National Library Week--Great Brain Books to Check Out!

I love libraries. The books, the smell, the quiet, the organization...all of it! So I am happy to celebrate National Library Week (April 14-20).

In honor of books and reading here are a few of my favorite brain books for you to check out!

Moonwalking with Einstein, by Joshua Foyer--Joshua Foer's yearlong quest to improve his memory. Very  entertaining and interesting!

A User's Guide to the Brain,By J. Ratey, MD--Easy to read information about how the brain works and why we should care. 

A Mind at a Time , By M. Levin, MD--Geared a bit more toward teachers and anyone interested in educating brains.

The Brain that Changes Itself, By N. Doidge, MD--Full of amazing stories of people using their brains in new ways and examples of neuroplasticity at work.

Great New Event! Nutritionist Julie Hammerstein

Timeless Tips & Proven Strategies for Living Healthy in a Busy World

As a Nutritionist, mom, author and business owner, Julie knows first-hand the challenges of balancing health with the busy-ness of life. That's why she's committed to her "Small Change, Big Impact" approach, which teaches people how to make changes that count, one step at a time.In her talk, Julie shares real-world tips on how to balance physiology for healthy metabolism and brain function. She's also a realist, and knows that no one, including herself, wants to live without their favorite foods. You'll find relief as she dispels the myths, states the facts, and shares her personal and professional experience for tuning out distractions so that you can tune into health.

In this talk you will learn how to:

* Choose foods that support healthy metabolism and brain function
* Plan for healthy on-the-go snacks and meals
* Learn the foundational truths around nutrition so that you can embrace healthy habits with more ease
* Dispel fact from fiction around sugar, fat and beverages by learning to effectively read a nutrition label
* Define the non-negotiables in your nutritional health, while allowing for your favorite foods

Participants will receive breakfast and snack ideas and recipes. Julie will also be giving away copies of her book and DVD's, and will also have those available for purchase.

Julie Hammerstein is a Certified Nutritionist and one of the country’s leading health and weight-loss experts. Every year she helps hundreds of people take back their health by following a simple step-by-step plan that gets results. Through her extensive training in clinical nutrition and empowerment coaching, she has created a winning formula that gets people to think differently about health, so that they will act differently to build life-long healthy habits.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

Workshop starts promptly at 6:30pm  

LearningRx Denver
88 Steele St, Suite 50, Denver CO 80206
Across from the Cherry Creek Mall
RSVP to Jesse at 303-284-6105 or admindenver@learningrx.net

20 Things Most People Don’t Know About Autism

Ask the average person on the street what they know about autism and you’ll likely get something along the lines of, “Kids with autism are good at math,” or, “Autistic teenagers aren’t good at socializing.” Mix in something about Hollywood fundraisers and the vaccine controversy and you’ve got a pretty typical summary of media coverage over the past few years.

But that’s media coverage for the general population. Dig below the surface of autism research and you’ll uncover a treasure trove of exciting and insightful new findings on the causes, symptoms and treatments for a variety of diagnoses on the autism spectrum. Here are 25 lesser-known pieces of research:

CAUSES & PREVENTION

1. Both maternal AND paternal age have been linked to autism. In one study, children of mothers older than 35 had a 30 percent increased risk for autism. (SOURCE: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104959.htm) In another study, fathers who had children with autism were on average 5.9 years older than men who did not have a child with autism. (SOURCE: www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241561.php)

2. To reduce their risk of giving birth to children who later become diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, it’s recommended that women take folic acid four weeks BEFORE becoming pregnant and during the first weeks of pregnancy. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256301.php)

3. There appears to be a correlation between mothers smoking during pregnancy and the risk of their child developing Asperger’s. (SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426134924.htm)

4. Although autism is the most inheritable of neurodevelopmental disorders, it appears that no single gene or gene mutation contributes to all cases, making it difficult to identify every specific genetic cause. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/255810.php)

5. Maternal diabetes and/or obesity during pregnancy is now being linked to a higher chance of giving birth to a child with autism. (SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120409103942.htm)

6. Pregnant women who take sodium valproate, an antiepileptic drug, are at a significantly greater risk of having a baby with autism.(SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/255636.php)

7. Children exposed to traffic-related pollution while in utero or before 12 months of age appear to have a higher risk of autism. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/253272.php)

8. Just being a girl seems to help decrease your chances of developing autism – even if there’s an inherited risk. (SOURCE: http://autismsciencefoundation.org/news/examining-and-interpreting-female-protective-effect-against-autistic-behavior.

SYMPTOMS & DIAGNOSIS

9. It’s common for children with autism to suffer from more gastrointestinal problems, such asabdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. (SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100502080234.htm)

 10. The link between autism and sleep problems has been well documented but now there are studies showing the effects of sleep deprivation on daytime activities: (SOURCE: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22522199)

11. Seizure disorders, including epilepsy, are found in nearly 39 percent of people with autism, though it’s more common in those with an intellectual disability. (SOURCE: http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/symptoms#physical)

 12. High-risk babies who developed autism showed significant differences in brain development at just six months old. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/241876.php)

 13. Children whose parents completed the 63-item First Year Inventory questionnaire may be identified as at risk for ASD sooner, leading to earlier interventions than those who received a “traditional” diagnosis years later. (SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120713122806.htm)

 14. A new web-based tool appears to produce an accurate autism diagnosis in a matter of minutes. (SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120410111554.htm)

15. A blood marker has been found that may help create blood tests for early screening of autism. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255637.php)

TREATMENTS

16. Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder may be helped by assistance or therapy dogs in the home. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/256323.php)

17. Diuretics used to reduce the intracellular chloride levels in children with autism reduced the severity in 75 percent of children. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/254003.php)

18. Many parents report success through elimination diets, such as those that exclude gluten and casein. (SOURCE: http://www.autismfile.com/diet-nutrition/diet-for-autism-food-allergens-sensitivities-substitutes)

19. One-on-one customized brain training has been found to strengthen the weak cognitive skills often seen in those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially attention, long-term memory, working memory, logic and processing speed. (SOURCE: http://www.LearningRx.com)

20. Studies show that children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can benefit greatly from certain behavioral therapies, including pivotal response treatment. (SOURCE: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/252463.php)

To find out more about Autism Spectrum Disorders, visit www.AutismSpeaks.org.

The Autism Spectrum: Three Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Thrive

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, you probably know that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) varies in its degrees and severity of symptoms. And while the general population tends to think of autism as a disorder that makes kids “good at math but bad at socializing,” that’s not always the case.

The truth is that ASD encompasses a variety of complex disorders of brain development. Symptoms manifest differently in each child, ranging from cognitive disabilities and struggles with social interaction, to difficulties with motor coordination and health issues, such as seizures, allergies, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal problems. On the flip side, some children with ASD show exceptional skills in things like music, architecture, math and art. In fact, about 40 percent of people with autism have average to above-average intellectual abilities.*

While there’s no cure for autism, we now have medicine, technology and the brain’s plasticity on our side. Here are three things that research has shown can help increase the quality of life for people with autism.

1. Treat the physical symptoms. Sleep disturbances, which are common among children with ASD, can cause attention problems. Seizures can manifest as aggressive behaviors and may contribute to learning difficulties and memory loss if not treated. Children with autism or other developmental disorders are 1.8 times more likely than children without developmental disabilities to have asthma; 1.6 times more likely to have skin allergies or eczema; 1.8 times more likely to have food allergies, and 2.2 times more likely to have chronic severe headaches.** And, perhaps most surprising, they are 3.5 times more likely to have chronic diarrhea or inflammation of the colon.** In addition to traditional medicine, natural approaches – such as melatonin, Omega-3 fatty acids, multivitamins, and diets free of gluten and casein (found in dairy) – have been found to relieve symptoms in many people. Once you begin to treat the physical symptoms, you can create a baseline of comfort to begin addressing the other concerns.
2. Treat the behavioral problems. There are several early intervention behavioral therapies available, but the two that have been confirmed as beneficial by objective studies are the Lovaas Model (also called Discrete Trial Teaching or traditional ABA) and the Early Start Denver Model. At the core of most of the successful behavioral therapies is Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), which uses a three-step process to teach: an antecedent (e.g., a command or request); a resulting behavior (e.g., the child’s response or lack of response); and a consequence. Keys to any successful treatments will require consistency, patience and parental involvement.
3. Treat the cognitive weaknesses. Children and teens with ASD benefit from cognitive skills training, or “brain training,” in two ways. First, one-on-one brain training takes place in a structured, positive environment in which they can thrive. Second, by strengthening the weakest cognitive skills that are commonly seen in children on the autism spectrum (short-term memory, processing speed, and logic & reasoning), there can be a significant improvement in their quality of life. In one study of students diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s or PDD, students moved up 20 to 30 points in auditory processing with an average percentile gain of 24 points in IQ and cognitive skills. Because personal brain training is customized for each child, it treats many developmental and learning problems at their source, instead of just focusing on the symptoms, whether your child has Asperger’s, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, or anything else on the autism spectrum. Best of all, the results are permanent, so they can take their stronger brain skills into adulthood.

To find out more about helping someone you love who is on the autism spectrum, visit www.AutismSpeaks.org. To find out more about how brain training can help, visit www.learningrx.com. 

• SOURCE: AutismSpeaks.org
•  ** U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Fun Math Mnemonics for Math Awareness Month

You may not know this but April is now dubbed Math Awareness Month. I love math so to celebrate I wanted to include some great mnemonics and fun ways to use memory tricks when it comes to math.

There are lots of ways you can apply visualization techniques to math problems. Whether your child is learning multiplication or trying to memorize more advanced formulas, adding mnemonics (e.g. images, rhymes or other devices) increases the fun and therefore the retention! Here are some examples of mnemonics at work: 

Counting: A classic example of a mnemonic in learning to count is the old rhyme: “One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, shut the door.” And so on.

Basic subtraction: “Bigger bottom? Better borrow!"

Times Tables: One trick that has proved to be particularly successful is to associate concepts with each number. An eight might be a snowman due to its shape. A three might be represented by a tree because it rhymes. Or the numbers may be animated and performing a silly task like a human would. 

On CityCreek.com, for example, you’ll see two animated sixes (with faces and arms) drinking from an oasis. A sign in the picture says “Thirsty Sixes (36).” This scene represents 6 x 6 = 36. The idea is that the child visualizes the scene and immediately associates it with the answer. 

Another example from the CityCreek.com site is a person driving a 4 x 4 vehicle up a mountain where a hang glider (with a 16 on it) passes overhead. The wording above the scene says, “Remember: When it’s 4 x 4, the fours become a 4 by 4 (4 x 4) and you have to be 16 to drive it.” The scene represents 4 x 4 = 16.

The order of mathematical operations: “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” = Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction.

How to measure angles in right triangles: “Silly Old Harry Carried A Horse To Our Apartment” =

SOH, CAH, TOA

Sine = Opposite leg divided by the Hypotenuse

Cosine = Adjacent leg divided by Hypotenuse

Tangent = Opposite leg divided by the Adjacent leg

Remembering the first eight digits of Pi: (Count the number of letters in each word):

“May I have a large container of coffee?” = 3.1415926

To add even more fun, let your child make up her own mnemonics! They may even create one that the teacher can share with the rest of the class.