How to use Rhythmic Movement Training to help autistic children to heal (HARALD BLOMBERG)

In autism there is brain damage due to inflammation. Especially the cerebellum is damaged causing problems with rhythm and coordination. Due to insufficient stimulation of the speech areas of the neocortex from the cerebellum there is often problems with articulation, grammar and vocabulary and some autistic children never develop spoken language.

If the inflammation of the cerebellum can be checked the rhythmic exercises will promote healing of the cerebellum and develop spoken language or improve the ability both to speak and to understand spoken language.

Another part of the brain which is damaged in autism is the limbic system. This may cause problems for the child to relate to people and to show affection, difficulties to express desires or needs, avoidance of body contact and lack of curiosity, difficulties of social interaction and playing.

Provided the inflammation of the brain can be checked the rhythmic exercises will promote healing of the limbic system causing emotions to develop:

• The child starts to attach himself emotionally to the parents 
• Starts to show emotions of affection, wants to sit in the parents´ lap or sleep in their bed.
• Starts to express needs and desires. 
• Starts to show assertion and defiance. 
• The child often will start to make contact and play with other children. 

Causes of inflammation and brain damage in autism

Inflammation is triggered by food intolerance and overstimulation of the brain due to an inability to transform glutamate into GABA.

Food intolerance, especially to gluten, casein and soy is a very important cause of inflammation of the brain. Because of inflammation the intestinal mucosa allows substances to pass that may harm the immune system and cause inflammation of the brain.

Inflammation may also be caused by overstimulation and glutamate accumulation. Glutamate is a transmitter substance which has a stimulating effect by causing the nerve cells to fire. It is released whenever the brain is stimulated. Glutamate needs to be transformed into GABA, otherwise the firing will continue unchecked causing glutamate accumulation and inflammation of the neurons. In autism there is a reduced ability to transform glutamate into GABA, which may cause hyperactivity and inflammation of the brain.

Glutamate accumulation may be caused by all kinds of stimulation like food, EMF, emotional stimulation, movements etc if there is a reduced ability to transform glutamate into GABA.

Strategies in helping autistic children to heal

The first priority in autism is to check inflammation of the gut and the brain. One should always start by eliminating casein, gluten and soy. If intestinal problems persist it may be necessary to muscle check for intolerance to other foodstuff, rule out parasites and give probiotics. Healing the gut is a prerequisite for checking inflammation of the brain.

Electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and cordless networks is an important cause of overstimulation of the brain and glutamate accumulation. Such radiation needs to be eliminated in order to check the inflammation of the brain.

Due to over sensitivity of the senses autistic children are often over stimulated from the senses, especially the vestibular and auditory senses. Such overstimulation may release glutamate and cause inflammation of the brain and typical symptoms.

The workshop deals with strategies to help autistic children to heal by checking inflammation of the gut and the brain. We will learn to recognize signs of over stimulation and glutamate accumulation and test for over sensitivity of the senses.

We will learn how to deal with such sensitivity. We will check food intolerance by muscle testing. We will learn how to test for food supplements that the child may need in order to heal the gut and the brain and diminish glutamate accumulation.

A great part of the workshop will deal with how to use Rhythmic Movement Training to help autistic children to heal. We will learn the basic rhythmic exercises used in autism and how to avoid overstimulation by gradually increasing exercises. We will also deal with retained reflexes which are often present in autistic children, how to recognize and test for them and how to integrate them.