Special pencil: Dixon TRI-CONDEROGA HB 2

Victory! We have found a pencil that helps my child. I quote him directly: "it feels triangular not like those pencils at school. It doesn't hurt your fingers because it's softer. It's made my writing look beautiful"

I will upload a picture as soon as I have time. Basically it's triangular shape and is fatter than a regular pencil and is black with some kind of soft coating.

Neo keyboard writing and spelling game

We have been experimenting with the Alpahsmart Neo keyboard further, to much success. It's a very handy device to prompt output. An interesting game to try is typing messages to each other. My child is particular responsive to this. So a parent or sibling types a question or comment, then passes the keyboard to the child and the child types a reply. Usually it's just fun messages like: do you want a cup of tea? Who do you think will win the hockey tonight?

Today we tried an alternative with a spelling angle. I would deliberately type mistakes in my messages and see if my child could spot them. It's much easier to spot spelling errors when it's someone elses message.

The other thing I like about the NEO is it's so light, so it's like handing over an average sized book and the keyboard is manageable for small fingers because the keys are bigger.

This exercise also works very well with pen and paper, but use the keyboard when the child is fatigued and doesn't feel like writing, or if you want to get some typing practice in.

Study Puts Rate of Autism at 1 in 150 U.S. Children

Study Puts Rate of Autism at 1 in 150 U.S. Children


About one child in 150 develops autism or a related disorder like Asperger’s syndrome by the age of 8, according to a study released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study, which looked at cases of so-called autism spectrum disorders in 14 states in 2000 and 2002, is the most rigorous analysis to date of the disorders’ prevalence in the United States. It confirms recent estimates, which put the number at roughly one in 160 children — higher than the one-in-200 estimate made in the 1980s.
The analysis also found that delays in diagnosis were common: an average of at least a year and a half from the time parents first reported odd speech problems or other social deficits, typically around the age of 3.

Read rest of article on New York Times here

Channel 4 documentary: child genius

Article about Channel 4 programme that will go out tomorrow at 8pm.

Michael is one of the high-achieving children in a new Channel 4 series which documents the lives of 10 gifted children growing up in the UK and regularly updates us on their progress, Seven-Up style.

rest of article is here

Batch of news links

Quick round up of some recent articles that may interest parents/readers with children who have ADHD or symptoms related to it.

New Guidelines For GP's Revolutionise Treatment For Hyperactivity Disorders

Australian story:
Poor city boys top ADHD medication
CITY dwellers are five times more likely to be prescribed hyperactivity stimulants than people living in remote areas, research shows.


British news story:
'They're calling my son ineducable'


Nearly 3,000 of the 20,000 adult students with learning difficulties have lost their college places. Polly Curtis reports on a war of words over what such students need

Also check out comments on post dysgraphia vs written output disorder with some first hand tips for tackling ADHD from Brent..

Batch of news links

Quick round up of some recent articles that may interest parents/readers with children who have ADHD or symptoms related to it.

New Guidelines For GP's Revolutionise Treatment For Hyperactivity Disorders

Australian story:
Poor city boys top ADHD medication
CITY dwellers are five times more likely to be prescribed hyperactivity stimulants than people living in remote areas, research shows.


British news story:
'They're calling my son ineducable'


Nearly 3,000 of the 20,000 adult students with learning difficulties have lost their college places. Polly Curtis reports on a war of words over what such students need

ADHD in youth may be misdiagnosed for sleep disorders

BALTIMORE - Frenzied and restless behavior in a teenage son or daughter may signal they need more pillow time.


Teens do not exhibit the same signs of sleepiness as adults, and therefore distracted or overexcited behavior caused by fragmented sleep may masquerade as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, said Dr. Robert Meny, a sleep specialist at the Sleep Center at Franklin Square in Baltimore City.

“A tired child is an irritable, hyper child,” he said, whereas adults tend to be more subdued when they are sleepy.

more here