To the 5th issue of the Lanark, Leeds & Grenville Chapter of O.A.F.C.C.D.’s Newsletter!

Inside this Issue you will find

• Once upon a Time - reading to your child.
• Developing Language through Reading
• Medical Alert Bracelets for the Language Impaired
• Positive Tips for Parents

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I would like to thank Dr. Dennis Collis for speaking to a small but interested group at the March meeting!

Thank you!!!

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Membership Fees and donations are currently our only source of operating funds. Your membership Fees are very important to us and we need you to send your membership fees as soon as possible. If you have not yet joined, please do so as soon as possible. The Annual Membership Fee is only $15.00 ($5 of which goes to the local Chapter) . So please pay today!!

NOTE: Fees will be waived upon request.

Please complete and send this notice to make sure that your membership information is correct. Return to OAFCCD, Sharen Heath, 13 Segal Dr., Tillsonburg, Ont., N4G 4P4

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Phone:___________________________________________________________
 

Parent: ___                     Professional: ___ Specify:______________________

New Member: ___ Renewal: ___

NOTE: Membership Fees can now be paid at the local Chapter level. Please contact Susan or Connie for more information or to make a payment.

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Be sure to visit our Web Site at

http://www.oafccd.com/lanark

Here you will find information on Our local chapter

• The Ontario chapter
• Upcoming events and meetings
• Pictures of our children
• Inspirational Poems & stories
• Many links to other sites dealing with Special Needs

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Don't just see Disability
... see Ability

1. Make the time to read to your child daily. Reading to your child daily not only brings you closer to your child, but it also teaches your child vocabulary and language, increases listening and attending skills, encourages your child to develop a love/interest in reading books, and helps your child get ready for school. No activity reaps more value for so little time, effort, and money than reading to your child.

It is never too early to read to your child. For very young children, use cardboard and/or cloth books. Some soft-sided books are interactive and allow the children to play/touch with items.

If your child resists being read to, build reading times into your child's daily routine, so it is as much a part of the day as washing, eating, and sleeping.

Reading to more than one child at a time may not be effective, especially for a younger child who has a shorter attention span, reduced language skills, and different interests.

Try to give each child their own special reading time with a parent.

Let your child choose the books. Do not worry if he/she wants to hear a book over and over. Hearing familiar stories help children learn story language.

If your child cannot pay attention for very long, talk about the pictures. Do not worry about reading all the words. Tell what is happening, talk about objects, actions, animals, and people in the pictures. Make this time with your child pleasurable and loving for both of you.

Find books about activities of everyday life. Young children are interested in familiar events, people, objects, and animals. Read stories with repeating words or phrases. It is fun to say them together: "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down."

Encourage your child to talk and ask questions about what you are reading. Thinking and questioning can be more important than finishing the story.

Ask your child occasional questions about the pictures or the story content. Ask them to make predictions (What do you think will happen next?). Do not drill or make this hard work for your child, or he/she will lose interest.

Encourage your child to tell the story to you by looking at the pictures. Pretending to read is an important step in the reading process. Provide experiences outside of the home so children gain the knowledge to make meaningful connections between stories in books and what happens in real life.

2. Take your child to the library regularly. Get your child his/her own library card. Most libraries let even very young children have their own library card. Most local libraries have wonderful children's sections, as well as children's librarians, that are invaluable resources. Plan to stay long enough so that your child can find a cozy reading place or work on a computer. Let your child check out his/her own books and see you check out your own books.

3. Subscribe to a children's magazine in your child's name. Your local library has many young children's magazines for display, and information about subscribing is within each issue. Babybug (age 6 months to 2 years); Ladybug (ages 2 to 6); Your Big Back Yard (ages 3 to 6); Sesame Street (ages 2 to 6); Humpty Dumpty's (ages 4 to 6); U.S. Kids (ages 5 to 10); Spider (ages 6 to 9); Playmate (ages 6 to 8); Kid City (ages 6 to 9); Highlights (ages 2 to 12); and Ranger Rick (ages 7 to 12).

4. Be creative with your child's books by carrying the theme in a book into your child's life. If a book is about a snowman, go out and make a snowman; if it is about spring/planting, make a garden or plant seeds; if it is about zoo animals, go to the zoo; if it is about a fireman/fire truck, go to the fire station.

5. Take your child to a bookstore and let your child buy a book. Talk about the differences between a library and a bookstore.

Suggested Books for parents:

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

For Reading Out Loud by Margaret Kimmel

A Parent's Guide to Children's Reading by Nancy Larrick

Choosing Books for Children by Betsy Hearne

Raising a Reader: Make Your Child a Reader for Life by Paul Kropp

Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't: How It Happens and What You Can

Do About It by Mary Leonhardt

Give Your Child A Head Start in Reading by F. Dodson
Have Fun!
 

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• Have your child retell a story he / she has read.
• As you read have your child stop you when you read about "who, what, where, when, or why."
• Stop and have the child predict what comes next
• When you come to a new word have the child predict its meaning from the context.

• Read books with rhyming words.
• Read the steps in a science experiment, have the child follow the directions and then retell them. Reverse the procedure so you follow the directions of your child.

Ask an older child to read an article from the paper and relate the news to you.

Access Centre for Community Care in Lanark, Leeds & Grenville
52 Abbott St. North., Unit # 1,
Smiths Falls, Ontario, K7A 1W3
283-8012 or 1-800-267-6041

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The Canadian Medic Alert Foundation has always been willing to provide bracelets to special needs children. Recently however they have had a minor policy change that will make it much easier for some of us whose children have non specific disorders to get ID bracelets as they are now willing to use the words "communication disorder" on the bracelet.

When applying, either type out EXACTLY what you want placed on the bracelet, or request that they contact you before placing the order (they are more than willing to do this). After discussing various options I was able to precisely customise my sons bracelet, and the accompanying wallet card. In addition they have a great deal of extra information on file at the Centre.

C.M.A. recommends that you put the child's first name and the condition on the bracelet.

If your child has a specific condition (such as Dyspraxia or Autism) this should be engraved on the bracelet. Otherwise it is suggested that you simply put "non-verbal". You should do this even if your child has some speech. Keep in mind that medical professionals ask a series of specific questions to find out if there is a head injury, or to check for confusion or delirium. If the problem is in receptive language, then these tests are useless. If there is more specific information, put it on the wallet card unless it is a condition that the average emergency room physician is likely to at least recognise (try to avoid using terms such as PDD).

What you end up with is something like this:

{They are now also willing to put information such as food allergies onto the bracelet.}

Once you receive the bracelet, photocopy the wallet card and make sure that there is a copy on file at the child's school, day-care, etc.

Make sure the bracelet is fairly snug around the wrist (leave room to grow, but not too much) to prevent it either being slid over the hand, or slid too far up the arm (it's useless if it can't be seen). They should never be removed. This will lead to a few arguments, but once they get used to it being there it's like it doesn't exist.

The Canadian Medic Alert Foundation can be reached by letter, phone, fax, or e-mail. Payment can be made by cheque, money order, or any major credit card. You can find forms in most doctors' offices, pharmacies, and on their web site. Prices vary depending on the order (anything from nickel free to 14 Karat gold) but plan for a cost of approximately $45.00 CDN.

It is not recommended that children of any age use the ID "necklets", as the chance of injury (or loss) is too great.

For further information contact:

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1. Get your child's attention before speaking to him. Putting your hand on his shoulder or repeating his name may help. Be sure to make good eye contact. Speak simply, directly, and slowly.

2. Give your child only as much help as he feels he needs. Allow him to try and do what he feels he can do for himself.

3. State directions or suggestions in a positive form. Children are likely to follow suggestions you give them. How many times have you specifically asked your child not to do something and he deliberately does it anyway? It is better to tell your child what he CAN do rather than what he CANNOT do. For example, it is better to say "We walk in the house" rather than "Don't run in the house", "We talk quietly" rather than "Don't yell."

4. Give your child a choice between two acceptable things when possible. Choices can set limits on behavior and help a child take responsibility for his behavior. Choices also help children to express their own desires and develop a sense of individuality. Examples: "While I am on the phone, you need to whisper or go to another room. "While Grandmother and I are talking, you may play on the porch, in the yard, or in your room." "Do you want to wear your red shirt or your green shirt today?" "Will you wash your face, or shall I wash you?" This means that he will be washed in any case. Never give a choice when there is none, such as "Do you want to be washed?" when washing is necessary.

5. Encourage your child to use language to express his needs and wishes rather than physical force, whining, crying, etc. Listen to your child. Give him time to put his thoughts into words.

6. Give your child a little warning before you end an activity, even for routine activities. Children are more likely to cooperate if they have a warning ahead of time that their activity has to change. Examples: "As soon as we finish this book, then it will be time to take your bath. If "You can play 5 more minutes before it is time put on your coat and go to the store." "After this TV show is over, it will be time to go to bed."

7. Don't ask a child if he wants to do something when you really want to tell him to do something. Example: Instead of asking "Will you pick up your toys?", tell him "It's now time pick up your toys before going to bed."

8. Establish routines, particularly about car riding, getting up, getting dressed, meal times, bedtime, chores and cleaning up. Routines make a child's world safe and ordered. Routines help children learn to handle themselves by themselves; that is, to internalize structure without needing parents to repeat rules over and over.

9. Set expectations ahead of time. Predict new situations and let the child know exactly what you expect. Example: "Tomorrow you are going to see the dentist. Let me tell you what happens at the dentist's office..."; or "We are going to have company this evening. Let's talk about how we should behave when they are here..."

10. Whenever possible, let children participate in making up rules and limits. If they have some ownership in rules, they are more likely to want to follow them. State a new rule several times when the new rule is being introduced. The younger the child, the more the
 

rule needs to be stated. After that, don't go into lengthy explanations. ACT. DON'T EXPLAIN.

11. In teaching your child to carry out his responsibilities, require him to perform a less preferred activity before he is allowed to enjoy a more preferred activity. Examples: "Eat your vegetables, and then you can have your dessert." "Take your bath, and then I will read you a story." "You can go out and play after you make up your bed."

12. If you child uses a "bad" word or says "I don't like you", try to ignore it. These words or phrases usually pass in a hurry, if too much fuss is not made over them. You might say "I like you anyway" or "It's alright, I don't expect you to like me right now," if the situation warrants such an answer.

13. Children learn through example. As adults, we should remember that many things, such as manners, are "caught" and not necessarily "taught." It is important for you to model appropriate behavior as children learn by observing and imitating others.

14. Remember, it is important to emphasize good behavior. Praise the child and pay attention when he does what he should. Catch your child being good and let him know that you notice. Other rewards for good behavior: Hugs, smiles, your attention, listening, and special activities.

15. Children are not born behaving well or badly. Somewhere along the line, they learn good behavior or misbehavior. Therefore, their behavior can be changed as you teach them more appropriate ways of behaving. Remember, it took a while for your child to learn to behave the way he does so don't expect overnight improvement. Change may take several weeks or months, and sometimes the behavior will worsen before it finally improves.

16. Many behaviors will disappear if you ignore them. Any attention on your part may be highly rewarding to a child even if it is negative attention such as a scolding or spanking. For example, a child who whines and gets attention for this or even gets what he wants, will increase the frequency of his whining. Ignore also sulking, complaining, and pouting.

17. Avoid the following behaviors: Nagging, scolding, lecturing, criticizing, put-downs, blaming, arguing, yelling, and shouting. These behaviors will only result in both of you feeling upset and are not effective.

18. Avoid physical punishment such as spanking or paddling. Spanking has several disadvantages: it teaches children to be aggressive, it does not last, it may result in the child avoiding the person doing the punishing, and it results in both the parent and the child being very upset.

19. BE CONSISTENT with rules and the consequence for breaking or following the rules. This is one of the most important and most difficult aspects of disciplining. if you are not consistent about rules, children will not be consistent about following them.

20. Above all, treat your child with respect and as you want to be treated. And remember, all parents experience frustration at times.

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Not speaking is not the same as not having anything to say!