"My Mighty Quinn" - From Tics, Turbulence, Distraction and Disconnection to Calm, Confident and Connected"

S1 Episode 2: The Crucial Facts you NEED to Know about Your Beautiful Child's Learning, Attention, Social and Behavioural Challenges

September 12, 2023 • The Brain Health Movement • Season 1 • Episode 2

Share episode

In this multiple "Eureka Moment" episode of "My Mighty Quinn" podcast series, Lucia Silver reveals seven critically important facts about child brain development.

Lucia unveils a world of insights that challenge conventional thinking about neurological disorders and empower parents and caregivers to understand and address the real root causes behind their child's challenges.

"Information is the Mothership!" declares Lucia as she shares her deep understanding of these facts. Her dedication  to providing accessible, digestible and, above all else, actionable solutions, make this episode an essential resource for anyone invested in supporting their children's healthy brain development and all the improvements and advancements that come with this.

Key Takeaways:

1. Neurodiverse conditions (e.g. Autism, ADHD, Tics etc.) are not the root problem; the lack of proper brain development is.

2. Asymmetrical brain development or inefficient connections between brain hemispheres can lead to diverse symptoms.

3. The brain is neuroplastic, meaning it can change with proper stimulation, offering hope for improvement.

4. Proper stimulation comes chiefly from involves a rich sensory environment, developmental movements, and lifestyle changes.

5. Brain development is not fully completed at birth, this process takes place through food and oxygen and, most importantly, MOVEMENT and other stimulation.

6. Both sides of the brain need to develop in accordance with very exact milestones in a very exact sequence to function properly.

7. Symptoms are clues pointing to brain development issues, they are not the problem itself.

8. Primitive reflexes play a critical role in motor skills and all neurological development.

9. Primitive reflexes must be inhibited in order for the brain to  advance to the next stage and develop higher functioning skills. If this does not happen delays and disorders result affecting coordination, attention, regulation and learning.

10. Early intervention with tailored exercises can inhibit these primitive reflexes and significantly improve all areas of development.

These key takeaways provide a comprehensive understanding of the foundational principles of child brain development. Join Lucia Silver and experts in the Brain Health Movement to explore more insights and unlock the potential of your child's brain.

Download your FREE Guide now: “The Crucial Truths behind your Beautiful Child’s Learning, Attention, Social and Behavioural Difficulties":

Resource Links:

Lucia Silver:

A big warm hello to you today. And an even bigger thank you for joining me again for this episode of the introductory series of my Mighty Quinn. It feels wonderful to have some company on this journey. It's been a pretty lonesome quest up until now. But I'm encouraged and excited by the phenomenally positive feedback from parents and carers. And from knowing that I can be in service by sharing with you the lifestyle changes, tailored exercises and scientific protocols that have been proven by clinicians in practice, and in focus research to address the delays and disorders our children are facing. You've told me how uplifting it is to hear the success story of Quinn and the extraordinarily positive transformation enjoyed by countless other children. In this episode, seven crucial facts behind what is really causing your beautiful child's learning attention, social and behavioural difficulties. I'd like to focus on a handful of awakening critical and deeply empowering facts that every parent needs to know about their child's brain and brain development. These starter facts with a eureka moments for me, where I discovered information that should be common knowledge for any parent to be. And that suddenly started to make sense of everything I was seeing in front of me and Quinn's behaviour in his stim tick, and in his struggles that were worsening every day. I hope for you listening now that this information will start to explain quite a few things. You may even have some aha that now makes total sense moments yourself as you hear these facts. At the same time, this may put to bed for good. Some of the nonsense we're told by those who mean no harm, but who have simply not been trained in the proven science and research that is available, but is obscured and far, far too hard to find. As you've heard me say already, education and knowledge is the mothership. And if we aren't armed with correct and relevant information, how can we do our jobs properly as parents, I for one know that had I known what I know now, I would have been able to address and possibly avoid altogether the struggles that my son Quinn has had over these years. Instead, I found this information out rather late, but better late than never, and have been able to assess the areas of brain immaturity and areas of deficit and work consistently with Quinn at home to address these and enjoy the wondrous results born from that hard work. But firstly, just before I share this information, you may like to know that I've created a free guide for you to have as permanent reference and to read in your own time. You can find the link to this in the footer show notes or when you join the Brain Balance movement Facebook group. here for now, my seven crucial facts to start you off with. Brain Fact number one, different symptoms. One problem neurodiverse conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette's, tics, OCD, anxiety and others are not what you typically perceive them to be. They are all labels given for a similar set of symptoms. But the symptoms are not actually the underlying problem. The lack of proper brain development is the problem. Typically, these symptoms are born of a scenario where left and right hemispheres of the brain are unable to develop symmetrically, or areas of the brain are unable to connect efficiently. This can lead to a brain that is over connected in one area or side of the brain and under connected in another. This results in phenomenal skills, or so called superpowers sometimes, but also weaker, less mature areas as seen in some of the challenges your child may be experiencing now. Recent research shows that when the two sides of the brain do not mature at the same rate, the electrical impulses between the two sides get out of balance and interfere with communication. So scientific proof now exists this communication problem is responsible for a myriad of behavioural, social learning difficulties. And children with this disorders most notably autism, ADHD, dyslexia in Tourette share a large number of these symptoms. And these are not a coincidence. They differ only in terms of the side or part of the brain that is out of balance and the severity of the imbalance. Brain Fact number two, this problem has a solution, the brain can change. And this is called neuroplasticity. And at one time scientists believe that the brain was hardwired at birth, that it could not grow, change or correct an errant growth pattern. Neuroscientists have proven over the last several decades To the brain is actually quite plastic, meaning that it can change both physically and chemically if given proper stimulation. This is the ability to change that's called neuroplasticity. Brain imaging scans actually show that when given the proper stimulation, the weak side of the brain will get larger and faster, and the spaces between cells will get smaller, and new connections will grow. As a result, the new connections on the weak side of the brain can then reconnect with the more mature cells on the functioning side and get back into rhythm. The weak areas of the brain can be rewired to catch up to the strongest areas and reconnect. And so the brain begins functioning again, as a whole. In the words of Dr. Robert Melillo, who's one of the world's pioneering chiropractic neurologists, professors and researchers in the field of child brain development, disconnected kids become reconnected kids. So unless there has been irreversible brain injury, we have the ability to address and dramatically improve or even correct this imbalance and mature correctly through the right developmental movements, a nutrition rich environment and certain lifestyle modifications. Brain Fact number three, the brain needs to grow exactly as mother nature intended. You cannot cheat evolution, milestones, milestones, milestones. Most people think we are born with a completely formed brain, just as we are born with all the vital tissue to make our hearts beat. But this is not so. In fact, the brain is the only organ not fully formed at birth, only the brain's basic structures are present. And you may know already humans have one of the largest brains relative to body size of all mammals, that the smallest birth canal. This means that most of the brain's growth happens outside the womb 75%. In fact, synaptic connections, a fundamental part of brain growth happens at an astounding rate. At birth, few connections exist at all, just enough to regulate breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and so forth. But by age six, the brain is almost 90% of its adult size and possesses approximately 1000 trillion synapses. So these connections are the key that makes learning possible as well as physical growth, every biologically important event, from recognising a mother's smile, a father's voice, sitting, crawling, walking, talking, or the precise result of new connections. But here's the flash announcement. The Kodak moment milestones that we parents anxiously await are the markers of synaptic development and signals of normal growth. They tell us whether the brain is on track so to speak. These synaptic connections do not happen by magic. They are dependent on fuel and stimulation. And when two neurons are excited together, they become linked functionally allowing them to assemble repeatedly, as long as they continue to be activated. As I say, you cannot cheat evolution, this stimulation is vital, it literally gives life and without stimulation, the brain will not grow, brain cells will degenerate and die. The brain has a very exact sequencing in the way that it needs to grow and develop healthily. It builds from the bottom up, and from side to side, the left hemisphere and the right and what you may not realise is that the two sides do not grow in unison, but do need to click into action at precisely the right time to build the neural pathways the way mother nature intended. One new skill like crawling leads to another new skill like walking in a planned sequence and at an expected exact point in time. Nothing is random or casual. Everything is specific unintended. So if a child calls very early, or not at all, before walking, this is not a special talent. It is a warning sign that something is amiss in the orderly formation of the brain. If a child is not exposed to the proper stimulation at the right time, or if a sensory pathway is too weak, the neurons that were destined to build a new site and set a new milestone, miss their time to connect. If this happens too frequently, or during a critical moment of brain development, their brains growth can get out of sequence and cause a slowdown. That side of the brain that missed the connection, then slows down while the opposite side stays on track. Leaving the other behind, causing the other side to miss even more timed connections. So what am I saying? I'm saying that these milestones are actually the checkpoints that the brain is or is not developing according to nature's timetable. The first two years of life are critical for right side brain development. It's often becomes apparent only later when the child starts to exhibit symptoms that we see as ADHD, autism and dyslexia. But some are evident in infancy, but you need to know what to look for when key milestones such as rolling, crawling, walking, speech and balanced development are not met. This is therefore an indication that there is an under development of the central nervous system and if this is caught in time, it can be quickly addressed. These areas can still be addressed at a later date. As with Quinn, and massive improvements can be made with the appropriate exercises and lifestyle changes that the earlier this is done with a child, the easier it is. Brain Fact number four, get the world moving and stimulated. Wow. This fact totally blew my mind. Did you know that the brain actually grows from movement. Scientists now know that the body and mind are codependent. The brain is dependent on the body to provide stimulation necessary for growth, as the body is dependent on the brain to send out the neurotransmitters that signal the muscles to move. In fact, the definition and Webster's dictionary for stimulators verb to excite to activity or growth. And this is the essence of what brain development is all about. Studies have shown that without proper stimulation, a child's brain suffers. A heartbreaking example of this is the orphanages in Romania, where abandoned babies left ally in cribs without being held smile that or ever hearing a lovely coup experienced underdeveloped brains, almost to the point of retardation. These children had stunted brain growth because they were deprived of their sensory world. In order to spark neural growth, the brain needs outside sources like gravity, light, sound, vibration, odour, taste, temperature, touch, am I building a picture now Can Can you see what I mean here. So just like a light switch starts the flow of electricity that turns on a lamp. So to the receptors of the sensory system, act like a switch to start the flow of stimulation that activates the brain, the more brain cell is stimulated, the more it will increase in size and processing speed, strengthen its connection and form new synapses. There is one constant source of stimulation from the environment and that is gravity, we are continually compelled to use our muscles to resist gravity. Therefore, every movement we make stimulates the brain. Repeated muscle activity is the single most important element of brain development. Get the world moving, I repeat all the time. And our elders are right. You don't see the young uns playing in the front yard like they used to. They've all got their faces buried in the TV, and their iPads, iPhones, gaming devices and other screens. And it's not just the social media, the influencing content, and the psychological noise we have to worry about for our children. It's the lack of movement that these screens give rise to two year olds being babysat by iPads. Instead of making friends with the floor, the grass, the smells, textures, sounds, all the natural stimulants of the sensory natural world that will grow the brain in a way that screens interfere with treacherously brain Fact number five, there are two sides to every brain and how our kids get disconnected. The human brain is not only unique in size, but also in structure. specific duties reside on the right or on the left of the brain, meaning that each side does half the job of the whole. But in order to function, the brain must work as a whole, just like an orchestra. And in order to function as a whole and for the left and right hemispheres to communicate effectively. They must be in synchronisation in perfect rhythm, perfect harmony, perfect timing, just like a couple dancing, or the two legged control of a world class athlete running a race. Imagine if one leg trips, the whole body is then out of sync. The good leg can get her to the finishing line, but she'll fall behind. This is in essence what is happening in goal to a child with a brain imbalance. To fully understand the world and react to it, a child must use both sides of the brain. If one half is significantly slower than the other, the two halves cannot compare or share information accurately, the faster side will take over and begin to ignore the other underactive side. And when this happens, a child's interpretations of and reactions to the world around him will be off, so to speak, and his behaviour will appear abnormal, or a little disconnected. And it is this that is responsible for many, if not all, mental, physical, behavioural, social, emotional learning and developmental difficulties related to the whole spectrum of neurological disorders. Brain Fact Number six, the symptoms are in fact the clues that tell us whether delays reside in the brain. And sometimes if the delay resides in the left, or the right brain, it's sometimes helpful to have a label or diagnosis, especially when it results in additional time support and understanding for our children from school and elsewhere. But most important is surely understanding and addressing where we can the root causes of these symptoms. Labels can sometimes leave us feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, confused, and even stigmatised. These labels can sometimes feel definite, and can give us rise to a feeling of, well that's it, then my child is autistic, or my child is diagnosed with ADHD. And that's fine, or that's the end of the road. And we'll accept this and not explore the many areas that could alleviate and in many cases totally reverse the challenges and struggles my child is facing. So what do I mean by symptoms, I'm going to now share a list and it's not meant to be exhaustive, but if your child is diagnosed or undiagnosed, struggling or you simply feel something's not quite right, something's a little out of sync, then you may identify with a few none or many of the following. We're only touching the surface here, but it's a good start. So here goes listening. They may have poor muscle tone, they may have a poor gait, that's an awkward walk or run. They may have poor body awareness. They may have poor posture, seated as well as when they're standing. They may have poor gross and fine motor skills. They may have poor balance, rhythm and coordination, poor eye coordination, they may have poor social skills, they may have abnormal unregulated emotional reactions. They may have a sensitive sensory system, they may struggle with a compromised immune system, immature digestion or digestive issues. They may experience allergies and food sensitivities. They may experience academic struggles linked to poor cognitive skills. Those are reading, learning, remembering, logical reasoning, and paying attention. Cognitive skills are actually the executive higher functions of the brain controlled in the prefrontal lobe of the frontal cortex, and they're the slowest to grow. And the most sophisticated part of the brain and symptoms here include, but are not limited to, acting inappropriately for one's age, difficulty paying attention, learning, remembering, issues with social relationships and the ability to make friends. A lack of fear perhaps and then in the face of danger. aversions to being cuddled or held, repetitive or sustained, unusual play. insistence on everything being the same. difficulty controlling emotions, a preference to play alone, and perhaps a difficulty setting goals organising and prioritising. Please take a moment to perhaps reflect here on the symptoms and your child and maybe note them down for yourself if any seem resonant. It is very, very common for coinciding symptoms to exist. attentional issues and repetitive or sustained unusual play, for example, that would be diagnosed or labelled as ADHD and OCD. tics, poor posture and attentional issues could be seen together. Autism, emotional regulation and digestive issues could be seen together. We think in an overarching way of ADHD as an attentional and regulation problem, autism as a communication and socialisation problem, and Dyslexia as a reading problem. There's no question that these skills may be lacking. But this is not the problem. They are only symptoms of the real problem. Many, if not all of which can be addressed with the drug free exercises and protocols we are championing in the Brain Balance movement. So rather than labels like dyslexia, let's talk about why there might be reading delays or challenges. And rather than ADHD, we can talk about why there may be challenges or struggles with concentration and emotional regulation. Rather than autism. Let's explore why things may be out of sync socially, and rather than dyspraxia, we can look at why issues present relating to coordination and balance. And finally, brain Fact number seven. It all starts with primitive reflexes. I've never heard of those, I hear you say, and neither had I, nor the teachers know many of the health professionals I have asked, and yet you would not believe just how important they are. primitive reflexes keep our babies alive in the womb. And once out, a baby survives thanks to this series of primitive reflexes or automatic movements that require no thought and are present at birth to support vital functions. While the brain is still growing. They give the baby the instinct to breathe to feed or suckle when hungry, that's called the rooting reflex, or even earlier to help the baby make the trip down the birth canal. primitive reflexes play a crucial role in the development of our motor skills, our sensory integration and our overall neurological development. But by age three, the cerebral cortex should be taking over and all of the primitive reflexes should be shut down. Virtually all will in fact be shut down in the first year of life. However, the process of integrating primitive reflexes is not automatic, and requires proper neurodevelopmental input. When a child experiences proper sensory stimulation, such as through play, movement, and social interaction, the brain can integrate primitive reflexes into more complex movements. Conversely, when a child does not receive adequate sensory input, or experiences stress or trauma, primitive reflexes may persist or become hyperactive, leading to developmental delays or disorders. And these repeat this one so, if a child does not move enough to stimulate the genes to build the brain, these reflexes will not become inhibited. And if the primitive reflexes are not inhibited, their brain cannot build in an orderly fashion. You can see how therefore the integration of primitive reflexes is a crucial part of neuro development. As the nervous system matures, the brain's control over movement becomes more refined and voluntary movements turn into more coordinated and purposeful movements. So primitive reflexes serve as the building blocks of all brain development. Therefore, if they do not mature properly, the rest of the brain cannot efficiently develop either. This is how the imbalance begins throwing off the timing for development of the large muscles, and generating problems down the line with vestibular and then hand eye coordination, and then attention and focus issues and then learning issues. So as you can imagine, looking at your child's primitive, and postural reflexes is a very important early diagnostic tool. Most of these should be active at birth, but then disappear at specific times over the next year to be replaced by consciously controlled movement. primitive reflexes are a well documented crucial stage of childhood development. And yet, paediatricians, health, visitors, GPS, and so forth, rarely ever check them in a physical examination. More complex movements cannot develop efficiently if the primitive reflexes are still active. So if your child is struggling with more complex movements, such as balance, riding a bike, tying their shoes, eating without being messy catching a ball, and more, it is likely that the reflexes are still present and causing a delay in the development of this movement. So what can I do I hear you ask? Well, the earlier this is done with a child, the easier it is, and the good news is that it can be addressed by some simple, consistent exercises that will inhibit the reflexes. As a result, you will see a significant positive impact in your child's overall development. With these exercises, improving the symptoms we've been listening, including motor skills, learning abilities, emotional well being and more EVO in the UK, and many of the functional care Practice neurologists in the US see between 70 to 100% improvement across the whole host of attention, behavioural learning and developmental symptoms in children when working purely on these primitive reflexes. That is all I will be saying today on these important primitive reflexes but they will be the foundation of the remedial healing and rehabilitation work we will be offering and championing for your children. So, here we conclude the crucial facts you need to know episode. These seven brain facts are just the beginning of our journey into the world of your child's brain health. I hope you find this first foray as radically revelatory as I did, when I finally unearth this crazily important information. Equally importantly, I hope this also empowers you for your journey forwards with your child. In the next episodes of this podcast series, and in the Brain Balance movement Facebook group, we will be talking more to the experts to the various interdisciplinary doctors of child development. Hold on tight. There's so much more to unravel and explore in this fascinating realm. This is just the beginning of a profound awakening to the true potential of our child's brains and what they require a healthy development