My Daughter Jumps Every Time The Vacuum Cleaner Goes On.
“My daughter jumps every time the vacuum cleaner goes on. She is scared of going to places where there is an electric hand drier, and she cries when there is an abrupt loud noise. I have heard about the Safe and Sound Protocol. Can it help her not be so jumpy, and what is the science behind it?”
As more and more parents learn about the work of Dr Stephen Porges ' Polyvagal Theory, his discovery about how the nervous system works, and his research on feeling safe, Raviv Practice London are seeing more parents contact us. There are many anxious children, who can't cope with unexpected noises as well as those experiencing trauma at the thought of school resuming after the COVID19 lockdown in the United Kingdom.
“One parent reported since her son has been at home during this lockdown his eczema has completely clearer. ”
Funnily enough parents with children with Special Education Needs (SEN) are reporting all sorts of peculiarities of their child loving being at home. One parent reported since her son has been at home during this lockdown his eczema has completely cleared.
While many schoolchildren are missing their friends, this particular demographic is thrilled not to be in school and; being compared, hurried along or feeling inadequate. Children with SEN are enjoying their time at home. In place of being one in thirty children, they are receiving lots of one-to-one time with those that love them the most, their parents.
sometimes we want to shut off from the world
These parent of SEN children, who have, for years pushed their child's school are learning exactly how and what sorts of conditions their child thrives in, in terms of education. Special Needs Children, have a good reason not to want to return to what they feel is hostile environment. They feel safer, more understood at home.
What is the science behind The Safe and Sound Protocol work, how does it help remove anxiety?
The Polyvagal Theory is a recent discovery in how our unconscious nervous system (called the autonomic nervous system) works. The autonomic nervous system runs along the Vagus Nerve; this travels from the brainstem down the body sending/ receiving messages from the heart, lungs, gut and liver.
It was thought for the longest time that the two branches of the Vagus nerve (the parasympathetic branch and the sympathetic branch) played a balancing act for everyday survival. The parasympathetic branch nurtured growth and was responsible for resting, digesting and relaxation. The sympathetic branch kept us safe and out of danger through fight or flight. However this approach did not account for how the freeze response, the third coping mechanism, worked in any detail.
Dr Stephen Porges discovered the parasympathetic nerve branch, responsible for rest and relaxation was not a single strand but a multi-stranded nerve fibre (hence the name 'Polyvagal' which literally means ‘many Vagus Nerves’). Dr Stephen Porges' theory accounts for the freeze response coming from this second branch of the parasympathetic system.
This recent discovery is actually of an older part of the Vagus Nerve that operates in our bodies. This primitive system is present in all mammals and used when they are in deep trauma and cannot flee a dangerous situation; instead they freeze in terror. This survival mechanism is the most basic of all mammalian responses - immobilisation. The problem comes when a person goes into this state of immobilisation when there are no perceived dangers.
Specific triggers activate the 'freeze,' response at any given time. For some individuals, this threat comes in the form of vacuum cleaners, electric hand driers even resuming school. Nevertheless, the danger to them is real; they are locked into the freeze response which is triggered repeatedly.
What happens in the freeze response?
Being in a state of immobilisation, we switch everything off. All higher 'thinking' functions of the brain go completely off-line. A comforting voice of a parent or loved one does not penetrate, when in this immobilised state. The individual needs to reengage in social connection to feel connected and safe. Dr Stephen Porges has done a lot of work on how to bring a child or adult from the disconnected state back on-line with his program Safe And Sound Protocol. How the automatic fear response can be broken and replaced with a more measured response. The opportunity to break this cycle has not gone unnoticed and more parents are reaching out to use The Safe and Sound Protocol with some dramatic results.
If you, your or your child, are struggling with anxiety, that may be caused by this period of isolation or reticent to returning to school. I would recommend the following books to get you started on the path of training your child's nervous system to a happier place.
Polyvagal-Theory-Neurophysiological-Communication-Self-regulation By Dr Stephen Porges
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation By Deb Dana
Accessing-Healing-Power-Vagus-Nerve- By Stanley Rosenburg
And if after reading the books you are still in doubt of the value of training the vagus nerve book a free consultation with us and we can help you or your child reconnect.
Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?
Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.
About the Author
Usha Patel is a Neurocognitive Therapist and Director at Raviv Practice London. Parents searching to help their suspected/neurodiverse child can get evidence-based solutions with results in as little as 8 weeks. Those in search of jargon-free help can get started straight away.
