When it comes to the treatment of autism, early intervention is key—yet African-American children are typically diagnosed two years later than Caucasian children. Now here’s some better news: Interactive Metronome is a health program shown to improve the brain functions of people with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, According to a 2011 study published in The American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
Fastening New Skills with the Interactive Metronome - George’s Story.
George is a 78-year-old man, receiving Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy to address functional movement problems as a result of his moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease.
As an OT new to the IM program I was interested to see whether the program would help to alleviate the tremor in both of his hands as he tried in vain to manage his fasteners, buttons and zippers when dressing. I knew from experience that helping clients in this area with traditional therapy techniques (repetition/adaptation/compensation) was often arduous, frustrating and time-consuming.
Undaunted, I looked to the fact that the IM program had helped with many of my clients who had motor problems and set out enthusiastically to help George to “fine tune” his fine motor skills.
I’ve been an OT for 20 years now and have seen many patients with the diagnosis of Developmental Delay. As these children age, some of them do “catch up” but others tend to develop at their own pace. Sometimes other syndromes or conditions or influences are impacting these children as well. One day a mother was talking to me after our OT session and she stated – “He is just marching to the beat of his own drummer!” and that has stuck with me for the past 15 or so years. Well, that statement in itself has a rhythmical reference to it, so I thought why not try IM with some of my patients who had Developmental Delays and see if it would be helpful.
A 12-year-old boy was my first prospect. I had known him and worked with him since he was 18 months old. I reviewed with mom what I had learned, and let her know that I thought this might be a good option for her son who was struggling in school and was very slow and awkward in general. She agreed, knowing that at the very least it would be a good workout for him and that he would have to do some good motor planning during the tasks. She committed to coming in 2x/week before school...
Computer program benefits a variety of young patients
Nicole Dye-Anderson credits roller-skating lessons with alleviating her daughter's ADHD symptoms. It was Jenna's skating coach who noticed the 11-year-old seemed to prefer her left side over her right. She suggested physical therapy to improve Jenna's balance.
That's how Jenna wound up at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children using the Interactive Metronome, a computer-based rhythm program that uses simultaneous sound and images to help with the brain's processing, specifically when it comes to attention, motor planning and sequencing. Computer program benefits a variety of young patients
There has been more than one occasion when behavioral issues really impact the outcome of our IM sessions and the changes that can take place. Sometimes honestly the kids just aren’t interested in what you want them to do, and they want to do it their own way. Sometimes there are behavioral issues that have become intertwined in their environment, and they need a fresh start. This can definitely have an impact on the effectiveness of your IM sessions, and what progress you see both in the clinic, and in their other environments.
Educational Psychologist Kevin McGrew: An IQ Test Maker Who Goes Beyond IQ Dr. Kevin McGrew is the Director of the Institute for Applied Psychometrics (IAP). He received a masters degree in[...]
Three and a half years ago, Diane Solomon was at the end of her rope. Her son Adam was in second grade and nobody knew what was wrong with him. When Adam was 18 months old, he had been diagnosed with a rare childhood inflammatory disease called...
Is there similarity between the attentional focus required during IM-Home training and that attained by experienced meditators? Emerging scientific evidence suggests the answer is "yes."
When Brenda and Richard Davis talk about their 9-year-old son, Aaron, they find it impossible to hold back their tears.
A year ago, Aaron, who was diagnosed at age 5 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, had difficulty making eye contact and having a conversation. He couldn’t follow directions and was lagging behind in school by several years.
That began to change last spring after the Davises heard about Interactive Metronome and decided to see if it would help their son. Interactive Metronome is a clinically proven computer-based assessment and treatment tool that has helped children with developmental challenges improve their cognitive, behavioral, social and motor skills.
“We had resigned ourselves that he would live with us and not hold a job or go to college,” Brenda said, as tears spilled down her cheek. “Now, he’s going to go to college, and he’s going to be successful.”
“The simple fact that I can stick with a task until it is complete is a major break through for me!”
Mariko, Yamamoto is a college age student and has come a long way after going through the Interactive Metronome® program at IMprove in Okinawa, Japan. Mariko ’s inability to concentrate, her short attention span, and hyperactive behavior were taking a toll on her academic and daily life. One of Mariko ’s biggest problems was her inability to organize her tasks, like cleaning her room. She would never know where to begin cleaning and after hours of shuffling things around she would have to resort to calling her mother to help her get things put away correctly. She also found herself struggling with note taking during her classes and found activities, such as eating meals and washing dishes boring. She would often loose track of her original task and lose valuable study time.
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George is a 78-year-old man, receiving Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy to address functional movement problems as a result of his moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease. 
I’ve been an OT for 20 years now and have seen many patients with the diagnosis of Developmental Delay. As these children age, some of them do “catch up” but others tend to develop at their own pace. Sometimes other syndromes or conditions or influences are impacting these children as well. One day a mother was talking to me after our OT session and she stated – “He is just marching to the beat of his own drummer!” and that has stuck with me for the past 15 or so years. Well, that statement in itself has a rhythmical reference to it, so I thought why not try IM with some of my patients who had Developmental Delays and see if it would be helpful.
There has been more than one occasion when behavioral issues really impact the outcome of our IM sessions and the changes that can take place. Sometimes honestly the kids just aren’t interested in what you want them to do, and they want to do it their own way. Sometimes there are behavioral issues that have become intertwined in their environment, and they need a fresh start. This can definitely have an impact on the effectiveness of your IM sessions, and what progress you see both in the clinic, and in their other environments.
Is there similarity between the attentional focus required during IM-Home training and that attained by experienced meditators? Emerging scientific evidence suggests the answer is "yes."
When Brenda and Richard Davis talk about their 9-year-old son, Aaron, they find it impossible to hold back their tears.
Mariko, Yamamoto is a college age student and has come a long way after going through the Interactive Metronome® program at IMprove in Okinawa, Japan. Mariko ’s inability to concentrate, her short attention span, and hyperactive behavior were taking a toll on her academic and daily life. One of Mariko ’s biggest problems was her inability to organize her tasks, like cleaning her room. She would never know where to begin cleaning and after hours of shuffling things around she would have to resort to calling her mother to help her get things put away correctly. She also found herself struggling with note taking during her classes and found activities, such as eating meals and washing dishes boring. She would often loose track of her original task and lose valuable study time.