The ability to regulate (or control) our thoughts and actions is a critical part of our higher-level thinking or executive function skills. When someone struggles with one or more of these skills then self-regulation is more difficult. In prior articles we covered the skills of planning, organizing, time management, task initiation, working memory, and metacognition. …
As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, executive functions are higher level thinking skills that allow us to appropriately manage our thoughts and behaviors. There are ten executive function skills that are directly related to our ability to self-regulate. In the previous article I covered the functions of planning, organizing, and time management. …
Executive Functions are higher level thinking skills that allow us to use our cognitive skills to plan and carry out behaviors. Whether we are planning out our day, getting chores done, or making sure we are on time for a meeting we are using executive function skills to plan, organize, and appropriately carry out …
Games are a great way to improve skills for kids in all areas of development – and they are fun! I like to play games with my family and friends, but I also love to play games at work with my clients who have developmental disorders or speech and language disorders. Children with speech delays, …
I hear it on a regular basis, “If he even thinks it is healthy, he won’t touch it.” “It’s a vegetable, she doesn’t eat vegetables.” “If it isn’t white, fried or sweet he’s not eating it.” Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? You’re not alone, but there is a solution. You buy the food …
If you’re the parent of child with behavioral, physical and emotional challenges, it’s normal for you to go into mama or papa bear mode when you feel they are being mistreated. You don’t want to see them overlooked for a birthday party. You don’t want them harassed during recess or the last one to be …
In her book, Life WILL Get Better: Simple Solutions for Parents of Children with Attention, Anxiety, Mood and Behavior Challenges, Dr. Nicole Beurkens talks about the challenges of raising a child with special needs. Sure, there are the melt downs, the focus issues, the food allergies, the education road blocks, the social stumblings and the …
Many parents think that once babies are older, their sleep issues are over. Unfortunately many toddlers, kids and even teens have sleep issues. Whether it’s a proper bedtime routine, getting in bed, or actually sleeping through the night, many moms and dads feel hopeless as their nighttime dreams are dashed (literally!). Despite what might feel …
Could my child’s inattention and behavior difficulties be related to food sensitivities? If you are wondering about the root causes of your child’s attention and behavior problems, it is quite possible that sensitivity to a food(s) is the culprit. Food sensitivities are negative responses the body has when exposed to certain foods. Unlike food allergies, …
In the last several decades we have gotten farther and farther away from good basic wholesome nutrition. There are so many convenience foods out there; it is almost impossible to keep your kids away. The difficulty is, these convenience foods are so laden with toxic chemicals we are actually creating problems in our children where …