Brain Research and the Power of Music

Interestingly, brain research shows that there is one activity that engages the whole brain. What is it?

No, it's not sex, for those of you who have sex on the brain. It is music. Music triggers the synapses in the brain in powerful ways that other activities just can't touch. The brain seems to "come alive."

It is that "coming alive" element of music that we are most interested in when helping special needs children. If you have a special needs child, or work with special needs children, you are well aware that finding activities that truly engage them can be challenging. Sometimes you think, "How can I keep this kid's attention? Why is she so distracted? Why doesn't his brain focus? Why can't they connect normally?" The brain just isn't connecting.

Yet miraculously, there is a disconnected autistic child unable to put together sentences, keep eye contact or read social cues who can go on a public stage with a famous musician and belt out a country music song! That is the picture featured at the top of this blog. The musician claimes, "It is music that changed him and his family." Would you like to see a miracle through song? Click here  http://faithtap.com/570/josh-turner-sings-with-an-autistic-boy/

There is just something miraculous about music. And mothers of special needs children know it. For instance, the mother who adopted Emma, the autistic child in our last blog, reports that Emma loves to play worship music. This picture was sent to us by her mother. Emma is the one playing the keyboard...and smiling.

Here's a fun fact reported by a specialist and foster care mother who works to heal children with Reactive Attachment Disorder: If she plays Mozart music for a disturbed child when they are doing their homework, they can focus longer and think clearer. However, if she plays Beethoven in a disturbed child's room at night, she has found that that child is likely to have nightmares.

Seriously? Are various types of music that powerful to the brain?         You bet it is. 

Proverbs 23:7 says "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." What moves our heart like music?

Music is a powerful brain stimulator. This is vital information to understand if you work with special needs children. The brain selectively chooses which areas to utilize during certain activities. Brain scan research reveals a lot. Did you know that a picture of a person's brain who has suffered abuse looks different

than a brain that has not suffered abuse? Logic and puzzles stimulate a certain area of the brain that is completely different from physical movement and sports. When a child is angry, brain scans show that the back part of their brain is engaged. That is the part of the brain responsible for "fight or flight." But when a child is thinking creativity, the front part of their brain is engaged. When a child is engaged with music - their brain is firing all over. Wow. Connections are happening.

That is ground breaking news for those of us working to help these youngsters connect.

In our work in all types of orphanages in Central America - we have found that children love it when my wife sings and plays the guitar. They looooooooooove it. My teaching can be boring. The counseling may not connect. The prayers may put them to sleep. But the music, they crave the music. It connects with their brains. They come alive.

At the orphanage where we live, every morning I eat breakfast with the children. Almost every morning the children ask me this simple question, "Guitarra?" I must have heard that question a thousand times by now.

The word "guitarra" in Spanish means "guitar" in English - and their message is clear: When can they hear my wife play her red guitar again for them?

I don't blame them one bit. Everybody likes great music. It just connects us.

If this blog connected with you, please share it with others.

Autism through the eyes of Mother

We are currently in a teaching series learning about Autism Spectrum Disorders. Working with young people with these special needs requires a high level of patience, love and commitment - and learned parenting skills. Parents of these special needs children are heroes.

The wonderful young person featured here is named Emma. Emma attended last year's 5k Color Run/Walk, and she exemplifies the heartbeat of our ministry. If you want to attend this year's Color Run you can find out more information at www.WeHelpChildrenColorRun.com 

Emma adoptive mother wrote to us to share about her daughter. We want to feature parent's perspectives and experiences in our blog teachings. If you have a story to share please send us an email and we may feature it in a future teaching blog! Here is Emma's story from a mother's eyes:  

Emma is autistic....she is 14 years old.  She takes little steps to lead up to her big accomplishments. 

She learns like a toddler with continual and patient consistent teaching and modeling.  Sometimes, though, she comes out with really funny things that make us laugh because they are so typical of a teenager yet so out of character for her and her limited language.  One day in response to being told to do something, she looked at the Home Health Aide and said, "Whatever!"  Another time, when asked repeatedly to clean up after she ate, she said, "This is my house!"   She said them so seriously.  We have learned to laugh with her and many little things can bring joy and smiles to her.  One thing about Emma 

is that she really loves praise songs and her worship of God is pure and uninhibited.  We are continually amazed that she can sing along to almost any song whether she has heard it before or not.  Every time she sits at her piano, she seems to be composing parts to a symphony she is writing.  Sometimes she plays a part over and over again like she is trying to get it right and other times she includes familiar songs in what she plays.  Her mind is amazing.

May we find and bless the hidden talents of our young people and help them excel - so they can lead us to God's loving heart. Emma's music is heaven's song. Thank you Emma's mom for showing us the way. 

If Emma's story touched your heart, please share it. 

Can you pass THE REAL AUTISTM TEST?

This morning, my boots were blessed by 2 special needs children named Diego and Alejandro.

After breakfast in the orphanage dining hall, Diego, a child diagnosed with autism, came to my table. He was holding 3 books that he personally chose. Without speaking but hugely grinning, he placed one of the books in front of me. How could I resist this invitation? 

I clumsily read the words upside down, as Diego dominated the book. His face, hovering inches over the pages, laughed as only an autistic child can. He turned the pages of the book quickly,

bursting with sounds of joy. Diego delighted in this moment. When children at other tables get loud and noisy, Diego puts his finger to his lips as if to say "pipe down everyone, I'm listening to my story." When another child comes up behind Diego and disturbs him, Diego impulsively pushes him back with tremendous angst and emotion. Then he returns, full attention, to his story time.  

Then something happens that opens my eyes to this miracle happening. Because honestly, I was not grasping yet the miraculous privilege of delighting in an autistic child's moment of happiness. Another special needs child bolts from his table and runs over to get books read to him too. Pure joy and emotion. The two youngsters hover together, listening and delighting in the children's stories. Umm....what did I do to deserve this brief miracle moment with two of God's angels? 

How Much Do You Know About Autism Spectrum Disorder? 

(Questions gleaned from Ephrata Community Hospital in Pennsylvania)

1. Which one of the following is true about autism spectrum disorder? 

a. It's the fastest growing developmental disability

b. Boys have almost 5 times the risk as girls

c. It affects as many as 1 in 88 American children

d. All of the above

2. Which of these symptoms may be seen in autistic children? 

a. Obsession with objects, subjects, and routines

b. Repetitive language

c. Difficulty making friends

d. All of the above

3. How is autism spectrum disorder diagnosed?

a. Blood test

b. MRI

c. Observation of symptoms

d. IQ test

4. Which of these are treatments for autism?

a. Behavioral and educational interventions

b. Early intervention to improve symptoms and functioning

c. Medications for mood and thoughts

d. All of the above

These are good questions to consider, but in my book, that's not the real Autism Test. The real Autism Test is a daily test of your love, patience and commitment. 

Trying to get these heavenly children to conform to earth's standards can be draining. Special needs children will stretch you emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. They have a gift of finding their caregivers weak spots. That is one of their gifts to you - brokenness. If you don't live in love, forgiveness, heavenly strength and healing relationships - you will go over the edge. You will need God's unending patience, unconditional love, and undying commitment.   

Let me tell you where I witnessed a profound love this week.   

I was invited to share a meal at an orphanage home. This particular home gives care to 15 girls - and 1 autistic child. The child clung to the daddy of the house. He insisted on sitting on his daddy's lap. He insisted on eating his daddy's food. He insisted on touching his daddy's face, obsessively. He wiggled and squirmed and hardly stopped moving. The daddy's reaction? Love. Patience. Kindness. Father grins knowingly and calmly as the boy hovers.  

I was watching God's patience and love in action. 

But could he commit long term?  The daddy walked me over to a picture of his biological family hanging on the wall - a very large family. In the center of this picture was the daddy of the family, and in front of him was the autistic child. Come to find out that the child is not a biological son. He is adopted into their family. He is permanent. The daddy committed his life to raise this special needs child as his own son.  

Patience

                   Love

                                 Commitment 

May God fill us with his patience, love and commitment. 
Please consider sharing this blog to encourage other parents to persevere in love.

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4 Gifts That Keep On Giving

Caring parents give good gifts to their children. Children also give to the adults who care for them. Some gifts keep on giving!

This morning, I was honored to give and receive gifts from wonderful children. This is a story about 4 gifts that were given at an orphanage in the forgotten mountains of Guatemala.

Every morning, I eat breakfast in the dining hall where loads of precious orphan children eat. I am privileged to eat at a table with the teenage boys. There are so many children that everyone is dispersed at various tables throughout the dining hall. We can't all sit together, but we certainly are aware of each other. Kids may not always talk to adults - but they are keenly aware of their presence or lack of presence.  

I finish eating first. I am the only father figure eating breakfast with these kids this morning, and I can scarf food down the fastest. Fathers usually eat fast. It takes effort for dad figures to slow down, engage in meaningful conversation, and ask thoughtful questions to their children that will help them open. I didn't do that this morning. I had a mission to complete...as most men think they do.

After scarfing, I get up, take my dishes to the sink, and wash them - modeling how cleaning up after yourself is done. The children have a mission too, and they impatiently wait for the right time to launch their mission. They watch me like hovering hawks, waiting for the mouse to move before they swoop in.

 

I walk - seemingly in slow motion - across the orphanage dining hall, and sit at a table all by myself. I place the Bible in front of me and begin to read to myself, gleaning wisdom from my Heavenly Father. The children see this. It is important that they see this. This is gift #1 that I can give.

Tradition dictates that the first 5 children who finish their breakfast first can ask their table leader to come sit at my table for special reading time.

The first boy, Pol (twin brother of Peter), makes his move. He rushes over. Oh no, he forgot to clean up well! He was called back. A very tough lesson for a child, but one he will remember tomorrow, and maybe for the rest of his life. Clean up after yourself. That was gift #2 given to Pol by his table leader.

The next to swoop in was Victoria and Rosario. Rosario is the little one in the photo below. Don't let her

cuteness give you the impression that she doesn't need firm, loving correction....constantly. If you care for Rosario, you will cultivate the art of patience! Rosario is a mover-and-shaker. She can't sit still. She crinkles the table-cloth. She touches everything and everyone. She forgets instructions. Rosario probably received 5 instructions at various times to sit correctly in her seat. When an adult corrects a child, there is no need for raised voice, frustration, power struggles. Simple firm instructions are the best. Rosario is good with firm instruction, until the ants-in-her-pants tell her to start moving again. Very age-expected, especially when you consider her painful history of adults giving up on her. That's not what we do here.

Diego walks over, curious, wanting to be part of the small group forming. Diego has autism. His smile is contagious, and his laughter is so joyful and unconstrained that you can't help but laugh with him. Diego also does well with firm instruction. What he does not do well with is covering his mouth when he coughs. Diego stood beside me, and then coughed in my face. A direct hit. At that moment I realized that the dreaded orphanage virus being passed around by the children this week was passed to me too. A number of children were in bed and not at breakfast this morning due to sickness. Symptoms the virus causes? Fever, stomach ache, COUGH. Thank you Diego for sharing a gift that will keep on giving :) I love the kid that just gave me gift #3. Love them unconditionally.

I read a couple childrens books at the special table this morning - one in English and one in Spanish.         The children hang on my words - learning, absorbing, repeating. One requirement of parenthood should be reading to your children. The little people soak up from the big people priceless gifts during positive time together. They not only learn how to pronounce words correctly, they are figuring out what kind of man or woman they want to be when they grow up. Positive reading experiences with adults help children with inner stability, focus, brain development, maturity, understanding, thinking, feeling loved and included - all things good. Every child is a good egg that needs help hatching.

After reading, I invited the children to go get their own books to read. They did so happily - ready to start their own story adventure. Even though some can't understand the words yet, they can look at the pictures. Something amazing and miraculous happens in the synapses of their brains. Parents don't miss that point.

So what is gift #4? Throughout our special reading time - as children act up, stop paying attention, touch others, don't sit correctly, whatever distraction - I stop reading. Simple cause and effect.

Calmly, I ask everyone at the table, myself included, to practice sitting still for 10 seconds. We are at this table together and will learn self-control together.  

Hands on the table. Look straight ahead. Smile if you want to - breathe if you want to - but no talking or moving just for 10 seconds of tranquil oasis. They like the point about breathing. It makes them giggle. When we all can do this well and quickly, we will continue. So they hold themselves accountable. They want the reward of continued reading together.

Here's the learning point: With practice, children learn how to stop impulsively moving at the table. They come to understand that they actually can sit still. They learn that they can turn it on and off, at their will. They can help each other do good. Self-control is one of the most valuable gifts a parent can give a child, in the context of loving relationship. 

As the table leaders called the children to form lines to leave the dining hall - Victoria looked up into my eyes, smiling....as a daughter connects with a father. She received her gifts. 

They are absolutely priceless gifts. 

What priceless gifts will you give to your children today?

A gift you can give to us and to other parents, is sharing this blog.