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.

HARALD BLOMBERG: Rhythmic Movement Training

Harald Blomberg is a psychiatrist based in Stockholm, Sweden. He has developed the Rhythmic Movement Training program on the basis of rhythmic exercises he learnt from Kerstin Linde whom he met in 1985.  As a self-taught body-therapist she worked with exercises inspired by spontaneous infant movements. She was very successful to help many children and adults with neurological and other disabilities.

Dr Blomberg has further developed Kerstin Linde´s original rhythmic exercises by adding exercises to integrate primitive reflexes and has also developed the theoretical foundation of the method as a key for understanding Rhythmic Movement Training. He is continually developing Rhythmic Movement Training methods of instruction, course content, and instructional manuals on the basis of his research and experience of teaching classes and assisting children and adults with various challenges.

In 2004 he started to regularly teach courses in Rhythmic Movement Training and has researched and written the following course that he now offers. 
1.      Rhythmic Movement Training and primitive reflexes in ADHD
2.      Rhythmic Movement Training, emotions and inner leadership.
3.      Rhythmic Movement Training in reading and writing difficulties
4.      Rhythmic Movement Training in Kindergarten
5.      Rhythmic Movement Training for chiropractors and massage therapists
6.      Rhythmic Movement Training, dreams an inner healing
7.      Rhythmic Movement Training in cerebral palsy
8.      Rhythmic Movement Training and diet in autism and ADHD

Since Dr Blomberg started to teach courses in Rhythmic Movement Training in 2004 a number of instructors have been trained in Sweden, Finland, Spain, France, China, the US and other countries. In order to be able to continue developing his work, to protect the quality of Rhythmic Movement Training and prevent unauthorized copying, publishing and distribution he decided to create an organization in the beginning of 2012 for spreading his work, Blomberg Rhythmic Movement Training.
You can read more about Harald Blomberg and Rhythmic Movement Training on the following websites:
www.blombergrmt.com 
www.haraldblomberg.com
More About HARALD BLOMBERG's workshop you can read here!