Summer in Sandpoint and Ponderay usually starts with big plans — lake days, hikes, camps — and slowly drifts into more tablets, more YouTube, and less structured movement. By late July, many parents notice their child is more reactive, has a harder time transitioning between activities, or 'melts down' over things that didn't used to bother them. At Brain Blossom Center, led by Dr. Amy Spoelstra and Dr. Hannah Layden, we look at this pattern through a brain-body lens.

Why Screens Overload a Developing Nervous System

Screens deliver fast, predictable visual and auditory input while asking almost nothing of the vestibular (balance), proprioceptive (body-position), and postural systems. For a developing brain, that imbalance matters. Kids come off screens 'wired but tired,' with reduced tolerance for slower-paced sensory input like conversation, chores, or quiet play.

Signs Your Child May Be Sensory Dysregulated

• Big emotional reactions to small events
• Difficulty transitioning off a device
• Constant fidgeting, crashing, or seeking rough play
• Trouble falling asleep despite an active day
• Frequent headaches, tummy aches, or 'I'm bored' loops

The Brain Blossom Approach

Our Brain Blossom Program uses stage-based brain-body exercises, primitive reflex work, and visual-cognitive games to gently restore the sensory foundation kids need. Instead of cutting screens cold turkey, we help families rebuild the underlying systems so a child can tolerate normal daily input again.

Three Things to Try This Week

1. Movement before screens. 20 minutes of crawling, animal walks, or backyard obstacle play before any device.
2. Vestibular input daily. Swings, spinning, hanging from a bar, or rolling down grassy hills at City Beach.
3. One 'slow sensory' block. Playdough, drawing, LEGO, or reading — with no background screen — for 30 minutes a day.

Ready for a Personalized Plan?

If summer regulation issues are becoming a pattern, we can assess primitive reflexes, visual tracking, and vestibular development and build a stage-appropriate plan before the school year starts. Contact Brain Blossom Center to schedule a developmental evaluation in Ponderay.