He used to be restless, he still is but restless in a different way. He used to talk nonstop although he is not so much like that nowadays. He used to be like the wind that can not be contained and controlled. In other words, he is indestructible.

He was given medication to control his actions and concentrate better in class. He transferred from one school to another and then back again to where he was enrolled first. Good thing he has stayed there till now that he is a Senior.

He wants to go to one of the prestigious schools in the country to study Information Technology. One time he came by with his brother who is having reading sessions with me. I wanted to discuss with him his plans and what he has lined up to achieve his goals but we weren’t able to talk much.

I decided to look up online what he wanted to study and I also got to read online MS in Information Security.

As of now, he is going to review classes to prepare for college entrance examinations. I know he is on the right path.

I believe that even if a person has difficulties which hinder achieving some successes that others can easily achieve, with the proper attitude and preparation nothing is impossible.

And yeah, time flies by so fast which means i am getting a year older this 2009

I am so happy to brag write about this. Woohoo!
Click here to read my article posted at FilipinoMomBlog.

Of course, they expect a lot because they pay a lot of money to be able to get these services for their children.

Here in the Philippines, parents/families of children receiving therapy services pay for these services, unlike those children in other countries who get these as part of their tax benefits.

Getting into these therapy services don’t mean instant relief and instant improvement of the developmental and behavioral problems that need to be addressed.

So what should parents expect during the first few weeks of therapy?

Below are a few observations I have made during the course of working with these therapists:

Expect crying, lots of it, especially for the younger children (ages 3 and below)

• These crying bouts will persist from the first session to sometimes well into the 10th or even beyond. Do not fear for the children are either adjusting to being with a new adult,  or they are probably testing this adult’s patience to see how the therapists will react. Young children can be very manipulative, it seems. Just observe an infant who cries the moment he/she is laid on a bed but quiets when picked up.

• They do not readily understand why they have to be taught to do things because they are used to playing and doing things their way. And why not? They would definitely cry if they can’t get a toy they want if they have to do a hand gesture of “give” or say “give” first. Of course, these thins are difficult especially when they are used to getting their own way.

• They cry because they resist what is being asked of them like sitting, asking for things and not grabbing these things, following verbal instructions, establishing eye contact, packing away the toys/materials that they have played with.

• They cry because they do not want to do the vocalizations they need to be able to produce sounds which will later on be words that they can say.

• They cry because everything is new to them, the therapists, the place, the tasks and the different stimulation that they see around them.

So parents, do not be upset if your children cry during the first few weeks of therapy. In due time, they will enjoy doing these things and with your help, they would be able to achieve the goals that have been set for them.

One of the first things children need to do before they are ready to do some learning.

Sit.

One of the precursors in determining the attention span of a child.

Of course,not because a child is sitting down does not mean that the child is ready to learn.

For children with language processing problems, this is how to tell them to sit down. Not “Come sit here on the red chair.” or “I need you to sit now so we can start our lesson.” Chances are they will not be able to grasp if the message was about coming, sitting, the red chair, the starting, the lesson.

Why do children need to learn how to sit?

They sit when they eat. They sit when they do table top activities. They sit when they need to have a haircut. They sit in church. They sit when they are traveling. They sit when they wait for their turn at the doctor’ clinic. They sit when they watch tv and play with their computer games.

On the other hand, sitting does not mean that there is learning happening. There are those who just sit and not squirm but are not really learning anything.

Some children learn better when they are on the move.

Those schools that have the “Sit-down-and-listen-to-the-teacher” method should be avoided, if there are other alternative school. Children are active individuals and they won’t sit still for a long time. It is important to alternate both movements and table-top activities for them.

Click these Symptoms of ADHD and What to do if you Suspect Your Child has a Learning Disability?

This article, A Letter to My Grandmother by Dale S. Brown describes what she went through when she was growing up.

Another wonderful read: Beware the Sitting Trap.

Need I mention that the predicted fortune the eight gold medals will bring him would be close to $100 million due to product endorsements?

As everybody knows by now, he has ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

So what so special about having ADHD and how does it relate to him winning a lot of gold and breaking world records?

It is NOT just having the ADHD that helped him win these, as the theme of the news reports reporting on this interesting aspect about him. It was a lot more.

His mother, Debbie Phelps was a middle school principal did her best to help her son: “I believe that appropriate treatment, including behavioral therapy and medication, can benefit children and adolescents with ADHD.” Click here to read more.

She was quoted here to have describing Michael as:

“He never sat still. He never shut up; he would never stop asking questions,” his mom says. “He just wanted to go from one thing to another.”

Debbie Phelps is a big help in developing Michael and his skills. She even wrote an article with tips on how to help manage a child with ADHD: Back to School: Help Your Child with ADHD Succeed In and Out of the Classroom.

Michael was diagnosed with ADHD and was on Ritalin until he reached 11 years old. He used to be angered easily when he losses. He focused instead, on winning, on getting his hand on the wall before anybody else does. Click here to read the article.

On dry land, Michael Phelps is said to be unsure of his footing. He even injured his wrist when he had a fall. He was hyperflexible on land, characteristic of those with ADHD who manages to trip on their own feet. Click here to read about the incredible prediction of Michael Phelp’s future victories when he was just 11 years old, written in a 2004 article.

So what does this post of mine have to do with sports and having ADHD?

Children diagnosed with ADHD are always recommended to engage in sports. Some of my students are involved in swimming, basketball, martial arts and even golf, to help them channel their energy and develop their focus and attention.

Developing the focus and attention is very important with those who are diagnosed with ADHD because these will help them use the skills in other areas like in a classroom setting and even social setting.

Sports also teaches them discipline and sportsmanship.

Discipline that will help hem mange their behavior so that they can focus more.

Sportsmanship will help them accept defeat. Most children diagnosed with ADHD that I have worked with have low frustration tolerance and they have difficulty accepting defeat. More often than not, they lose in the games being played not because they do not know how to play by the rules properly but because of their behavior, the lack of focus and the lack of attention to tasks.

I hope that the success story of Michael Phelps inspire families to do their best in helping their children achieve their goals.

As with the tried and tested saying goes: “Its not about the winning, its about how one played the game.” (or something like it)

Now, why am I writing a post about Rick Pierce. I was decluttering earlier (this post was written May 24, 2008) and I chanced upon a folder with printed files from my earlier forays with the internet when all I did was read about special education. I thought this would be a great post so I am sharing what is written on the printed paper.

Rick’s Top Ten:

The top ten reasons why parents and teachers get frustrated with an ADHD student:

10. Blurts out answers in class.

9. Confetti surrounds the desk

8. It takes twice as long to do half as much.

7. You spend three hours helping your child do 15 minutes worth of homework.

6. The homework you help with gets left at home.

5. Lots of potential. No production.

4. Craves everyone’s attention.

3. Knows how to push your buttons.

2. Doesn’t think before acting.

And the number one reason parents and teachers get frustrated with a student with ADHD is…

1. When asked why he did something he shouldn’t have, he responds with: ” I DON’T KNOW!”

Don’t ask me why this was chosen as number 1, I will say “I don’t know”