Neuropsychological Maturity: The Hidden Key to Academic Performance 🧠✨

When we talk about success in school, we often think about study hours or motivation. However, there is a fundamental biological factor: neuropsychological maturity .

This concept refers to the level of organization and development of the nervous system that allows a child or adolescent to function effectively in response to the cognitive demands of their age (Morales & Rincón, 2016). Given its complexity, it encompasses a wide range of mental functions vital to daily life.

Today we'll break down why it's so important and how to detect it early.

🧐 Why Does Low Academic Performance Occur?

In Panama and other parts of the world, school failure or dropout rates are multifactorial phenomena. While economic, familial, and sociocultural barriers exist, we cannot lose sight of neurobiological factors .

Among these, brain dysfunction and neuropsychological immaturity stand out (De León et al., 2021; Portellano et al., 2012). It is not a matter of "lack of motivation," but rather of neurological factors that require support.

🧠 Understanding Childhood Brain Dysfunction

According to Portellano et al. (2012), brain dysfunction presents specific characteristics that should alert families to seek professional evaluation:

  • 👉🏼 Alteration in cognitive domains: Processes such as attention, memory, language, reading, writing, calculation, psychomotor skills or executive functions may be affected.

  • 👉🏼 No visible anatomical damage: Unlike serious injuries, brain dysfunction involves alterations in the functioning of the nervous system, not necessarily in its physical structure.

  • 👉🏼 Variable appearance: It is not always present from birth. Factors such as low early stimulation can affect later brain development.

  • 👉🏼 Presence of Minor Neurological Signs: These are neurobehavioral expressions that indicate an immaturity of the nervous system and are usually correlated with learning problems.

⚠️ Risk Factors

It is vital to consider factors such as: low birth weight, premature birth, infectious diseases, epilepsy, language delay, childhood diabetes, heart disease or nutritional factors (Galán-López et al., 2017).

💪 Warning Signs: When should I consider an evaluation?

Given the close relationship between neuropsychology and education, teachers and parents should be attentive to minor neurological signs . Here are some key indicators:

⚡️ Motor Area

  • Hyperactivity or excessive restlessness.

  • Balance disorders or motor clumsiness.

  • Slowness in walking or fine tremors.

  • Difficulty in fine motor skills (writing, buttoning) or gross motor skills (running, jumping).

  • Hypertonia (rigidity) or hypotonia (muscle flaccidity).

⚡️ Perceptual Area

  • Difficulty orienting oneself in space or confusion between left/right.

  • Problems perceiving auditory or visual stimuli properly.

  • Difficulty in recognizing parts of one's own body (body schema).

⚡️ Other Important Signs

  • Difficulty consolidating reading, writing, or arithmetic.

  • Sleep problems or recurring headaches.

  • Delayed language development or articulation problems.

  • Dysexecutive symptoms: Difficulty planning, organizing, or controlling impulses.

💡 If you are interested in this topic, I recommend reading our article: "Neuropsychology of Executive Functions and their Importance in Education" .

🤓 The Importance of Assessing Neuropsychological Maturity

Thanks to brain plasticity , the nervous system has an incredible capacity to adapt and minimize the effects of dysfunction. Assessment is the first step in neuropsychological rehabilitation , which allows for the restoration or enhancement of weakened functions (Pérez & Benítez, 2019).

Assessment Tools at Neuropsyedu

We use highly prestigious standardized tests to determine the student's developmental profile:

✅ CUMANIN-2 (Preschool | 3 to 6 years) Evaluates essential processes for starting school: psychomotor skills, memory, language, rhythm, attention, and early reading. Fundamental for early detection.

✅ CUMANES (School | 7 to 11 years) Focused on overall development during primary school. Measures receptive and reading/writing language, visual perception, executive function, memory, and laterality.

✅ NEURO-KID (Rapid Screening) A screening tool that measures critical areas such as language, executive functions and visual perception in 10-15 minutes.

✅ NEPSY-II (Complete Assessment) An internationally renowned battery that allows for in-depth measurement of attention, memory, visuospatial processing, and social cognition.

👨🏻‍🏫 How do we help the student with these results?

At Neuropsyedu , our experience shows us that timely assessment transforms the educational trajectory:

  1. Personalized Profile: We know your exact strengths and weaknesses to create a customized intervention plan.

  2. Multidisciplinary Work: We refer to specialists (speech therapy, occupational therapy, optometry) if we detect specific signs.

  3. Educational Intervention: We propose plans to strengthen weak cognitive areas.

  4. School Adaptations: The evaluation provides the basis for the "curricular adaptations" necessary to avoid school failure.

  5. Talent Development: It's not just for struggling students! We also help students without difficulties to identify their strengths to optimize their potential.

🎥 Additional Resources

Want to see how these tests work? We invite you to watch our explanatory classes:

🏥 Schedule your appointment at Neuropsyedu

The Comprehensive Center for Educational Neuropsychology is your ally in Panama. If you have identified any of these signs in your child or student, don't hesitate to contact us.

📞 Phone / WhatsApp: +507 6535 6362

📧 Email: administracion@neuropsyedu.com

🌐 Web: www.neuropsyedu.com/es

 

📚 References

  • ✅ Alarcón, M., Gallo, D., and Rincón, C. (2020). Prenatal, perinatal and neonatal risks associated with soft neurological signs. Cuban Journal of Pediatrics, 92(1), 1-21.
  • ✅ De León, N., D' Alfonzo, D., Warren, N., Dixon-Pineda, M., Beckford, V., Vega, J., & Helowicz, A. (2021). Perceptions and interventions related to school dropout in official schools in Panama. Research and Critical Thinking, 9(1), 05-21.
  • ✅ Galán-López, IG, Lascarez-Martínez, S., Gómez-Tello, MF, and Galicia-Alvarado, MA (2017). Comprehensive approach to neurodevelopmental disorders. Revista del Hospital Juárez de México, 84(1), 19-25.
  • ✅ Martínez, EF, Castro, YF, and Moinelo, MCC (2020). Integration of information and communication technologies in neuropsychological intervention. Cuban Journal of Information in Health Sciences (ACIMED), 31(3), 1-17.
  • ✅ Morales, A., & Rincón, C. (2016). Relationship between neuropsychological maturity and presence-absence of crawling behavior. Acta De Investigación Psicológica, 6, 2450-2458.
  • ✅ Pérez, MQL, and Benítez, EMS (2019). Brain plasticity, a neuronal reality. Journal of Medical Sciences of Pinar del Río, 23(4), 599-609.
  • ✅ Portellano, J. (2005). Introduction to neuropsychology. Spain: McGraw Hill.
  • ✅ Portellano Pérez, JA, Mateos Mateos, P., and Martínez Arias, R. (2012). Cumanes: School Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire. Madrid: TEA Ediciones.