When working with a child with selective mutism, among the main exchanges you want to avoid are yes and no questions. You might be wondering why it’s important to avoid these types of the questions. Well, the answer is quite simple when you think about it: Yes and no questions can be easily answered with …
Imagine you are a seven year old boy at school. You are sitting in class listening to your teacher, when all of a sudden you have to use the bathroom. You raise your hand to tell the teacher; but when you speak, nothing comes out. Everyone is looking at you and wondering what the problem …
Let’s face it, we live in an electronic world. Almost every home has at least one cell phone, computer, tablet, smart television, or video gaming system. I’m sure many of you remember a time when there wasn’t easy access to electronics, and we spent our days playing and talking to each other. Not to date …
Sleep problems caused by stimulant medications commonly used to treat ADHD could negate the benefits of these drugs. It’s estimated that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 11% of children and adolescents in the United States. Despite the fact that there are many effective non-medication treatments available, the most common treatment is medication. Over 3.5 …
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed primarily in children. Some of the symptoms people often associate with ADHD include inability to pay attention or follow tasks, trouble staying organized, fidgety behavior, excessive talking and trouble following directions. Other less obvious symptoms include difficulty planning and problem solving, impulsive decision-making, and challenges …
A dysregulated child can exhibit intense behaviors that cause immense stress and quickly put a family into crisis mode. It is not fun to deal with dysregulation, and it can be very confusing to know how to best handle each situation. While working with families, I have often noticed that one parent tends to be …
As people who have attended my seminars for education professionals know, I am passionate about creating classroom environments that help improve attention, reduce anxiety, and support emotional and behavioral regulation. Too often classroom design is neglected as a key component of supporting the needs of learners, especially learners with special needs. I’ve been in buildings …
Seeing your child upset can be disheartening. As parents, we want to see our children happy and experiencing a lot of good things in life. This alone is not a bad thing; but when it becomes a primary goal, you are inevitably raising a child that will never be happy. Kids know what they want, …
The appointments are over. The assessments, the tests, the evaluations have all been completed and the diagnosis is in: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It may be a shock to you, your family, and your friends. What was once a clear path for your child now feels uncertain and even scary. Autism is one of the …
Everyone has worries; things that nag at us and keep us up at night. Thankfully, for the majority of the population worries and anxiety are not constant. But what about children? They have worries, things that scare them and make it difficult to sleep and sometimes even function well during the day. As with most …