One in six. That’s how many children are diagnosed with a mental, behavioral or developmental disorder in early childhood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There’s a clear need for early and sometimes ongoing intervention as the prevalence of these challenges grows.
Children develop at their own pace, but at a certain point it becomes clear to parents that developmental milestones are being missed. That’s where Brain Balance franchises come in. Unlike typical childhood learning or tutoring franchises, we are focused on addressing, rebuilding and restoring gaps in development through a drug-free approach that relies on three key elements: sensory motor exercises, academic skill building and nutrition.
When they need more than a tutoring franchise
Parents come to Brain Balance when they’re frustrated with watching their child struggle in school and other social settings and they’ve exhausted other avenues but still need solutions that don’t involve medication.
A baby’s first step or first smile are big milestones in typical childhood development. And there are others to watch for later on. While the “when” of these milestones is more of a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule, it’s important to know whether a child needs help. The CDC offers this list of red flags for children who have reached age 5 who:
- Doesn’t show a wide range of emotions
- Shows extreme behavior (unusually fearful, aggressive, shy or sad)
- Is unusually withdrawn and not active
- Is easily distracted, has trouble focusing on one activity for more than 5 minutes
- Doesn’t respond to people, or responds only superficially
- Can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
- Doesn’t play a variety of games and activities
- Can’t give their first and last name
- Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly
- Doesn’t talk about daily activities or experiences
- Doesn’t draw pictures
- Can’t brush teeth, wash and dry hands, or get undressed without help
- Loses skills he or she once had
The CDC also recommends early intervention if parents are concerned about developmental milestones before age 5.
The need for our services is rising
Increasingly, more families are struggling with children who are challenged when it comes to reaching those developmental milestones. The CDC studied the incidence of developmental disabilities between 2009-2017. “About 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents” during that time period, the CDC writes.
They also found that “17% of children aged 3–17 years had a developmental disability, and that this percentage increased over the two time periods compared, 2009–2011 and 2015–2017.”
How Brain Balance can help
Most of our franchise owners are in this business because they are passionate about helping to improve the lives of children, and many are themselves former clients.
“I watched my child do things that I’d only dreamed he would be able to do, not knowing if those dreams were really going to become reality. I watched him really become the 7- to 8-year-old little boy that he could be,” says Katie Morton, a franchisee from Columbus, Ohio, whose son is now a healthy, happy teenager.
“Sometimes your greatest place of giving back comes from your greatest place of pain,” she says. “And I feel like that’s kind of where we are with Brain Balance. We’re able to serve families that are in the same places where we’ve been.”
Our franchisees come to us from a diverse array of backgrounds, but one thing they all share is a passion for helping to improve the lives of children.
Learn more
Brain Balance franchises are very different from tutoring franchises. We address the developmental gaps that hinder learning so that children and young adults are able to absorb what is taught in tutoring centers. Learn more about our unique, personalized, drug-free approach to helping children live their best lives. You can explore our website or fill out a form to request more information.
