Sili. Capsicum. Pepper. These are commonly used in dips, particularly soy sauce or patis (fish sauce) with chopped onions, eaten with fried or grilled fish. This is also used to give extra hotness in some recipes.

Caution: use in moderation because it can be very hot.

Auditory pertains to hearing.

Auditory association is the ability to make associations between verbally presented ideas or information to real objects/events.

Auditory blending is the ability to blend parts of a word and integrate into a whole word, through speaking.

Auditory closure is the ability to formulate or recognize or make associations with one or more parts of a word or sentence that is not heard (ospital for hospital) or when interruptions or gaps are present (b-a-t can be heard as bat) or when only one of the paired words is given, completion is done (boys and _____ ).

Auditory discrimination is an ability of a listener to distinguish the likeness and differences between sounds. This skill is very important in teaching graphemes and phonemes to be able to learn to discriminate letters and sounds as a pre-reading skill. It is also an important skill that needs to be enhanced with children with articulation problems.

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Gumamela or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.

For parents with children diagnosed as having learning disabilities, it is best to keep a record or a file of all the necessary documents that have accumulated since the diagnosis was made. You can categorized them according to the information written in the documents. You can also keep a notebook where you can write down who said what (though not to get back to that person who said your child will not be successful in the future, joke…).

Here are a few of the documents you may have to keep:

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Inclusion is educating children with disabilities with the regular or typical children. Inclusion encompasses not just putting these children together but having the time, resources, personnel, training and the right attitude. These collaborations regarding the IEP (individualized education program), behavior management at home and in school are made with the cooperation of the parents, school teachers, caregivers and therapists.

Here in the Philippines where inclusion is slowly being introduced in schools, I have observed some good news and bad news. As I have written, inclusion entails a lot of things. But sad to say, some schools say they have inclusion but they do not have the important elements mentioned. Why do they do that? They charge extra, or even double or triple the tuition fee. Parents whose children have been diagnosed with special needs become desperate to look for schools that will suit their children’s needs. They are looking for answers, for help. If they are not very discerning, they will probably fall prey to these pseudo-regular-school-with-inclusion programs being offered. It is therefore best to do research, ask for opinions, ask questions, follow the developmental pediatrician’s or child psychologist’s or special education evaluator’s recommendations.

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How do we know if a preschooler has a learning disability?

1. Communication delay. Does the child exhibit slow language development or speech difficulty?. Or have problems communicating thoughts and ideas? Or is having difficulty understanding what is being said?
2. Poor and uneven motor and coordination development. Are there delays in motor development like learning to walk, sit, color, using scissors, coloring? If so, problems in forming shapes, letters and numbers should be closely monitored.
3. Problems with memory and routine. Is the child having problems in understanding instructions? Or maybe have difficulty remembering the shapes or colors or letters or numbers that you have just taught? Remembering two- or three- step instructions will also be difficult for the child.
4. Socialization skills delay. Does the child experience having problems with interacting with other children? Cannot follow the topic of conversation?

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