Brain Balance Exercises for Autism
Explore brain balance exercises for autism and unlock potential with proven methods and real-life success stories.
Brain Balance Exercises for Autism
Brain Balance Program Overview
The Brain Balance Program is a specially designed initiative aimed at children with ADHD, processing disorders, and other neurological disorders. The program leverages the principle of neuroplasticity, emphasizing the brain's adaptability to form new neural connections in response to environmental stimuli. Understanding the science behind the program is key to appreciating the potential of brain balance exercises for autism.
Understanding Brain Adaptability
Scientific research has shown that challenges related to focus, behavior, academics, or socialization are often connected to areas of immature connectivity in the brain [2]. However, the brain is not a fixed organ. It is malleable and capable of changing its connectivity and developing, especially in response to specific stimuli and exercises. This characteristic, known as brain adaptability, underlies the effectiveness of programs like the Brain Balance Program.
A key element of the Brain Balance Program is its focus on improving the foundation of development and strengthening the brain. The program employs strategies designed to enhance brain balance in children facing challenges with focus, behavior, academics, and social issues [2].
Neuroplasticity in Children
Neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to adapt and change, is particularly pronounced in children. This capacity for change extends beyond just learning new information; it also encompasses the brain's ability to reorganize itself, form new neural pathways, and even adapt physical structure in response to new experiences, behaviors, and environmental changes.
The Brain Balance® program, a multimodal training program, has been shown to serve as a nonpharmacologic approach to addressing cognitive, attentional, and emotional issues in youth with developmental difficulties. The effects of the program were examined over a 3-month period, with significant improvements observed in areas like negative emotionality, reading/writing difficulties, hyperactive/disruptive behavior, academic disengagement, motor/coordination problems, and social communication problems. The effects were more pronounced for participants with greater severity of symptoms at baseline.
In essence, the Brain Balance Program leverages the principle of neuroplasticity to help children and adolescents with developmental difficulties improve cognitive performance, attentional functioning, and emotional well-being [3]. The program's exercises, designed based on these principles, offer promising potential for children with autism and other developmental disorders.
Brain Balance Activities
The Brain Balance Program is carefully designed to cater to children with ADHD, processing disorders, and other neurological disorders, such as autism. This program leverages neuroplasticity, which emphasizes the brain's adaptability to form new neural pathways in response to environmental stimuli. The activities in this program revolve around three pillars: sensory motor exercises, academic activities, and nutrition guidelines.
Sensory Motor Exercises
Sensory motor exercises are an integral part of the Brain Balance Program. These exercises aim to promote balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain by focusing on strengthening the weaker side. For instance, the Superman exercise is a recommended activity where the child lies flat on their belly and lifts an arm and the opposite leg for 15 seconds. The goal is to hold all four limbs off the floor at the same time for as long as possible, resembling Superman flying. The target is to maintain this position steady for 60 seconds for four consecutive sessions.
Another recommended exercise is Number Tracing, a tactile exercise that involves tracing digits with an eraser end of a pencil on the child's palm while their eyes are covered. The child is then asked to identify the number traced, aiming to enhance cognitive and tactile stimulation.
Academic Activities
Academic activities form the second pillar of the Brain Balance Program. These activities, like the Contrasting Programs exercise, are designed to enhance cognitive processing and responsiveness in children with academic challenges. This exercise involves holding up hands, providing instructions to the child to respond to finger movements, and recording the child's accuracy in following the instructions. The Brain Balance program focuses on both academic and language skills as well as fine motor skills to address the needs of children with neurobehavioral and learning disorders.
Nutrition Guidelines
The third pillar of the Brain Balance Program is nutrition. The program incorporates a component called Balance 360 Clean Eating Nutrition System, which guides parents to gradually eliminate gluten, refined sugar, and dairy from their child's diet. This is done to reduce negative behaviors, physical symptoms, and learning challenges caused by imbalanced brain reactions to certain foods.
These guidelines highlight the importance of at-home exercises and nutrition compliance with program protocols to achieve and maintain positive results for children with neurological disorders.
In summary, the Brain Balance Program offers a comprehensive approach to improving the neurobehavioral functions of children with autism. Through a combination of sensory motor exercises, academic activities, and proper nutrition, the program aims to enhance the cognitive, emotional, and physical development of children, thereby unlocking their full potential.
Success Stories with Brain Balance
The efficacy of brain balance exercises for autism is best demonstrated through the lives it has transformed. Here, we present three such stories celebrating the progress of Sophia, Jay, and Jeremiah.
Sophia's Transformation
Sophia, a child with autism, exhibited incredible improvement after a three-month stint with the Brain Balance program. Prior to her enrollment, Sophia faced challenges with reading and showed aversion to varied textures of clothing. Post the program, Sophia went from loathing reading to being able to read for two hours without breaks. Additionally, she grew more independent with her homework. The Brain Balance program helped Sophia overcome her difficulties and fostered her academic motivation. Brain Balance Centers
Jay's Progress
Jay was grappling with delayed speech and difficulty in recognizing letters. His journey with the Brain Balance program led to marked improvements in his behavior, memory, speech, and language learning. Furthermore, dietary changes, such as the elimination of gluten, contributed significantly to Jay's progress, even leading to the cessation of bedwetting. This story stands testament to the comprehensive approach of the Brain Balance program that looks beyond just exercises. Brain Balance Centers
Jeremiah's Improvement
Jeremiah, diagnosed with High Functioning Autism, embarked on his Brain Balance journey and saw improvements across various areas. His verbal expression, emotional understanding, impulse control, and motivation for school witnessed noticeable enhancement. Moreover, Jeremiah started inviting friends over and began expressing himself verbally when frustrated, marking significant strides in his social connections. This case illustrates the extensive impact of Brain Balance exercises for autism on a child's overall development. Brain Balance Centers
These stories underscore the transformative potential of brain balance exercises for autism. Each child's journey with the Brain Balance program is a testament to their resilience and the power of tailored neuroplasticity exercises. Such narratives inspire hope and provide a roadmap for other children with autism and their families.
Brain Balance Research Findings
The effectiveness of brain balance exercises for autism and other developmental disorders has been the subject of several research studies. In this section, we'll explore the findings of two such studies conducted by Harvard University and Cambridge Brain Sciences.
Harvard University Study
Harvard University’s McLean Hospital conducted a study that showed the Brain Balance Program to be as effective as stimulant medication in alleviating ADHD symptoms in children. The program, which includes motor skills training, sensory engagement, cognitive exercises, nutritional guidance, and academic training, has also been shown to improve cognitive, attentional, and emotional issues in children and adolescents with developmental difficulties.
Participants in the program showed significant improvements in negative emotionality, reading/writing difficulties, hyperactive/disruptive behavior, academic engagement, motor/coordination problems, and social communication problems. Importantly, the effect size of the program increased with the severity of baseline symptoms.
Cambridge Brain Sciences Study
A separate study with Cambridge Brain Sciences indicated significant cognitive improvements in memory, reasoning, verbal ability, and concentration in children who completed three months of the Brain Balance Program.
Apart from cognitive improvements, participants also demonstrated significant advancements in sensory motor skills including fine motor skills, gait and aerobic ability, proprioception, rhythm and timing, and eye-gaze stability. Furthermore, the study noted a significant reduction in primitive reflexes from pre- to post-participation [3].
These studies provide compelling evidence for the beneficial impact of brain balance exercises for autism and other developmental disorders. They underscore the potential of structured, multi-faceted programs like Brain Balance in fostering cognitive, emotional, and motor skill enhancements among affected children and adolescents.
Brain Balance Exercises for Autism
Brain balance exercises for autism aim to enhance cognitive and motor abilities in children. They encompass a myriad of activities, from physical exercises to cognitive tasks, to stimulate brain adaptability and enhance neuroplasticity. Below, we delve into three specific exercises: the Superman Exercise, the Number Tracing Exercise, and the Contrasting Programs Exercise.
Superman Exercise
The Superman Exercise is one of the physical activities recommended by the Brain Balance Program to promote better brain balance in children. The child lies flat on their belly and lifts an arm and the opposite leg for 15 seconds. The ultimate goal is to raise all four limbs off the floor simultaneously, emulating Superman flying, and maintain this position for 60 seconds in four consecutive sessions. This exercise aims to enhance postural control, a critical aspect in children with ASD [2].
Number Tracing Exercise
Tactile exercises like Number Tracing are also part of the Brain Balance Program. This exercise involves having the child sit with arms outstretched and palms up. An adult then traces digits with the eraser end of a pencil on their palm while their eyes are covered. The child is then asked to identify the number traced. This exercise aims to enhance cognitive and tactile stimulation, contributing to the overall improvement of brain balance.
Contrasting Programs Exercise
Contrasting Programs Exercise is an academic activity included in the Brain Balance Program. In this exercise, an adult holds up their hands and provides instructions to the child to respond to finger movements. The child's accuracy in following the instructions is recorded. This exercise aims to improve cognitive processing and responsiveness in children with academic challenges, further promoting brain balance.
These exercises, when combined with a holistic approach involving sensory motor exercises, academic activities, and nutrition guidelines, can significantly help children with autism. They aim to enhance brain adaptability and unlock the full potential of every child. A systematic and consistent approach to these exercises can yield substantial improvements, making them an integral part of the journey towards achieving better brain balance for children with autism.
Impact of Brain Balance Program
The Brain Balance program aims to improve the cognitive, emotional, and physical skills of children and adolescents with developmental difficulties, including autism. This program employs brain balance exercises for autism that are research-backed and have shown encouraging results across several areas of impact.
Cognitive and Emotional Improvements
The Brain Balance program has demonstrated considerable success in improving cognitive performance and emotional well-being among its participants. According to a study cited on PubMed, the program led to noticeable advancements in cognitive performance and attentional functioning. Moreover, symptoms of ADHD, which often co-occur with autism, witnessed a significant reduction following the program.
Sensory Motor Skill Enhancements
In addition to cognitive and emotional improvements, the Brain Balance program has also shown notable improvements in sensory motor skills. As per the findings published on PubMed, participants exhibited substantial enhancements in fine motor skills, gait and aerobic ability, proprioception (body position sense), rhythm and timing, and eye-gaze stability. The program also led to considerable reductions in the level of primitive reflexes, indicating improvements in primitive reflex integration.
Postural Control Benefits
Autism often comes with postural control deficits, significantly impacting somatosensory perception. The Brain Balance program has shown to improve postural control in children with autism. A study on NCBI involving balance exercises in the rehabilitation program for 28 children with autism showed a significant decrease in the surface of the confidence ellipse and the curve length. These results indicate a significant improvement in postural control, a common issue in children with autism.
Postural control is crucial as it involves attention during different simple or complex tasks and provides regulation.
In conclusion, the Brain Balance program, through its targeted exercises for autism, has shown promising improvements across cognitive, emotional, and physical parameters. Further research and continued application will help unlock more of its potential in treating developmental difficulties.
References
[2]: https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/daily-kid-friendly-exercises-to-promote-brain-balance
[3]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10478577/
[4]: https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/locations/north-carolina/charlotte/stories
