The festive season is here, and we love to celebrate with delicious recipes that bring warmth, flavour, and a touch of nutrition to our table. This Christmas, Lilly Waugh, one of our biomedical practitioners is sharing two of her go-to Christmas recipes - a sweet and fragrant Healthy Gingerbread and a savoury Spiced Halloumi, Swiss Chard & Squash Filo Wreath.

Sarah and Anna bring expertise in this area, with extensive experience in identifying and addressing retained reflexes that can hinder learning. Teachers are often the first to notice when students struggle academically, and this series aims to equip educators with insights into the neurodevelopmental side of learning challenges. By understanding these foundational issues, teachers can better support their students' learning and academic performance.

“We turned to The Key Clinic when traditional routes had long wait times, and we needed immediate help for our daughters. The clinic’s thorough assessments and personalised programs addressed foundational issues like retained reflexes and nutritional deficiencies. The results were remarkable: our eldest became more confident and socially engaged, while our youngest saw significant improvements in her reading and emotional resilience. The Key Clinic didn’t just offer temporary solutions; they provided a path to lasting, life-changing results for our entire family.”

Understanding how language develops in autistic children has taken a significant leap forward with Neuroscience News latest groundbreaking study involving over 31,000 participants. Here are five key insights from this research that can help us better support autistic children.

Deep breathing can improve mental health in many ways. Practicing deep breathing exercises stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces heart rate and lowers blood pressure. This enhances the body's relaxation response, easing stress and fostering a sense of safety and connection. Read more.

Sarah Warley, Founder of The Key Clinic, along with Anna Trundle, Supervising HCPC Registered OT, led this fourth webinar in the Duke's Club Neurodiversity series. The webinar outlined a variety of symptoms, from gross and fine motor challenges to social and emotional difficulties, illustrating the multifaceted nature of dyspraxia. They highlighted the critical need for early detection and intervention, as well as the limitations and lengthy wait times often associated with obtaining a diagnosis.

While the exact causes of ADHD are complex and multifaceted, research suggests that certain dietary factors, including food additives, might influence ADHD symptoms in some individuals. In particular, some E numbers, the codes assigned to food additives in the European Union, have been implicated in exacerbating ADHD symptoms.

Sleep is another essential pillar because of its impact on the structure and function of the brain. It is well understood that sufficient sleep is a necessity when maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that the magnitude of our neuroplasticity, cognitive functioning, learning, and memory is partially dependent on the quality and quantity of sleep?

In an era where children's mental and physical health has taken center stage, understanding the role of the vagus nerve, or the tenth cranial nerve, becomes paramount. As a crucial component of the parasympathetic nervous system, it influences vital functions such as mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate.

Sarah Warley, Founder of The Key Clinic, along with Cynthia de Maria, Senior Biomedical Practitioner, led the penultimate webinar in the Duke's Club Neurodiversity series. The session commenced with an examination of ADHD's signs and symptoms.

Emerging neuroscientific research underscores the pivotal role of understanding the 'body-brain' connection in children's emotional regulation. This blog delves into the essence of co-regulation and the importance of recognising emotional dysregulation as a signal of deeper needs. Through the lens of Dr. Delahooke's work and our clinic's comprehensive strategies, we explore innovative ways to support children in navigating their emotional landscapes.

This week we enter into Neurodiversity Awareness Week - a global initiative created by Siena Castellon, that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding neurological differences. This week serves as a reminder to embrace and celebrate the unique talents and perspectives of neurodivergent individuals while fostering an inclusive culture of acceptance and understanding.

Ways to build good habits, break bad ones and the neural mechanisms that underlie habit formation. These methods can be incorporated into developing good eating habits and ways to encourage healthier eating within your family. The brain’s propensity for neuroplasticity is heavily influenced by our diet and there are certain foods and diets that enhance brain function and encourage neuroplasticity.

Last week, Sarah Warley, founder of The Key Clinic continued her Neurodiversity series for the Dukes Club, discussing the topic of ‘Dyslexia’ alongside colleagues Katy Oatridge, Senior Neurodevelopmental Practitioner, and Anna Trundle, Supervising HCPC Registered OT. Beginning with a definition and explanation of dyslexia, Katy gave some examples of some of the benefits of being dyslexic, such as being good at problem solving and being creative. She gave examples of well-known high profile successful people with dyslexia, including Richard Branson who said he didn't think he’d be where he is without dyslexia.

Did you know that 70% of our waking behaviour is made up of habitual behaviour?

This means that everything we do on a daily basis from brushing our teeth first thing in the morning to scrolling on our phone last thing at night is a learnt habit. But what exactly are habits? How do we form them and is there a way to break bad ones? This blog will offer ways to form new, desired habits to encourage a bad-habit-free atmosphere in your home. 

Henry's journey with The Key Clinic has been a transformative experience, marked by significant milestones and profound improvements in his neurodevelopmental and auditory capabilities. Following the completion of his final neuro assessment and a course of auditory therapy in April '23, the changes in Henry have been nothing short of remarkable.

The series celebrates the vast diversity of brain functions and aims to deepen our understanding of various neurodiverse conditions. The first episode, focusing on Autism/ASD, is set to dispel myths and highlight the unique strengths and challenges faced by individuals, led by Sarah Warley, the founder of The Key Clinic, and Dr. Alexander Davidson.

There is a a significant connection between our diet, gut microbiome, and mental well-being. The brain-gut axis serves as a two-way communication channel, where gut health directly influences mood and cognition. Imbalances in gut bacteria, known as gut-dysbiosis, are linked to neurological conditions and mood disorders. Common dietary culprits like sugar, gluten, and dairy can trigger gut inflammation and dysbiosis, further impacting mental health.

12 ways in which to boost your Vagus Nerve - so you and your family can - to the best of their ability rest, digest and relax at Christmas! (A period of time which we know can be stressful and exacerbated by more sugar, screens and other tensions.

After completing auditory therapy (BrightBeatz) at The Key Clinic, we advise maintaining the fine-tuned hearing ability. Everyday factors like loud noises, ear infections, and earbud use can impact hearing. For children who enjoy gaming and music, we recommend volume-limiting headphones, which emit sounds only up to 85db. Regular headphones can reach up to 115db. Setting limits and taking breaks from headphone use are also crucial for protecting hearing.