Welcome to this week's Dealing With Learning Disorders Newsletter.

This week's Featured Article is ADHD in Teens

In this article I touched on several key areas that affect teens with ADHD, which include:

1. ADHD may not be diagnosed until they are a teen.

2. ADHD teens can be less mature than other teens.

3. An ADHD teen can be easily distracted which can make driving especially dangerous.

4. ADHD teens may be more apt to try drugs or alcohol as a way to cope.


Some things that can help teens with ADHD are:

1. Home education.

2. Family counseling and communication.

3. Regular exercise.

4. A change in diet.

5. Encouraging the ADHD teen to communicate their condition to their friends.

6. Help them discover what they are passionate about, then support them in all they do to become successful in that area.

There is no one single solitary cure-all answer. And one-size-fits-all doesn't work with ADHD, or any teen for that matter. Tailoring a total treatment plan is something your doctor can do or he may refer you to an ADHD specialist.

Be patient and love your teen for who God create him to be.


Discussion Group News

In our “Discussion Group” we talk about many interesting topics every week.
Here we find a private place to share with others, make friends, and ask questions of the Featured Experts on the site.

This week some of the topics we talked about were:

1. ADHD Awareness Week
The free classes were posted so we could join in if we wanted.

2. One member shared with us all the cute puppies her family has been raising. She talked about how this has changed their schedule and how she really wants to get back to normal.

3. I shared this quote about having patience, something I aspire to have more of everyday.

Impatience stems almost solely from our exaggerated notions of what is due us. If we could but lower our estimation of the importance of our time, our plans, and our feelings, we would find ourselves almost automatically more patient.

Patience is a……positive trait. It is the ability to bear affliction, delay and interruption with calmness, perseverance and confidence in the goodness of God. It is inward peace as well as outward control. It is the submission of our schedules, our viewpoints and our dreams to the greater plan of God, with the conviction that He has a good reason for every delay He allows to come our way.

Come join us! See what all the talk's about.


Tip of the Week

One of the things I've learned that has been helpful to our family is to involve your child in helping
someone else.

Too often children with learning disabilities fall into the "poor me" syndrome. Parents can put a stop to this while boosting their child's self-confidence by giving him or her the opportunity to help someone else.

Children with learning disabilities can successfully tutor younger children, help the elderly, work in homeless shelters, and babysit for other moms. Even very young children can serve others successfully.

Help your child find what they can do to be a service to others and this will also be a blessing to them.

Until next week.

Robin Dicks
www.DealingWithLearningDisorders.com

Virtual ADHD Conference

Here's a message from Dr. Kenny that I thought some of you reading may be interested in.

On September 22nd, the first Virtual ADHD Conference will begin.

This outstanding event can help you to find solutions for child, teen or adult ADD/ADHD.

And I want you to take a look at this website today, because an 'early bird' discount is ending in just a few days...

Visit: www.adhdvirtualconference.com, and if you are
interested in this event at all, then lock in
your discount now.
The price goes up by $50 by the end of the week.

This conference includes 20 Experts in the field of ADHD who will cover many aspects of ADD - including:

* Medications for ADHD
* Alternatives for ADHD
* Brain Imaging (SPECT Scans)
* Careers and ADD
* Social Skills
* Parenting for ADHD kids
* And much more...

==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==~
www.ADHDVirtualConference.com <== Lock in your discount today
==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==~==

~ Some of the top experts in the field will be speaking, including: * Dr. Edward Hallowell * Sari Solden, MS * Dr. John Ratey * Dr. Daniel Amen * Dr. Patricia Quinn * And many other experts, including myself...

I look forward to "seeing" you there.

Best, Dr. Kenny

p.s. This is a great way to attend a full conference about ADD/ADHD without having to leave home and spend money on travel costs. And if you act today, you can save an additional $50 by acting early... p.p.s. this early bird discount ends at the end of the week - so take action now (while it's still fresh on your mind) www.adhdvirtualconference.com

Medical Integrity Inc.

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Oakville, ON
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CA

Welcome to this week's Dealing With Learning Disorders Newsletter.

Featured Article

This week in Part II of Cindi Erickson's series of articles, My Life With ADD she writes about how she struggled in elementary school with having ADD and being in a classroom that taught two grades levels at a time.

She tells about how, because of having dyslexia and ADD, she was always distracted and wound up listening to the teacher teach the 'other class', instead of working on her own work.

She writes...

Thank God (literally) for giving me a very understanding, patient, and loving teacher who was willing to work with me and help me find ways to deal with my learning challenges.

Though it's been many years since I sat in Miss. Clarke's third grade class, I often think of her to this day. She was truly one of my biggest inspirations and encouragers who helped me learn that even though I had challenges in the way I learned, there were many ways to overcome and/or work with those obstacles and learn in spite of my physical and mental differences. Miss. Clarke truly was one of my 'Balcony People'!

Who is your balcony person? Are you a Balcony Person in your child(ren)'s life? If not, let me encourage you to start today. They'll thank you for a lifetime for being there for them, for teaching them how to overcome those hurdles that challenge them, and for encouraging them and standing by them when the rest of world may have turned their backs on them or made fun of them because of their differences.


Message Board News

This week Dr. Kenny Handelman shared with us a comment on an article he read about Micheal Phelps.

Here is some of what he said...

It was reported that his 3rd grade teacher recently wrote a letter to Mrs. Phelps - prior to the Olympics - to touch base with her about Michael. She remembered how Michael had struggled in school and had trouble focusing.
The teacher said - 'maybe Michael had trouble focusing because he didn't have a big enough goal to focus on'.
I thought this was profound, and it gave me goosebumps.
This comment likely applies to many kids/teens and adults with ADD/ADHD LDs. If the goal isn't compelling enough, they may just not have any interest in pursuing it.
So, let's help our kids find goals which are 'big enough' to interest and motivate them.

Come join us in our private community and share your thoughts on our message boards.


Tip of the Week

In addition to supporting your child's learning process at home, it is important to be involved with their learning in the public sphere as well.

If you child attends public school, it is important to meet with school personnel and develop an educational plan to address your child's needs.

Plan what accommodations your child needs in the classroom, and don't forget to talk about assistive technology!

Structure is key for reducing the stress level for children with learning disorders. Providing structure as best as possible within your family will help children know what to expect.

Structuring the entire family along with your LD/ADD child will provide the child with the guidance he needs.

To learn more on how to help your child who learns differently visit
DealingWithLearningDisorders.com

Catch ya next week.

Robin Dicks

Welcome to this week's Dealing With Learning Disorders Newsletter.

Featured Article

This week our Featured Expert Cindi Erickson shares about her life with ADD.

Here is some of what she wrote:

ADD may seem like a curse to some, but it really is a tremendous 'syndrome' to have. Just think, the world is your oyster and you just can't find enough hours in a day to take it all in!

All of us have some 'imperfection' that challenges us to overcome our particular 'hurdle' and learn how to function with and in spite of our 'thorn in the flesh'. Paul said, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh..." (2 Corinthians 12:7) ADD/ADHD happens to be one of those 'invisible' thorns in the flesh.

Sure, the symptoms are very visible. We're constantly on the go, excessively daydream, and often have problems with following instructions and/or finishing work. But, the 'syndrome' itself is invisible.

My son (also a fellow ADD'er) and I often talk about what our brains 'do'. The creative ideas and thoughts that rush through our minds, the 'bunny foo-foos' that overcome us during conversations. We feel blessed to have ADD. We don't know how we would function if we didn't have the cacophony of sounds, thoughts, and yes, sometimes vocal chatter, in our brains. It must be awfully lonely to be 'normal'! Thank God I'm not!

This article can be found in detail at My Life With ADD


Featured Videos

This week I posted the video interviews that I did with Featured Expert Blair Hill, on his life with Asperger's Syndrome. He talks about how his family was diagnosed and how he has learned to cope. You can see an Part I here on my YouTube channel. Part II and III are on the inside of the site. If you want to see more go here.


General Topics Discussions

This week in the we talked about a new book that is getting ready to be released by our Featured Expert, 15 year old Jennifer Smith. The book is called Dyslexia Wonders.

We talked about what we will would be doing for the Labor Day holiday and how we can make memories for our family.

Some of us shared our excitement for McCain's choice for Vice President, Sarah Palin, and how it might affect this country if McCain is chosen for president. She is mother of 5, pro-life, and has a down syndrome baby.

I love our private community where we can feel safe to talk about things that matter without feeling like the whole world is watching us.

Come join us!


Tip of the Week


Finding a system for chores is different for every family, and with
a child who has learning disabilities, it can be difficult.

While teaching a child a new chore, we tend to be more patient than
after he's been doing it for a while. Try to keep in mind, for some
children with learning disorders, some things can seem very easy for
them for the first day, and the next day you may have to teach them
from the beginning again.

Here is a way to teach a new chore, and to keep them able to do the
chore.

List chores appropriate for age and ability. Gradually work your way
up the list.
Start with short work periods, i.e., 10-20 minutes in length.
Increase the time as his/her interest grows.
Present the task in short directions and have the child repeat them.

Compliment on the job done. Try very hard not to redo it.
If the bed is not made the way you would have done it, then he did
it the way he knew best. Turn it into a teaching lesson and say,
"I like the way you did your best to make your bed, especially how
you pulled the bed spread up and tucked it in. Another good thing to
do is to lay the pillow straight, see?"

Always be prepared to redirect the child. Never take for granted
that the child remembers, but try not to hang over him while he is
doing the responsibility.

Do not allow your child to gain control of any situation.
You are to structure the tasks. If he throws a "fit" when given
responsibilities (that are appropriate for age and ability),
then he should be told,"When you are finished you may start with
your responsibilities."

Always encourage and be positive about learning new things. Don't
become impatient if it takes him longer than you think it should
to master a new skill.

Next week watch for part two of this message on responsibilities.

Have a great week!

--Robin Dicks

To learn more about how you can help your child with learning
disorders visit: DealingWithLearningDisorders.com

First Day of School for 2008-2009

Well our first day of school was suppose to start at 9:00 am today.

Of course I got called into work at 6:44 am. I work for juvenile intake for my county. When there is a child in need of care or a child arrested they call me and I go into the sheriff's dept. and process the kids information, put it into the computer and then access where the child needs to be released to.

So anyway, I got called in for one teenager and while process that kid they brought me two more that I needed to process. I was there until 12:45. Not what I had planned for the day.
I had planned to be done with school by then. So we just had to be flexible and do school this afternoon. We finished at 5:45.

Usually on the first day of school I take pictures of each of the kids and we all go out to eat and have ice cream at the same restaurant each year. That didn't happen today, but we'll do those things tomorrow and just pretend it's the first day.

I think we're going to love our new curriculum. I ordered it on Tuesday around midnight and I received it on Sat. That was fast shipping.

Here's to a great year of learning and growing together as a family.