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What is Childhood Disintegrative Disorder?

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Imagine that your child had a normal birth, seemed to be a healthy infant, and passed all his normal developmental milestones until age two. Even from the age of two to four, he was a cheerful toddler and child, smiling, developing language, and using the toilet. Then, gradually, he started to deteriorate. He began losing interest in other people socially, and his use of language seemed to regress. He started soiling himself, and developed curious motor behaviors, like hand-flapping. Little by little, what was once a normal child now appears to be autistic in nature. This is the agonizing reality … Continue reading →

Childhood Seizures: What Parents Should Know

If your child had a seizure, would you know it? And would you know what to do? What is a seizure? A seizure is a brief period of time when a person’s brain has a surge of electrical activity. The surge temporarily alters consciousness, perceptions, and/or muscle control. Children with Cerebral Palsy, Autism, mental retardation, or any neurological disorder are at higher risk for experiencing a seizure. It’s a good idea for parents to recognize the symptoms and know what to do. Possible signs of a seizure: Staring Spells. If your child has episodes of staring into space, make it … Continue reading →

What Are Invisible Illnesses?

“But you don’t look/act sick.” Have you heard these words or said them to a friend? Visible illnesses and conditions are easy to spot because the person may use a device like crutches or braces to assist in movement. They may limp, have an unusual posture, or make expressions of pain (physically or vocally) when they move. An invisible illness comes with few (if any) outward signs most (if not all) of the time. Some examples of invisible illness include: Asthma Depression Chronic pain Fibromyalgia Heart disease Diabetes Seizure disorders Osteoporosis Many people think of illness in terms of short-term … Continue reading →

EEG Neurofeedback: Can a Video Game Teach Your Child to Learn?

Since video games are captivating for most children, why not use them to teach developmentally delayed kids how to learn? Video games are now being used in connection with EEG neurofeedback, which has shown tremendous promise for children with ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Fox News Reported yesterday about the benefits of EEG (electroencephalogram) neurofeedback, where special electrodes are attached to a child’s head (it’s painless) to monitor brainwaves while he plays a stimulating video game. As long as the child remains tranquil and focused, the game will function properly. If the child’s brainwaves become erratic, the game … Continue reading →

Mental Retardation – Criteria and Lingering Questions

I must admit, I hesitated to write this blog. Experience has shown that some parents are extremely sensitive to the use of the term “mental retardation” when describing their children. I absolutely understand this. There can be very negative connotations with those two words, especially when neuro-typical kids use “retard” as a playground slur. I considered calling the blog “Cognitive Disabilities” or “Cognitive Delays,” but all the current literature I ran across (as recent as 2006) still use “mental retardation” (MR) as the diagnostic term to describe intellectual ability that is significantly below average. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of … Continue reading →

“My Child Keeps Staring into Space.” Is it ADHD? Or a Seizure Disorder?

Before we found the right medication and dose for my stepdaughter Sunni, who has ADHD, she would often stare into space. One of her teachers explained that Sunni would sit in her chair with her head tilted and her eyes focusing on some imaginary object far away. “I can always tell when I’ve lost her focus,” the teacher said. At home, Sunni occasionally would get glassy-eyed and drift into her own thoughts. I began to get a little bit concerned about it, so I mentioned it to her doctor. He wanted to be sure that the staring wasn’t a symptom … Continue reading →

When Your Child on the Autism Spectrum has RAGE

When I was a young mother with a newly-diagnosed autistic toddler, a woman came to my home to talk to me about her adult son with autism. What is interesting is that I do not remember who put us in touch or even her name. But she came for a visit, I suppose because I was just starting the journey, and she was a street-wise traveler. She shared some very frightening stories about her son. Our visit was not very helpful; it actually terrified me. Horror Stories She told me that once her son reached puberty, his episodes of rage … Continue reading →

Ten Ways to Help Your Child with Epilepsy Succeed in School

Childhood epilepsy can have a wide variety of causes. Head injury, infections of the brain, brain tumors, and genetic history could potentially be factors. However, in a great number of cases, no medical explanation for a child’s seizures can be determined. Children with epilepsy are eligible for special education, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). As the parent of a child with epilepsy, there are adaptations in the regular classroom setting which you can request (and insist upon) for your child. An IEP meeting should be conducted where you can discuss these adaptations specifically … Continue reading →

The Autistic Savant: When a Disabled Child has Extraordinary Gifts

Although my son Kyle, 13, is autistic, he has some phenomenal abilities. His memory is amazing. If you asked him the capital of any country in the world, or any state in America, he would answer instantly. Kyle the Geography Wiz What is the capitol of Mongolia? “Ulaanbaatar.” What is the capitol of Mozambique? “Maputo.” What is the capitol of Kazakhstan? “Astana.” What is the capitol of Mauritania? “Nouakchott.” Honestly, it’s fascinating. He will name the capitol of any country within a fraction of a second. You can’t stump him. He can also calculate all kinds of mathematical equations in … Continue reading →