“ With Mendability, it's like everything started working faster! ”

-- Clay and Primrose,

Parents of a 7-year-old boy

Have you ever been talking to your child and felt like they are not understanding what you are saying?

What happens is that their brain processes what you are saying slower than the speed of your words.

So your words are like cars exiting a highway but there is more than one car trying to exit and so it creates traffic.

Sensory enrichment allows this processing time to be faster.

Therefore the cars get to their destination before traffic's created.

By inducing an elevated level of brain plasticity, Sensory Enrichment allows the brain to treat itself and make new connections.

Tailored program you can do from home for about 10 minutes per day

Mendability's Sensory Enrichment Therapy (SET) is an evidence-based treatment modality that was developed by translating the protocols of Environmental Enrichment used in the science lab into short, fun, hands-on experiences that people can do in residential programs and from home to trigger the brain’s plasticity mechanisms.

A typical therapy session lasts about 10 minutes. These activities are done every day for a couple of weeks and then changed to maintain novelty.

You would receive training, tools and extensive support to facilitate the program with your clients.

Sensory Enrichment Therapy (SET) uses short, hands-on activities that typically activate two or more senses concurrently. SET also engages specific brain functions such mental image, memory, and auditory processing with quick games.

No special equipment required

We use things that can usually be found in your home, all you need are a few simple things and once you get your customized worksheet, you can get started.

A couple of brain stimulation examples

Water Game

This exercise builds connections on the corpus callosum. It improves proprioception and improves communication between the two hemispheres of the brain.

Instructions

EQUIPMENT

– Two large bowls

– Warm Water

– Cold Water

PREPARATION

Fill two large bowls with water, one with cold tap water, and one with warm tap water. Place the two bowls in front of him at the table.

PROCEDURE

Assist your child into a seated position at the table, in front of the two large bowls.

They dip both hands into the bowls, one hand per bowl, down to the wrist line, without touching the sides or bottom of the bowls, for a second or two.

They remove their hands from the bowls, you switch them around and they dip their hands again.

The process repeats 2 more times, switching the bowls around each time.

The process goes, dip, un-dip, switch, dip, un-dip, switch, dip, un-dip, switch, dip, un-dip.

Smell and Touch Pairing

Scientists found remarkable changes in the brain when they were exposed to simultaneous olfactory (smell) and tactile (touch) stimulation, as opposed to olfactory or tactile stimulation alone.

More info

When you have a pleasant olfactory experience you get benefits in brain chemistry involved in better memory, mood, motivation, etc.

When you have a pleasant tactile experience like someone rubbing your back you get the benefits in brain chemistry involved in feeling calm, relaxed, for learning, for sensory integration, for movement, for sleep, for eating, etc.

When you combine these two experiences you get a third benefit associated with concentration, attention, cognitive function, and mood. It is also associated with higher states of plasticity when the brain is growing, adapting and rearranging its structure.

The effects above can last for over an hour!

Instructions

EQUIPMENT

– A fragrance (Essential oil, lotion, candle etc.)

PREPARATION

The fragrance can take almost any form so long as your child likes it.

PROCEDURE

While your child smells a pleasant fragrance, take your hand and stroke their back with your fingertips.

Feel free to vary speed, direction and pressure to suit your child's preferences.

This is how you will know it is working: Rowan will relax. Shoulders usually drop, with a sigh of relief, especially if he is 'high strung' to begin with.

Note: If the back is not the best spot to do it for your child then spend time exploring with this exercise until you find just the right spot to do this and just the right way that will make him relax within seconds.

It can't be ticklish. It can't be irritating. It should not be only barely tolerated, it should be pure pleasure and relaxation.

Your Mendability coach can help you find the best way to help your child benefit from this powerful sensory pairing.