Dr. Carol's Blog

Interesting view of learning disabilities. In any case, the advice to get testing to find out what is really going on and how to strengthen weaknesses is vital.

Dr. Carol Utay

http://haoodnla.com/article/lxy09212164y9j01/id5240828 Weak Cognitive Skills Are Cause of Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities affect people in all walks of life each and every day. These disorders can include dyslexia (impairment of ability to recognize and comprehend written words), dyscalculia (impairment of ability to solve mathematics problems), dysgraphia (inability to write), dyspraxia (motor skill coordination problems), and auditory and visual processing disorders (difficulty understanding language or images). A learning disability is most simply defined as a neurological disorder.

The definition used by the U.S government for purposes of legislation and qualifying students for special education funds is the following:

“Specific learning disability” means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include children who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

A learning disability is most widely caused by weak underlying cognitive skills. Other factors contributing to learning disabilities include basic genetic limits or poor and inadequate instruction. Weak cognitive skills can impact learning heavily because during the process of reading and understanding there are many processes going on. If one of those processes is weak it could throw off the whole learning process for an individual. When reading a student must process visual images which consist of letters and words, and at the same time they must recall and associate those images with correct sounds. Mental associations must be formed by those sounds to make the words they are associated with, and one has to comprehend what the word means and how it applies to what they are reading. It is easy to see how a weak cognitive skill can throw off the whole learning curve.

The good news about learning disabilities affected by weak cognitive skills is that they can be changed for the better by specific testing and training. These changes can be rapid and dramatic for those that struggle with the various learning disabilities. Cognitive skills testing is available all across the nation. A quality learning center that runs cognitive skills testing will uncover specific cognitive skill weaknesses and will customize training to strengthen those weaknesses. Getting you or your child tested for a learning disability can completely and literally change lives.

According to the National Institutes of Health, one in seven Americans, struggles with some type of learning disability, proving the importance of getting you or your family members tested for cognitive skills weaknesses.

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

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ADHD is often misdiagnosed as we diagnose just by symtoms. It is possible that ADHD symptoms may be caused by food allergies – try this and see if the symptoms get better.

Step One: ADHD Diet: First, Find Out if it is ADHD or Food Allergies

What NOT to eat for TWO WEEKS

First, let’s find out if there are food allergies causing ADHD- like behaviors. Eliminate these foods for two weeks, then get ready to add them back in to the diet…

* NO DAIRY PRODUCTS, especially cow’s milk.

This is the single most important restriction. The American Pediatric Association estimates that a significant number of children are allergic to milk. Some researchers even think that http://newideas.net/adhd/milk-adhd-dr-reichelts-theories ADHD is caused by milk allergies (we disagree, but it is interesting). Instead try Almond milk, Rice milk, or Better Than Milk, and drink lots of water instead of milk.

* NO YELLOW FOODS. Especially Corn or Squash. Bananas are white. Don’t eat the peel. * NO JUNK FOODS. If it comes in a cellophane wrapper, don’t eat it. * NO FRUIT JUICES. Too much sugar content. One small glass of apple juice has the sugar content of eight apples. Later on you can have juice, but dilute it with water 50/50. * CUT SUGAR INTAKE BY 90%. If you can, cut it down to zero. Sugar is in just about everything, but give it a try. Do your best without going crazy. * CUT CHOCOLATE BY 90%. No more than a single piece, once a week. * NO NUTRASWEET. None. Period. Never. It’s bad for you. * NO PROCESSED MEATS and NO MSG. Only get meats with labels that say, “Turkey and Water,” etc. If the meat has chemicals listed that you can’t pronounce, don’t buy it. * CUT FRIED FOODS BY 90%. * AVOID FOOD COLORINGS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. See if your child is sensitive to any particular colors, such as Reds, Yellows, etc. For now, though, avoid all if possible. * AVOID FISH. We hate to say this, as there used to be so many benefits to eating fish, especially the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) or Omega Oils.

But the problem these days is that the mercury levels in most fish is simply too high to be either safe or healthy. Mercury is the second most toxic metal on earth, and is a terrible neuro-toxin. Until we clean up the oceans and the rivers of mercury, just don’t eat it. Sorry.

SUMMARY: Just eat foods that God made for a while. Eat like people did in the 1940′s. Go to a used book store and get a Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for recipe ideas. There really are about 10,000 meals that you CAN eat. Just not much in the way of “fast foods” or “convenience” foods.

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Free Course Sponsored by the PEAL Center

Sign Language for Parents and Young Children

Tiny Fingers to Tiny Voices featuring Kimberly Simon, M Ed.

Parents with infants, toddlers and young children birth to Kindergarten age, who are looking to improve communication skills are invited to participate in this 5-session course. Children must be accompanied by their parents (additional families members or caregivers are welcome to attend). This sign language class in intended for all children but class size is limited to 12 children. Children with disabilities are welcome.

Course is five sessions that are 45 minutes in length. Each lesson introduces 15-20 basic signs. Lessons are organized by topics familiar to children and the Tiny Fingers Voices course is based on American Sign Language.

Sessions will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays July 7, July 14, 28 and August 4 and 11.

at the Early Learning Institute

1401 Hamilton Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15234

Exciting News

From: Kintisch, Baruch [mailto:bkintisch@elc-pa.org] Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:49 PM To: Kintisch, Baruch Subject: HB 704 on the House Floor NOW

Watch here — http://www.house.state.pa.us/Video/HouseVideo.cfm

Baruch

Baruch Kintisch

Director of Policy Advocacy

Education Law Center

1315 Walnut Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19107-4798

www.elc-pa.org

215-238-6970, ext. 320

FAX: 215-772-3125

bkintisch@elc-pa.org

At TLC we have seen for years that social media helps our students with writing fluency and even spelling. Students are highly motivated to communicate with others and through a significant amount of practice begin to develop writing fluency. Spelling becomes more important however there is a huge interest in spelling so others can read their instant messages, facebook posts, text messages, my space, email and more. There is a huge interest in using abreviations and non-standard spelling.

The good news is that writing fluency increases significantly, spelling improves which also all leads to improved reading.

Research Article

Use of text message abbreviations and literacy skills in children with dyslexia

Helen M. Veater, Beverly Plester, Clare Wood *

Coventry University, Coventry, UK

email: Clare Wood ( c.wood@coventry.ac.uk)

Abstract

This small-scale study compared 10 to 13-year-old dyslexic children’s use of text message abbreviations with that of reading age- and chronological age-matched controls. There were no significant differences in the proportion of textisms used between the dyslexic children and the two control groups, although a preference for non-phonetic text abbreviations was observed in the dyslexic group. Unlike the controls, there was little evidence of an association between phonological awareness and textism use in children with dyslexia. These results are discussed in relation to strategy use by dyslexic children when decoding text. Copyright C 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We know nutrition can impact all aspects of a person’s health. It is especially important for students having school issues to make certain nutrition is as supportive as possible. There are some good ideas here that are different from the usual lists. All are useful for each of us but especially critical for those with weak attention.

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6 Important Tips On Diet For ADHD

Posted by http://overallreview.com/author/valeri/ valeri on June 5, 2010 . http://overallreview.com/6-important-tips-on-diet-for-adhd/#comments Leave a Comment

What if I told you that it may be possible to help your child’s ADHD without using potentially risky drug therapy? Read on and get some encouraging advice regarding diet for ADHD from Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, author of Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten.

Dr. Perlmutter, a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, only uses drugs to treat ADHD as a last resort. Along with other non-drug options for dealing with ADHD, he has developed some strategies utilizing diet for adhd that have been highly effective at helping childred control impulses, focus, and generally succeed in school.

The number one tip is to go organic. Dr. Perlmutter believes it’s best to feed your children organic whole foods starting from infancy. Although prepared organic baby food is available, it can be expensive. If that’s not financially feasible, you can make your own. Organic foods avoid the additives, toxins and pesticides that hinder concentration and increase hyperactivity in some children.

Fish containing high levels of mercury are to be avoided. Mostly all shellfish and fish contain at least some mercury which, according to Dr. Perlmutter, can affect a child’s ability to think and to concentrate. It’s interesting to note that these side effects occur with much lower levels in children than in adults. Some examples of fish with high levels of mercury are swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish.

Have your family doctor run a blood test to check for gluten sensitivity. Even though only about 1 percent of the general population is sensitive to gluten, Dr. Perlmutter has discovered that percentage to be much higher in children. When a child is sensitive to gluten, removing it from a diet for ADHD has been known to produce incredible and almost immediate results. Gluten can be found in rye, wheat and barley and is usually associated with bread products.

Taking DHA supplements may be advisable. DHA is an omega-3 essential fatty acid that is necessary for brain function. Dr. Perlmutter recommends 400 mg per day of a marine algae-based DHA supplement for ADHD kids with low DHA levels in his practice.

Add multi-vitamins to the diet for ADHD. Dr. Perlmutter believes all children should take a multi-vitamin, and especially those with ADHD. Have your family doctor perform an Intracellular Vitamin Analysis to determine which vitamins and minerals need to be supplemented.

There are other nutrients for the brain that may be lacking in the ADHD child. Besides DHA, Dr. Perlmutter prescribes 5 supplements in his diet for ADHD. They are Phosphatidylserine, Alpha lipoic acid, N-acetyl-cysteine, Coenzyme Q-10, and Ginkgo Biloba. Not only has he had success with them in his practice, but they have been clinically proven to not only protect the brain, but to enhance brain function as well.

So there you have it. Here is the view from a medical professional on diet for ADHD. It’s encouraging to see that the medical community today is increasingly touting the benefits of diet and neutraceutical supplementation in treating various illnesses and disorders. More and more, holistic remedies are being recognized as playing an important part in achieving and maintaining good health.

David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM is a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, who received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. Upon completion of his residency in Neurology at the University of Miami, he entered private practice in Naples, Florida. He currently serves as Medical Director of the Perlmutter Health Center and the Perlmutter Hyperbaric Center. Dr. Perlmutter also serves as Adjunct Instructor at the Institute for Functional Medicine in Gig Harbor, Washington. He is internationally recognized for his work in the field of nutritional influences in neurological disorders.

Zoey Eber is an avid proponent of natural health, having spent years researching the best holistic treatments for many health conditions. Learn about a highly effective addition to your http://learnhowtoheal.com/articles/effective-natural-treatment-for-adhd diet for ADHD today.

Make sure you tune in Wednesday morning to hear me on “Spotlight on Pittsburgh” with Pittsburgh legend Jack Bogut. I’m so excited to be on his show. In addition to sharing with parents and teachers the new research on how to improve attention and focus, I also have the opportunity to share some exciting news from the American Academy of Pediatrics. I’m so excited to let listeners know about breaking news from AAP about which programs are now considered “evidence-based” for working memory training for individuals with ADHD. Those who have listened to me in the past or read my blogs know what a strong proponent of Working Memory Training I’ve been over the last couple of years as research has emerged. At TLC, we are always tracking the latest research on brain-based learning and sharing information with educators and parents. We have a variety of programs that are proven to improve attention without, or as a supplement to, medication.

So tune in Wednesday at 10 a.m.

WHO: Dr. Carol Utay, Executive Director, Total Learning Centers
WHAT: Spotlight on Pittsburgh with Jack Bogut — Radio interview
WHERE: 1360AM WMNY
WHEN: June 16, 2010 at 10 a.m.

You can have an insider’s view and get up-to-the-minute updates as our special education bill moves toward a vote this week.

Follow along with me and with House Bill 704 and add your own comments at my http://www.paschooltalk.org/forum/topics/countdown-to-special-ed-vote discussion on PaSchoolTalk.org http://www.paschooltalk.org/forum/topics/countdown-to-special-ed-vote . I will add to the blog every hour or two, sharing details about the latest twists and turns.

Please forward this to your networks. Also, call your state representative today to support HB 704, if you have not yet done so. It’s not too late to add your name to our online http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/hb704/ petition.

Action steps and talking points are at ReformSpecialEdFunding.org http://reformspecialedfunding.org/ .

It’s been a long and winding road, but with your help we are approaching the crest of the hill and hope to win the crucial House vote on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Let us know what else we can do to support your efforts.

Baruch

BARUCH KINTISCH

Policy Director

Education Law Center

215-238-6970 x 320

bkintisch@elc-pa.org

1315 Walnut St. #400

Phila PA 19107

While many of us this time of year are thrilled to see family and friends walking across the stage receiving their diplomas, the national graduation rate is declining from a peak of 77% in 1969 to 69.2% in 2006. 2007 was even lower at 68.8%, according to a report from Education Week and the nonprofit Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. This year, 2010 is continuing the downward trend. This is not just “interesting news.” Employers, family members, and the high school drop outs themselves all tend to have low expectations for their present and future. Notice your own reaction to hearing that someone is “a high school dropout.” What can we do? Make sure all students who want to learn have access to resources in their community for being taught the skills they need. The resources are here. The students are there. We can each play a role in their confluence.

Peppermint has been found to help improve clarity and also improve concentration. Peppermint can also be used to stop panic or anxiety, at least temporarily. The smell of peppermint seems to get attention in the brain for a few seconds. These few seconds can be enough to allow you to get control over the anxiety. Try peppermint gum, candy or peppermint oil.