Many neurodivergent kids are also “bendy” kids. They may experience a combination of very flexible joints, frequent pain, heightened sensory reactions, fatigue, or dizziness. Even though these patterns reflect underlying nervous system and connective tissue differences, they are often misunderstood, minimized, or treated as unrelated concerns. Thankfully, research has begun to connect these dots, revealing that connective tissue differences, neurodivergence, and nervous syste

The vestibular system is far more than a “balance organ.” It is a deep regulator of body position, eye movements, arousal, and closely related cerebellar (in the cerebellum) circuits, which together have a powerful influence on a child’s ability to sit up, stay focused, and manage behavior in everyday life. When this system is under- or over-responsive, attention and learning often suffer alongside balance, posture, and coordination. The vestibular system, located in the inne

Jeuwre, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons One area of concern for most of my clients is their child's poor focus, attention, and learning. Our sensory systems play a huge role in the development of these higher-order cognitive skills, particularly proprioception and vestibular function. Proprioception, vestibular function, the cerebellum, and neuroreflexes collectively support higher-order thinking and school performance. The

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In my practice and in my Facebook group, I often have parents share that suddenly their child's speech has regressed, dysregulation has...

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-Dr. Mary Mollway, Ed.D November 22, 2023 In the last two blogs, we explored what the gut microbiome is and how it forms in infants. In...

In my last blog, I provided an overview of the gut microbiome and how important it is to our everyday functioning. This week, I want to...