Michael is 9 years old and has had challenges all of his life. He struggles because he was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and a now has a wide variety of developmental disabilities that he is in the midst of overcoming. His biggest challenge is Executive Function Disorder which makes it difficult for him to stay organized and on task. He also suffers from ADHD which contributes to his difficulty focusing and controlling his impulsive behavior. Sensory Processing Disorder makes it so that Michael is sensory seeking and is in need of constant stimulation, contributing to inappropriate behaviors. Speech and Language Development is delayed but of less of a concern because the other concerns were impacting Michael’s ability to function in school. Basically, he kept getting sent to the Principal’s office. His qEEG Brain Map showed the brain patterns associated with each of these disorders and additionally the pattern for anxiety. This poor child was incredibly stressed out from trying so hard and failing. His mom confirmed that she suspected his stress levels were building.
Michael was adopted by a loving and educated family that has been providing incredible support for him throughout his journey. He is half way through his Neurofeedback Therapy Program and has made strong gains throughout the initial weeks and is continuing to make solid gains with decreased frequency. What does that mean, strong gains? No more Principal’s office for starters and voted most helpful in his classroom last week gaining him the privilege of Teacher’s Helper. His behaviors have improved so much which has made it so that his learning capacity has increased dramatically (it’s hard to learn when you are always in trouble).
Some DIY Tips that his family have been following to help his brain establish and lock in a new better brain pattern through a positive feedback loop include.
Establish consistent routines and consistent privileges for desired behaviors.
I know this sounds easy but it is shocking how many families do not do this. If my children keep their rooms clean and do their homework on Monday, get their electronic time on Tuesday. It’s as simple as that. Any problems on Monday, no electronics on Tuesday. They know that now (since we have been doing it for so long, so we rarely have a problem). So simple, but so effective.
Establish consistent consequences for undesirable behavior.
I have a zero tolerance policy for talking back to me in public (my policy is looser in private but holds the same consequences… trying to develop spirit here too, ya know). You talk back to me in public, no electronics for one week. Period. No negotiations. One week. One boring week. My kids don’t talk back to me in public (but it wasn’t always that way).
Extra Time.
Make sure your kids have lots of extra time, always. This simple technique is a life saver. Add 5 minutes to each side of your typical routine and see how much better it makes you feel. Instead of rushing all the time, you and your child can enjoy being together. Rushing stress kids out and those with slow processing brains, as do kids with Executive Functioning Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Communication Disorders, and other Learning Disabilities, inherently need more time. Give your child more time so he can be successful and it will lock in his new, better brain pattern for good. It’s not magic, it’s Science.