One of the challenges associated with ADHD and ADD is “executive functioning”. I have talked about this before. This like so many other things is a confusing element to ADHD but one that I feel is really important to be aware of and necessary to understand the challenges of your child holistically. In fact, many experts in the field of ADHD/ADD are starting to suggest that ADHD be re-conceptualized as an “executive disorder” and deemphasize the focus on hyperactivity and attention. Problems with executive functioning are not limited, however, to only those with ADHD or ADD. Executive dysfunction sometimes is the only problem and sometimes is part of a larger problem.

The easiest way to think of executive functioning is that it is the administrative or managerial part of the human brain. Executive functioning has to do with organization, planning, self-control, and time management, for instance. Like anything else, any individual with executive functioning issues will have areas of strength and areas of weakness within the broad spectrum of executive functioning.

The reason I am writing this blog post is not only to raise awareness of executive functioning or dysfunction but also to state that executive dysfunction requires teaching, support and practice in order to be effectively addressed. There are things that you can do to help your child in the short term and there are processes to help teach them how to handle different situations and opportunities. Supporting your child in the areas of executive functioning is often required into high school and college. Like anything else, better executive functioning occurs with ongoing practice and support.

For me, one of the hardest challenges I have is gauging what is appropriate and when. I need to keep in mind that we have to understand our son’s strengths and weaknesses overall and to work with those strengths and weaknesses on an ongoing basis. The conquering of certain skill sets can only be achieved with consistent practice and it takes time. Thinking in terms of support of executive functioning in this way has helped me a lot to establish a mindset for myself in helping our son.

I have heard this often in my ongoing research but I feel that it is important to stress that our son is not defined by his challenges. Our son is an amazing child who is fun and funny and full of energy and life. He has his strengths and weaknesses like we all do. All of our efforts are focused on supporting who he is so that he can continue to experience success and grow into a confident young man.

I am just learning about the process of supporting executive functioning. It turns out that we have already been implementing strategies to help our son especially in the area of transitions. For instance, we use the 5 minute warning, 3 minute warning and 1 minute warning for all changes in activity so that he has time to adjust. It turns out that “transitions” fall within the area of “Cognitive Flexibility”. Cognitive Flexibility is defined as the ability to problem solve in a flexible, dynamic way and/or the ability to address new situations. So as we learn more, I will share what I have learned with you.

Until then …. Take care.

Recently there was a discussion question put out on the web which asked what I would want a mother of a typical needs child to know about mothering a special needs child. As a mother to both a typical needs child and a special needs child, this question is really difficult to answer. Our son has both learning disabilities and ADD.

I have to say that I have written and re-written my answer probably a dozen of times. Finally, I think my answer comes down to what I feel is obvious. What mothers of typical needs children, family and friends need to understand is that we, families of special needs children, need understanding and consideration of our situation. Not unlike those with physically visible handicaps, those with invisible to the eye special needs require consideration, accommodations, respect and understanding. Invisible special needs can make daily situations no less daunting than for those with physical handicaps.

What is especially tricky with learning disabilities and ADHD, especially when a child is young, is that understanding the special needs and challenges takes time and work to understand and address. It has taken us a great deal of time, awareness and education to understand our son’s needs and to respect them. By respecting his needs, I mean that the way he is taught, communicated with, motivated and disciplined is done in a way specific to him and his needs. If you have a close friend or family member with a special needs child, educate yourself on the special needs of the child so that you too can RESPECT the needs that the child has.

My mother and sister have both read books to educate themselves. It has meant such a great deal to us that they took the time to understand our situation. You can read some articles online. It does not have to take a great deal of time. A little effort can go a long way.

We are extremely proud of both our son and our daughter. We love them both and recognize that each of them have their special strengths and their weaknesses.

With a special needs child, however, their weaknesses can make every day living very difficult. The difficulties can affect academics, social situations and the mundane tasks of every day life. Even with the effort we have put in to understand our son’s strengths and weaknesses, we don’t always understand how his issues will come into play in different situations. As a result, we are always on the alert with our son and we always have our “armor” on, as a favorite blogger of mine, canmombecalm, says.

We have our armor on when it comes to school and home work. His needs have to be individually understood and addressed. Even though he is in a small classroom setting, we work with the teachers closely to understand what is most effective for him in learning. Homework is never easy and takes a great deal of vigilance, creativity and patience. It has to be a part of our daily routine all year long. We need to be as or more observant about his successes and his challenges as his teachers.

We have our armor on when it comes to social settings. Group situations can be stressful for our child. Changing from one activity to the next activity can be stressful for our child. Answering on demand questions from adults can be stressful for our child. Social situations for our son can be tougher than for the typical child but they are extremely important to him. Maybe it is because he is in a small group classroom or because his homework takes longer and has to be part of a six day a week routine. Whatever the reason, when he has an opportunity to have a play date, it is extremely important to him and if something happens which causes the play date to be canceled, it is very upsetting to him.

We have our armor on for every day living. He needs time to transition from one activity to the next such as from play time to dinner time and from dinner time to homework time. Each transition requires forethought and warning. Instructions need to be broken down into one or two discrete tasks that can be communicated easily and completed quickly. He needs reminders for most daily activities.

As a result, I may seem high-strung or over-protective to a typical needs mother but I assure you that I am neither. I am simply a mother that is being respectful of the needs of her child. Because our son’s challenges are not visible to the eye, we have to be the buffer zone for our child making sure that he gets the consideration and understanding that he needs.

Is our day-to-day life more challenging with a special needs child? Absolutely. Do we worry? Absolutely. However it has made us realize that, in life, you have to celebrate each small success. We celebrate little notes written to us, we celebrate books completed, we celebrate small instructions followed and we celebrate fun, successful play dates. Life is good and we would not want it any other way!!

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

3D Learner Dyslexia Parent Blog

http://www.3dlearner.com/beat-dyslexia-parent-blog-right-brained-learners-adhd-child-behavior-problems/

The 3D Learner program was developed by the Halpert family after direct experience with dyslexia and learning disabilities within their family. Their focus is on right-brained learners who learn best experentially. The blog has interesting information on dyslexia, co-existing conditions with dyslexia and the various programs that claim to help dyslexics. While they are obviously trying to sell their program and services, the blog and website have some useful and interesting information.

Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.

Pete and Pam Wright

Pete and Pam Wright are Adjunct Professors of Law at the William and Mary Law School where they teach a course about special education law and advocacy and assist with the Law School’s Special Education Law Clinic. They are co-authors of several books published by Harbor House Law Press.

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition (ISBN: 978-1-892320-16-2, 456 pages) available in two formats, as a print publication and as a print and e-book combo.

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition (978-1-892320-09-4, 338 pages)

Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind with Suzanne Whitney (ISBN: 978-1-892320-12-4); includes the NCLB CD-ROM of resources and references.

Surviving Due Process: Stephen Jeffers v. School Board DVD Video – award-winning documentary, 2 hours.

Pete and Pam built several websites to help parents of children with disabilities in their quest for quality special education programs.

Fetaweb.com, the companion website to Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, has advocacy information and resources to supplement the FETA book.

IDEA 2004 at Wrightslaw provides current information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). Learn about new requirements for IEPs, IEP teams, IEP meetings, eligibility, evaluations, eligibility for specific learning disabilities, child find, reevaluations, parental consent, accommodations, alternate assessments, transition, and more.

No Child Left Behind at Wrightslaw offers accurate, up-to-date information about the No Child Left Behind Act – research-based instruction, proficiency testing, parent involvement, tutoring and supplemental educational services, highly qualified teachers, and public school choice.

At the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities, you’ll find listings for educational consultants, advocates, advisors, psychologists, diagnosticians, health care specialists, academic tutors, speech language therapists, and attorneys. You’ll also find government programs, grassroots organizations, disability organizations, legal and advocacy resources, special education schools, and parent support groups.

In the Mind’s Eye, Dyslexic Renaissance

Visual thinking, visual thinkers, visual technologies, visual giftedness, dyslexia, learning difficulties, brain diversity, creativity, scientific discovery, scientific visualization, computer graphics, entrepreneurial business, art and design, history of science, visual aspects of cultural and economic history.

This is the blog of Thomas G. West, the author of In the Mind’s Eye. The blog is highly academic and focuses on either West’s book or academic reflections.

About Thomas G. West

Thomas G. West is the author of In the Mind’s Eye (1991 and 1997) and Thinking Like Einstein (2004). A second edition of In the Mind’s Eye is to be published in July 2009 with a new Introduction from Oliver Sacks, MD.

“In the Mind’s Eye” product description on Amazon.com

The computer-generated information superhighway could launch a new renaissance of creativity for millions of visual thinkers! Some of the greatest minds in politics, science, literature, and the arts experienced undetected learning disabilities that stopped them from assimilating information the same way as their peers. Some of our most original intellects Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Lewis Carroll, and Winston Churchill relied heavily on visual modes of thought, processing information in terms of images instead of words or numbers. In the “Mind’s Eye” profiles gifted individuals who used non-traditional methods in their work as it explodes many myths about conventional intelligence and charts new vistas for today’s computer visualisation technologies.Thomas G. West examines the learning difficulties experienced by these people and others, and how recent neurological research shows an association between visual talents and verbal difficulties. In the “Mind’s Eye” probes new data on dyslexics to see how computers enhance the creative potential of visual thinkers, as well as interactive computer applications to all levels of education and work. Updated with a new preface, epilogue, and expanded notes, this volume could be the clarion call for educators and corporations to mine this untapped resource of highly creative talent in our midst.

So 6 nights a week, we work together for an hour and a half. Reading, writing, word rings, spelling words, math problems, and language arts work sheets. It is all about repetition, repetition, practice and practice.

As you can see, I do NOT have this all figured out yet. I have decided, however, to approach the problem a little differently. One of the areas where he is weak is an area known as working memory. So in addition to our practice and repetition, I plan on researching methods and approaches that strengthen working memory specifically.

According to Wikipedia, “Working memory is a theoretical construct within cognitive psychology as to the structures and processes used for temporarily storing and manipulating information in short-term memory. […] What we now call working memory was referred to as a “short-term store” or short-term memory, primary memory, immediate memory, operant memory, or provisional memory. Short-term memory is the ability to remember information over a brief period of time (in the order of seconds). Most theorists today use the concept of working memory to replace or include the older concept of short-term memory, thereby marking a stronger emphasis on the notion of manipulation of information instead of passive maintenance.”

There are several theories of working memory which differ in the anatomy of working memory and the explanation of the cognitive functions associated with it which you can research online and are written in the typical academic lingo. However, all agree in that the working memory is associated with the simultaneous storage and processing of temporary information. Working memory and its components are critical components of comprehension, attention, information retention, and information retrieval.

Working memory problems have implications for reading, reading comprehension, writing, organization, the ability to follow directions and math! So the big elephant in the room, I have decided, is the question of whether we can do anything to help our son’s working memory!

Apparently working memory has been studied for decades in animals and humans. Only recently have some started to believe that working memory can be strengthened through rigorous training. Swedish Neuroscientist Dr. Torkel Klingberg is one. He has developed a software working memory training program for both children and adults called Cogmed. The Cogmed program has been offered in Sweden since 2003 and, in the United States, since 2006. The Cogmed program has supposedly been tested and evaluated by scientists throughout the world. Dr. Susan Gathercole, an expert on working memory, for many years believed it was not possible to train working memory. Much of her research had, in fact, been focused on ways to reduce demands on working memory in the classroom. Apparently with Cogmed, her views have changed. The results of Dr.Gathercole’s study have recently been published (April 2009).

Another tool is Jungle Memory. Jungle Memory is an online interactive computer program based on scientific research. Children play games that train working memory in key learning activities, like reading and math. Tracy Packiam Alloway who helped to develop Jungle Memory, is a senior lecturer at the University of Stirling’s Department of Psychology in Scotland and Director of the University’s Centre for Memory and Learning Over The LifeSpan.. Ms. Alloway has studied and researched working memory for 12 years.

So apparently the belief that you can expand or strengthen working memory is a relatively new concept. I have a lot more research into this to do but I am going to start by trying the Cogmed program with my son. We will probably start some time in September after we have settled in with the start of school.

So what about you? Is working memory an issue for you or your child? I would love to hear your feedback and experiences.

Thanks for watching and until next time ….

Karen

Tracy is an expert in the area of working memory and shares “everything working memory” on her blog. It is an academic research expert’s resource for the lay person. She talks about current events, research and how working memory correlates to learning issues. It is extremely informative and not presented in academic lingo.
 
 
Tracy Packiam Alloway

Tracy Packiam Alloway, PhD, is the Director of the Center for Memory and Learning in the Lifespan at the University of Stirling, UK. She is the author of over 75 scientific articles and two books on working memory in children with learning problems, and has developed the world’s first standardized working-memory tests for educators published by Pearson. Her research has received widespread international coverage, appearing in outlets such as the Guardian, Daily Mail, Scientific American, Forbes, US News, ABC News, and NBC. She is much in demand international speaker in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. She provides consultancy to the World Bank on the importance of working memory.

She was recently awarded the prestigious Joseph Lister Award by the British Science Association for bringing her scientific discoveries to a wide audience.
 
 
Sample Blog Post

http://tracyalloway.com/index.php/working-memory/iq-is-not-a-benchmark-for-academic-success/

Is Working Memory the New IQ?

IQ is often thought to be synonymous with academic success. Indeed groups like MENSA perpetuate the idea that high IQ is a prerequisite for high achievement in school.

Yet, the traditional reliance on IQ as a benchmark for academic success is misguided. There are many students who have either high or average IQ who struggle in school. Instead of doing well, they end up in the lowest ability groups in language and math. In my own research on various government-funded projects, I have come across many students like this. This is very troubling. If their IQ is in the average range, why aren’t these students achieving their potential?

Perhaps there is something else at work that explains why some students succeed while others struggle.

I undertook a study to look into this issue. I tested children at five years old and again at eleven and found that a child’s success in school is down to how good its working memory is regardless of IQ score.

The finding that working memory, rather than IQ, is what we need to look out for has important implications for schools. As opposed to IQ, working memory problems can be easily addressed by teachers so students can still achieve their potential.

It is vital that IQ is not taken as the be all and end all to intelligence. I believe that all children could fulfill their potential, regardless of IQ or background, as long as working memory is assessed and problems addressed. The key is to move away from IQ as the main predictor of success and focus on working memory instead.

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

Eric Wolf is a professional storyteller and uses that capability to share his personal story of dyslexia coupled with awareness, education and compassion. Anyone with a dyslexic in their life should read this blog.

Eric Wolf
Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States

Dear Reader, I awaken compassion for students with learning disabilities in themselves and those around them. Compassion is a difficult thing to teach and even more difficult to learn. By telling stories of how I struggled with my dyslexia, I help students with learning disabilities laugh at their own problems, and inspire empathy in the rest of the student body. I demonstrate that being in school is worth the hard work. I set a good example; despite my dyslexia, I graduated with a Masters of Science in Education from Lesley University in Boston. The positive influence on students of meeting someone who had similar problems and succeeded cannot be underestimated, nor can the morale-building effect on staff when they meet an adult who was helped by their profession. I speak to the staff about the issues they struggle with and I honor the place they are in. I create a unique residency experience for your school; a storytelling residency can have a powerful effect by teaching students how to effectively listen and support each other. I leave behind the ability for students and teachers to more effectively communicators. Peace, Eric James Wolf

Sample Blog Post

http://dyslexicstoryteller.blogspot.com/2009/07/nuts-in-bolts-of-being-dyslexic.html

Nuts in Bolts of being Dyslexic

Recently I had a classic dyslexic experience.
For the past five months my phone service has been telling that it has messages.

As a dyslexic person I have tendency to switch the audio recognition of sounds, colors or other stimulus. Red means green, black is white, t is h or yes means no. While the more obvious red and green analogy is rare for me these days. I have been known on a once every five years occasion to go through a red light. (That could be an interesting PHD for some one; Dyslexia and traffic accidents – anyone?)

Usually for me dyslexia means that I have to dumb down what I say to write – or – I have to use words of simpler variety in order to communicate effectively.

When I read – My optimum communication style is the first person spoken narrative.
When I speak it – Communication is easy for me by word of mouth using stories.
When I write it – Storytelling works the best.

That little exercise made my head hurt – Back to the phone service.

The phone company sent me a signal (when I pick up my phone the dial tone – stutters or blinks.)
I, as dyslexic person, reversed the meaning of the stimulus. For the past 5 months I have been thinking that no one – has left me a message. Think about that – not a week not a month for the last five months I was convinced that none of my calls were returned.

I mean really; how is that possible? You could think – well Eric is an idiot. I had tests – and I’m not really. So there is another explanation. Well – many dyslexic people have memory issues. They fail to connect past language related events with present ones with current ones. Dyslexic children struggle with issues of time and time management. The long and the short of it is – I didn’t notice that more then a week had gone by with out getting a message.

Not to forget that dyslexic people have lower self esteem then other populations. So it is onlly natural for a dyslexic person to think that on one called them. ☹ Did I mention the 60 messages waiting for me in my voice mail?