Friday, January 25, 2008

Tuning the Brain

I am blown away by the capability of the Interactive Metronome (IM) as a way of improving motor planning, attention and overall processing speed and capacity. I've been certified on this tool for just a few months, but have seen dramatic results in kids with autism. One boy with good verbal skills but little desire to communicate now responds to his mother, follows directions and even - at the age of 11 - taught himself to tie his shoes. Another boy struggling with coordination and oral praxis is now able to use gym equipment with ease and is successfuly learning to move his mouth to generate "f", "v" and "s". A third child has much improved handwriting.

There is a great deal of latitude for therapists, and I find that it works both as a modality and as an intense therapy.

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