My child can't seem to focus on days that he's done IM, is that typical?
A certain percentage of children respond to IM training in a way that's seems just the opposite of what you are hoping to see, at first at least. Some children cry easily, or bounce off the wall, or nap all afternoon. They can not focus for the life of them, and you are doing IM to IMPROVE focus!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
OCD and the Lateral Orbital Frontal Cortex
I just ran across an article that links OCD to a specific brain region. I continuously read information such as this in hopes of some day connecting the dots enough to understand specific IM tasks that could target specific issues. This looks like a good forum to gather the information. Here's the article: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40105
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Data Speaks from Spring 2008
I have just moved another spread sheet into published format. These 11 students were trained in a school settings in groups of 3 or 4 grade matched students. For academic gains, students trained during the school year are a better resource of information. During the summer I receive more sports related gains (See last weeks post: Data Speaks. Gains in reading, math, and visual processing testing are similar though. Check out what parents and students said this spring.
School 2 Data - Spring 2008
School 2 Data - Spring 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Description of IM Formats Used
In the Data Spread Sheets located in the right column of this blog, you will find several published mega data sheets of gains for real IM clients that have attended IM Focused. I need to explain some of the information given in these sheets. Basically you can see the age, sex and diagnosis of the client. Look for children similar to your child's situation and then read about what gains these students saw through IM Training. Comments are from parents, students, or myself. Some have been shortened to fit into the space better. In the 'Format' sections, I mark the type of training the child went through -Sync/ Basic/ CC / Visual / or Advanced usually, sometimes it's a mix of two formats. These are general discriptions of each format used.
1. Sync -(For child beginnig in poor timing range) Synchronization mode is for students who average over 100 ms away from the beat and the younger child. It requires hand over hand direction to help the student find the beat and is usually done one on one. In group modes, the parents sometimes can aid in sync training. For the population that I see, students are usually only in sync for one to 5 days. Five year olds or younger are usually in sync most of the first 15 sessions, though by the end even these younger students often have some level of independence. Many only complete the first 6 basic IM tasks, as well as some specific sync tasks that are more age appropriate.
2. Basic IM-(for child beginning in below ave to above average timing range.) Basic training is used in most all IM research and includes the 13 traditional tasks that all IM providers learn and can discuss easily. I will usually show these tasks on my videos as I post them.
3. Core Conditioning -(After basic training goals are met and child is in above average to superior timing range) This format includes a lot of crossing mid line, balance tasks, trunk rotation, and bilateral integration. The goal is to help the two hemispheres of the brain communicate with one another and build core strength/stability. I usually follow basic training with core conditioning. I have had excellent academic results with this format and highly recommend it to anyone who is still struggling after basic training! Usually children gain just as much in core conditioning as they did in basic. IM seems to be cumulative in nature, the more you do the more you gain.
4. Visual Processing Mode - (For child with visual processing issues, after basic training) These tasks involve shutting off the traditional guide sounds and using the visual feedback. I also incorporate some visual tracking, visual scanning, visual memory, laterality tasks and more. You can read the book by Dr. Lane on my shelf to get a better idea of the tasks used here.
5. Advanced Mode -(For child in superior or elite timing range) These tasks encompass multitasking, working memory, large sequencing tasks ...... the kitchen sink. Tasks are geared for those who have mastered basic and core conditioning IM and are developmentally ready for the challenge. Children that begin in Sync do not get here with out ALOT of IM. Occasionally I have a student that begins IM in the superior range though and are already scoring most tasks below 40 ms. These are usually neuro typical siblings of previous students I've seen. The parents understand that like vitamins and exercise, IM is good for everyone and puts their high achieving child through IM too. These neuro-typical children can sometime complete basic training in less than a week, core conditioning the next week and move into visual or advance mode the final week. They gain just as much as their siblings did and in the same areas -executive functioning, focus, sports, and academics. They just started at a higher level, reached a higher level and progressed extremely quickly. Choosing the 'just right' challenge level is the key, challenging the child to work hard, but not so hard as to overload them.
1. Sync -(For child beginnig in poor timing range) Synchronization mode is for students who average over 100 ms away from the beat and the younger child. It requires hand over hand direction to help the student find the beat and is usually done one on one. In group modes, the parents sometimes can aid in sync training. For the population that I see, students are usually only in sync for one to 5 days. Five year olds or younger are usually in sync most of the first 15 sessions, though by the end even these younger students often have some level of independence. Many only complete the first 6 basic IM tasks, as well as some specific sync tasks that are more age appropriate.
2. Basic IM-(for child beginning in below ave to above average timing range.) Basic training is used in most all IM research and includes the 13 traditional tasks that all IM providers learn and can discuss easily. I will usually show these tasks on my videos as I post them.
3. Core Conditioning -(After basic training goals are met and child is in above average to superior timing range) This format includes a lot of crossing mid line, balance tasks, trunk rotation, and bilateral integration. The goal is to help the two hemispheres of the brain communicate with one another and build core strength/stability. I usually follow basic training with core conditioning. I have had excellent academic results with this format and highly recommend it to anyone who is still struggling after basic training! Usually children gain just as much in core conditioning as they did in basic. IM seems to be cumulative in nature, the more you do the more you gain.
4. Visual Processing Mode - (For child with visual processing issues, after basic training) These tasks involve shutting off the traditional guide sounds and using the visual feedback. I also incorporate some visual tracking, visual scanning, visual memory, laterality tasks and more. You can read the book by Dr. Lane on my shelf to get a better idea of the tasks used here.
5. Advanced Mode -(For child in superior or elite timing range) These tasks encompass multitasking, working memory, large sequencing tasks ...... the kitchen sink. Tasks are geared for those who have mastered basic and core conditioning IM and are developmentally ready for the challenge. Children that begin in Sync do not get here with out ALOT of IM. Occasionally I have a student that begins IM in the superior range though and are already scoring most tasks below 40 ms. These are usually neuro typical siblings of previous students I've seen. The parents understand that like vitamins and exercise, IM is good for everyone and puts their high achieving child through IM too. These neuro-typical children can sometime complete basic training in less than a week, core conditioning the next week and move into visual or advance mode the final week. They gain just as much as their siblings did and in the same areas -executive functioning, focus, sports, and academics. They just started at a higher level, reached a higher level and progressed extremely quickly. Choosing the 'just right' challenge level is the key, challenging the child to work hard, but not so hard as to overload them.
Because I am NOT under the insurance umbrella, I am blessed to have the opportunity to work with this neuro-typical populations. I learn from these children! If all I saw was the child with struggles, I might think that these awkward looking movements are made by every child... they are not! It is my goal to get your child to look as neuro-typical as I can, because then they act and learn as neurotypical as they can!
If you notice from the data spreadsheets, I do not keep a student in just one format. If they are ready, I move them along the program according to their individual needs and skill level. Group mode IM helps keep the cost down for you, but is still individualized for your child! The best of both worlds.
If you notice from the data spreadsheets, I do not keep a student in just one format. If they are ready, I move them along the program according to their individual needs and skill level. Group mode IM helps keep the cost down for you, but is still individualized for your child! The best of both worlds.
Data Speaks
I've been working diligently at Google Docs lately to create a spreadsheet of data compiled from recent IM clients. I am going to attempt to publish the information here. This is just the beginning of a mega data base I hope to come. Enjoy!
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=ppsfiZ2zbRdf7Xy-tg7NjZA&hl=en
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=ppsfiZ2zbRdf7Xy-tg7NjZA&hl=en
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