Neurofunctional reorganisation (NFR) was developed by Mrs Beatriz Padovan, speech pathologist. This method is based on the work of Temple Fay, neurosurgeon, himself influenced by the work of Gesell. It is based on neurodevelopmental principles.
The NFR - Padovan Method® advocates the link among the neurological organisation and the developmental stage of the child. It draws its inspiration from the studies of Rudolf Steiner on the interrelationship among the three types of human activities (walking-talking-thinking) and from Piaget's observation on sensorimotor intelligence. In rehabilitation, it is common to use the developmental sequence to teach people how to use their bodies (walking, manipulate objects, swallowing, talking…) and their brains (affective, perceptual and cognitive) again.
Who can benefit from NFR?
There are more therapists using NFR with children suffering from neurological deficits. It is however also used to treat adults with neurological conditions and other types of pathologies:
Stroke
Multiple Sclerosis and other degenerative neurological diseases,
Neurovegetative Dystonia,
Fibromyalgia
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome)
Parkinson's disease,
Schizophrenia,
Head trauma
Perceptual and cognitive difficulties (dyslexia, agnosia, impaired attention, impaired memory)
Dysphagia (swollowing disorders),
Autism and pervasive developmental disorders.
Dyspraxia,
Aphasia,
Stuttering,
Obstructive Slepp Apnea,
Bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching during sleep)
Malocclusion
Temporo-mandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD)
People looking for personal development can also benefit from the NFR to improve their body awareness, their posture, their athletic or vocal performance, their public speaking abilities, their concentration and focus in a high stress and high performance work environment...
"Neurons that fire together wire together" Hebbian learning
Neuronal plasticity
Many researchers previously spoke of neuronal plasticity -Mark Rosenzweig working with rats, Michael Merzenich with monkeys, Edward Taub and Paul Bach-y-Rita with humans – but it is only with the technology of the end of the 20th century that scientific facts on neuronal plasticity slowly break the scientific dogma of cerebral "localizationism". Many pioneer therapists in rehabilitation such are Bertha Bobath, Jean Ayres, Svetlana Masgutova and Beatriz Padovan, had already observed this organisational potential with their patients using their respective methods of treatment. Recent studies on neuronal plasticity and the capacity of the nervous system to recuperate from the function support the NFR method.
Research shows over and over again that principle of brain function: If you don't use it, you lose it. However, it can be relearned. Such as, when learning to play a musical instrument, the ingredients to succeed are repetition, intensity, rhythm, the personal interest of the person learning a new skill and the gradation of the proposed exercise and activity. Mrs. Padovan adds the recapitulation of the neurosensorimotor developmental sequence in her approach.
Enough scientific data can presently allow us to say that a rehabilitation period is not fixed to a few months following an accident for brain plasticity to occur. It is now accepted to say that even many years after a stroke, a head trauma or a degenerative neurological disease, there is potential for rehabilitation.
Exercise sequence
A series of body exercises following the neurodevelopmental pattern is performed in each treatment session. It includes legs, arms, hands, fingers and eyes as well as global coordination movements. Emphasis is put on certain exercises more than other by the therapist according the specific needs of each client.
Another series of exercises for the oral and peri-oral functions is also included in the same treatment session. Rhythm is used during the exercises to reinforce the work of the NFR at the neuronal activation level as well as to facilitate motor initiation and coordination activity. Adding specific exercises or tasks is done gradually according to the client's difficulties and his/her personal needs.
