Arthur Becker-Weidman

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: An evidence-baesd treatment

Attachment Therapy Book

I’ve just heard that a book I wrote with two colleagues,
The Attachment Therapy Companion: Key Practices for Treating Children
& Families

is now in production and should be out in early 2012. The book
describes what are the standards of care for this treatment.
From the Introduction:

This book is an important contribution to the field of trauma
treatment and attachment-focused the therapy. It provides the
clinician with a framework to assess, develop treatment plans, and
provide treatment in a comprehensive and integrated manner. College
professors are afforded a guide for classroom instruction. The book
will provide consumers with the necessary tools and information to
make better informed decisions regarding the adequacy of care they are
getting. College professors will find this book a useful adjunct for
family therapy, treatment, and ethics classes and the study guide will
assist in classroom instruction. Finally the book will provide judges,
child welfare professionals, insurance companies, and others with a
framework for evaluating proposed plans of care. It is my belief that
this book will mark a new stage in the development of attachment-
focused therapy by delineating what are the standards of care for the
treatment of attachment and trauma disorders.

November 12, 2011 Posted by | Adoption, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, International Adoption, Legal Issues, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy training

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
The workshop covers all the “Required Core Training Content” necessary to enter the practicum to become a Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy therapist. The use of SKYPE, independent study, and consultations will allow remote participants to fulfill the requirements to become Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy therapists.

The workshop uses a combination of SKYPE sessions, group discussion, independent study, and case presentations. Attachment-focused family therapy workbook, is the course text.

Early deprivation, neglect, abuse, significant early health problems and hospitalizations, repeated moves, or more than one year in an orphanage can create attachment problems that require specialized treatment. Traditional forms of therapy are ineffective with attachment-disordered children. This workshop will provide the therapist and other professionals with an opportunity to learn and practice effective treatment methods for trauma-attachment disordered children.

Participants are encouraged to present videotapes of sessions.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment that is grounded in current thinking and research on the etiology and treatment of Complex Trauma or Developmental Trauma Disorder and disorders of attachment. Treatment is primarily experiential and there is an important teaching element as well. Teaching parents about attachment-facilitating parenting methods and the importance of attunement and responsive, sensitive parenting is essential. Direct work with the parents regarding their own family or origin issues is another component of treatment. Finally, intensive emotional work with the child in a manner consistent with sound treatment principles is vital.

The workshop is led by Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, who is a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist, Certified Consultant, and Certified Trainer by the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute.
CENTER FOR FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
The Center For Family Development is an internationally recognized treatment and training center specializing in helping adopted and foster families with trauma and attachment disordered children. The Center is a registered agency with the Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children.

Arthur Becker-Weidman, CSW-R Ph.D. received his doctorate in Human Development from the University of Maryland, Institute for Child Study. He achieved Diplomate status from the American Board of Psychological Specialties in Child Psychology and Forensic Psychology. He is a Vice-President, clinical, with the Association for the Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children and President of the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute. Art is an adjunct Clinical Professor at SUNY at Buffalo. He has published over a dozen scholarly papers and regularly presents at international and national conferences. Art consults with psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists and several child treatment agencies, school districts, departments of social services, and governments in the United States, Canada, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Singapore, & Australia.

EVIDENCE-BASIS FOR TREATMENT
* Becker-Weidman, A., (2006) “Treatment for Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy,” Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. Vol. 23(2), 147-171.
* Becker-Weidman, A., (2006) “Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: A multi-year Follow-up,” in, New Developments In Child Abuse Research, Stanley M. Sturt, Ph.D. (Ed.) Nova Science Publishers, NY, pp. 43 – 61.
* Becker-Weidman, A., (2007). “Treatment For Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy,” http://www.center4familydevelop.com/research.pdf
* Becker-Weidman, A., & Hughes, D., (2008) “Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: An evidence-based treatment for children with complex trauma and disorders of attachment,” Child & Adolescent Social Work, 13, pp.329-337.
* Craven, P., & Lee, R., (2006) Therapeutic Interventions for Foster Children: A Systematic Research Synthesis, Research on Social Work Practice, 16(3):287-304.
TRAINING OUTLINE
2012
Center For Family Development
5820 Main Street, suite 406
Williamsville, NY 14221

SCHEDULE
A Six-month 56-hour Master Class.
10:00 am– 5:00 pm, 1/20/12, 2/17, 3.16, 4/20, 5/18, 6/21. Dates subject to change based on participant requests, 2012 holidays, and group agreement. Limited to eight.

OUTLINE
* Patterns of attachment
* Engaging and working with parents
* Intersubjectivity & use of self in practice
* Experiential components of training
* Components of Practice
* Phases of Treatment
* Differential use of components of
* Practice in different phases of
treatment
* Treatment with different populations and
circumstances
* Experiential components of training
* Consultation

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment. Two follow-up studies with control groups found clinically and statistically significant reductions in symptoms of attachment disorder, aggression, anti-social behavior, thought disorders, attention problems, mood, and social relationship dysfunction. Over 80% of the children treated had previously been in treatment on three or more occasions, without any noticeable improvement. Treatment averaged 23 sessions over approximately ten months. (Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Child & Adolescent Social Work, vol. 23, pp.137-171, 2006)
SUGGESTED READING
You will find the following list of books helpful. It is strongly recommended that you read the first book before the workshop begins. This will ensure that everyone has a solid foundation of common knowledge.

1. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: Essential Methods & Practices, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Rowman, Lanham, MD, 2010.
2. The Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Casebook, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Rowman: Lanham, MD, 2011.
3. Creating Capacity for Attachment, Eds., Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Deborah Shell, MA, LCMHC, Wood ‘N’ Barnes, 2005/2008.
4. Attachment Parenting, Ed., Arthur Becker-Weidman & Deborah Shell, Rowman: Lanham, MD, 2010.
5. Attachment-Focused Family Therapy. Daniel Hughes, Norton, 2007.
6. Attachment-Focused Family Therapy Workbook, D. Hughes, Norton: NY, 2011.
7. Handbook of Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. Edited by Jude Cassidy and Phillip Shaver. The Guilford Press, 2008.
8. Building the Bonds of Attachment. 2nd. Ed. Daniel Hughes, Ph.D., 2006
9. Attachment Across the Life Cycle. Edited by Colin Murray Parkes, Joan Stevenson-Hinde, and Peter Marris. Routledge, 1991.
10. A Secure Base. John Bowlby, Basic Books, NY, 1988.
11. John Bowlby & Attachment Theory. Jeremy Holmes, Routledge, NY, 1993.

PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP
This workshop is for therapists who want to learn how to treat trauma-attachment disordered children. Participants will learn effective therapy principals for helping traumatized children. Participants will learn:
1. Initial work to determine parent readiness.
2. The components of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and the phases of treatment.
3. The differential use of components in different phases of treatment.
4. Effective therapeutic techniques to use with traumatized and attachment disordered children and their families.
5. Effective parenting principals.
Participants will have the opportunity to view videotapes of actual therapy sessions with traumatized children that demonstrate therapeutic principals and present their own video tapes or cases.

April 15, 2011 Posted by | Adoption, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, International Adoption, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NEW training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

The workshop covers all the “Required Core Training Content” necessary to enter the practicum to become a Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy therapist. The use of SKYPE will allow remote participants to fulfill the requirements to become Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy therapists. Participants may register for the full 56 hours or for Part A or Part B alone.

The workshop uses a combination of SKYPE workshop sessions, group discussion, independent study, and case presentations.
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment that is grounded in current thinking and research on the etiology and treatment of Complex Trauma or Developmental Trauma Disorder and disorders of attachment. Treatment is primarily experiential and there is an important teaching element as well. Teaching parents about attachment-facilitating parenting methods and the importance of attunement and responsive, sensitive parenting is essential. Direct work with the parents regarding their own family or origin issues is another component of treatment. Finally, intensive emotional work with the child in a manner consistent with sound treatment principles is vital.

The workshop is led by Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, who is a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist, Certified Consultant, and Certified Trainer by the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute.

SCHEDULE
Starting dates and SKYPE sessions scheduled based on your availability and convenience. Assignments independent study occur at your pace.

A. 28 hour First half
* Patterns of attachment
* Engaging and working with parents
* Intersubjectivity & use of self in practice
* Experiential components of training
* Components of Practice
* Phases of Treatment
B. 28 hour Second half
* Differential use of components of
* Practice in different phases of
treatment
* Treatment with different populations and
circumstances
* Experiential components of training
* Consultation
Sections A & B cover all the required core training content for training to meet the DDPI requirements to apply for the Practicum to become a certified DDP therapist. Therapists may make application after completing section A.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment. Two follow-up studies with control groups found clinically and statistically significant reductions in symptoms of attachment disorder, aggression, anti-social behavior, thought disorders, attention problems, mood, and social relationship dysfunction. Over 80% of the children treated had previously been in treatment on three or more occasions, without any noticeable improvement. Treatment averaged 23 sessions over approximately ten months. (Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Child & Adolescent Social Work, vol. 23, pp.137-171, 2006)

SUGGESTED READING
You will find the following list of books helpful. It is strongly recommended that you read the first two books before the workshop begins. This will ensure that everyone has a solid foundation of common knowledge.

1. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: Essential Methods & Practices, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Rowman, Lanham, MD, 2010.
2. The Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Casebook, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Rowman: Lanham, MD, 2011.
3. Creating Capacity for Attachment, Eds., Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Deborah Shell, MA, LCMHC, Wood ‘N’ Barnes, 2005/2008.
4. Attachment Parenting, Ed., Arthur Becker-Weidman & Deborah Shell, Rowman: Lanham, MD, 2010.
5. Attachment-Focused Family Therapy. Daniel Hughes, Norton, 2007.
6. Attachment-Focused Family Therapy Workbook, Norton: NY, 2011.
7. Handbook of Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. Edited by Jude Cassidy and Phillip Shaver. The Guilford Press, 2008.
8. Building the Bonds of Attachment. 2nd. Ed. Daniel Hughes, Ph.D., 2006
9. Attachment Across the Life Cycle. Edited by Colin Murray Parkes, Joan Stevenson-Hinde, and Peter Marris. Routledge, 1991.
10. A Secure Base. John Bowlby, Basic Books, NY, 1988.
11. John Bowlby & Attachment Theory. Jeremy Holmes, Routledge, NY, 1993.

PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP
This workshop is for therapists who want to learn how to treat trauma-attachment disordered children. Participants will learn effective therapy principals for helping traumatized children. Participants will learn:
1. Initial work to determine parent readiness.
2. The components of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and the phases of treatment.
3. The differential use of components in different phases of treatment.
4. Effective therapeutic techniques to use with traumatized and attachment disordered children and their families.
5. Effective parenting principals.
Participants will have the opportunity to view videotapes of actual therapy sessions with traumatized children that demonstrate therapeutic principals and present their own video tapes or cases.

REGISTRATION
NAME:
ADDRESS:

Degree:
DAY PHONE #: ( )
E-MAIL:
AGENCY NAME (if applicable):

A.: B.: BOTH:______
Fee is $500 (US$) for Sections A or B and $950 for both. A refund, minus a $95 administrative fee, will be given for cancellations. No refunds will be issued beginning course. A $150 deposit is required and full payment is due by the time you being.
$500 or $950 (U.S. $) fee enclosed.
OR
$150 deposit enclosed, balance due before starting.
Purchase Orders: include $25 fee. Payment in full must be received prior to starting training.

Registration fee includes workshop information packet, and Certificate of Attendance for 28 or 56 CEU’s.

To register send application form and check to:
CENTER FOR FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
5820 Main Street, Suite 406
Williamsville, NY, 14221
Website: http://www.Center4FamilyDevelop.com
E-mail: Aweidman@Concentric.net
Phone: 716-810-0790 Fax: 716-636-6243

March 20, 2011 Posted by | Adoption, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, IEP, International Adoption, Legal Issues, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Institutional Care, Adoption, and Delays in Exeuctive Function

Previous research has shown that children who have spent at least some part of their life in an institution tend to have problems with executive functions. Executive functions are higher brain functions such as working memory, the ability to inhibit one’s behavior, forward planning, the ability to move from one task to another, impulse control, the ability to start or initiate, and attention. Instruments such a the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function can be used to measure executive functions.

Past research has concentrated on children aged between six and eleven so researchers at the University of Pittsburgh studied 418 children who had been adopted from institutions in Russia where they had been psychologically, but not physically, deprived. 130 of the children were pre-school age while the rest were older. The study found that the older the age the children had been adopted at the worse their executive function was and that those who were adopted after they were 18 months old had worse executive function than those who had been adopted when they were younger. The onset of adolescence was associated with a greater increase in executive function deficits for children adopted after 18 months than for those adopted when they were younger.

Merz, E. C. and McCall, R. B. Parent ratings of executive functioning in children adopted from psychosocially depriving institutions Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02335.x

A study using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales found similar delays, lags, and problems among a group of adopted children.
Becker-Weidman, A., (2009) “Effects of Early Maltreatment on Development: A Descriptive study using the Vineland,” Child Welfare, 88 (2)137-161.
Also see The Center For Family Development for very useful information.

November 12, 2010 Posted by | Adoption, Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, IEP, International Adoption, Legal Issues, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ADHD and Internationally Adopted Children

There is a very interesting and informative study in the most recent issue of the European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry titled, ADHD in international adoptees: a national cohort study The abstract is summarized below:

Several investigators have reported an increased frequency of attention/hyperactivity symptoms in internationally adopted children. In this national cohort study, the authors aimed to determine the prevalence of ADHD medication in international adoptees in Sweden, in comparison to the general population. A further purpose was to study gender, age at adoption and region of origin as predictors of ADHD medication in international adoptees. The study population consisted of all Swedish residents born in 1985–2000 with Swedish-born parents, divided into 16,134 adoptees, and a comparison population of 1,326,090. ADHD medications were identified in the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register during 2006. Logistic regression was used to calculate the “odds ratios”.

The rates of ADHD medication were higher in international adoptees than in the comparison population for both boys (5.3 vs. 1.5% for 10–15-year olds) and girls (2.1 vs. 0.3% for 10–15-year olds). International adoptees from all regions of birth more often consumed ADHD medication compared with the majority population, but the age and sex adjusted odds ratios were particularly high for adoptees from Eastern Europe, Middle East/Africa and Latin America. Adjusting for maternal education and single parenthood increased the odds ratios even further. The risk also increased with higher age at adoption. Adoptees from Eastern Europe have a very high risk for ADHD medication. A structured identification and support programme should be tailored for this group. Adoptees from other regions have a more moderately increased risk, which should be communicated to adoptive parents and to professionals who care for adoptees in their clinical practice.

Of course it is still unclear whether the children actually had ADHD since attention difficulties and related “ADHD” symptoms can also be caused by sensory-integration dysfunction, trauma symptoms, Complex Trauma, attachment difficulties and disorders, and Bipolar disorder. The fact that the children from Eastern Europe had the highest rate of use of ADHD medication does suggest some environmental rather than a genetic cause for the attention problems; suggesting that the cause may lie with the effects of chronic early maltreatment on development (Complex Trauma)

December 20, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ATTACh Conference

of Children’s annual conference, this year in San Antonio Texas. It was a wonderful conference for professionals, parents, and researchers. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Bruce Perry, a key note speaker, talk about the effects of trauma in childhood on later development. The mediating factor is the effects of trauma on brain development and brain function. This leads to an approach or sequencing of treatment that takes into account which systems of the brain are impaired. This was a very useful talk.

I strongly recommend that people consider the conference next year, in California. More information can be found at

October 1, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Brain, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, IEP, Parenting, Psychology, Research, Special Education, Treatment, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Great Resource for Parents

The new Parent Manual, put out by the Association for the Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children, is a wonderful resource for parents. It has a wealth of information and practical suggestions.

It covers many issues that children with Complex Trauma and disorders of attachment face.

copies can be ordered on Amazon.com or at http://www.attach.org

July 28, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Child Abuse, Child development, Child Welfare, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Dr. Becker-Weidman, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Empirically supported, Evidence-based, Parenting, Psychology, Special Education, Treatment | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learning Disabilities

Noah felt like he was always hitting the books. While his friends were meeting for pickup soccer games after school, he was back home in his room reading and rereading the same material. But no matter how hard Noah studied, he had difficulty remembering things and his grades stayed average. Meanwhile, his friend Sean, who never seemed to study, always aced tests. It didn’t seem fair.

Because Noah was so frustrated, his dad and teachers made an appointment with the school psychologist. She diagnosed Noah with a learning disability. Although Noah felt relieved to know what was going on, he was also worried. He didn’t like the “disability” label. And he was concerned about what it might mean for his future. Would he be able to go to college and study engineering as he’d hoped?
What Are Learning Disabilities?

For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn’t have anything to do with a person’s intelligence – after all, such successful people as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities.

Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn’t affected by learning disabilities. There are many kinds of learning disabilities. Most students affected by learning disabilities have more than one kind. Certain kinds of learning disabilities can interfere with a person’s ability to concentrate or focus and can cause someone’s mind to wander too much. Other learning disabilities can make it difficult for a student to read, write, spell, or solve math problems.

The way our brains process information is extremely complex – it’s no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information. It’s the same thing with speech – we have to recognize the words, interpret the meaning, and figure out the significance of the statement to us. Many of these activities take place in separate parts of the brain, and it’s up to our minds to link them all together.

If, like Noah, you’ve been diagnosed with a learning disability, you’re not alone. Nearly four million school-age children and teens have learning disabilities, and at least 20% of them have a type of disorder that makes it difficult to focus.
What Are the Signs of Learning Disabilities?

You can’t tell by looking that a person has a learning disability, which can make learning disabilities hard to diagnose. Learning disabilities typically first show up when a person has difficulty speaking, reading, writing, figuring out a math problem, communicating with a parent, or paying attention in class. Some kids’ learning disabilities are diagnosed in grade school when a parent or a teacher notices a kid can’t follow directions for a game or is struggling to do work he or she should be able to do easily. But other kids develop sophisticated ways of covering up their learning issues, so learning disabilities don’t show up until the teen years when schoolwork – and life – gets more complicated.

Most learning disabilities fall into one of two categories: verbal and nonverbal.

People with verbal learning disabilities have difficulty with words, both spoken and written. The most common and best-known verbal learning disability is dyslexia, which causes people to have trouble recognizing or processing letters and the sounds associated with them. For this reason, people with dyslexia have trouble with reading and writing tasks or assignments.

Some people with verbal learning disabilities may be able to read or write just fine but they have trouble with other aspects of language. For example, they may be able to sound out a sentence or paragraph perfectly, making them good readers, but they can’t relate to the words in ways that will allow them to make sense of what they’re reading (such as forming a picture of a thing or situation). And some people have trouble with the act of writing as their brains struggle to control the many things that go into it – from moving their hand to form letter shapes to remembering the correct grammar rules involved in writing down a sentence.

People with nonverbal learning disabilities may have difficulty processing what they see. They may have trouble making sense of visual details like numbers on a blackboard. Someone with a nonverbal learning disability may confuse the plus sign with the sign for division, for example. Some abstract concepts like fractions may be difficult to master for people with nonverbal learning disabilities.

A behavioral condition called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often associated with learning disabilities because people with ADHD may also have a hard time focusing enough to learn and study. Students with ADHD are often easily distracted and have trouble concentrating. They may also be excessively active or have trouble controlling their impulses.
What Causes Them?

No one’s exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop. They include:

* Genetic influences. Experts have noticed that learning disabilities tend to run in families and they think that heredity may play a role. However, researchers are still debating whether learning disabilities are, in fact, genetic, or if they show up in families because kids learn and model what their parents do.
* Brain development. Some experts think that learning disabilities can be traced to brain development, both before and after birth. For this reason, problems such as low birth weight, lack of oxygen, or premature birth may have something to do with learning disabilities. Young children who receive head injuries may also be at risk of developing learning disabilities.
* Environmental impacts. Infants and young children are susceptible to environmental toxins (poisons). For example, you may have heard how lead (which may be found in some old homes in the form of lead paint or lead water pipes) is sometimes thought to contribute to learning disabilities. Poor nutrition early in life may also lead to learning disabilities later in life.

How Do You Know If You Have a Learning Disability?

Just because you have trouble studying for a test doesn’t mean you have a learning disability. There are as many learning styles as there are individuals. For example, some people learn by doing and practicing, others learn by listening (such as in class), and others prefer to read material. Some people are just naturally slower readers or learners than others, but they still perform well for their age and abilities. Sometimes, what seems to be a learning disability is simply a delay in development; the person will eventually catch up with – and perhaps even surpass – his or her peers.

But many people with learning disabilities struggle for a long time before someone realizes that there’s a reason they’re having so much trouble learning. For most people in their teen years, the first telltale sign of most learning disabilities occurs when they notice that there’s a disconnect between how much they studied for a test and how well they performed. Or it may just be a feeling a person has that something isn’t right. If you’re worried, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with a parent or a teacher.

The first step in diagnosing a learning disability is ruling out vision or hearing problems. A person may then work with a psychologist or learning specialist who will use specific tests to help diagnose the disability. Often, these can help pinpoint that person’s learning strengths and weaknesses in addition to revealing a particular learning disability.
Coping With a Learning Disability

Although a diagnosis of a learning disability can feel upsetting, it’s actually the first step in resolving the condition. Once an expert has pinpointed a person’s particular problem, he or she can then follow strategies or take medicines to help cope with the disability. And taking steps to manage the disability can often help restore a student’s self-esteem and confidence.

Some students who have been diagnosed with a learning disability work with a special teacher or tutor for a few hours a week to learn special study skills, note-taking strategies, or organizational techniques that can help them compensate for their learning disability. If you’ve been diagnosed with a learning disability, you may need support just for the subjects that give you the most trouble. Your school may have a special classroom with a teacher who is trained to help students overcome learning problems.

Some schools develop what is called an Individualized Education Program (or IEP), which helps define a person’s learning strengths and weaknesses and make a plan for the learning activities that will help the student do his or her best in school. A student’s IEP might include some regular time with a tutor or in a specialized classroom for a certain subject, or the use of some special equipment to help with learning, such as books on tape or laptop computers for students who have dyslexia.

Medication is often prescribed to help students with ADHD. There are several medicines on the market today to help improve a student’s attention span and ability to focus and to help control impulses and other hyperactive behavior.

There’s no cure for a learning disability. And you don’t outgrow it. But it’s never too late to get help. Most people with learning disabilities learn to adapt to their learning differences, and they learn strategies that help them accomplish their goals and dreams.
Reviewed by: D’Arcy Lyness, PhD
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/learning/learning_disabilities.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle

May 20, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Child Welfare, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Education, Empirically supported, IEP, Parenting, Research, Special Education, Treatment | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Department of Public Instruction

Another very informative site for more information regarding instruction in the classroom is the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Found in the link below.

May 17, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Child Abuse, Child Welfare, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, IEP, Research, Special Education | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Legal Education information

IDEA 2004 Statute and Regulations

There is a lot of legal information on the Wrightslaw home page regarding everything from IEPs and Regulations regarding Special Education. Click on the link below or the graphic above to check it out.

http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law.htm

May 14, 2009 Posted by | Arthur Becker-Weidman, Education, IEP, Parenting, Special Education | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment