Does your child have a hard time focusing? Do you think they might have ADD? Or possibly some other learning difficulties? This is not an exhaustive list of things that could help your child, but these are things that I have researched and have found helpful. I hope you find this helpful if your child has ADD or any behavioral or learning challenges that you just can’t quite get to the bottom of.
1) Enough Physical Activity?
Is your child outside, doing real gross motor physical activity for 3 hours a day? It is unfair to label a child ADD, unless they have had the opportunity to move their bodies for at least 3 hours a day. If they are getting enough movement and still can’t focus then it’s a fair question. For children to have fully developed vestibular systems, they need at least 3 hours of gross motor movement or outside time daily. Here is a 7 minute TED talk from a pediatric OT that’s worth listening to regarding this topic. Our school district only has a 20 minute recess for kids! It is just not enough. We’re currently doing the 1000 hours outside challenge, and it has encouraged us to get outside more! How much healthier would all of our kiddos be by doing this!
2) Exposure to Environmental Toxins, Mold?
Mold and other environmental toxins can affect the brain, behavior, health, and personality. Mold affects the brain and immune system in profound ways. It doesn’t hurt to rule it out. Here is a post on how to find a quality mold inspector. Checking for mycotoxins in the body is a simple urine test. But most regular family doctors won’t be familiar with this test, you may have to see a doctor who is familiar with mold or at least find a doctor who is willing to work with you. Here is where to find laboratory testing for mold in your body. It’s best to test at least 2 people in the household to rule out false negatives.
Our modern environment is rich with chemicals, pesticides, plastics, EMFs, and toxins. These build up in the brain and the body and affect kids everywhere. Often, Integrative and Functional Medicine Doctors and Health Practitoners can help with pinpointing issues that traditional doctors may not be familiar with.
Supporting the body with safe detox methods, clean air, movement, and a healthy diet are all ways to help the body get rid of toxins naturally.
3) Reduce EMF exposure
Scientific research shows that Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs) can cause cancer, memory damage, impact brain development, the endocrine system, thyroid function, reproduction, and can cause damage to DNA. Electromagnetic frequencies can come from Wifi, cell towers, Bluetooth, cell phones, ipads, computers, and other wireless devices. We are inundated in EMFs in today’s world.
At a minimum, turn off your Wifi at night when you are sleeping. And keep your phone as far away form you as possible, or better, put it on airplane mode. Our bodies and brains heal and recover in our sleep. Some routers can be put on a schedule, others come with a button you can press to turn the Wifi on and off. Ideally we would use these devices wired with an ethernet cable, with the bluetooth and wifi turned off. Some phones and ipads have adaptors that you can purchase separately and then can be plugged into an ethernet cable to use without EMF exposure. Phones worn on the body should be in airplane mode.
Here are some resources to learn more:
- Protecting kids from wireless radiation in school and at home – article from the Environmental Working Group
- A page of scientific publications regarding EMFs compiled by the Environmental Working Group
- This website, Tech Wellness has great information and products for lowering your EMF exposure
- The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs: How to Fix Our Stupid Use of Technology by Nicholas Pineault – practical book recommendation
4) Retained Reflexes
Look into retained primitive reflexes. Primitive reflexes are involuntary movement patterns that are present at birth and become integrated before one year of age. Sometimes reflexes do not become integrated and this can result in learning difficulties and abnormal movement patterns. Different professionals may be able to assess for retained reflexes including Occupational Therapists, Chiropractors, and MNRI specialists (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration). Get assessed and then there are different exercises you can do to integrate the ones your child may still have retained. Doing these exercises re-wires the brain-body connection.
Many of these exercises are very easy to do and you can do them at home for free, of course working with a therapist would be best. I am unsure why it isn’t standard practice to check for retained reflexes at the pediatrician’s office. Another post for another time….
Here are some books I recommend if you want to read further into this topic:
- Integrating Primitive Reflexes through Play and Exercise by Kokeb Girma McDonald OTR/L
- The Symphony of Reflexes by Bonnie L. Brandes MEd
- The Rhythmic Movement Method by Harald Blomberg MD
Here are some helpful YouTube channels to learn more:
5) Is Your Child a Kinesthetic Learner?
Often classes in traditional school are taught with visual and auditory learners in mind, but not with movement and hands-on learning. Some kids, actually a lot of kids, need this to learn and process. It really depends on the classroom, and the teacher to see if the learning environment is meeting your child’s needs. The book Smart Moves by Carla Hannaford is an excellent read on this topic.
6) Time for Developmental Growth
I’ve read there is growth in the pre-frontal Cortex at age 8. Of course, every kid is different, but some kids may just need extra time to grow and develop, especially boys. One year can make all the difference. Especially in the U.S. where working on academics and sitting for long hours is expected at younger and younger ages.
I honestly regret trying to have my son read and do some workbook type stuff at age 5 and 6. It’s really not necessary nor developmentally appropriate at that age, despite what literally everybody else in the United States is doing. In Sweden, kindergarten is started at 6 years old and first grade starts at 7 years old, when kids are developmentally ready. Just wait until 7 years old for “school work”, especially for boys. Go play outside with friends and do fun, hands-on learning activities instead.
7) Brain Gym
The book Brain Gym is a treasure trove of insights from dance, kinesiology, developmental optometry, occupational therapy, and emergent sensory integration. The exercises are simple but the effects on the brain and body are profound. A lot of these exercises cross the midline and allow for stronger neural connections to grow between the left and right brain hemispheres. Many people, even adults, report major progress with learning difficulties and physical coordination after doing these exercises regularly. Every parent and teacher should check out this book.
8) Diet
Artificial dyes and excess added sugar in the diet can create ADD behavior in a lot of kids. It never hurts to work with your doctor and check for food sensitivities or allergies as well if you suspect something is wrong. Food allergies and sensitivities can affect gut health, behavior, skin issues, and many other things. IgE antibodies are true allergies, IgG antibodies are sensitivities, but both can 100% affect health and behavior. Here is a link for lab testing.
9) Sleep
Make sure you maintain a healthy sleep schedule and a solid bedtime routine. It is hard for tired kids to focus. Getting them running outside will make going to sleep easier, as they’ll be nice and tired. And getting sunshine in the morning can help with circadian rhythms to help them follow their natural sleep cycle.
10) Limit Screen Time
The blue light from screens can interfere with circadian rhythms and make it harder to enter a restful sleep at night. Ditch the screens and have a more restful sleep. Limiting screen time also creates more time in the day for being outside and getting kids active!
Of course, there are times when healthy kids can have learning difficulties, but if your gut tells you it might be something more, trust yourself and do some research.
*This article is not intended as medical advice, it is for educational and informational purposes only.
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