The start of the school year is such an exciting time. It is a time to look forward to new beginnings and to get back in a routine. For many though, the newness wears off quickly. Here are some tips to help you and your child keep the positive attitude and productive energy going throughout the school year.

1. CREATE STRUCTURE

Organization and study habits don’t just happen for many students. Designate a desk in his room, a spot at the kitchen table, or a quiet corner as your child’s homework station. Schedule a regular time with your child each week to file important items and purge unnecessary papers. Parents who systematically brainstorm, plan, and monitor organizational skills with their children give their children a gift that is well worth the time it takes.

At school, teachers who incorporate instruction and practice with note taking, memorizing, test study, and organizational skills into their curriculum are making a great investment in their students’ success for that year and years to come.

Before your child starts her homework, help her arrange the assignments either according to subject, the time required, or the degree of difficulty. Have your child complete the assignments in order, and check off each entry when she’s finished.

Prepare a weekly schedule that outlines your child’s break time after school followed by homework. While prioritizing assignments be sure to include breaks between tasks.

2. DRINK WATER

Did you know that the brain is thought to be 85% water? Our brain works by transmitting electro-chemical signals that control our thoughts, movements, and everything we feel or do. Water helps conduct electricity, which in turn supports faster thinking and learning.

Parents should help get kids into the habit of drinking water. Teachers should encourage students to have water bottles at school and to drink frequently.

3. INCREASE PROTEIN

Eating foods with high sugar content – such as many of today’s breakfast choices and snacks – can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. These fluctuations can cause high energy followed by low energy and sleepiness. This can make it difficult to focus, think, and learn.

Protein can help to balance the sugar levels. When preparing breakfast or choosing snacks, choose ones that have complex carbohydrates and protein. For example, if eating waffles add a hardboiled egg. Add peanut butter to whole grain bread. For snacks, consider nuts, cheese, or peanut butter filled pretzels.

4. SCHEDULE DOWN TIME

Most children and adults are overwhelmed with busy schedules and time commitments on a daily basis – even weekends are filled to the brim. This constant stimulus can provide a large amount to stress to even the heartiest of systems. Providing quite time for children allows them to rest and restore the mind and body. Taking down time often results in better energy, motivation, productivity, and attention.

Some suggestions for getting more down time in your child’s life:

Talk to your child about the importance of setting boundaries and not over committing to things. They will thank you when they are older.

Limit extracurricular activities to one or two during the school year (depending on your child’s age) and let your child choose the activities.

After school, allow your child some down time for talking on the phone, messaging friends, having a snack, playing outside, or listening to music, before homework is begun.

Turn off the television and get out in nature together. Take a bike ride or a walk.

5. MONITOR HOW THINGS ARE GOING AT SCHOOL

Ask your child’s teacher questions throughout the year. For instance, “Is she getting along with her teachers and classmates? Is she participating in class? Is she able to concentrate quietly during class study time?” Don’t hesitate to share your concerns as they arise, but ask the teacher how she prefers to be contacted—and be sure to tell her how much you appreciate her insight and help.

Look for clues that your child may need extra help with schoolwork: She has trouble finishing her homework; she’s working hard, but her grades are failing; she’s anxious before tests; she doesn’t want to go to school.

If your gut tells you that there is more going on, follow your instincts. Don’t assume that it will get better or that you are worrying too much. Early intervention is crucial in many instances. Ask if there is additional help at the school. Outside services may be needed.

If outside help is needed, consider scheduling your child for an evaluation or attend one of our events! LEC’s next parent event is “Ending the Homework Hassle”. Learn how to help your child with homework, strategies for memory, study skills, and planning for long term projects. Join us September 26th at our new Springfield location or on October 3rd at our Fredericksburg center.

Extensive research has been conducted showing that significant learning loss takes place during summer breaks and other away-from-school time periods. In research studies, analysis showed that summer learning loss equaled at least one month of instruction. Especially vulnerable are mathematical computation skills and skills related to reading and writing, such as spelling skills. In order to prevent and slow this learning loss, students must have access to grade appropriate activities and practice materials during their away-from-school time.

A synthesis and analysis of studies of learning suggests that there are nine factors that
influence learning. The top two factors are:

1. Amount of time students engage in learning
2. Quality of the instructional experience including method and content

LEC addresses both of those factors by extending the learning beyond the traditional school year, and by providing research- and standards-based activities that practice both basic skills, as well as higher level skills needed for success in school and beyond.

To hear more about our Summer Intensives and how they can benefit your child this Summer, check out our Summer Sessions link on our website: www.LearningEnhancementCenters.com.

We look forward to working with your child this summer and giving them a learning boost for their next school year!

In our last newsletter, we talked about the symptoms that can manifest in someone with attention challenges. While we are not opposed to medicine, we don’t feel that it should be the first line of action. To make sure that we are actually treating what is causing the attention difficulties, we generally evaluate five other areas that can cause attention difficulties separate from, or in addition to a biochemical reason.

One area we evaluate is Auditory Processing. Auditory processing is different from hearing. Basically, it is how you think about what you hear.

A central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) occurs when the auditory signal is received accurately by the ear, but becomes distorted, confused, or compromised in some way before it is received by the language area of the brain.

It’s Hard to Get the Message When You Have a Bad Connection

Perhaps the best way to understand a central auditory processing disorder in our “modern age” is to think about what it is like to be in an important conversation with a bad cell phone connection. You have to listen extremely hard, and any extra noise around (i.e. kids, traffic, etc.) becomes extremely irritating and hard to block out.

Because the signal is not clear, you miss part of what the speaker is saying and you find yourself saying, “What did you say?” and struggling to fill-in the gaps.

You’re not exactly sure what the speaker said, but you don’t want to sound stupid or uninterested, so you make what you think is an appropriate response. Oops! That backfired. Now you have to explain about the bad connection and why you misinterpreted what they said and made an “off-the-wall” response.

You don’t quite understand the speaker, yet when you have a clear connection you really don’t have a comprehension problem.

It takes so much energy to keep up with this conversation, that you find your attention drifting. You feel distracted and frustrated, and doggone it, important or not, you just want to get off the phone.

Luckily for cell phone users, the way to a better connection is to hang-up and dial again. But for students with CAPD, this is life.

Common Symptoms of Central Auditory Processing Deficit

In more clinical terms, here are some symptoms that most literature on CAPD include:

• About 75% are male
• Normal hearing acuity
• Difficulty following oral directions
• Inconsistent response to auditory stimuli (the signal isn’t always confused, just sometimes)
• Short attention span; fatigues easily during auditory tasks
• Poor long and short term memory
• Difficulty with phonics, reading, or spelling; mild speech-language problems
• Says “Huh?” or “What?” or often asks for things to be repeated
• History of ear infections

There is a strong relationship between language, language development, auditory skills, and attention. This can make it hard to identify individuals with auditory processing disorders because similar behaviors are exhibited among students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It is widely accepted that both ADHD and CAPD may co-exist or occur independently. It can be like the chicken-egg scenario. Does someone have poor auditory skills because of ADHD, or does the auditory processing cause the ADHD? If the attention difficulties are due to an auditory processing, medicine might mask the symptoms, but it is not going to treat the root cause of the problem. This is why an evaluation is so important.

Only an audiologist can confirm the presence of a Central Auditory Processing Disorder. However, there is pattern that occurs in LEC’s evaluation that can indicate if there is an auditory processing deficit.

At LEC, if we determine that an individual has an auditory processing deficit, we will often recommend sessions and a home based sound therapy program. We call this Auditory Stimulation Training.

Auditory stimulation training has been effective in treating a variety of disorders, including auditory processing disorders, speech and language disorders, learning disabilities, autism and spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorders, and reading and spelling disorders.

Some of the changes that we see as a result of Auditory Stimulation Training are:

• Improved sleep
• Better ability to follow directions
• Improved auditory comprehension
• Improved vocal quality
• Better organization
• Improved social interaction
• Increased balance and coordination
• Improved language
• Increased attention
• Improved communication
• Reduced sound sensitivity
• Increased frustration tolerance

We have found Auditory Stimulation Training and sound therapy to be a tremendous tool in aiding in the development of attention, communication, and learning with individuals of all ages with a variety of learning challenges. We are seeing dramatic changes occur in the lives of children, teens, and adults.

As we understand more and more about CAPD and other attention difficulties, treating affected patients without medicine is now a reality. If you believe you or someone you know may be a candidate for the treatment of an attention challenge, please contact our offices to set up an appointment today – and enjoy a better tomorrow.