Let’s be honest. The holidays are a food festival that lasts two weeks. It’s a vacation of gluttony. Anyone who tells you they didn’t indulge is likely lying or from another planet. Sweets, baked goods, food colouring and all that cheese, gravy and bread can spell disaster for kids with unique needs and have not-so-pleasant…
Continue ReadingAdvertisements and TV shows will tell you exactly what the perfect holiday should look like, but if you try to make your holiday season perfect, you certainly won’t make it happy or sane. Any experienced parent knows that as exciting as the holidays can be for children, it can also trigger behaviour and meltdowns –…
Continue Reading‘Dyslexia is genetic’ I can’t tell you how many times a week I hear that or read it. This prevalent declaration makes me a little bit crazy. … and it’s not because it’s incorrect. Dyslexia can definitely have a genetic component. But a ‘dyslexia gene’ is a deeply flawed understanding of genetics. … As well…
Continue ReadingI wish I could tell you that it’s as simple as adding these three supplements and you have it covered- but it’s not. On the flip side – addressing dyslexia with nutrition is not the rocket science some people have made it out to be. It’s about nourishment. Every now and then a parent contacts…
Continue ReadingBy now almost all of us have heard about how food colouring, especially red dye, can be a nightmare for a child with ADHD. When a child gets the ADHD diagnosis, Moms often know that there are other solutions like nutrition, exercise and adequate sleep before trying medication. Yet when dyslexia is the diagnosis, somehow…
Continue ReadingDysgraphia is more than just bad hand writing. In my last article Smart Kids Who Hate to Write I described the main areas of breakdown with dysgraphia and what it looks like. Many people, including professionals think that the main issue with dysgraphia is poor fine motor control. Language-Based Dysgraphia Dysgraphia is more layered than…
Continue ReadingDoes your child hate to write? Have they been accused of being lazy and careless because their writing is sloppy? Moms are often crushed when their child finally gets a diagnosis and they learn their child has more than one diagnosis. ADHD and dyslexia. Dyslexia and SPD. ASD and OCD. Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. The combinations…
Continue ReadingLet me tell you about Julie – a bright 14-year-old girl. She has always had a hard time with reading, but has always been able to get by with C’s – until grade 6. The more that she had to read in order to learn the worse her marks became. Julie can ‘read’ but she…
Continue ReadingBlake is a kid who loves playing ball. He is 9. He was diagnosed with ADHD and a Learning Disability. When Blake was playing with his ball outside, I asked him why he liked playing ball. He said, “I like trying to figure out which one to catch after they hit the wall.” I said…
Continue ReadingThe signs were all there… When I first meet with parents and I am taking their child’s early development history – Mom will often say one of two things: “I had a feeling all along.” But… Everyone told her she was over-analysing. …or “I wish I had known.” She wished she had known that certain…
Continue Reading
