Blog
Brief Tip: Know What You Are Targeting
Many children referred for assessments are related to struggles with reading, spelling and writing. Not knowing what direction to go, parents feel a sense of desperation and need guidance on appropriate next steps. Once the issues are identified, the remediation,...
Practicing an Academy
It may not be the best time of the year to start one, but right after the New Year, how about you try an “Academy” with your child. Some time ago I went to a training given by the psychologist Ray Levy who talked about the use of “Academies” to address challenging...
Part II: Ryan & His “Quasi-ADHD
Last week we talked about Ryan and his “Quasi-ADHD,” inspired by a by 7th grader I had recently met who had been previously diagnosed with ADHD (see Ryan & His Quasi ADD). Ryan was “diagnosed” following an interview with his mom and the completion of a checklist...
Ryan & His “Quasi-ADD” – Part I
Over the last couple of decades ADHD (commonly referred to as “ADD") seems to be pretty casually diagnosed from all I can tell. It doesn’t take much to get “diagnosed.” The parent fills out a rating scale, which usually comes up positive for things like distractible...
Dr. Selznick & Dena Blizzard – Sip Share Advocate Episode 1
On Monday 11/19/18, Dr. Selznick joined comedian Dena Blizzard on the inaugural episode of her Facebook live talk show, Sip Share Advocate, to discuss advocacy issues over a glass of wine. View the recorded episode below! ...
“Better a Diamond With a Flaw…”
For this week’s inspiration we find ourselves looking to some pretty heavy hitters. Voltaire said, “The best is the enemy of the good.” On that same theme, Confucius reminded that, "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." Shakespeare, cautioned,...
“Almost Heaven…”
"Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River" ...
Finding That Sweet Spot
Try this as an experiment. Maybe you haven’t done them in some time, but try doing a few push-ups. See how many you can do? None? A couple? 10? 20? Regardless of the number that you can successfully complete, there will be a point where you will hit a wall that...
The “One & Done” Child
There’s a certain kind of a child I see quite often I have come to call the, “One and Done Child.” What are some of the hallmark features of these children? These children lack what the shrink types refer to as “self-monitoring.” That is, they aren’t oriented to...
Modifications? Direct Instruction?
Let’s say I’m a really bad tennis player, but I want to get better. I decide to go to a tennis pro and after sizing me up the pro gives me the following suggestions: Get a tennis racket with a bigger head size so you will miss the ball less Make sure to wear a...
Labeling Missing the Mark
I have never been comfortable labeling children. Labeling a child (or anyone for that matter) always seems so reductionist to me, as if the label could tell the whole story. As a society, though, we have become increasingly comfortable and casual with their use. Not...