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Do You Know the Signs and Symptoms of ADHD? By : Dr. Kari Miller Many parents wonder if their active child’s behavior is a bit too active, or if their child is a bit too distracted and forgetful. With the American education system expecting more and more of our kids at younger ages, parents are not always sure if their child’s behavior is normal or if something more may be going on. Understanding the Mental Skills Affected by ADHD By : Dr. Kari Miller This article discusses the types of mental abilities affected by ADHD and gives examples of academic tasks that use these mental abilities. If you know how your child’s mental abilities are affected by ADHD, you can predict what kind of tasks he will have difficulty with and provide support in those areas. The key to understanding ADHD is realizing that the symptoms go far beyond “difficulty paying attention” and often affect many aspects of a person’s life. Tests Are Necessary To Diagnose ADHD and ADD By : Dr. Kari Miller It is inappropriate and dangerous for a family physician, teacher or parent to decide that a child has ADHD based only on the symptoms the child displays. It is even more dangerous to begin treatment based on this careless diagnostic process. But this often happens in America. Tests provide insight and clarity when determining whether a child has ADHD or another disorder that has similar symptoms, such as anxiety disorder, and therefore, administering these tests is essential. Effective Treatments for ADHD By : Dr. Kari Miller I am often asked for my opinion about the use of medication to support kids with ADHD. The metaphor of eyeglasses is a great one for thinking about the use of medication for a kid with ADHD. If your child is nearsighted or farsighted, naturally, you provide the physical tools necessary for him to see clearly so he can participate fully in life. Special Needs Kids & Homework: Change the Cycle of Frustration & Failure Into Achievement & Success By : Dr. Kari Miller The homework routine often becomes an activity that neither parent nor child look forward to, especially when kids have special learning needs. Here are some tips to make the homework experience as efficient and as stress-free as possible. Make Your Special Needs Child’s School Transition Easier By : Dr. Kari Miller Parents of children with special learning needs such as autism, ADD and learning disabilities want to be sure that their child’s move to a new grade level, teacher, or school is as smooth and comfortable as possible. Try the following tips to increase your child’s chances of a smooth transition. Summer Reading Tips for Parents of Special Needs Kids By : Dr. Kari Miller Reading is a highly complex, integrated activity that daunts as many as 33 percent of the population. Even if your child is a good reader, this skill is so important that he or she needs to read, read, read from the time he starts first grade until he graduates from college! Comprehension depends on several things, including a large vocabulary. During their school years, children should be learning several thousand new words per year. Most of these words are learned by reading. Summer Writing Fun for Special Needs Kids By : Dr. Kari Miller Expressing one’s thoughts in written form is one of the most difficult academic tasks there is. The demands of writing are immense: figuring out what you want to say, thinking about spelling and grammar, using words that move and inform your reader, and coordinating the movements of your hands as you type or use a writing implement. For special needs kids, writing is often one of their biggest challenges. What kind of learning problems qualify a child for special education services? By : Dr. Kari Miller Children don’t always thrive in school. Naturally, parents wonder whether the bumps in the road their children experience are signs of learning disorders or reflective of normal developmental ups and downs. One of the keys to answering this question is to understand the specific learning roadblocks children can experience. Warning Signs Your Child May Have a Learning Problem By : Dr. Kari Miller Children don’t all learn at the same rate, and we don’t expect them to! If your child is having difficulty with school tasks, you should keep your eye on his or her progress, keep a log of your observations, and obtain detailed information from your child’s teacher about your child’s performance in class. If your child has difficulties in specific tasks or skills (such as learning the relationships between sounds and letters) don’t wait to seek advice!