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EARLY ROOTS
Early Roots is a specialized therapy practice for children and adults with learning, behavioral, social, and/or emotional problems. We assess each child (or adult) for signs of immaturity in the central nervous system, also known as Neuro-developmental delay (NDD). We look to find the lowest point of breakdown in their development and then we create a program that works up from there. Our program always follows the natural progression of development.
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The first part of the central nervous system to develop and mature is the spinal cord, followed by the brain stem, the cerebellum, and lastly the cerebral cortex. At birth, the lower sections of the brain are more mature than the higher sections. Each section is responsible for more and more advanced functions. The brain stem is responsible for automatic processes like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and infant reflexes. The cerebellum is responsible for both controlled and automatic motor movements, and the cortex is responsible for advanced learning and processing. During that last part of pregnancy and the first 12 months after birth, brain development occurs rapidly. As the upper regions of the brain mature, the lower sections of the brain relinquish some control and enable the child to do subsequently more and more.
The brain stem is the first part of the brain to mature and it provides the foundation for higher-level brain function. Our program starts here because immaturity at this level can have a huge impact on the development and functioning of the upper levels of the brain. If it is not functioning properly, then it can interfere with balance, coordination, attention, emotional regulation, reading, writing and much more.
Most other therapy programs focus on one or more of the higher levels of the brain (cerebellum and cortex). For children who have immaturity at their brain stem, this will not fix the issue but rather teach compensation techniques. These techniques will vary in effectiveness, but will never allow the child to function at their full potential. At Early Roots we evaluate each child to determine their earliest point of dysfunction and then we create a specialized program based on their individual needs.