To begin with, every child should have a general health check up by a doctor to make sure that there are no underlying medical problems.
Ears and eyes should also be checked to make sure that these are also healthy and functioning normally. If they are, but the profile indicates that there are still problems in these areas, you will need to investigate further.
If you are seeing a spike in the Food & Chemical Sensitivity area, you may need to investigate whether allergies or food intolerances could be a factor. Naturopaths, allergy specialists, nutritionists and doctors who understand the relationship of allergies and food sensitivities to learning could be of benefit here.
Dr Marilyn Dyson speaks about the importance of nutrition and the impact of allergy and food & chemical sensitivity on our DVD. Also, we’d recommend that you read ‘Feeding the Brain’, ‘Food Journals’, ‘Australian Dirty Dozen Additives’, and ‘Nutrition and Biochemistry’ by Dr Marilyn Dyson, teacher, Michelle Learmouth and Australian nutrition and food intolerance authority, Sue Dengate, which can be found in chapters 4 and 9 of School Floors.
If you are seeing a spike in Hearing, we recommend that you see an audiometrist and you may also be referred to an audiologist or possibly an ear, nose and throat specialist.
Difficulties in Auditory Perception and Language are usually best dealt with by speech pathologists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists, sound therapists and also some teachers. We’d also recommend that you take a look at ‘Sound Therapy and Auditory Processing’ by occupational therapist & sound therapist, Veronica Steer (chapter 9b, School Floors).
Ophthalmologists and optometrists will need to check the primary quest of eyesight, but we recommend a behavioural developmental optometrist to deal with questions of eye functioning if you have a spike in the Visual Perception section of the profile.
For two other quick tests which can alert to possible visual immaturities, read ‘Quick Functional Vision Screening’ by Behavioural Optometrist, Sue Larter, (chapter 9j in School Floors).
Behavioural developmental optometrists are often the best ones to see for Visual Perception difficulties, along with some educational psychologists, occupational therapists and teachers and the Move to Learn Movement Program has also proved effective.
Only professionals who have specific training to assess the need for tinted lenses should be consulted if it appears the need is indicated. If you have a spike in Strong Light, contact the Dyslexia Foundation in your state to find a suitable professional.
If you have a spike in Joint & Muscle Problems, we recommend you seek the advice of a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or Feldenkrais practitioner. Osteopath, Jeff Morrison speaks about the impact of postural, joint and muscular problems on learning on our DVD.
Finally, if you have a spike in Physical Development or Organisation, the best thing you can do is to get working on the Move to Learn Movement Program.
The Move to Learn Movement Program is a perceptual movement program that is modelled on the natural movement process of babies and young children. It assists in integrating left and right brain functions and helps to mature any retained reflexes that should normally have disappeared by the time a child is attending school.
If a child has an immature vestibular system, is not well integrated, has retained primitive reflexes, lacks body awareness or has immaturities with their proprioceptive or tactile systems, there can be a serious impact on the child’s readiness, and therefore ability, to learn.
These difficulties will often be flagged by symptoms highlighted in the Physical Development and Organisation sections of the profile test. They can also be flagged by difficulties listed in the Visual & Auditory Perception sections.
The Move to Learn Movement Program has proved effective in addressing these immaturities.
You can run the program in your own home or classroom with the aid of the Move to Learn DVD, or you could seek the advice and support of one of our Certified Practitioners.
This simple profile test is only meant to act as a guide. For more information, see our books, particularly Help Your Child to Learn and Overcoming Learning Difficulties.