Teenagers
Teenagers have either struggled their whole childhood with learning, social skills, behavior, co-ordination and balance. Or they were doing quite well until the new pressures of high school, where poor organizational skills became very apparent, that then lead to other challenges, these were minimal before but have become bigger.
If your teen has struggled their whole childhood, with their emotions and learning by high school they can be disengaged, from school. Often by this stage, they think the struggles are their fault, that if only they tried harder or did this or that differently things easier. I assure everyone that works with me that they couldn’t have tried harder to improve the challenges, that it is not their fault. We talk about how the brain can change and when it does improve areas of struggle, I explain how the brain impacts our emotions and learning, then what can happen if we strengthen it.
After starting neuro exercises to improve the functioning of the brain you start to see positive changes in their engagement in the world and their ability to learn.
Initial consultation
Before you commit to working with me, I want to meet you for an initial consultation, before seeing me you fill out my questionnaire. I don’t charge for this appointment, it’s a getting to know you session, where I take a deeper history and discuss how working together could help. I explain in depth about the brain and how improving its functioning can assist and what would be expected. You have an opportunity to ask questions as does your teen.
It’s important for your teenager to be at this appointment, as they need to be given an opportunity to understand what we could be undertaking together and why. They have a chance to ask any questions and be involved in your decision making, if they are not on board with working together then it just won’t work.
This appointment isn’t where you make any decisions you go home and take some time to consider and talk as a family. If you decide to start working together, the neuro exercises are undertaken daily, 10 minutes each day and can take between 12 to 18 months to achieve the aims
Symptoms Parents might notice
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Emotional outbursts (sadness / anger)
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Need to be “on the move” much of the time
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Inability to sit still
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Poor sitting posture, particularly at a meal table or when working at a desk
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Poor concentration
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Shuts off and day dreams
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Sensory difficulties, with clothing, hands dirty, or really loves sensory and needs stimulation?
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Car sickness
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Difficulty learning to ride a bike
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Difficulty learning to dress – do up buttons, tie shoelaces, put clothes on the right way round
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Difficulty using a knife and fork ‘messy eater’
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Overloaded by loud noises, difficulty coping with background noise?
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Writing problems, neatness and getting ideas onto paper, writing enough content.
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Immature pencil grip
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Reading problems
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Spelling problems
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Difficulty catching a ball
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Difficulty learning to swim, or learning freestyle
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Picky eating sensitivities with food textures & tastes
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Discomfort in social situations
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Anxiety
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Poor impulse control
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Sensitivities that interfere with day to day life
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Difficulty adapting to change (change in routine)
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Sensitivities to the way clothing feels (labels & fabrics)
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Difficulty telling the time on a traditional clock opposed to digital
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History of being early (10 months) or late (16 months) at learning to walk
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History of being late at learning to talk
Does your child have a Diagnosis? The neuro exercises can help with the following:
​- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
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Reading Problems
• Losing place when reading
• Difficulty remembering words
• Lack of or slow progress in reading
• They can read but a dislike of reading
Writing Problems
• Incorrect pencil grasp
• Difficulty writing their ideas on paper, expressing themselves
• Dislike of writing
• Spelling problems
Other Learning Problems
• Poor sequencing skills
• Poor sense of time
• Difficulty with Math
• Difficulty telling the time on an analogue clock
Auditory Processing Difficulties
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Being oversensitive to noises (covers ears)
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Late learning to talk
Balance difficulties
• Inability to sit still/fidgeting
• Slumping at table or desk
• Wrapping legs around chair legs
• History of being early (10 months) or late (16+ months) learning to walk
• Inability to ride a bike, or crashing frequently
Coordination Difficulties
• Difficulty using knife and fork
• Difficulty learning to ride a bicycle
• Difficulty learning to swim
• Falls over or crashes into things – clumsy
Behavior / Emotions
• Emotional overreaction, where their emotions are bigger than the situation.
• Emotional under reaction, inability to speak up, ‘go with the flow’ but too much, giving up what they desire for others too often.
• Mood swings, easily frustrated
• Attention and concentration problems
• Anxiety
Other
• Bedwetting past 5 years of age
• Sitting still
• Early trauma
Where to next?
Please go to the program page where you can learn what I can do to help with your childs set of challenges.