What Are Primitive Reflexes—and Could They Be Affecting My Child’s Learning?
You may have heard the term primitive reflexes and wondered what it actually means. If your child is struggling with classroom learning, focus, or coordination, this can be an important piece of the puzzle. What Are Primitive Reflexes? Primitive reflexes are natural, automatic movements that develop before your baby is born. They play an […]
Why Is My Child Struggling at School? Understanding Early Development and Primitive Reflexes
It can be incredibly stressful when you know your child is trying hard at school, but seems to be falling behind. their classmates. You might find yourself wondering:“Why is this so hard for them?”“Am I missing something?” You’re not alone in this. Sometimes, the answer doesn’t lie in effort or ability—but in the early stages […]
We Need to Feel Safe to Learn – Learning and Behaviour through a Polyvagal Lens
Many children struggle to learn in a traditional classroom. The result is that they often miss days or even outright refuse to attend. After years of struggle, many find it all too hard, and just give up. These behaviours are bringing us a message. Rather than trying to modify the behaviour that appears on the […]
School anxiety – developmental readiness for school and how you can help
School-based anxiety often looks like headaches, tummy aches or angry behaviour, especially in the morning before school. The resultant behaviours can look like signs of ADHD, but can there be other issues? Often labelled as school refusal, school avoidance, school can’t … Whatever name you use, increasing numbers of parents find themselves with no alternative […]
When Children feel Anxious at School
It’s not unusual to see signs of stress and anxiety in children at school, when you know what to look for. Their behaviours are bringing us a message, and it is up to us to learn how to read them. Recently, some parents have expressed concern that their children are getting into trouble at school […]
How Visual Processing Difficulties ca look like ADHD, Dyslexia
Good visual processing skills are essential for classroom learning. They also form the foundation for social connection, and our ability to “read” faces, and are closely linked to other areas of sensory and motor development. Delays in early development of visual processing skills often become apparent when children start to struggle in school,. You may […]
How Auditory Processing Difficulties in Children can look like ADHD, Dyslexia
Children with signs of dyslexia and/or ADHD often struggle with listening or auditory processing. What is Listening? Hearing refers to the ability to take in sounds with our ears, bringing sensory information to our brains. It is also linked to balance, body movements and coordination. Listening, on the other hand, refers to our ability to […]
Does my Child Really Need a Diagnosis of ADHD?
Is your child struggling to focus and pay attention at school? Has their teacher suggested they could have ADHD and they “need a diagnosis”. As a result you might be asking yourself “Does my child need a diagnosis?” The short answer is “Not necessarily”. Put simply, a diagnosis is a collection of symptoms that fall […]
Understanding ADD/ADHD – an Holistic Approach to Healing
Picture this – your child is struggling at school, talkative and disruptive, and their teacher asks you to have them assessed for ADD/ADHD. How do you feel? Are you relieved because a diagnosis offers some understanding about why they are so restless and often difficult to be with? Or does this bring dread to your […]
Writing by Hand Boosts Memory and Supports Learning
In a world where we want to do everything digitally, does it really matter if your child’s handwriting is illegible? The short answer is “YES”. Writing by hand actually boosts memory and learning. Current Brain Research into Benefits of Writing by Hand Brain research highlights the benefits of drawing letters, as opposed to learning them […]