‘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…
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I 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…
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By 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…
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Dysgraphia 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…
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Let 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…
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Blake 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…
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The 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…
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If a child is impulsive, unable to sit still, has poor motor skills or has difficulty learning—the most common diagnosis is ADHD or a learning disability. Yet these symptoms might have nothing to do with a disorder and may be occurring because a child’s ‘baby brain’ didn’t totally disappear. Child development researchers have found that…
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If your child didn’t crawl””don’t panic! Guilt can take centre stage when you’re a mom. When moms realise their child didn’t crawl or not for long enough, and that it might have played a role in their child’s symptoms of ADHD or learning difficulties–they blame themselves and worry it’s too late. It’s not! You might…
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The Myth of Practice-Makes-Perfect When Sheila came to see me, seeking reading therapy for her son, Kyle, she was skeptical when she learned that reading therapy was not the traditional tutoring she had imagined. It’s normal for parents to think their child just needs more one-on-one practice. For many of us ‘practice-makes-perfect’ is the only…
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