We are all born with a basic “operating system” in our brain and nervous system, enabling us to walk, talk, think, eat and so on.
Though we are born with this basic software, it does not mean anything until we interact with and calibrate our nervous system to the world around us.
What initiates this process is movement and active sensing of our world. However, when a baby is first born, its brain is very immature as most human brain development happens outside of the womb.
In other words, our motor cortex is not yet developed and we cannot voluntarily control movement — but we need to move to build our brain.
To be able to move, humans are born with basic motor and sensory reflexes known as primitive reflexes, allowing us to actively sense and engage with the world around us.
Sensory stimulation — like sound, smell, light, touch and movement — then flows back toward the brainstem and brain.
The process activates genes that stimulate the cells in the nervous system to grow and form new connections with other brain cells.
Movement stimulates brain development and in the process the primitive reflexes must be integrated – they must disappear.
As a child moves and interacts with the world, it stimulates growth in a higher level of the brainstem known as the pons, releasing new reflexes that allow for more sophisticated movement. This, in turn, allows the child to engage with the world around them in more active, stimulating ways, causing areas of the brain to grow.
This process continues up the brainstem into the cortex, leading to growth and maturity of the brain — particularly in the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s most complex and developed area. When this process is completed, it’s known as bottom-up completion.
The next step is top-down control, where the brain takes control of the entire brainstem, regulating everything in the body including the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, hormone, and muscle and sensory processing systems. This development is known as vertical integration.
The brain’s right hemisphere is more active in the womb and for the first three years of life, whereas the left becomes more active for the following three years. As the brain matures, the hemispheres conduct different functions. At times, they will work together and in others, one will take the lead and suppress interference from the other.
Over time, they become more integrated and synchronized in a process called horizontal integration.
If anything interferes with vertical or horizontal integration, it affects the functioning of the whole body and brain, known as bottom-up interference and functional disconnection — which we believe are the foundation of all child and adult neurological conditions and symptoms.
What happens in the first six years of life will determine the fate of the adult brain. The brain is still developing until at least our 40s, so new developmental symptoms may not emerge until we are 20, 30, 40 or even older. Through the years, Dr. Melillo has seen thousands of children and adults with a broad spectrum of disorders and conditions, including but not limited to:
Uses cutting-edge tools with the goal of changing the brain and optimizing all related functions. Through evidence-based treatments, the Melillo Method provides real and measurable results.
Treatments aim to restore function to optimal levels based on objective functional test results, helping you achieve specific goals based on your age.
Treatment plans have varying levels of frequency, intensity, and duration that aim to improve your function until you reach your goal.
Once within the normal range, the root cause has been corrected and optimal function is restored. When this happens, symptoms are likely to disappear.
Stop managing symptoms and start correcting brain imbalances! Look no further than the Melillo Method: A Revolutionary Solution for Neurodivergent Disorders
