Learners with Exceptionalities

Exceptionalities and Neuro-inflammation

​Conjecture

Val's Take

• When we look back at any given point in History we realize people were operating under some SPECTACULARLY INCORRECT ASSUMPTIONS.
• But growing up in one's own time --- ALL THE ASSUMPTIONS SEEM TRUE.
• BUT that doesn't seem very likely, and when it comes to cognitive disability / difference we are running up against some INCORRECT ASSUMPTIONS in the 21st Century.

• To my mind, what the EXCEPTIONALITIES often have in common is NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION ---- even though there is a lot of DIVERSITY in how that is expressed.​

​By "EXCEPTIONALITIES" I generally mean people with below average or above average abilities that I think are a consequence of NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION.

This is reflected in the Education System with Special Education and Gifted & Talented Education.

High intelligence: A risk factor for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities

"Specifically, those with a high intellectual capacity (hyper brain) possess overexcitabilities in various domains that may predispose them to certain psychological disorders as well as physiological conditions involving elevated sensory, and altered immune and inflammatory responses (hyper body)."

Especially when we focus on the highly and profoundly gifted population, we see a higher incidence of anxiety, depression, introversion, as well as a higher incidence of certain medical conditions than is found among the general population.

​For instance, clinicians associated with GRO have seen higher incidence of the following among highly and profoundly gifted individuals in their practice:

Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Epstein Barr Syndrome (EBS)
gastrointestinal problems
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Parkinson’s Disease
Hormonal Disorders
Celiac Disease
Asthma
Allergies
Other autoimmune diseases

Maternal inflammation induces immune activation of fetal microglia and leads to disrupted microglia immune responses, behavior, and learning performance in adulthood (2017)

​"We are facing an explosion of childhood development disorders these days. The rates of ADD, ADHD, autism, and dyslexia continue to mushroom, and kids today are increasingly having a hard time maintaining healthy brain function.

"Research shows much of this is due to brain inflammation."

The University of Northern Colorado is a national leader in teaching and specifically teaching the EXCEPTIONALITIES.

I think teachers much more than mental health professionals understand the complexities of people who fall within the EXCEPTIONALITIES.

Many people within the EXCEPTIONALITIES --- need significant support during ADULTHOOD.

That is not necessarily what we want to hear --- but I think if they don't get it ---- things can go off the rails pretty predictably.

Adult Education Experts with a focus on Special Education and Gifted & Talented Education are extremely important to challenge the person in their strengths and recognize weaknesses.

Workarounds for deficits may need the consultation of an Occupational Therapist.

I'm not suggesting we don't need Mental Health Professionals for Trauma Care and Medication Management ---- but it seems Teachers are ahead in developing Strengths-Based Approaches for people who fall within the EXCEPTIONALITIES.

Further, I would submit people within the EXCEPTIONALITIES make up a BIG CHUNK of the Mental Health Population.