We’re off and running and in our second week of Fast ForWord. Billed as a “neuroscience approach to reading intervention” this little piece of software (with a hefty price tag) is based on brain plasticity. You know about brain plasticity…the discovery that the brain grows and changes throughout our whole lifetime, instead of reaching it’s full growth in early childhood, which was thought to be true until just about a decade ago.

Well about a decade ago, Scientific... more

This one is easier than the gift list for kids. Picking out gifts for special needs children requires you know quite a bit about that child’s interests and special needs. Picking out gifts for their parents, however, is much easier – because our needs are a bit more universal. BUT, often times the gifts these parents need the most aren’t available at the mall.

If you’re looking for the right thing for that friend or family member parenting a special child, consider these:

1. Offer to Babysit. There is nothing that... more

Looking for that last-minute gift for the special needs child in your life? Here are some things to consider:

1. Pick a gift that emphasizes the child’s likes and interests. This is true for any child, but when a child has disabilities, it is important to truly consider what they like to do and what they gravitate toward. For example, a child who is sensory-seeking might enjoy toys with lots of tactile stimulation to them. There are all kinds of balls and textured toys that would be of interest and could be used for games... more

Part 1 deals with Auditory Processing Disorder

One of the articles in the ADDitude Magazine on-line describes Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) and how it is often confused with ADD. Until recently I’ve never even heard of NLD. What is it?

Nonverbal learning disorder (NLD) is a constellation of brain-based difficulties. Once considered rare, NLD is now thought to... more

“She may benefit from some pragmatics language training.” The suggestion seemed so casual and minor that until I began to explore just want pragmatics is, it sounded simple. But problems with pragmatics are anything but simple.

Pragmatic language refers to language used in social context. There are basically three components to pragmatic language:

--using language for various purposes – such as the difference between greeting, informing, or requesting. -- knowing how to adapt your language to meet the needs/expectations of the listener.... more

Go to Part 1

Q: How did you cope, as a child, especially since it wasn’t diagnosed and treated?

A: I never volunteered to read aloud in class. I took books home and spent LOTS of extra time reading my assignments. If I knew I’d be called upon, I memorized things, so I could recite them quickly and accurately. I used memorization as my tool. I did fine on most tests in high school. I was a B student. Timed... more

My business partner, and one of my dearest friends in the world, has dyslexia. I don’t think about it much (which is a testament to how well she copes). In fact, it’s taken 6 months of blogging for me even to consider it as a potential topic!!! We’ve operated a marketing consulting firm together for more than 6 years, and the impact dyslexia has made on that business is miniscule. The impact it’s made on Christa’s life though, is far from miniscule. She graciously allowed me to interview her about her disability…and about her life.

But... more

LuLu's independent neuropsych eval showed severe visual processing problems. (Her auditory processing wasn't much better - but that's for later.) What did that mean, I wondered? In light of all the other "symptoms" she had and all the behaviors, trauma memories, hyperactivity we were trying to control...how did visual processing come in to play?

Evidence that your child may have visual processing issues is best seen through problems in reading. Skipping lines or losing your place is common, as is skipping over or misidentifying connecting words like "in", "and" "the". A child who seems smart and eager to learn, but finds reading difficult and doesn't like it is a good clue. A child... more