Taking the Initiative
“She came out of that first session very calm, focused and wanting to try things. Her work at Thrive has given her a better baseline for things that previously triggered her. It’s helped prime her nervous system.”
Entries by Elizabeth Hickman
Cherish Your Memories
According to the National Institute on Aging, one-third of adults 85 years and older suffer from a form of this cognitive deterioration. Dementia is actually a state of mental functioning that’s attributed to a number of diseases, with Alzheimer’s being the most prevalent. Deeply personal and often painful for both the patient and their caregivers, the illness is a window into how our memory is closely associated with our complex neural networks.
The Detriment of Delay
Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today- Benjamin Franklin
For those struggling with productivity, those words may be easier said than done. Nearly a quarter of adults, not to mention the majority of college students, procrastinate at some point. The act of putting off or delaying tasks until the last minute, or even past deadline, is an irrational yet tempting choice.
In fact, procrastination is a classic battle of tug of war battle in our brain, between immediate gratification and potential negative consequences. In the end, procrastination persists when our brain’s center for executive functioning, the prefrontal cortex, loses out.
Landau Reflex
Collectively, this reflex serves to underpin postural and navigational movement, as well as binocular vision and hearing. As an arousing reflex, where blood flows to the prefrontal cortex when the head tilts, several emotional developments occur with Landau’s integration. Just as the body physically extends to reach out into the word, the reflex underpins self-initiation. With a feeling of safety and confidence, this reinforces the ability to make decisions, initiate activity and retain memory and focus.
Cracking the Code
Early learning marks an exciting time filled with new concepts and new worlds to explore. Reading and writing, the cornerstones of academic education and self-expression, are fundamental classroom milestones but we know well that learning styles are as unique as the individual. Dyslexia, a neurological disorder that impacts how children read and identify sequencing and speech sounds, impacts up to 20% or one in five students. We’re examining how active primitive reflexes may contribute to the visual processing challenges found in disorders like dyslexia.
Peak Performance
“For Danny, there was no shortage of motivation. What he needed, however, was rhythmic movement therapy to support the integration of those active reflexes that were causing such stress and anxiety. With Thrive, he unlocked the ability to channel that determination effectively. It allowed him to soar.”
Danny felt overstimulated, and it was impacting his performance, not only at school but on the ice rink. At home, his parents watched him jump from homework to sports to social plans with anxiety and nerves. He acted out in moments of panic, unable to settle into tasks on busy days and his system struggled to find calm and focus. What Danny felt as a freshman was frustration.
The Importance of Crawling
Parents eagerly watch as baby lifts up, knees and arms pushing firmly into the ground. His gaze lands on a toy in front of him. Soon he’s moving hand over hand, knee over knee, ready to explore his world with a sparkle of independence in his eye. Crawling helps introduce bilateral coordination, both sides of the body working in tandem. While this infant milestone recently fell off the CDC ‘checklist,’ the fact remains that the movement is not only significant but foundational to our development.
ATNR
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) is a turning movement of the head and the neck, which causes extension of the limbs and the same side of the body and flexion of the limbs on the opposite side of the body. This primitive movement pattern creates the first sensory motor connections to the right and left hemispheres leading us to an understanding that we have both a right and left side.
Red, White and Boom
It wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without a host of firework-fueled celebrations this week. Fireworks, the result of burning chemical mixtures that explode from their packaging into crackles, pops and thunderous booms, are striking displays against the night’s sky. The loud noises and unpredictable flashes of light are also incredibly stimulating, especially in a crowded, often hot setting. For those with auditory processing and sensory challenges, they may be the hardest part of the holiday.
The Power of Self- Exploration
“Every time we teach a child something, we keep him from inventing it himself. On the other hand, that which we allow him to discover for himself will remain with him visible for the rest of his life.” – Jean Piaget
Our earliest form of learning is through self-exploration and play. In fact, a report by the LEGO Foundation examined 26 studies of play in 18 countries and found that children show significantly greater gains in literacy, motor, social-emotional development and math skills in an environment that allows a mix of free play with instructional learning.