Learning Disability in Children | Jeevaniyam Hospital

06/Feb/2023

Autism and Creativity

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person’s social communication and interaction skills, as well as their behaviors, interests, and activities. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means that it affects individuals differently, with varying levels of severity and different combinations of symptoms.

People with ASD may have difficulty with nonverbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions, and body language, and may struggle to understand social cues and norms. They may also have repetitive behaviors or routines, fixations on specific interests or objects, and difficulty with transitions or changes in routine.

ASD can be diagnosed in children as young as 2 years old, but it can also be diagnosed later in life. While there is no known cure for ASD, early intervention and support can greatly improve outcomes for individuals with the disorder. This may include therapies such as applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, as well as medication to manage certain symptoms.

Despite the challenges that come with ASD, many individuals with the disorder are able to lead fulfilling lives and make significant contributions to society. With greater awareness and understanding of ASD, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and accepting world for individuals with the disorder.

While autism can present significant challenges for individuals and their families, some research suggests that certain traits associated with autism may also have benefits.

Attention to Detail: People with autism often have heightened attention to detail, which may help them excel in areas such as art, music, and mathematics. They may be able to notice patterns and details that others might miss and can be very precise in their work.
Visual-spatial Skills: People with autism may have strong visual-spatial skills, which can be beneficial in fields such as art, design, and architecture. They may have a keen ability to notice patterns, colours, and shapes, which can be helpful in creating art or designing structures.
Memory: People with autism may have a good memory, especially for specific information. They may be able to recall facts and figures with accuracy, which can be beneficial in fields such as history, science, or mathematics.
Honesty and Integrity: People with autism may have difficulty understanding social cues, which can make them appear less interested in social interactions. However, they may be more honest and straightforward in their communication, which can be beneficial in fields such as business and politics.
Strong Interests: Some people with autism may have very specific and intense interests, which they may pursue with great focus and passion. This can lead to a great depth of knowledge and expertise in a particular field.

However, it’s important to note that not all children with autism have enhanced creativity and some may have difficulty with creative activities. Creativity is a multifaceted trait, and it is influenced by many factors such as genetics, environment, and experiences. Children with autism may face challenges with social interactions and communication, which may affect their ability to participate in group activities and to express their ideas. It’s also important to recognize that every child with autism is unique, and their abilities and talents will vary.

Some children with autism may need additional support and accommodations to reach their full potential in creative activities. For example, some children may benefit from visual aids or other forms of communication to express their ideas. Additionally, providing opportunities for children with autism to explore and develop their interests and talents can help to foster their creativity.

At Jeevaniyam, we help parents to identify autism in a child in a very early stage and our doctors and specialist will help the child to identify their talent and train them to improve their skillset so that they can have a quality life.

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21/Jan/2023

Triggers in Autism Childrens

ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. The exact causes of autism in children are not known, but research suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors may play a role.

Some studies have identified genetic mutations that may increase the risk of ASD, while others have found links between certain environmental exposures, such as maternal infection during pregnancy, and the development of autism. However, more research is needed to fully understand the underlying causes of autism.

The signs and symptoms of autism in children can vary widely, but some common ones include:

Difficulty with social interaction and communication, such as lack of eye contact, delayed speech development, and difficulty understanding social cues or initiating interactions with others.
Repetitive behaviours or interests, such as repetitive movements, repetitive speech, or intense interest in a specific topic.
Difficulty with flexibility and change, such as difficulty adapting to new situations or routines.
Sensory processing issues, such as sensitivity to light, sound, or touch. It’s important to note that autism can present differently in every individual and the severity of symptoms can also vary.

There are certain common triggers for children that elevate and disturb the mind. A few reasons that the parents or caregivers should take care as follows:

Sensory overload. Children with autism can be sensitive to sensory stimulation. In a setting or situation—such as a store or a crowded event—all of the noises, colors, lights, and activity around them become too stressful. They might feel overwhelmed and panic.
Difficulty communicating. For a nonverbal child or one with limited verbal skills, the frustration of not being able to communicate can set off anger or a meltdown.
Information overload. Too much information coming in too fast or from many different directions can be overwhelming. Children with autism often have delayed information processing and need more time to process each piece of information.
Changes in routine. The need for predictability is high for children with autism. Sudden changes can create panic, stress, and meltdowns.
Changes in sleep routine. Many children with autism face difficulty with sleep. This creates stressful situations to child and their family
Changes in diet. Children with ASD exhibit refusal of certain foods. children with autism have significantly more feeding problems and eat a significantly narrower range of foods than children without autistic.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, and the risk of these behaviours can increase when—as with any child—an autistic child is overly tired, hungry, or stressed out from another situation.

The more parents and other caregivers can become aware of a child’s triggers and the information they reveal about the child’s needs, the more they can try to minimize stressors and help the child cope. It can be a long road to reach that point.

By understanding and addressing triggers in children with autism, we can significantly improve their quality of life and well-being. Through a combination of awareness, education, and implementing effective strategies,

Triggers play a significant role in the lives of children with (ASD), impacting their sensory experiences and emotional well-being. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of triggers in autism and delve into common triggers that can lead to overstimulation and distress.

By gaining a deeper understanding of these triggers, we can effectively support children with autism and create an environment that promotes their overall well-being

we can create a supportive environment that minimizes triggers and fosters the optimal development of children with autism. Let us work together to empower and advocate for children on the autism spectrum, helping them navigate their unique sensory experiences with confidence and resilience.

At Jeevaniyam our team of doctors and therapist manage these by mainly focusing on removing imbalanced doshas from the body with the help of ayurvedic therapies like nasya, shirodhara, shodhan procedures, etc.

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11/Jan/2023

What is an ADHD Diet?

Having a healthy, balanced diet is important to have a happy and healthy life. A healthy diet can provide an effective complementary approach to alleviating some symptoms of ADHD. Ideally, your eating habits would help the brain work better and lessen symptoms, such as restlessness or lack of focus. The link between diet & autism has long been investigated, with some parents of autistic children firmly believing that the symptoms were alleviated by a certain diet.

But what’s the truth? Are there actually any objective measures to support the claim?

Nutrition is a tough topic when it comes to autism. There are so many different diets, protocols and recommendations that often leave parents or autistic adults feeling overwhelmed. Children with autism may limit their food intake or have food preferences. Many children with autism also have gastrointestinal symptoms like constipation, diarrhea or abdominal pain. As a result, children with autism are sometimes low in certain nutrients. Some of these nutrients have been studied to see if giving children supplements of these nutrients may help with autism symptoms. However, more research is needed. Before giving your child any supplements, speak with your child’s dietitian or health care provider first.

The following food elements can be avoided:

Dairy: When casein (one of the proteins in dairy) mixes with stomach acid, it produces something called an exorphin. Exorphins bind to the opioid receptor sites and can result in a myriad of troubles – brain fog, spaciness, inability to concentrate, and a numbness to pain.
Gluten: A mixture of proteins found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye, gluten can increase inflammation when ingested. In fact, your body can create antibodies to gluten which can fire up, or inflame, your brain.
Corn: There is simply nothing truly beneficial and many potentially harmful things that can come from eating corn.
Sugar: Avoiding sugar and refined carbohydrates and increasing lean protein can dramatically improve concentration and judgment, and decrease impulsiveness.
Artificial Ingredients: Avoid all additives, preservatives, dyes and artificial colours, artificial flavourings, and artificial sweeteners.

Food Items to consider

Milk Substitutes: Be sure the container states the product is casein-free, not just dairy-free.
Gluten-free Bread: These breads are made from rice or tapioca flour. The taste and texture are different from regular bread.
Cheese Substitutes: Check the ingredient list before purchasing any alternative cheese, as some brands that are labelled “dairy-free” may still contain the casein protein.
Meat: Pre-packaged or frozen meat may contain spices that are not gluten-free, so it’s important to check the list of ingredients.
Produce: Fresh fruit and vegetables are usually safe choices for gluten/casein-free foods.

At Jeevaniyam, with the help of the expert team of doctors, therapists and dietitians we find out the symptoms of ADHD at a very young age and help them achieve a social smile by integrating Ayurvedic protocols and dietary intervention in a scientific way.

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28/Oct/2022

Understanding Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behaviour areas. These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime. If your child has a developmental delay, it does not necessarily mean they have a developmental disability. However, a developmental delay can be an early indicator of a learning disability and most children with disabilities exhibit several developmental delays.

The causes of developmental disabilities are varied and remain unknown in a large proportion of cases. Genetic factors have long been implicated in causing developmental disabilities. These conditions are also believed to have a large environmental component, and the relative contributions of nature versus nurture have been debated for decades.

Preterm birth is known to be a predictor for potential developmental disabilities later in childhood, which complicates the question of nature versus nurture, as premature birth could already have resulted from earlier and longer existing difficulties. Second, being born at such an immature gestation could immediately have damaged the main organs (lungs and brain) or, third, such damage could arise in the neonatal period, for instance from the necessary intrusive treatment.

Without early intervention during the critical window – the first 6 years of their life – children might continue to face challenges and may have trouble in catching up. This decreases their chances of entering a mainstream school. A disability can impact one of these facets of a child’s development: cognition, motor, vision, hearing, speech, and behaviour. Cognitive or intellectual disabilities can include specific learning disabilities, as well as reading disabilities, like dyslexia. One example of a behavioural deficit includes Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder. Some disabilities are only identified later in childhood, such as when a child starts school.

At Jeevaniyam, with the team of expert doctor and therapists we intervene the child at a very young age with adequate training along with ayurvedic therapies and a good diet and enable to cope up with their peers and help them to overcome from the condition that may persist through out their life. We have specific educational programs that will enable the child to achieve their social smile and can lead good quality normal life.

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.

08/Oct/2022

Behavioural Therapy For ADHD Kids

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be difficult to diagnose in children and adolescents because symptoms can vary greatly from one child to another. Behavioural therapy is a treatment that addresses behaviours and emotions that cause problems with concentration, organization, time management, self-control, and cooperation. This is also one of the most widely seen neurodevelopmental problems of children while growing up. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviours (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. One of the major treatment techniques used for controlling ADHD is behavioural therapy. Behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that can improve a child’s behaviour, self-control, and self-esteem.

Behavioural Therapy an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat ADHD. This will benefit your child by limiting their destructive behaviour, strengthen their good behaviour and most importantly enable the child to express their feelings in a peaceful manner. Behavioural therapy is used to treat the following symptoms like:

Eating Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Social phobias
Self-harming behaviour

The four most common treatments for ADHD under behavioural therapy are:

Applied behaviour analysis (ABA): This is a form of therapy where the child’s environment is changed to help them learn how to behave in a more normal manner. It involves using rewards and punishment to encourage or discourage certain behaviours.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is based on the theory that many of the problems experienced by people with ADHD stem from their thoughts, feelings, and actions. CBT focuses on helping the individual understand their own behaviour as well as why it may be inappropriate.

Cognitive behavioral play therapy: This type of therapy uses play to help children learn about certain situations and challenges they might face in life. The therapist helps children think about how they would react if they were faced with these challenges and then works with them on how best to handle them.

Exposure therapy: This type of therapy involves exposing the individual to something that scares them so that they can become desensitized to it over time. In this way, the person will eventually stop responding so strongly when faced with similar situations in the future

At Jeevaniyam, we have an integrated approach, which comprises of ayurvedic therapies and behavioural therapies by doctors and professionals, as ADHD is a serious mental health disorder that can make it difficult for some people to work, study and get along with others. Behavioral therapy can help people with ADHD manage their symptoms, so they are less disruptive and more manageable.

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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.

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.

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

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 Disorder	Scholastic 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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Jeevaniyam Ayurveda & Research Centre
Pallathu Road, Thammanam
Cochin, Kerala, India, 682032

Phone : +91 9961518687
Email : enquiry@jeevaniyam.in

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