S uccess is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. We all know that hard work is the key to success. However, a lot of times, we may find ourselves struggling to achieve good performance despite investing a great deal of effort and time.
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Learning Difficulties Biochemistry
Theories about the causes of learning difficulties include genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors. Many research indicated that the following factors affect our cognitive ability:- Food allergies
- Acidity due to oxalates
- Heavy metal accumulation
- Nutritional imbalances
- Excessive organic acids due to yeast and bacteria overgrowth.
- Poor digestion of certain proteins from diary, wheat and soy products
Learning Difficulties Intervention
Mercury exposure can cause behavioural problems such as inattentiveness and memory loss while high level of cadmium is correlated with low academic achievements. A high copper/zinc ratio has also been found to cause behavioural and learning difficulties.
Learning Difficulties Description
Children with learning difficulties may also have short attention spans and problems with concentration. Other symptoms include:
Slow learners
No motivation to study
Slow to respond to questions
Low self-esteem
Fail in examinations despite remedial and tuition
Difficulty in completing homework
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis test is an inexpensive yet effective method of identifying mineral levels and toxicity in the body. Intervention through supplementation and dietary habits could be designed to overcome the imbalances and toxicity.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning has been used previously to compare how children with and without reading disorders processed simple tasks (Temple et al., 2003). After 8 weeks of intensive training on a computer program that help them to work on their and language processing skills, these dysfunctional children not only improve their reading skills, but their brains started functioning in a way similar to the brains of their peers who were good readers.
With the QEEG brain mapping, similar brain imaging can be done. Many cognitive dysfunctional children have shown cortical fatigue or exhaustion. Poor arousal level has also been found at all parts of the brain and in many cases, their crucial parts of the brain shuts down whenever they try to study.
Neurofeedback is non-drug alternative intervention for learning difficulties. Neurofeedback intervention aims at exercising specific parts of the brain. With the brain exercise, the neural activities at these specific locations of the brain can be directly regulated. For those with cognitive dysfunction, neurofeedback can help to reduce Theta brain wave to increase arousal and to regulate Beta brain wave at specific regions to enhance cognitive functions. Finally, these regulations will result In:
- Improvement in concentration
- Improvement academic performance as reflected by their grades
- Improvement in learning speed
- Faster response to question
- Increase interest in study
- Improvement in memory
