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18/Oct/2022

Understanding The Effects of Autism on Brain

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that has been widely studied for over 30 years. Despite its high prevalence rate, the causes of autism remain elusive. What’s more, the treatment effect of autism varies considerably from person to person and often depends on the severity of symptoms present at birth. The causes for these differences in prevalence are not fully known at this time, although it is thought that genetic factors may play a role in some people’s risk for developing ASD from birth onward.

The term itself derives from the Greek word “autos” meaning ‘self’, and “-poiein”, or “to make or do”. Symptoms appear before age 3 and may be accompanied by some degree of delay in development. This disorder is characterized by impaired social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication and restrictive, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities.

No two people with ASD. are the same, in terms of their symptoms. For some people on the spectrum, it’s difficult to make eye contact or read other people’s facial expressions. Persons with autism experience information processing in their brains that is different from people without autism.

The brain shows less coordinated activity in ASD. Uncertainty exists on whether autism affects how specific brain regions function on their own.

The brain’s grey matter, which controls the majority of its functions, is far more developed in children with ASD. Children with ASD have brains that are larger overall than those of typical children but underdeveloped in certain areas.

This phenomenon might help explain why some kids with ASD excel at math and other subjects that require keen visual-spatial abilities and learning by role, while other kids struggle in these areas.

The human brain contains extensive structural and functional networks. Early brain imaging shows that a brain region can have different activity and roles with both brain network activities and functions. Functional connections and anatomical connections in the brain can be distinguished from one another. The physical connections that exist between the two hemispheres of the brain contain these connections.

At Jeevaniyam, our doctors have an integrative ayurvedic approach in identifying the symptoms of autism and treating it. There is no cure for autism, but there is evidence to suggest that the earlier a child with autism is diagnosed and treated, the better their life will be and our protocols play a major role in improving the quality of life for these children.

 


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25/Jul/2022

Causes Of Memory Problems In Children With Learning Disorders

Learning disorder is a neurological condition that affects the brain’s ability to send, receive, and process information. A child with a learning disorder may have difficulties in reading, writing, speaking, listening, understanding mathematical concepts, and general comprehension.

There are at least two types of memory challenges called “working memory” and “long-term memory”, which might probably lead to difficulties in learning.

Working Memory: Challenges with “working memory” can lead to difficulties in learning. This is mainly because the individual may have less space in working memory for organizing and integrating new skills or knowledge.

Long Term Memory: “long-term memory” may affect factors like

  • What information is recalled?
  • The time it takes an individual to recall information.
  • Or one’s ability to remember things in the correct order or sequence.

As discussed above, challenges with working memory lead to difficulty in learning since the individual may have less space in working memory for organizing and integrating new skills or knowledge. Without a strong working memory, your child struggles to pay attention. They have difficulties organizing their time, planning activities, and taking steps to reach a goal. You may notice that they can’t follow instructions and they often don’t complete homework assignments or chores.

A child’s short-term memory loss is no different than an adult’s short-term memory loss. Numerous reasons lead to short-term memory loss in children. There are various conditions of short-term memory loss; some affect a child’s ability to memorize names, places, or remember an incident; some affect a child’s ability to articulate, and some affect a child’s ability to learn mathematics.

The main causes are:

  • Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)
  • Medical and mental health disorders
  • Childhood trauma
  • Poor Working Memory
  • Dyscalculia
  • Dyslexia

Noticing a memory problem in your child can be incredibly unnerving. You may wonder if their memory lapses are normal for their developmental stage or if a glitch in their memory signals a more serious problem.

If you’re concerned about your child’s memory, Book an appointment at Jeevaniyam Ayurveda Hospital. We specialize in determining the cause of memory problems with occupational therapy followed by behavioural therapy.

Our expert team includes speech therapists, paediatricians, physiotherapists, and child psychologists who can help you and your child to overcome the challenges of their memory.


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03/Jun/2022

Role of Ayurveda in Learning Disorder

 Ayurveda in learning disorders involve an inability to acquire, retain, or broadly use specific skills or information, resulting from deficiencies in attention, memory, or reasoning and affecting academic performance. Affected children may be slow to learn names of colours or letters, to count, to learn, to read or to write. Learning disorders include a group of disorders such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. Each type of disorder may coexist with another. Learning disorders are not caused due to physical or mental illness, economic condition, or cultural background; neither do they indicate that the child is weak or lazy.

Identifying a learning  disorder is a complex process. The first step is to rule out vision, hearing, and developmental issues that can overshadow the underlying learning disorder. Once these tests are completed, a learning disorder is identified using psycho educational assessment, which includes academic achievement testing along with a measure of intellectual capability. This test helps determine if there is any significant discrepancy between a child’s potential and performance capability (IQ) and the child’s academic achievement (school performance).

A learning disorder cannot be cured. However, with timely intervention and support, children with learning disorders can be successful in school. Parents and teachers are the first persons to notice that the child is finding it difficult to read, write or learn. If you think that your child may have a learning disorder, seek help from a mental health expert or other trained specialists for the required intervention program or therapy.

Ayurvedic medicines are most effective in treating all types of learning disorders. These medicines are made of nature’s finest herbs and are processed without adding chemics. These herbs are known to calm the nerves and result in a neurological balance in the body. Some of those herbs are as follows

  • Brahmi – Known for improving impaired mental functions in the body.
  • Mandukparni – Known for increasing learning capabilities. It is filled with stress relieving properties.
  • Ashwagandha – Known for decreasing excitatory neurotransmitters and suppressing over activeness in our brain.
  • Jyotismati – Known for increasing memory power.

At Jeevaniyam, our unique approach is done by the process of learning is explained in Ayurveda as gaining knowledge. This includes mainly four factors according to Ayurveda philosophy soul, intellect, Mind and the senses. Learning happens when these factors work together towards that single aim.


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31/May/2022

Teaching Strategies For Students With Learning Disorders

Children with specific learning disorders often have other developmental disorders too, such as ADHD. A child can have more than one specific learning disorder. Children with a specific learning disorder find a specific area of learning very challenging, such as reading, spelling, handwriting or mathematics, but do well in other areas of learning. Some may even excel in other areas of learning. Most instruction at home or in school can be adapted to accommodate the needs of students with learning disorders such as dyslexia or other learning problems. These strategies can be used to modify instruction in most subject areas to improve students’ comprehension of tasks and the quality of their work.

 

At Jeevaniyam, we support students with learning disorders, or a parent looking for some guidance. We use the following steps to help the child to overcome their issues.

Break Learning Into Small Steps

Often also referred to as “chunking”, this strategy involves breaking down complex information into smaller and simpler parts that are easy for the brain to digest. Chunking is said to relieve the cognitive load on the brain and engage short-term memory in a more efficient manner.

Visual Aid

Visual aids are invaluable in teaching all students, especially those struggling with a learning difficulty. The human brain can process images faster and better than it can words. Using images, educational films and other visual aids such as diagrams and charts during lessons can help students build a direct correlation between words and their meanings – making learning much easier and faster.

 

Memory Techniques

Revision reinforces lessons taught in class, but students may still benefit from learning certain memory techniques to help them remember how one chunk of information relates to another. Mnemonics, mind maps and even simple diagrams can go a long way towards helping children understand and remember information easily.

Appeal To Multiple Senses

To improve comprehension and retention when studying, incorporate multiple senses.

For children who are visual learners, you can try:
  • Hanging up pictures and setting up models
  • Highlighting information in different colors
  • Asking students to create lesson-based art
For those who prefer audio-based lessons, you can:
  • Listen to books on tape or read aloud
  • Watch a video with accompanying audio
  • Utilize rhymes, chants and language games
Some kids are kinesthetic learners, those who learn through:
  • Lessons with finger paints, puzzles or sand
  • Modeling objects or designs in clay
  • Using small objects to represent numbers
Tactile teaching involves the sense of touch, such as:
  • Pairing counting with clapping or other movements
  • Using a highlighter to color-code passages while reading
  • Manipulating materials, like blocks, to visualize a scene

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27/May/2022

Learning Disorders V/S Scholastic Backwardness

Many children may struggle in school with some topics or skills from time to time. When children try hard and still struggle with a specific set of skills over time, it could be a sign of a learning disorder. Having a learning disorder means that a child has difficulty in one or more areas of learning, even when overall intelligence or motivation is not affected.

Scholastic Backwardness is one of the commonest educational problems encountered in children and consists of the fact that the child’s performance at school falls below the expectations, i.e., according to the level of his intelligence.

The reasons for children having are:

Learning DisorderScholastic Backwardness
Hereditary – It is observed that a child, whose parents have had a learning disability, is likely to develop the same disorder.Learning Disorder – Kids who are diagnosed with the following issues:
1, Dyslexia – Difficulty in reading
2, Dyscalculia – Difficulty with math
3, Dysgraphia – Difficulty with writing
Illness during and after birth – An illness or injury during or after birth may cause learning disorders. Other possible factors could be drug or alcohol consumption during pregnancy, physical trauma, poor growth in the uterus, low birth weight and premature or prolonged labour.Intellectual Development Disorder – Children who have intellectual disability can have problems in academics as taught in regular school. On the opposite end of the spectrum, children who have very high IQ scores can become bored and feel a lack of stimulation in the school curriculum lag in academics.
Stress during infancy – A stressful incident after birth such as high fever, head injury, or poor nutrition.Developmental Disorders – Autism spectrum disorder.
Environment – Increased exposure to toxins such as lead in paint, ceramics, toys etc.Emotional Disorders – Anxiety, depression and phobias.
Comorbidity – Children with learning disabilities are at a higher than average risk for attention problems or disruptive behaviour disorders.Physical Issues – Vision and Hearing problem

At Jeevaniyam, as a first step we do an evaluation by a healthcare professional which concerns about the child’s behaviour or emotions. We do manage learning disorder and scholastic backwardness with the help of ayurvedic protocols along with talk therapy, special education services and other learning development protocols which are developed in house.


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