Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners

At least 5% of autistic adults may have Aphantasia - image free thinking. This number may be higher for non-speaking kids, especially with ocular apraxia. Is this a learning disability?   TJ, the creator of the popular social media account - nigh.functioning.autism , discusses their experience with visualization and image-free thinking.   Here are some key takeaways: Visualization and image-free t...

 Let's explore the critical balance between life skills, independent living, and education for children with disabilities.   The importance of academic learning in building logical and critical thinking, as well as emotional regulation is often ignored or trivialized in the lives of children with a disability.    If your school team is focusing on life skills at the expense of education,   If you...

In this episode, we address a crucial and often daunting question for parents of children with disabilities:  How will my child be supported when I am no longer around?  Many of us, as parents, carry the weight of this question, wondering about our children’s future in our absence. Today, my guest Sangeetha Chakrapani offers a powerful and hopeful answer. Sangeetha is the founder trustee of Togeth...

If you have struggled with making a neurotypical math curriculum work for your child with disabilities, whether Down Syndrome or Autism or other disabilities that impact their sensory-motor profile, If you have a child who communicates via AAC, or is an unreliable speaker, or a Speller - perhaps they use RPM or S2C, you may find that either "regular" Math is not available to your child, or not acc...

In the 50th episode of Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids, one of my favorite thought leaders, Soma Mukhopadhyay, talks to us about: -how learning channels determine teaching -the 4 goals of RPM - not just information download - but cognition, sensory, tolerance and communication goals.  -the importance of a sensory map when working with a child (as opposed to a label) If you are intereste...

PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) (now being reframed as Pervasive Demand for Autonomy) is a profile on the Autism Spectrum characterized by a heightened sensitivity of the nervous system that becomes activated when a person experiences a loss of autonomy or equality.  Did you know that 70% of learners with PDA are not able to participate in traditional school settings? In this episode, we dive...

In this episode of "Non-Linear Learning," Dr. Vaish Sarathy answers a mother’s question about supporting her 10-year-old autistic son with ADHD, who struggles with anger and behaviors at school. Dr. Vaish dives deep into the roots of dysregulation, discussing how stress—sensory, biochemical, and communication-related—can drive behaviors often mistaken for misbehavior. Learn about the vital role of...

“Yoga isn’t just about stretching; it’s about finding balance in every aspect of life.” In this heartfelt episode, Fiji McAlpine, a dedicated yoga teacher and mother to an autistic child, shares her transformative journey with yoga and its profound impact on parenting. Fiji opens up about how yoga has been a guiding light, helping her navigate the ups and downs of parenting with patience, openness...

How does intelligence work again? We don’t know. But we do know the ONE technique, the ONE process that can help your child (and you) develop nuanced thinking skills, critical thought, an engaged mind, and an active brain - things we regard as intelligence.  It is widely known in all circles, with all cognitive experts, AND even with employers to help build engagement in their companies, but the p...

If your child struggles with anxiety, aggression, seizure or even sleep issues, how many times have you had someone advice you - “Have you tried CBD”? Every time I hear this, I wonder how CBD can be the answer to EVERY problem? It turns out, it is quite possible. Dr. Julie Buckley makes her second appearance on Episode 93 of Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids in this fantastic deep dive in...

We explore essential planning for parents of children with disabilities with CPA and estate attorney James Lange! Note and disclaimer - this episode deviates from our previous episodes in that it is about financial planning and how to provide for our kids after us. Please use your usual due diligence and research before implementing these strategies. Also please note that this episode is very US-c...

Today’s episode is one of a kind - an expert leads us into incredible detail into the physical and physiological principles behind picky eating and other feeding disorders, specially in children and adults with Down syndrome. If that sounds complex, I assure you that while it is complex, it is not complicated. Dr. Kay Toomey, in this episode talks to us about postural stability and breathing and h...

We explore the vagus nerve, your body’s communication superhighway some more this week, with Dr. Navaz Habib! Upgrading the vagus nerve is key to anti-inflammatory activity, to supporting nervous system function and mood regulation.  If you are looking to reduce your child’s anxiety, to help them switch easily from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, here are a few ways Dr. Navaz suggests: Support...

Did you know that there are almost 120,000 published papers studying Magnesium in Pubmed, and 150 of them just study Magnesium supporting hyperactivity.  Over 300 study the effects of Magnesium and sleep and over 2000 publications study Magnesium and depression and it goes on. In fact last I looked, you could type in Magnesium and ANYTHING and you’d find a study for it. But should you do Magnesium...

In this episode, Dr. Sarathy interviews Sofi Ghassaei, a remarkable and accomplished 20-year-old Autistic Poet and Playwright.  Sofi has made significant strides in the world of literature and theater despite the slower process of spelling her thoughts to communicate.  Her work has been featured in various publications such as the 2023 poetry anthology "Di lo que quieres decir," Teen Creative maga...

SKY BREATH LINK In this episode, Vaish answers a question from a mom of a 6-year-old Autistic boy with ADHD who is experiencing some parenting struggles.   We discuss why parenting parenting a child with a disability becomes challenging - and discuss 7 ways to move from swimming upstream to downstream.   Send Vaish questions to be answered in future podcasts here.   To get a jump start on your chi...

"There is no level of inflammation, physical or mental or central nervous system inflammation, that is not damaging." Vaish and JP Errico discuss the role of the vagus nerve in reducing inflammation (esp. neuroinflammation), cognition and supporting brain health in Episode 142. Obviously stress and inflammation are critical in cognitive and overall health, but what is largely unknown is the role o...

The 2nd most common question I get asked is this: What is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet, and how do you feed your son? So I thought I would lead you on a day's plan of a vegetarian anti-inflammatory meals.  We will talk about breakfast, a pre-breakfast (!!), lunch and dinner! And blood sugar balancing, nutrient density, gut health and more!

"If your child is having difficulty moving their body, they ARE going to have difficulty in moving their eyes." Dr. Susan Daniel, neuro-developmental optometrist talk about vision and its role in learning and regulation for Autistic students and learners with Down Syndrome Vision difficulties can impact a child's regulation and behavior, leading to frustration and anxiety.  Dr. Daniel explains the...

In this week's Wednesday Wind-Up, we explore the connection between motivation, feedback, choice and learning, for children with disabilities - whether Down Syndrome, Autism or a generic "learning disability". In less than 7 minutes, you will learn exactly what 2 things you can do rightaway to build learning and motivation in your child.  00:00 The Science of Motivation and Learning 03:12 Optimizi...

Dr. Vaish Sarathy interviews Andra McHugh, the host of the Eczema Kids podcast and founder of the Eczema Kids brand. Andra shares her personal journey of dealing with her children's severe eczema and her quest to find natural solutions.  In the face of extremely conflicting dietary advice, Andra cracked the code using functional nutrition and ayurveda.  "There's so much that you can do within your...

Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids is being renamed and redesigned.  To start with - here is a weekly Monday Mindset Shifter to think a little bit differently about your week! This week, we are talking about the opposite of grief!

In this episode of Function and Nutrition and Learning for Kids, we dive into the profound impact of nutrition on human health with Dr. John Lewis, founder and president of Dr. Lewis Nutrition. With a prolific background boasting over 180 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Lewis shares his expertise on the role of polysaccharides in brain health and immune function, and his research’s implications fo...

Intelligence is not a constant. The brain is constantly changing, adapting, and learning new skills. Most tests, including IQ tests, do not measure intelligence accurately. In this episode, Dr. Vaish Sarathy talks about the role of AI, Growth Mindset in what she calls Intellectual Malleability - the idea (which comes from Neuroplasticity) that intelligence can change for anyone regardless of label...

How can we help our kids cultivate a healthy relationship with food? If your child is struggling with picky eating, Stephanie Mara Fox talks to Dr Vaish Sarathy about the Art of Somatic Eating and how to navigate food restrictions in kids.  Especially in kids with disabilities (Autism, for example), it is important to understand that: - The nervous system plays a crucial role in our experience wit...