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Books for ADD & Special Needs Children
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"Musical Spanish"
Learning Spanish through pop music!
by Stacey Tipton
hosted by Joe Spataro
Stacey Tipton has spoken and taught Spanish for over 14 years, teaching at Tulane University, Berlitz, and in Buenos Aires. She started using music to learn a foreign language many years ago while she was a Rotary Exchange student in Zacatecas, Mexico. Music played a large role in her becoming fluent in Spanish, and also helped her retain my language skills through the years. In this interview, find out how the connection between learning Spanish and music began; how her immersion in Spanish culture and language in Zacatecas, Mexico shaped her as a teenager; her other musical tastes and a special FREE interactive lesson where you can learn Spanish while learning from the popular song, La Cucaracha.

Meet the Authors
Mariaemma Willis, M.S.
& Victoria Kindle Hodson, M.A.
"Discover Your Child's Learning Style"
hosted by Joe Spataro
Interview & FREE Excerpt
This book honors and celebrates the unique learning styles of all children. The authors discuss their ideas on ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, homeschooling, afterschooling as well as an easy to follow way to assess your child. The book contains a step-by-step program of self awareness test that guide you to a better understanding of your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses.

"Is My Child Gifted?"
by Jane Smith
There are many forms of giftedness. A gifted student, "shows, or has the potential for showing, an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression." There are five areas of giftedness: Visual & Performing Arts; General Intellectual Ability, Creative Thinking, Specific Academic Ability and Leadership

Building Self Esteem
Does your child have enough
poker chips for the game of life?
by Joe Spataro
Self esteem is the most important aspect of our children's lives. If you believe that you can do it, then you probably can. Unfortunately, many kids are told quite the opposite, especially if they don't quite "fit in." Kids with learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, victims of bullies and many others get constant messages, that they are not worthy. Many of these messages come from teachers, parents and others who are supposed to be helping them. Quickly, they will believe it and it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. We have some great FREE inspirational video clips that can help you help your child from Dr. Robert Brooks who talks about "Islands of Competence" and the need to celebrate and reinforce of them. Richard Lavoi then has another video clip about making sure that your child gets enough poker chips for the game of life.

For ADD, "Make it short and sweet!"
Peggy M. Wilber, M.Ed., author of Reading Rescue 1 - 2 - 3 says, "I like to tell parents of children who are two, three, and four years of age that even little itchy kids will sit and listen to a short book while they are eating. Give your child a snack and read with gusto while she munches. All the fidgets will disappear! For parents of older, fidgety children my advice is, 'Make it short and sweet!' "
see more of Peggy's tips

Stuttering Can Make You Miserable
by Mary Joe Clendenin
A picture comes to mind of an embarrassed, long-legged, knot-kneed, girl squirming in her school desk at school, third grade, I think. I know the feeling of the little girl because it was that silly Fitzgerald. In my memory, I was in the primary room of the three-room Lone Oak school. Mrs. McCarty had asked a question and I wanted to answer it—but I knew I couldn’t. I knew I couldn’t because the words wouldn’t come out.
Find out more about stuttering

Meet the Author
The Explosive Child
by Ross Greene, Ph.D.
hosted by Joe Spataro
interview & FREE Guide to Explosive Children
Now there is a new way for you, your child, and your entire family to find help. In this groundbreaking new book, Dr. Ross Greene, a child psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, makes a compassionate argument that the difficulties of these children stem from developmental deficits in two critical skills: flexibility and frustration tolerance. He asserts that if such children could do well, they would. We have an interview with Dr. Greene and an excerpt for his book that will help you identify if you child has this problem and what you can do about it.

Bipolar Disorder in Children
Who has it and what you can do
By Martha Hellander, J.D.
Bipolar disorder (also known as "bipolar illness" or "manic-depressive illness") is a treatable neurobiological brain disorder believed to occur in at least 1-2 percent of the adolescent and adult population. As many as one million or more children under 18 in the U.S. may have bipolar disorder (mostly undiagnosed and untreated). Children with bipolar disorder are at risk for school failure, substance abuse, and suicide. Children as young as 3 may talk of wanting to "make myself dead." What are the signs and symptoms of this problem and what can you do about it? Find out more.

Meet the Author
Ronald D. Davis
"The Gift of Dyslexia"
Why some of the smartest people can't read and how they can learn
interview & FREE excerpt
hosted by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
In this exciting book, Davis shares the startling discovery he made which helped him overcome his own dyslexia; reveals how dyslexia may be linked to uncommonly high levels of intelligence, creativity, and imagination; and outlines a clear and simple plan that anyone can use to help themselves or others conquer this all-too-common disability. In this interview, Davis discusses: Signs of Dyslexia;  The "Gift" of Dyslexia;  Dyslexia & Disorientation;  Dyslexia & the Family;  Labels; a  FREE Book Excerpt: on The Underlying Talent which discusses gifted dyslexics throughout history. Find out more.

Teaching Autistic Children
Who Aut to Be Home!
by Tammy Glaser
The role of homeschooling in autism
Because traditional classrooms bombard their delicate senses, autistic children learn more freely at home. The "experts" discourage diving into homeschooling, so parents cautiously dip their toes into supplementing part-time. Once they wade into full-time teaching, many find the waters refreshing! Find out more about autism through the personal journey of Tammy Glaser and her autistic daughter, Pamela with supporting resources and available discussion groups.

Homeshooling is the
Best Way for ADD/ADHD
A personal & professional perspective
by Vicki A. Van Camp, M.A.

Does your child have it and some ideas to help
As a Child Development Specialist, I have spent many years working with special needs children, including those diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I would like to share some of what I have learned and how I came to realize that homeschooling is the best possible situation for children experiencing these difficulties.

Asperger's Syndrome
by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
What is it & does your child have it?
AS is defined as a form of autism. It was "discovered" by Hans Asperger's back in 1944. It is stressful for kids with AS to interact with other kids and adults. Though they may desperately want to have friends they find that it's very hard to "read" and understand what others mean. It's as if they are "emotionally blind". Find out how to recognize AS in your child, what experts in the field have to say about this condition, and what you can do help make you life better.

The Out-Of-Sync Child:
by Carol Stock Kranowitz, Larry B. Silver

also
FAQ: Sensory Integration Dysfunction
"Difficult." "Picky." "Oversensitive." "Clumsy." "Unpredictable." "Inattentive." Children who have been labeled with words like these may actually be suffering from Sensory Integration Disorder-a very common, but frequently misdiagnosed, condition that can manifest itself in excessively high or low activity levels, problems with motor coordination, oversensitivity or undersensitivity to sensations and movements, and other symptoms.

Bipolar Disorder in Children
Author Judith Allee of Homeschooling on a Shoestring gives her thoughts on bipolar disorder in children and how it can often be confused with ADD. She says, "Many (maybe most) of the adults diagnosed with bi-polar seem to go through multiple diagnoses before finding help, partly because bi-polar is difficult to diagnose, and partly because doctors seem to be leery about "labeling" a child with bi-polar. Part of the confusion is that kids with bipolar may have very different symptoms from adults." Find out more.

Meet the author - Judith Allee
as she discusses ADD
Parents often look into homeschooling because their kids don't quite "fit" at school. About 2 to 3% of kids have ADD, according to estimates we've read....However, about half of the parents who contact us to explore homeschooling have a child diagnosed with either ADD, a learning disability, or both. That's a m-u-c-h larger proportion than we expected!....(see more)

Meet the Author
James D. Sutton, EdD, CSP
author of "If My Kid’s So Nice…
Why Is He Driving Me Crazy?"
hosted by Joe Spataro
with a FREE excerpt Chap7: The "Quick Fix"
He speaks to us about a variant on ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) called the "The Good Kid Disorder." As an educator, he has taught everything from grade school to graduate school. His interest in working with emotionally troubled youngsters motivated him to earn a doctorate in psychology. Today, Dr. Sutton addresses the needs of young people as a consulting psychologist, an author, and an accomplished speaker. Find out more.

Helping Kids With ADHD Through Dietary Changes
by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
Hundreds of thousands of children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive disorder every year. These kids tend to be disruptive in their classroom and at home. While Ritalin is very effective for 70-90 percent of kids with ADHD there is a deep growing concern about the potential long term side effects this drug may have on children. These concerns have prompted a reevaluation of other long thought more untraditional methods of helping kids with ADHD. One approach has been through dietary changes. Find out more.

"The Gifts of Homeschooling"
by Janie Bowman
sysop on Compuserve ADD forum

Lace/Ribbon Angels
This week's Craft of the Week features Lace Ribbon Angels from our crafting friend Jerry Gleason of Dodge City, Kansas. She says, "I truly appreciate being able to share some of my craftwork. I have worked as a paraeducater/paraprofessional in special education classrooms at our local high school for over nine years. Therefore, have always had the need for simple, inexpensive craft projects for the classroom. I love crafting and spend a lot of time looking for new ideas. They truly are easy to make."

new ADD & special kids articles

ADD & ADHD:
Complementary Medicine Solutions
by Charles Gant

also see
ADD/ADHD Bookstore
This exciting book finally reveals to the world what complementary medicine has to offer to patients and their parents who are victims of this devastating Twentieth-Century malady. Dr. Gant's approach properly corrects the problem, instead of thoughtlessly prescribing Ritalin with all its side effects, simply to shut the patients up. In my opinion, Dr. Gant has more knowledge and experience than anybody in this field of medicine, and specifically in the real psychoneuropathology of ADD/ADHD. He and his coworkers have put together a foolproof method of handling the whole problem.