ADHD

Speech and Language Difficulties

Autism

The SCERTS Model

Learning Disability

“The term learning disability is a label. It is convenient in discussion and for planning services. But people who carry that label wear many others, such as friend, neighbour, relative, employee, colleague, fellow citizen. A label describes one aspect of a person, but does not capture the whole person.”

Support for people with learning disabilities has moved away from the medical model to a social model based on inclusion and integration. (British Institute for Learning Disabilities, 2006)

http://www.bild.org.uk/docs/05faqs/Learning%20Disabilities%2006.pdf

A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops. There are many different types and most develop before a baby is born, during birth or because of a serious illness in early childhood. A learning disability is lifelong and usually has a significant impact on a person’s life. People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.A child can also be born with a learning disability if certain genes are passed on by a parent. This is called inherited learning disability. The two most common causes of inherited learning disability are Fragile X syndrome and Down’s syndrome. Fragile X syndrome and Down’s syndrome are not learning disabilities, but people who have either condition are likely to have a learning disability too.

Down syndrome is set of mental and physical symptoms that result from having an extra copy of Chromosome 21.

Normally, a fertilized egg has 23 pairs of chromosomes. In most people with Down syndrome, there is an extra copy of Chromosome 21 (also called trisomy 21 because there are three copies of this chromosome instead of two), which changes the body’s and brain’s normal development.

Even though people with Down syndrome may have some physical and mental features in common, symptoms of Down syndrome can range from mild to severe. Usually, mental development and physical development are slower in people with Down syndrome than in those without the condition.

The extra chromosome 21 causes characteristic physical features in people with Down’s syndrome. Many of these physical features can be found in the general population; having some of these characteristics doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has Down’s syndrome.

All people with Down’s syndrome have some level of learning disability but the severity can differ between individuals. Children usually learn to walk, talk, read and write, but more slowly than other children of their age. People with Down’s syndrome learn to do things throughout their lives at different rates.

It is important to remember that often it is not possible to say why someone has a learning disability.

For more information http://www.mencap.org.uk,http://www.bild.org.uk

Specific Learning Difficulties. (SpLD’s)

SpLD’s is an umbrella term used to describe learning difficulties that are not related to general impairments in intellectual ability. These include; dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills.

It is likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects.

It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities.

It tends to be resistant to conventional teaching methods, but its effects can be mitigated by appropriate specific intervention, including the application of information technology and supportive counseling.

Programmes at The Village:

Here at the Village we have specialist staff that are trained to assess and design learning programmes specifically for your child’s needs. Programmes include; Dyslexia Institute Literacy Programme (DILP) and Orton Gillingham (OG).

Difficulties and strengths.

Possible difficulties.
· Misreading, making understanding difficult.

· Difficulty with sequences, e.g. getting dates in order.

· Poor organisation and/or time management.

· Difficulty organising thoughts clearly.

· Erratic spelling.

· Reading hesitantly

Possible strengths.

· Innovative thinkers.

· Excellent trouble shooters.

· Intuitive problem solving.

· Creative in a variety of ways.

· Lateral thinkers.

Early Warning Signs: Pre-School.

Has persistent jumbled phrases/words i.e. emblope/cubumber/flutterby.
Word finding difficulties – finds it difficult to remember names for everyday objects, table/chair.
Substitutes words for similar word meanings.
Difficulty learning nursery rhymes and rhyming words.
Difficulty learning to sing the a,b,c song
Enjoys stories but shows no interest in text
Speech delays.
Difficulty following multiple instructions.

Dyslexia cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be alleviated to some extent.

Early intervention is the key to lessening the long-term effects of the difficulties on the individual’s self-esteem.

Effective programmes have been reported to have more success in alleviating difficulties when intervention occurred at a younger age.

Unique profiles of dyslexic learners require a specialist teaching programme to be designed and tailored to each student.

Assessment. Why Test?

Although dyslexia is the most common reason a bright student will struggle with reading, spelling, or written composition, it is not the only reason. And until you know for sure why a child is struggling, you won’t know the best way to help.

So the most important reason for getting an accurate diagnosis is to help you pick the right tutoring programme to help that child. A programme that is supported by rigorous, independent, scientific research.

That way, you won’t waste precious time (and money) on the wrong type of tutoring, programme, or therapy. Also, a properly written diagnostic report will allow a student with dyslexia to receive classroom and exam moderations.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a Specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of mathematical concepts and computations. It is likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects. Research shows that without direct intervention dyscalculia remains persistent. There is no single form of math difficulty, and difficulties vary from person to person.

Indicators:

Since math difficulties are varied, the signs that a person may have a difficulty in this area can be just as varied. If a person has trouble in any of the areas below, additional help may be beneficial.

Good at speaking, reading, and writing, but slow to develop counting and math problem-solving skills
Good memory for printed words, but difficulty reading numbers, or recalling numbers in sequence
Good with general math concepts, but has difficulty with specific computation and organization skills
Trouble with the concept of time, difficulty remembering schedules, trouble with approximating how long something will take
Poor sense of direction, easily disoriented and easily confused by changes in routine
Poor long term memory of concepts-can do math functions one day, but is unable to repeat them the next day
Poor mental math ability-trouble estimating grocery costs or counting days until vacation
Difficulty keeping score when playing board and card games

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty that affects written expression. It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper.

Indicators:

If a person has trouble in any of the areas below, additional help may be beneficial.

Tight, awkward pencil grip and body position
Illegible handwriting
Avoiding writing or drawing tasks
Tiring quickly while writing
Saying words out loud while writing
Unfinished or omitted words in sentences
Difficulty organizing thoughts on paper
Difficulty with syntax structure and grammar
Large gap between written ideas and understanding demonstrated through speech.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a specific learning difficulty in the area of motor skill development. People with dyspraxia have difficulty planning and executing intended fine motor tasks.

Dyspraxia is a lifelong difficulty that affects a person’s development in the area of motor development. Though many challenges can persist throughout a person’s life, the types of difficulties experienced may change.

Indicators: Pre school

Difficulty with eye movements — they may move the whole head instead of just the eyes
Difficulty using eating utensils and holding a cup while drinking
Difficulty walking, hopping, skipping, throwing and catching a ball, riding a bike
Delay in using spoken language and speech that is difficult to understand
Bumping into objects
Late establishment of right- or left-handedness
Difficulty doing fine-motor activities such as tying shoelaces or buttoning clothing
Difficulty with handwriting
Sensitivity to touch — may find clothing uncomfortable; and may find hair-brushing and cutting, teeth-brushing and nail-cutting unpleasant
Poor sense of direction

Primary School

Coordination difficulties can be particularly problematic in physical education classes and other sports activities.
Speech difficulties can interfere with casual conversation, which can result in social awkwardness and an unwillingness to risk engaging in conversation.
Writing difficulties such as poor letter formation, pencil grip and slow writing can make school work frustrating.

It is important to note that a person displaying the kind of difficulties outlined above does not necessarily have dyspraxia. If a person continues to display these types of difficulty over time, testing for dyspraxia by trained professionals should be considered.

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also referred to ADD or ADHD is a biological, brain based condition that is characterized by poor attention and distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. It is one of the most common neurological conditions that develop in children. Symptoms may continue into adolescence and adulthood. If left untreated, ADHD can lead to poor school/work performance, poor social relationships and a general feeling of low self esteem.

The most prevalent symptoms of ADHD are inattention and distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Difficulties with concentration, mental focus, and inhibition of impulses and behaviors are chronic and pervasive and impair an individual’s daily functioning across various settings home, school or work, in relationships.

Indicators:

Difficulty staying on task
Difficulty focusing attention
Easily distracted
Racing from one idea or interest to another
May produce work that looks ‘sloppy’ and carelessly produced
Seems to; not listen or seems to have not heard what they have been told
May have inappropriate hyperactive behaviour

It is important to note that a person displaying the kind of difficulties outlined above does not necessarily have ADHD. If a person continues to display these types of difficulty over time, testing for ADHD by trained professionals should be considered.

Speech and Language Difficulties

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Speech and language therapy covers the management (assessment and therapy) of disorders of speech, language, communication and swallowing in children and adults. Speech and language therapists (SLT) see a variety of clients from babies to adults and work in a variety of areas. SLTs work closely with teachers, and other health professionals including doctors and psychologists.

At the Village we see children and young adults. We work with:

mild, moderate or severe learning difficulties
physical disabilities
language delay
specific language impairment
specific difficulties in producing sounds
hearing impairment
cleft palate
stammering
autism/social interaction difficulties
dyslexia
voice disorders
selective mutism

Across the UK about one in ten children have a communication disorder. If this is left without access to speech and language therapy, speech, language and communication difficulties have a huge impact on the educational achievement and health of a child. Speech, language and communication difficulties are the most common disabilities to occur in early childhood.

Useful websites:

http://www.ican.org.uk/frontpage.aspx

http://www.rcslt.org/

http://www.autism.org.uk/

Autism

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It is part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or an ASD. The word ‘spectrum’ is used because their condition will affect them in very different ways. Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS).

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the ‘triad of impairments’. They are:

Difficulty with social communication:

People with autism have difficulties with both verbal and non-verbal language. Many have a very literal understanding of language, and think people always mean exactly what they say.
Some people with autism may not speak, or have fairly limited speech. They will usually understand what other people say to them, but prefer to use alternative means of communication themselves, such as sign language or visual symbols. Others will have good language skills, but they may still find it hard to understand the give-and-take nature of conversations, perhaps repeating what the other person has just said (this is known as echolalia) or talking at length about their own interests.

Difficulty with social interaction:

People with autism often have difficulty recognising or understanding other people’s emotions and feelings, and expressing their own, which can make it more difficult for them to fit in socially.
Difficulties with social interaction can mean that people with autism find it hard to form friendships: some may want to interact with other people and make friends, but may be unsure how to go about this.

Difficulty with social imagination:

Social imagination allows us to understand and predict other people’s behaviour, make sense of abstract ideas, and to imagine situations outside our immediate daily routine.
Difficulties with social imagination should not be confused with a lack of imagination. Many people with autism are very creative and may be, for example, accomplished artists, musicians or writers.

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SCERTS

The SCERTS Model is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing communication and social-emotional abilities of individuals with ASD and related disabilities.

SCERTS refers to Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional support which we believe should be the primary development dimensions targeted in a program designed to support the development of individuals with ASD and their families.


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