Parenting Children with ADHD, Autism & Learning Disabilities

How many times have you watched a person park in a handicapped spot and watched them get out of the car and walk away with no apparent difficulty? And didn’t you wonder why on earth they needed to park in a spot that might be needed for someone in a wheelchair? Well, many people have heart and respiratory and other conditions that limit their ability to walk distances. We just can’t see the problem.

The same situation exists in children with any type of learning disability. The problem is not obvious. It is very real however, and can interfere with performance at school. That sometimes makes it hard to accept and understand. One of the biggest issues is that of executive functioning.

Executive Function

Essentially it is a set of mental processes which help children connect past experience with present action. These brain functions allow us to make plans, keep track of time, finish work, ask for help, wait our turn, engage in meaningful discussions and research information as needed. Without these capabilities, children are likely to be unable to interact appropriately in school and complete required schoolwork. Child development skills such as executive functioning can emerge over time and in varying degrees with some children.

Children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder typically present with executive functioning issues. Until recently, it was assumed that inattention was the key problem in children with ADHD. It is now believed that ADHD is actually an executive function disorder. While it is true that all children will struggle with these skills at some point or another, children with ADHD and ASD have chronic problems with executive functioning.

In order to help a child improve their executive functioning skills, it is important to understand the specific components and why they are necessary for good school performance. These components have overlapping characteristics because of multifunctional componets. When all the skills are present, they work together to produce a desired outcome.

Here is a basic list of executive skills and their definitions:

Impulse Control – the ability to stop and think before acting
Flexibility – the ability to alter or revise strategies when circumstances change
Working Memory – the ability to retain information and use it to complete a task
Planning & Setting Priorities – the ability to determine what goal to focus on and what steps it will take to attain
Self-monitoring – the ability to assess your performance
Emotional Control – the ability to control feelings by focusing on goal
Task Initiation – the ability to start a task when necessary and not procrastinate
Organization – the ability to create and maintain methods of tracking materials and information

This group of skills works collectively to help your child interact appropriately, process information, and learn.  When one or more is deficient, learning problems arise. If you read descriptions of children with ADHD and other learning disorders, they are often cited as lazy, forgetful, disorganized, unable to complete assignments, prone to outbursts and prone to impulsivity. They may not start homework or complete it, may be disruptive in class or may be combative with peers. They can be sensitive to criticism, unyielding and defensive. All these traits are associated with poor executive functioning.

Now that you have an idea of how this problem manifests itself in your child, you can try some strategies to help your child improve. It all boils down to management. Good management yields productivity in the business world. The same is true when applied to your child. Understanding and patience is also necessary. It is easy to get exasperated when you don’t understand why your child doesn’t “get it”.

 

1. One of the best things you can do is break tasks into manageable steps. It is easy for a child to give up when they believe the goal is beyond their ability to achieve. Make each step an easy success by keeping short and attainable.
2. Use visual and audio aids to reinforce the task. If a child has difficulty with tasks such as getting dressed, post a visual schedule of dressing steps. Written instruction should accompany all oral instruction.
3. Give your child breaks between activities and ample time to adjust to a new activity prior to starting.
4. Keep a consistent schedule as much as possible. Maintain the same bedtime. Schedule homework to be done at a specific time and keep to it. You can split homework assignments so there is a substantial break in between if they have trouble staying on task.
5. Keep activity charts and post them where they can be easily viewed.
6. Reduce all distractions. Give one thing at a time and keep all other tasks out of line of vision.
7. Label everything your child needs for their schoolwork and for home workspace. Have a specific spot for each item.
8. Review homework assignments and maintain a checklist. Have your child check each assignment as it is completed.
9. Keep open communication with your child’s teacher and get regular feedback.

 

Keep in mind, many brilliant people have experienced these problems, such as, Albert Einstein, and that executive skill problems is not an indication of level of intelligence.

Did You Know?...

Powerful memory requires a healthy brain and the right nutrition. The brain uses tremendous amounts of energy and is the most metabolically active organ in the body-- it never completely rests. As a result, it has one of the highest rates of free radical production. These free radicals begin to destroy the structure of the brain, its connections and the cells. Unless you replace those damaged parts with nutrients, brain function starts to fall off more and more over time. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids are replaced extremely rapidly. If you are deficient in this nutrient, your brain begins to change its structure very quickly and soon (only 2 weeks) loses its ability to properly function because one of its vital components is missing. Americans consume an average of 129 pounds of sugar a year; 57% of it comes from processed foods.

For example, teenagers drink an equivalent of 54 teaspoons of sugar a day just from soda. Sugar consumption dramatically increases free radical generation in the brain. It produces cross-linking of the proteins in all cells which dramatically increases the damaging effect of these free radicals, making every cell in your body age much, much faster -- particularly brain cells. In some extreme cases, it can even result in permanent brain damage. Lack of Vitamin B-1 in the diet causes memory failure and depression. Consumption of a lot of carbohydrates depletes Vitamin B-1. Vitamins C, D, E, K, A, B and carotenoids are all associated with brain function. Animal fat impairs the ability to learn and remember, but healthy fats, such as Omega-3, improve depression, memory retention and thinking. This is because the brain uses an enormous amount of fatty acids for its membranes. Aspartame, MSG, pesticides, and herbicides in food; aluminum in deodorants; fluoride in the water; and mercury in vaccines may play a major role in brain toxicity and brain function decline. Excessive toxicity destroys brain cells.

Why Is Lower Back Pain So Common?

Low Back Pain: Why Is It So Common?

This question has plagued all of us, including researchers for a long time. Could it be because we’re all inherently lazy and don’t exercise enough? Or maybe it’s because we have a job that’s too demanding on our back? To properly address this question, here are some interesting facts:

• The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) is common, as 70-85% of ALL PEOPLE have back pain that requires treatment of some sort at some time in life.
• On a yearly basis, the annual prevalence of back pain averages 30% and once you have back pain, the likelihood of recurrence is high.
• Back pain is the most common cause of activity limitation in people less than 45 years of age.
• Back pain is the 2nd most frequent reason for physician visits, the 5th ranking reason for hospital admissions, and is the 3rd most common cause for surgical procedures.
• About 2% of the US workforce receives compensation for back injuries annually.
• Similar statistics exist for other countries, including the UK and Sweden.

So, what are the common links as to why back pain is so common? One reason has to do with the biomechanics of the biped – that is, the two legged animal. When compared to the 4-legged species, the vertically loaded spine carries more weight in the low back, shows disk and joint deterioration and/or arthritis much sooner, and we overload the back more frequently because, well, we can! We have 2 free arms to lift and carry items that often weigh way too much for our back to be able to safely handle. We also lift and carry using poor technique. Another reason is anatomical as the blood supply to our disks is poor at best, and becomes virtually non-existent after age 30. That makes healing of disk tears or cracks nearly impossible. Risk factors for increased back injury include heavy manual lifting requirements, poor or low control of the work environment, and prior incidence of low back pain. Other risk factors include psychosocial issues such as fear of injury, beliefs that pain means one should not work, beliefs that treatment or time will not help resolve a back episode, the inability to control the condition, high anxiety and/or depression levels, and more. Because there are so many reasons back problems exist, since the early 1990’s, it has been strongly encouraged that we as health care providers utilize a “biopsychosocial model” of managing those suffering with low back pain, which requires not only treatment but proper patient education putting to rest unnecessary fears about back pain.

How to Get New Patients Using the Dental Practice Dashboard

What Is The Dental Practice Dashboard?

The Dental Practice Dashboard is a fully automated system that utilizes, web, text messaging, social media, audio, video, email, and the phone to bring more patients into your office on total autopilot… and keep them as patients. The Dashboard was designed to eliminate the frustrating task of managing, creating, marketing and following up with dental patients. It can reach thousands of prospective patients in your area looking for your services every single day on total autopilot.

Research shows that 83% of people on the internet are looking for local businesses. This includes dental offices.  All the hard work is already done for you so that you can get more new patients,  and enjoy the financial benefits of having a thriving practice.

Sneak Peek Demo Video Of Live Webinar On Patient Reactivation System and Unconverted Lead System:

• It brings you new patients on total autopilot
• It generates and follows-up with patient leads for you
• It generates referrals for you on total autopilot
• It creates word of mouth buzz for you and your practice
• All the marketing materials are done
• Never worry about creating or buying another ad again

Learn How to Get More Dental Patients with the Dental Practice Dashboard

What Is The Dental Practice Dashboard?

Call: 800-975-7133 for a Free Trial

The Dental Practice Dashboard is a fully automated system that utilizes, web, text messaging, social media, audio, video, email, and the phone to bring more patients into your office on total autopilot… and keep them as patients. The Dashboard was designed to eliminate the frustrating task of managing, creating, marketing and following up with dental patients. It can reach thousands of prospective patients in your area looking for your services every single day on total autopilot.

Research shows that 83% of people on the internet are looking for local businesses. This includes dental offices.  All the hard work is already done for you so that you can get more new patients,  and enjoy the financial benefits of having a thriving practice.

Sneak Peek Demo Video Of Live Webinar On Patient Reactivation System and Unconverted Lead System:

• It brings you new patients on total autopilot
• It generates and follows-up with patient leads for you
• It generates referrals for you on total autopilot
• It creates word of mouth buzz for you and your practice
• All the marketing materials are done
• Never worry about creating or buying another ad again

Local Search for Small Businesses

Local Online Search & Your Business

 

Local search has become one of the most affordable and important ways for small businesses to be found by their customers. In a recent ComScore study, they found that 42% of local searchers wanted to find a business within 6-15 miles of their home or place of work. Searchers are looking for more relevance than ever before. With statistics like this, it’s more imperative you are giving those local users every opportunity to find your business.

The reality is that there are many factors that can contribute to a successful local, online presence. In today’s market, it takes being available at different times and in varied formats to reach the right audience. One of the main ways prospects can find you is through a local business listing. With prime placement right at the top of the search results page, these listings give a previously unheard of visibility to small and local businesses.
So what can you do reach that coveted prime placement?

Submit your listing

Seems pretty simple, right? Well, it’s a crucial step. Just submitting and verifying your listing can sometimes be enough in less competitive markets. Google takes the verified information as the most trusted, so make sure your listing is claimed.

Have only one, optimized listing for your business

When you submit your information to Google, you could have the option to choose existing business information, if it exists for your company. You don’t want to have competing listings out there, so always claim the existing information and optimize it- so there is only one active listing. I have seen claiming another listing significantly help a business rank better.

Choose correct categories for your business

Google provides different industry options for you to choose from. These are one of the main factors that determine which searches your listing could show for. Make sure these accurately describe your products and services.

Put your industry and target area in the title of your listing

This information helps Google, but it also improves your visibility for those keywords.
Be sure to use a local phone number in your listing- Using a local number lets both the user and the search engine know that you are in fact located where you say you are.
 

Create a description that’s informative

This descriptive area provides you the chance to give the most information about your company. Use your keywords and provide the details that would be valuable for your customer base.

Reviews are important. Positive reviews are a huge factor on whether or not someone will choose you business over another. Not only that, but the presence of reviews (both negative and positive) can increase the ranking of your listing. In some industries, I have seen listings perform better by simply having more reviews than their competitors.

Here is the Golden Grail List of Directories to maximize your business ranking locally:

Google.com/places
Local.Yahoo.com    
Bing Local    
Yelp.com    
YellowPages.com

MerchantCircle.com     
Business.Intuit.com    
Citysearch.com    
Superpages.com    
Local.com

InsiderPages.com     
DexKnows.com    
YellowBook.com    
HotFrog.com    
YellowBot.com

MagicYellow.com     
USCity.net    
MojoPages.com    
YellowUSA.com    
Somuch
Manta.com

 

Keep your listing up to date

Updating the information tells the search engines that it’s relevant. It can be as simple as updating a coupon, or other details. Make sure your listing is 100% complete. Don’t underestimate the value of having a completed listing. Google is all about the user experience, and a complete listing shows that your business is providing the most information.

Submit your info to other directories as well. Google actually pulls your business info from other sites, so it would behoove you to have accurate, standard information about your business from as many sources as possible.

This is just the beginning for your online visibility. The first steps to getting great rankings for your local listing. While there is no guarantee that following these steps will increase your rankings, an optimized listing almost always outperforms an un-optimized one. So, take the time, and see what you can accomplish. Do you have any other tips for local listings?

Health Update : Headaches

Headache – What Can YOU Do?

Headaches are one of the most common complaints for which patients seek chiropractic care.  Chiropractic is especially helpful in the treatment of headaches because the three nerves that exit the top of the spine (upper neck) are often the cause of or directly related to headaches. These three nerves travel into the head and have to pass through a very thick group of muscles in the upper part of the neck near where these muscles attach to the base of the skull.  This is why when you have headaches and rub the back of the neck, the muscles may feel tight and or tender.  In fact, if enough pressure is applied over one of these three nerves, pain will radiate into the head following the course of the nerve, sometimes all the way into the eyes.  When chiropractic treatment is applied in the upper neck region, a reduction of the headache and neck pain occurs because the muscle tension is decreased and joint motion is restored.

The International Headache Society (IHS) has classified headaches into two main categories, primary and secondary.  Primary headaches occur for no known reason and there are four groups of these: 1) migraine, 2) tension-type, 3) cluster, and 4) “other” primary headaches. Secondary headaches are those with a specific cause such as sinus/allergy headaches, those associated with eye strain, a known medical condition or those due to cold or flu.  Both migraine and cluster headaches are “vascular” (related to the blood vessels expanding inside the head) resulting in a unique set of symptoms that includes nausea, vomiting, pounding/throbbing and can be quite debilitating. 

The most common type is the tension-type of headache.  A thorough history is necessary because there is no specific diagnostic test (lab or blood test) for tension-type headaches.  Hence, the concept is to make sure the headache is not related to some other condition that is diagnosable by a blood or lab test and if present, having that condition properly managed.  So, assuming all the tests come back “normal” and all other causes have been eliminated or “ruled out,” the most common type of tension-type headache is “episodic” or, occurs off and on, lasting minutes to days.  The pain is usually described as, “…my whole head hurts.”  There is typically tightness or tension (NOT throbbing) described in the neck muscles and the intensity ranges from mild to moderate, not usually severe, where laying down is needed.  Physical activity does not usually make it worse and there is no sickness to the stomach (nausea/vomiting), and no intense reaction to bright lights or noise (like there is with migraine & cluster types of headaches).  There are sub-types of tension headaches that can occur simultaneous with migraines headaches, but the classic “aura” (a before the headache warning associated with migraine headaches) is usually not present.

Chiropractic treatment typically includes manipulation and mobilization of the neck, muscle release techniques, physical therapy modalities like electric stimulation, ultrasound, and others, exercise, stress and diet/nutritional management.