This book provides a comprehensive overview of vision problems in children with developmental disabilities such as AD/HD, autism spectrum disorders, and specific learning disabilities. Written in a very accessible style, it is appropriate for parents and professionals alike and offers non-technical explanations of how vision difficulties are screened for and advice on where to seek appropriate professional care. Lisa Kurtz outlines a range of activities for strengthening children's functional vision and perceptual skills using simple, homemade materials that are readily available in the home or classroom. This is an excellent practical companion for parents of children with visual perception problems and the professionals who work with them.

Offers practical strategies and advice for helping children with coordination difficulties.

Offering a balanced overview of complementary and alternative therapies, this book will be useful for parents of children with autism, ADD or other learning disabilities. The book covers a wide variety of mind-body interventions and manipulative techniques, as well as energy therapies, biologically based methods, and alternative medical systems. For each approach, the author provides a detailed description of what the treatment involves, which professionals will be working with the child, and an explanation of the rationale behind the therapy. She also offers advice on who to approach for treatment, and includes a list of recommended resources and useful contacts for further information. This book will be a valuable source of information for parents and professionals working with children who have disabilities that impact their learning or behavior.

Dr. Kaplan identifies common ASD symptoms such as hand-flapping, poor eye contact and tantrums as typical responses to the confusion caused by vision disorder. He also explains the effects of difficulties that people with autism experience with "ambient vision," including a lack of spatial awareness and trouble with coordination.

′This is an important contribution to the field of SEN. By putting the child into a context, the authors recognize that each child is unique and cannot be reduced to a simple diagnosis. Highly recommended′ - SEN Magazine ′In just over 100 pages this book gives the clearest account I have yet read of ′overlapping and co-existing conditions′....All professionals working with children with complex conditions will find it both interesting and practical′ - Special ′The book is written in an easily digestible form, and provides insight into overlapping conditions as well as advice on support to those working to meeting the needs of pupils with these complex disorders′ - SNIP ′Many have tried but few have succeeded in bringing together the varying threads of special educational needs into a concise and proactive format. I know, having tried and failed myself. Here at last Dittrich and Tutt have created a fascinating account of the current SEN world and have succeeded, in my opinion, in demystifying and explaining the significance of specific SEN terms, while illustrating that overlap is more the norm than the exception. Well researched and written with both clarity and experience, the authors stress that there really is no such thing as a SEN child, but that some children are in essence more interesting in their learning and behaviour style than others.′ Fintan O′Regan, Author and Consultant There are growing numbers of children displaying the symptoms of more than one condition or disorder, and this has led to those involved in education needing to understand which conditions commonly overlap or co-exist, and how to meet children′s more complex needs. By bringing together some of the latest research on how the brain learns with what is known about identifying developmental disorders that appear to have a common biological basis, this book covers: - what is known about a common group of disorders, (including ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia) - how to recognise when a child may have more than one condition - what teaching approaches and strategies might be most relevant Written in a non-technical style, the book blends together scientific knowledge from different disciplines and translates it into practical terms for school leaders, practitioners in the field of special educational needs and disabilities, and students following courses in higher education.

"This is a great resource for general and special education teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals looking for answers when working with students with special needs. What a wonderful guide for supporting our day-to-day work." —Heidi Rinke, Special Education Teacher Wheaton Area Schools, MN The essential guide for teaching effectively in the inclusive classroom! Through IDEA 2004, students who are eligible to receive services to meet their special needs are guaranteed certain rights and benefits in the general education classroom. The third edition of this user-friendly handbook offers easy-to-implement strategies, recommendations, and answers to questions that help general education classroom teachers provide the best support for all students. In addition to an all-new section that outlines the basics of the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, this resource presents research-based intervention ideas to sustain student progress and describes: Instructional approaches for the 13 recognized disability categories under which students may be eligible to receive special education services An easy to follow, step-by-step explanation of the special education process Ready-to-use classroom accommodation and modification options to ensure appropriate student access to the general education curriculum The transition process for students with special needs Accessible, up-to-date, and comprehensive, The General Educator′s Guide to Special Education provides much-needed guidance to new and veteran teachers as they meet the diverse needs of their students.

This practical sourcebook is packed full of fun, low-cost games and activities that encourage the development of motor skills, coordination and sensory tolerance in young children. Using materials that are readily-available in most households or that can be purchased or homemade at a very low cost, these games and activities are appropriate for all children, including those with autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning challenges. The book includes clear descriptions of how to carry out each activity, helpful illustrations, and ways to adapt activities according to the child's individual needs. In addition, a comprehensive reference guide to the activities enables easy searching for games suited to the development of particular skills. This sourcebook is the key to easy-to-understand, low-cost, and effective games and activities that will support the development of sensorimotor skills. It is a useful tool for parents, carers, therapists, and teachers of children with or without special needs.

If a child is not meeting expected milestones it can be a source of great anxiety for parents and teachers. This forthright guide offers practical advice on how to recognize the signs of developmental delay, address difficulties effectively, and help the child to flourish. Mary Mountstephen presents a practical approach to dealing with developmental delay, equipping readers with the knowledge, understanding and tools to tackle problems successfully. By clearly explaining how children develop, drawing on the expertise of a number of specialists in the field and detailing straightforward interventions, the author enables parents and teachers to identify a wide range of problems and empowers them with the information they need to take action. Concise and accessible, this book provides a wealth of useful advice on how to address developmental delay, and will prove invaluable to parents, teachers and other professionals working with children.

This easy-to-read guide offers a complete overview of Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLDs) and the wide variety of symptoms that different types of NLD present. Maggie Mamen enables readers to select the most relevant strategies for coping with and managing their particular symptoms. She provides a wealth of practical advice on key skills such as developing written and verbal communication, understanding social clues, managing behaviour, self-regulation and improving organization. She also covers relevant teaching methods for the classroom. This practical and accessible introduction is an essential guide for those families and professionals working with children and adults with NLDs.

Visual dysfunctions can limit children's concentration, self esteem and school success as they struggle to understand fundamentals such as colors, letters and how to judge distance. With the right help, these obstacles can be overcome, allowing children to reach their full potential and see the world clearly. This accessible book explores how visual problems develop and how they can be reversed through effective and efficient visual therapy. It breaks down myths surrounding visual dysfunction and explains in straightforward terms the various conditions that could be impacting a child's perception, even if they have perfect sight. The visual therapy used in behavioral optometry retrains the brain to perform visual skills more effectively. In these pages there is clear guidance on the array of therapies, techniques and aids available, all of which can make a profound difference to a child's life. This introductory guide to behavioral optometry will be a welcome resource for parents and professionals in search of options to help a child who is experiencing visual problems.