KidSource Calendar/Learning and Other Disabilities

Resources for Parents

When the possibility first arises that your child might have a disability, try to learn as much as you can. If you find yourself getting defensive and denying that there might be a disability, it'll only delay help. Information is key.

Preventing Parent Burnout should be priority reading for every parent of a learning disabled child.

Public school districts (in the U.S.) are required to offer special services to those in need from the age of three. Don't wait until kindergarten before you approach your local school district to see what services might be available for your disabled child.

If your child has been diagnosed with something you feel unfamiliar with and unprepared for, please consider getting a second opinion. The specialist that's chosen can make all the difference in how your child is treated.

Check out the NICHCY Directories of Summer Camps For Children With Disabilities.

Every decade the trend seems to change on whether a separate special ed class works best, or if inclusion in the "regular" classroom is optimum. Every child is unique, every teacher is unique, and every school is unique. Work with the principle players to decide what's best for your child.

It's time to spring clean! Help your child to stay organized by cleaning out your kids' closets using plastic tubs and bins, then label them for continued organization.

The article General Information about Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder provides good background information.

10 Tips for Developing Organizational Skills in Children can help your child--and you!--with lifelong skills.

ADHD and giftedness often share similar traits. Some children are both. Read more in ADHD and Children Who Are Gifted .

ADD/ADHD became the diagnosis du jour of the '90s. Yes, it's probably been over diagnosed. Keep in mind that a specialist needs to make the diagnosis; not a friend, not a teacher. Obtain second opinions if necessary.

KidSource has an entire section with numerous articles on ADD/ADHD. Read the summaries to see which article might be appropriate for your family.

Strategies for Dealing with ADD in the Classroom has practical steps parents and teachers can take to enable a child with ADD to learn and succeed.

The Feingold Association explains the importance of building self esteem in all children in this article.

Understand more about various learning disabilities in the article of the same name.

Approximately 20 to 30 percent of school-age children have difficulties learning to read. Developing Reading Skills in Young Children helps to explain this fact.

Myths About LD is a good eye-opener.

Rights and Responsibilities of Parents of Children with Disabilities explains current public law in the United States.

For those worried about a possible speech and/or language delay, the articleEarly Identification of Speech-Language Delays and Disorders is a must.

Helping Your Child with Organization and Study Skills tells how to assist your child with study, note-taking and other important skills.

Learning Strengths in the Midst of Learning Disabilities explains how these skill impairments have little to do with a child's intelligence. In fact, most learning-disabled children have normal or higher intelligence.

Check out the National Resources and Organizations for the Disabled page on KidSource OnLine.

Find helpful information in the article A Parent's Guide To Doctors, Disabilities, And The Family.

This is a good article providing a general overview on Learning Disabilities.

In order to help children get organized to get their homework done, create a competition chart using stars or stickers; it is very motivating for kids. Also try a similar chore chart. This can work for all children, not just those with organizational difficulties.

Summer Reading Tips for Parents is a useful article at the web site for The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities, a collaborative public awareness effort.

Helping Young Children With Learning Disabilities at Home is an article with symptoms of and suggestions and recommendations for learning disabled children.

Read the article Assistive Technology for Students with Mild Disabilities for recent advances in technology-related help in the classroom.