By: Hailey Edwards-Kern – Receptionist, Assistant to the Director
Have you ever heard “if you just tried harder” or “if you stopped being so lazy”? Whether it was from an internal monologue or an outside influence many people with learning disabilities have heard these phrases. Learning disabilities are not tied to intelligence and have no bearing on future success. Learning disabilities are hidden or non-visual disabilities that are not immediately apparent and cannot be simply overcome by “trying harder”. There are many different types of learning disabilities including Dyslexia, Dysgrpahia, Dyscalcuila, Auditory Processing Disorders, and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities. There are many diverse paths people can take to get help with their learning disability. Advocating for yourself is the number one most important tool you have to get what you need to be successful! Here are some ways you can help yourself reach your goals, advocate for yourself and continue on a positive path forward: Getting an assessment to help understand your brain and to put it into terms that others will understand as well. Getting an assessment will give you an accurate diagnosis that can help you gain access to personalized support, resources and improve self-awareness. Having a professional perspective on your life circumstances can provide insight into some of the ‘whys’ you may have about your life. Talking to loved ones about your learning disability: Disclosing personal information is a decision that should be made with great care. Think about someone in your life who you have open and honest communication with. Talking with a safe person about your learning disability can help them deepen their understanding of you and help you verbalize some of the experiences you’ve had through your unique circumstances. Getting on an IEP in School: Getting an Individualized Education program is the best way to ensure you have the tools necessary to be successful in school. The report from an assessment gives your school the information they need to create a plan of action concerning your specific needs. This can be extended time on tests, recording devices, or having lecture notes provided before/after class. IEPs should be reviewed and updated regularly and you should be involved in ensuring this happens. Workplace disclosure: According to the Canadian Human Rights legislation, employees have a right to accommodations in the workplace if it does not cause “undue hardship” to the company or organization. You can consider disclosing your learning disability to your employer if you feel your disability is hampering work performance and if you feel your employer will be receptive to this disclosure. Using Assistive Technology: Find technology that works for you! After your assessment, you will have a section which speaks to which technology might be most beneficial to you! There are many wonderful devices and websites that can help like speech-to-text tools, graphic organizers, audible audio books, and mathtalk. Using AI: Though it can get a bad rap for people using it to plagiarize, using websites like Chat GPT can help you summarize documents, give ideas for projects and help understand a deeper meaning behind concepts. As long as you're not copying and pasting and passing off the information as your own AI can be a great jumping-off point. Develop a schedule: break down your day into manageable pieces. One helpful tool is the ABC method, which helps you prioritize what is most important to get done. Write down your weekly tasks and organize them into these 3 categories. A is the most important and time-sensitive and non-negotiables must-do which will have consequences if they are not finished. B is not as urgent but are tasks that need to be accomplished to keep your work moving forward. Finally, C is things you want to accomplish but that are not time-sensitive. Keeping these tasks handy on your mobile device will mean you are never without them and you can change the priority level as needed. Self Care: This is preached a lot and seldom practiced. What type of activity makes you feel unbearably excited? What makes you feel comfort and peace? Use these questions to formulate what makes you happy and strive for it. Take a bath, go for a walk or cook your favourite meal. Incorporating small bits of joy into your everyday schedule helps make every day a little brighter and creates a more comfortable environment for learning. Mental Health and Empowerment: Learning disabilities can have a negative impact on your mental health and can lead to low self-esteem. Knowing your strengths and challenges can help you advocate for yourself and help you take control of your learning journey. It is important to communicate your needs and feelings clearly and assertively to get the help you deserve. Positive mantras can be an excellent way to build resilience and can be said out loud or written down somewhere visible. These can sound like “ I am capable, strong and take on challenges with ease and grace.” Tailor these to your current situation or task at hand, the more positives we speak into the world, the more we start to see them. Everyone learns differently and it is important we take the time to get to know ourselves and loved ones so everyone can have the accommodations that best fit their unique learning style. Getting an assessment is the first step in gaining a deeper understanding and the best tool to help you start your journey to advocating for yourself. If there are any tips that have been particularly helpful to you, we would love to hear them in the comment section below!
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Does your teen spend to much time on their screen? How do you manage their screen time, without the fight? In this month's BizX Magazine, our director, Tara Carman-French, offers you some guidelines on a positive approach to managing screen time with your children. Check out her article on page 33 where she walks you through negotiating with your teen, what to replace screen time with, and how to recognize the signs of screen addiction.
https://bizxmagazine.com/biz-x-magazine-march-2024-volume-27-issue-3/ In partnership with Imagine Cinemas, we are proud to offer families who book an assessment in the month of March free tickets for the family to see the 2011 film HOP on the Easter Weekend.
March Break appointments still available as of this posting! Tickets will be issued on the day of testing. Limited tickets are available. Only while supplies last. Tickets have no cash value. Call or email us today! Did you know that your family doctor can diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD?
If you cannot afford a full assessment, then this path is definitely an option for you. However, your family doctor will not be able to give you a list of accommodations for your school or workplace. Your family doc will also not be able to diagnose any learning disabilities that may be appearing with your ADHD. These are the primary differences between a full assessment overseen by a Psychologist, and one completed by your family doctor. Regardless of where you are assessed, your family doctor plays a vital role in prescribing medication, early identification, and ongoing treatment. Unfortunately, some family doctors are not comfortable prescribing stimulant medication for their ADHD patients. If this is the case for you, and you do not have access to extended health benefits to have a full assessment completed by a Psychologist, then try requesting a referral to a Psychiatrist. This avenue would be covered by OHIP, and would provide you, or your child, with access to a doctor who will be well versed in prescribing medications for many psychological conditions, including ADHD. There may be a long wait time for treatment, so be aware that this path will take some time. Children with ADHD are at least twice as likely as their peers to access medical care regularly in the years before their diagnosis. Learn more about this in the ADDitude Magazine article here. These children may be experiencing more accidents or more illnesses related to their potential ADHD. Often, undiagnosed children undergo more stress related to their inability to self-regulate and achieve the expectations of their parents, siblings, peers, or teachers. Their increased stress manifests as headaches, stomachaches, and bodily pain. Other mental health issues can arise from or be present with undiagnosed ADHD. If you are lucky enough to have a family doctor, or behavioural pediatrician who understands both ADHD and ADHD medication, you have a strong ally in managing the disorder. Talk to them about what you, or your child are experiencing. They will be able to offer some solutions. Your doctor, your school or workplace, your ADHD Coach, and your Psychiatrist or Psychologist should be working together to ensure your success. by Keith Carman
I can’t believe it happened to me. At the recommendation of my child’s school, I took him for an Attentional Assessment. He struggled with focus at school, staying on-task, and generally getting things done. While I initially chalked it up to lack of initiative and pure laziness, guess what? His assessment resulted in an ADHD diagnosis. Of course, that opened my eyes to the challenges he faces daily, explained a lot of frustrations we’ve had as parents and created a map for him as an individual and us as a family moving forward. Seeing him excel and succeed has only made me happily admit I was wrong about my initial preconceptions. So, what was the big shock? Realizing that while we were going through the Attentional Assessment process and looking into his resulting ADHD, I felt that many aspects were hitting incredibly close to home. Could I, a middle-aged adult, actually have ADHD? Perish the thought! Still, I guess there’s only one way to find out… Fast-forward a few weeks, and a full Adult Attentional Assessment later. Guess what? I, a middle-aged adult, have ADHD. Apparently—and in retrospect, obviously—I always have, but given aged stigmas, a lack or absence of information (and some misinformation), I slipped through the cracks for five decades. Now, in my personal circumstances, that lack of an ADHD diagnosis didn’t prove incredibly harmful to my mental or physical state, my overall relationships or my employment history. Yet, it could have. It could easily have resulted in many missteps, causing relationship woes, substance abuse issues and employment strife. Still, having an ADHD diagnosis halfway through life…how could THAT be worthwhile? I’ll tell you that it surely was. Not only did it explain a LOT of my past behaviours, choices and such—echoing all we learned about my son with his diagnosis—but it also helped strengthen the bond with my child. We understand/support one another’s ups and downs with ADHD and even call one another out when we’re using it as a crutch to underperform. It has helped my partner appreciate how my mind operates. Most importantly? It helped me learn who I am here and now, where I deserve to be going forward, and how I can get there with the superpower that is ADHD—all thanks to one simple Attentional Assessment. I’m an adult with late-diagnosis ADHD and am proud to admit it. Psychoeducational (Learning Disability) and Attentional (ADHD/ADD) assessments provide numerous benefits for individuals facing challenges with their academic and professional performance. Here are some advantages of having an assessment:
Learning disability and attentional assessments are vital in promoting inclusivity, empowering individuals to reach their full potential, and fostering a positive learning environment that recognizes and celebrates individual differences. By addressing learning challenges head-on, individuals can thrive academically and develop self-confidence and independence. Learning disability assessement provides critical indicators for how employers can help employees become successful. Employers must provide accommodations for learning disability-identified individuals.
Post secondary schools require specific learning disabilities assessments to provide accommodations. Assessment can help guide career choices by determining suitability for academic and workplace requirements.
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