Uncovering Hidden Gifts: Dr. Robert Melillo's Revolutionary Approach to Developmental Neurology

In Episode 364 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, host Andrea Samadi welcomes Dr. Robert Melillo, a pioneer in developmental neurology. Dr. Melillo, co-founder of Brain Balance Achievement Centers and an acclaimed author, discusses his groundbreaking work on conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more.

Watch our interview on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87wpX05ZOaQ

This episode delves into Dr. Melillo's innovative Brain Balance Program, which uses neuroscience-based exercises to address functional connectivity in the brain without medication. Dr. Melillo shares insights from his book "Disconnected Kids," now in its third edition, and explores the significance of primitive reflexes in childhood brain development.

Dr. Melillo explains how identifying and nurturing the unique gifts within children can help them overcome neurological challenges and thrive. He also highlights his journey and the mentors who shaped it, along with a glimpse into his personalized program offerings based in New York and online.

Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 7 years ago now, with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives.

For today’s episode #364, we meet with Dr. Robert Melillo[i], a leading expert in developmental neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, OCD, tics, dyslexia, anxiety, and depression in both children and adults. He is the co-founder of Brain Balance Achievement Centers, the developer of the Melillo Method®, and he runs the Melillo Center for Developing Minds in NY. His book, Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program® for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders[ii], is now in its Third Edition, endorsed by Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, who calls his book “a visionary new approach,”

For today’s episode #364, we meet with Dr. Robert Melillo, where we looked at:

✔ His book that's now in its 3rd Edition, Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program®

✔ Dr. Robert Melillo's Center for Developing Minds in New York and how they have been helping thousands of families around the world.

✔ What are milestones we can look for if we think our child or student has a vulnerability.

✔ Where to begin with The Melillo Method.

Disconnected Kids is a comprehensive at-home guide to his Brain Balance program, which involves no medication or medical interventions but focuses instead on movement and sensory exercises that stimulate proper brain development. This updated and revised edition also features new exercises and the latest research findings on how the retention of primitive reflexes—the involuntary movements babies are born with that typically are replaced with intentional movements by their first birthday—plays an integral role in the development of neurological issues. Through the exercises in this book, these reflexes can be diminished, making brain balance easier to attain. Disconnected Kids helps readers guide children susceptible to a brain imbalance to overcome challenges and allow their true gifted selves to shine.

Let’s meet Dr. Robert Melillo, and learn together about his new visionary approach to help ALL children uncover their authentic gifts, and shine.

Welcome Dr. Melillo. Thank you for joining us today on the podcast. Have we reached you in New York today? It’s it a sunny day there today?

INTRO: For sure, we do need to get up early here before the weather hits those high numbers!

Before we get into your books, achievement centers and the methods you have created to help children with developmental neurological conditions, can we start with when it was that you first became interested in looking for solutions for children with neurological conditions? Where did your interest in brain disorders begin, what role did Denise Festa have on your journey and how did this lead to your Brain Balance Program where you have helped (by now) well over 50,000 young children around the world?

Q1: There is nothing like watching your own child struggle (whether its academically, socially or emotionally). I was drawn to this work in the late 1990s when you were first discovering your Brain Balance Program (working as a classroom teacher years before having my own children) when I wanted to help children with social and emotional learning. It was at this time that many educators were starting to connect the dots with the importance of understanding how our brain works while learning to read, or do math, or learn a new language. I just wonder, where did your children end up career wise? That really did give me chills! This is the whole reason why I do this podcast. We can see a child in school and they might be struggling in the traditional classroom with the fact that they must sit and learn. And you talk about the vulnerabilities there. And there’s these unique gifts that we know our children all have (we just need to help bring them out in our kids or students).

Q2: Dr. Melillo, I’ve got to say that I’m beyond impressed with your approach to helping children, and families. I’m going to guess that the passion that comes through in your work is because the results you have seen are profound. It took me 5 seconds to see something different behind your work with an intro video you created for your book, Disconnected Kids[iii], which is where you suggest families begin when they have a child they want to assess to see if there is an imbalance somewhere. If a parent has a child at home and they are struggling somewhere, (academically, socially or they have been diagnosed with a brain disorder and are not making progress) where do you recommend we begin? At what age do most families seek you out for help, and what is the pathway you suggest in this process to figuring out how to help parents to understand what might be happening in your child’s brain, that causes them to seem disconnected?

Q3: You say in your book “to change aberrant behaviors, you have to change the brain; otherwise you are just managing the symptoms.” Is this what led you to create your Brain Balance Program, and what does this program entail?

Q4: What milestones should we be aware of?

Q4B: Have you ever come across the work of Glen Doman[iv]?

Q5: So to wrap this all up, we become aware as parents or teachers of these important developmental milestones, and if we notice deficiencies in these milestones, we can purchase your book, Disconnected Kids in it’s 3rd Edition now, we can come and visit your centers in New York, we can take some online courses to learn more, someone could also work with you via virtual training. Can you share where we should start if we want to learn more about your programs and services?

Q6: Dr. Melillo, for people who would like to work with you, even virtually, is the best way to click the inquiry button on your website? What can someone expect wtih your virtual program? https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/virtual-programs/

Q7: What online course have your created, and who would benefit from them? https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/courses/

Q8: Have I missed anything important?

Dr. Melillo, I want to thank you for joining me today on the podcast, and sharing your work with our listeners. This is important work you are doing, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to meet you, and share the vision for where you will take the Melillo Method, that has already been helping thousands of children globally. For people who might notice some vulnerabilities, or milestones that they are concerned about, what would you suggest?

CONNECT with Dr. Robert Melillo

Website: https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/

Melillo Method Everything Brain Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melillo-method-podcast-everything-brain/id1739403876

REFERENCES:

[i] https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/

[ii] https://www.drrobertmelillo.com/books-products/

[iii] Video Intro to Disconnected Kids book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIWkYTe-_LQ

[iv] Glen Doman https://iahp.org/