This blog post can be found at LD Parents

http://ldparents.blogspot.com/2009/05/do-you-hear-what-i-hear.html

Auditory processing disorder has become a common diagnosis among children with learning differences in the past several years. Most professionals agree that it’s hard to distinguish between an auditory processing issue and ADHD. Often, a child might have both.

An audiologist determined that my son had a “moderate” auditory processing disorder when he was in first grade. To be quite honest, it’s very hard to tell if any of the products or interventions has been effective, none provided immediate results but it’s possible that his improved listening and processing skills are a result of early interventions.

Auditory Processing

What’s worked – small class size, quiet work environment, sitting in the front of the class.

What hasn’t – My son completed both sets of Earobics exercises, dozens of hours of computer listening time. The cost was relatively low ($69 per set) but there was no noticeable change.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST, PLEASE GO TO http://ldparents.blogspot.com/2009/05/do-you-hear-what-i-hear.html

This blog post can be found at Can Mom Be Calm

http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/08/aba-vs-adhd.html

I remember the day I had a psychologist come to my house to evaluate Spencer. At the time, he was about 20 months old and wasn’t getting much out of speech therapy because he was too distracted to follow any directions. His speech therapist had an ABA therapist come to observe Spencer and the therapist said that ABA would benefit him.

Everyone thought he would have a hard time getting the ABA therapy because kids without an autism or PDD diagnosis do not usually get it here in New York. However, the psychologist that came to my house that day to test him, asked me a series of questions and within an hour she told me that Spencer had PDD-NOS, shut her laptop computer, and walked out of my apartment. I felt like I was hit by an truck. Doesn’t she know that you just can’t talk to people like that?

I went to the bathroom and wept.

And then I was angry – angry because he “got a diagnosis” and angry because that psychologist gave me the diagnosis like she was telling me I had a sinus infection. I hate when people are like that because I have to waste my time getting pissed off at them before I could refocus on the more important issue.

PDD-NOS? My Spencer? I couldn’t believe it but then I was re-educated by my social worker who told me that a diagnosis of PDD-NOS at Spencer’s age was very plausible. This is because a child with ADHD at age three can be diagnosed with PDD-NOS at that time since you can not diagnose a 3-year-old with ADHD.

This is why I always call Spencer and Logan the ADHD brothers because I have a feeling that Spencer will eventually end up with the same ADHD combined-type diagnosis as Logan. I suppose I can also easily call them the PDD brothers because at this point, I am certain that if Logan was evaluated at age 20 months then he would have gotten the same PDD diagnosis.

After swallowing the sadness, I talked to my good friend Sue, another special needs mom. She told me that despite whether or not the diagnosis was correct, I should be glad that Spencer got the diagnosis because it was going to be so much easier to get him ABA therapy from the city. I guess special needs moms always think in terms of what kind of battle they’ll have to have once they set their mind on something they need for their child.

I had great hopes for ABA therapy and I was right to dream big because soon after he started ABA therapy, Spencer’s vocabulary of five words seemed to jump to fifty within a blink of an eye. I know I’m exaggerating but really everyone was amazed at his progress.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST DESCRIBING ABA THERAPY, PLEASE GO TO http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/08/aba-vs-adhd.html

The blog post can be found at the Can Mom Be Calm blog

http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/09/good-friends-are-hard-to-find.html

This summer, I was on a mission. At least I started out that way and like some of my “missions,” it sort of fizzled into almost nothing but as the summer fades, my laziness goes with it and I’m reviving some of my goals.

One of them was to make friends for my kids. I really feel the need to make more socialization opportunities for Logan and Spencer. After all, that was one of the reasons I quit my job. When I was working, getting playdates for Logan was a lost cause. I think there were many reasons behind it. Some parents didn’t want nannies to have playdates. Some parents didn’t want other people’s children in their homes when they weren’t there. Moreover, no mom wanted to have a playdate with a nanny. The only time it was possible for me to have a playdate for Logan was during the weekend and of course, those were always spur-of-the-moment and skills could not be practiced on a consistent basis.

I quit my job when my kids entered the world of special needs services but unfortunately, it was still hard to get playdates for my kids. It was great to have special services for the kids but therapy takes time and keeps you locked up at home or a clinic. Moreover, Logan (and soon Spencer) goes to a special ed school and so he is not able to go to school with kids in the neighborhood. Furthermore, time spent on the bus, something neighborhood kids don’t do, means less time in the neighborhood playground where he could be making and keeping friendships.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST ON SOCIALIZATION, PLEASE GO TO http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/09/good-friends-are-hard-to-find.html

The post can be found at the Can Mom Be Calm Blog

http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/09/ignore-behavior-not-child.html

This is an excerpt of the post …

My ABA Lead therapist and pretty much everyone else told me that I need to firm up on Spencer and ignore his attention-seeking behavior. This includes when he climbs on me, pinches, scatters, and throws things. I know that they are right. I believe it in my heart but gosh…. for an anxious person like me… ignoring is really so hard to do. “Ignore the behavior, not the child,” she said as she reminded me that I should praise his positive behaviors.

I hate to think that my child thinks of me as a toy but I guess it is partly true. Sometimes he pinches me and I am so used to it, that I don’t even say “ouch.” So then, Spencer will even say it for me, “Ouch?” like .. “Hey, how come you are not saying ‘ouch,’ I love it when you say that.”

I think that I can achieve “ignoring” as a behavior modification method if I can remember that “ignoring” is active. That is what was told to me in my parent training program for ADHD preschoolers at NYU Medical Center. They said that I shouldn’t ignore activities that are harmful to him, to others or to property but rather ignore attention-seeking behaviors like whining, nagging, and tantrums. (Tantrums are the hardest because of the neighbors downstairs but I will have to try.)

TO READ THE FULL POST PLEASE GO TO http://canmombecalm.blogspot.com/2009/09/ignore-behavior-not-child.html

ADHD and More
adhdandmore.blogspot.com

ADHD and More is a really informative blog which contains “Essays, articles, news releases, my story as a parent of an ADHD child and more ….”

ADHD Bipolar and Beyond
blog.adhd-bipolar-and-beyond.com

In her blog, Kari, talks about the daily struggles and joys of raising a son with ADHD.

ADHD Guide
adhdguide.blogspot.com
shaneshares.blogspot.com

ADHD Guide offers links to all kinds of really useful resources and interesting articles that relate to ADHD. Shane also has her own personal blog at shaneshares.blogspot.com where she has personal information on herself, her family and her oldest son who has ADHD and learning disabilities.

ADHD Momma
adhdmomma.blogspot.com

Penny’s blog chronicles her and her family’s daily life with ADHD.

Adderworld
adderworld.com

Bryan, a published author, shares media based information on ADHD as well as personl stories that are usually presented in a very humorous light.

Angel’s Mind
http://www.angelsmind.co.za

Angel has a late teenage aged son with ADHD.

Can Mom Be Calm?
canmombecalm.blogspot.com

Jen has 2 special needs kids. Her blog posts are written in a compelling manner which shares a tremendous amount of information and wisdom.

Holly’s Corner
http://www.hollyscorner.com

Holly shares information, personal stories, recipes and experiences with a tweed aged daughter with ADHD.

LD Parents
ldparents.blogspot.com

This blog is from a single mom with 2 great kids each with their own unique learning styles.

Karen’s Blog
www.lipstickwisdom.com

Karen shares information and wisdom she has gained from her family’s personal experiences with their adorable son!

My ADD Blog
www.myaddblog.com

Tara McGillicuddy is a woman with ADHD who is a professional ADHD Coach.

strong>The Peal Family
http://thepealfamily.blogspot.com

Becky shares her experiences with her two boys.

Power Moms Unite
www.powermomsunite.com

This blog is written by a mom with ADHD children who is also a professional Occupational Therapist.

Slurping Life
slurpinglife.typepad.com

A mom by birth and adoption shares — through photography, writing ahd humor — parenting boys who live with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and more. Reminding everyone that children with special needs are kids.

Totally ADD
www.totallyadd.com

This is the website associated with the film “ADD & Loving It?” The movie is a documentary about adult Attention Deficity Disorder. The one hour film is hosted by actor/comedian Patrick McKeena and written, produced and directed by fellow comedian Rick Green who has ADD.

Tracy Nicolaus
www.tracynicolaus.blogspot.com

Tracy has ADHD and has 3 sons each of whom has ADD or ADHD.

http://thepealfamily.blogspot.com

Becky
I am… wife to a wonderful husband, mother to 2 awesome boys, daughter to fabulous parents, sister to 2 phenomenal women, friend to many… and a child of God.

Sample Blog Entry:

This Blog Post Can Be Found at : http://thepealfamily.blogspot.com/2009/09/easy-essays.html

Friday, September 11, 2009
Easy Essays
I stumbled upon this site this week and it has been a huge help to my older son who is not formally diagnosed but has mild ADHD symptoms. He really struggles with planning his thoughts and getting started on writing. He is in 5th grade this year and they are doing weekly essays – yeah more work for mom! I had a discussion with him yesterday about needing to do his essay before soccer practice and he complained that it would take too long and there was no way he could get it done before soccer… but when I got home, the essay was completed thanks to this wonderful FREE site! He said he did it in less than 30 minutes and it was the first time the essay actually flowed properly. Three cheers for The Easy Essay website!

www.theeasyessay.com

Homework can be a frustrating time for any parent. This is especially true if your child has ADHD or learning disabilities. Here I share some times I have gained from first hand experience that make homework time a lot easier and enjoyable. Good luck!!

For many of us parents, homework time can be a very frustrating part of the day. This is especially true for those of us who have children with ADHD or learning disabilities. How can you work with your child to make homework time easier? I call it the 3 R’s — Routine, Reward and Relax!!

First, if you can, meet with your child’s teachers with you child at the start of the school year. Present a united front and lay out expectations for the year and explicitly offer advice and options if the child is having trouble with the material (age appropriately). Set up a system to regularly communicate with the teachers. We use a communication notebook that goes back and forth to school every day.

2. Make homework a daily routine – at the same time and the same place. Make sure the environment is comfortable and appropriate and aids concentration and productivity. We use our kitchen table and make sure that we have all the materials on hand that we will need. We also make sure that no one else is in the room!

3. Set up a short term reward system. Points, poker chips, pretend money, stickers or something immediate for that day such as TV time or game time are all a good basis for a reward system. Children with ADHD are highly motivated by short term rewards which could be daily or weekly. Develop a system that works best for you and your child.

I have found with my son that the more visual the reward system, the better it works. Post it somewhere on your refrigerator or anywhere where it is in plain view. It reminds your child of what they are working towards.

4. Break down the homework into smaller tasks with breaks in between. Plan with your child what is to be done and when break are to be taken. Plan together what the activities will be during the short, timed breaks. Even within subjects, break down the homework into smaller, more manageable pieces. For instance, for math homework, only show one column of problems at a time.

5. When and if you child reaches a frustration point, take a break but make the break explicit. “You seem like you are getting frustrated. Let’s go take a break for 5 minutes and then come back to the work refreshed.

6. When homework is finished, have your child organize it and put it away in their back pack so it is ready to go for the next day.

7. This is a good time, too, to plan for the next day. Lunch, snacks and outfits are all next-day tasks that can be taken care of so that the morning routine is easier.

8. As your child gets older and more independent, transition from homework helper to homework coach. A homework coach helps with planning for homework and projects, discussing what needs to be done and offering guidance on breaking the tasks down, and offering encouragement.

So remember, it is Routine, Reward and Relax!! I hope your nights of homework go smoothly. Until next time …. take care.

Karen

http://dyslexiaparents.blogspot.com/

Dyslexia Blog
SHARING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ABOUT DYSLEXIA FOR PARENTS

Ann shares wonderful information that has helped her work with her son. She also offers a very unique perspective of an ex-pat living in Turkey!!

Betul / Ann

I am a parent of a child with dyslexia. I am English but have lived in Turkey for many years. I met Betul who works with children with dyslexia, and now we have started this blog together in order to try to give information about dyslexia and learning disabilities.

Sample Blog Post
http://dyslexiaparents.blogspot.com/2009/08/telling-time.html

TELLING THE TIME

Many children with dyslexia struggle to learn to tell the time easily.
Dyslexics especially have problems telling the time on a clock with hands:

They may be able to tell whole hours and half hours (5:00, 5:30, etc.) but not smaller chunks, such as 8.04.
They often find it difficult to distinguish between the minute and hour hands.
Concepts such as before ( to )and after (past) on a clock are confusing for them.

As a parent there are several ways you can help them to learn to tell the time.

You could buy a teaching watch for your child. I obtained one which is produced by ELC ( Early Learning Centre) from Leonardinis.This watch has different coloured hands – for the minute hand and for the hour hand. There are a set of numbers for the minutes as well as for the hours.Also the watch face has ‘past’ and ‘to’ written on it in different colours.All these things make it easier for your child to tell the time.

http://www.leonardini.com.tr/

When I go out with my child I make him the ’official time keeper’ – and ask him at frequent intervals what the time is in order that he practices !!!

In addition there are many online free games which children can do to practice telling the time .
In a previous blog entry I wrote about online maths computer games,including ones to practice telling the time.

I found a very good puzzle by Larsen . The child has to match the correct clock faces to the right time.The puzzle contains 42 different clock faces with both the 12 and 24 hour time written on it.

I found an interesting article Charlottes clock taken from the Special Children Magazine,issue 166, May/June 2005 ,which is written by a mother of a child with special needs. In this article she explains how she approached teaching the time to her child. The techniques she described could be used with a dyslexic child.

http://www.mathsextra.com/articles.htm

www.mathsextra.com/documents/CharlottesClock.pdf

http://tracynicolaus.blogspot.com/

Tracy Nicolaus has ADHD and has 3 sons, each of whom has ADD or ADHD. Tracy shares about her life, her writing and her wisdom gained from having ADHD and raising children with ADHD. Her writing is emotionally charged, funny and, at times, a little crazy (LOL). Her writings are mostly entertaining with wisdoms sprinkled throughout.

Tracy Nicolaus

Raising 3 wonderful sons was the greatest adventure of my life! 2 ADD and one severely ADHD (like his momma) gave me stamina, patience, and a sense of humor. Anyone who has raised a kid or 2 like this, or who lives with ADHD themselves may appreciate these poems and stories. Feel free to share them with friends and family and link to my page I need all the help and support I can get! You know what else? YOU DO TOO!

 
I am an ADHD adult. I was diognosed in the late 1980s after my 5 year old son was put on medication for ADHD & I saw that he wasn’t the only one with issues. Finding an MD to test me for something I was ’supposed’ to grow out of was quite difficult! But with tenacity & blatant pushiness, I finally pioneered my way into treatment. Today I am a very happy & content freelance writer and singer. Your comments are very important to me, I have a deficiency in attention after all… SO PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! We ADHD/ADD folks need as many strokes as we can get. After getting beaten up by the world for years, our view of ourselves can become a bit askew. So if you have ADHD or ADD let me say, YOU ROCK!!! Way to go, you found us and you never have to feel “less than” again! If your parenting an ADHD/ADD kid let me say, I’m SO SORRY… lol (tounge in cheek), YOU hit the jackpot! You have a child that will teach you the meaning of being truly alive! I’m involved in recovery and I do a lot of work with other women and girls facing drug or alcohol addiction, I was born and raised in northern California and I LOVE it here.
 

Sample blog entry

http://tracynicolaus.blogspot.com/2008/10/please-help-me-my-adhd-son-is-driving.html

This is a portion of an email chain between Tracy and another mom who needed help and support. Here is a portion of the “conversation.”

 
FROM: Tracy
OCT. 13, 2008, at 6:54 AM

I was a single mom of three boys. Cody had one of the worst cases of
ADHD the doc had ever seen. The others had ADD but not bad enough for
treatment.

You wrote “I feel like i am always yelling and that he is always
being punished”

Yes, I was always yelling too, and an amazing therapist told me to
look for the things Cody was doing right, ignore the bad stuff to the
best of my ability (in other words, choose your battles wisely). What
the therapist didn’t understand is that I never could catch him doing
anything right!

So I had to start small… if he took his plate to the kitchen,
“Thank you sweetie for taking your plate to the kitchen, you really
are helpful”.
Read the rest of this entry »

www.dementiacaregiving101.com

Dementia Caregiving 101 is the joint project of Paula Farris and Lanette Stultz. Paula and Lanette are sisters who shared in the responsibilities of cargiving for their Mother, Delorice, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in March 2008. She passed away in September 2008 after a battle with blood clots.

Paula does the writing for Dementia Caregiving 101 and Lanette helps with the technical end of things as well as providing ideas and insight into the various topics on the site. They both look forward to serving you and making your Dementia Caregiving journey easier and more fulfilling.

http://www.dsolie.com/blog/
Aging Parents Insights: Insights to Understanding Our Aging Parents and Ourselves

Observations and commentary on caregiving, aging, and the complex journey through the second half of life.

David Solie is the author of How To Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders, published by Prentice Hall Press. Written for baby boomers and their parents, professionals who work with the elderly, and everyone who has regular contact with seniors, this book offers an original perspective on why these conversations can be an exercise in frustration. Whether the communication difficulties involve parents, patients or clients, Mr. Solie’s book provides a fresh and inspiring look at new strategies and skills for overcoming these challenges.

http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/

Thanks to the marvels of medical science, our parents are living longer than ever before. Adults over age 80 are the fastest growing segment of the population, and most will spend years dependent on others for the most basic needs. That burden falls to their baby boomer children, 77 million strong, who are flummoxed by the technicalities of eldercare, turned upside down by the changed architecture of their families, struggling to balance work and caregiving, and depleting their own retirement savings in the process.

In The New Old Age, we explore this unprecedented intergenerational challenge. While founding blogger Jane Gross is on leave, at work on a book, we’ll be posting contributions from a variety of writers. You can reach the editors at newoldage@nytimes.com.

www.sandwichINK.com

Information and Encouragement for The Sandwich Generation and Other Multi-Generational Caregivers.