Down Syndrome: Brain Overconnectivity

7 views
Skip to first unread message

Heritage Essential Oils

unread,
Jun 15, 2013, 6:54:51 PM6/15/13
to
Article: 

Quote from the article:
"It looks like there is massive overconnectivity in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome. These are larger differences by an order of magnitude than we’re seeing in autism or in other disorders. In addition, we’re also seeing that there are some places in the brain that are underconnected —areas that are far apart and are part of networks in the brain where regions in a healthy brain work together to perform tasks.”

Neurodevelopmental home "programs" equip parents to help their loved ones achieve their fullest possible potential and overcome what some perceive as insurmountable challenges. Our family has personally benefitted beyond measure from such programs.

ICAN was formed in 1999 as an association of self consciously Christian neurodevelopmentalists to:

· To give God the honor and glory for designing us in a way that makes it possible to give hope to families with loved ones with learning and developmental problems and that this work is inspired by and directed by Him.
· To give parents and loved ones of individuals on ICAN neurodevelopmental programs the assurance that we who are doing this work share their values.
· To learn from the founders of the neurodevelopmental work and to collect their research and knowledge as much as possible to preserve their wisdom and insights.
· To further the neurodevelopmental work through research and training in new areas as new information and breakthroughs occur.
· Through interaction with each other, to share and develop new observations and to share experiences and information that may serve to further our work.
· To provide a means to train and certify individuals committed to furthering this work.
· To set professional standards of excellence for ourselves and for the professionals that we train so that this work may be continued in its development while maintaining standards of excellence.

ICAN has evaluators and locations across the US and in Canada. More information can be found at the ICAN website. A list of ICAN Certified Neurodevelopmentalists and locations where they hold evaluations are below.

Newsletter excerpt from Little Giant Steps (June 14, 2013)
About 50 years ago it was discovered that individuals with cerebral palsy could be helped and could learn if they participated in a program that stimulated areas of the brain through the use of cognitive and physical activities. It was through these studies that the field of psychology, neurology, and brain science began to understand that the brain could change given the right stimulation. Later a feature of the brain called "plasticity" was discovered. Plasticity allows the brain to repair, create and develop new connections in and between the brain and body. Specific neuro-stimulating activities (emphasis on "specific") cause neuro-pathways or neuro-connections to be created which change the structure of the brain. This changed structure of the brain, occurring from these new pathways, allows function that was difficult or impossible before the intervention to now be possible. It works because it addresses a wide range of foundational development that directly effect learning abilities. It takes into account the whole person - how a person hears, sees, takes in or experiences those things that accompany being alive! That's called "Input". This approach also charts the level of "Out-Put", language, gross motor and fine motor skills, coordination of ones mental, physical and emotional expression in the world. A neuro-evaluation compares current function on a developmental profile with typical function. It also included educational testing. If glitches in functional ability are found, then a program is written by a certified neuro-educational specialist or neurodevlopmentalist to address the areas of delayed development. The goal of the neuro-developmental program is to bring the student's functional abilities up to full potential.

ICAN Certified Neurodevelopmentalists

ICAN Evaluation Locations
There are also evaluations in Hawaii


Jan Bedell
Company name: Little Giant Steps
Phone: 972-758-1260 
Evaluation sites: Austin, TX, Dallas, TX, Katy (West Houston area), TX, Spring (North Houston area) TX, San Antonio, TX

Marilee Coots
Company name: Help With Learning Neuroeducational Consulting
Evaluation sites:
Oceanside, CA, Corona, CA, Simi Valley, CA, Bakersfield CA, Modesto, CA, Portland, OR

Linda Kane
Company name: Hope and A Future, Inc.
Evaluation sites: Oahu, Waimanalo, HI, Shawnee, KS, Naperville, IL, Worcester, MA, Annapolis, MD, Jackson, TN, Cedar Park (Austin), TX, McKinney (Dallas), TX, Midland, TX, Ogden, UT, Sun Prarie, WI, Anacortes, WA, Nanaimo-British Columbia, CA, Vernon-British Columbia, CA

Kay Ness
Company name: SENC, Southeastern Neurodevelopmental Consultants
Website: http://www.senc.us
Evaluation sites: Alpharetta, GA, Birmingham, AL., Winston Salem, NC., Mt. Dora, FL, Charleston, SC

Cyndi Ringoen
Company name: CAN-DO: Christian Access to 
Neuro-Developmental Organization
Phone: (509)276-7756 
Evaluation sites: Simi Valley, CA, Fairbanks, Alaska, Seattle WA., Three Rivers, MI, Dayton, Ohio, Fargo, ND, Batavia, NY, Arizona, Spokane, WA 

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Maggie Dail
Company name: Master Enterprises Learning Center
Evaluation sites: Western Washington and Colorado

Stephanie Lankhorst
Company name: Step By Step
Evaluation sites: Grand Rapids, MI and Fremont, MI

Sylvia Funk
Company name: PATHWAYS for NeuroEducational Development 
Evaluation Sites: Okotoks, Alberta, Canada and Saskatchewan, Canada

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages