Preschool
Is My Child Too Young for an Evaluation?
When parents of a young child start to observe developmental differences with language, attention, behavior, school readiness, social connections, and more – they often wonder… Is my child too young for a neurodevelopmental evaluation? Let’s talk about what an evaluation at a young age actually does—and what it does not do. An Evaluation Is Not…
Read MoreThe Importance of Early Intervention for Autism: What Parents Need to Know
When you’re raising a child who processes the world differently, you’re often the first one to notice the little things. Maybe it’s the way your child struggles with transitions, avoids certain textures or sounds, has difficulty with conversation, or melts down the moment you get home from school. Maybe things just feel harder than they…
Read MoreHow to support your preschooler’s emotional communication skills
Your 4-year-old melts down over a broken crayon. Your 3-year-old hits when frustrated. Your preschooler struggles to tell you what’s wrong when upset. Sound familiar? It’s so easy to get triggered by our child’s big emotions and to interpret these as something is wrong. It’s also tempting to try to “fix it”.
Read MorePrepare in Advance for Teacher Conferences
Teachers don’t always have time to communicate with parents on a regular basis. Things get missed – all the time. Parents can be surprised by how much they learn when information is directly requested. If you are already aware of things you need to monitor, write down your questions so you don’t forget. If your…
Read MoreHow Does Your Child Process Signals from Their Body?
Does your child ignore, miss, or over attend to internal signals from their body, such as hunger, thirst, full bowel/bladder, body temperature, heart rate, breathing, pain, or muscle tension? Maybe it depends on their stress level or physical health. Interoception can be defined as the ability to perceive the internal state of one’s own…
Read MoreEarly intervention for communication delays is critical!
A young child is changing rapidly during the first years of life, and some skills might develop more quickly than others. In the early stages of language development, it can be difficult for parents to know whether a child is delayed compared to peers. At what point should you get your child help? You might…
Read MoreIf Your Child Needs Help in the Public Schools…
There is a formal process for getting your child the help they need. The details will vary by state, but the general steps are similar. Also keep in mind that some schools have more resources than others, so delays can be quite long (e.g., 3-6 months or more). Begin to advocate as soon as possible!…
Read MoreYour Child’s Brain Imaging Explained
Brain imaging (neuroimaging) can be an incredibly helpful part of a neuropsychological evaluation, regardless of how long ago it was obtained and how small the findings. Even a small abnormality can help explain neurodevelopmental concerns, and normal findings are also helpful. Brain MRI or a head CT are the most common types of neuroimaging. Here…
Read MoreCurious About Autism Spectrum Disorder?
According to the CDC, 1 in 36 children in the United States has autism. This means that in every 2 classrooms, there is around 1 child with autism. Autism is incredibly complex because of its infinite variations. Really and truly, each child and young adult with whom I have been lucky to work is just…
Read MoreHow Do I Prepare My Young Child for School?
It can be such an exciting step to send your child to school for the first time! If you know your child has developmental differences, you may also have some worry. How do you make sure your child is ready? What can do you prepare your child? Here are some considerations below… Prepare for Structure,…
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