Blog
“Dazed & Confused”
"What is meant by the phrase, "Italy was a quilt of city states?" "The government was like a blanket covering city-states of Italy." "The two spaceships, Eagle and Columbia, separate. They orbit in sight of each other one last time. Then the Eagle begins to...
TWO MINUTE+ TIDBIT TIPS: STAGES OF READING PART II
“‘OQ’ Low or You Don’t Give & You Get”
14-year-old Jamie comes in for an assessment. His pediatrician has told the parents that he thinks Jamie has inattentive ADHD. When I meet Jamie I do my best to connect with him, but he’s not buying what I’m selling. Giving me blasé’ (“must I do this”) fist bump...
“‘Spelling. That’s So Yesterday'”
Let’s say your 12-year-old sixth grader spells the following words: (brief) bref (success) susess (educate) edcccate (result) resolt (kitchen) kicten Then writes the following story to a prompt: “Once a o pon a time there was a kid that was a million...
“A Few New Disorders”
This week we turn our sights to a few disorders that may make it into the diagnostic manual upon its revision. The first is one that I know I have very badly. It's being called "PBD," or "Pushback Disorder." PBD usually manifests when parents come in with theory...
“The Tooth Ache Comes Back”
Beside the fact that I am having root canal done later today, I find myself having a throbbing toothache all too often. Behind the toothache, let's look at Joanna, an 8-year-old third grader. Increasingly, frustrated by her school challenges, Joanna is prone to...
“‘Fix-It Talk’ vs. ‘Skill Talk'” (#LD #Dyslexia #ADHD)
I spend a good deal of my professional life assessing children in an attempt to identify their profile of strengths and weaknesses. Once a child is assessed, I do my best to explain the data to the parents in straight-forward, non-jargon terms. The part of the...
Why Ask ‘Why?'” (Part II)
app Frequently, I hear from parents that they just want to know "why" something is taking place (e.g., a behavior or a learning problem) . As I hear their question, I understand they are seeking a "diagnosis," such as ADHD or dyslexia. For many parents when they get...
“Why Ask ”Why?” (Part I)
Brett, age 8, has difficulty behaving in his third grade class. Frequently calling out, pushing on line and at times being rude to the teacher and other kids, his parents have been called in for the "meeting" to discuss Brett and his behavior. They are told by the...
Sibling Rising
Jacob is an endearing 8-year-old child, well-liked by teachers and other kids. Playing a variety of sports, he is frequently seen as a team leader by coaches and peers. There is one problem, though, eating at Jacob. Even though he is now in third grade, he still...
“My Kid Can’t Pay Attention – Must Be ADHD” (Not So Fast)
Every week I hear an array of concerns regarding distractibility and inattentiveness. Beyond the immediate assumption that the child has ADHD/ADD (in other words a neurological disorder), I do my best to broaden the narrative and review other factors to consider that...