The NeuroMovement® approach to Functional Information
As a parent of a child with special needs, you've probably heard advice about "stimulating" your child’s brain to support their development. Flashcards, lights, sounds, muscle "exercise", and even apps designed to “wake up” the brain are common recommendations. While these tools can play a role in development, they often miss a key ingredient: relevance. The brain doesn’t just need stimulation—it needs functional information.
So, what’s the difference? And why does it matter?
Stimulation vs. Functional Information
Stimulation is any input that activates the brain, like a color or a sound. It excites the senses and gets the brain “firing.” But stimulation alone isn't enough for learning. For instance, a noisy rattle will awaken your child's auditory brain, but if it is not attached so something else (the appearance of mom's smile, or food, for example). You can repeat the noise endlessly, it will not lead to learning. Worse, it will become a negative or cancelled experience. This is because neurons, when exposed to the same signal, will eventually stop firing.
Functional information, on the other hand, is stimulation with purpose. It’s input that teaches your child's brain something it can use— that helps it make sense of the world and connect with it. It works by association and differentiation. "Neurons that fire together wire together".
The brain thrives on inputs it can organize, understand, and apply. Functional information isn’t just about keeping the brain busy—it’s about helping the brain grow and make connections that matter in daily life.
Why Stimulation Alone Falls Short
When a child receives random or unrelated stimulation, it’s like trying to build a puzzle with pieces that don’t fit together. This can lead to:
Overstimulation: Too much sensory input can overwhelm your child, leading to frustration or withdrawal.
Missed Opportunities: Without context or purpose, the brain may struggle to retain or use the input in a meaningful way.
Imagine filling a backpack with random objects. It might feel heavy, but how useful is it? The same applies to the brain—it’s not about how much we add, but whether the “stuff” is helpful and relevant.
How Functional Information Supports Development, especially for neurodivergent kids
Functional information meets your child where they are. Research shows that the brain is most adaptable—what scientists call neuroplasticity—when it receives inputs that are:
Meaningful: Connected to the child’s experiences.
Purposeful: Tied to specific goals or skills.
Engaging: Captures the child’s interest and focus.
When your child receives functional information, their brain not only processes the input but begins to build stronger, more efficient pathways to use that information in the future.
This is true for any sensory input - whether single-sense (ie. auditory) signals, or multi-sensory signals (movement). For a child to learn an action, the movement has to be meaningful, relevant and functional for them.
Practical Tips for Parents of Special Needs Kids
Here’s how you can shift from “stimulation” to “functional information” in your daily interactions:
Focus on Quality, Not Quantity. Instead of trying to provide as much stimulation as possible, think about what is meaningful to your child. What catches their attention? What skills are they working on?
Follow Their InterestsIf your child loves water play, use that to give them richer and varied sensory and movement experiences. No limits! When the activity is fun and pleasurable, learning happens naturally.
Slow Down and Simplify. The brain needs time to process. Slowing down activities and breaking them into smaller steps helps your child absorb and use the information.
Build on Everyday Moments. Daily routines are full of opportunities for functional learning. Even a sock can be a whole universe of learning to a child!
Seek Programs That Prioritize Functional Learning. Approaches like Neuromovement® focus on helping your child’s brain identify, discern, integrate and use relevant, purposeful information to support their growth.
You Are Your Child’s Best Teacher
As a parent, you don’t need fancy tools or endless stimulation to help your child. What your child needs most is you: someone who understands their unique needs, follows their interests, and provides them with inputs that make sense in their world. Every time you help them explore, discover, and connect, you’re giving their brain the functional information it craves.
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