FAQs | Integrated Learning Therapy

Is my child too old to benefit from ILT? back to top

No. No-one is ever too old to be helped to overcome problems with neurodevelopment or neurological conditions brought on by injury, brain trauma, and so on. This is because of the plasticity of the brain – called ‘neural plasticity’.

Neural plasticity
Plasticity is the ability of the brain to change in response to the individual’s environment. It is possible because the neurons are able to make new connections with other neurons (i.e. to form new pathways in the brain), and also to create new neurons (called ‘neurogenesis’).

Even thought scientists think an individual’s brain is “wired” in a specific way, they don’t consider this wiring to be set in stone. The creation of a new pathway is referred to as sprouting, much like a branch of a tree.

When one branch of a tree is lost through disease or surgical removal, the remaining tree fills in the vacant area by sprouting new branches. This is also true of the brain and occurs throughout the lifespan.

Intellectual stimulation and physical activity develops these neurons in the case of damage to existing neural pathways. After damage or injury (for example, in the case of a stroke), even where the neurons in the affected part of the brain are permanently damaged, the chances are that the victim may recover.

This recovery, brought about as a result of constant activity, using all the senses and integrated movement, means that neural networks may become reorganised in complex and efficient ways. Every human being is constantly in the process of becoming through learning, thinking and remembering. Every human being has the potential to become more than they are.

For this reason, labels such as ‘mentally retarded’ and ‘learning disabled’ must be used with caution. The plasticity of the human brain should not be overlooked but seen as a wonderful reason for encouraging challenged individuals with stimulation that may increase their mental capacity.

The reference to physical activity above is significant. Research has shown that the growth of the brain is directly affected by movement. Thus movement itself can be said to be responsible for structuring the brain, while aerobic physical activity also increases the blood supply to the brain and helps the brain produce chemicals that are vital for efficient and rapid brain functioning.

Why is movement so important? back to top

For many years, the scientific world took little notice of the work of those people who believed that movement (and nutrition) was instrumental in the brains healthy development.

Today, thanks to recent brain research, we realise how crucial movement is to the organisation of our neurological system – or, in other words, to our having a healthy nervous system that will enable us to learn and function efficiently in the world.

The chemicals that cause our brain neurons to develop and make connections (in other words, to ‘grow’) are produced by the movement of our muscles. Focused, special movements as well as energetic, aerobic movements are vitally important to healthy brain development in infants and remain important over the life span.

Movement is the key to creating the neural networks in the brain that allow us to function optimally in the world.

Hear more about the role of movement in our Video Gallery as well as the book/DVD package “Wired to Learn – Ensuring Learning Readiness in the School Beginner” that is available on this website.

Why does my child have tummy aches (or headaches and other complaints) on so many school days? back to top

Very often, the reason is their bodies’ response to the stressful situations they have to endure every day. Thanks to our autonomic nervous system (ANS), when we are stressed, we go into what is called the ‘fight or flight mode’

Fight or flight
Fright, fight or flight has everything to do with our ANS, which is the part of our nervous system that controls everything we do on an unconscious level, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion and reproduction.

The ANS consists of two networks of nerves; the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. The parasympathetic ensures that the daily routine aspects of bodily functioning are carried out, for example, breathing, sleeping, and so on.

The sympathetic system, however, is called into play when emergencies happen. This system controls organs when more energy is called for in times of threatened danger. So, if a person who is frightened of dogs sees a large German Shepherd approaching, the sight of the dog will likely bring about a fear reaction. That is, the person’s heart will beat faster, s/he may start to sweat, arm hairs may become erect.

While this fear reaction is going on, normal bodily functions cease. Digestion stops and normal rates of breathing, pulse rates, and blood pressure are changed. This is all due to the sympathetic nervous system responding to a perceived threat or danger by preparing the body for either a flight or fight reaction.

To cope with the demands of having to survive the threat, the brain shuts down all immediately unnecessary functions. For example, it stops sending oxygen to the higher levels of the brain and instead directs more to the heart muscles so that it might beat faster.

This in turn ensures that oxygen-carrying blood is sent to the muscles which have to work harder in order to either fight or flee. Once the person has safely passed the dog or overcome the fear, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over again, resuming its regulation of normal bodily functions.

These responses are stress reactions. It is chemicals that effect the change from parasympathetic to sympathetic control. Among the most well known of the chemical substances responsible is adrenalin (norephinephrine), and cortisol.

These are two hormones that are important for our immune systems but are also known as the ‘stress hormones’ because of their role in eliciting the survival response of fight or flight. Research has shown that increased hormone production during stress interferes with ability to concentrate, learning and memory.

When we are under stress, we normally remember less than we otherwise would. When we are on alert, geared up to protect ourselves, the entire system is very sensitive to any and all external stimuli – a flash of movement, a pencil dropping, someone whispering, etc. The brain waves become faster and we react.

Once the threat is over, the body stops pumping out adrenalin and cortisol and things return to normal. This takes a little time. Once adrenalin is released at the nerve endings and into the blood from the adrenal glands, it takes a while to break it down. The liver must detoxify all the adrenalin before we feel completely calm. We all know that we need a little time after a scary experience before we feel completely relaxed again.

Thus, as either set of nerves is stimulated it counterbalances the influence of the other, so that between the two systems our body functions are kept running smoothly. We frequently speak about the reaction of the sympathetic nervous system as preparing the body for flight or fight.

If neither fight nor flight is possible, the body can go into a state of suspended animation – actually a form of fright, like the playing dead of an animal in danger.

Another aspect of fight or flight that is sometimes overlooked is the emotional or psychological flight or withdrawal.

Frequently, the child who daydreams in the classroom may be using this aspect. However, when the physical characteristics of the sympathetic nervous system are evaluated, they may be found to prevail in such a quiet and withdrawn learner.

The signs that show which of these two symptoms are operating are as follows:

Sympathetic	Parasympathetic
Pupil of eye dilates	Pupil becomes smaller
Tears are produced	No tears
Mouth is dry	Saliva is abundant
The heart rate increases	The heart rate decreases
Intestinal movement slows down	Movement of food through intestines is accelerated
The sphincter muscle of the bladder contracts	The sphincter muscle of the bladder relaxes
The blood vessels of the skin contract and the hair stands on end	Hairs lie on the skin
No unusual nasal discharge	The nasal glands produce mucus
Blood pressure increases	Blood pressure decreases
Warm perspiration	Cold perspiration

Relevance for school
Should a child experience the classroom situation as threatening – due perhaps to an inability to cope with the requirements of learning – his or her sympathetic nervous system might come into play.

With more oxygen sent to the muscles of the body rather than to the higher cortical levels of the brain, no wonder that little attention can be given to classroom events or thinking.

In this state, a child is incapable of responding adequately to the teacher. It may explain the many stomach aches that are experienced by children at the beginning of a school day.

Digestive problems are real (and may be caused by the ‘shut down’ of the digestive system in order to concentrate on sending emergency rations to the muscles) as are other problems that may be labelled as ‘psychosomatic,’ such as headaches (not enough oxygen to the brain), feelings of nausea, pain in the muscles (caused by tension) and so forth.

Prolonged stress response causes ill-health due to the effects of stress on the immune system. School difficulties and the negative experiences of children who fail to thrive in school are not to be taken lightly. They have a very real need for understanding and help in coping with the stress in order that their bodies may regain balance.

This is affected by either the stressful situation being resolved or measures taken to physically and mentally reduce the stress (e.g. relaxation methods) Once the sympathetic nervous system is able to take over control again and restoring normal functioning to the body the child may be able to benefit from the learning situation.

To illustrate
Andy is a young boy who sits quietly in class. He has dark circles under his eyes and a very, very pale face. The only time Andy has a little colour in his face is when he himself is making quiet sounds, singing, or tapping his fingers.

Andy is so sensitive to sound that the only noise he can tolerate is the sound he makes himself. (This is not surprising, as experiments have shown that the brain processes the sounds a person makes himself quite differently from the way sounds made by someone else.

When you run the vacuum cleaner, the noise does not bother you at all; if someone else runs it in another room, the sound may disturb you.

As long as Andy makes his own noises or is in quiet surroundings, he is comfortable and relaxed. The noise in school and classroom environments bombard Andy’s senses and his sympathetic nervous system shuts down all the sound sensations in Andy.

This switch to the sympathetic nervous system is what is also causing his pallor – a kind of ashen quality that is recognisable even in dark skinned children. So when Andy is faced with a noise level that is threatening, his body automatically puts him into a withdrawal stage which protects him from the overload of noise to his brain.

In this state, Andy is not hearing because his hearing system is shut off. He is also not learning and so he appears to be very stupid, stubborn and uncooperative to his teacher.

Can you help my child? back to top

Conditions that may benefit from ILT’s programme include diagnosed ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, head injury, learning difficulties, speech delay, stoke. We have worked with high functioning children who have Asperger’s Syndrome, autistic Spectrum Disorders and Down’s Syndrome.

Although these states are not always reversible, learning and developmental delay can be helped.

Which kinds of conditions don’t benefit? back to top

We are unable to work with children whose learning ability is challenged through profound physical or mental disability. We are not equipped for such specialist requirements.

My son can’t coordinate his body. Will he be able to do the exercises? back to top

You can help him through the exercises by moving his limbs for him – as long as he is capable of learning to do these movements himself. Moving arms and legs slowly and smoothly will stimulate the sensory part of his brain and nervous system. It may be possible that he will progress to a greater degree of motor control.

How long does the programme take? back to top

The programme consists of an initial consultation and evaluation followed by the design and demonstration of the home-based programme of activities.

Following this, we see you within two weeks to ensure that you are comfortable with the programme and then further visits are arranged at about six weekly intervals.

Progress does depend on the individual client but generally we work with our clients for about 6 months. In some cases, we find we need to work longer.

I don’t have time to spend on extra things at home! How long does it take?
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Usually between 10 – 20 minutes per day for all the activities. They can be done in a single period during the day, or be divided up so that some are done in the morning, some in the afternoon and some in the evening.

With some really overburdened parents, we find it helps if we limit the number of activities so that the programme.

If you decide to get someone in to help with the programme (an Au pair, grandparent, nanny, and so on) you must bring that person to us during either the initial evaluation or the immediate follow-up session so that we can take the responsibility of showing them exactly how the activities should be done.

How will I know if my child is improving? back to top

Usually the first signs are in the child being able to master the activities. Other signs can be quite subtle but amongst those most commonly reported include a general calming and better focus.

As the programme continues, we do re-evaluate areas of concern to monitor progress and try to get feedback from the child’s school.

Are there any trained practitioners in my area? back to top

ILT does have practitioners around the country. Check the list of Practitioners on this website, but if you don’t find any in your area, contact us by email for suggestions.

What is your attitude to drugs, like Ritalin, Concerta, Strattera and so on? back to top

We appreciate the choice of our clients to use or not use drugs. We can’t and don’t prescribe drugs nor do we recommend drug usage. We do try our utmost to help a child to the point where his/her medical practitioner is able to reduce or stop drug use entirely.

ILT PRACTITIONERS