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relationship health? Do you want to learn systemic coaching? Contact us.
[ Part 2: Solutions for Learning Disabilities
]
What are Learning Disabilities?
If a child or teenager shows a lack of concentration or
curiosity, or is a nuisance to teachers, or is often lazy, the child may be labeled learning
disabled. Children labeled with learning disabilities are expected to have
diminished creativity and spontaneity, depressed motivation
and diminished sense of life. Yet many children diagnosed as having learning
disorders have nutritional or relationship disturbances.
Few learning disorders can be confirmed in a laboratory; these terrible labels are opinions. Yet some children
labeled as having learning disorders will seek refuge in
alcohol or drugs. Some will become delinquent, perhaps leading
lives of crime. Many will enter the working world with inadequate
education. Some will withdraw into isolation - and a few will withdraw from reality into psychosis or suicide.
Some children with learning disabilities show biochemical
imbalances and irregularities in medical imaging - although other children
with similar imbalances and irregularities may learn easily and quickly.
Some health professionals believe that biochemical imbalances cause
learning disabilities - while others believe that learning disorders
cause biochemical imbalances.
Practitioners who believe that metabolic
imbalances cause learning disorders will likely prescribe
psychotropic drugs; while practitioners who believe that learning disorders
cause metabolic imbalances will likely recommend dietary analysis,
remedial therapy and/or systemic coaching.
[
Children of Divorce ]
[ Systemic Education ]
[ Food Allergies ] [
Eating Disorders ]
Education Success
Educational success represents academic success and
social success. Educational success reflects the needs of governments,
teachers, parents and employers. Children cannot change those needs.
Some significant blocks to successful education are societal
beliefs about "What is possible in education?",
parents' beliefs about "What can our children accomplish?"
and teachers' beliefs about "What can be changed at schools?".
Western educational research suffers from the current beliefs.
Academic success can be assessed with
examinations and tests, while social success can be assessed with
relationships. Children labeled learning disabled are less likely
to relate to other children or to teachers with friendly confidence -
instead they may become loners or form gangs. (A relationship
boost may occur if friendship skills are taught by teachers who can
demonstrate friendliness.)
[
Parental Alienation ]
[ Parent Coaching ]
[
Emotional Incest ]
Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities
Guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM) require that children show typical symptoms of learning
disabilities for at least six months. However, differences between diagnostic
frequencies indicate that these psychiatric labels may be applied to children
who are perceived as nuisances by teachers. (That is, many students
suffer from teaching disabilities).
We find that both learning disorders and
eating disorders often arise from family
relationship chaos, and people with either (or both) disorders often respond
well to systemic family coaching.
Learning Disabilities & Nutrition
Many children with learning disabilities subsist on sugar and
sugar-forming junk foods and/or suffer family chaos,
both of which can cause and worsen learning disorders. Even so, food
sensitivities are rarely explored. Amphetamines
offer a simple solution, regardless of their side-effects.
Many children with learning disabilities are
intolerant of or allergic to common foods. Foods such as wheat, potatoes, milk
or corn products can cause children to show depressed or hyperactive behavior,
leading many doctors to manage those children with amphetamines such as Ritalin or
Dexedrine.
Some psychological symptoms of allergies to common foods may
be diagnosed as learning disorders. These symptoms include aggressiveness,
anxiety, depression, dizziness, hyperactivity, indifference, insomnia,
irritability, sleepiness, slurred speech and stuttering.
Few people are aware that common foods can cause psychological
symptoms through hidden allergies and intolerances. Food intolerance tests can
diagnose toxic reactions. Studies
of food intolerance tests showed a 70% success rate, while only 20% accuracy
with skin testing. (Note that many people seem addicted to foods to
which they are allergic or intolerant).
Dietary analysis does not always solve learning disorders, but
careful observations and follow-up tests can expose potential food problems.
Your children's tolerance of food has a great impact on their lives.
Learning Disabilities & Drugs
Most health professionals who believe that learning disorders
are caused by a biochemical imbalance will routinely prescribe mind-altering drugs to
manage children.
Amphetamines can subdue hyperactive children and reduce the problems
faced by parents and teachers. But children medicated with
addictive drugs may show dysfunction into their adult lives.
Ritalin is
similar to cocaine. The side effects of amphetamines include
lost appetite: medicated children are often underweight and grow more
slowly than their peers. Other side effects include addiction, elevated blood
pressure, irritability, emotional instability and fatigue.
Adderall is an amphetamine combination that,
instead of blocking dopamine reuptake, trigger the release of dopamine and
noradrenaline. Approved by the FDA in 1996, Adderall is an alternative
medication to Ritalin, often prescribed as Plan B when Ritalin is ineffective.
|
Excerpts from Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs
In most people the effects of
stimulant drugs are short-lived and there is often a letdown or crash
after they wear off. During this crash the patient can feel
very depressed, sleepy and sluggish.
... People who abuse
amphetamines and other stimulants - usually in attempts to lose weight or
stay awake for prolonged periods - often find that a dose that had worked
for a while is suddenly ineffective and they need a higher dose. ... Soon,
the person is addicted to the drug. Stopping it suddenly
leads to severe withdrawal reactions characterized by depression
and extreme fatigue. Suicides have been
reported amongst people who suddenly stop taking amphetamines.
"Patients must
understand that they will probably become addicted to the medication
and that they should never stop taking it abruptly." |
Systemic Coaching & ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorders
(ADD or ADHD or ADS) often appear to be lazy, inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive,
as are most children at times. Children may be diagnosed with ADHD
if they become bored quickly, are easily distracted, make careless
mistakes, daydream and do not complete educational tasks. (Many children
diagnosed with ADD can complete interesting tasks.)
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People with ADHD have an elevated risk of psychiatric
disorders (Jensen et al. 2001), and of educational and career difficulties (Mannuzza
& Klein 2000), as well as about 20% increased use of emergency and outpatient
medical services (DeBar et al. 2004).
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Few psychiatrists and doctors give physical exams for
suspected ADD; they just fill out checklists. Yet a
diagnosis of ADHD cannot be confirmed in a laboratory, like an infection. A label
of ADD or ADHD can indicate that a health professional does not know what is wrong.
If family relationship chaos, food sensitivities or allergies are causing
a child's symptoms, then that child does not have ADD.
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ADD, Ritalin & Adderall |
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3% - 5% of
school age children are diagnosed with ADHD, with up to 20% in some schools.
About 10 boys are diagnosed with ADHD for each girl. Common treatments are
Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall - drugs of convenience
for many parents and caretakers.
(Should giving children psychoactive
drugs be a first choice - or a last option?) |
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Side-Effects associated with Ritalin & Adderall |
- headaches
- over-stimulation
- difficulty sleeping
- decreased appetite
- raised blood pressure
- feel tearful and miserable
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- abdominal pain (temporary)
- growth retardation (temporary)
- tics (muscle twitches, spasms)
- (rare) hyperactivity reactions
- (rare) irregular pulse
- (rare) white cell count drops
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Have you experienced temporary attention deficit in a
crisis, or during external conversations? Have you experienced temporary
attention deficit during internal conversations or self-talk? People
with ADD may benefit from systemic coaching that helps them concentrate, control self-criticism,
decrease inner conflict and enjoy better relationships.
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Children having
difficulty in peer relationships, such as being rejected by other children or
not having close friends, may have higher risk for
anxiety, behavioral and mood disorders, substance abuse and delinquency
as teenagers.1
Parents of children diagnosed with ADHD may
report that their child do not play with groups of friends nor enjoy in
after-school activities, and that their child has few friends, is bullied at
school or has trouble cooperating along with other children.2
-
Woodward, Lianne and Ferguson, David;
Childhood Peer Relationship Problems and Psychosocial Adjustment in Late
Adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1999
New York University Child Study Center.
IMPACT Survey, 2001
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You can help children diagnosed with ADHD or ADD by
providing dietary analysis for the children
and systemic couple coaching for the parents.
Correcting the diet of children with learning
disabilities often helps improve their behavior. Testing for food allergies and
sensitivities and providing needed vitamins and minerals may help many "learning
disabled" children.
Coaching parents to build or rebuild their own happiness can
often help learning disabled
children. Systemic couple coaching helps parents identify and resolve
transferences and
relationship bonds - which may manifest as immature behavior and family
secrets. Children, especially those under the age of 14, often respond quickly,
positively and dramatically to their parent's increased happiness.
Adults with ADD may be energetic, creative and spontaneous.
They may also interrupt people and be forgetful. If ADHD traits are perceived as
a lack of love for or interest in other family members, stress and resentment
may follow. Yet many adults with ADHD symptoms avoid treatment or coaching.
[ Evaluating
Partnership ] [ Predictable Partnership
] [ Couple Coaching ]
Systemic Coaching & Dyslexia
Dyslexia is about learning
to read. Research suggests that up to 20% of people (1 in 5) show
some symptoms of dyslexia. Dyslexia may be diagnosed when reading
difficulties seem to be uncorrectable.
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"Dyslexia is
not a diagnosis, it is a prediction that children cannot learn
to read. And with that
prediction on record-- why, strangely enough, none of them ever do.
Unless they happen on a teacher who doesn't believe in educationese
witchcraft."
From Inferno by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle |
If dyslexia can be corrected - it is not dyslexia! Many people
diagnosed with dyslexia seem to have a basic left-right confusion, often accompanied by confusion
between memories and expectations. Dyslexia seems to be more common if
a child witnesses long-term parental role reversal, where a mother
takes a fatherly role and vice versa.
Systemic parent coaching may reduce any systemic
need for symptoms of dyslexia in their children. Individual systemic
coaching for children diagnosed with dyslexia may those children enjoy a
significant increase in reading speed and comprehension.
Consult a physician about any opinions about medical
conditions or medical treatments.
Relationship Coaching ...
Systemic Coach Training ...
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