Often when we think of Parkinson’s disease, we think of the physical aspects of the disease including tremor, balance problems, and slowed movements. However, it is not uncommon for patients with Parkinson’s disease to experience changes in mood and/or thinking as the disease progresses.Read More
Did you know that over 2.4 million students are currently diagnosed with a learning disability? Some people mistakenly think that having a learning disability means you can’t learn. In reality, learning disabilities change the way people process and understand information; having a learning disability does not mean a person can’t learn. Check out these extraordinary people with learning disabilities!
Generally speaking, learning disabilities are neurological disorders that may make it difficult for people to gain certain academic and social skills. For many school children, this can cause academic and social distress, particularly if their teacher doesn’t understand how they process information. There are many types of learning disorders, but some you may have heard of include:
Dyslexia – Characterized by difficulties in language processing and in reading, writing, spelling and speaking.
Dyscalculia – Characterized by difficulties with mathematical calculations
Dysgraphia – Characterized by difficulties in written thought
Dyspraxia – Characterized by impaired motor skills development
There are many different symptoms of learning disabilities but some include difficulty with reading, writing, calculation, or ability to follow directions in comparison to peers. If you suspect that your child may have a learning disability, please contact your school psychologist, school counselor, or search our database of psychologists to start developing a plan to improve psychological, academic and social functioning.
For additional information about learning disabilities, please review these resources:
- FindaPsychologist.org: Learning Challenges Self-Help Resources
- New York Times Article: The Upside of Dyslexia
- Teens Health: Learning disabilities – Information for kids
- National Center for Learning Disabilities: Information for parents
- National Center for Learning Disabilities: Video – What are learning disabilities?
Depending upon the severity of the disability and the adverse educational impact, how a disability is manifested in the school setting can vary substantially.Read More
It is natural to be concerned when you see your child struggling with focus and attention. Before jumping to conclusions, take some time to survey your child’s environment.Read More
Whether you feel stuck in a relationship, a repeated behavior, or another particular life situation, it isn’t hard to feel hopeless when you sense you need to break out of a pattern and don’t know how.Read More
Psychologist Spotlight: Having Vision, What I’ve Seen in Academically Successful Teens by Dr. Larry F. Waldman
In my nearly 40 years of practice as a psychologist I have had the opportunity to work with three adolescents who graduated at or near the top of their high school class. The one outstanding characteristic, I believe, that was common to all three of these students, which separated them from their classmates, is that they had vision.Read More
Parents regularly tell their children to “study hard” so they can get good grades, get into a good college, get a good job, and be successful. While children are encouraged to study, do they truly know what they should do? Research on effective studying generally recommends the followingRead More