A Root-Cause Treatment For Down Syndrome
Many people believe that when your child is born with a genetic disorder like Down Syndrome, there is little that can be done to enhance their quality of life. Luckily, nothing could be farther from the truth.
Down Syndrome, just like any other congenital condition, can be treated holistically from a root-level perspective to enhance the individual's developmental abilities. In doing so, they will be better able to process information, feel comfortable in their own skin, and live a high-quality life.
What Is Down Syndrome?
Down Syndrome is a genetic condition that occurs when an individual has an extra copy of a chromosome(a thread-like structure made up of DNA found in the nucleus of your cells). Without getting too deep into the science of genetics, this additional genetic material alters the development of the fetus and causes characteristics that we associate with down syndrome[*].
According to the CDC, around 6000 babies are born each year with down syndrome in the United States, or about 1 in every 700[*].
Common Characteristics Of Down Syndrome
Some common physical characteristics of down syndrome include[*]:
A flattened face, especially the bridge of the nose
Almond-shaped eyes that slant up
A short neck
Small ears
A tongue that tends to stick out of the mouth
Tiny white spots on the iris (colored part) of the eye
Small hands and feet
A single line across the palm of the hand (palmar crease)
Small pinky fingers that sometimes curve toward the thumb
Poor muscle tone or loose joints
Shorter in height as children and adults
Although people with down syndrome may have some common characteristics, each person will have different abilities. In general, people with Down Syndrome tend to have an IQ in the mildly to the moderately-low range.
Some cognitive and emotional issues that emerge include[*]:
Limitations in language and communication skills
Limited non-verbal problem-solving abilities
Inability to connect and relate to others
ADD/ADHD
Disruptive behavior
Difficulty paying attention
Hyperactivity
Anxiousness
Depression and social withdrawal
Obsessive-compulsive behaviors
Oppositional behaviors
Sleep difficulties and daytime sleepiness
What's more, many children that don't receive the appropriate care may experience regression as they get older where symptoms that had resolved reemerge.
Developmental delays and issues with sensory integration leave many people with Down Syndrome feeling anxious and unsettled in their environment. The traditional treatment for Down Syndrome includes any combination of occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and social workers, depending on the needs of the individual.
Unfortunately, very few therapies work at a root level to help the individual feel settled and safe in their environment before working on behaviors. This is where Brain Harmony diverges from the traditional therapies and offers a more holistic treatment plan based on individual needs.
How Brain Harmony Can Help With Down Syndrome
At Brain Harmony, we work with all kinds of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and motor issues.
Fundamentally, a calm and organized nervous system sets the stage for higher cognitive and emotional learning and regulation.
We use a 5-step plan of care to address the nervous system from the ground up, creating a solid foundation to assist in developmental delays and prevent regression.
Step 1 Vagal Regulation
Vagal regulation refers to increasing the tone of the vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve is responsible for bringing you out of fight or flight and into rest and digest mode. In other words, it shifts you from sympathetic activation (the world is unsafe) into parasympathetic activation (I am safe here).
By enhancing vagal tone, we are prioritizing neurological safety for our friends with Down Syndrome who may feel out of place in the world around them. This is a crucial step to set the stage for healing. Without the ability to get into a calm place, your nervous system won't know that it's safe enough to relax and begin its journey back into balance.
Step 2 Neurological Organization
Now that the nervous system is calm and relaxed, we can begin rewiring neural pathways.
During this phase, your occupational therapist (OT) or certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) will develop a plan specifically for you with protocols and listening tools to restructure the disorganization that is causing neurological symptoms.
During this phase, friends see gains in their ability to emotionally regulate, communicate (verbally and nonverbally), connect with others, in addition to enhanced cognitive functioning.
Step 3 Reflex Integration
In the third step of your plan of care, your therapist will assess any primitive retained reflexes or movement patterns that can contribute to delayed emotional and cognitive development. If primitive reflexes are identified, you're provided with training to integrate these restrictive patterns so you or your loved one can move forward with healing.
Many children with Down Syndrome experience physical motor delays that result in delayed reflex integration. This step allows our friends to complete the reflex integration that may have been stunted in their early years.
Step 4 Therapeutic Activities
In step four, your OT/COTA will identify the best therapeutic activities for you or your loved one to participate in while on the healing journey. This step further organizes the brain and central nervous system by giving the body specific cues and strategies relating to balance, strength, and range of motion that are unique to your goals and circumstances.
Step 5 Self-Care
In Step 5, we work with friends to break complex tasks into simple, digestible steps. We also work on frustration tolerance, coping skills, and more. This process is unique to the individual to ensure he or she develops meaningful, personalized self-care skills.
One could say that independence is the primary goal of all parents for their children, and it's no different for families with Down Syndrome. Appropriate achievement of self-care includes everything from morning routines with teeth brushing, getting dressed to preparing meals, physical hygiene, and balancing a checkbook.
At Brain Harmony, this is not accomplished through route repetition of steps. Instead, we work on organizing the nervous system in a particular order and with accelerants to the process, so self-care skills percolate to the top when the foundation is built well.
Sam's Brain Harmony Success Story
Much like those with Down Syndrome, Sam struggled with a genetic disorder that caused developmental delays across the board.
At 4 months old, Sam got Hemiparesis which delayed all of his motor functions. At 10 he had encephalitis, which wiped out his speech. He tried many different therapies with less than successful results. When he started with Brain Harmony, his speech, motor functions, and anxiety levels improved almost immediately. The best part was that after all of the bad experiences from the many other therapies he tried, Brain Harmony was the first therapy that Sam actually enjoyed.
"It's a win-win for everyone and it's so profound when you get to see how something that seems so simple, after all the things I've done with Sam, everything under the sun, when you see something like this that is so beautiful and so simple and works at the root of the problem, it's so gratifying that you can be giving your child something that makes them feel good."
If you have a loved one with Down Syndrome and would like to speak with someone at Brain Harmony to see if our program is right for you, schedule a Free Consultation today to learn more.