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LD OnLine News Headlines

The latest news stories about LD and ADHD.

NYC families push for special education open houses as high school admissions season heats up (opens in a new window)

Chalkbeat New York

November 07, 2023

Manhattan dad Tom Fiorella wanted a public high school that could challenge his child and accommodate learning disabilities. He spent countless hours scouring websites, attending open houses, and emailing parent coordinators in search of answers.

“It’s complex – it’s a lot of work,” said Fiorella, whose child began ninth grade this year. “It was hard to get solid information.”

Now, a group of parent advocates is pushing for more high schools to offer open houses specifically geared toward students with disabilities. They’ve sent a flurry of messages to school leaders to persuade them to roll out the information sessions more widely.

Illinois is revamping its literacy plan. Parents, advocates say it needs more for students with dyslexia. (opens in a new window)

Chalkbeat Chicago

November 07, 2023

Illinois has also taken steps to change literacy instruction with the passage of a law that requires the Illinois State Board of Education to create a literacy plan by Jan. 31, 2024. In June, the state board released an initial draft of the plan, which says universal screening for literacy skills is essential and aspiring teachers need to be trained in the science of reading.

However, because the draft plan does not mandate districts to change how reading is taught in classrooms, literacy advocates worry that it is not enough to push schools to get rid of balanced literacy. 

‘Falling through the cracks’: Why ADHD is under-diagnosed among Asian Americans (opens in a new window)

STAT

June 22, 2023

Behind a veneer of accomplishment, underneath good grades and musical talents, Emily Chen was in disarray. She never knew what she was missing, perpetually cycling through potential mistakes in her mind in a desperate attempt not to slip up.

In 2021, research showed that for every 100 white children diagnosed with ADHD, there are 83 Black and 77 Hispanic children, and just 48 Asian children, with the diagnosis.

Distracted: Adulting With ADHD (opens in a new window)

WUNC

June 15, 2023

Anita passes the mic to our friends at the feminist documentary podcast “Bodies” for an exploration of ADHD and identity. Producer Hannah Harris Green talks about how getting an ADHD diagnosis helped her release the shame she’d been carrying since childhood.

Your child is neurodivergent. Should you tell everyone? (opens in a new window)

The Washington Post

June 15, 2023

Welcome to the complicated life of the neurodivergent — an umbrella term used to describe a variety of neurobiological conditions, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disorders and anxiety. While any child can have a bad episode, families with neurodivergent children tend to field more of them.

Children Who Struggle To Pay Attention Earn Less As Adults, Study Finds (opens in a new window)

Forbes

June 07, 2023

Children who struggle to pay attention tend to do less well at school than their classmates and go into lower paying jobs as adults, according to a new study. And children who find it difficult to manage their behavior at school are more likely to end up in jail. “Our study found broad support for the notion that people’s early experiences and skills really matter when they reach adulthood, despite everything that happens in between,” said Andrew Koepp, of the University of Texas at Austin, lead author of the study. It also means that helping children manage their attention and behavior will benefit them in later life, he added.

Understanding and supporting girls with ADHD (opens in a new window)

KQED Mindshift

May 22, 2023

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has long been associated with young boys, but research over the past four decades has revealed a hidden world of girls affected by the disorder. Almost 13% of men and boys have ADHD compared to 5.6% of women and girls. Girls are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in part because parents and teachers are less likely to refer girls for treatment or diagnosis. ADHD may present differently in boys and girls. For instance, boys often exhibit hyperactive and disruptive behaviors, while girls tend to show more internalized symptoms like daydreaming and social withdrawal, which often fly under the radar. 

A Dad’s Role in Modeling Social Skills (opens in a new window)

ADDitude

May 10, 2023

Research shows that social skills groups don’t help boys with ADHD improve their friendships, but good male role models do. Fathers can teach their sons how to communicate and cultivate friendships in important ways. Here’s how to get started.

Navigating ADHD in adulthood (opens in a new window)

Mayo Clinic Health System

May 10, 2023

In my practice, I spend quite a bit of time explaining to children what it means to have ADHD. During this process, parents often comment that the disorder’s symptoms sound like their feelings or actions, but they haven’t been diagnosed with ADHD. This is probable because if a child has ADHD, there is a strong likelihood that a parent also has ADHD. The exact cause of ADHD is still unclear, but there is a strong genetic component.

Podcast: The Medical Care Challenges of ADD / ADHD (opens in a new window)

PsychCentral

April 19, 2023

ADD / ADHD are typically discussed as a controversial diagnosis. Some people — including experts — feel that these conditions are over diagnosed, underdiagnosed, or simply don’t exist. ADD/ADHD have been used to attack parents, defend behavior challenges, and seemingly everything in between.

But what is the real story? Join us as today’s guest, Dr. Theresa Cerulli, explains the challenges in helping people with ADD / ADHD and the steps people can take to make sure they get the best care.

Google’s new Classroom tools include a ‘reader mode’ for people with dyslexia (opens in a new window)

Engadget

April 05, 2023

Google is making it easier for people with reading challenges, such as dyslexia, to be able to make out articles and text posts online. The tech giant has launched “reader mode” for Chrome, which takes a site’s primary content and puts it into the sidebar to reduce clutter and distractions. Users will also be able to change the text’s typeface, font size and spacing, as well as its color and background color, to find the combination that works best for them. 

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