Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do: Revised and Updated Edition
by Greg Anderson (Author), O. Carl Simonton (Foreword) (Author), Plume, 1999

100 Questions & Answers About Ovarian Cancer, Second Edition
by Don S. Dizon, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2006

A Guide to Survivorship for Women with Ovarian Cancer
by F. J. Montz MD KM FACOG FACS (Author), Robert E. Bristow MD FACOG (Author), Paula J. Anastasia RN MN OCN (Assistant), Johns Hopkins Press Health Book, 2005

Beating Ovarian Cancer: How To Overcome The Odds And Reclaim Your Life
by Chris Bledy, Book Clearing House, 2008

Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do
by Greg Anderson, Plume, 2009

Everyone’s Guide to Cancer Therapy; Revised 5th Edition: How Cancer Is Diagnosed, Treated, and Managed Day to Day
by M.d., Ernest H. Rosenbaum and Malin Dollinger, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2008

Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know
by Lori Hope, Celestrial Arts, 2005

Ovarian Cancer Journeys: Survivors Share Their Stories To Help Others
by Ayala Miron, iUniverse, Inc., 2004

What to Eat if You Have Cancer : Healing Foods that Boost Your Immune System
by Maureen Keane (Author), Daniella Chace (Author) , McGraw-Hill, 2006

Women’s Cancers: Pathways to Healing: A Patients Guide to Dealing with Ovarian and Breast Cancer
by Giuseppe Del Priore (Author), J Richard Smith (Author), Springer, 2009

How I have worked with my son and his teachers’ in order to help him learn the abstract concept of coins and values.

A MULTISENSORY APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING COINS AND THEIR VALUES

INSIGHTS INTO LANGUAGE BASED LEARNING ISSUES

As you may know from visiting the Lipstick Wisdom site previously or from watching some of my other video blogs – my son has learning issues; specifically language based learning issues. This basically means he has problems with learning new concepts (information going in – receptive language issues) as well as problems with language concepts coming out (expressive language issues). You would not notice a thing on everyday interactions but when you ask him a question, the problems become apparent.

So I wanted to share with you some of the strategies that I have used at home to help my son understand abstract concepts. The abstract concept I am going to discuss today is coins and the values of coins. This one was a doozy – let me tell you!! He has made tremendous progress – he is not 100% consistent but definitely progress has been made. It probably took us about 8 weeks before significant traction was made on his learning his coins and the values.

First of all, I must share with you that my son’s best learning occurs when the learning is coordinated with physical movement (kinetic learning). I guess before the concepts of time and coins were introduced, I used kinetic learning approachs but not 100% of the time. Now I try to use kinetic approaches as much as possible.

We (his teachers and I) started out with the standard multisensory approach of worksheets, enlarged paper coins in the classroom, play coins in the classroom and even some real coins. We practiced and practiced through this approach for several weeks to no avail. He could not identify the coins and he did not understand the difference between the physical count of coins and their values.

Then we started mixing things up trying to come up with an approach that would help make the concepts stick in his mind. The strategies we used included: (I show physical examples of these in the video)
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“Sexting”. Does this work mean anything to you? If you have a teenager, then you need to know all about this latest trend among teenagers. Sexting is when young kids under the age of 18 take explicit or inappropriate photos of themselves with their camera phone and then send the photos to their friends using MMS (Multimedia Messaging Services), an advanced multimedia version of SMS. According to the results of a survey by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, one in five teen girls (22%) – and 11% of teen girls ages 13-16 years old — say they have electronically sent, or posted online, nude or semi-nude images of themselves. These racy images are also getting passed around: one-third (33%) of teen boys and one-quarter (25%) of teen girls say they have had nude/semi-nude images shared with them when they were not the intended recipients.

Unfortunately many teenagers are not aware of the potential consequences of sending these inappropriate photos of themselves. Consequences of sexting have included embarrassment, depression, arrests on charges of child pornography and even death.

Jesse Logan, an 18 year old Ohio girl, committed suicide after nude photos originally sent to her boyfriend were forward to other girls at her high school after they broke up. Jesse was harassed, bullied, and called names such as slut and whore to such an extent that she was driven to commit suicide.

We at have gathered videos, articles and expert advice ) so that you, as a parent of a teenager, can quickly educate yourself on this disturbing trend and develop an (http://www.lipstickwisdom.com/category/teenagers-and-sexting/) approach for discussing it with your teen.

If any of you have direct experience with Sexting, please come to Lipstick Wisdom and share your wisdom so that others can benefit from your experience and knowledge.

If you have been to Lipstick Wisdom (www.lipstickwisdom.com), you probably realize that I have a son with language based learning issues. Specifically he has expressive language issues as well as receptive language issues. That basically means that he has trouble with language concepts going in (learning) as well as expressing his thoughts coming out. I can tell you that navigating this requires constant vigilance and patience. He is such a joy and he is working so hard. We are lucky in that we are able to send him to a school that specializes in language based learning issues. Even so, I am in a constant dialogue with my son’s teachers and we are always brainstorming together on the best ways for him to achieve the next learning milestone.

So I know from firsthand experience how difficult it is to gather the information that is needed to understand if you or someone you love has learning issues. If you are seeking information on language based learning issues for yourself or someone you know, I have posted a series of interesting videos, articles and websites which explore and discuss language based learning issues at Lipstick Wisdom (http://www.lipstickwisdom.com/category/language-processing-learning-issues/).

Although I have read several books and many articles, I am still learning about this area every day. For instance, I recently learned that the definition of dyslexia has been expanded. I, like many others, understood dyslexia to be a condition where letters get reversed while reading making reading extremely difficult. It turns out that dyslexia includes all difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and is characterized by poor spelling and decoding abilities. I went on several websites trying to better understand dyslexia. After doing some research, I was very confused as to the relationship between dyslexia and language based learning issues. Is it the same thing – is it different? Turns out that dyslexia is a subcategory of language based learning issues. Dyslexia is a learning issue primarily based on phonetics and is really focused on the written word. I have two graduate degrees and I could not figure that out from the websites I visited. I had to call my son’s school and ask one of the women there what it really meant!!

I share this because, in my opinion, too much of the information available online is too clinically based and does not offer enough practical information.

Although at Lipstick Wisdom, we are gathering the best information we can find to help you face a new life challenge, we want to develop a repository of practical knowledge or wisdom from those that have actually faced the life event being discussed. If you or anyone you know has any helpful advice that they can share on either language based learning issue diagnosis or treatment, please let me know. Or better yet, share the information on Lipstick Wisdom by writing your own blog post!

We are building a virtual directory of bloggers who share their experiences and wisdoms gained from living with learning disabilities. In addition, I have my video blog (“Karen’s Blog”) which shares my stories and practical advice based on my experiences with my son.

Thanks for coming to visit LipstickWisdom.com.

Warmly,
Karen

From http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/LBLD.htm

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association www.asha.org
 

Language-Based Learning Disabilities

What is a language-based learning disability?

What other organizations have information about a language-based learning disability?
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From http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/learn/assess/feature/dony18learningdisabled/dony18learningdisabled2.html

Language processing difficulties are the most common type of learning disability. Youngsters with processing problems might have trouble in any of the following areas or in a combination of areas:

1. Comprehension. Language-impaired children tend to have problems understanding conversation and directions, especially when distracted in noisy rooms.

2. Hearing words correctly. A child may have trouble hearing the sounds in words (phonemic awareness), and problems with grammar and word sequencing. They may not, for example, be able to discriminate the difference between the phrases “blocking the punch” and “punching the block.”

3. Remembering verbal directions: While they may be able to process simple instructions adequately (“bring me the green ball”), difficulty sets in when the language increases in complexity. (“Put the green ball back in your room and then wash your hands; go to the kitchen and take a seat.”)

4. Expressing themselves appropriately. Even children who understand and can use words correctly may have great difficulty finding the words they want. So-called word-retrieval or word-finding problems can manifest themselves in various ways. Either a child is frightened into silence by his inability to get his meaning across, or he uses a huge number of words to make himself understood. A child explaining that he’d like his sister’s stuffed kangaroo might say, for example, “Please, uhm, could I have that furry brown animal that jumps a lot and has, uhm, that pouch thing in front?”

Language processing difficulties don’t suddenly appear in early elementary school; they are usually a continuation of specific language problems present in early childhood. Children who have difficulty with speech-sound discrimination early on may have problems reading and spelling as they reach school age.

Lisa Strick and Corinne Smith, coauthors of PARENT’S GUIDE TO LEARNING DISABILITIES, offer the following checklist to help parents determine whether their child has a language problem. It is normal for children to display a few behaviors on the list. But a persistent pattern of symptoms may indicate a language disability.
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From http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/qt/adaptmaterials.htm
 

Language Processing Problems – Tips and Strategies to Adapt and Modify Materials and Instruction to Improve Language Comprehension

Accommodating the needs of students with language processing problems, receptive language disabilities, dyslexia and listening comprehension weaknesses involves:
 

* Presenting written material in brief and direct terms;
* Omitting non-essential details and double negatives; [li}Avoiding multiple choice items that require complex analysis of language should be limited. Focus instead on essential details and facts required to master the subject matter;
* Allowing extra time for students to listen to, think about, and form their own thoughts about written and spoken materials used in class;
* Allowing students to discuss assignments with each other and with teachers to get clarification; and
* Using visual models and hands-on projects when possible to allow students to gain understanding of material using their visual learning skills.

 

Accommodating Language Processing Deficits – Ways Teachers and Parents can Implement Accommodations:

* Tape lectures and lessons for playback at home during study and homework sessions;
* Have a teacher, aide, peer tutor, or other appropriate person paraphrase instructions in writing or on tape;
* Simplify words in text. Paraphrase by eliminating non-essential words and phrases, and double negatives;
* Help the child summarize what he has read and write it down in brief, easy-to-understand terms;
* Provide examples of good work, and point out features of the work that contribute to its quality. Check to ensure the student understands what characteristics distinguish good work from poor work;
* Break large reading assignments into smaller sections;
* Note the most important parts of text and instructions. Use a highlighter, and write these down in simple, concise terms;
* Create a study guide that includes key vocabulary with definitions, guiding questions, and a clear statement of learning goals for the reading or task;
* Make liberal use of visual models, pictures, videos, computer generated models, or any other means available to allow students to use their visual reasoning skills to understand materials and to express their own understanding; and
* Allow students to use visual models and projects as alternatives to written assignments or spoken presentations when possible.
* Allow students to use multisensory materials and strategies.

From http://www.addiss.co.uk/languagedisorders.htm

Philippa Greathead
Speech Language Pathologist
Speech-Language-Learning Centre
Westmead, NSW, Australia

The child or adolescent with ADHD and learning problems will often present to the Speech Language Pathologist with a range of clinical problems in language that are contributing to the learning disorder.

The types of language problems experienced by children with ADHD are varied and can cover all the modalities of language. Typically problems are seen in:

Syntax:
Disorders of syntax (oral and written grammar) are difficulties using and/or comprehending the structural components of sentences.

Semantics:
Semantic difficulties in language involve problems with word meanings and organization. School problems include difficulties comprehending written and spoken language, poor vocabulary, word-finding difficulties and difficulties using context to help with the comprehension of reading.

Pragmatics:
Pragmatics is the term used for the social use of language – i.e. the ability to use language as a means to interact with others socially or for a specific purpose (e.g. requesting information, expressing feelings, holding a conversation with people of different age levels).
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GreatSchools has discussion forums where parents can connect and share information, questions and concerns. The following link is for a forum discussion thread where parents are discussing their childrens’ language processing issues:

http://schwablearningforumarchive.greatschools.net/thread/2416.html

GreatSchools is an independent, nonprofit organization that improves education by inspiring parents to get involved. It empowers parents with information and tools so they can choose the best school for their children, support their children’s education and improve schools in their communities. Parents choose GreatSchools to connect with each other – to find the right schools, to share stories and advice, and to get their parenting questions answered. In the past year alone, more than 35 million people visited GreatSchools (www.greatschools.org). With hundreds of thousands of ratings and parent reviews about schools across the country, GreatSchools is the paramount parent-to-parent education community. A Webby award-winning site, GreatSchools is supported by foundations and corporations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robertson Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation. GreatSchools – Involved parents. Successful kids.

GreatSchools has a section of their website dedicated to learning issues:

http://www.greatschools.net/content/specialNeeds.page

GreatSchools.net – The Parent’s Guide to K-12 Success
SchwabLearning.org Parent to Parent Message Board Archive

Ron Davis discusses his childhood autism, his adult dyslexia, and how he first realized that he could correct his own dyslexia.
 

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