Question: My daughter Aria is smart, funny, and curious, but she has trouble with reading, spelling, and writing. Her handwriting is illegible. The school tells me she meets their criteria for both giftedness and learning disabilities, but they can deal only with one special need at a time. They’ve chosen to deal with the learning disability. This is not working. Aria is unhappy and frustrated. How can I be the parent advocate Aria needs without giving up my day job?

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Question:  My 12 year old son, Justin, has had trouble reading, writing, spelling, and doing math on paper, since he was 5 years old. He’s terribly frustrated and unhappy at school, and has been bullied since second grade. The only modifications at school have been a laptop, and putting him a class for kids with learning disabilities and behaviour problems, which is only making things worse. Recently, Justin was assessed and found to be gifted (99.6^th percentile for Verbal Comprehension) as well as having learning disabilities (<1^st percentile in Processing Speed). I’m so worried. What can I do to make sure he doesn’t fall through the cracks?

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Music Links can be used by people wearing hearing aids or cochlear implant processors to listen to music on their iPods or MP3 players. They can also be plugged into laptops or iPads. As you see in the picture to the left, it is an actual “hook” that is placed behind the person’s ear, resting on the ear. The hearing aid or processor is then set to a telecoil setting and the sound from the device that the Music Link is plugged in to is sent to the hearing aid or processor. The first time Elijah used his Music Links his eyes just lit up! He was so excited to be able to hear!

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Traveling is not easy with children and traveling with a hearing impaired child adds a few extra challenges. This hasn’t kept us from traveling, but I have learned to be prepared.

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I have played the health insurance game since the day Elijah was born eight weeks premature. He came home on oxygen and has been on medication since the day he was born. He has also had two surgeries. Today was another day of playing this game!

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So, everyone tells you how important it is to read with your child.  HOWEVER, your child has needs that do not allow for full book reading.  No one understands how hard it is for you to sit down and get through one page!!!  I get it, it’s painful and frustrating, but it can be done.  A lot of it is just how you are going about reading!!

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I had the opportunity to interview a Mother and Daughter about their journey of living with Dyslexia. The Daughter shares the personal experience and the Mother shares it from the parent perspective. It is their hope that sharing their story can give other families insight, hope and tips on how to support a child with Dyslexia. 

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Elijah wears two cochlear implant processors and he uses Skin Its to decorate them. These make his “ears” more cool for him! They also help us determine which processor goes on which ear!

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Many of us learned and received our education the traditional way by going to a school and sitting in a classroom. We did this through kindergarten to grade 12 and some of us went on to college and/or university (and the many levels within those institutions). Some of us learned well in those settings and some of us did not. Some of us had access to higher education and some of us did not. 

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Question: My 8-year-old, Olivia, loves to read and has always enjoyed school. She’s been tested for the gifted program, and has made the cut. My husband doesn’t want her going into a class with a bunch of geeks and misfits, but the teacher thinks the gifted program is the best learning match for her. What should we do?

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My son Elijah has Tourette Syndrome and today is the start of Tourette Syndrome Awareness month. Tourette Syndrome is a very confusing disorder and it has been important for me as a parent to educate as many people as I can about this disorder.

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Elijah receives services from special education so we have an annual Individualized Education Plan(IEP) meeting. I will be attending one of these such meetings tomorrow.

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 Choosing  to medicate your child for a behavior problem is not an easy decision. It was one I made with a heavy heart, but I knew we had to try something. Medication has been my son’s savior.

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I am so frustrated with Inclusion!!  I am beyond irritated with what the United States, specifically Arizona declares inclusion is!!  Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, I am a teacher and not a parent, however I advocate for my students like they are my own.

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Animals and children – Do you have a pet at home?  Does he/she always get in the way?  Well, make that an opportunity to learn and teach!!  Animals are great reinforcers, they engage, excite and encourage learning.  Lilly is my dog, however, she is also a medical service dog for the school as well.

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