The Brain Boosters Breakthrough Q & A
By: Frimi Jakubowicz
Thank you for the wonderful outpouring of feedback and thoughtful questions. Whenever I write a series, it's hard to know who's reading along. Your emails gave me a wonderful glimpse into just how engaged you all are. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write.
Because of the number of questions we received (and limited space!), I won't be able to answer all of them here. Let's jump into some of your questions.
M.L. asks: What causes the right and left sides of the brain to become disconnected? Does it begin before birth, during birth, after trauma, or is it simply part of normal differences in development?
Wonderful question—and one you partly answered yourself. As we discussed in Week 4, many factors can affect communication within the brain, including genetics, nutrition, hydration, sleep, birth experiences, retained reflexes, movement patterns, trauma, and more. Sometimes the connections don't develop as efficiently as expected; other times they're affected later on. Trauma, for example, can leave a lasting imprint on the nervous system.
S.B. asks: Many claim brain exercise is "alternative" and that doctors dismiss it. Yet after a stroke, r"l, rehabilitation relies heavily on physical movement to rebuild the brain's connections.
Thank you for sharing that. I actually mentioned this point in one of my presentations. From my experience speaking with many physicians, I don't believe doctors oppose movement itself. Where opinions may differ is in the evidence supporting particular methods. But there is broad agreement that movement plays an important role in healthy development and rehabilitation.
R.S. asks: I don't have older children yet. How can this apply to my baby?
In many ways, infancy is one of the most important times to support healthy neurological development because the brain is growing so rapidly.
We've received many requests for baby-specific guidance and are currently developing the Brain Boosters Baby Program, which focuses on practical, parent-friendly techniques to support healthy development during the first years of life.
If you'd like to be notified when it's available, email us at hello@brainboostersny.com.
T.F. asks: What about toddlers or younger children who can't do the exercises independently?
Brain exercises can be adapted for every stage of development. For young children, parents can gently guide the movements hand-over-hand. As children mature, they gradually take over until they're able to perform the exercises independently.
C.G. asks: I've seen wonderful results with five of my children, but one child improves only while we're doing the exercises and slips back when we stop. What would you recommend?
I'm so glad to hear about the progress you've seen. Baruch Hashem, many families have shared meaningful improvements through the program.
Every child has a unique developmental profile, and sometimes the underlying factors affecting one child are very different from those affecting another. When a child isn't progressing as expected, it's important to consider whether there may be additional medical or neurological factors that deserve attention. Some of these are complex and highly individualized, so they're not something I can address in a general newsletter.
If you're facing a similar situation, I'd be happy to discuss your child's circumstances privately and point you in the right direction bez"H.
L.B. asks: Many people do this type of work. What makes Brain Boosters different?
Kol hakavod to everyone working in this field. The growing awareness of children's neurological development is a wonderful thing.
Every practitioner and program has its own philosophy. Brain Boosters emphasizes whole-brain movement patterns that encourage communication across multiple systems of the brain, while many practitioners provide individualized assessment and one-on-one treatment. These approaches often complement one another, and each has its own strengths.
In Conclusion
Thank you again for joining me throughout this series. I hope these articles have given you a greater appreciation for the incredible way Hashem designed the developing brain and nervous system—and a few practical tools you can begin using at home.
Wishing you much hatzlachah on your parenting journey!