Story At-A-Glance The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, is often oversimplified as just our "balance system," but plays a crucial role in development, learning, and everyday functioning. Beyond balance, the vestibular system influences muscle tone, eye movement control, spatial orientation, bilateral coordination, attention regulation, and emotional security. Vestibular …
The Sleep-Learning Connection: How Sleep Disorders Impact Cognitive Function and Academic Performance
Story at-a-Glance Sleep is not simply a period of rest but an active, highly organized process essential for brain development, learning, and memory consolidation, yet it's often overlooked when addressing learning challenges. Sleep architecture consists of distinct stages (N1, N2, N3, and REM), each serving specific functions for learning and cognitive development, from memory …
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Digestive Health Affects Learning and Behavior in Children
Story at-a-glance The gut-brain axis represents a powerful influence on children's cognitive function and behavior, offering crucial insights for those with learning, attention, and emotional regulation challenges. The digestive tract contains its own complex neural network—the enteric nervous system (ENS)—with over 500 million neurons, leading scientists to refer to the gut as a "second …
Sensory Processing Disorders: Identifying and Supporting Children with Sensory Challenges in the Classroom
Story at-a-glance Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) affects how the brain receives and responds to sensory information, impacting 5-16% of school-aged children and often underlying academic difficulties that are frequently misdiagnosed as behavioral problems. Our sensory systems extend beyond the traditional five senses to include proprioception (body awareness), vestibular sense (balance …
Retained Primitive Reflexes: Understanding Their Impact on Children’s Academic and Physical Development
Story at-a-glance Primitive reflexes are automatic, stereotypic movements directed from the brainstem and developed in utero that help infants survive birth, assist in early development, and form the foundation for later voluntary movement patterns. These reflexes are designed to naturally integrate (or "disappear") within the first year of life as higher brain centers develop, but when …