . . ." are sensory input. Yes, sensory input is how our brain gets information and OF COURSE that will change the patterns of activity. However, few of us pay attention to how important the see, do, imagine and learn are---hopefully understanding that we are changing our brains will help us understand a little better.

Page 25-26, "Sixty-five years of animal research confirms that in every animal in which it has been tried so far, caloric restriction slows the onset of degenerative diseases such as dementia, cancer, diabetes and other illnesses associated with loss of brain function. As a rough rule of thumb, a 35% decrease in calories equals a 35% longer life"
This is so clear and sounds pretty simple. The hard part, however, is putting it into practice. I suppose on my deathbed I won't be wishing for another bowl of ice cream, but another day to spend with loved ones. Definitely something to consider.

Page 44 ,"Anyone who walks three times a week for 45 minutes will reap the following benefits; sustained levels of cerebral blood flow; an improvement in focused attention; increases in gray matter volume in regions of the front & temporal lobes; restoration of some of the losses in brain volume associated with normal aging. In anyone over 60, the benefits are even great. A daily one-mile walk will reduce the likelihood of dementia by 50%."
Coupled with the previous paragraph, I think Dr. Restak is telling us to push ourselves away from the table and get off the couch. Solid advice for any setting I can think of. However, most of us think this advice is just about looking better. This couldn't be further from the truth---the brain controls everything and it desperately wants us to get in good shape---exercise and diet. Nothing new, but vital nonetheless.

Page 54 "For reasons that are not entirely clear, sleep serves to improve one's overal performance by selectively enhancing those areas that are most in need of improvement."
Sleep is listed in importance ONLY behind nutrition and exercise. Eat well, exercise and now get good sleep. Dr. Restak is beginning to sound like my grandmother. Who knew how right Grandma was??

Page 66 "Stamina and concentration are two sides of the same coin."
Ahhhh, there he goes with that exercise bit again! Have you measured your stamina and then compared it to your ability to optimally concentrate?

Page 67 "People with good memories don't necessarily store more information in their long-term memories---they're just better at accessing it."
Page 68 "Some psychologists argue that general intelligence consists of sharply-honed working memory skills."
The two previous quotes again lead back to exercise. Have you ever felt overwhelmed or foggy or like you just need "to get your head straight"? Then you take a walk---a good, long, vigorous walk. As you are walking, you begin to see your situation more clearly and perhaps even arrive at conclusions or solutions. This ability to organize and easily access information is greatly improved with exercise---specifically cross-pattern forms of exercise. For most adults, this is most easily achieved by walking or running. This organization begins as infants with creeping and crawling.

Page 137 "For the superior performance in any field, the goal isn't just repeating the same thing again and again, but achieving higher levels of control over every aspect of their performance. That's why they don't find practice boring. Each practice session they are working on doing something better than they did the last time."
Excellence---this the the level of practice that comes before excellence. We should be striving to get better than we are, no matter what we are attempting or how good we are at doing it. This is what I see in athletes and scholars at the top of their field.

Page 146 "Research confirms that exceptional performers aren't endowed with superior brains. Rather the brain, thanks to its plasticity can be modified by deliberate practices and the use of innovative strategies. That combination will enable you to achieve high levels of performance in the area of YOUR CHOICE----IF you are willing to put in the effort required to achieve mastery."
The best football player, the best violin player, the most-respected researcher, the captivating orator----they were NOT born that way. The plasticity of the brain allowed them to become what they wanted. That is truly the most freedom a human can have---the freedom to become. What a tremendous gift---that gift removes the excuses and reveals them for what they truly mean, "I don't want to try that hard."

Page 207 "At the moment, scientists lack an objective measure of wisdom."
Okay, I guess that is over-stating the obvious, but it does lead you to think about the limits of science.

Page 220 "Brains of deceased elderly patients were examined. Many were found to have Alzheimer's disease. 1) 25% of cortical neurons reduced---they appeared like rusted cables in a sunken ship, 2) degenerating nerve endings enclosing homogenous central core. An UNEXPECTED find was that some brains showed Alzheimer's disease in patients who functioned perfectly normally even in the last years of their lives. Investigation of these exceptions to the plaque-tangle-dementia association turned up a common trait: increased levels of education. The subject matter of their studies did not appear to matter."
Education at increased levels---an excellent idea if you are considering your brain. Notice it did not say "formal" education. You can be self-educated at an increased level.

Page 224 "Social isolation and the loneliness that usually accompanies it are now recognized as significant hazards to healthy brain function."
Social interaction takes a great degree of brain power---continuing to practice those skills of listening, conversing, making eye contact, physical gestures in conversation, etc. are very important for our brains.

Page 227 "The brain is a social organ that operates by concerted activity of millions of neurons linked together by means of circuits---there is no such thing as a solitary neuron. Similarly, none of us exists in isolation nor are we capable of optimal functioning unless---like a neuron within the brain's circuits---we become part of a wider social network."
Intentionally find friends, build those friendships and maintain them carefully. Of course, positive relationships are assumed---but remember that your friends are worth the effort in many, many ways.

Page 243 "A 2006 study published in the journal Neurology compared 5,000 people over age 55. Increased television watching was associated with a 20% increase in cognitive impairment."
YIKES! We all know tv isn't good for our brains, but did you know how much it is truly hurting your neurological capability? Of course, if we are carefully watching our nutrition, exercising, getting increased levels of education and spending time with good friends, then perhaps the tv will not be necessary.

Page 246 "Have a hobby and develop expertise outside your vocation---this stimulates and develops brain networks outside the norms."
So now we've added hobbies to the list of nutrition, exercise, education, and friendships. Sincerely, this sounds like a person I'd like to know---and one I'd like to be.

So the contest is now open and will conclude October 20,2011. All those leaving appropriate comments will be entered into a random drawing for a free copy of Richard Restak, MD's Think Smart. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Concussions

2011-05-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

I read an article today about a new device that has been designed to detect concussions. The device is similar to the radar gun used by police to catch speeding motorists. This "radar gun" detects minute changes in gait and thereby diagnoses a concussion. Hmmmmmmm.

I have raised eyebrows about this device and its use in athletics, particularly Texas high school football. From the article, "A high school football coach, for example, may want to err on the side of caution, even if it means more athletes will be sidelined to reduce the possibility of a second concussion." I don't know what high school football coaches they are talking to, but it's not any of the coaches I know or that our team plays against. The last thing in the world any coach (or athlete or the athlete's parents) want is for MORE kids to be sidelined---especially when the device admits to having a percentage (it didn't enumerate the percentage) of false positives. Taking the best athletes off the field reduces victories---possibly costing a coach his job and possibly costing the athlete scholarship opportunities. At least in Texas, this is NOT going to be popular amongst anyone connected with high school football.

I don't believe the NFL is going to be any more enthusiastic about sidelining multi-million dollar athletes---or any of the professional sports. The device is also supposedly for use by the military on the battlefield----REALLY??? Your enemy is trying to kill you with all the high-tech weapons of the 21st century and you're going to be worried about whether or not you have a concussion?

Here is the bottom line problem: NO ONE WANTS TO STOP PLAYING! That's it! We don't want a device to tell us we're hurt--believe me, the player knows if he can't remember his middle name or his zip code. We want something to help us be well, play more and not suffer lingering effects of injury decades past the occurrence. THAT is what players, families, coaches and fans want. Could someone email these (and other) university researchers and let them in on that?

Perhaps someone could remind the medical community that sitting on the bench after a concussion DOES NOT improve or alleviate the symptoms of the injury you have ALREADY suffered? This mentality is still screaming out the old medical mantra that brains cannot be helped, healed or improved. Concussions are permanent injuries and will affect you for the rest of your life, so you better avoid them as the best measure of care, according to the marketers of these "concussion detection" devices.

Please don't get me wrong---I think we should do everything in our power to protect our brains. I like the rules prohibiting blows to the head, hitting a receiver in a defenseless position, and grabbing the face mask in the NFL. Those are good and I want to see that yellow flag fly and see flagrant offenders suspended.

But can we please start doing things to help these athletes, soldiers, and other traumatic brain injury victims recover? We have the technology and the means. We have hyperbaric oxygen chambers that go unused except for the narrow 13 FDA-approved conditions (think wound healing and burns). Hyperbaric oxygen (hbot) has become so well-known amongst professional athletes that many of them have their own chambers. The research is solid and the results are sure---but the politics of the FDA and the UHMS (Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine Society) have battled for decades to prevent the use of hbot for neurological indications. Why would the FDA and the UHMS want to prevent this? One thing---money. They should be ashamed and held accountable for the ongoing preventable suffering at their hand.

There are many excellent techniques that are helping neurological injuries heal and also improving function in the brains of octogenarians. Reflex re-patterning (masgutovamethod.com), energy medicine, neurodevelopmental programs (parentswithpurpose.com and familyhopecenter.org), respiratory stimulation techniques, and many others. THIS is what players, coaches and fans want---the way to HEAL the brain and to strengthen neural connections (brain reserve) so there are extra pathways for neurological function.

The information I have regarding the concussion detection devices didn't mention the cost. It also didn't figure the cost of the long-term effects if they go untreated. (And by the way, what is the current treatment from your doctor? Rest---not a very aggressive treatment plan!) I would be willing to match those costs against the cost of good treatment using some of the techniques listed above. I can only imagine how much money would be saved and how much heartache would be avoided. Seems like THAT is what the researchers should be spending their time on, doesn't it?

A Little About Me

2011-03-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

My perspective is definitely different from that of many other folks—and it is definitely the product of my life experiences. I am really grateful for this gift of perspective, and by sharing “a little about me”, I hope you will be able to appreciate and benefit from my journey as well.

One of the first blessings bestowed upon me by my Creator was that I was born in Texas! Yes, I am one of those proud Texans that wears Texas on various items of clothing, loves George Strait and Willie Nelson, knows all the words to “The Eyes of Texas”, goes crazy over high school football, and considers the Alamo sacred ground. I depart from most of my fellow Texans because I don’t drink beer or iced tea—but still believe there is no good Tex-Mex food north of the Red River. I married a fellow Texan, not a native, but still a Bluebonnet-loving, cowboy-boot-owning Texan.

That said, hubby and I have both traveled a little and love people and places from all around the world. Our grown children are now traveling to places far beyond our comfortable borders, and we are so blessed to get to love people from more remote corners of the globe. But I guess that is also Texan—loving people—and we do.

My husband and I are the proud parents of eight children. Clark 25, Katy 23, Preston 20, Annie 18, Kent 16, Callie 13, Carson 11 and Dawson 9. They are the eight finest children I’ve ever known. I am such a better person because I have the privilege of being their mother. They are often the conduit through which God chooses to teach me. You can tell how much I had to learn by how many children were sent to help get the message across! Through this blog, I’ll share as much of what I’ve learned, and what I continue to learn, as possible. Today’s post will just set the stage.

The geography of the land of Bateman had a drastic change on February 1, 2000. Our youngest son, Dawson, was born with a severe brain injury. He tied a true hand-over-hand knot in the umbilical cord, suffering periodic prenatal anoxia. This knot had to be tied by three months gestation because after that time, babies are just too big to do that kind of swimming. I knew something wasn’t right before Dawson was born, but didn’t make any fuss about it—hoping it was just a “different” pregnancy. I knew within hours of delivery that he wasn’t nursing like the other seven babies had, he didn’t sleep the same either. Something was wrong. By six days of age, I was CERTAIN something was wrong and dashed to my beloved pediatrician for help. After examining Dawson, he was pronounced perfectly healthy, I was told to get more rest, and sent packing.

At the four-month well check, I was all of a sudden correct in my “hunches”. Something was VERY wrong. Dawson had nystagmus and alternating convergent strabismus. The combination of these two conditions usually results in cortical visual suppression or impairment—in other words, blindness. This condition (CVI) is often accompanied by mobility issues and cognitive impairment. This is often called global developmental delay or pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Not only was something wrong, the news got worse—there was nothing I could do about it. Remembering what a proud and stubborn Texan I am, you can imagine I wasn’t about to take that news lying down. I left the pediatrician’s office with a tear-stained face and more determination than usually fits inside one body.

Within just a few days, God brought a wonderful woman into my life—Cindy Dees. Cindy had a daughter who’d had similar issues and she introduced me to a program where parents receive training and become therapists for their children with neurological difficulties. Her daughter was doing spectacularly well, and so I listened. She taught me why Dawson’s vision problem was NOT in his eyes, but in his brain. She taught me some basic information about how to help my son and what we could do to get started. We didn’t wait, we jumped right in and our family went to work right away.

That is the beginning of the change. The change that taught me to seek out the root cause of problems, not just chase the symptoms. The change that taught me that parents are the best teachers and therapists in the world. The change that taught me to stay the course and work hard to get the desired improvements. The change that taught me the brain is a spectacular organ and is one of the final frontiers of anatomy understanding. The change that lit an unquenchable fire that drives me to learn and then share with other parents how they can help their precious child.

Dawson is now nine years old. He is doing amazingly well. His biggest concern in life is that he isn’t finishing his schoolwork on time. He reads, he does math, he has his first crush on a little girl in his class, he plays with his friends on the playground. He’s never qualified for special education or any other “services.” His work is all at grade level. He isn’t at 100% of expected neurological function yet—about 85%. But what started as a severe injury is now mild. Thank goodness we know what to do, how to do it and to hang in there because sometimes changes take time.

Every child in my family has benefited from my knowledge about child brain development. We’ve solved many problems that we see other families “coping” with. Because of the success I’ve experienced and my Texan nature, I determined to become trained so I could help other parents in an organized way. I couldn’t bear to see one more mother suffer the heartbreak of thinking her child could never (fill in the blank). I believe in every child’s potential to be well and I see children every day who are becoming just that—-well! Even though their peers continue to struggle with the same challenges. Even though the doctors or teachers or therapists said they would never be able to go beyond certain boundaries. Even though the odds were stacked against them.

So every day, I get to do what I love. I love teaching about brain development in terms that everyone can understand. I love putting parents in the driver’s seat of their child’s development. I love empowering families to help every precious child realize their full potential. And you’ll love understanding your child and knowing how to help them progress!

The Brain That Changes Itself---Book Review

2011-03-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

by Dr. Norman Doidge

This is the inaugural Book Review/Book Give Away for the Parents With Purpose Blog. Each quarter I will review a book that is applicable to the topic of brain development. Everyone who leaves a reasonable comment on the review (spam, porn and inappropriate responses will be deleted), will be entered into a random drawing for a copy of the book which was reviewed. Be sure to check back on the blog to see if you are the winner so I can get an address for the book to be mailed.

The first book I’ve chosen to review and give away is: The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge. This book is available in many public libraries and is on the New York Times Best Seller List.

In this book, Dr. Doidge shares the story of 11 different people who have changed their brains or changed the brains of many others through their research. Some of those included are Paul Bach-y-Rita, Barbara Arrowsmith Young, Michael Merzenich, Walter J. Freeman, Edward Taub, Jeffrey M. Schwartz, V.S. Ramachandran, Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Eric Kandel, Frederick Gage, Dr. Jordan Grafman, and others.

Chapter 3, entitled “Redesigning the Brain” is devoted to the work of Michael Merzenich, one of my personal favorites. Merzenich is the founder of the company Scientific Learning. One of Scientific Learning’s products is a family of programs called Fast Forword. I have personally used these products with my own family and know them to be very effective. However, the reason Merzenich is one of my favorite neuroscientists is because of what I’ve learned from reading about him in Dr. Doidge’s book. Here are some quotes from the chapter about Merzenich that I found most enlightening:

“Merzenich claims that when learning occurs in a way consistent with the laws that govern brain plasticity, the mental “machinery” of the brain can be improved so that we learn and perceive with greater precision, speed and retention.” Wow! Isn’t precision, speed and retention what we’re ALL chasing? Isn’t that exactly what we want for our children? If we can change how we’re working with the information getting into the brain, we can improve all three. That’s exciting to me.

“There is an endless war of nerves going on inside each of our brains. If we stop exercising our mental skills, we do not just forget them: the brain map space for those skills is turned over to the skills we practice instead.” Use it or lose it. We don’t really OWN anything in our brain, it is always part of the “endless war of nerves”. Very encouraging for us to keep up our edge.

Setting for the following quote: Merzenich had done brain mapping and proven that brain maps could alter their borders, location & change their functions well into adulthood. Now the quote:
“Almost everybody I knew in the mainstream of neuroscience thought this was semi-serious stuff—that the experiments were sloppy, that the effects described were uncertain. But actually the experiment had been done enough times that I realized that the position of the majority was arrogant and indefensible. Can I get an “amen”? I have found so many people who hide inside that comfortable fort of believing the brain cannot change, or there are time limits to neuroplasticity, etc. I wonder HOW ON EARTH they can ignore the endless volume of research. I wonder EVEN MORE how they can ignore the families whose lives are changed because their children have made dramatic improvement. I have to agree with Merzenich, “arrogant and indefensible.”

“The reward is a crucial feature of the program, because each time the child is rewarded, his brain secretes such neurotransmitters as dopamine and acetylcholine, which help consolidate the map changes he has just made. (Dopamine reinforces the reward and acetylcholine helps the brain “tune in” and sharpen memories.)” When we are working with our children, we need to remain positive and REWARD their efforts. We need to be very creative in our efforts to motivate them. It is very easy to become negative and just want them to “get it done.” We have hard scientific research that teaches us to focus on appropriate rewards, such as increased affection and lots of WAHOO and other privileges. I’m not a fan of children getting “stuff” for their efforts. After all, what all children really want is the undivided attention of an adult who loves them. I cannot over-emphasize this in what I’ve experienced. Thanks to Merzenich, I can understand why.

From chapter 4, “Acquiring Tastes and Loves”:
“The plastic influence of pornography on adults can also be profound, and those who use it have no sense of the extent to which their brains are reshaped by it.” The word reshaped is very powerful here. Those who peddle this insidious product say it is a harmless pleasure. It isn’t. It is literally changing the shape of a brain. Perhaps this fact will help others avoid it.

From chapter 7, “Pain”, conclusions from Ramachandran:
“Pain is an opinion on the organism’s state of health rather than a mere reflexive response to an injury.” Completely changes how we see and understand the pain response!!!

“Think how remarkable this is—for a most excrutiating, chronic pain, a whole new treatment that uses imagination and illusion to restructure brain maps plastically without medication, needles, or electricity.” For those in chronic pain, this is revolutionary and life-changing.

From chapter 8, “Imagination”:
” . . . a part of the brain devoted to one sense had become devoted to another.” The implications could be far-reaching! Could we recruit another area of the brain to restore vision if the visual cortex is physically damaged? This supports Merzenich’s work that brain plasticity is allocated on a use it or lose it basis.

“Each thought alters the physical state of your brain synapses at a microscopic level.” I guess they understood this principal at some level back in Old Testament days, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he . . . Proverbs 23. The positive mental attitude guys will attest to this also.

From Chapter 9, “Turning Our Ghosts Into Ancestors”:
“Kandel’s work shows that when we learn, our minds also affect which genes in our neurons are transcribed. Thus we can shape our genes, which in turn shape our brain’s microscopic anatomy.” I sometimes hear people comment about particularly-accomplished students, that they are smart like their parents. In its simplest application (perhaps a bit over-simplified), if you want “smart” transcribed into your dna to be inherited by your children, LEARN. It works.”

From chapter 10, “Rejuvenation”:

“Recent research shows that exercise stimulates the production and release of the neuronal growth factor BDNF.” My 17-year-old son, a Varsity football play in Football Heaven, aka Texas, would say this fact is HUGE. Athletes have long been chasing something to help them achieve maximum growth in height and muscle strength. They have, unfortunately, gone so far as to try to chemically replicate human growth hormones. Many, many substances are banned from competitive sports. There have been hearings in Congress about the abuse of these substances in high school, college, amateur and professional sports. There is, however, GREAT news for everyone with a brain. There is a LEGAL activity which will stimulate the production and release of a BRAIN GROWTH FACTOR. That legal activity is exercise. Your brain literally grows and organizes as a result. Simple, inexpensive, and effective way to protect your brain from the ravages of disease and age. Much, much better than sudoku or crossword puzzles. Plus there are cardiovascular and other benefits as well. Nike was right when they said, “Do it”.

In conclusion, I will say once again, I looooooove this book. It should encourage every one of us to strive for a better, healthier and more productive life for our children and ourselves. For many of the years I have been trying to share the principles of brain growth through stimulation, people have said, “Show me the research and I’ll believe you. Until I see scientific research, I won’t.” Well thank you, Dr. Doidge, because I can point those folks to a book that is widely available and is easy to read. This is written for everyday folks in language we all relate to.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to go re-read it!

Being Thankful

2011-03-01T12:17:00.003-08:00

With Thanksgiving having just past and the Christmas season in full bloom, I had to post about a recent conversation I had with a dear friend whose child had been on the program for a few years. We were discussing all the things she had been through over time so that her child has now arrived at being practically well. There have been many ups and downs. There have been times of clear progress, times of “status quo”, and times of regression. But she stayed the course and continued completing the program each day with her child. (only 5-ish days per week)

What struck me about our conversation was when she said she was grateful for all the time she spent creeping & crawling with her child. Not too many parents have fond things to say about creeping & crawling so I had to hear more. She talked about time spent pretending they were in different battles of the American Revolution. She told me how they crawled and crept their way through many of the battles and fended off the Redcoats to gain their independence from Great Britain. There were hilarious stories of ways in which her child had interpreted different events. The Revolution through the perspective of a child is indeed very interesting.

She also spoke of how it had focused her time with her child. Without needing her to pay undivided attention to creeping & crawling, it would have been very easy to be distracted by phone calls, email, social events, television, etc. But because her efforts HAD to be focused, they were. She was exclusively focused on her child, his perspective in accomplishing his creeping/crawling distances, and the goal of a well-organized brain.

She also talked about what it taught her child. When her child needed her, she was there. She placed this priority above all others. She stayed with her child when it wasn’t so much fun to be creeping & crawling. She was there when it was exciting to re-enact the battle scenes, and even when it wasn’t exciting. She gave her child the confidence of knowing that his mother was on his side—always—even when it was hard. She would always hang in there–and her child had the wonderful security of knowing it.

For these and other reasons, my friend was grateful for the time she spent creeping & crawling with her child.

I have had wonderful adventures with my son during our creeping & crawling time. When he was younger, he was a Thomas the Tank Engine fan(atic), so we played endless games. I always had to be Diesel 10 with the jagged claw (at his insistence), while my son would be various other characters racing to escape my evil character. I would talk in a crazy voice and even used the BBQ tongs as my jagged claw. My son very favorably remembers the Thomas games. He also said it is how he knows that I know how to play.

As Dawson grew older, his interests evolved to animals (especially dogs). So I would walk behind him as he crept and crawled, reading novels to him. I was able to expose him to literature that was more sophisticated than he was able to read on his own. One such book was “Where the Red Fern Grows”. We loved the adventures and were able to compare earning a pair of hound dogs to working hard to organize a brain. We sat down and cried together when Old Dan and Little Ann died. We had similar experiences with “Old Yeller”, “Swiss Family Robinson”, “Lassie Come Home”, “Bridge to Terabithia”, “Tale of Despereuax” and many others.

Because my son has four older brothers that are all super athletes, he felt he couldn’t be as cool as them because he can’t run fast (yet). But now he has confidence that he CAN do hard things. He runs his own races and has equated creeping & crawling with long-distance running. He accomplishes a marathon distance each month on his hands & knees. His brothers really respect how hard he works and tell him they don’t work any harder during football workouts. The respect has gone both ways—he adores his big brothers and they honor his diligence, persistence and tremendous effort.

After talking with my friend, I realized that I, too, am grateful for the time spent creeping & crawling. I’m grateful that in my busy life I have taken (and still take) time to focus on the goal of my son being well—WITH MY SON. It has been overall a sweet experience. We have had our tough days, but we worked through them and stayed the course. We learned together that we do what is right even when it’s hard.

I have come to see the challenge of creeping & crawling as an invitation to be focused on your child, to work together to achieve a lofty goal, to manage your time better, to prioritize your commitments, and especially to maintain perspective on your desired outcome—a neurologically well-organized child.

A big “thank you” to my friend who expressed her gratitude. Her focus and persistence shows up in the neurological organization of her child. She is a terrific example for me and I hope by sharing a bit of our conversation, you will be uplifted also. We can do this. The way has been trod before us and we can get the same prize.

I’m ready!!!

Is Your Child Worth It?

2011-03-01T12:17:00.001-08:00

Tonight I attended a performance of the Plano Senior High School Chamber Orchestras. There were three different ensembles of four musicians each. They played pieces by Mendelssohn, Ravel and others. The pieces were 9 to 15 minutes long and they were gorgeous! The musicians were very talented and skilled.

As I listened to this beautiful music, I began to wonder about how much practice time it had taken for these musicians to come to this moment in time prepared to play these difficult pieces so beautifully. I began to guestimate that a violinist would practice a minimum of 2 hours a day (although most practice much more than this). I supposed they would begin to practice in the 6th grade, since that is when the school orchestra program begins (although I personally know many of these violinists began to play as early as age three). Since these students are now in 12th grade, I estimated 2 hours per day for six years giving a total time of 4,380 hours. This is roughly the equivalent of working a full-time job for two years. This is a very conservative estimate, but WOW, that is a lot of time and effort! I haven’t even considered the investment of time from their parents—making sure they practice, driving them to/from lessons and performances, attending their performances, etc. The amount of money invested is also considerable—lessons and instruments are certainly not inexpensive.

Was this significant investment of time and money worth the return? It was certainly wonderful for me as an audience member, but it wasn’t MY time or money. I began to look at the parents of these musicians. Amongst the crowd, it was OBVIOUS who they were. They were positively radiant with joy. They were the first ones out of their seats to give a standing ovation. They were hugging their child at the reception after the performance. I even saw a few misty-eyed parents. They were very animated in their conversations. I heard comments such as, “You were wonderful!” “I am so proud of you!” “That was the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard!”

The musicians themselves were beaming. They had done well and they knew it. They were basking in the praise and attention they were receiving. They were enthralled with the music as they performed. This was the culminating performance for their high school career—and they nailed it.

I would have to say the musicians and their parents would whole-heartedly say “Yes, it was all worth it. We paid a price and the return is glorious.”

This was a very enjoyable experience, but it was only twelve musicians. What about the other orchestra members? What about the children who didn’t make the orchestra? What about the children who couldn’t begin to handle such a commitment because they are struggling just to barely make it through their classes? Is someone investing in them? If so, is the return worth the investment?

So many children are not enjoying the glow of success enjoyed by the PSHS Chamber Orchestras. Some of them are barely surviving their classes. They aren’t receiving praise from their parents and teachers. They are hearing “You just need to apply yourself.” “I know you can do this, you’re just not trying hard enough.” “You’ll never get anywhere in life if you don’t learn how to knuckle down and work.” “All the other kids in class can do this—why can’t you?” It goes on and on and on, day after day, week after week, year after year. Just as the cumulative effect of years of practice produced a beautiful result for the chamber orchestra, years of negative messages can produce a child who is downtrodden, self-doubting, or perhaps even angry. The contrast is heart wrenching.

Where are the parents of the struggling children? They’re probably feeling as hurt and negative as the children themselves. They had high hopes and dreams for their precious child. They know in their hearts their child has tremendous potential, but try as they might, they have not been able to unlock that treasure chest. They have been the recipient of many negative messages themselves. Their devotion and parenting skills have been insulted countless times.

Is there a way to bridge the gap between the children who are doing beautifully and those who are suffering? Is medication the only possible way to help? Is the medication even helpful? Isn’t there SOMETHING parents can do? Some way they can invest in their child just as the orchestra parents did? I believe there is. I see it happen every day with families who are working very hard to give their children every opportunity in life to succeed. It is demanding of family resources—just like orchestra or band or football or soccer or Student Council, etc. It requires devotion and investment in the same way EVERY activity does. We just need parents and others working with these students to see that THEY ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT! The potential IS there and CAN be unlocked—but the work and diligence come before the reward. The practice comes many times before the concert. It is the same principle.

So what do we do? How can we possibly help? I believe the first step is to focus on the root cause of the problem, and that is in the brain. The brain is responsible for auditory processing, control of movement–both voluntary and involuntary, visual processing culminating with reading, understanding unspoken communication, retrieval of information, etc. These are all very important skills for success in the classroom and in life.

We need to focus on stimulating the brain in an orderly and EFFECTIVE way to provide these skills for children who are struggling. We need to invest time and resources into making sure these children have the possibility of succeeding.

Is your child worth it? Can they work two hours per day to achieve these goals of being able to be academically successful, physically coordinated and socially gracious? Will we, as parents, put forth the same effort for them? Will we make sure they are “practicing” and getting the instruction they need? Will we stay in the game when they are not yet succeeding, but making small bits of progress? Will we remain positive and focused on that culminating performance?

Those are questions you must answer for yourself. Is your child worth it?

How Do I Know . . .?

2011-03-01T12:16:00.001-08:00

Parents have often asked me questions that begin with, “How do I know . . .?” They finish the question with various phrases such as, ” . . . if I should be worried about these problems in preschool/kindergarten?” ” . . . if the teacher is being fair to my child?” ” . . . if they’ll just outgrow this?” Regardless of what they ask, it all boils down to the same question. “How do I know if I should take action?”

Usually, the answer lies within the question itself. If you are feeling unsettled enough to seek an outside opinion, often you already know you need to pay attention. As parents, we often know deep inside that perhaps our child is not thriving in the way we had hoped. Because there are many variables in classroom settings, we often look at other possibilities as the root cause of the problem. Perhaps the teacher doesn’t like our child and she is nit-picking about behaviors. Perhaps the expectations are unreasonable for attention span and the appropriate behaviors. Perhaps there are too many children in the class, or too few. Perhaps this school isn’t a good fit for our child’s learning style. Perhaps our child is surrounded by children who are exceptionally gifted, so our child doesn’t seem to shine. Perhaps the other children’s parents are over-achievers who push their child.

Too many of the parents I counsel say, “I knew back in preschool something wasn’t going quite right. Looking back, I should have been more pro-active at that point. Now I’ve got a bigger problem on my hands.” “I didn’t believe there was a problem until I was forced to visit my child’s classroom. I can’t believe I didn’t see this sooner.” “Truly our child has the same issues at home, we have just been denying it.”

If you are concerned, that’s how you know. Certainly there are occasionally circumstances that are unfair, or disagreeable teachers, or poor schools—-but those are generally the exception. If your child is not keeping up with his peers, you know. If your child is struggling in social situations, you know. If your child is not as physically coordinated as the rest of the class, you know. If you child is struggling academically, you know.

The REAL question is, “I know something is going awry, what do I do about it now?” That is a question that can really begin to get you on the pathway to improvement. That is the question I can help you answer. Those other questions—you already know.

How Dare They!!!

2011-03-01T12:15:00.001-08:00

I attended a baby shower on Sunday. While there I saw a young woman I’ve known for several years. She is now a neuroscience major who works part time as a scribe for physicians in an emergency room. She is very excited about becoming an emergency room physician and shared some of her favorite work experiences.

She said that her saddest experiences are when she has to tell families that their loved ones are brain injured and there is nothing that can be done for them. I suggested that perhaps there are things that can be done. She vehemently disagreed—insisting the brain is irreparable. I tried to explain some of the work I do every day. She said it couldn’t possibly be true—in the arrogant sort of manner that one can only learn in medical school. I remained calm and asked her if she would be willing to entertain the notion of brain plasticity if she could be shown supporting research. She replied that she would, but re-emphasized that she was certain that any such research is probably flawed or misinterpreted.

I am going to send her “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge. I will also send her a reading list that will include Magic Trees of the Mind by Marian Diamond, The Emperor’s New Mind by Roger Penrose, Brain Plasticity & Behavior by Bryan Kolb and The Mind & the Brain by Sharon Begley. Believe me, there are many more titles worthy of the list. But I am ONLY sending book titles that are available in our local public library.

So this is where the “How Dare They?” title was born. This young lady’s ignorance and arrogance was taught to her in one of the country’s leading brain research universities. May I repeat “leading brain research universities”!!!!! HOW DARE THEY?

They are teaching this compassionate, sweet, bright, motivated young woman to write people off like yesterday’s garbage. They are teaching her to routinely and callously remove any hope families may have for their loved ones to recover. And it gets WORSE—they are training up AN ENTIRE GENERATION of new physicians to practice medicine in the same manner!!!

How could this possibly happen? Are they just missing the information—it just hasn’t gotten to them? I don’t see how this could be the case—-remember all those books are available in the local public library. Also, The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge is a New York Times Best Seller! Every day, Google Alerts brings to my inbox a LOAD of the latest research and every single new study SUPPORTS the principles of brain growth as a result of stimulation—and that the growth brings improved function and can even be helpful in preventing such maladies as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Don’t those neuroscience professors read the journals publishing this research?

Temple Fay began exploring the brain’s ability to heal and improve before World War II. He was figuratively tarred and feathered and forced out of Temple University’s Medical School. But that was decades ago. Since that time scientists such as Merzenich, Diamond, Neubauer, Harch, Klovoski, Taub and many more have proven through the countless hours of obeying the Scientific Method that the brain can and does change and improve.

So, how dare they? Not only are they willing to dash hope and deny potential, but they are disregarding the proven work of dozens of scientists—their colleagues!

I can’t say why this is happening—I do have my theories, but that is a blog for another day. But I can say that it is still happening right before my very eyes.

I can also say this—-if anyone ever tells you your loved one is NEVER going to improve, grow, progress, change, etc.—-DON’T take their word for it. Do your own research. Find out about the people who are succeeding in helping people recover. According to one of the leading brain research universities in the country, you have nothing to lose. According to a large part of the scientific community (and me), you have everything to gain.

Why Should I Pay Attention?

2011-03-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Many times when I invite parents to attend the Brain Development Seminar, I get responses such as: “My child is doing fine, I don’t have any reason to take a class like that,” or “That sounds like an interesting topic, but my children don’t need any extra help.” “Gosh, my baby isn’t even born yet, why would I need to learn that kind of stuff.” It is to this line of thought that I address my post today. Initially, I had a difficult time understanding how someone would miss the relevance of brain development as a vital topic for everyone. Then I thought back to my way of thinking BEFORE my youngest child was born and I had an emergency need to learn about brain development—when I had ONLY seven children. (I know, not too many people say “only” and “seven” followed by the word “children”. LOL!) When I had ONLY seven children, they were all “wonder buckets”. They succeeded fairly easily in school overall—some were the very top of their class but we’d had a brush with “ADD” issues with one child. Still, everyone was very intelligent, very athletic and adept in social interaction. They had lots of friends, made good grades, succeeded on sports teams. It was tempting to think I knew the mothering game better than most because I had seven great kids to prove it—-and I fell to that temptation, sorry to say.

Then Dawson was born. I truly believe he was sent to our family to show us what we didn’t know (which was plenty). After I took my first seminar in brain development (it was five 12-hour days and I had to fly over 1300 miles to get there), I began to see what I had been missing.

#1–My children weren’t doing as well as I thought they were. As I learned what normal brain development really looked like, I learned some of the “personality quirks” or “this just isn’t his/her strength” or “he/she can do it sometimes, just doesn’t apply it all the time” or “they’re just bored so they’re not performing” were REALLY areas where I could help them do better with orderly, organized stimulation for their brain. I also saw some things I’d labeled as normal “phases” of challenge were really a sign that I needed to pay attention.

#2–Even if my child is doing well, there is no reason to withhold the chance for them to do even better. One of my daughters taught herself to read and is now graduating with a GPA over 4.0. But there were some areas I could have helped her in. I wish I would have known how fantastic it is for young children to learn foreign languages. It grows the brain in the language processing centers in a fantastic way. Exposure as a young child lays down neuronal pathways that can benefit them for the rest of their life. Wish I’d known. Another daughter is an excellent student—an especially good writer. She has a singing voice that is phenomenal and she is able to relate to people very well because she is good at reading social cues. However, she is not as good as physical skills as she would have liked. Learning to drive was another big challenge for her (AND for the white-knuckled parents in the passenger seat!!!). Once I understood brain development, I learned that these challenges rooted back to her cerebellum and spatial awareness. I learned that she cried when, as an infant, we tossed her in the air and put her in the swings because she needed MORE vestibular stimulation, NOT less. We could have helped grow those pathways with a very simple and FUN program. Wish I’d known. This list could go on for a long time because I have two or three “Wish I’d Known” items for every single child. Cutting to the chase, though, my kids were doing well, but I could have helped them do better. I could have helped them broaden their horizons and taken away some of the limits on their choices. It would have been fairly simple—Wish I’d Known!

#3–You never know when a challenge may arise. My third daughter (sixth child)was born as one of the brightest, most motivated, go-getter-type of children I’d ever seen. She was determined to keep up with her older siblings from the moment she got home from the hospital–and surprisingly, she usually did just that. It wasn’t until she was in Kindergarten that signs of dyslexia could no longer be ignored. Her Kindergarten teacher said she was the smartest little girl she’d ever known, who couldn’t read. This came totally out of the blue for us. Emotionally, it was catastrophic for my daughter because she shared a room with her older sister who taught herself to read before age 4. Her older sister stayed almost every night reading wonderful and exciting books. Daughter #3 wanted so much to have this same love of reading and tried with every ounce of might she had. The good news was that her parents already knew how to approach the brain, how to pinpoint the root cause of the issues, and who to turn to for advice on continued stimulation for her brain. We could have been in a crisis situation, but had confidence because we already had the information.

#4—Understanding how the brain works, helped me begin to understand other adults and even myself. There are some adults that have trouble making decisions, causing stress in certain situations. Once I learned how this related to having uniform hemispheric dominance, I began to be more understanding. I also began to present choices in less confusing ways and even presenting fewer choices. There are other times when I feel especially irritable and emotional. After I learned about the limbic system (emotion is housed mainly in this area of the brain) and that it is 80%+ water, I did a better job keeping myself hydrated and reaped more calm for me and the family. After I learned about the amygdala and the role of smells in emotional processing, I was more careful about having constant air freshener smells in my home.
I look at people so much differently now. I am much more respectful of their intelligence and abilities. I am much more compassionate for their struggles.

#5—I learned about my own health. Some of the most terrible diseases that affect us in our golden years originate in the brain. Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, etc. I learned about ways to develop “brain reserve” as a way to help avoid the terrible tragedies families endure when these diseases strike. Understanding my own role in the health of my brain was very empowering. This is not just rolling the dice. I can be pro-active and make simple changes to invest in a healthy future.

#6–Fill in the blank As I attended classes with dozens of other parents, I saw each of them gleaning knowledge for their own lives. Because their lives and their situations are different than mine, they were focusing on different pieces of this information that was especially applicable for them. As I now teach classes, I see this same process happening. One person really relates to emotional development, while the other sees a real opportunity for how physical development changes the brain. As they hear the information, they filter it through their unique place in the world at this time. Without exception parents remark that they have been looking for or wondering about a solution to a particular problem and now they have a new perspective. Now they have a solution. So will you.

These are a few things I hope you will consider when opportunities arise to learn about how brains grow and develop. There is a LOT of information coming out every day. Don’t be overwhelmed by trying to sift through and understand every word of it. But don’t avoid learning more about one of the most important pieces of equipment you and your children are blessed to have—the brain. I’m here to help if you’ll let me.

How Can Your Stomach Affect Your Brain----REALLY???

2011-03-01T12:13:00.001-08:00

There is a regional dairy chain where I buy milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc. for my family. It is an extra stop on my grocery run, but the milk has no added hormones and is from a regional, local dairy which grows its own feed—and they don’t charge an arm and a leg for their products. I think they actually taste remarkably better than grocery store brands. Again, it’s out of my way, but I think it’s worth it. (For those of you who live near me, it is Braum’s. I plug them because I think they’re pretty good at what they do. They don’t pay me—they don’t even KNOW I plug them. But give them a try—plus you can get some decent ice cream while you’re there!)

The cashier on my last visit was a very young, and I will say, inexperienced young woman who asked me why I would come to a special store just to buy dairy products. I replied with the reasons I’ve just listed for you. She said, “So.” I then explained to her that my vocation was a brain development specialist and that quality foods were very important from a neurodevelopmental perspective. She responded, “How can your stomach affect your brain?” I nearly fell over. Really? Really?? Was there still someone left on the planet who doesn’t watch the news about how important nutrition is to your brain? I was stunned even further when she asked me how food affected your brain since food went down and your brain was up. It would have been hilarious if it weren’t so tragic.

So I am writing today with some basic information that is widely available and accepted. I know and subscribe to some “out there” nutrition, but what I’m sharing today is VERY foundational. This is the preschool of brain nutrition information.

#1 Artificial stuff is not good for you. Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives are NOT GOOD FOR YOU. When you read the list of ingredients, if you can’t pronounce it, or it has a # on it, it probably shouldn’t go in your mouth. Artificial sweeteners are neurotoxins—aspartame, Nutrasweet, Splenda, and any of their cousins are frankly detrimental to your brain. Artificial sweeteners have been shown to INHIBIT weight loss. Your digestive system was not built for them and must work overtime to process these—all the while having to steal nutrients from other tissues in order to do the digestive work, since a lot of the artificially manufactured stuff is often nutritionally bankrupt. Oh yeah, artificially manufactured “enriched” vitamins aren’t too great either. Vitamins/minerals from their natural source are exponentially better at the job than their man-made counterparts. Again, artificial stuff is not good for you.

#2 Convenience food is NOT really convenient. I’ve lived a long time on a typical American diet and I have experimented with the changes I’m recommending. I KNOW that you can scramble 10 eggs in the same amount of time it takes to toast ONE frozen waffle. I KNOW that I can make my own tacos, hamburgers and burritos in less time that it takes to start the car, drive to the “restaurant”, wait in line to get our food and then get home. I admit that I order significantly large quantities because of my family size—-but that means I’m cooking those same quantities and the cooking is still faster. Microwaving your food changes it at the molecular level and it makes the food taste differently. Can that be good? We’ve learned that steaming vegetables takes just about the same amount of time as microwaving. The steamed vegetables taste sooo much better (like they were intended to taste) and the kids eat double portions now. We’re wondering how we ever thought that frozen waffles, microwaving food, and fast food drive-thru lanes were convenient. They’re NOT—they take just as much time and MORE money. Convenience food is not convenient.

#3 Drink water. Your brain is up to 70% water. Your kidneys need water to purify your blood and use that same water to excrete toxins through sweat and urination. When you drink anything else—juice, coffee, tea, milk, soda, or alcohol—you are adding extra work to the load of your kidneys. This is especially a problem if you’re ignoring #1 and your kidneys have a LOT of toxins to filter. Your kidneys will have to filter out all the stuff in what you’ve been drinking to get to the component of water. Then they still have their original job to perform—filtering out toxins. Your entire body is estimated to be 60-70% water and EVERY system in your body depends on water. There is an easy formula to remember for how much water you should drink each day. Take your body weight in pounds. Divide that number in half. Drink that number of ounces as a minimum each day. Example: If a person weighed 100 pounds, they should drink a minimum of 50 ounces of water each day.

#4 Don’t drink soda. It contains artificial EVERYTHING. The acid in soda is very powerful—save it to clean your golf clubs and dissolve the corrosion off your car battery. Many people drink soda with artificial sweeteners. I know lots of great people addicted to diet soda. If you are addicted to something, that could be one of your first clues that it’s NOT good for you.

#5 Please eat complete proteins—especially at breakfast. The 21 amino acids that make a complete protein are the building blocks for brain tissue and muscles—-among other important things. Some people go days without eating a complete protein, yet they expect their bodies and especially their brains, to work tirelessly and efficiently. I have seen the best source of complete proteins to be from animal sources. It is very difficult to get enough complete proteins for growing children from vegan diets—especially if you do your research about soy. Because of this difficulty, it makes variety even more difficult. I believe variety is important for a wide nutrient base. This may not be a popular position, but it is the position I have seen be effective and produce the best health.

#6 Limit sugar. Insulin responses are linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. High blood sugar levels are complicit in high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, obesity, etc. Sugar is absent of any nutritional value and thus must steal nutrients from other tissue to do the digestion work. Stevia is a good, natural sweetener that does not have a negative insulin affect. Honey actually contains nutrients so it supports its own digestion. There are a lot of other sweeteners out there–agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, cultured cane juice, etc.—but they are usually still nutritionally negative. Do your own research, but please limit sugar.

#7 Make 60-80% of your diet vegetables. They are delicious, versatile, affordable, healthy, colorful and friendly. Okay, they’re not really friendly, but they’re sooooo good for us that I just had to throw that in there. If organic vegetables are not in your budget, please wash them VERY well. You can add fruits to this category, but they should not be a large part of your veggie portions. Fruits are wonderful, delicious and a GREAT way to replace processed foods. Don’t substitute fruits for vegetables, just ADD fruits.

One important fact needs to be discussed which makes the above 7 suggestions more relative to brain health. Fifty percent of your neurotransmitters are manufactured in your digestive system. Half of the chemicals carrying messages around your brain are made in your gut!!! Do you really want those swimming around in an ocean of chocolate pre-sweetened cereal in hormone/antibiotic laden milk? I certainly don’t.

It is my opinion AND experience that many children with symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder and/or Hyperactivity would see significant improvement if they JUST made the above-listed changes. Would it take extra work on the part of the parents? YEP! Would the parents get dirty looks from friends, teachers and grandparents by restricting bad foods? YEP! Will people have to return to cooking meals and not eating out? YEP! Will your child scream, yell, and throw a ballistic fit to get their favorite junk foods? YEP! Will some children even refuse to eat for a short time if they don’t get the food they want? YEP! All these obstacles can be overcome with a backbone, a kind tone and patience. I’ve seen it work hundreds of times. And is the return worth the investment? DOUBLE YEP!!

Take one change at a time and in a few weeks you’ll have a new and improved healthy family!

Disclaimer: Special occasions are special for most folks. Some children are so adversely affected by foods that they cannot ever make exceptions. However, that is NOT most children. Consider using the 90/10 rule. Ninety percent of the time we eat what is best for us. Ten percent of the time we have holidays, celebrations, treats. It’s reasonable and it’s so very do-able!

Remodeling Our Bathroom

2011-03-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

For Christmas last year, I asked my husband for a new floor in the upstairs bathroom. It was beyond awful and replacing it should have been done long ago. I must add here that this bathroom is LARGE—100 square feet. This would not be just a job for a few little tiles.

To begin the job, we asked a friend with a LOT of construction experience to come over and give us his opinion. After he arrived, Construction Friend and hubby went into the bathroom. When Construction Friend left, the floor was ripped up—and the SUB floor, and the walls around the tub, and the wainscoting (1970′s ugly paneling), and the built-in cabinets, and the toilet, and the mirrors, and the wallpaper. It was basically gutted—exposed wall studs and floor joists! The tub was still in place, but that was ALL. Needless to say, I was a little overwhelmed. My husband is not a DIY kind of guy and I have no experience with bathroom remodeling.

Well, it’s rolling up to one year later now and we’re ALMOST finished with the bathroom. We have learned sooo much—a lot of it by doing things wrong. We now know how to measure for tile correctly—including the spacers. We also know how to use the wet saw, re-set the toilet, re-texture a wall, install light fixtures, and that granite is VERY heavy.

I’ve had grout dust, paint dust (sanding walls), grout, primer, paint and joint compound in my hair, in my eyes, under my fingernails and up my nose. My back and head have both had frequent aches.

All the members of our family have spent time helping with the ripping out, measuring, re-measuring, grouting, tile setting, holding spacers for tile setters, etc. We’ve laughed, cried, kicked walls, and learned some bad words in various languages. We also talked a LOT.

Now the bathroom is GORGEOUS!!! We even had enough granite left over that it inspired us to replace the kitchen counters. We had enough tile left over that it inspired us to re-tile the downstairs shower and put in a new floor (ha!ha! we’ve come full circle back to the idea of a bathroom floor). Seriously, when people visit our home now I want to take them upstairs to see our bathroom. It’s so pretty, so functional, I’ve worked so hard there—-surely they want to see it!

So there is the “Remodeling Our Bathroom” part of the story. If I’d known how hard, time-consuming and expensive it would be I’m not sure I would have done it. But if I’d seen how beautifully it turned out, I would have done it five years earlier.

Now for the second part of the title, “Brains”. Well, our experience remodeling the bathroom is much like the experience of brain stimulation in order to improve function.

Just like inviting our Construction Friend over to guide us, it is a VERY good idea to consult a Neurodevelopmental Specialist to help you evaluate where you are and guide you on where to go next and how to get there. Please note that Construction Friend gave us guidance and expertise and even loaned us tools, but WE had to do the work. In much the same way, I’ll give you guidance and expertise and even some tools, but the work of growing and organizing your child’s brain is yours—gloriously yours.

Just like my feeling of being overwhelmed when I saw just exactly how much work needed to be done, many mothers feel overwhelmed when they learn just what a program for their child may entail. But because of his experience, Construction Friend knew we could it if we would just take one step at a time. I know YOU can do it if you’ll just take one step at a time and work patiently and consistently.

Just like my experience with the remodel, I learned setting tile, texturing walls, priming walls, installing new light fixtures, and grouting are not really that difficult. They take some planning and work, but are do-able with patience. In the same vein—creeping, crawling, teaching sound location, stimulating the sense of smell, stimulating the sense of touch and others—are not that hard. They take some planning and work, but are very do-able with patience.

Just like the less-than-fun sensations of having grout dust, mortar, primer and paint under my fingernails, in my hair and up my nose—sometimes doing a program is less than fun. Sometimes you just want to take a hot bath and get away. But we all know the finished product absolutely WILL NOT HAPPEN without all the less-than-fun stuff that has to happen first.

Just like our remodel, if you would have asked me in the MIDDLE of the job if it was worth it, I would have said NO WAY. But now that we have the finished product, I wish I had done it sooner. Sometimes in the middle of a program, it feels like it’s not worth it. Sometimes in the middle of a program it seems like it will never end. Sometimes it feels like the finished product will never be achieved. But the bathroom DID get finished and programs do, too. Children’s brains DO respond in a great way to stimulation and those same children grow up. The finished product is a child who is ready to spread their wings and become an independent adult. It’s an awesome sight—way better than my new bathroom. And once you catch the vision of that finished product, you’ll wish you would have started sooner.

Just like catching the vision of newly updated rooms inspired working in others rooms, stimulating brain organization and seeing results will change how you see EVERY child. You will understand what a little investment could do to unlock their potential. You will look past the struggles they may encounter and see how a well-organized neurological system could help them soar.

It’s great to be able to look back and see that we worked hard, pulled together as a family, and achieved something we didn’t think we were capable of. And you will have that same sense of accomplishment (times 100!) as you look back to see the road that led to the brain inside your physically coordinated, socially gracious, academically successful child.

I Know It's Hard

2011-03-01T12:04:00.001-08:00

I have a forum for folks to post questions and get answers and where they can also “associate” with others doing a brain development program for their children. I was recently checking on that forum and came upon a post I made a couple of years ago. The message is so true that I just had to post it on the blog—-so here it is. BTW, you can find the forum at www.parentswithpurpose.com/forum or by clicking forum from www.parentswithpurpose.com . Memberships are free, but must be approved—which means you’ll have to complete the registration form.

Without further delay—- “I Know It’s Hard”

I’ve been emailing and chatting with parents a lot lately (there are several parents who will think this is written about them individually, but relax, it’s a universal thing!) and there is a common thread that I’d like to explore a bit—this program is hard. And some days, it’s even harder. Amen to that!!

Unfortunately, though, parents seem to have the idea that if they think the program is hard, then they are not good parents somehow. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Good parents have bad days. Good parents get tired. Good parents want desperately for their child to be well—TODAY. Good parents forget how far they’ve come. Good parents need support to keep on keepin’ on.

I want everyone to know there have been days I have personally said, “To heck with it,” and gone to the movies or out for ice cream. I have had days when I have been impatient with Dawson when he dawdled around or whined. I have had days when I thought maybe Dawson was well enough—everyone has their challenges, right? I have had days when I thought I would cry if one more person told me I was a) crazy, b) too tightly wound, or c) a neurological “pushy stage mom.” And, of course, there have been days that I did just cry.

After some time deliberating on the things other parents have said and my own feelings, I’ve come to some conclusions. Mind you, these are NOT final conclusions—just some thoughts.

The first was wisdom given to me by a dear friend. She said, “Brain development is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” Wow! It’s really okay that my son isn’t completely well yet. I haven’t failed because we’re still in the battle. None of us get to choose how long this will take or how hard it will be—-I would have skipped this challenge altogether if given a choice 9 years ago. We can’t run so fast that we don’t have enough stamina to finish the race. But we also can’t run so slow that we’ll never finish the race. We have to pace ourselves according to our child’s needs, our family’s needs and our own strength. When my children run track, I’ve seen runners completely fall, but still get right back up and finish the race. This doesn’t happen with sprints, but certainly does with long distance races. We can get back up, and we have to if we want to finish the race—the journey to wellness for our child(ren).

The next one I learned through the encouragement of a person whose name I cannot remember. On the days when you are completely overwhelmed and life is caving in and you think you just cannot do program today—-do just one thing. Don’t let one day go by without SOMETHING for your child’s brain development being done. This was true inspiration for me. #1–If I did just one thing, it was still something for his brain. I didn’t ignore the problems we have, I did something. It kept me in the race, even if it was at a slow crawl. I didn’t get out of the habit of working with him and thinking of brain development. #2–Often just breaking the ice and doing ONE thing, led me to realize I could do much more. I learned that getting started was often the hurdle I had the hardest time navigating. I often began days saying, “I can only do one thing today,” but then said, “Well, I can do two, or three or four,” until I realized I’d done most, if not all, of his program that day. So, do at least ONE thing every day. If that’s all you can do, it’s all you can do—but you’ll find it often leads you to do more.

A very wise man (Emerson) once said, “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased”. It is very amazing to watch the growth of our children AND ourselves. Of course you can’t get it all done every day AND clean your house AND cook dinner AND do laundry AND teach Sunday School AND write your Congressmen today. But you can start small and get a little better each week. This is the reason for distances and sessions to start small in the beginning—both you and your child need to build up your stamina and capacity. You will figure out how to overlap and dovetail important tasks, and you will also figure out what is and is NOT important. However, this will take your patient practice and perseverance. Your power to do WILL increase.

Matthew Newell is to be credited for the next gem. Keep the problem the problem. The program is not the problem, the program is the answer to the problem. It’s so easy to get a little discombobulated and wish we could make the program go away. We could make the program go away, but we would still be stuck with the problem. It’s important to keep the program in our minds as an answer—not a challenge. So keep repeating this in your mind, “The program is not the problem, the problem is the problem. I am solving the problem.”

I know it’s hard—doing the program is a whole new lifestyle if your child is struggling. But I’ve had children (a few ) who are “well” and I’ve found that PARENTING is what’s hard. I signed up to be a parent 24 hours a day 7 days week and to do my best to get them to be healthy adults who can contribute positively to society. That’s a hard job no matter who your child is.

Lastly—-call, email, or whatever (except text) when you need help. I’m here to help. Don’t worry about interrupting my busy life. I’ll let you know if another time would be better for me—-I promise. I WANT to help you and support you. For those one the forum, there are also some pretty great folks there that will give you a virtual hug and a pat on the back. Everyone needs support and we need each other. When support and love are shared, both the giver and the receiver are enriched. Allow others to give those gifts to you—reach out and let us know when we can help.

Hang in there! You are the most amazing and awesome parents around. I am a better person for rubbing elbows with you and am blessed to be in your company.

Survival of the Sickest--Book Review

2011-03-01T12:01:00.002-08:00

Survival of the Sickest (A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease)

By Dr. Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince

This book was referred to me by a cousin who is an RN and works in an ICU. It sounded a little bit interesting, but it honestly took an empty afternoon in total isolation without other books available before I picked this one up. However, after 30 minutes of reading, I was hooked. The authors have masterfully told the story of hemachromatosis, epigenetics, toxoplasma gondii, and the Hayflick limit (and that’s just the beginning) and woven them all into the story of the human family. I honestly enjoyed the stories, and my understanding of the body was exponentially expanded. Here are some highlights:

“Remember how natural selection works. If a given genetic trait makes you stronger—especially if it makes you stronger before you have children—then you’re more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass that trait on. If a given trait makes you weaker, you’re less likely to survive, reproduce, and pass that trait on.”

“Cholesterol is required to make and maintain cell membranes. It helps the brain to send messages and the immune system to protect us against cancer and other diseases. It’s a key building block in the production of estrogen and testosterone and other hormones. And it is the essential component in our manufacture of vitamin D through a chemical process that is similar to photosynthesis in its dependence on the sun. Fortunately, the body is so efficient at making vitamin D that, as long as people get sufficient sun exposure and have enough cholesterol, we can usually accumulate enough vitamin D reserves to get us through the darker months. By the way, the next time you get your cholesterol checked, make a note of the season. Because sunlight converts cholesterol to vitamin D, cholesterol levels can be higher in winter months.”

Dr. Moalem also tells of an Australian campaign to encourage sunscreen usage. He concludes, “The campaign was especially effective at producing unintended results—Australian sun exposure went down, and Australian vitamin D deficiencies went up.”

“As everybody knows, skin color changes, to some extent, in response to sun exposure. The trigger for that response is the pituitary gland. Under natural circumstances, almost as soon as you are exposed to the sun, your pituitary gland produces hormones that act as boosters for your melanocytes, and your melanocytes start producing melanin on overdrive. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to disrupt that process. The pituitary gland gets its information from the optic nerve—when the optic nerve senses sunlight, it signals the pituitary gland to kick-start the melanocytes. Guess what happens when you’re wearing sunglasses? Much less sunlight reaches the optic nerve, much less warning is sent to the pituitary gland, much less melanocyte-stimulating hormone is released, much less melanin is produced—and much more sunburn results. If you’re reading this book on the beach with you Ray-Bans on, do your skin a favor—take them off.”

“Less than 3 percent of your DNA contains instructions for building cells. The vast majority of your DNA—97 percent of it—isn’t active in building anything. Think about that. If you took the DNA from any cell in your body and laid it end to end, it would reach the top of Shaquille O’Neal’s head—but the DNA that actively codes for building your body wouldn’t even reach his ankle.” Dr. Moalem goes on to explain what this DNA does and where it is believed to come from, which was FASCINATING. Hint: integration of bacteria and viruses within our own DNA.

“It’s clear that genes don’t have discrete jobs at all—there wouldn’t be nearly enough genes to produce all the proteins necessary for human life if each gene only had one job. Instead, single genes have the capacity to produce many, many different proteins through a complex process of copying, cutting, and combining instructions. In fact, like a casino dealer who never stops, genes can shuffle and reshuffle endlessly to produce a huge array of proteins. . . . Instead of imagining genes as a set of discrete instructions, scientists have begun to conceive of them as an intricate network of information, with an overall regulatory structure that can lead to change.”

Dr. Moalem also described the work of Barbara McClintock. Dr. McClintock discovered, using plants, that in certain circumstances, the environment triggered large changes in the genome.She discovered whole sequences of DNA moving from one place to another, even inserting themselves into active genes. When these genes cut and pasted themselves from one place in the corn’s DNA to another, they actually affected nearby genes, by changing the sequence of the DNA, they sometimes turned genes on and sometimes turned them off. What’s more, McClintock found that these wandering genes weren’t behaving completely randomly—there was a method to their meandering. First of all, they relocated to certain parts of the genome more often than to other parts. Second, these active mutations appeared triggered by outside influences, by changes in the environment that threatened the survival of the corn, like extreme heat or drought. In short, the corn plant seemed to be engaged in some sort of intentional mutation—neither random, nor rare. Today, the genetic nomads McClintock discovered are called “jumping genes,” and they have reshaped our understanding of mutation and evolution.Over the next thirty years, as biology and genetics evolved, jumping genes were found in other genomes, beyond corn. Our understanding of mutation began to shift.

“Scientists are still only beginning to understand how jumping genes—or transposons, as they’re known—actually work. Sometimes they copy and paste—copying themselves and then inserting the new materials elsewhere in the genome while remaining in their original location.Other times they cut and paste—removing themselves from their starting place and inserting themselves somewhere else. Sometimes the new genetic element stays in place, and sometimes it’s removed by the proofreading system or suppressed by other methods. This much is clear—sometimes these transposable genetic elements remain in an active gene once they’ve inserted themselves, and they make a difference.”

“Jumping genes are very active in the early stages of brain development, inserting genetic material all over the developing brain, almost helter skelter, as a normal part of brain development. Every time one of those jumpers inserts or changes genetic material in brain cells, it’s technically a mutation. And all of that genetic jumping around may have a very important purpose—it may help to create the variety and individuality that make every brain unique. This developmental frenzy of genetic copy and paste only happened in the brain, because that’s where we benefit from individuality. But as the lead author of the study that discovered the phenomenon, Professor Fred Gage said, “You wouldn’t want that added element of individuality in your heart.” You knew brain development had to be in here somewhere. Ha!ha! This understanding of brain development really gives me a new appreciation of the uniqueness of every person. Dr. Moalem later teaches that with the most complex mathematical equations known, they haven’t been able to find a combination of the jumping genes that would produce an exact replica—no two of us are alike, and aren’t likely to be. This also made me think of all the environmental issues we introduce to children while those jumping genes are doing their job—poor nutrition, pollutants, vaccines, etc.

Because of the complicated and detailed nature of the subject, I cannot begin to do justice to “Survival of the Sickest” with (relatively) short excerpts. I would highly recommend reading this book. I was able to find this book in my local public library—and loved it so much that I paid a fine for keeping it too long. LOL!

It's About Time!!!

2011-03-01T12:01:00.001-08:00

A headline in the December 21, 2009 issues of The Dallas Morning News states, “Brain Studies Changing Teaching of Math”. The caught my attention (and that of my family and several dozen of my friends–thanks for thinking of me, y’all!) The basic premise of the article is this: “We” (the education establishment) used to think children had NO concept or potential to understand math until they were five years old. It admits practice was based largely on “tradition and guesswork”. Kurt Fischer, director of the Mind, Brain & Education Program at Harvard said, “Teaching is an ancient craft and yet we really have no idea how it affected the developing brain. Well that is beginning to change and for the first time we are seeing the fields of brain science and education work together.”

That last sentence really made me sit up and pay attention. I can’t think of many places which should rely more on brain research than the classroom. The article then focuses on a program called “Building Blocks” developed by researchers at the University of Buffalo. The program appears to just “bring out” math in the preschool environment. “How many plates did we put on the table?” and “Let’s jump seven times.” and one-to-one correspondence. This and other similar programs have been shown to improve math understanding for low-income preschoolers. That’s great! I love that kids are getting a leg up. I would also add, “It’s about time!”

Now for those of you who would seriously like to know about math development in the brain, I would invite you to read “Teach Your Baby Math” by Glenn Doman. The book, the method, and the author are all brilliant. It works, I’ve personally witnessed it.

But back to “It’s about time!” I think our world has things backward sometimes and I’m glad people are beginning to realize it. How is it that a LOT of five-year-olds have cell phones but we wouldn’t dare teach them basic arithmetic? Truthfully, if a child can operate an iPhone with ease and speed, shouldn’t algebra be somewhere nearby on the horizon?

How is it that young children can understand the lyrics of popular rap music (even though “rap” and “music” really shouldn’t be used together) but we make them wait until they are 14 before they could begin to understand Spanish or French or Mandarin??

How is it that young girls featured on the TLC Show “Toddlers & Tiaras” can learn intricate routines and detailed answers to “interview” questions, but they may be in high school before we think them capable of learning beautiful poetry. ”Achy Breaky Heart” or “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”??

Why is it that 3-year-olds can master the “Cha Cha Slide” but not beautiful gymnastics or lovelydancing?

There is one simple answer and it’s simply this—children’s brains are built to learn and grow at phenomenal rates. Even those children who have neurological struggles can master great quantitites of information. The question then becomes “Then why don’t they?” That answer is also very simple. It is because we don’t give them the information. They master everything we let them have exposure to—Achy Breaky Heart, the cha cha slide, iPhones, etc. They are trying to tell us that they can learn anything we throw at them.

So why don’t we throw wonderful things at them? Why can’t we expose them to things like Greek & Latin roots, mythology, inspiring poetry, beautiful music? Why wouldn’t we expose them to many languages? Children in China learn Mandarin merely by hearing it, as children in France learn French the same way. Why can’t children in the United States learn Mandarin and French? Why don’t they get to listen to foreign languages? Why don’t we give them opportunities to figure out how the roots of words and their meanings fit together?

Another answer—we would have to make an effort to teach our children the wonderful mysteries of this magical world we live in. We would have to do a little research and plan and then present them in a FUN and EXCITING manner. It is my opinion that the MOST IMPORTANT PLACE that should be affected by the latest brain research is (drum roll please)HOME. At home we can play wonderful learning games and spend times with our children in a way to provide stimulation to their brains at a critical time in their development. They can learn tremendous amounts of information that will grow their brains and set them on a wonderful path of learning for the rest of their lives.

Of course, how do you teach foreign languages, poetry, works of the great art masters, etc. to young children? The answer is honestly easy, simple, inexpensive and FUN. It is one way that young families can spend their precious time together and stimulate brain growth. It is also, my in opinion, ABOUT TIME. Research has finally supported what some mothers have known right along. Your children are brilliant and love to learn. It is truly ABOUT TIME!

Perspective

2011-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

I am attempting to become a runner. I purchased a treadmill and try to make time in my busy schedule each day to run. Of course, the benefits to my cardiovascular system go without saying. The benefits to my brain are too many to list. But I’ve also really enjoyed the time to just think. No one interrupts (at least not toooo often), so I can think thoughts all the way through to the end of the sentence. I love it!

I wanted to write about an observation I made while I was on my beloved treadmill. This treadmill has a very nice digital readout of how many miles I’ve run, how many laps I’ve run, how many calories I’ve burned, how long I’ve been running and how my hair looks that day. Just kidding about the hair, but there is a LOT of information on this console. On a door several feet in front of me, I have put pictures that motivate me and remind me of the reasons running is important to me.

Many times, however, I find my eyes glued to the console. I am watching every calorie drop, every 1/100 of a mile pass and re-calculating in my head exactly how much further I have to run. I do this a lot. Occasionally, I look up at the pictures and remember why I’m running–looking toward my goals. I’ve observed about myself that when I just run with my head up and facing my goals, I am not as tired and can run further. When my eyes are fixed on every little bit of effort I’ve expended, I struggle to get my whole distance in. I want to take breaks or even stop before I’ve crossed the virtual finish line.

Doing a neurological program with our children can be a LOT the same way. If we are focused only on how much creeping we’ve done each week, if we are counting the steps until we can be finished, if we are only looking at the amount of effort and time we’re spending, we will get get tired, discouraged and want to stop before we’ve crossed the finish line. When we remember WHY we are doing the program, we can go further, do a little more, be more patient and finish the race.

So what is the difference between looking at what we’re doing NOW and looking toward our goals? It is perspective. Dictionary.com lists one definition of perspective as “the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship.” ALL the relevant data–that says to me that it is important to know how far we’ve come, how much further we have to go, how many times we’ve done a certain brain stimulation that day, etc. I need the information on my treadmill console and you need the information about what you are doing each day. This helps us measure our progress, tells us when we’ve done enough, and helps us set future goals.

But we need to go a little beyond measuring our day-to-day effort and put that data into “a meaningful relationship”. We need to remember the reasons WHY we are putting forth the effort to do a neurological program. We need to keep in perspective the value of the goal and remember the effort must be sufficient to meet that goal.

When I am in personal evaluations with clients, the goals we write are LOFTY. I give them the information they need to change the PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF A BRAIN. This is an incredibly amazing goal. Please realize that scientists have had their careers ended and been ostracized for even suggesting that brains can change—much less actually accomplish those changes. You are not just providing random stimulation hoping something turns out right—you are providing targeted, specific stimulation and expect specific, positive results in the form of measurable improvement in function. You are trying to achieve something that will affect the entire life of your child—which will affect the lives of your grandchildren, and their children and so on. In the words of my children, this is a big deal.

So please consider each day what is is that you are ACTUALLY doing. Each day when you begin your neurological program, you are setting about to open up the vistas of the universe to your child. You are improving their ability to interact with the people around them. You are opening the doors for them to choose any field of study they would choose. You are improving their ability to effectively move their body through space and join in the wonderful world of play with their peers. Try placing some reminders around the house so you can see them and put your efforts into perspective. Then remember to look at them. It will help you win the race.