March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain injuries are very different than any other injury because our brain stores all of our memories, controls our movements, and shapes our personality; the brain is truly the essence of who we are. Brain injuries often lead to multiple complications, such as seizures, coma, fluid and pressure in the skull, infections, nerve damage, blood vessel damage, and cognitive deficits that can result in behavioral and emotional changes. Individuals often find that they have trouble with memory, problem-solving/decision-making skills, attention, language/speaking, writing, impulse control, anxiety, depression, balance, and hand-eye coordination. Learn how Interactive Metronome®can help brain injury sufferers by working to physiologically change the functional brain networks that control rhythm and timing.

IM Featured in the “Let’s Talk” Podcast – Featuring IM Provider Sue Zapf

Our providers are truly passionate about helping their clients and utilizing Interactive Metronome. Take a moment to check out Sue Zapf, an IM provider who was recently featured on the "Let's Talk" Podcast. She shares valuable insights about using IM, particularly for individuals facing learning challenges. 
Listen to the full podcast now

Meet May’s Provider of the Month: Amy Vega, MS, CCC-SLP

Amy Vega, MS, CCC-SLP received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Florida in 1994 and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech Language & Hearing Association. In clinical practice, she specialized in adolescent and adult rehabilitation for patients diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, brain tumor and other disease processes that affect communication, cognition and behavior. She currently serves as Director of both the Clinical Education Department and the Clinical Advisory Board for Interactive Metronome, Inc. and is their Continuing Education Administrator. She provides clinical support to Interactive Metronome Providers globally, serves as Editor in Chief for IM’s clinical publications, develops IM certification & training materials and is the master-trainer for IM certification instructors.

Interactive Metronome Makes Rick’s Forgetfulness a Distant Memory

Rick is a 47 year old veteran and college student. He suffered a stroke and now he is having some problems with memory, speech and number recall in particular. He used to be an EMT (emergency medical technician), so he wasn’t used to being the one that needed medical assistance. Although it was frustrating for him at first, Rick powered through his IM training and saw improvement across the board. Not only did his memory and speech fluency improve, but he is having less dizzy spells and just feels more confident. This summer he passed his compressed algebra course and is back on track for success.

“Are you ready?”

Ash refused to let Autism Spectrum Disorder rule his life, learn how his grades and behavioral patterns greatly improved after training with Interactive Metronome.
Ash, a 10-year-old boy diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, didn’t typically struggle with his academics but had the tendency to speak out of turn, chew on his clothing or other items he found around him, and had trouble keeping his hands to himself which was often reflected in on his daily report card. After trying other modalities with no improvement, IM was introduced. Ash struggled getting used to the headphones and the rhythm but was excited to try this “new computer game with clapping”. Being a perfectionist, Ash refused to give up and wanted to do better. After months of IM training, he was able to meet his IM goal and it showed not only on his report card but with his abilities to stay on task in class and even lead his gym class in their warm-up exercises.

Special Report: The Interactive Metronome (IM) and ADHD

National Time Management Month is celebrated during February each year. February is the perfect month to focus on time management skills with your clients. Time management is not as complex or difficult as it seems. When children learn time management early in life, they tend to do so for the rest of their lives. Time management in students helps them achieve their academic and recreational goals. It also teaches them to be independent and productive.

Children diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have difficulty staying on task and staying organized, all of which can make time management challenging. This is because of the way the brain tends to process things when a person is living with ADHD.

Brain-Training Tools for More Attention, Less Deficit

These ADHD therapies offer fun and games with a serious purpose: increasing your child's focus.

by Paul Gilbert

Ben is a 12-year-old with ADHD, who used to have trouble in school. His grades were below average, and he was easily distracted, unable to remember much of the material taught in class. Ben struggled with homework assignments and studying for tests. He felt defeated, and was frustrated by his parents' attempts to get him to study harder. He put in the extra effort, but nothing seemed to help.

 

Interactive Metronome for ALS: Improving/Maintaining Function & Quality of Life

 

Larry began to experience symptoms in September of 2007, including fasciculations that became more and more severe, difficulty manipulating his fingers especially when it was cold, and trouble with fine motor skills for tasks such as buttoning his shirt, tying his shoes, or snapping his fingers.  After working as a steel fabricator and crane operator for 35 years, Larry attributed his symptoms to “arthritis.”  However, over the next 2  1/2 years it became gradually more difficult to lift heavy objects, to do intricate work with his fingers such as threading a needle, and it eventually became difficult to write.  By the middle of 2009,   Larry began to notice muscle atrophy in his hands and forearms.  In March 25, 2010, after several EMGs and MRIs, Larry was given the devastating diagnosis of ALS.  

4 Brain Training Therapies for ADHD Children and Adults

These alternative treatments -- electrotherapy stimulation, low-energy neurofeedback, working memory training, and interactive metronome -- can help attention deficit adults and children manage ADHD symptoms without medication.

 

"People with attention deficit have an interesting brain wave profile,” says Richard Brown, M.D., author of How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care. “Parts of the brain -- areas responsible for planning and sequencing, making decisions, and maintaining focus -- aren’t functioning as they do in other people.”

Therapies aimed at sharpening those faculties are sometimes required. Read on to learn about four brain training techniques that may help ADHD adults and attention deficit children improve focus and memory, and decrease impulsivity, hyperactivity, and other ADHD symptoms.

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