Other Special Needs Diagnoses

Does your little one have a problem learning? Find out if you should have her evaluated for a reading disability. ...

Print out and use this checklist to help in an initial diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome in your child. You can find more checklists on Asperger's syndrome here. ...

Does mirror writing in a four-year-old indicate dyslexia or another type of learning/language disability? ...

Tactile Sensitivity Tactile Defensiveness and Other Problems One of the most well-known sensory problems is tactile defensiveness, a condition in which all or some types of touch are perceived as noxious and dangerous. Like all sensory issues, t...

Sensory Integration Issues: Getting Help Assuming you haven't already done so, the first step is to get your child properly evaluated by professionals who can help you sort out the problems and develop a therapeutic action plan. If you've been wo...

Sensory Responsiveness: What's Normal and What Isn't We're not big believers in the term normal. All it really means is that something falls within the norm, meaning it is average statistically. Of course, as a parent, you want all the things you...

Movement and Body Awareness Proprioception: How the Body Senses Itself When you close your eyes, how do you know where your feet are? Your arms? Your hands? Proprioception is the internal sense that tells you where your body parts are without yo...

Taste and Smell SensitivityWorking together, taste and smell give great pleasure and satisfaction to most of us. For some children with SI dysfunction, many tastes and smells can be repulsive. For kids who are affected, life really stinks – from...

Vision ProblemsOcular-Motor and Eye-Teaming Skills Vision also depends on proper functioning of the eye muscles. Ocular muscles keep the eyes aligned and help them move smoothly and simultaneously. Visual acuity in each eye may be normal, but if...

Auditory Problems and LearningAuditory sensory problems can significantly interfere with development and learning. In school, a child with auditory issues may use lots of mental energy to block out seemingly minor distractions such as the sound o...

Is handwriting becoming a lost art? The new Common Core Standards adopted by most states in the U.S. make teaching cursive optional and up to individual states. The rise of technology in and out of the classroom means fewer kids are writing by ha...

Sensory Responsiveness  Underreactive/Hyposensitive Modulated Overreactive/Defensive/Hypersensitive What's happening in the nervous system Nervous system inhibits sensory message, resulting in low or no arousal. Sensory input registers too littl...

Occupational Therapy and Your ChildWhile you may be a little bit anxious about how your child will handle therapy, rest assured: most kids adore OT. Even older kids who don't want to do anything their friends aren't doing usually enjoy the sessio...

Your Child's Sensory PortraitThe following checklist will help you to focus in on your child's unique sensory portrait. It is designed to help you deepen your understanding of his sensitivities and any triggers and patterns underlying worrisome b...

What Is Sensory Integration? Sensory integration refers to how people use the information provided by all the sensations coming from within the body and from the external environment. We usually think of the senses as separate channels of inform...

Advice from a homeschooling expert on early signs of dyslexia. ...

Demystifying the Writing Process I'm used to the funny looks I get when I tell people that I'm a dyslexic writer. There's always a pause, then a pained look, as they try to process what they perceive to be an oxymoron. On one hand, their concern ...

When school testing doesn't indicate a need for services for a child with reading problems, a private evaluation may be wise. ...