SeMoCo-centre

1.2. SeMoCo-method: Theoretical background

With our rehabilitation programme we want to treat the developmental retardation, approaching it from as many sides as possible to come to a maximal stimulation of the central nervous system.
Maximal stimulation means: giving daily short and intensive stimuli. However, attention is paid to keep the stimuli agreeable and stimulating the child in a positive way.

This concept starts from the principle that the CNS (Central Nervous System) develops following a fixed pattern as a result of an interaction between organism and environment. Every person, in his development, has to go through the evolution from primitive reflex levels to the controlled muscle activity and even the unique cognitive functions of speaking and thinking. Interruption or exchange in the consecutive steps, as in case of brain damage, lead to perturbations of the neurological organization and so the person do not reach his optimal capacities.
The treatment is based on the sensorial and motorial stimulation of the brain. By stimulating at maximum through sensorial and motorial exercises one offers the occasion to the nerve system to reorganize itself and to develop in the most optimal way. Treatment starts at the development levels which are not yet acquired.
Normal stimuli have little influence on the damaged brains. By increasing frequency and intensity the organization and integration of the brain functions can be influenced in a positive way.

In the SeMoCo-method we use the insights on neural plasticity. Neuroplasticity includes habituation, learning and memory and cellular recovery after injury. We use the knowledge of neural plasticity to habituate the nervous system, teach it new skills and promote sensory integration.
For example some children are extremely reactive to stimulation on their skin. This abnormal sensitivity to tactile stimulation is called tactile defensiveness. The treatment for tactile defensiveness is stimulating the child's skin with gentle stimulation. Gradually increasing the intensity of the stimulation in an effort to achieve habituation to the tactile stimulation. This gives the child possibility to form clear picture of her/his body after which she/he can also build up motor plans and programs.

a)Sensory system
We see that children with autism spectrum disorder have unusual sensory-perceptual experiences. We observe that little changes in the environment can lead to exaggerated reactions and auditory stimulation can lead to abnormal behaviour.

A child with sensory problems has difficulty with the environment around hem. A child with over-sensitive hearing (hyperauditory), is in constant auditory overload. Typically, they hear exceptionally well, but do not listen well. They can, in one extreme completely disconnect and on the other end of the spectrum, be a selective listener. A child's under-sensitive to deep touch (hypotactility) can have problems in co-ordination, heavy lumbersome walking, playing too hard with other children, aggression and sometimes overactivity.

Problems sometimes associated with sensory distortion are:
eating difficulties: hypersensitivity to taste, touch or smell
chewing: hypersensitivity to touch within the mouth
obsessive attraction to light or movement: hyposensitivity in vision
aggressive play: hyposensitivity to deep touch
language delay: hypersensitivity in audition

For those reasons we offer families functional exercises to work on that sensory system. In order to normalize the abnormal sensorial reactions we offer frequently and intentionally sensory stimulations.

We work on different levels:

Auditory
Auditory exercises are to improve the child's auditory system and listening. Most of the children who learn differently are sensitive to sound (hyperauditory). This causes problems for them in crowded and noisy places when some of them may hold their ears, try to remove themselves from the area or begin to make their own noise in order to block out sounds that are bothering them. Once the sensitivity to sound is decreased they usually concentrate and listen better.

Vestibular
The vestibular system is situated in our ears and through the auditory exercises we also work on this element.
Working on the area of balance leads to improvement of the motor development of the child.

Proprioceptive
It is the feeling that gives us information about our posture and movement. In order to move good and efficiently, our brains have to receive enough information about our joints and muscles: which tension it should be, which muscle to stretch or relax. There has to be constant feedback about the position or posture of our body in space.
These sensors are situated in our skin, muscles and structures around the joints. We call this the proprioceptors. They can be trained through tactile pressure in the joints and through repetitive movement patterns.

Vision
We work in this visual area because a lot of children have difficulties controlling their eye-movements and/or have problems focusing on objects on different distances. In daily tasks our eyes have to be able to work together, especially for reading. We offer exercises to children with hyper or hypo visual system.
Examples of children with hyper visual system: often twirl/flick items in their visual field, line up things, need to have doors closed, flip through pages in magazines/picture books or enjoy watching action on TV or a computer screen or have other similar visual behaviours. Examples of children with hypo visual system: staring at bright lights or seek sources of light.

Tactility
We offer tactile exercises to normalize the tactile system, both surface and deep. This can assist in reducing tactile defensiveness and normalize the person’s pain sensation.
Getting a better feeling in our body leads to a better knowledge of our body in time and space.
Better tactility and sensitivity of hands and feet can assist in better hands use for fine motor tasks and for better mobility in walking and running.

Smell
We see that a lot of children like to smell objects or persons who will avoid things and people because of the different smells. Also in this area people can have a hyper of hypo-sensitivity. To normalise smell we offer exercises that work on the system.

Taste
Taste plays a big role in different behaviours of children. Their hyper of hypo-sensitivity to taste can be normalized through different exercises that work on that system.

b)Mobility
Movement though seemingly simple in the well child can be impeded by blockages in the structural or cellular (biochemical) level. Hearing, vision, tactility and smell influence the body into movement.
With mobility it is important that the child has not skipped the so important time of creeping. Many children who have learning disabilities seem at first sight have an average mobility. But by interviewing their parents we hear the child was ‘bunny hoping’ in stead of creeping and with observation we can see there is not good cross pattern and coordination.

c)Communication
Here both receptive as expressive language will be stimulated. Teach children what good listening is and how they can transmit a message. Trough different exercises they get knowledge of the communication process. Communication consists of three basic areas: sending, receiving and interpreting messages. Communication exists between two persons when the message is being received and understood in the same way as the sender intended it.

d)Cognition
This area consist exercises for stimulation of special perception, lateralisation, visuomotor abilities, auditory training, pre-school reading and writing exercises.

We offer a great variety of exercises and always give them in a fun and playful way. Because children usually do things for two reasons: to gain pleasure of to avoid pain.