Stars 4 Kidz

Archive for September, 2009

As a chiropractor, I certainly employ 21st century skills in my practice. There have been amazing innovations in chiropractic health care equipment that continue to be beneficial in many ways, but the roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the beginning of recorded time. Writings from China and Greece written in 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering of the lower extremities to ease low back pain. I still use those skills as well! I don’t believe that we need to completely let go of the past to embrace the benefits of today’s discoveries. That’s why I was very disturbed when I read an article on the Discovery website. Apparently, what used to be called “penmanship” is being shunted aside at schools across the country in favor of 21st century skills.

The decline of cursive is happening as students are doing more and more work on computers, including writing. In 2011, the writing test of the National Assessment of Educational Progress will require 8th and 11th graders to compose on computers, with 4th graders following in 2019.

Call me “old fashioned,” but I enjoy sending and (definitely) enjoy receiving a handwritten card or note, especially from my children. There is a certain “feel” to handwritten missives that an e-mail just cannot convey. And, what about the individual, nearly-impossible-to-precisely-duplicate personal signature? Even that lovely insight into our unique personalities is falling by the wayside. The article told of a mother’s shock that her eight-grade daughter was unable to sign her own name!

“We need to make sure (children will) be ready for what’s going to happen in 2020 or 2030,” said Katie Van Sluys, a professor at DePaul University and the president of the Whole Language Umbrella, a conference of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Yes, I would agree that we want our children to be able to succeed in the global market. But, by 2020 or 2030, even though automobiles will likely be obsolete, should we dispense with teaching our children how to ride a bicycle? Some things from the past bring joy to the present.

Handwriting may increasingly be something people do only when they need to make a note to themselves rather than communicate with others, but on the other hand, if our children lose the ability to write (or never learn how), will they be unable to converse with themselves in writing?

“Text messaging, e-mail, and word processing have replaced handwriting outside the classroom,” said Cheryl Jeffers, a professor at Marshall University’s College of Education and Human Services, and she worries they’ll replace it entirely before long. “I am not sure students have a sense of any reason why they should vest their time and effort in writing a message out manually when it can be sent electronically in seconds.” For Jeffers, cursive writing is a lifelong skill, one she fears could become lost to the culture, making many historic records hard to decipher and robbing people of “a gift.”

Certainly there are those, like Jeffers, who still continue to believe in the handwritten word, e.g., Montessori Schools. At Mountaineer Montessori in Charleston, teacher Sharon Spencer stresses cursive to her first- through third-graders. By the time her students are in the third grade, they are writing book reports and their spelling words in cursive. To Spencer, cursive writing is an art that helps teach them muscle control and hand-eye coordination.

This should not be an “either/or” situation and we need to address the pros and cons before it’s too late. Get in touch with your local school board, “write” a letter to those involved in policies on education at the state and federal levels. Let’s not let handwriting become extinct.

For the full story,  go to discovery.com

Technorati Tags: children and computers, cursive writing, handwriting

As a chiropractor I treat many children. Pediatric chiropractic can help boost a child’s immune system, get rid of headaches, improve gait and posture, and even help with bedwetting. Unfortunately, severe illness can’t always be prevented and sometimes children need special medical treatment in a hospital. If you’ve been with a hospitalized child then you know how frightening it can be for him or her. So I was thrilled to read that Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA has a new mobile tool to deliver music therapy and help pediatric patients cope with the fear, isolation and pain associated with being in the hospital.

Music therapy is used to help alleviate pain, improve a young patient’s mood, stimulate movement and communication, calm anxieties and fears, promote relaxation, and make the hospital feel more like home. The Music Rx unit is a high-tech, interactive studio on wheels that includes everything necessary for music therapy, both in group settings and one-on-one. It holds a variety of instruments, including drums, keyboards and guitars, as well as Apple GarageBand software for recording music, a custom-built iPod docking station with 10 iPods to loan, and a large LCD screen that plays hundreds of music videos.

The Music Rx cart was donated to UCLA’s Child Life/Child Development Services department by the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), with support from the Starlight Children’s Foundation. UCLA is one of first hospitals to participate in the CCA’s nationwide expansion of the Music Rx program, which began in Portland, Oregon. A CCA study of Music Rx showed that the program had a positive effect on a child’s mood, family bonding and pain scores, compared with those who did not receive the music therapy.

A second component of the Music Rx program features a live music element, with professional harpists, cellists, flautists and other community musicians playing soothing music in the pediatric hallways.

When children are seriously ill, they need more than conventional medicine. Music therapy may be the answer.

For more information, go to: medicalnewstoday

Technorati Tags: hospitalized children, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, music therapy

As a chiropractor and children’s health advocate I was very excited when I read the article in the New York Times this morning about the crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration on the sale of flavored cigarettes. The announcement was made by Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, commissioner of food and drugs. The ban is intended to end the sale of tobacco products with chocolate, vanilla, clove and other flavorings that lure children and teenagers into smoking. The agency will study regulating menthol products and hinted that it might soon take action against the far larger market of flavored small cigars and cigarillos. “These flavored cigarettes are a gateway for many children and young adults to become regular smokers,” Dr. Hamburg said in announcing the ban.

Laws are required, and should be strenuously enforced, when there seems to be no conscience on the part of big business, especially when it comes to the health of our children. This ban is wonderful news as studies show that every day 3,600 children and teenagers start smoking and 1,100 become daily smokers.

Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, hailed Tuesday’s announcement and said it clearly applied to flavored small cigars that are virtually identical to cigarettes. “The F.D.A. demonstrated that they’re serious about enforcing the ban on flavored cigarettes and serious about preventing tobacco companies from circumventing that ban with other tobacco products that appeal to children,” Mr. Myers said.

For the full article and sources, go to: nytimes.com

Technorati Tags: childrens health, flavored cigarettes, Food and Drug Administration

Hi would like to know your experiences of having dyslexia and studying at the same time. What do you do to overcome difficulties?

Oh my goodness I am dyslexic and currently studying, and due to another medical condition the dyslexia is causing me some real issues, I have to do a lot reading for research assignment.

However these are the things that I am currently using, to help a little.

A list of the most commonly misspelt words
Spelling rules such as I before E except after C (I only learnt this a few years ago).
Homophones is handy too, as it is not unusual to confuse similar sounding words such weather/ whether. (Laminate them and keep a copy on the fridge, and a copy to keep in my folder).

Ask teachers to write each paragraph in different colours, so I can keep track of were I am if copying from the board. (Some teachers were more than happy to do this, other not so).

Class handouts to be on coloured paper, for my daughter and I its a cream or buff colour. I now take coloured paper so my note taker can copy assignments and class notes onto the coloured stuff, which really does help with reading.

For reading text books etc, I use a coloured overlay. When reading I take my time, but at the moment it has been extremely difficult, because after half an hour of reading causes nausea and a mean headache.

I start on assignments as soon as I get it. Most teachers are happy to check on progress if asked. This year I have asked for one extension for an assignment.

I use a computer to do assignments etc, ensuring I use spell check to keep spelling mistakes in check.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is an excellent computer program which does word processing, and uses speech recognition, that allows you to dictate your work. (My daughter used this program and loves it).

Another is Read & Write gold which I am trying to get, for my self, and I can scan in text books etc, and it will read it to me.

When doing tests/exams, ask if I am allowed to take note paper in with me, if its a multi choice test, ask if I can mark the question sheet, this helps by crossing out the incorrect answers. Or ask for a verbal exam is done, or for extra time to complete the exam.

Thankfully my lecture is very supportive, and has granted me an extension for the research assignment. And have only had a few exams, which I passed with very little help.

The link below shows what dyslexics see when trying to read.

Edit;
The coloured overlay comes in different colours, because no person is exactly the same. I know someone who uses a yellow colour which makes me feel sick, but a pink & blue work for me.
This the same for printing out notes etc on coloured paper, I use a cream or a light blue.

I am a preschool teacher in an integrated childcare centre, and I have a child with autism in my class. I have never worked closely with a child with autism before, and he seems to have trouble managing his behaviour. He mainly hits, kicks, and pushes the other children. What strategies can I use to help him learn other methods of expressing his upset with the other children?

I would use a social story with him…..they are simple short stories that help the child learn to self monitor his behavior. I would also try a token system of reinforcement, something that you can show him easily and discreetly to let him know that he is displaying appropriate behavior, keeping hands and feet to self, for a small discreet reward. If he does start to have a tantrum or start to display negative behaviors and can’t calm down try removing him from the situation, and letting him have a small area, "break room" where he can deal with his frustrations. hope this helps, i included links for information on social stories.

http://autism.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/f/socialstorydef.htm

http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/

http://www.autism.org/stories.html

ADHD medications boost Norepinephrine and Dopamine.
Social phobia medications (SSRIs) will make the cyclothymia worse.
Cyclothymia medications are mood stabilizers. Some mood stabilizers are also Dopamine antagonists which should worsen the ADHD.

Any idea what doctors would use for this situation?

Medication for mood stabilization only and therapy.

There are actually politician out there who are concerned about the health of our children, like Sen. Alex Padilla. He is the Chairman of the California Senate’s Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes. He stated on September 17th that he planned to hold hearings this November on the link between soda consumption and obesity. His announcement last Thursday dovetails with the release of a study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy that indicated that a shocking 62 percent of children aged 12 to 17 drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day. What was even more shocking was that an estimated 41 percent of children aged 2 to 11 consume that amount! Let us meditate upon the consequences of such statistics for the health of our children, now and in the future.

Children with unhealthy diets generally become adults with a lot of health issues. And, excessively overweight children, in days gone by, more often than not remained overweight and became adults with a variety of weight-related diseases. But, this is no longer the case. Experts say that overweight adolescents are starting to suffer problems that used to plague mainly middle-aged adults — early heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

“I don’t think that most parents truly appreciate the role soda pop has in causing weight gain,” Padilla said. “It is unfortunate that soda is actually cheaper than milk and even bottled water in many instances.”  Padilla said California needs to do more to educate the public about the health effects of drinking too much soda and to consider its options for reducing soda consumption among children.

Though we may feel that politicians let child-related issue fall between the cracks as they argue and debate often nonsensical topics, let’s encourage those legislators who take an active and meaningful role in helping to tip the scales of health on the side of our children.

For more information, go to reuters.com

Technorati Tags: childhood obesity, early heart disease, overweight adolescents, type 2 diabetes

Did you know that there is currently a real movement in this country to teach children how to meditate? Only a few years ago, it seems, the practice of meditation for children in Michigan schools was actually outlawed! But, our world and our children are becoming progressively more anxious, frustrated, and angry, with little means for resolving these feeling. We, adults, have certainly become poor role models for conflict resolution. We can’t even discuss health care without trying to outshout each other.

The meditation movement for children that is occurring in some schools (again), and other places in many communities, seems a wonderful opportunity to teach our children how to find the peace within themselves that seems to be eluding them in the outer world today, and to learn to deal with their emotions and improve their relationship with peers.

Sarah Wood, the author of Sensational Meditation for Children, who facilitates child meditation, said that teachers who build meditation into lesson plans report their classroom environments being more peaceful and attribute this to their students’ ability to express compassion to each other.

Children who meditate have reduced test anxiety, more positive peer relationships, enhanced anger management skills, and better self-esteem. Medical science has discovered that meditation decreases blood pressure and helps other physical functions in children as well as adults.

There are additional books available on how to teach your child to meditate. Let’s help our children to grow from the inside out!

Technorati Tags: anger management, lower blood pressure, meditation for children, self-esteem, teaching children to meditate

I am in college. I really struggle to understand a topic from a book. I mainly depend on my teacher’s help. I need 3-4 days to understand something from a book that my friends can understand in 5 minutes. My doctor says that I can’t have dyslexia as people get it at 3-4 years instead of 20. But I am not convinced.

hah hah!
Dyslexia is something your born with; it’s like a special wiring in your brain. Dyslexic is a word to describe difficulties with written language, organization and short term memory, and is usually diagnosed within a childhood – although for me, it took until I was 11 for my school to finally get there act together. You cannot stop and start dyslexia, it’s for life.
I think that maybe you struggle to understand things from a book because you are auditory learner, meaning that you learn best through listening to the teacher.

My brother showed many signs of Autism as a child and my mother neglected us so he never got diagnosed. The school labeled him ADHD but now that I’m an adult I see that his behavior was not ADHD at all. I am pretty convinced he has either autism or Aspergers. (sp?) This is the first opportunity we’ve had to get him some answers because our biological mother is finally out of the picture. He is 19. If anyone has any help that would be great!

Is he interested in being evaluated? As an adult, this will need to be his choice. Besides that, this is difficult to answer as it wasn’t mentioned whether he has insurance or not. If he does, the first step would be to obtain a list of mental health providers who do evaluations from the insurance company. If he has managed care, you’d need a referral from his primary care physician.

If he does not have insurance, you’ll need to do some research on mental health clinics in the area. He’s still under 21, so if you can locate something like a Child Development Clinic, they would be able to evaluate and diagnose. Some avenues to look into for a clinic would be local hospitals and universities. Googling is also a great resource. Just google your city/state and autism diagnosis, treatment, etc. Just know that without insurance, these evaluations can be expensive.

good luck!