So many from which to choose
There are many school options for parents; brick-and-mortar public schools, public cyber schools, private schools, specialized alternative placements, and homeschooling to name a few. Parents are often left wondering which is the best option for their child, especially parents of children with special needs. (more…)
How it all starts
It usually begins innocently enough; your child isn’t feeling well and wants to sleep in your bed. One night turns into two, then three… Or your infant child has colic and is difficult to soothe and you find yourself often falling asleep with your child, year after year. In either case, as well as countless other potential scenarios, the end result is the same; your child is consistently sleeping in your bed and won’t sleep alone in her own bed. (more…)
Yes, it’s that time
Yes, it’s tough to even think about the Fall, but nevertheless it's time to prepare for the 'back to the school' routine.
Summer vs School Routine
Need I mention the difference between summer and school-year routine? If you start about 2-3 weeks out, it’s much easier to ship your kids into shape. Otherwise, it’s a culture-shock for your child, and not too pleasant for you either. (more…)
Fuss
Written by Dr. John Carosso
There has been lots of fuss about the DSM-V and the autism diagnosis; will it result in less children meeting diagnostic criteria and therefore less children getting the services they need? Is this concern legitimate? I’ve written about this in prior posts, but here I’ll provide further elaboration. (more…)
Subtle difference?
Well, it’s really not so subtle. It’s the difference between labeling your child, or simply describing an annoying and transient behavior. (more…)
At cpcwecare.com you can find a bunch of helpful parenting resources.
Here are a few:
Check out our TV programs from “CPC Presents” covering any number of topics including:
o Facts and fallacies about autism
o Teenage cutting
o Understanding fears and phobias
o Facts and fallacies about ADHD
o Trichotillomania
o Selective mutism
o Managing behavior problems
o Bipolar Disorder in Children
o Video game addiction
o Back to school anxiety
o ADHD and Learning Disabilities
o Child custody issues
o Childhood sleep disorders
o And more
· We have a link to the AppleTreeInstitute.com site that offers on-line step-by-step guidance on how to effectively manage children with autism and/or behavioral challenges. We also have a link to our dyslexiatreaters.com website. (more…)
1. The School District Does not have to evaluate your child just because you submit a signed request to evaluate.
When you submit a written and signed request for an evaluation, the school district has 15 days to meet as a team, discuss your child’s educational needs, and provide a written response with indication of a game-plan to meet your child’s needs. That “game-plan” does not necessarily need to include a referral to the school psychologist for an educational evaluation. It may, rather, include any number of other options including modifications to how the classwork is assigned. However, you can appeal their feedback and request due process in that regard.
2. To determine eligibility for special education services, most Districts still use the 15 point discrepancy rule
If your child is evaluated by the school psychologist, various tests are administered (IQ, Academic…). The scores are listed as “Standard Scores” with an average of 100 (average runs from 90 to 109). There generally needs to be a 15 point “discrepancy” or difference between the IQ score and the academic scores (reading, math…) for a child to be deemed eligible for special education (Specific Learning Disability). For example, if the child obtains an IQ of 100, then it’s expected the reading and math scores will also be about 100 (it’s expected that the child will achieve at the same level as their IQ). However, if the reading or math scores are 85, that’s a 15 point difference and would qualify the child for special education (under the classification of a Specific Learning Disability). Less than a 15 point difference would preclude qualification. Other factors are also considered including PSSA scores, grades, work effort, prior opportunity for being appropriately educated, and English language proficiency. However, the 15 point rule is often primary.
3. The 15 point discrepancy model is why many kids, who may need special education, don’t qualify
It can be quite challenging to obtain a 15 point discrepancy, especially in the lower grades, and even more-so if a child has a lower IQ, say in the low average range. For example, if a child has an IQ Standard Score of 82 (low in the low average range), then the reading and math standard scores would have to be as low as 67, which is quite deficient and unlikely except in the most severe of situations. So, kids who have a lower IQ, and who are often in most need for special education, are often excluded. Keep in mind that, in this scenario, a child with a Standard Score of 70 in Reading is clearly struggling, but does not qualify because there is less than a 15 point discrepancy. This is a situation that most school districts acknowledge as a problem and try to provide alternative options such as Title I and similar programs.
4. The benefit of using grade-equivalents in addition to standard scores
A child may have a Standard Score of 87 in reading comprehension, which is at the upper end of the “low average” range and, on the surface, does not appear significantly deficient and often would not lead to a child meeting criteria for special education (under the classification of a specific learning disability). However, despite the low average score, the grade-equivalent (the grade-level on which the child is working) for that child may be two grades behind, truly revealing the degree to which the child is struggling. Most often, grade-equivalents are not listed in the report, and their importance tends to be down-played for various reasons I won’t bore you with today. However, I’ve found that grade-equivalents are important and need to be reviewed, discussed, and taken seriously during team meetings.
5. A classification of “specific learning disability” or “learning disability”, used by the school district, is essentially synonymous with “dyslexia”
The terminology used by school districts (Specific Learning Disability, Other Health Impairment…) comes straight from the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg. This Department tells the Districts what terms they must use to receive funding. Consequently, school districts use the term “specific learning disability (SLD)”. It’s important to know that well over 90% of all kids who fall under the classification of SLD, have dyslexia (or dysgraphia, or dyscalculia…). In that regard, the reason they have a specific learning disability is because they have dyslexia. I’ve written at length about dyslexia, so feel free to read my prior posts about that disorder on the cpcwecare.com blog.
What does this mean for you?
In summary, there are lots of accommodation options besides directly referring to the school psychologist for an evaluation. In fact, you may find the process faster and smoother to receive feedback from the team regarding simple and efficient things they can do, now, in the classroom to help your child, and things you can do at home rather than waiting 60 days for the school psychologist to complete and present evaluation results. This is especially true given that a 15 point discrepancy is often needed for eligibility to receive special education services, and the chances are not great your child will have that discrepancy; especially in the lower grades. A 504 Plan may be more than sufficient and is much faster to develop. A 504 Plan is used for children who have a diagnosis for which various modifications can be used to ensure they have the same opportunity for an appropriate education as everyone else. It’s often used, for example, with kids who are diagnosed with ADHD. Ultimately, however, it’s vital to obtain information about what you can do at home to help your child learn. Again, see my prior posts about dyslexia (learning disabilities) for specific tips and suggestions.
Also, feel free to email me at jcarosso@cpcwecare.com
Dr. John Carosso
We are delighted to announce:
Apple Tree Institute
AppleTreeInstitute.com is an Online Training program offering videos and webinars to help parents of children with autism and/or with behavioral problems.
Our goal is to make the site as helpful, user-friendlyand cost-effective as possible.
We would be indebted if you would view the Web site at AppleTreeInstitute.com, and share your thoughts with us about other topics that you'd like covered, and any suggestions to improve the Web site?
Please forward your thoughts to Dr. Robert Lowenstein, M.D. at r4lowe@gmail.com and Dr. John Carosso at jcarosso@cpcwecare.com.
Thank you again - your feedback is vital and appreciated.
Dr. John Carosso
Pathologizing?
There is wide-spread belief that children are over-diagnosed and over-prescribed, which implies that some kids are ‘just being kids’ and we’re pathologizing them, i.e. giving them a diagnosis, counseling, and medication when we should, rather, be sensitive and accommodating to the wide-spectrum in children’s activity-level and ability to attend. Is this an accurate perspective?
Just the facts Mam’
First, lets look at the stats: Rates of children, ages 4-17, diagnosed with ADHD are at about 7.8% (according to a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), which is not especially high, and stimulant prescription rates range between 4.3% and 4.4%, which you can see is substantially lower than 7.8%. Also, in that same survey, it was found that only 48% of the ADHD sample had received any mental health care over the prior 12 months, which would suggest children are, actually, being under-treated.
How is the diagnosis made?
To make the point further, if a clinician uses a strict clinical protocol, false-positives (inaccurate diagnosis) should be kept to a minimum. I provide a thorough explanation of the evaluation process in my video on the ‘evaluation process’
But here is a quick overview of specifically what is needed for an ADHD diagnosis: Click Here to Watch YouTube Video
-The child must have a long-history of demonstrating the core ADHD symptoms of inattention, impulsitivity, and hyperactivity. ADHD does not suddenly ‘spring-up’ one day after years of attentiveness. It’s usually something teachers and parents see from as early as the pre-school years.
-The signs are seen in multiple locations (school, home, community…).
-The problem is really getting in the way of the child’s functioning.
-Someone else in the family also has a similar problem with inattention, impulsivity… (ADHD tends to run in the family).
The problem cannot be explained better by some other malady. For example, if the child is distressed, depressed, anxious, or has learning issues, that may explain the symptoms better than ‘ADHD’. In that regard, if a child is experiencing some sort of stress or serious problem, it’s likely he or she will be preoccupied and subsequently have trouble concentrating.
So you can see…
If this protocol is followed, it’s far more likely that there will be an accurate diagnosis, and an effective treatment plan can then be established. I’ve written at length about proper strategies to address ADHD (please see my prior blog posts) that include a consistent and predictable routine, visual reminders, an organized environment, extra attention and assistance, counseling to improve insight and coping strategies and, in some cases, a medication consultation.
Questions?
If you have questions about this process or your child’s diagnosis, email me at jcarosso@cpcwecare.com or call the office. I’d be happy to answer your concerns.
Dr. John Carosso
Without further ado, here they are:
1. ASSUME CONTROL
Control based in Action/Relationship
Don’t entertain explanations
Project self-confidence
Business-like
Give direction, don’t make requests
2. AVOID ARGUMENTS AND EMOTION
Cut-off communication if child becomes belligerent
Avoid reasoning with child
Give direction and walk away
Communicate: It’s your problem, not mine
1-2-3 Magic
3. PLAN FOR NEXT TIME
Discuss ahead of time what will happen if noncompliant
Also discuss between parents – PLAN AHEAD and BE ON THE SAME PAGE
Predetermined expectations and consequences (behavior charts…)
Most problem behavior is predictable and patterned
Be consistent
Don’t give a direction if not ready to back-it-up (each time you do that, you lose some control)
4. DON’T LECTURE
Brief and to the point
Humor
No emotion (be the James Bond of parents)
Don’t explain or lecture
1-2-3 Magic
5. FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR; BE SPECIFIC
Be specific (what you want, and what you like)
No emotion, model self-confidence
Don’t focus on “attitude” – focus on behavior
6. AVOID DISTRACTIONS
Turn off TV, video games
Remove siblings
Remove siblings, friends
No distractions during confrontations and chores
7. USE POSITIVE PRAISE AND EMOTION
Catch them being good
Whisper (softer and closer)
You get what you praise
Attention-Tank (fill child’s attention tank with positive praise)
8. SELF-DISCLOSURE
Use judiciously and cautiously
I-Feel Statements (“I feel frustrated when you ignore me…”)
Tell them how you feel, don’t show them (control your emotional response)
9. ROLE MODEL APPROPRIATE PROBLEM-SOLVING
‘What you do speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you say’
Words and emotion are your enemy (brief, no emotion)
Role model effective problem-solving
10. PICK YOUR BATTLES
Be flexible
Check-in later
Dr. John Carosso
