ATNR Activities

Many students that I see have atypical movement patterns. One particular atypical pattern is frequently seen:  The child makes his or her circles backwards (claps downward). Modified versions of this might be that the child arches back and forth on the single handed hits, or they flatten the circles.  There is a very strong correlation between these atypical movement patterns and the retained infant reflex, ATNR (Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex.) ATNR retention is often associated with ADD.

Can my 3rd grader come after school?

I get many families that would prefer their younger child do IM after school.  I do not allow this for a couple of very important reasons. I am very cognizant of the hardship this makes on the teachers and family, but the children are the most important piece of this equation.

Reading in the brain

"In Reading in the Brain: The Science and Evolution of a Human Invention, French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene points out that humans did not have time to evolve reading-specific brain circuitry; instead, our brain “recycles” existing networks for the task. "  


This concept helps explain why it is that clapping your hands and stomping your feet improves reading scores.

The Brain’s Internal Clock Keeps Time and Shifts Attention

Meck and Benson from Duke University write, "The review of the literature presented here suggests that the frontal cortex and related basal ganglionic areas are involved both in the generation of attentional set shifting and in interval timing behavior."  In  layperson's terms:  Brain regions involved in attention and shifting of focus are the same brain regions activated when one is keeping track of time, such as in IM training. IM improves attention at a foundational level.  Read the whole article here.

IM as a possible diagnostic tool for ADHD?

Another must read post from Dr. McGrew. Some quotes, "This study found that adults with ADHD lose their ability to keep rhythm (maintaining a tapping beat) when the tempo is varied. This pilot study suggests that the "effective span of rhythmic feel" is apparently contracted (narrower) in ADHD adults when compared to normal’s.

Might this not suggest that a sensitive metronome-based measurement technology (e.g., the measurement component of Interactive Metronome - conflict of interest disclosure---I'm on the scientific advisory board for IM), that can carefully calibrate the ability to maintain the "feel" for varying tempo's/rhythms might serve as a diagnostic marker for possible ADHD?"