Music and the Brain in the News:  Why We Love To Boogie With Pharrell  

Editor's Note: I heard this story on NPR in the car this morning.   Made me think that perhaps we as therapy clinicians can use this information to help get all our special kids moving as a brain break, for specific OT and PT goals, or as part of a music therapy curriculum.

There's no doubt Pharrell's "Happy" is the biggest hit of the year so far. It spent 15 weeks at the top of the Billboard 100 and inspired hundreds of fan videos on YouTube.

Just a few weeks ago, six Iranian teenagers got arrested for posting a video of themselves dancing to the catchy song.  So what is it about Happy that triggers a nearly uncontrollable need to tap your foot, bob your head or move to the rhythm in some way?  

It may be more about what's missing from the song than what's there.  Last month neuroscientists at Aarhus University in Denmark published a study showing that danceable grooves have just the right amount of gaps or breaks in the beats. Your brain wants to fill in those gaps with body movement, says 

Handwriting in the New York Times:  What's Lost as Handwriting Fades

Supreme Court Ruling in the News: In Shift, Supreme Court Moves Away From 'Mental Retardation'

[Source: Disability Scoop]

Prenatal Care and Autism in the News:  SSRIs During Pregnancy Tied to Uptick in Autism 

Editor's Note:  Very interesting, but more needs to be done to untie the likelihood that women who are on the autism spectrum themselves (and who will pass that to their unborn child genetically) are more likely to be on SSRIs in the first place.

[Source: Psych Central]

A new study suggests using common antidepressant medications during pregnancy may contribute to a higher risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children, although this risk is still very small.

Experts say results from past studies of prenatal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and ASD risk have not been consistent. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter whose use by the brain is altered during depression and modified by SSRI use, and has been shown to play an important role in brain development.

In the News:  Brain Signals Link Physical Fitness to Better Language Skills in Kids 

Summary:  Children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than their less-fit peers, researchers report. These differences correspond with better language skills in the children who are more fit, and occur whether they're reading straightforward sentences or sentences that contain errors of grammar or syntax.

Children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than their less-fit peers, researchers report.

These differences correspond with better language skills in the children who are more fit, and occur whether they're reading straightforward sentences or sentences that contain errors of grammar or syntax. 

In the News:  Do Kids with Autism Fare Better in Integrated or Specialized Schools?  

[Source:  NPR.org] 

The federal law that governs special education lays out the goals pretty clearly: Students are entitled to an appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

But some parents of children with autism feel their local public schools aren't meeting their kids' needs. And with autism diagnoses rising, new schools are emerging specifically for autistic children.

ADHD in the News:  Decoding How the Brain Miswires, Possibly Causing ADHD  

[Source:  Science Daily] 

Neuroscientists at Mayo Clinic in Florida and at Aarhus University in Denmark have shed light on why neurons in the brain's reward system can be miswired, potentially contributing to disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They say findings from their study, published online today in Neuron, may increase the understanding of underlying causes of ADHD, potentially facilitating the development of more individualized treatment strategies.

PediaStaff Hot Jobs of the Week:  SLPs and OTs Needed for Telepractice!  

And More Hot SLP Jobs:  Almost Heaven, West Virginia  

Speech Language Therapy Resource of the Week:  Teaching Idioms - on the Bilinguistics Blog  

Our friends at Bilinguistics have put together a fabulous collection of resources for teaching Idioms.   Check it out!

[Source:  Bilinguistics]

That's the way the cookie crumbles!... I put my foot in my mouth... When pigs fly... You are what you eat! ... Idioms have varied and sometimes unknown origins; however, due to the punch they deliver when we use them, they cleverly pepper our language to this day.  Why? Because we understand and find humor in figurative language! Idiomatic expressions help us to make a point in a more impactful way. 

OT Idea of the Week:  Guess Who Clothespin Game  

[Source:  Therapy Fun Zone]

by Donna Abramsonson, OTR/L

Opening and closing clothespins is a wonderful way for children to develop strength in the muscles of their hand, particularly the webspace - which helps them to hold the pencil with a correct tripod grip. Using clothespins also helps children to separate the radial and ulnar sides of the hands, a prerequisite for efficient fine motor function.

OT Activity of the Week:  Activity for Bilateral Skills and Visual Perception  

Featured Movie Review:  Certain Proof: A Question of Worth  

Over the weekend, I watched a wonderful movie, Certain Proof:  A Question of Worth.

I watched it, cried, and then watched it again the next day. This was an awesome experience-the best movies are those that make you dwell on lines, scenes, people the next days and weeks.  This was one!   Rather than writing up my own synopsis, I found one online from IMDb

"Certain Proof: A Question of Worth" is a feature documentary about three children living with significant communication and physical disabilities, who struggle against the public schools in an emotional battle to prove their worth.

 Over the course of two and a half years, "Certain Proof" follows the lives of Josh, Colin and Kay, three children with cerebral palsy. Despite multiple disabilities, they fight to prove that they are able to learn and deserve to be taught. Colin finds "No Child Left Behind" has exceptions; Kay combats harsh stereotypes inside middle school; and Josh faces continual doubt that he can learn at all. They and their families dare to hope in a striking testament to the complexity of the human spirit."