The Early Roots Podcast

Feb 06 2025 32 ep. 21 mins 3
The Early Roots Podcast artwork

Follow Neuro-Developmental Delay Therapist Emily Roper as she discusses common problems she encounters working with children with developmental delays. She takes a deep dive into things like primitive reflexes, anxiety, ADHD, Autism, brain development, pregnancy, birth and more. This podcast provides information to parents and providers alike to bring understanding and help to children with developmental delays. 

  Health & Fitness  Kids & Family
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#032 Selective Mutism

Feb 06 2025 16 mins  
Today's episode is all about the DSM diagnosis Selective Mutism. This is a condition I have seen many times in the kids in the office. We will cover what it is, what it looks like and some of the underlying physical and neurological systems at play and lastly the different ways of helping children with this diagnosis. My website

#031 Trichotillomania Hair Pulling

Jan 23 2025 13 mins  
Today's episode is all about Trichotillomania which is a mental health disorder characterized by recurrent hair pulling. I see a LOT of kids with this symptom. Not necessarily ones who have received an official trichotillomania diagnosis, but certainly many who have pervasive hair pulling. This disorder falls under the anxiety umbrella and is often associated with a retained Moro r

#030 Fear Paralysis Reflex

Jan 02 2025 18 mins  
Today's episode is all about the Fear Paralysis Reflex and the theories behind it. We dive into many of the intricate ways that the body responds to stress and threat. Our stress response should mature through some very distinct stages as we age and continues to adapt to our experiences throughout our lifetime. Problems can arise with both the development and function of these comp

#029 Delayed Cord Clamping: 5 Minutes for Your Baby's Brain

Dec 19 2024 17 mins  
Today's episode is all about delayed cord clamping. That is the practice of waiting to cut a baby's cord for several minutes after birth. This enables the blood that is circulating through their placenta to pump back to their body. This one simple practice goes a long way in setting up their future brain health. Listen to an this amazing Ted Talk on the topic. Visit my website to l

#028 The 101 of Primitive Reflexes

Dec 03 2024 13 mins  
Today's episode is a mini crash course on primitive reflexes. It covers what they are, why they are important, and how they connect to developmental delays like ADHD and Autism. My personal belief is that an early developmental screening should be a standard part of every developmental diagnosis. Take a listen to find out why! Relevant links: Institute of Neuro-Physiological Psycho

#027 Cesareans and Their Link to ADHD and ASD

Nov 18 2024 20 mins  
Last month I was invited to speak on a documentary about c-sections in the U.S. The film makers specifically asked me to speak on the long-term neurological impacts on baby. In 2019 a huge meta analysis was publish and found an increased risk of ADHD and Autism for babies born by cesarean. This episode explores that study and dives into the content I prepared for that documentary.

#026 Attachment

Jul 11 2024 27 mins  
Todays episode is all about attachment and its profound impact on human development. We are looking at how early relationships shape our understanding of the world and future relationships. We are covering some of the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth specifically their contributions to attachment theory. This theory posits that secure bonds formed with caregivers in infancy l

#025 Hyperactivity

Jun 30 2024 15 mins  
Today episode is all about hyperactivity. This is a common complaint from the parents that walk through my doors. The term hyperactivity encompasses a variety of different symptoms and behaviors. This episode dives into some of those things and takes a look at the most common underlying physical and neurological systems that impact hyperactivity. If you have a child that you are co

#024 Adoption and Early Trauma

May 02 2024 22 mins  
Today's episode is all about adoption. I work with a lot of adopted kids and they each come with their own considerations. Many social, emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties have their roots in early neurological development; the development that happens from conception through infancy. Neglect, trauma, and other adverse childhood experiences shape the way the brain devel

#023 My Journey Through NDD Therapy

Mar 22 2024 14 mins  
Today's episode is all about my journey through NDD therapy as a teen. I'm not sure if I have mentioned it in previous episodes but before I became a therapist I went through this process myself. It is one of the things that solidified my desire to pursue this as a profession. If you are concerned about your child or teen visit my website: earlyrootstherapy.com