Sensory Issues in Children

Project Sensory

"Hanging upside down stimulates our vestibular system. But, what is that? To be brief, our vestibular system is in our inner ear. This sensory system is responsible for our sense of balance, spatial orientation (knowing where our bodies are in the world), and coordinating our balance with movement. Every movement we make stimulates our vestibular system. 

If your child exhibits vestibular seeking behaviours, then planned sensory activities that involve hanging upside down (inverting the head) can provide him with the stimulation he needs and reduce sensory seeking throughout the day as well as dysregulation and sensory related meltdowns."

Ever tried it for your sensory kid?

Read more of this excellent article here:

http://hes-extraordinary.com/166/

 

 

 

20 Things Only Parents Of Children With Dyslexia Would Understand

Compliments of:
http://healthcaresolutionsplus.org/20-things-only-parents-of-children-with-dyslexia-would-understand/

October 18, 2015

Dyslexia. It’s a word many parents dread when they hear it in reference to their own children. What their “lay” minds take in is that they have a child who will face struggles throughout his/her schooling and in life. Dyslexia never goes away. There is no medication to mitigate the symptoms; worse, it is an invisible disability which (if undiagnosed) subjects the sufferer to lots of misunderstanding and criticism for things over which s/he has not control.

As parents research their child’s dyslexia and receive information from the experts, they come to understand many things that they want others to understand as well. Here’s 20 of them.

1. They read differently.

The brain anatomy of a dyslexic child is different. The area that understands language operates differently than the average individual’s. The brain has to translate symbols on the page of a book (for example) into sounds. The sounds then have to be combined to make meaningful words. The parts of the brain that do this are not as well developed with dyslexia, so affected children will have to engage different parts of their brains to compensate. Part of this compensation is enhanced by specialized reading programs which are research based and multi-sensory, as well as by audio books that allow kids to keep up with their classmates in school.

2. They cannot overcome dyslexia by reading more.

Those who do not understand dyslexia (including some teachers) think if parents just read to their children more, and if elementary aged children are just forced to read more, somehow the dyslexia will be “cured.” Nothing could be further from the truth. While reading to a dyslexic child has great benefits (I.E. information, exposure, stimulation of imagination), it will not help him/her become a better reader. Likewise, forcing a dyslexic child to just read more, in a traditional manner, only leads to frustration, anger, and behavioral issues. It is the equivalent of forcing an adult to go to a job every day at which s/he cannot perform the tasks and is not ever given the training to acquire the skills to perform them. How long would that adult remain on that job?

3. They are not lazy or unmotivated.

The undiagnosed dyslexic kid is often labeled as these things both in the classroom and at home. However, remember to consider the following issues:
– They may not hear multi-step instructions. While the 2^nd and 3^rd instructions are being given, their brains are still processing the first
– In school, during reading class, they are still de-coding the first sentence while classmates have moved on to the 5^th or 6^th.

– It takes them far longer to complete worksheets and tests. When they do not get things finished, the teacher may be inclined to keep them in from recess to make them finish. What they don’t understand is that this child is exhausted from the effort just to complete what he has, and needs a break just as much as his peers.

4. They often need tutoring outside of school.

If the tutoring is designed for kids with dyslexia, some studies have shown, the brain actually changes (this is called neuroplasticity) and “rewires” itself, resulting in enhanced reading skills. For the older student, facing essays and papers for which research must be completed, as well as the normal rounds of standardized testing that come at specific milestone points in schooling, tutoring for reading, writing, and test taking must continue. Private tutoring services that have specialists for kids with learning disabilities are numerous in both the United States and in the UK. With their help and their special approach, children with dyslexia can pass any type of exam, including 11 plus mock exams easily.

 5. They don’t “see” the world backwards.

Yes, they occasionally reverse letters and words, but that is because those words and letters appear differently to them on the printed page. What they view in the world, they often see holistically (rather than in detail). They have a grand ability to see what is “out of place.” Carol Grieder, a molecular biologist with dyslexia, won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2009 because as she looked at DNA molecules through a microscope, she saw something that should not be there. She discovered a new and extremely important enzyme that is today the subject of cancer and aging research. In this case, her dyslexia was a wonderful “gift” to the world.

6. They need “ear reading”.

This is the term advocates and parents use for audio books. While the obvious benefit is that are able to stay up to date with their classmates in all content areas (textbook publishers all offer their publications in audio format), they are also able to conduct research and to complete book reports/reviews. Another benefit is an increased vocabulary and the ability to “hear” good grammar.

7. They need accommodations in school, at all levels.

While they may not always qualify for an IEP, there are other individual plans that can be put into place that allow for longer assignment and test-taking time, modified assignments (e.g. half of the spelling word list), and orally provided exams.

8. They can be disorganized.

Their failure to have attention to detail causes disorganization, impacting both school and home life. Their rooms may be messier than most, and cleaning them up is truly challenging. At a young age, parents would do well to “walk” dyslexic children through each step of the process for cleaning their rooms and putting things in proper places. In school, older children specifically may have difficulty organizing and managing their time, and may need lots of tools, such as cell phone alarms, a picture schedule, and so forth.

9. They feel dumb and stupid.

They are aware that others in their classrooms are reading better, are completing assignments on time, and do not take as long to learn things. This can really impact self-esteem over time, causing them to withdraw. Teachers must capitalize on strengths and interests, and publicly recognize them in the classroom. Parents need to promote their kids’ strengths and talents with outside activities. Art, music, sports, designing, building, and science are typical areas of strength. Having successes and recognition for those successes is extremely important for adult productivity and happiness.

10. They need to socialize.

When their bad feelings about themselves cause them to withdraw, they may cease to involve themselves in social activities or in making new friends. It is important that parents of young children take a proactive approach to socialization. This may include joining a support group, in which there will be plenty of opportunity for their children to be involved in activities, or enrolling them in clubs, Scouts, or sporting activities. Older children must be encouraged to get involved in activities that will support and reinforce their strengths or talents. For teens, getting a part-time job can be huge!

11. They have average to above-average intelligence.

There is nothing wrong with educators and parents sharing good news with these kids about their IQs. They should continue to re-enforce the facts that a huge number of highly successful people had/have dyslexia. Here’s a few: Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Muhammed Ali, Steve Jobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Picasso, and Richard Branson. There is virtually no field in which dyslexic people have not excelled.

12. They need technology.

There are a number of apps which have been recommended by medical and psycho/educational professionals that serve dyslexic students well, from those that convert any text to audio, to voice-command word processing programs, to phonetic skill building in gaming formats. Schools should be cognizant of needs and ensure that these tools are available.

13. They are exhausted by detail.

This pertains particularly to reading and to worksheets in math that are “cluttered.” Spreading content out in larger print and recommended fonts will help a great deal. They will also need frequent breaks. While other students can focus on an activity that involves reading and writing, and accomplish a great deal in a 20-30 minute period, the dyslexic child will complete far less and need breaks after 10 minutes of focus. Beyond that, they will complain of headaches and dizziness.

14. They see what others do not.

Dyslexic children will state the words on a page are moving, that they are alternating between light and dark, or that they are flip-flopping. It is easy to think that they are making this up; however, they are not. It is important to validate what they are seeing as “real” for them.

15. They are visual thinkers.

They learn by pictures and hands-on experiences. This is one reason that many do well in lab sciences. They also remember in pictures. If they can be given visual representations of concepts, they will cement that in their memories. What they read will not be cemented unless there are other senses involved as they read.

16. They should not be “lumped” together as one.

Dyslexic kids are individuals. Their disabilities come in all ranges. Some may exhibit symptoms of ADD, while others will not. Some have real difficulty putting thoughts into words, while others are much more verbal. Some are of average intellectual ability, while others are truly gifted. Some have “acting out behavior;” while others are too quiet. It is unfair to treat all dyslexic children as if they are one homogeneous group.

17. They are frustrated with their disability.

While others who live and work with these kids can certainly become frustrated, it is important to be empathetic. Try putting yourself in the kid’s place and see dyslexia through the eyes of the person actually living it. These kid needs support and encouragement, not disapproving remarks, like “try harder.” S/he is trying!

18. They will be dyslexic for a lifetime.

But with strong interventions and flexibility on the part of teachers, they can develop methods to compensate, earn college degrees, and take their places in many career niches.

19. They can add great value to an organization.

Because they tend to be creative and are visual thinkers, they are often able to “see” solutions that others cannot. In these cases, being dyslexic is a strength in itself.

20. Their sense of hearing is exceptional.

Perhaps because their ability to use their eyes well to learn, the sense of hearing has strengthened, just as it is for those who are blind. However, they are often unable to filter out all of the sounds around them, greatly impacting their ability to focus. The use of headphones when they are engaged in audio learning will help them greatly.

Each of us has strengths and areas of challenge. Our children with dyslexia are no different. Unfortunately, learning has been so intimately tied to reading that they have been at a clear disadvantage. Things are rapidly changing; however, in this wonderful age of technology. We are reaching a point at which we will be able to honor all learning styles, not just those that have traditionally met with success.

Equipping Your Children and Grandchildren before They Leave Home

Things to Consider Teaching Your Children
before That Day Comes

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2014

Consider thinking about and listing the knowledge, experiences, and skills you would like your children to have a grip on before they leave the love and security of your home.  What do they need to know to live on their own, and later as they marry and have a family of their own?  Parents, as well as grandparents, teachers, aunts, uncles, and friends can all have a hand in the teaching, depending on the choice of the parents.  Do all you can to help them prepare for every area of their lives, including the spiritual, physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and financial, as well as all that goes along with keeping a home.

I will never forget one of my friends telling me just before she got married that she had never cooked a meal in her entire life!  Wow!  And it's been known that, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."  I often wondered what they ate during their first year of married life!

It's just a fact that a child equipped with plenty of practical skills will do better in life than those who are lacking in them.  It's never too late to start teaching your child the basics.  It's also never too early to start!  A toddler can learn scripture verses and songs, as well as how to do simple tasks such as taking trash to the trash can, running a cordless vacuum, helping to fold washcloths, matching socks, and picking up toys - a few jobs they are capable of doing and will gladly do for you. 

A five year old can unload the dishwasher, by first putting away the silverware, then stacking the dishes neatly on the counter top rather than in high cabinets, and putting pots and pans away in the lower cabinets, as my five year old grandson has been doing.  I rarely ever had to unload the dishwasher in our home.  First our daughter did this job.  Then ever since our older son was six, it was his job to unload the dishwasher before I drove our children to school, and later our younger son took over the job until he left for college. 

Using the internet, your children can learn a lot.  After researching a subject, then comes the practical use of that knowledge!  YouTube is a great source of learning how to do almost anything - many life skills such as sewing, cooking, crafts, DIY projects, how to fix a car, and an unlimited number of things.  I'm not suggesting that your children simply know where to find that information, but to "do" many of those activities while they are still in your home.  By doing that, they will learn many skills that will serve them well throughout their lives by increasing their creativity, giving them confidence, saving them a lot of money, and passing on their skills to their own children.  Many skills are lost because we do not teach them to our children.  Grandparents, do your best to revive the lost arts by instilling them in your grandchildren!

When teaching a child how to do almost anything, it is good to use this four-step process (Show, Help, Do, Inspect):

  1. Show the child how to do a certain job or skill. 

  2. Have the child help you do that same job or skill. 

  3. Let the child do it himself.
  4. Inspect his work in an effort to have him do the best job possible.

If you or your husband do not possess the skill to teach your children in each of these areas, find someone who can.  Possibly you can swap children with another family if another mom is more skilled in sewing, while you are more gifted in another skill. You may also need to hire someone to teach certain skills to your children.  It will be money well spent if your child learns a skill that will be used throughout life.

I've listed various areas below with suggestions, but advise each family to sit down and make their own list.  In the following segments below, when I say, "Know how to," I really mean that the child should "do" these activities.  After all, that is how one actually learns - by doing!

For each child, keeping a notebook of knowledge, experiences, and skills learned would be most helpful!  If a three-ring notebook is used, extra pages could be added along the way in this exciting journey to adulthood.  Since children start their knowledge, experiences, and skills before they are able to write and keep a notebook themselves, of course, the parent or grandparent would need to start the notebook to record all that each child learns during the early years.  During their first seven years, they will learn more than you realize they ever could in the areas of spiritual development, character development, and manners.

The following segments are just a guide for parents and grandparents.  You will want to make your own list, but basically teach your children to have accomplished the goals in each of these areas before they leave home:

Spiritual Development

Know the good news of the gospel, and hopefully they have already accepted Christ as Savior - and experienced a real heart change.
Know various ways to have personal devotions and have meaningful personal devotions.

Have a clear understanding and practice of prayer.

Have a good number of scripture verses firmly etched in memory.  A list for review is important as well.

Be able to sing some hymns - know the words and melodies.  There is so much biblical truth in the hymns.

Character Development
Obedience to parents

Kindness - how to treat others

Self discipline

Self confidence
Forgiveness
Dependability
Truthfulness
Trustworthiness
How to control anger
Compassion for others
Helpfulness
Respectfulness
Joyfulness
Patience
Putting others first

Manners
Say "please" and "thank you" when appropriate.
Carry on a meaningful conversation - like playing tennis (taking turns speaking).
Write thank you notes.
Learn not to interrupt.
Learn how to introduce people.
Learn to share possessions.
Help others (siblings, friends, neighbors, and others).

House Cleaning
Keep bedroom picked up, organized, and clean.

Clean a bathroom (cobwebs, walls, mirror, tub, toilet, sink, shower, counter, floor, walls, knick knacks).

Dust with a lamb's wool duster and a cloth.
Polish furniture.
Remove cobwebs.
Wash windows and mirrors.
Polish silver and brass.

Sweep and vacuum hard surface floors.
Wet mop floors.
Steam mop floors.
Vacuum carpet.
Clean a microwave.
Clean an oven.
Wash and dry dishes by hand.
Load and unload a dishwasher.
Wash and/or polish kitchen cabinets.

Money Management

Write a check.
Balance a checkbook.
Pay bills (by actually doing it with parents).
Manage money wisely.

Tithe money.
Save money.
Spend money wisely.

Control impulse buying.
Have a good work ethic.
Take care of what you own.
Repair things you own, rather than instantly tossing them.
Earn money (babysitting, tutoring, mowing lawns, gardening, landscaping, shoveling snow, farm work, dog sitting, washing cars, etc.).

Clothing
Keep bedroom floor clear of clothing, and put clothes away properly.

Match separates to extend a wardrobe.

Shop at thrift stores to stretch dollars.
Do own laundry or learn to be responsible for part of family's laundry. Several children could take turns with various loads.
Learn basic spot removal tips.
Make homemade laundry soap (very effective at cleaning clothes and super inexpensive).
Use an iron (some things do need ironing).

Cooking

Properly wash produce.

Read a recipe and follow through.
Double or triple a recipe.
Freeze food (the basics).
Clean up after making a mess in the kitchen.
Use measuring spoons and measuring cups.
Know and understand measurements (3 tsp. = 1 Tbsp. and 4 Tbsp. = 1/4 cup, etc.)
Bake cookies from scratch.
Bake a cake and make frosting from scratch.
Know how to use an oven, microwave, blender, crockpot.
Know the basics terms of cooking and baking and how to do each one (check a cookbook for terms).
Pack balanced lunches.  Be responsible for at least some of them.
Know the basics of meal planning.
Plan a week of meals.

Make coffee.
Make tea.
Know how to make eggs different ways, a breakfast casserole, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and oatmeal.
Know how to make a healthy smoothie.

Know how to make a meal of meat, potatoes, and vegetable.
Know how to make a casserole and salad meal.
Know how to make meatloaf.
Know how to cook brown rice.
Know how to bake potatoes.
Know how to make homemade soup.
Know how to make homemade pizza.
Know how to make muffins, biscuits, quick bread, and yeast bread - all from scratch.
Know how to use the crockpot to make meals, especially roast beef, roast chicken, and roast turkey breast.
Know how to make a homemade pie.
Cook an entire meal - then another and another (as in real life).

Gardening

Plant a garden and care for it:
   Know how to grow several vegetables.
   Know how to grow several herbs.
   Know how to grow several flowers.

Know the difference between a vegetable, herb, flower, and a weed.
Know how to freeze vegetables and herbs.
Know how to dry herbs.

Sewing

Know how to sew on a button
Know how to hem a skirt or pair of pants by hand, using a simple blind stitch
Know how to mend clothes - fix a small rip or tear
Know the basics of sewing with a sewing machine and do at least a few projects (pillow, skirt, shirt, dress, quilt).  Some young girls have made doll clothes for American Girl Dolls and put themselves through college by selling them.  Having a sewing skill could also grow into a home business, so after marriage a young mother could stay home with her children, and sew doll clothes or possibly do custom sewing and alterations.

Other Skills
Explore the possibilities of playing an instrument or singing.
Explore the possibilities of taking a class to learn a craft, cake decorating, wood working, sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc..
Explore the possibilities of playing a sport, but don't allow this one to take over your life and squeeze out time for other things, as this often happens.

Organization

How to be organized - learning basic skills and following through by using a turntable, shoe organizer, boxes in a drawer.

Automobiles

How to change a tire
How to change oil in car
How to wash a car
How to wax a car
Know the rules of driving
How to drive a car
How to pack a car.

Practical Household Skills

Hang a framed picture or mirror.

Use a Magic Eraser for multiple uses.

Use a plunger.
Free a clogged drain.

Change a light bulb.

Know at least 6 basic essential oils and their many uses.  Put some into practice. This will come in handy someday!
Make several DIY natural substitutes for products such as body cream, deodorant.

Tie various knots.
Know how to pack for a trip.

Health and Safety
Know how to eat to be healthy.
Know alternative remedies for everyday ailments.
Know First Aid.
Know CPR.
Know measures of safety.

Building

Know how to use a hammer, screw driver (regular and Phillips), pliers,and other tools.

Learn how to make a woodworking project and follow through with making it.

Technology

(I'm laughing because the younger generations seem more equipped to teach us older folks in this area!  Let them teach you then!)
How to use a computer
How to use a cell phone
How to use a Kindle and other technology

Fishing and Hunting

How to catch a fish and clean it
How to shoot a deer, and cook venison

Laws
Know basic laws.

Problem Solving

Give your child various problems which happen daily, and let him help solve them.  Then discuss it.

Now, lest any of you parents feel like you could never teach your children all of these skills, please do not worry about that!  My husband and I did not teach my own children to do every single one of these either.  In fact, I never even thought of some of the things on this list at the time!  Like I said, make your own family's list and it will work for you.  In fact, you may want to add more to this list!

A Special Note to Grandparents
Grandparents, a wonderful gift for us to present to our grandchildren would be a personalized notebook with a list divided into segments, similar to this one!  Tell each one of your grandchildren you will do all you can to help them learn many of the skills listed, so they will be well equipped as an adult, and they may have more ideas to add to the list.  What memories you will give them, along with skills to last a lifetime!  It's so easy to buy a gift at the store, but this is a gift of yourself for as long as you can have input into their lives.  Of course, I believe the spiritual aspect on this list is of utmost importance, because of the eternal consequences of their decision while on earth to follow or reject Christ.  Let's be a part of pouring good things into the lives of our children and grandchildren! 

This notebook would be a very special gift to grandchildren - like an heirloom gift because the lasting benefits of what they will learn with your being intentional in teaching them.  The benefits will last a lifetime and even into the next generations!  I plan to make a personal notebook for each of our five grandchildren, starting with the older ones.  There are two other heirloom gifts I have been making for our grandchildren.  When our children's first child turns one year old, I've been giving that child a thirty-two page cloth quiet book (to be shared with siblings).  The third quiet book will be given next weekend to our son's baby girl, Raelle Elizabeth!  As I worked on the third quiet book, I was thinking I just might have to make extra books - one for each grandchild, so they can use them with our great-grandchildren some day.  My six year old granddaughter was helping to sew Raelle's book last week, and was so excited that she had her mother get their own quiet book out again, and she enjoyed looking through all the pages once more.  The third heirloom gift I am making for each grandchild is a large quilt that should last for many years to come.  The second quilt is in construction right now.  

So, grandparents, please don't think you no longer have much to offer your children!  You can be pouring your lives into your grandchildren's future.  We certainly do have much to offer!  Let us all be intentional in doing so!

The English Language

Source unknown - Thanks to Linda Klein in California who sent this to me! 

You could have lots of fun with this as your family gathers for Thanksgiving and Christmas!   

Homographs are words of like spelling, but with more than one meaning.  

A homograph that is pronounced differently is a heteronym.  

You thing English is easy?  
I think a retired English teacher was bored.   
This took a lot of work to put together!  
Read all the way o the end..... 
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this:
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.'
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?
Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
We call UP our friends.
And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.
We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has real special meaning.
People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.
In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.
It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.
When the sun comes out we say it is clearing Up.
When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.
When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.