Effects of the brain balance® program on emotional and attentional functioning in children: Preliminary evidence
Rebecca Jackson
Brain Balance Achievement Centers, USA
: J Spine Neurosurg
Abstract
Objective: Sensorimotor deficits are a core feature across developmental conditions and have been linked to decreased cognitive ability, attention, and brain functional connectivity. Given that connectivity in the brains of children can be positively altered by training and practice over time, training programs during childhood may play a critical role in addressing functional deficits in children with learning and developmental issues. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of an integrated wholechild approach (Brain Balance® Program) on emotional and attentional functioning in children with learning and developmental issues. This center-based, hemispheric program aims to integrate sensory input and strengthen motor skills through regular frequency of multimodal activities that target sensory functioning (auditory training, eye coordination and perception exercises, vestibular activities), motor skills (balance and gait training), and exercises to address retained primitive reflexes, along with academic engagement, nutritional support and complementary home-based exercises.
Methods: Children (aged 4-17 years) participated in the Brain Balance Program for a duration of 5-6 months (1 hour/day, 3 days/week). Parental surveys were administered prior to program initiation to assess participants’ baseline functioning and again after program completion to evaluate changes in participants’ emotional and attentional functioning. Parents were instructed to rate each statement in the survey on a numeric scale of 0 to 10 (0 = not observed/does not apply; 10 = frequently observed). Enrollment criteria required parental responses of ≥ 4 on each survey item. Survey responses were collected for four individual groups of children each year from 2015 to 2018.
Results: Preliminary data from parental survey responses indicate improvements related to emotional functioning (Fig. 1), anxiety (Fig. 2), and attention (Fig. 3).
Conclusion: Regular participation in the Brain Balance Program — a comprehensive, multimodal training program — may improve emotional and attentional functioning in children who present with clinical or subclinical developmental or learning challenges.
Biography
Rebecca Jackson comes to the role of VP of Programs and Outcomes with a depth of knowledge and passion that comes from a strong foundation of education and nearly a decade of first-hand experience at Brain Balance. Prior to joining the Brain Balance corporate team, she served as the Executive Director of three Brain Balance centers, personally overseeing more than 1,000 students’ progress through the Brain Balance program. Rebecca graduated from Life University as a Doctor of Chiropractic in 2001. She considers it an honor and a privilege to be so intricately involved with a program that makes such a lasting impact on the lives of kids and their families.
E-mail: rjackson@brainbalancecenters.com
