Building Better Brains - Learning Clinic

Building Better Brains - Learning Clinic Targeting the ROOT CAUSE of learning and behaviour difficulties so children can become confident learners.

12/22/2025

When a child interrupts constantly, most adults assume it’s impulsivity, rudeness, or poor self-control.

Often, it’s none of those.

For many kids with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, or weak executive functioning, interrupting is a working memory issue - not a behavior issue.

Their brain doesn’t trust that the thought will still be there in 10 seconds.

So they blurt because forgetting feels worse than interrupting.

This is especially true for kids with:

• weak working memory
• slow processing speed
• auditory processing differences
• anxiety around losing their train of thought

Telling them to “wait their turn” without giving their brain a way to hold the thought is setting them up to fail.

Working memory strengthens, the interrupting often fades on its own - without constant correction, shame, or power struggles.

This is what it looks like to address root causes instead of managing behaviors.

If this resonated, save and share.

12/18/2025

Is your child really reading at grade level or just sounding words out?

Fluent reading has two parts:

• Decoding the words
• Retaining and understanding what was read

If a child can “read” a passage but can’t tell you what it was about, that’s not true fluency.

It usually means the brain is working in manual mode.

When reading is effortful, slow, or exhausting, the child is relying heavily on the right side of the brain to piece words together one by one. That works short-term but it steals energy from comprehension, memory and meaning.

True reading automaticity happens when decoding shifts to efficient left-brain pathways, freeing up mental space for:

• Reading comprehension
• Inference and critical thinking
• Retelling and discussion
• Learning from text independently

This is why so many bright kids are labeled “at grade level” yet still struggle with:

Dyslexia
Reading comprehension
Learning disabilities
ADHD and attention during reading
Written expression
Fatigue and avoidance

This is rarely fixed with more reading practice alone.

If you’re wondering whether your child’s reading struggles are about decoding, comprehension or how their brain is processing language, start with clarity.

Take my free Learning Challenges Quiz.

It helps you identify which brain systems may be holding reading back and what actually helps build automaticity instead of reinforcing struggle.

Comment READ for a DM link.

12/17/2025

You wait months - even years, pay thousands and your child sits through hours of testing and when the results come in - you’re told what you already knew.

The diagnosis feels so final and you have that sinking feeling that there must be something deeper.

Here’s what most parents don’t hear: Psych-ed assessments explain the WHAT but almost never the WHY.

They measure outcomes, not why those brain systems are weak in the first place.

They miss reflexes, sensory processing, brain hemisphere balance, neural timing and the core cognitive skills your child actually needs to develop for reading, attention, memory and learning.

Psych. Eds don’t look at gut-brain chemistry, nutrition or toxicity.

And they definitely don’t offer corrective approaches to strengthen those weak connections or optimize brain chemistry.

They don’t uncover underlying factors - they only describe the problem.

So kids come out with a diagnosis, but no real solutions which leaves parents thinking the struggle is permanent.

It isn’t.

Decades of research on neuroplasticity has shown otherwise.

Your child’s abilities are not fixed. Their brain can grow, change and rewire - but only if the RIGHT systems are evaluated and if brain-based interventions are used.

That’s why I offer the Neuro-Functional Evaluation.

It looks at the brain-body systems standard assessments ignore, why they are weak and how to address it.

…Because you want more than a label or an accommodation for your child.

If your child has had an IEP, a psych-ed assessment or years of tutoring and is still struggling… the missing pieces are deeper.

A Neuro-Functional Evaluation finally shows you what’s actually breaking down - so you can stop guessing and start strengthening the brain.

No 18-month waitlists, generic labels or “just practice more.”

If you want real answers and a plan that works, I can help.

➡ Book a Neuro-Functional Evaluation by commenting NEURO.

If this past year felt like endless school emails, homework battles, or tears at bedtime - you’re not failing.You’re par...
12/15/2025

If this past year felt like endless school emails, homework battles, or tears at bedtime - you’re not failing.

You’re parenting a child whose brain needs a different kind of support.
The holidays are magical… but for many children who struggle with learning or self-regulation, this season can feel like a sensory storm.

To help you find clarity, I created a free Learning Disability Screener. It helps you identify:

🔍 Red flags often missed in school settings
🧩 Patterns linked to dyslexia, dysgraphia, APD & more
💡 Whether further evaluation or support may be needed
🧠 Underlying systems that affect how your child learns
📘 Insights to advocate confidently

It takes just 3 minutes, and for many parents, it’s the first time everything started to make sense.

👉 Start the screener here: https://resources.lorrainedriscoll.com/learning-disability-screener

You don’t have to guess anymore. You don’t have to wonder if it’s “just behaviour.”
You deserve clarity - and your child deserves support that actually works.

The brain can change 🧠

📞 613-330-9254
🌐 lorrainedriscoll.com
📍 1390 Prince of Wales Drive, Unit 515, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3N6




When a child is constantly interrupting even after they’ve been told not to, working memory or processing speed issues m...
12/10/2025

When a child is constantly interrupting even after they’ve been told not to, working memory or processing speed issues may be at play.
​
Constant interrupting can be one of two things.
​
#1 Working memory overload and slow processing speed which is common in kids with learning difficulties and developmental delays.
​
When memory storage or processing speed is weak, kids fear the thought will disappear unless they say it right now.
​
The reality is they can’t hold information long enough to wait their turn.
​
#2 Processing Speed is too Fast - This is common in kids with ADHD. These kids are usually bright but their mind works so fast, they’ve blurted something out before they’ve had the chance to realise to wait their turn.
​
That’s impulsivity because their brain is overwhelmed and interrupting is a result of a brain that has too much gas and not enough ‘brakes’. This is common with left brain over-developed kids since the left brain is the ‘gas’.
​
What You Can Do Now:
​
Encourage them to jot down or draw their thoughts
​
Create an image their mind so they don’t forget and use verbal holding strategies like “Hold that thought - we’ll come back to it.”
​
Long-term support:
​
Strengthen working memory, improve processing speed, and address the root causes in the brain with brain-based exercises.
​
Bottom Line is that interrupting can be a sign of a brain that’s working too hard or overwhelmed - not a child who’s misbehaving.
​
Want to strengthen your child’s memory and processing speed? Comment KIT to get my Regulated Learner Brain Kit.

Does your child seem “not to listen” unless you repeat yourself several times or speak right in front of them?It may not...
12/09/2025

Does your child seem “not to listen” unless you repeat yourself several times or speak right in front of them?

It may not be defiance.
It may not be attention issues.
It could be Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) — a challenge in how the brain interprets sound, not how the ears receive it.

Common signs include:

🎧 needing instructions repeated
🎧 mishearing similar words
🎧 trouble in noisy classrooms
🎧 difficulty following multi-step directions
🎧 appearing to “tune out” during verbal lessons

APD is incredibly common in the kids I work with - and once identified, we can use targeted neuroplastic strategies to help the brain process sound more efficiently.

Comment “APD” if you want access to my APD workshop.

The brain can change 🧠

📞 613-330-9254
🌐 lorrainedriscoll.com
📍 1390 Prince of Wales Drive, Unit 515, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3N6

12/08/2025

If your child is working twice as hard for half the progress, it’s not because they need more practice… or a better tutor.

It’s because learning breaks down long before the schoolwork ever shows it.

Most parents are never told this:

Kids with dyslexia, ADHD-like symptoms, slow processing, weak working memory, or executive functioning struggles aren’t “behind”… their brain connections just aren’t firing efficiently yet.

And when the brain is overwhelmed or under-supported, kids look:

👉 Shut down
👉 Distracted
👉 Unmotivated
👉 Avoidant
👉 “Not trying”

…when in reality, they’re exhausted from compensating.

This is the part tutoring, IEPs, and even psych-ed assessments never explain.

Because school interventions manage the symptoms.
Educational therapy strengthens the systems underneath them - the ones responsible for reading, attention, memory, processing speed, and self-regulation.

And when those systems get stronger? Kids stop working so hard, and learning finally starts to click.

If your child has so much potential but the progress never matches the effort… there is an answer.

➡ Comment NEURO and I’ll send you the link to book a Neuro-Functional Evaluation so we can uncover the root cause of your child’s learning challenges - not just manage them.

When a child melts down easily, gets overwhelmed at school, or shuts down during learning, these are signs of a nervous ...
12/05/2025

When a child melts down easily, gets overwhelmed at school, or shuts down during learning, these are signs of a nervous system that’s overstretched, not a child who is failing.
​
Many kids with ADHD, sensory issues, dyslexia, anxiety, or behaviour challenges are operating with a vagus nerve that’s working overtime.
​
When vagal tone is low, the brain can’t stay regulated, focused or calm - especially in school environments full of noise, bright lights, transitions, expectations and social pressure.
​
This is why some children look fine one minute and completely unravel the next.
​
It’s why learning feels harder on some days than others and why tutoring, IEPs, and strategies often fall short.
​
A dysregulated nervous system makes it nearly impossible for a child to access:
• Emotional control
• Memory
• Processing speed
• Focus
• Resilience
​
This is a capacity issue and toning the vagus nerve is key to expanding capacity.
When the vagal tone is strong, kids learn more easily, regulate faster and feel safer in their own bodies.
​
Inside the Full Potential Academy, we use integrative, brain-based tools and gentle neuro-technologies to increase vagal tone, reduce sensory overwhelm and help kids rebuild the internal stability they need to thrive.
​
This is a foundational part of helping children with learning disabilities, ADHD-like symptoms and behaviour challenges finally make REAL progress.
​
If meltdowns, shutdowns or learning struggles feel never-ending - your child may need nervous system support before anything else.
​
Want to help your child feel calmer, more focused, and more in control?
​
➡ Comment VAGUS and I’ll send you my Regulated Learner Starter Kit.

If your child is bright but still struggling with reading, writing, comprehension, or attention, and you keep feeling li...
12/04/2025

If your child is bright but still struggling with reading, writing, comprehension, or attention, and you keep feeling like something is missing, you’re not alone, and you’re not imagining it. ❤️

This time of year often makes those struggles feel bigger.

The holidays are magical… but they’re also a sensory storm for neurodivergent kids.

✨ New routines
✨ Loud gatherings
✨ Bright lights & decorations
✨ Unfamiliar places
✨ Late nights & unpredictable schedules

All of this can overwhelm the nervous system - and when that happens, learning becomes harder and behaviour escalates.

It’s not that your child is “acting out.” It’s overload.

This is why so many parents feel confused during the holidays - behaviour and learning issues seem to blend together, and it’s hard to understand what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

To help bring clarity (especially during an already overwhelming time), I created a free Learning Disability Screener for parents who want answers without waiting months or years for assessments or school testing.

It takes just 3 minutes - and parents often say it’s the first time they’ve gotten answers that actually make sense.

You don’t have to guess anymore.
You don’t have to wonder if it’s “just behaviour.”

You deserve clarity — and your child deserves support that truly helps.

👉 Start the screener here: https://resources.lorrainedriscoll.com/learning-disability-screener

The brain can change 🧠✨

📞 613-330-9254
🌐 lorrainedriscoll.com
📍 1390 Prince of Wales Drive, Unit 515, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3N6




Many parents see behaviour challenges, impulsivity, or “ADHD-like” symptoms and immediately assume something is wrong wi...
12/03/2025

Many parents see behaviour challenges, impulsivity, or “ADHD-like” symptoms and immediately assume something is wrong with their child.
​
But like Mateo’s story shows… behaviour is communication. And when a child is overwhelmed, tired, overstimulated, or running on empty, their brain simply can’t regulate the way adults expect.
​
Kids like Mateo don’t melt down because they’re “bad.” They melt down because their sensory and regulatory systems are overloaded.
​
What looks like defiance, anger, or disrespect is often a nervous system stretched past capacity - and traditional approaches rarely address the root cause.
​
It looks like behaviour but underneath it all are:
➡Sensory-processing issues
➡Immature reflexes
➡Disrupted sleep
➡Blood-sugar instability
➡Gut–brain imbalances
➡Poor self-regulation
➡Weak sensory-motor connections
​
None of this comes from bad parenting or means a child is “broken,” behind, or destined for a diagnosis.
​
It means their brain and body need support, not punishment… and not just medication.
​
With the right sensory-motor exercises, nutritional support, and neurodevelopmental therapy, kids like Mateo can feel calmer, think more clearly, reduce impulsivity, and finally feel in control - at home and at school.
​
If your child struggles with big emotions, ADHD-like symptoms, dyslexia, learning disabilities, irritability, or behaviour that seems “out of nowhere,” there is always a reason.
​
And there is always a path forward.
​
➡ Comment NEURO to book a Neuro-Functional Evaluation to uncover what your child actually needs so they can feel regulated, confident, and capable again.

12/01/2025

Report cards don’t tell the full story.

A low grade doesn’t measure intelligence, potential, or whether your child’s struggles can change.

It only reflects what the school can measure — not the root causes behind reading issues, ADHD-like symptoms, dyslexia, slow processing or behaviour challenges.

If something felt “off” when you saw this report card, you’re likely right.

➡ Comment NEURO and I’ll send you the link to book an evaluation.

If your child is bright but struggling with reading, focus, or self-regulation, you’re not alone.I’m Lorraine, an Integr...
12/01/2025

If your child is bright but struggling with reading, focus, or self-regulation, you’re not alone.

I’m Lorraine, an Integrative Educational Therapist & Functional Neurology Practitioner in Ottawa. I help families go beyond IEPs and band-aid solutions to uncover the underlying factors behind behaviour & learning challenges.

💬 Tell me in the comments: what’s your child’s biggest challenge right now - reading, focus, or behaviour?

And remember… the brain can change 🧠

📞 613-330-9254
🌐 lorrainedriscoll.com
📍 1390 Prince of Wales Drive, Unit 515, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3N6


Address

Ottawa, ON

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16133309254

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Building Better Brains - Learning Clinic posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Building Better Brains - Learning Clinic:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram