ABR Techniques as Meso Anatomical Movement Inductions

What does the ABR Team refer to, when they speak about the “Meso-Anatomical Techniques” which we teach in the ABR Program?

“Meso – Anatomical” is the term given by Leonid Blyum to precisely describe what all ABR families do when working with the large variety of ABR manual techniques shown at each course.

“Meso “ is a term that many of our ABR parents should already be familiar with. Meso comes from the Ancient Greek language and means: “in between – related to the middle – intermediate”. In many lectures with ABR parents we spoke about the Embryological Mesoderm or Mesen-chyme as being the origin of connective tissues in the early embryological stages. In this respect the “meso”-derm refers to the tissues that are developed between the two polarities of the ento (inner) and exo (outer)- derm’s. The entoderm later develops into the tissues that become our metabolic system – whilst the exoderm develops further into what becomes our skin and nervous system. These two systems are so far away from each other in their basic and fundamental dynamic, that they require a “middle way” – a “meso” in order to bind and connect them to one organism. Dr. Jaap van der Wal – a world leading Embryologists says: “The meso is not a derm! – It is a “meso”! – meaning that the meso is not a “skin” or a tissue – but it is that system which is able to live between the two extremes and at the same time creates a basis for all the various life functions – and for the inwardness of perception (proprioception, interoception) and being as well.

By adding the prefix of “meso” to the word “anatomical” another meaning for “ in between – in the middle – intermediate” is brought to light. This term describes the specific qualities of ABR Techniques. In this context “meso” designates a quality of anatomy and movement that is not “micro” and not “macro” – meaning not on the cellular level (microscopic) and on the other hand not on the level of macro- anatomical either as would be in the case of an entire organ or a specific muscle, or muscle chains.

14358646_10154650115096454_533996977415807292_n With ABR techniques we create movements within the child or adult that are within a very small range – the range of about one centimetre. This range is much higher than the microscopic level, and on the other hand – if one thinks about long chain movements like taking a step or throwing a ball – these ABR movements at first seem minimal.

But these movements only “seem” minimal as long as one has not yet understood the magnitude of the importance of these movements.

What is so special about the “meso” range that we utilize, explore and promote with the manual techniques being taught in ABR and being used in the variety of PAVES exercises shown? The answer to this is manifold, but we can start by identifying two or three main elements:

When we implement these movements by utilizing our various ABR tools such as balls and mats then we are able to help the child or otherwise affected adult to begin to implement movements that he or she cannot initiate himself. These movements are for example the movements belonging to the deep myo-fascia of the trunk and spine. Buried within the structures of our vertebral column the nerve endings are located that are the primary communication links about any changes in our body –whether changes in posture or any positional changes requiring counter balancing reactions, stability, etc.
By using meso – anatomical techniques, one is able to “induce” movements that are a part of the primary dynamic repertoire which one normally learns in the first half a year of life. At this time an infant develops this primary dynamic repertoire. This is a repertoire of movement that can no longer be learned consciously at a later time of life. After about six months of age the door for learning these movements closes. At this time the length and the weight of the arms and the legs changes sufficiently in proportion to the size and weight of the trunk. This change in proportion makes it even more difficult for a person to “learn” to execute these movements later in life. One cannot “teach” the primary dynamic repertoire!
Through “induction” of these movements to the child or adult, one can “re-train” the system to be able to carry out and to integrate these movements into the movement repertoire. Through having access to these movements, then the child is able to “balance”, to “stabilize” to control the movements. The door to movement development is opened for the child.
Here a robot example of what happens if the primary dynamics of the deep spine structures are not working can be seen here:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1001882553253264

At the same time this short video clips gives illustration to the spinal mobility condition of many ABR clients pre -program. Whenever the child needs to adjust with the spine, the spine does not move. The result for our children is that they “cannot sit”, “cannot stand” and cannot maintain weight-bearing positions.

ABR Meso-Anatomical Techniques are an unbeatable tool for getting to these deep Primary Dynamics and improving the mobility and repertoire of usage.

Diane Vincentz

ABR Denmark

Director

captura-de-pantalla-2016-10-01-a-las-10-26-58

Children with special needs will all in some manner be affected with what is termed “Global Developmental Delay”. This indicates that the entire development of the child is affected to such a degree that all the defined major developmental areas (officially at least two of the areas) are affected, specifically:

Motor development
Speech and communication
Cognitive
Social and emotional development

In reality however these developmental areas are not disconnected and disengaged from each other. In any organism, and in the human being at a much higher level, all of these different developmental areas are highly intertwined and decidedly connected. In fact, as our developmental hierarchy graph below attempts to illustrate, the different areas of development are not only interwoven with each other, but the developmental potential of the so called “higher and cognitive levels” is dependant upon what happens at more basic and fundamental levels.

ABR Paradigm Shift Diagram

One example that illustrates the difficulty in attempting to disconnect the developmental areas from each other can be understood when one observes human speech and communication development.

Within the world of the Speech Therapy specialists it is known and widely accepted that a child who cannot adequately swallow and chew will not be able to learn to speak. This shows us how in the human being so called “higher functions” such as speaking are dependent upon at least a minimal level of basic life functions. In effect it is so that if a child cannot chew and cannot swallow, and – in addition – has a sufficient weakness of the respiratory level, then any attempts to “teach” the child to speak with speech intervention methods will be in vain.

This does not mean that the child cannot learn to communicate, use a computer-based program or learn some basic skills in this fashion. But, speech as a skill involving our entire speech organism, will normally be closed for the child due to the fact that the human speech is dependant upon a finely tuned motor coordination between:

The respiration – coordination of the air flow through the larynx and trachea
Epiglottis as articulator
Pharyngeal coordination
Mouth floor control
Tongue
Hard and soft palate coordination
Mimic muscles of the face
Lips
Jaw
Sinuses and skull as resonators, etc.

The list of the structures that need to be fine tuned and well coordinated for speech function is long and exceedingly complex. Yet a healthy child between the ages of 0- 3 years – through an intense ability to imitate the activities of the people close around him – begins to utilize these structures and to coordinate them in a highly complex fashion in order to be able to use speech as a means of both emotional and later intellectual communication.

A child who suffers from Global Developmental Delays will have difficulties related to all four of the main accepted developmental areas. There is almost nothing in his or her own development that will not be touched. From the side of the rehabilitation it would make sense if the child could be sent to a Global Developmental Specialist. But this profession does not exist. The typical result for the child and family is then that the child will be dutifully sent from one specialist to the next:

The speech therapist
The occupational therapist
Riding therapist
Swim therapy
Eye Doctor
Neurologist
Orthopedic specialist
Physio-therapist
Special Education teacher

And the list goes on and on.

ABR Program and Method has shown that for children especially, all development is “Global”. One cannot disconnect one area of development from the other – in the human organism development of one “area” is dependant upon the stability of other areas. We cannot dissect the developmental regions and place them on the floor of some workshop as one can do with a car – put the brakes in one corner, the carburettor here, the engine there, the starter motor on another spot! This does not work with the human being. Activities and capabilities rest upon each other – are interdependent and co-exist.

The parents and children in the ABR Program have found a fortunate means of global developmental enhancement. ABR is a Program that promotes transformation of all developmental levels respecting the inter-connectivity of processes within the human being.

If as an ABR Parent one comes to work on the neck or the throat of the child one will be promoting a wide variety of functions all at one time. ABR neck applications typically help the child with:

Stability of the upper respiratory tract – improving respiration flow
Swallowing
Neck stability
Head control
Eye stability – even vision
Sound production and variation of tone
Inner coherence of the proprioception – body map
Connectivity in respect to the surroundings and environment

In this way we can see that the soft tissue remodelling achieved through ABR applications work as a foundation for the child’s higher development – whether having to do with basic life functions which are depnedent upon a stable intrinsic strength of connective tissues, – or higher capabilities such as speech and understanding.

ABR works as a Global Developmental Enhancement tool, allowing parents and caretakers to dramatically change the life and life quality of mild to severe handicapped and special needs children.

Diane Vincentz

ABR Denmark

Director

Month: October 2016

ABR Techniques as Meso Anatomical Movement Inductions

ABR Global Developmental Enhancement – Global Developmental Delay