Tag Archives: special education

15 “Steps” to Find the Right Education Program for Your Child

The path to find the right education program for your special son or daughter can be confusing. Many parents get lost, stuck, or just don’t know which way to go. Here is a map to help you find your way. (If your child is preschool-aged, he or she will benefit from early intervention.) 1. Get an accurate diagnosis. It’s absolutely vital that you understand whether your child has a specific learning disability, ADD/ADHD, an emotional disturbance, mental retardation, is gifted, falls somewhere on the autism spectrum, or has a mixture of several disorders. If you’re still searching for answers, follow … Continue reading →

Get Busy Living! How Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child

The job of “living” can be complicated. We have a lot of things to accomplish on our to-do lists each day. But imagine if even the simplest tasks were causing us trouble. What if we struggled with manipulating a toothbrush, buttoning a shirt, zipping a zipper, tying a shoelace, dialing numbers on a phone, writing with a pencil, or pouring juice into a glass? We take these simple tasks for granted, but a child who becomes disabled or is born with a developmental delay must struggle to master them. These kids want to “get busy living,” just like the rest … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Epilepsy Succeed in School

Childhood epilepsy can have a wide variety of causes. Head injury, infections of the brain, brain tumors, and genetic history could potentially be factors. However, in a great number of cases, no medical explanation for a child’s seizures can be determined. Children with epilepsy are eligible for special education, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). As the parent of a child with epilepsy, there are adaptations in the regular classroom setting which you can request (and insist upon) for your child. An IEP meeting should be conducted where you can discuss these adaptations specifically … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Bipolar Disorder Succeed in School

Researchers are coming to the conclusion that a large number of children in the United States who were thought to have ADHD actually have early onset bipolar disorder. ADHD and early onset bipolar disorder are “look alikes” and can be misdiagnosed. There are many other ADHD look-alikes, which I will address in a future blog. The child with bipolar disorder can have difficulties in the public school system, for obvious reasons. Their mood swings, manic behaviors and depression can create obstacles to learning. A child with bipolar disorder should be in frequent contact with a caring child psychiatrist who can … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child With ADHD Succeed in School

Children with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are often extremely frustrated in a classroom setting. They cannot keep focused on their work, and drift into daydreams and wandering thoughts. They have a difficult time sitting still for long periods of time. They tend to be impulsive and reactionary, not taking the time to consider a response before giving it. They might blurt out answers, pester other students, noisily kick their chairs, or sit aimlessly staring off into space. Teachers often get irritated and repeatedly scold these kids. They are painted as the class troublemakers or the “slow learners.” Pursuing Adaptations for … Continue reading →

The Animal School: A Fable for Parents

Okay moms and dads, it’s your turn to sit down and hear a story. Back in 1940, a man by the name of George Reavis, who was superintendent of the Cincinnati Public Schools, wrote a fable. It’s called “The Animal School,” and it’s now in the public domain. The fable is very insightful with respect to children with so-called disabilities. As the story illustrates, in many cases it is not the child who is “disabled,” but the faulty teaching system. I’m going to share the fable with you, and as you read it, see what insights you can gain. THE … Continue reading →

The Seven Intelligences: What Kind of Learner is Your Child?

Children learn in a variety of ways. This is why the traditional method of education, where a teacher lectures children as they sit facing her in rows, is often woefully inadequate. Once we discover the specific intellectual strengths our children have, we can help provide them with new, stimulating experiences that will inspire them to learn in their own ways. The Seven Intelligences There are seven different types of intelligence, as described by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner in his book, Frames of Mind. According to Gardner, we know that every child has a bit of each in different proportions. As … Continue reading →

“My Child Isn’t Normal.”

Parents of special needs children often experience depression and frustration over the idea that their child might not be considered “normal.” They want their son or daughter to have the same abilities and opportunities that other children do. This is certainly understandable. However, I’m writing this blog to encourage parents of special needs children to let go of the concept of “normality.” First of all, I believe it’s a myth. The more we understand about individual differences, the more it becomes clear that there is no such thing as a normal child. But more importantly, children with challenges and difficulties … Continue reading →

Will my Special Needs Child Attend College?

It’s a question parents of special needs kids are often afraid to seriously consider. Most every father and mother dream that their child will eventually attend college. With my son Kyle starting high school, I find myself wondering whether college is a realistic option. According to the 1994 U.S. Census, one in four college students has special needs. This number is likely to be higher today, since education strategies have improved across the nation. This surprising statistic shows that the dream of college is not necessarily wishful thinking. You have the right to chase this vision! There are things that … Continue reading →

Mainstreaming: The Special Needs Child Goes to School

The kindergarten through elementary school years are crucial, formative years for your child both educationally and socially. There are things you can do as a parent to make these years more beneficial and enjoyable for your child. What is mainstreaming? Mainstreaming means that the special needs child attends a regular classroom along with students who are his or her actual (not developmental) age. Mainstreaming means that the child is not kept isolated in a special class, away from peers, but is included just like everybody else. Adaptations are made so that the child’s special needs are met, while still being … Continue reading →