The Coffee Klatch Special Needs Radio

Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP. The Center for Social Thinking The Whole Child and Social Thinking—Unraveling the challenges of a diagnosis to support social thinking and learning Michelle Garcia Winner specializes in the treatment of individuals with social-cognitive deficits: those with diagnoses such as high-functioning autism, Asperger Syndrome and nonverbal learning disorder. She began teaching Social Thinking® in 1995 to brighter students when she went to work for a high school district as the district’s speech language pathologist. Social Thinking was born out of necessity as a way to reach those “bright but socially clueless students” that needed more information than just what social skill to use. They needed to know why they should bother to use that skill. The strength of Michelle's work is that she breaks down the research and abstract concepts and creates concrete ways for this to be done. This approach led GreatSchools.org, a leading national nonprofit organization, to call Michelle, "...the leading expert in the field of social skills."

We continue with our guests Dr Linda Silverman and Bobbie Gilman, MS. The Gifted Development Center, Our discussion on the necessity of assessment would not be complete without addressing current trends ineducation.  The rising popularity of RtI and Common Core.  RtI may govern how gifted children- with and without accompanying disabilities – are identified and served.  Emerging RtI programs raise concerns about the methodoogy employed in identifying and serving both gifted and twice exceptional students. Bobbie is one of the authors of a brand new article RtI and The Gifted Child: What Every parent Should Know.  She and Dr. Silverman offer invaluable insight for parents and professionals on these critical current issues in education.

Host Dr. Gil Tippy - Gil Tippy, PsyD, Author of Respecting Autism with Stanley Greenspan, MD, offers Evaluations, Direct Services, Consulting to private individuals and organizations. He is a Clinical Psychologist, licensed in the State of New York, and is an Expert DIR/Floortime Provider and Teacher. Guests Kathleen Werr and Erin Zerba Who is ANUE?  Autistic Network of Unique Eccentrics.       ANUE is a volunteer membership association and self-advocacy network of autistic adults, friends, and advocates, formed in 2013 in Spokane, Washington to serve as a local and regional hub for mutual support, resources, education and social events.      ANUE is intended to provide a sensory friendly environment and framework for gathering and collaborations, creative work and partnerships, and to facilitate networking for resources and career in a supportive dynamic where neurodiversity is appreciated and respected.      ANUE also seeks to work with partners in the region to provide community education on adult autism and mentorship to other adults on the spectrum, including those transitioning into adulthood from high school and college.  

Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D., and Bobbie Gilman, MS. The Gifted Development Center Assessing Gifts and Challenges in the Whole Child—Seeing twice-exceptionality through the lens of development and asynchrony “Understanding the Implications for Gifted Children at School, in the Home, and across the Lifespan” Quality assessment is essential for the gifted child. It can determine both the educational needs and the right options to appropriately challenge, but not overwhelm, the child. It must be done with precision and with the needs of the gifted in mind. Gifted Development Center testers, working together for many years with this particular population, have been able to hone their skills to the level of leading the field of gifted assessment.

Drive Fit is a great training tool for everyone that wants to learn drive. And, the driving tours are a great way to learn a new city. Drive Fit is particularly well suited as a training tool for people with cognitive issues such as Aspergers Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. Like most of us, people with cognitive issues need to get around for work, school, and social activities. Although people with cognitive challenges may have average or above-average intelligence, their unique learning style may keep them from being able to learn to drive through traditional driver’s education programs. Drive Fit is the latest tool based on the work of Miriam Monahan an Occupational Therapist  that specializes in helping people with cognitive challenges (such as Traumatic Brain Injury, ADHD, and Returning Combat Veterans) learn to drive. Her previous tools are used by OTs to help aspiring drivers learn to focus on critical roadway information while ignoring all the unnecessary, non-critical things that might be going on. For the first time, Drive Fit takes this specialized knowledge out of the clinic and makes it available to everyone on an iPad. 

Hosted by Angela Eaton  Tune in to this introductory show that is part of a brand new series on synesthesia.  Sean Day, Ph.D. will introduce us to synesthesia--a neurological phenomenon in which the stimulation of one sense triggers an involuntary response of another sense, sometimes referred to as a "blending of the senses."  Find out why you may not have heard of synesthesia before, why many people who have synesthesia don't know that they do (and don't realize that others don't), and the positive and negative aspects that synesthetes may encounter on a daily basis. Sean A. Day, Ph.D., a multiple synesthete himself, has interacted with and done ethnological study of other synesthetes for over 35 years.  He started The Synesthesia List, an international e-mail forum for synesthetes and researchers and assisted founding the American Synesthesia Association.   Synesthesia is an inherited condition which causes unusual perceptions or associations, triggered by everyday activities like reading, speaking, or eating. For example, synaesthetes might perceive colours when listening to music, or tastes in the mouth when reading words. Synaesthesia has been linked to differences in white/grey matter structure, and can involve direct sensory crossing (e.g., sound to vision), or can be mediated by higher level functions such as language. Her work examines the prevalence, cognition, perception, inheritence, neuroscience, aesthetics and history of synaesthesia. She also examines sensory integration in the general population, and how sensory perception influences language processing

Hosted by Dr. Richard Selznick a psychologist, nationally certified school psychologist, adjunct graduate school professor, assistant professor of pediatrics and school consultant. The author of two books, The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child and the recently published School Struggles: A Guide To Your Shut-Down Learner’s Success, he has presented to parents and educators internationally, as far as Dubai and Abu Dhabi and throughout the United States . A down-to-earth presenter who looks to discuss difficult topics in non-jargon terms, Dr. Selznick tries to present complex issues in down-to earth terms. Guest: Deborah Lynam is the Director of Parent Community Engagement at Learning Ally. She previously worked as a Family Resource Specialist for NJ’s Parent Training & Information Center, SPAN, and is the parent of 3 children, 2 of whom are dyslexic. She is a founding member of Decoding Dyslexia - NJ and is currently a volunteer tutor for The Reading Assist Institute where she has tutored students for the past 7 years.  From these many different perspectives, Deborah understands the issues facing families raising children with learning differences and has a passion to connect and support them in finding the resources and information they need.

Seeing your child suffer in any way is a harrowing experience for any parent. Mental illness in children can be particularly draining due to the mystery surrounding it, and the issue of diagnosis at such a tender age. Depression and Your Child gives parents and caregivers a uniquely textured understanding of pediatric depression, its causes, its symptoms, and its treatments. Serani weaves her own personal experiences of being a depressed child along with her clinical experiences as a psychologist treating depressed children. Current research, treatments and trends are presented in easy to understand language and tough subjects like self-harm, suicide and recovery plans are addressed with supportive direction. Parents will learn tips on how to discipline a depressed child, what to expect from traditional treatments like psychotherapy and medication, how to use holistic methods to address depression, how to avoid caregiver burnout, and how to move through the trauma of diagnosis and plan for the future. Real life cases highlight the issues addressed in each chapter and resources and a glossary help to further understanding for those seeking additional information. Parents and caregivers are sure to find here a reassuring approach to childhood depression that highlights the needs of the child even while it emphasizes the need for caregivers to care for themselves and other family members as well.

With host Angela Eaton Can you taste music? Do your numbers appear as colors? Do your senses blend? Synaesthesia (US spelling synesthesia) is an inherited condition which causes unusual perceptions or associations, triggered by everyday activities like reading, speaking, or eating. For example, synaesthetes might perceive colours when listening to music, or tastes in the mouth when reading words. Synaesthesia has been linked to differences in white/grey matter structure, and can involve direct sensory crossing (e.g., sound to vision), or can be mediated by higher level functions such as language.

Join our host Dr. Gil Tippy as he explains DIR Floortime.   Dr Tippy is the co-author of Respecting Autism with Dr. Stanley Greenspan and the founder of The Rebecca School in New York City. The DIR Floortime model was developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and first outlined in 1979 in his book Intelligence and Adaptation. The Developmental, Individual-difference, Relationship-based (DIR) model is the formal name for a new, comprehensive, individualized approach to assess and treat children who have developmental delays (including Autism Spectrum Disorder). Focusing on the building blocks of healthy development, this approach is also referred to as the “Floortime” approach. However, Floortime is actually a strategy within the DIR model that emphasizes the creation of emotionally meaningful learning exchanges that encourage developmental abilities. The goal of treatment within the DIR model is to build foundations for healthy development rather than to work only on the surface of symptoms and behaviors. Here, children learn to master critical abilities that may have been missed along their developmental track. For example, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has three core/primary problems: (1) establishing closeness, (2) using emerging words or symbols with emotional intent, and (3) exchanging emotional gestures in a continuous way. Secondary symptoms (perseveration, sensory-processing problems, etc.) may also exist. Thus, treatment options are based on particular underlying assumptions. The DIR model is based on the assumption that the core developmental foundations for thinking, relating, and communicating can be favorably influenced by work with children’s emotions and their effects.

As we have discussed many times on our show taking a whole child approach is optimal in discovering how to best assist children with Twice-Exceptionality (Giftedness, Autism, Adhd...) Once we understand the many factors that underlie a child's giftedness and his unique intensities, we can more deeply appreciate and support the whole child. Our overriding goal as parents should be to cultivate the wonderful and original talents in our children. Everything else-supports, interventions,therapies,education-should be undertaken with this goal in mind.  We begin this series featuring Dr. Dan Peters and Dr.Susan Daniels founders of The Summit Center in California. Dr. Peters has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality. He is author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears and From Worrier to Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Fears. In addition, he is co-author of Raising Creative Kids. Dr. Susan Daniels is Educational Director of the Summit Center. She provides Differentiated Educational Plans for children and adolescents as part of the Gifted Comprehensive and Gifted Complex Assessments. Dr. Daniels is also an internationally recognized expert in the field of gifted education and creativity. She specializes in the social and emotional development of gifted children and adolescents, intensity and sensitivity of gifted individuals across the lifespan, and the development of creative potential.

Social media outlets like Snap chat, Ask Fm, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can be the source of a lot of stress, anxiety, and bullying amongst teens today.  How can parents be more educated about what their teens are doing in Cyberspace?   About Common Sense Media Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.  Common Sense Media provides families with helpful advice and media reviews they need to make the best choices for their children. Through our education programs and policy efforts, Common Sense Media empowers parents, educators, and young people to become knowledgeable and responsible digital citizens. For more information, go to: www.commonsense.org.

Host Dr. Richard Selznick psychologist, The author of The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child and the recently published School Struggles: A Guide To Your Shut-Down Learner’s Success. Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing, which requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills. Dysgraphia makes the act of writing difficult. It can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting and putting thoughts on paper. Tonights guest is Steven Feifer, an internationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities. He has authored six books on learning and emotional disorders in children. He is also a diplomate in school neuropsychology, and a faculty instructor in the ABSNP school neuropsychology training program.  Dr. Feifer currently works in private practice at both the Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center in Frederick, MD, and Counseling and Treatment Associates in Bethesda, MD.   He has authored two tests on diagnosing learning disabilities in children, both of which are slotted to be released in 2015.   

Host Dr. Richard Selznick psychologist, The author of The Shut-Down Learner: Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child and the recently published School Struggles: A Guide To Your Shut-Down Learner’s Success. Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing, which requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills. Dysgraphia makes the act of writing difficult. It can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting and putting thoughts on paper. Tonights guest is Steven Feifer, an internationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities. He has authored six books on learning and emotional disorders in children. He is also a diplomate in school neuropsychology, and a faculty instructor in the ABSNP school neuropsychology training program.  Dr. Feifer currently works in private practice at both the Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center in Frederick, MD, and Counseling and Treatment Associates in Bethesda, MD.   He has authored two tests on diagnosing learning disabilities in children, both of which are slotted to be released in 2015.   

With host Mae Wilkinson Although many parents accept the fact that genetics may play a role in autism spectrum disorders, they also believe that some environmental factors may also be responsible. Lynne Heilbrun, the Autism Research Coordinator at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, has just completed the first study to identify those environmental factors that may be putting our children at risk. Sponsored by the US Department of Defense, Autism Speaks’ Research Organization, the Southwest Research Institute and the Institute for the Integration of Science and Medicine (UTHSCSA), Lynne and her colleagues have completed the first-ever exploration into environmental triggers that may cause autism-like symptoms.  By studying the baby teeth of children with an autism diagnosis, Lynne and her colleagues found high levels of household chemicals, including those made in plastics and pesticides, which have been found to cause neurological damage in humans.  The study has made a true impact on research around the world.  Researchers from across the U.S. and other countries such as Japan, Korea, and Norway have visited Lynne’s lab, and National Geographic will featured the teeth in it upcoming October 2014 issue. To view a complete  list of the chemicals found in teeth, as well as further developments on the study, visit "Autism Tooth Fairy Study" on our website blog.