Nov. 2001
On Demand Accelerated Performance Newsletter
ACCELERATED PERFORMANCE
Accelerated neurodevelopment allows us the ability to maximize and use
our intellectual, physical, and emotional strengths simultaneously.
When accelerating brain power, daily tasks such as working, studying,
and sports become easier to do and manage. The brain is functioning at
optimal levels and is able to make quick attentional shifts on demand.
This is the state of mind that peak performers call "the zone" and is
accessible at will.
On Demand Accelerated Performance will be offering programs and
assessments on how you can achieve top performance from your brain and
mind. If interested please contact us.
NEWS BRIEFS
The Brain's Halves Cooperate To Help Us Remember Events, Giving "Lefty Family"
Members Better Episodic Memory
Science Daily Magazine
WASHINGTON - Does coming from a family full of "lefties" tend to make a
person better at remembering events? The data from two recent
experiments answer in the affirmative. What's more, psychologists may
finally be able to explain why kids don't remember events until they are
about four years old. This recent research is reported in the October
issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological
Association (APA). Please click the link below for the complete
story.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011022025919.htm
Antiepileptic drugs linked to developmental disorders
In addition to congenital malformations, children exposed to
antiepileptic drugs in utero are at a significantly higher risk for
developmental delay, according to a clinical geneticist at the
University of Aberdeen Medical School.
In the first study of its kind, Dean and his colleagues examined the
effects of 4 different AEDs (carbamazepine, phenobarbitone, valproate
and phenytoin) on 292 children from 150 families.
Although previous studies indicated that 5-14% of children exposed to
AEDs in utero suffer from congenital malformations, data on the risks of
developmental delay was scarce, Dean says. So researchers decided to
concentrate their studies on developmental delay. They discovered
developmental delay with each category of AED, most notably with
valproate, where 34% showed an effect. Of those children who experienced
developmental delay, a significant number also had family history
suggesting a single gene or multifactorial contribution, Dean says. For
the rest of the article please click on the link below.
http://news.bmn.com/conferences/list/view?rp=2001-ASHG-4-S1
Autistic Behavior Linked To Several Brain Areas In Children With
Tuberous Sclerosis American Academy Of Neurology
ST. PAUL, MN - More than one area of the brain is responsible for
autistic behavior in children with tuberous sclerosis and brain lesions,
according to an article published in the October 9 issue of Neurology,
the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study included 26 children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a
genetic disorder that causes benign lesions or tumors to form in many
different organs, including the brain where the lesions are called
"tubers." Autism is a common occurrence in children with TSC. For the
complete story please click the link below
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011009070738.htm
RESEARCH AND ADVANCEMENTS
Plastic neural changes and reading improvement caused by audiovisual
training in reading-impaired children Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA: Vol.
98, No. 18, 1050910514, August 28, 2001
This study aimed at determining whether audiovisual training without
linguistic material has a remediating effect on reading skills and
central auditory processing in dyslexic children. It was found that this
training resulted in plastic changes in the auditory cortex, indexed by
enhanced electrophysiological mismatch negativity and faster reaction
times to sound changes. Importantly, these changes were accompanied by
improvement in reading skills. The results indicate that reading
difficulties can be ameliorated by special training programs and,
further, that the training effects can be observed in brain activity.
Moreover, the fact that the present training effects were obtained by
using a program including no linguistic material indicates that dyslexia
is at least partly based on a general auditory perceptual deficit. For
the complete research article please go to the link below.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=11517333
A WARNING ABOUT VACCINES WITH MERCURY
The national Institute of Medicine is recommending that children and
pregnant women avoid vaccines containing a mercury-based preservative,
saying that there was an unproved but "biologically plausible" risk that
the substance could cause neurological problems. Although the FDA has
maintained that the amount of mercury in vaccines is too low to be
harmful, the preservative, thimerosal, has been the target of an
impassioned campaign by parents who believe childhood vaccines caused
their children's autism and other brain disorders. Thimerosal continues
to be used in adult vaccines, including some flu vaccine.
For more information please click the link below
http://healthy.net/asp/templates/news.asp?Id=3274
Neurotoxicity and molecular effects of methylmercury 1 University of
Pavia and "Salvatore Maugeri" Foundation, Pavia, Italy; and 2 Karolinska
Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
The neurotoxicity of high levels of methylmercury (MeHg) and the high
susceptibility of the developing brain are well established both in
humans and experimental animals. Prenatally poisoned children display a
range of effects varying from severe cerebral palsy to subtle
developmental delays. Still unknown is the lowest dose that impairs
neurodevelopment.
In the adult, MeHg poisoning is characterized by damage to discrete
anatomical areas of the brain, such as the visual cortex and the granule
layer of the cerebellum, axon degeneration associated with secondary
myelin disruption of the sensory branch of the peripheral nerve with
preservation of the motor branch.
Overt signs and symptoms may take weeks or months before they become
manifest. Such effects include constriction of the visual field and
other visual abnormalities, sensory impairment of the extremities
cerebellar ataxia, hearing loss, muscle weakness, tremor, and mental
deterioration.
For the child, the immature central nervous system (CNS) is extremely
sensitive to MeHg neurotoxicity and the fetal brain may be affected even
if the mother shows no signs of poisoning.
Unlike focal damage in adults, the developing brain shows a diffuse and
wide-spread damage. High-dose exposure may result in cerebral palsy,
blindness, deafness, and severe mental retardation. For more information
please go to the link below
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11470315&dopt=Abstract
KIDS NEWS
NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS
We encourage you to explore this section with your children. We have
tried to find things that would be of interest to them and you so that
you can learn together. This is a very nice site. CRI Your brain is
only about 3 pounds, yet it is the most powerful organ in your body.
Check out this site, the games and experiments can help you learn more
about how this important muscle (yes, the brain is a muscle) works.
http://www.healthwindows.org/body_system.asp
Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder and Autism
This is another condition within the Autism Spectrum that makes
communication difficult. Although words and sentences may be spoken by
the child, the conversation may not be appropriate to the situation.
Since the introduction of the term Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder (S-P) in
1983, there has been a controversy about whether this condition is a
disorder in itself, or if it is merely a descriptive term for a
condition which appears in many Autistic children. Or is it another PDD?
For more information and loads of other links please go to the link
below.
http://autism.about.com/cs/semanticpragmatic/index.htm?iam=dpile&terms=%2BAn+%2Boutline+%2Bof+%2Bbrain+%2Bfunction
Older Girls With ADHD Have More Depression, Anxiety, Smarts Source:
Center For The Advancement Of Health
Older girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are more
likely than younger girls to also suffer from depression and anxiety,
according to a new study.
These girls also often have higher IQ scores than boys with the same
diagnosis, the researchers found in the study published in the October
issue of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Taken together, the findings suggest that ADHD may express itself in
girls in ways not predicted by previous research, says lead author
Pamela Kato, Ph.D. It is also likely that these girls relatively high
verbal IQ scores has acted as a barrier to an ADHD diagnosis. For
complete story please click on the link below.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011012073849.htm
Tongue Acupuncture for Children with Drooling Problems Pediatric
Neurology, 2001, 25:1:47-54
Tongue acupuncture is an innovative technique in traditional Chinese
medicine. The study demonstrated that specific tongue acupoints are
related to various functional domains. This study aimed to assess the
efficacy of tongue acupuncture in children with neurologic disability
who had severe drooling problems. The team conducted the study with 10
children in which a continuous course of tongue acupuncture was
performed daily to five acupoints in the tongue for a total of 30
sessions. Statistically, significant improvement was noted. Please
click the link below for more information.
http://journals.bmn.com/journals/list/latest?pii=S0887899401002922&node=TOC%40%40PNU%40025%4001%40025_01
Hugs, Not Drugs John Robbins (Excerpted from Reclaiming Our Health:
Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the Source of True Healing)
It may seem paradoxical to give stimulants to children who are
hyperactive in order to calm them down. But this is done because these
drugs often have the reverse effect on children than they do on adults.
Although the actual impact of Ritalin and similar substances on the
brain and mind of young people is poorly understood, children diagnosed
with ADHD often continue to take it for years.
What happens to the youngsters who take this medication? Their actions
tend to be more goal-directed and "on task" than before. They often
become less distracted by things going on around them, and better able
to stay focused on their schoolwork. They tend to become less
aggressive, less apt to get into trouble, and generally more docile and
compliant. They follow rules better.
These changes make them easier for adults to manage. Psychiatrists,
parents, and teachers are often pleased with the changes they see in a
child who is put on Ritalin, who may appear to be "finally settling
down."
I have been dismayed to learn, however, that the drug usually does
nothing to enhance learning or improve actual academic achievement
beyond the short term. Actively seeking to find evidence for enhanced
learning in children on Ritalin, psychiatrists Russell Barkley and
Charles Cunningham analyzed 17 studies on the subject, and called the
results "uniformly discouraging."
For the full article please click the link below.
http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=article&ID=1805
ASK THE EXPERTS
(Answers your questions on various topics of interest)
Curtis T. Cripe, Ph.D. founder of Crossroads Institute has spent the
last 27 years of his life developing methods to help individuals heal.
He holds a Ph.D. with emphasis in neurodevelopment and a Masters
in Aerospace Engineering. He is Board Certified in Neurodevelopment,
Neurotherapy and a Diplomat in Peak Performance.
Early in his profession as a top Aerospace Engineer for NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Dr. Cripe gained an appreciation for precision
and concrete science-based (objective) measures. By combining this
background with Neurodevelopmental and Native American
Healing practices, Dr. Cripe has developed a very unique program for
healing the entire individual based on science, the mind and the spirit.
Q. As a parent of a "special needs child" how do I help my child
grow and succeed without teaching learned helplessness?
A. Learned Helplessness is a termed coined by Dr. Martin Seligman
("Learned Helplessness: A Theory for the Age of Personal Control") which
simply stated is the belief that one has no control over their
situations. Operating under this belief leads to an "I can't do"
attitude. Unfortunately, children learn this behavior from their peers
and especially their parents. So, it is up to parents to teach their
child how to become self-reliant and independent. At the same time the
child needs to know how to honor boundaries, know their limits and have
an overall respect for life. It is with this foundation that the child
can truly become a responsible, contributing member of society.
Translated practically, if children develop learned helplessness and a
"I can't do it" attitude they will typically become underachievers which
can include withdrawing from challenging situations or self-imposed
personal limits through negative self-judgement.
Often this will be reinforced by a situation or the authority figure
(parent, teacher, therapist) acknowledging through implied agreement
that that self judgement is accurate. In other words, by a
parent/teacher/therapist not pushing the envelope which may limit the
drive for self discovery or self development.
To overcome that "learned helplessness" attitude, Crossroads Institute
employs the teaching of 4 primary character values, which are known
markers of high performers. Consistency in teaching these values is
key..
1. Self reliance 2. Critical Thinking 3. Openness and willingness to
experience new possibilities on the part of the child 4. Self acceptance
of their individuality which relates to their perception of self
value/worth/esteem.
In addition to teaching them about their primary personality and the
personalities of those around them, we use the DISC program to gain a
sense of how the personality is evolving. I adapt it to the
developmental age of the child as opposed to the chronological age. (The
DISC program is soon to be offered through CRI via the internet. Please
look for that in next month's newsletter)
We have found "expectations" is the key element to success with all
children and those with special needs are no different. If a parent has
low expectations of what the child can accomplish then the child will
live up to that low expectation. If, in contrast, expectations are high
balanced with patience then the child will also live up to those high
expectations and progress towards healthy development and maturity.
The difficulty with special needs children is to make sure that those
expectations are adapted to their development age, emotional age, and
skill set development...not necessarily their chronological age. It
requires an infinite amount of patience which is often difficult.
That is why there is an art and science to this. The science is that
you follow the 4 principals...the art is for the parent to determine if
that child has gone beyond his/her capabilities or are they manipulating
the situation. Use you gut instincts or intuitive abilities to develop
the art. There is no perfect answer and no "right" answer all the time.
However, if you keep your expectations and requirements high while
maintaining patience and love you and therefore your child will achieve
a greater amount of success. Remember: Firm but loving!
NUTRITION NEWS
Tasty Alternative to Vitamins WebMD Medical News
Picture a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant so high-tech that it
produces thousands of chemicals beneficial to human health, at a cost of
only pennies per day. Now imagine that it is solar-powered, uses only
water and carbon dioxide as raw materials, gives off no toxic waste, and
fits in the palm of your hand. Science fiction? No -- a simple tomato.
Or not-so-simple, considering that in addition to vitamins C and A,
beta-carotene, fiber, and lycopene that protects the prostate gland from
cancer, the tomato undoubtedly also contains a host of other health
tonics that research is only beginning to discover.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1671.52407
Abstract Fibromyalgia syndrome improved using a mostly raw vegetarian
diet: An observational study BMC Complement Altern Med 2001; 1: 7
Fibromyalgia engulfs patients in a downward, reinforcing cycle of
unrestorative sleep, chronic pain, fatigue, inactivity, and depression.
In this study we tested whether a mostly raw vegetarian diet would
significantly improve fibromyalgia symptoms.
For more information click the link below
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=57816
Iron-Deficient Children At Risk For Higher Blood Lead Levels, Berkeley
Researchers Find Source: University Of California - Berkeley
Berkeley - Health risks for iron-deficient young children include delays
in mental and physical development. Now, a study by researchers from the
University of California, Berkeley, and the state health department adds
new evidence that insufficient iron levels may also be putting children
at higher risk for increased lead exposure.
One theory for the association between iron and lead levels in the blood
comes from the fact that the two are biochemically similar. Many
symptoms of severe iron deficiency even mimic those of lead poisoning.
The absence of iron creates a nutrient deficit in the body, which
responds by grabbing more of the lead that is ingested by the child, or
hanging onto the lead more strongly once it is in the body.
While other studies have been done on blood lead and iron levels in
children, this is the first study to take into account environmental
lead contamination.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011004065504.htm
RECIPE OF THE MONTH (and other good things to eat)
NUTTY FRUITY BALLS
(From 50 Fabulous Gluten-free Recipes & RiceGrowers Co-Op Ltd)
Ingredients:
3 cups gluten-free Cornflakes or 1/2 cup of rice bran
1 cup mixed dried fruit OR dried fruit of your choice
Grated rind from 2 oranges
(4oz) mixed nuts OR ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon brandy (or gluten-free essence)
2 tablespoons gluten-free rice syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
extra ground hazelnuts
Method: Place Cornflakes/rice bran, dried fruit, citrus rind, nuts and
brown sugar in a blender. Process until well chopped. Add brandy and
rice syrup/honey and process again until the mixture forms a ball. Form
into small balls and roll in ground hazelnuts. Refrigerate for a few
hours before serving. OPTIONS: try dried apricots and chocolate bits if
diet allows. . .
BOOK NOTES
The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind
By Elkhonon Goldberg
Review by: Margo True
Most of us wander through our days without any conscious thought about
the very organ that's directing our routine. But anyone who reads Dr.
Goldberg's compelling, lively account of the brain's frontal lobes will
come away with a newfound appreciation for their own gray matter. As
Goldberg tells it, not only do the frontal lobes help us prioritize
tasks and give us our awareness of ourselves and others, they also play
a crucial role in creativity and talent, and are the reason we're as
civilized as we are. (Next time I see someone toss their trash on the
street, I'll think, Weak Frontal Lobes!) Although the book was written
with both a general and a scientifically adept readership in mind, it's
never so technical that the layperson can't follow the discussion. I
found this book stimulating, witty, and illuminating.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195140222/qid=1003774125/sr=1-12/ref=sr_1_15_12/107-8210033-9213333
NEURODEVELOPMENT FEATURE HIGHLIGHT
Brain Builder
Crossroads Institute has been using Brain Builder as a tool to enhance
auditory and visual sequential processing abilities. We have found it
works very effectively for those who have slow processing AND we have
also found it can help those who wish to accelerate their processing.
Brain Builder is a "neurobic", computer-based training program that is
designed to assess and build auditory and visual sequential processing
abilities. Gains can be made in short-term memory and thinking skills.
Brain Builder trains the brain to expand its ability to sequentially
process auditory and visual information. Sequential processing is
fundamental to all learning activities, communication, social
interaction and higher order cognitive functions.
The Program consists of seven activities. Three focus on auditory
processing, three on visual processing and one on attention and
cognitive processing speed. A baseline level is established in each of
the activities, then the program moves you to, more challenging levels
of training.
The opening warm up activity is a sustained attention exercise that
creates focus so the individual can be helped to control impulsivity and
remain focused on the six core sequential processing activities.
The other six are an intensive series of adaptive, interactive exercises
that train sequential processing functions. These exercises involve
seeing or hearing, and then recalling, a series of numbers. This skill
is often measured by standardized tests, where it is called "digit
span."
In Brain Builder, digit span is not just tested, but exercised. The
activities have been shown to build sequential processing capacities in
people at all levels. This increases your intermediate, working and
short-term memory capacity.
Building digit span means increasing the number of abstractions you can
keep in mind when understanding and processing language, and the ability
to think sequentially in any life situation. If you can grasp the
relationship of more factors that are interacting in a given situation
you may be able to solve problems more successfully.
For more information please contact
Crossroads Institute: http://www.crossroadsinstitute.org/crcontact.html
MIND/BODY/SPIRIT
THE HEALER WITHIN
(From Healthworld Online)
Experts are constantly directing us toward successful quieting of the
mind and body. This particular technique offers a genuine state of
relaxation by actually involving the body parts. In "Progressive
Relaxation, Option I" Dr. Roger Jahnke offers you a technique for those
of you who wish to tap the benefits of the self-applied methods but have
little prior experience. For the full exercise please click the link
below.
http://healthy.net/asp/templates/column.asp?PageType=Column&id=138
MIND/BODY FITNESS
How to start living at the speed of life
Zones.com
Everywhere you turn today, somebody is in a rush. Hurry here, hurry
there. Free up an extra half-an-hour so you can squeeze just one more
thing into your already overflowing schedule of things to do. Many of us
mistake living fast for living well. They aren't the same things. Rather
than spend your time rushing around not enjoying life, decide to do just
the opposite. Make the conscious choice to slow down and start living at
the speed of life. If you're not sure how, here are a few ideas:
1. Stop rushing
2. Stop being rushed
3. Do less
4. Do nothing
5. Do one thing at a time
6. Do things now
7. Do something for someone else
For a more details on these seven steps please click the link below.
http://www.zinos.com/cool/zinos/scan/se=AR000719/sp=view_article/rs=yes/go.html
Thank you for Visiting the On Demand NewsLetter...Please feel free to email this news letter to a friend.
Thank You,
The CrossRoads Team
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