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Showing posts with label Tourette's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourette's. Show all posts

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

2011 DAVIDSON FELLOWS ANNOUNCED. Eighteen gifted high achievers have been awarded scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for their work in a variety of fields. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship program has provided nearly $4.5 million in scholarship funds to 184 Fellows since its inception, according to the Davidson Institute.  Founded by Bob and Jan Davidson in 1999, the Davidson Institute for Talent Development recognizes, nurtures, and supports profoundly intelligent young people, and provides opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference. The Institute offers support through a number of programs and services, including the Davidson Fellows program and The Davidson Academy. For more information about the 2011 Davidson Fellows, visit www.DavidsonGifted.org/Fellows.
ONLINE EDUCATION FOR AUTISM. An Education Week article explores the value of online education for students with high-functioning autism, noting that it can  alleviate sensory overload, bullying, and other hazards of the real-world classroom. In the article covers pluses and minuses, and quotes 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter contributor Katherine Boser on considerations for when virtual education might be appropriate for a student with high-functioning autism. Find the article.
DBS FOR TOURTETTE'S. Fox News reported on a young man in New York for whom symptoms of severe Tourette's Syndrome were relieved by deep brain stimulation, which involves implanting electrodes to stimulate parts of the brain that are malfunctioning. Read more.
AD/HD ON THE RISE. The Wall Street Journal, reporting on a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, notes that the percentage of children between 5 and 17 diagnosed with AD/HD has risen to 9 percent, a two-point change from the last measurement over a decade ago. The article also contained an estimate of the costs of such AD/HD to society -- over $42 billion per year when factoring in "health care, education, parental work loss and juvenile-justice costs." Read more.
PARENTS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS: TAKE HEED. Although you may have already realized this, a new study indicates that boys think discussing problems is a waste of time. This is compared to girls, who researchers found "had positive expectations for how talking about problems would make them feel, such as expecting to feel cared for, understood and less alone." Read more about the study.
A BACK TO SCHOOL HEALTH QUIZ for parents about kids' health showed us that we didn't know lots of things we should have -- such as the maximum weight for a kid's backpack, or which common medicine the FDA has warned against for kids under 2. If you want to find out how much you know -- or don't know -- take the quiz.
AND FINALLY, THIS. Sometimes, after dinner and with the mom out of the house at her aerobics class, the dad and two young boys at our house used to play a game called "Daddy Monster." It was a combination of hide-and-seek, Nerf shoot-em-up, and roughhousing, where the hiding daddy would leap out of closets when the seeking sons approached, then either chase them or be chased and fired upon with Nerf weapons, each round culminating in either daddy being tackled and "dying" on the living room rug, or sons being tossed onto the couch while the monster escaped again. We miss it. Now we find and article in the Chicago Tribune giving parents guidelines for roughhousing with kids and espousing the benefits. Read it.

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

BRAIN RESOURCES from SharpBrains. The organization has released its May eNewsletter. In it are two articles that might be of interest to those who raise, educate, and counsel gifted kids with learning challenges:
  • "AD/HD: Brain training Neurofeedback, Diet, and More"
  • "Neuroplasticity in the Brain of Children with Neurological Disorders," dealing with Tourette's
EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS NEWSLETTER. Deborah Ruf has issued her June newsletter. In it are a number of pointers to useful things: an article on why gifted girls may not be as confident as they should; a list of top-10 gifted education blogs; a list of top-10 open education resources; and more. Find the newsletter. 
EDUCATOR RESOURCE FOR SUMMER. If you're a teacher of the gifted or twice-exceptional, you might be interested in Edutopia's current issue, which contains ideas for summer relaxation and learning. We notice, however, that one of the articles is titled "The Myth of Summers Off." Go to Edutopia. 
SCHOLARSHIP FOR KIDS WITH AN LD. An Alabama Internet consulting company, Lumin, has established a $2000 scholarship for a young person with an LD who is going to college. The company's founder says her mom suggested the idea and also suggested that "the scholarship be made available to students with learning disabilities. This came as no surprise since she and I spent countless hours looking for available scholarships when I was in college. (Yes…I have a learning disability…two in fact.)" Find out more, and good for Lumin Consulting!
SENG SUMMIT EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT EXTENDED. You can still save money with an earlybird discount to the July SENG conference in Seattle, but only through June 10th. Thinking of going? Check it out.
COMPETITIONS FOR GIFTED MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS. A discussion on LinkedIn has elicited opinions on the most valuable competitions for gifted middle-school students. Responses include Destination Imagination, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Lego Robotics Challenge, National History Day, and more. Join in -- free registration is required, and then you can continue to participate in the group, Gifted Talented Network. 
FILE THIS UNDER "NEXT YEAR." PBS and Adobe have sponsored a competition whereby selected teen documentary filmmakers receive grands for their projects, along with mentoring. This year the competition received 250 applications and awarded 15 grants. Read more at Yahoo. 
DAVIDSON INSTITUTE. Don't forget the DITD "Tips" section, which offers collections of tips on various gifted-related topics such as acceleration, AD/HD, advocacy, depression,  and lots more. Find it.
AD/HD: THE BAD NEWS. "Analysis of data from two long-term studies of the impact of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) on the development of psychiatric disorders in young adults confirms that AD/HD alone significantly increases the risk of cigarette smoking and substance abuse in both boys and girls." Read more from this report.
AND FINALLY, THIS. A father and his dyslexic son collaborated on a fantasy novel that will be published next week. According to the Biloxi, Mississippi, Sun-Herald, "The story involves a young, idealistic, inspirational kid who decides he’s going to save his kingdom, which has been taken over by goblins. There’s a princess who escaped by chance the night the palace fell and learned magic. She watches what is going on and makes him a magic sword, which completely transforms him. He becomes a great a hero." Read more.


From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

GOOGLE SCIENCE FAIR. We've mentioned this new, online competition before, but want to pass on a pointer to an article with more details about the fair. The article discusses the differences between in-person and online fairs and also speculates on what's at stake for Google -- but if you're thinking about encouraging a teenager to enter this fair, find out more.
ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE? A child with belly pain may be experiencing an abdominal migraine, according to a new study. Reuters points out that the label is a common diagnosis in Europe and the UK, but not in the United States. According to the article, the condition affects about two percent of kids. Read more.
ATTENTION RESEARCH UPDATE. The March issue is now posted, and in it David Rabiner reviews an approach to helping "inflexible and explosive children" who are prone to outbursts and meltdowns. The approach was tested in a study that showed ODD kids and their families benefited long-term from a particular approach conceived by Dr. Ross Greene called collaborative problem solving. Find the issue.
SENG WEBINAR. SENG has announced an April 26th webinar titled "Stress, Anxiety, and Gifted: Coping with Everyday Life." Presented by Michele Kane, the webinar "examines the sources of stress as well as explores specific strategies designed to minimize stress and develop self-awareness." Find out more about the 1.5-hour, $40 event at the SENG site. 
TREATMENTS FOR AUTISM. If you've been considering any of a variety of autism treatments, check out an article about the effectiveness of such treatments, based on studies reported in Pediatrics. 
ANXIETY seems to plague lots of gifted and twice-exceptional children. If your child is one of them, an article at PsychCentral lays out various forms of anxiety, the ages at which they typically occur, and when you the adult should worry about the child's worries. Find the article.
WOODWORKING FOR KIDS is the topic of a a recent article in The New York Times. Benefits to the kids of participating in woodworking projects -- pride of accomplishment, satisfaction from solving problems, and being engaged. The article profiles a woodworking program or two and lists a few programs across the country. Read it.
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION is used for severe cases of depression, OCD, and Tourette's, as well as for adult conditions such as Parkinson's disease. The current print issue of Brain in the News from the Dana Foundation contained two articles on the topic, one of which was reprinted from the Associated Press and the other from The New York Times.
AND FINALLY, THIS, about physical safety for your college student in Texas. CBS in West Texas reported last week on Texas Senate Bill 354, which would allow those over 21 who have a license for a concealed handgun to carry their weapons on Texas college campuses. The bill has been approved by a committee and is apparently ready to be voted on by the Senate. CBS notes polls indicating that "67 percent of Texans are against guns on campus." Read more.

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AD/HD, LD STUDENTS. ADDitude has published a list of scholarships for kids with AD/HD and other LDs. Find out more.
PEER PRESSURE, ADOLESCENCE, AND THE BRAIN. In a study of young people from ages 10 to 13, researchers found that development of a specific area of the brain helps adolescents resist risky behavior and peer pressure. The brain area, the ventral striatum, is associated with reward processing. Read more. 
BABY MEDIA may not work, says HealthDay, reporting on recent research. Babies apparently learn words from their parents, but not from the screen because they are unable to connect what's going on on-screen with real life. Read the article, and be happy with the amount of genius your baby already displays. 
TOURETTE'S, ASPERGER'S, AMERICAN IDOL. A talented contestant on "American Idol" has Asperger's and Tourette's, according to an article in USA Today. The article relates the contestant's feelings about his situation, and also briefly profiles two other young people with Tourette's. Find the article.
THE PRES ON BULLYING. At a conference on bullying, President Obama spoke of his own experience as the target (as a kid, not as President), according to the Associated Press. "With big ears and the name that I have, I wasn't immune," said the President, throwing his support behind the anti-bullying movement. Read more.
AND FINALLY, THIS. A Zits cartoon from this week highlights how applying for college is different than it used to be. Find it, and maybe be glad you're not 18 again.

REFORMING EDUCATION. An opinion piece in Monday's New York Times contained the following language: "Our current educational approach — and the testing that is driving it — is completely at odds with what scientists understand about how children develop during the elementary school years and has led to a curriculum that is strangling children and teachers alike." To read the suggestions for ways to reform the typical school day, go here.

ATTENTION RESEARCH UPDATE. Got a gifted kid with AD/HD and sleep problems? Check out the most-recently posted issue of Attention Research Update, in which David Rabiner reviews a study comparing sleep disturbances in non-medicated children with AD/HD to "controls." The basic conclusion: AD/HD children who are non-medicated are more sleep-impaired than other children. Read more.

"FRONT OF THE CLASS," a Hallmark movie inspired by Brad Cohen, the award-winning teacher who has Tourette Syndrome, is re-airing on CBS on Friday, February 5th, according to a good friend of 2e Newsletter. She urges all of us to "check your local listings." More information here.

TOO MUCH PRAISE for that high-ability kid? A UK commentator recently wrote this: "American authors Ashley Merryman and Po Bronson have sparked fierce debate in child psychology circles with their book NurtureShock, which suggests, among other things, that too much "positive reinforcement" can stunt a child's development." We've mentioned in past postings the negative effect praise can have; read the commentary.

THE RISE OF NEUROSCIENCE. You certainly read the word "neuroscience" frequently in this blog. The discipline has had a tremendous effect on the amount of information available to us as we raise, teach, and counsel our gifted and twice-exceptional kids. If it seems as if the discipline came from nowhere, well, maybe it has. An article at io9.com shows "how neuroscience went from a hodgepodge of unconnected scientific disciplines to a unified science that's one of the most important today, in just under 10 years." The best part is a creative graphic showing the interrelationship of disciplines contributing to neuroscience. See the article.


Neurosurgery, a Weighty Tome on Giftedness, Neuroeducation, and Outdoor Kindergarten

SURGERY FOR OCD, TOURETTE'S. An article in The New York Times covered the use of brain surgery to treat conditions such as OCD, Tourette's, and depression. The surgery may involve destroying tissue using implanted wires, modulating brain circuits using deep brain stimulation, or destroying tissue using radiation from a "gamma knife." The surgeries are relatively infrequent -- about 500 over the last decade, and only on patients with severely disabling disorders which no other treatment had resolved. The article describes the plights and treatments of two patients, one who was helped and one who wasn't. Find the article.

interviewed the editor of a volume by that title, Larisa INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK ON GIFTEDNESS. EdNews.org's Michael ShaughnessyShavinia, who describes the work and why she decided to create it. The Handbook consists of 78 chapters by 118 authors in over 1500 pages. Also impressive: the price tag, at $479. Out of the 78 chapters, only three apparently deal with 2e; those are in a section called "Twice-Exceptional Gifted Individuals and Suicide-Related Issues." Read the interview. See the table of contents.

NEUROEDUCATION: LEARNING, ARTS, AND THE BRAIN. Earlier this year, Johns Hopkins University held a summit of that title for researchers and educators exploring the convergence of neuroscientific research, teaching, and learning, with emphasis on the arts. The Dana Foundation has made available a document that contains the keynote address by Jerome Kagan, an executive summary of the summit, and transcripts of panel discussions. You may order a print copy from the Foundation, or you may download a 120-page PDF of the document.

A WALDORF FOREST KINDERGARTEN. Ever think your young, bright, inquisitive child wasn't getting enough time outdoors? Check out a New York Waldorf School that offers a "forest kindergarten," where children 3 1/2 to 6 years old spend three hours outside every school day. Read The New York Times article for a nice look at what teachers and students think of the venture.