The Power of Strengthening the Corpus Callosum for Children with Neurodivergence

Hannaford shares in Smart Moves that "Research shows that two regions at the front of the Corpus Callosum in ADHD... are markedly smaller than those of non-ADHD people."

Melillo explains in Autism that the Corpus Callosum is "the bridge that links the two sides of the brain." Melillo also shares in "Autism" that "Research shows that the bridge between the two hemispheres, which is important for left- and right-brain communication, is smaller and less connected in people with autism."

Melillo also shares in Autism that Functional Disconnect "not only describes what is going on in the autistic brain, it explains the symptoms we see in a long list of other neurological disorders, including ADHD, Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and sensory processing disorder as well as others. All these conditions are the result of either a right- or -left-brain deficit". "No matter what label you attach to it - autism, Asperger's, dyslexia, whatever - they all fall under the umbrella of FDS."

For me, Hannah, as a Parkour Practitioner who has devoted many years and much time to using parkour as a development tool for youth, this is extremely exciting to me. This research shows us that by supporting brain development we can support kids with Neurodivergence. If we can help a child develop their Corpus Callosum through movement in a fun and exciting way, we can strengthen one of the areas of the brain that is triggering symptoms they are experiencing. What does this mean for the kid? Reduction in struggles. It doesn't mean removing their Neurodivergence. It means strengthening a part of the brain that triggers symptoms. For a child with dyslexia it could me reducing the challenge in school. For a child with Asperger's it could mean helping them make important connections that helps them function in a meaningful way in society after highschool. For a child with Autism it could mean helping them make connections that reduces stress.

This is why at Parkour East Texas we dive into helping students strengthen their Corpus Callosum every week. We also are investing financially in training many on our our coaching team in even more specific exercises that target the Corpus Callosum's development. For us it is about supporting youth and their parents in their journey. It's about helping the youth in our community reduce stress and progress towards their growth goals, whatever that looks like for each individual.

Sources: "Autism" by Dr. Robert Melillo and "Smart Moves" by Carla Hannaford, Ph.D.