Referrals Archives - Page 11 of 12 - The Ed Psych Practice Blog

Do Girls Experience Autism Differently?

October 23, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ASD & Girls, Developmental Neuropsychologist, Diagnosed Late, High School, Masking, Overlooked, Paediatrician, Quieter Representations, Speech and Language Therapist

Takeaway: Autism affects girls differently to boys, at many levels — biologically, psychologically, socially, and emotionally. But, it’s often overlooked because girls are skilled at ‘masking’ their differences. And the longer your child goes undiagnosed, the greater the chances of her developing issues like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. So, if you suspect your daughter has autism, consider consulting a specialist who can offer her the help she deserves. Read More

Why Autism Can Affect Your Child’s Sleeping Habits

October 15, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Anxiety, ASD, Cognitive Performance, Hyperactivity, Low Melatonin, Neurological Issues, Poor Learning, Sensory Issues, Sleep Difficulties, Sleep Routine

Takeaway: Autism is a developmental difference that gives your child a unique set of traits — some empowering, some challenging. Often, the more challenging traits can disrupt your child’s sleep which in turn magnifies those traits in a vicious cycle. The great thing, though, is that there are things you can do at home to help your child sleep better. And for more severe sleep issues you can consult a child psychologist, who’ll have a whole different set of techniques to work with. Read More

‘Executive Functions’: The Tiny Manager in Your Child’s Head

October 8, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ADHD, Cognitive Flexibility, Emotional Control, Executive Functioning, Self Regulation, Slow Processing Speed, Specific Learning Difficulties, Working Memory

Takeaway: To navigate her life, your child needs the various parts of her brain to work as a team. And mental processes called ‘executive functions’ do this coordinating, sort of like a tiny manager in your child’s brain. The three core functions are (1) impulse control, (2) working memory, and (3) mental flexibility. And if these stop working, life becomes so much harder. That’s why we need to diagnose executive-function difficulties early, so we can control them before they have any long-term effects. Read More

Why Dysgraphia Is About More than Just Messy Handwriting

October 1, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ADHD, ASD, Assistive Technology, Dysgraphia, Fine Motor Skills, Learning Difficulties, Occupational Therapist, Writing Abilities, Writing Accommodations

Takeaway: Dysgraphia is a learning difference that affects how a child writes. But it’s more than just that. It affects the way she processes information, thinks, and remembers, too. And these all subtly affect the way her classmates and teachers think of her. Luckily, educational psychologists and occupational therapists can help children work through these differences. Which is why making an early dysgraphia diagnosis is so important. Read More

What is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

September 21, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice 1 Comment Referrals ADHD, Anxiety, Autism Profile, Avoidance Tactics, Indirect Demands, Mental Health, Occupational Therapists, PDA, Persuasive Development Disorder, Speech and Language Therapists

Takeaway: Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where children compulsively try to avoid any demands and requests from other people. These are stressful, so avoiding them feels good. But only for a bit. Then the anxiety comes back even stronger and slowly takes over their lives. Thankfully PDA can be managed if diagnosed early enough. So, it’s worth consulting a specialist for an assessment and a custom care plan. Read More

Selective Mutism

September 16, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Behavioural Therapy, Childhood, Communication and Language Disorder, Depression, Selective Mutism, Shy, Situational Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Speech & Language Therapist

Takeaway: ‘Selective mutism’ is a complex, uncontrollable reaction to anxiety, where children can’t speak in certain situations. It’s not that they don’t want to, or choose not to, they simply CAN’T. The trick is to get a diagnosis quickly (before things get worse) and use the training techniques your speech and language therapist provides. Read More

Autism Evaluation – Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised

August 13, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ADI-R, Autism, Communication & Language, Developmental Difference, Evaluation, Occupational Therapist, Paediatricians, Repetitive Behaviour, Social Interactions, Speech Therapist

Takeaway: Parents can spot the signs of autism long before anyone else. You just need an expert to help make sense of what you see. That’s what the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is all about. It’s a semi-structured interview where a specialist uses your observations to assess whether or not your child is in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It provides an opportunity to give your child the kind of care and support she needs.
Read More

Autism Evaluation – What should it look like?

August 6, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ADOS, ASD, Autism Evaluation, Communication Skills, Developmental Disability, Diagnostic Tool, Observational Assessment, Repetitive Behaviour, Social Interaction, Speech and Language

Takeaway: A child’s life can be unnecessarily traumatic if her autism spectrum disorder (ASD) goes unnoticed. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule [ADOS] is one of the evaluation tools. It’s a reliable, standardised test trusted by specialists around the world. And it’s used not just to detect ASD, but also to measure the extent of its impact on a child’s abilities. Read More

Auditory Processing Difficulties: When Your Child Listens But Can’t Understand

July 20, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Auditory Perception, Auditory Processing Difficulties, Auditory Training, Auditory Working Memory, Decoding Language, Decoding Speech Sounds, Learning Delays, Speech and Language Therapy

Takeaway: Auditory processing difficulties pop up when a child has trouble processing sounds. So, she can hear fine but her brain struggles to interpret what she hears. Thankfully, there’s a lot we can do to help: (1) Start speech and language therapy, (2) Teach her coping skills, and (3) Modify her environment. Read More

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD): Why Your Child May Be Struggling to Communicate

July 4, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Communication Difficulties, DLD, Early Intervention, Enhance Communication Skills, Language Deficits, Language Development, Poor Attention, Speaking and Listening, Speech Therapist

Takeaway: Many children have trouble learning how to speak and communicate fluently. But for most, this is a phase they outgrow. With DLD, a child’s brain develops differently, making it harder for her to learn and use language, through school and into adulthood. Thankfully, though, there are tools and techniques you can use to help your child adapt. Read More

Category: Referrals