Interactive Metronome (IM).
Interactive Metronome (IM) treatment has undergone clinical studies that show improvements in children diagnosed with:
- Sensory Integration
Disorder- Autism Spectrum
Disorder- Cerebral Palsy
- Non-verbal Learning
Disorder- ADD/ADHD
Many children diagnosed with pediatric and developmental disorders may show:
- Language deficits (poor listening comprehension, poor verbal expression,
poor reading comprehension)- Poor organizational skills
- Poor memory
- Poor fine and gross motor skills
- Poor balance
SCHEDULE YOUR CHILD'S FREE ASSESSMENT TODAY. CALL 856-231-1662
View www.interactivemetronome.com for more information
Innovative Designs for Educational Achievement, LLC uses brain-based research in its approach to remediation for language-learning disorders. When working with those with Asperger’s Syndrome, the brain research tells us that the etiology of difficulty reading facial expression and body language is based in the right hemisphere along with the ability to hear the soft telltale tones of language’s emotional expression. Working with this knowledge, Barbara Fuoco-McCooley, MA, CCC-SLP focuses on developing one’s ability to target stimulation of these areas of the brain to take charge of processing this information while teaching compensatory strategies to strengthen their social communication skill foundation.
Those exhibiting problems with recognizing physical boundaries may invade others’ personal space when talking in small groups if there is damage to the superior parietal gyrus where the ability to perceive physical boundaries sits. Knowing that the areas of the brain surrounding the territory of the left hemisphere, close to the superior parietal gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus, influence someone’s ability to create speech (difficulty formulating words or coherent sentences within the context of a quick moving conversation) with damage in this area possibly causing them to have problems understanding speech within the same social context which may also negatively affect social communication in real-time situations. This is often the case for language-disordered individuals who know what should be said or done, but fail to implement their knowledge of social pragmatics in real-time settings. Close to this area of the brain near the pre-central gyrus sits the motor cortex and in close proximity to the post-central gyrus is the sensory cortex, which can both cause problems with movement, giving the person an awkward gait or stance. Using this brain-based information allows Barbara Fuoco-McCooley, MA, CCC-SLP the ability to correlate the person’s global communication difficulties in a more succinct manner by understanding their basis in brain neuroanatomy. Using the brain neuroanatomy approach to understanding the etiology of the communication disorder allows targeted remediation techniques to focus on appropriate evidenced-based practices in the remediation process. Using Interactive Metronome® is just one remedial technique used in the treatment protocol for alleviating some of the temporal sequential processing issues involved in social communication. Alpiner’s (2004) research with functional MRIs after treatment with Interactive Metronome® suggests that the cingulate gyrus, temporal gyrus, and the superior frontal gyrus are part of the neuro-networks where the Interactive Metronome® activities revealed some activation on the functional MRI imaging. Changes in these areas can be expected to positively impact auditory processing abilities. The cingulate gyrus allows for better shifting of attention and focus as would be necessary in a typical classroom, work setting, or in a group conversation. The strengthening of the neuro-networks responsible for the transmission of new information was reported to have improved as demonstrated in the functional MRIs in Alpiner’s study (2004).
Since Wolff’s work (2002) suggests that reading disabilities in children may be seated in their time perception which concurs with the work of Barkley (1997), a natural extension of this research is that if one works on improving timing and rhythm, reading should also improve. Oftentimes, the student knows the letter-sound associations and seemingly can decode the words, but still does not understand what has been read since their presenting deficit is in phonemic synthesis, or the inability to hear the sounds blended together into a real word. Once the brain’s temporal sequential processing has improved, the blending together of the individual sounds will be heard as words, which improves overall comprehension of material which has been read since it is now heard as language and not a disconnected set of decoded sounds.
Sources:
Alpiner, Neal. (2004). The role of functional MRI in defining auditory-motor processing netorks. White paper presented at 65th Annual American Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Menon V., Desmond, J.E., Left superior parietal cortex involvement in writing: integrating fMRI with lesion evidence (2001) Cognitive Brain Research, 12 (2). pp. 337-340.
Taylor, Jill Bolte. My stroke of insight: A Brain scientist’s personal journey. Viking Penguin: New York. 2008.
Wolf et al. Journal of learning disabilities. (2000). Naming-speed processes, timing, and reading: A Conceptual review. 33:387-407.
Free Interactive Metronome Seminar
Join IDEA, LLC on Wednesday, August 11th at 6:30 PM to learn more about how the Interactive Metronome® (IM) program can help you or your child.
Clinical research has shown improvements in:
- Attention & Concentration
- Language Processing
- Reading & Math Fluency
To learn more about IM, join us for a short demonstration and discussion regarding the use of IM in an integrated therapy session.RSVP by calling 856-231-1662 or emailing us at info@ideasupport.org.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Articles written by
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