My Blog

Overlapping symptoms/traits of Schizophrenia and Neuro-Divergence

Raymond — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:58:54 GMT

Poor coordination/motor skills,poor eye tracking/pursuit/saccadic movements,left/right confusion,short term memory issues,disorganization,speech irregularities,extreme sensitivity to environmental influences,emotional disturbances,poor eye contact/social skill deficits,attention deficits are symptoms of not just schizophrenia but they are also symptoms of neuro-divergence (Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,AD/HD,Autistic Spectrum). Schizophrenia,Psychotic Disorders: http://www.brighttots.com/Developmental_disorders/Childhood_Schizophrenia.html http://www.movementdisorders.org/UserFiles/file/Long_SANS_2000_publish%281%29.pdf http://www.drmirkin.com/archive/6318.html http://neuro.georgetown.edu/faculty/riesenhuber.htm http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/914840-overview http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/2792157 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3749386 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8047244?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3067753?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1509692?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11865562?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=schizophrenics+and+motor+skills&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=fptb-871 http://adam.about.com/reports/000047_3.htm http://www.opendot.co.uk/ http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1977/pdf/1977-v06n01-p027.pdf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1911189/ http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/biometrics/Publications/Biometrics%20Archives%20PDF/890-2005%20Condary%20Sz%20Res%20Lang%20Disord.pdf Dyspraxia: http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/index.php/Early-Symptoms.html http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/index.php/Adult-Symptoms.html http://www.ncld.org/ld-basics/ld-aamp-language/ld-aamp-handwriting/dyspraxia http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/dyspraxia http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/dyspraxia2.shtml http://www.dyspraxia.org.nz/what_is.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dyspraxia/dyspraxia.htm Dyslexia: http://www.brightsolutions.us/ http://www.interdys.org/FAQ.htm http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/Basics_Fact_Sheet_5-08-08.pdf http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/Social_and_Emotion_Problems_Related_to_Dyslexia.pdf http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dyslexia/dyslexia.htm http://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dyslexia/DS00224 Neurodivergence in general: (Dr. Levinson calls it Dyslexic Syndrome. Ronald D. Davis calls it Dyslexia,root of all neuro-divergent conditions) http://www.dyslexia.com/library/symptoms.htm http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/information/syndrome.html http://www.danda.org.uk/pages/about-danda.php Autistic Spectrum: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/asperger.htm http://www.aspergers.com/aspclin.htm http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms AD/HD: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/adhd/adhd.htm http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms http://www.addresources.org/article_adhd_chandler1.php http://www.autism.com/autism/index.htm http://www.medicinenet.com/autism/article.htm My neurological,neuropsychological tests,documentation confirmed difficulties that fit into neuro-divergent conditions but also schizophrenia. I was misdiagnosed as having Bipolar and schizoaffective disorder. note: Veteran Affairs neurologists confirmed Dyslexia,Dyspraxia Dr. Levinson gave a diagnosis of cerebellar vestibular dysfunction which he believed was root of Dyslexic Syndrome, and he acknowledged my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia The psychological confirmed AD/HD Dr. Levinson testing showing/recording problems with eye tracking/coordination/movements, and balance/posture: http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php? set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_003 Dr. Levinson neurological testing showing problems with neurological problems. The same testing is given to test drunk drivers: http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_002 Veteran Affairs neuro-psychological testing confirming problems with immediate memory http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neuropsychological_Exam_page_5 Veteran Affairs neurologists confirmed problems with cerebellar system, eye tracking/movements,saccades,auditory processing http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_002 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_003 Veteran Affairs neurologists confirmed my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia in 2006 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_007 Diagnosis of ADHD by psychologist in 2004 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=LD_ADHD_Assessment_005 Diagnosis of Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction in 2005 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_000 Are Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autistic Spectrum really Disorders? Well..they have strengths Asperger’s Syndrome often allows a student to show: * Intense concentration on studying * Independence * An affinity with computers and other technology * Good formal essay writing * Attention to detail and precision * Original ideas * Reliable meeting of deadlines. http://brainhe.com/students/types/aspergersstudents.html#strengths Positive aspects of dyspraxia Most books and web sites on dyspraxia focus on difficulties. Dyspraxic people often have strengths as well, such as: * Creativity * Determination * Motivation * Strategic thinking * Problem-solving http://brainhe.com/students/types/dyspraxia.html Positive aspects of dyslexia Most books and web sites on dyslexia focus on difficulties with reading, writing and memory tasks. Dyslexic people often have strengths as well, such as: * Creativity * 3 dimensional thinking * Seeing the 'whole picture' * Pictorial thinking * Divergent thinking * Problem solving * Making unexpected connections http://brainhe.com/students/types/dyslexia.html ADHD is part of what might be called ‘neurodiversity’. Its indicators can overlap with dyslexia in respect of lack of concentration and difficulties with personal organisation. On the other hand, there are said to be some potential advantages of this kind of brain: * Ability to see the ‘big picture’ * Being creative and inventive * Ability to focus intensely for a time * High levels of energy * Risk-taking can lead to discoveries * Being intuitive http://brainhe.com/students/types/ADHDstaff.html If neuro-divergents talked about psychic,mystical,shamanic experiences to psychiatrists, they get diagnosed as having psychosis,schizophrenia. It's a good thing for people to keep those things to themselves. This what tends to make a difference between diagnosing somebody as a schizophrenic,psychotic,bipolar or a neuro-divergent. Unfortunately, disorganized schizophrenia doesn't have anything to do with hallucinations. Therefore,neuro-divergents can easily get misdiagnosed as having disorganized type of schizophrenia. It was my symptoms/traits that share qualities with disorganized type of schizophrenics that got me misdiagnosed in the first place. It was my speech irregularities. Loose,tangential,disorganized type speech is not just symptoms/traits of schizophrenia,psychosis but also neuro-divergence. My rapid speech got me mistakened for being manic, but that is also neuro-divergence. Both speech irregularities are also cluttering which many neuro-divergents tend to have. Those are things to be aware of. I talked to my mom about it,and she told me that my father had similar speech irregularities too. Both parents of mine are neuro-divergents. Neuro-divergence runs strong in my family. My late father was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic by prison psychiatrists. My mother was once on antipsychotic medication as a teenager because she had emotional meltdown like many neuro-divergents have because she wanted go home. She was in a mental hospital because she was unhappy in foster home. I have a long history of emotional meltdowns from childhood to adulthood myself. Of course, omega 3 fatty acids DHA/EPA in fish/cod liver oil has helped decreased my unusual hypersensitivity. That's one of the reasons, it's useful for people with neuro-divergent conditions. Mom told me that she has a lot of the neuro-divergent symptoms that I showed her from Dr. Levinson's list. She even have history of poor eye contact like both my father and me. Those are symptoms/traits of neuro-divergence and schizophrenia. Those are things that I want to raise awareness as a neuro-diversity advocate.

Dyspraxia and Domestic Violence

Raymond — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:49:48 GMT

DYSPRAXIA AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGIANST MEN According To Travis (1999) “Men are increasingly the victims of domestic violence, and are just as likely as women to be assaulted by a partner, according to Home Office research published yesterday. The men most likely to be attacked are in their early 30s and unmarried, but living with a woman. The findings, from the British Crime Survey, show there are some 6.6 million incidents of assault in the home each year, evenly split between men and women. But the research also shows that women are twice as likely to be injured, and are much more likely to suffer repeated attacks. They are also less likely to be in a financial position to be able to leave a violent relationship. It also shows that the rise in domestic attacks on men by women is a 1990s phenomenon. In 1995 just over 4 per cent of men and women said they had been assaulted by a current or former partner in the last year. But 23 per cent of women said they had been assaulted by a partner at some time - compared with 15 per cent of men. Women are at greatest risk of attack after a relationship has broken up or they and their spouse have separated. The researchers say women have a different emotional reaction to separation, and are less likely to use violence to express their feelings: ''Women's violence against men is, therefore, more likely to be within the context of an relationship.'' DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WOMEN According to Hauge and Malos (1993) "The common expression 'rule of thumb', the origin of expression derives from the right of man to beat his wife with a stick providing it is no thicker than his thumb" In Britain the law allowing women to be punished in this way was stopped in 1882, but the beatings still carry on. DYSPRAXIA AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE In my opinion women living with dyspraxia are more likely to experience domestic violence, due to them being unable to meet the stereotypical gender roles society expects women to achieve. For example good house keeping skills, cooking ironing caused by having a hidden disability. A non-dyspraxic partner can criticize their dyspraxic partner in a cruel way in front of their children and encourage the children to join in with the ridicule. A woman living with dyspraxia may have difficulties maintaining the perfect fashionable groomed appearance portrayed by the media, due to her co-ordination difficulties. She may have problems brushing her hair and putting on make-up. She may choose clothes that are easy to fasten which may not be the latest fashion, causing their partner to criticisce her for not making an effort to look good for him. A dyspraxic male may be br belitled by his partner for his attempts at DIY and sports. A mother living with dyspraxia may have difficulties with childcare, this may be criticised if the dyspraxia is not recognised or the father may refuse to help and ignore her needs. This added stress can make mild dyspraxia more severe. Dyspraxics of either gender can be easily manipulated by their partners and may tolerate emotional and physical abuse rather than deciding to live as a single person and feel that they would not cope on their own or may be trapped by financial circumstances. In my experience both men and women who live with dyspraxia suffer bullying and discrimination from an early age. This results in internalised oppression and low self-esteem. This can continue when she/he is an adult if his/her dyspraxia is misunderstood at work. Partners who are controlling are more likely to choose a person who has low self-esteem in a relationship, because of their venerability. Especially if he/she has not developed the self-confidence to make decisions for her/himself, due to low expectations and of society, others lack of understanding or due to the label dyspraxia. This learned helplessness can affect a dyspraxic person’s’ self esteem and also explain the circumstances of isolation and dependence and isolation in which those people find themselves. http://www.colsal.org.uk/sites/daa/DOMESTICVIOLENCE.asp

The Dyspraxic Adult

Raymond — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:46:04 GMT

I just want to post something on Dyspraxic Adults. many children with Dyspraxia are understood for their difficulties....after all they are in special education classes, and so they are given special attention on the other hand, adults are not. Dyspraxic children grow up to be Dyspraxic adults. They don't change. They just learn to adapt,behave,and try to be like neurotypicals to fit in a neurotypical society that Dyspraxics are fish out of water in. There is danger of judging them based on a neurotypical scale. Therefore, they can be misunderstood and have difficulty with normal people...especially with interacting with others,friendships,relationships,work environments,schools, the justice system, the mental health system. especially for males I know this personally as a Dyspraxic. Adults with dyspraxia often have the following characteristics: Atentional problems and poor concentration (often lose track of conversations and run off at a tangent, often display symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder) Language (quick and loud speech, problems with intonation and misinterpretation of language) Obsessional characteristics Coordination difficulties (difficulty differentiating between right and left and this hinders safe driving) Poor handwriting Very low self esteem Very emotional Unrealistic expectations Constant lateness for appointments Inability to remember instructions Inability to complete tasks quickly Decisions constantly being altered Depression Difficulty maintaining peer relationships Sleeping disorders High comorbidity with ADHD and psychiatric illness http://www.angelfire.com/journal/ldps/Dyspraxia.htm Adult Symptoms of Dyspraxia “People who have dyspraxia often find the routine tasks of daily life such as driving, household chores, cooking and grooming difficult. They can also find coping at work is hard. People with dyspraxia usually have a combination of problems, including:Gross motor co-ordination skills (large movements): * Poor balance. Difficulty in riding a bicycle, going up and down hills * Poor posture and fatigue. Difficulty in standing for a long time as a result of weak muscle tone. Floppy, unstable round the joints. Some people with dyspraxia may have flat feet * Poor integration of the two sides of the body. Difficulty with some sports involving jumping and cycling * Poor hand-eye co-ordination. Difficulty with team sports especially those which involve catching a ball and batting. Difficulties with driving a car * Lack of rhythm when dancing, doing aerobics * Clumsy gait and movement. Difficulty changing direction, stopping and starting actions * Exaggerated 'accessory movements' such as flapping arms when running * Tendency to fall, trip, bump into things and people Fine motor co-ordination skills (small movements): * Lack of manual dexterity. Poor at two-handed tasks, causing problems with using cutlery, cleaning, cooking, ironing, craft work, playing musical instruments * Poor manipulative skills. Difficulty with typing, handwriting and drawing. May have a poor pen grip, press too hard when writing and have difficulty when writing along a line * Inadequate grasp. Difficulty using tools and domestic implements, locks and keys * Difficulty with dressing and grooming activities, such as putting on makeup, shaving, doing hair, fastening clothes and tying shoelaces Poorly established hand dominance: * May use either hand for different tasks at different times Speech and language: * May talk continuously and repeat themselves. Some people with dyspraxia have difficulty with organizing the content and sequence of their language * May have unclear speech and be unable to pronounce some words * Speech may have uncontrolled pitch, volume and rate Eye movements: * Tracking. Difficulty in following a moving object smoothly with eyes without moving head excessively. Tendency to lose the place while reading * Poor relocating. Cannot look quickly and effectively from one object to another (for example, looking from a TV to a magazine) Perception (interpretation of the different senses): * Poor visual perception * Over-sensitive to light * Difficulty in distinguishing sounds from background noise. Tendency to be over-sensitive to noise * Over- or under-sensitive to touch. Can result in dislike of being touched and/or aversion to over-loose or tight clothing - tactile defensiveness * Over- or under-sensitive to smell and taste, temperature and pain * Lack of awareness of body position in space and spatial relationships. Can result in bumping into and tripping over things and people, dropping and spilling things * Little sense of time, speed, distance or weight. Leading to difficulties driving, cooking * Inadequate sense of direction. Difficulty distinguishing right from left means map reading skills are poor Learning, thought and memory: * Difficulty in planning and organising thought * Poor memory, especially short-term memory. May forget and lose things * Unfocused and erratic. Can be messy and cluttered * Poor sequencing causes problems with maths, reading and spelling and writing reports at work * Accuracy problems. Difficulty with copying sounds, writing, movements, proofreading * Difficulty in following instructions, especially more than one at a time * Difficulty with concentration. May be easily distracted * May do only one thing at a time properly, though may try to do many things at once * Slow to finish a task. May daydream and wander about aimlessly Emotion and behavior: * Difficulty in listening to people, especially in large groups. Can be tactless, interrupt frequently. Problems with team work * Difficulty in picking up non-verbal signals or in judging tone or pitch of voice in themselves and or others. Tendency to take things literally. May listen but not understand * Slow to adapt to new or unpredictable situations. Sometimes avoids them altogether * Impulsive. Tendency to be easily frustrated, wanting immediate gratification * Tendency to be erratic have 'good and bad days' * Tendency to opt out of things that are too difficult Emotions as a result of difficulties experienced: * Tend to get stressed, depressed and anxious easily * May have difficulty sleeping * Prone to low self-esteem, emotional outbursts, phobias, fears, obsessions, compulsions and addictive behavior Many of these characteristics are not unique to people with dyspraxia and not even the most severe case will have all the above characteristics. But adults with dyspraxia will tend to have more than their fair share of co-ordination and perceptual difficulties.” http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/index.php/Adult-Symptoms.html my own test results/reports by world renowned psychiatrist/neurologist, Dr. Harold N. Levinson and Veteran Affairs neurological/neuropsychological testing gives great detail into my Dyspraxia http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01&page=2

Essential Oils For Neurodivergence

Raymond — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:37:57 GMT

I joined an essential oils meetup group on March 17th,and I went to the first meeting on March 19th. I want to use essential oils in massage therapy. Venus can be a planet that rules massage and essential oils because Venus involves the senses..especially touch for Venus is sensual. Venus is aesthetic too,and massage can be considered an art. The organizer and I ended up helping each other. She taught me about essential oils, and I gave her information about neurodivergence. She has ADHD herself. ADD/ADHD (has overlapping symptoms and comorbidity with Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,and autistic spectrum....so the essential oils could help with those conditions) primary: vetiver,lavender,cedarwood sandalwoord,cardamom,peppermint,frankincense SCHIZOPHRENIA (disorganized type of schizophrenia have overlapping symptoms with neurodivergence like confusion/disorientation,poor coordination,memory problems,left/right confusion,disorganization,speech irregularities....that's why I stress the importance of differentiating neurodivergent conditions from psychiatric disorders......Ronald D. Davis believes that confusion/disorientation is the cause of neurodivergent issues connected to their being primarily a visual,picture,multidimensional thinker) primary: peppermint,frankincense other single oils: cardamom,cedarwood,vetiver,melissa,rosemary,valerian THE FOLLOWING HAS TO DO WITH EARS,HEARING. Dr. Levinson believes that neurodivergent conditions are caused by cerebellar vestibular dysfunction aka vestibular disorder, inner ear problems. He says that inner ear problems can even be a cause for phobias,depression,and anxiety. Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) confirms that. Auditory processing problems are common in Dyslexics. They are also common in ADHDers,and it can be misdiagnosed as ADHD. Many auditory,phonological Dyslexics have a history of ear infections and even had tubes in their ears. Glue Ear is a cause of acquired Dyslexia. EAR ACHE primary: niaouli,wintergreen,manuka,melrose other single oils: thyme,lavender,tea tree,rosemary,helichrysum,roman chamomile,ravensara,peppermint, eucalyptus radiata EAR INFECTIONS thyme,wintergreen HEARING IMPAIRMENT primary: helichyrsum other single oils: juniper,geranium,peppermint,lavender,basil TINNITUS (Ringing in the ears) primary: helichrysum other single oils: juniper,geranium,peppermint,lavender,basil THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL OILS CAN BE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL,PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES THAT ARE COMMON ISSUES WITH NEURODIVERGENCE. SOME OF THEM COULD BE SECONDARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS TO THE NEURODIVERGENCE ITSELF. THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF. CONFUSION cedarwood,cypress,juniper,lavender,lemon,basil,helichrysum,myrrh,orange,peppermint,rosemary,sandalwoord,ylang ylang DAY-DREAMING ginger,spruce,lavender,helichrysum,lemon,myrrh,peppermint,rosewood,rose,rosemary,sandalwood,thyme,ylang ylang CONCENTRATION cedarwood,cypress,juniper,lavender,basil,helichrysum,myrrh,orange,peppermint,rosemary,sandalwood,ylang ylang FORGETFULNESS cedarwood, roman cedarwood, roman chamomile, frankincense,rosemary,basil,sandalwood,peppermint,thyme,ylang ylang RESTLESSNESS angelica,bergamot,cedarwood,basil,frankincense,geranium,lavender,orange,rose,rosewood,ylang ylang, spruce,valerian BOREDOM cedarwood,spruce,black pepper chamomile,cypress,roman chamomile,cypress,,rachamomile,cyprss,frankincense,juniper, rosemary,sandalwood,thymes,ylang ylang OBSESSIVENESS clary,sage,cypress,geranium,lavender,marjoram,rose,sandalwood,ylang ylang,helichrysum STRESS lavender,roman chamomile,blue tansy,cedarwood,marjoram,rose,sandalwood,frankincense ANXIETY orange,roman chamomile,ylang ylang,lavender DEPRESSION frankincense,lemon,sandalwood,geranium,lavender,angelica,orange,grapefruit,ylang ylang MOOD SWINGS bergamot,clary,sage,geranium,juniper,fennel,lavender,peppermint,rose,jasmine,rosemary,lemon,sandalwood,spruse,yarrow,ylang ylang PANIC bergamot,roman chamomile,frankincense,lavender,marjoram,wintergreen,myrrh,rosemary,sandalwood,thymes,ylang ylang, spruce FEAR bergamot,clary sage, roman chamomile,cypress,geranium,juniper,marjoram,myrrh,spruce,orange,sandalwood,rose,ylang ylang AGITATION bergamot,cedarwood,clary sage,frankincense,geranium,juniper,lavender,myrrh,marjoram,rosewood,rose,ylang ylang,sandalwood ANGER bergamot,cedarwood,roman chamomile,frankincense,lavender,lemon,marjoram,myrrh,orange,rose,sandalwood,ylang ylang DISCOURAGEMENT bergamot,cedarwood,frankincese,geranium,juniper,lavender,lemon,orange,spruce,rosewood,sandalwood FRUSTRATION roman chamomile,clary sage,frankincense,ginger,juniper,lavender,lemon,orange,peppermint,thyme,ylang ylang,spruce DISAPPOINTMENT clary sage,frankincense,geranium,ginger,juniper,lavender,spruce,orange,thyme,ylang ylang IRRITABILITY all oils except eucalyptus,peppermint,black pepper

Neurodivergents in regards to problems with handshaking and eye contact

Raymond — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:42:15 GMT

As neurodivergents, our behaviors can be misunderstood by neurotypicals and even by ourselves. Therefore, it's very important to understand the neurodivergent processing in social interactions. We can't be judged based on what people learn from psychology books and the common views based on neurotypical behavior. One example is eye contact and handshaking. page 41 from A SOLUTION TO THE RIDDLE - DYSLEXIA Occasionally , dyslexics were considered to be negativistic on the basis of their hesitant, ambivalent, and anxiety-laden avoidance of handshaking and/or eye contact. Only in retrospect were these "anti-social" avoidance symptoms recognized to be due to primary somatic, rather than primary psychogenic, disturbances. Thus, upon neurodynamic exploration, hand contact was avoided because of right/left uncertaintly and the anticipated embarassment of using the wrong hand. In a similar fashion, upon analysis, eye contact was avoided in order to minimize (1) ocular perseveration, (2) directionally confused and dysmetric ocular scanning mechanisms, and (3) the catastrophic discomfort triggered when "forced" to fixate moving facial features during communication. For some dyslexics, simultaneous listening and looking were more than they could "take" physiologically, and as a result they tended to sacrifice direction-dependent looking or eye contact in order to preserve the direction and sequence of auditory verbalizations and comprehension. In retrospect, it appeared as if dyslexics could not simulatenously coordinate and integrate directional and/or sequential visual,auditory,proprioceptive,and motor processing. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=dr_levinson_eye_contact_shake_hands I can relate to all those things. I use compensated coordination mechanisms. I always visualize myself doing things before I do it, and I always visualize things while I am doing it like I am seeing myself in the mirror. It works when I shake hands with people and eye contact. However, it actually takes a lot of energy when I do that because of the things that Dr. Levinson explained. I do tend to have problems looking at people while they are talking and when I am talking. My auditory processing problems also factor because I get auditory overload. My visual processing problems also factor because I get visual overload and poor eye tracking leading to visual disorientation. I also get left/right mixed up too, but it doesn't affect my handshaking as I automatically know which hand to use because i visualize it first and it becomes automatic after you keep doing it. I think that I mistake my coordination difficulties with eye contact for shyness which is based on actual fear and anxiety. The sensory integration issues could be mistaken for shyness too. It's important to distinguish neurological issues from psychological issues. I want to make a point that just because people have problems with handshaking and eye contact doesn't mean that they are rude,inconsiderate. If person has problems with eye contact when communicating, it doesn't mean that they are being dishonest. It might not even be shyness like I pointed out. I know what it's like to be told "Look at me when I am talking to you." and getting chewed out for having poor eye contact by my stepfather and my superiors when I was in the navy. Be aware that psychiatrists can misunderstand poor eye contact as a flat affect symptom of psychosis. Poor eye contact is a known symptom of psychosis. tt is also a known symptom of autistic spectrum conditions. Poor eye contact in schizophrenia http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkwsSQ8RJ490A3P5XNyoA?p=poor+eye+contact++in+schizophrenia&y=Search&fr=fptb-sunm Poor eye contact in autism http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkkg.Q8RJbDIB.BlXNyoA?p=poor+eye+contact++in+autistic+spectrum&y=Search&fr=fptb-sunm That's why I strongly stress that neurodivergent conditions be understood to prevent them from being misdiagnosed as psychotic disorders. Dr. Harold N. Levinson believe that neurodivergent conditions have highly significant overlapping symptoms and tend to be comorbid with each other. That's why Dr Levinson refers to the whole neurodivergence as Dyslexic Syndrome, and Ronald D. Davis believes that root of neurodivergent conditions is Dyslexia which he views as a perceptual talent. That's why his first book was called GIFT OF DYSLEXIA. They both believe that the neurodivergent conditions and disorientation/confusion are strongly connected. The only difference is that Dr. Levinson believes that it stems from cerebellar vestibular dysfunction,and should be treated with antimotion sickness medication. Ronald D. Davis believes that it stems from being a highly visual,picture thinker, and that it can be resolved with mind's eye focus therapy. I believe that cerebellar-vestibular dysfunction can be in synchronicity with neurodivergent conditions and not just cause and effect. It could be one of those " what came first....the chicken or the egg" I believe that it's possible that the neurodivergent person can be ultrasensitive to sensory input to the point that the cerebellar vestibular system is overwhelmed which results in disorientation/confusion. Therefore, cerebellar vestibular problems could actually be the symptoms of hypersensitivity. I am just coming at it from a neurodivergent perspective. Things like Omega 3 fatty acids not only found to decrease the symptoms of neurodivergents, but also decrease hypersensitivity too. Neurodivergents tend to be hypersensitive any way. Certain vitamins and minerals help with cerebellar vestibular functioning too,and they also can decrease hypersensitivity...especially Vitamin B complex which is known as the stress vitamin. Motion sickness medications are used to treat cerebellar vestibular dysfunction. They could actually decrease hypersensitivity. Motion sickness could stem from hypersensitivity to movements. Dr. Harold N. Levinson's site http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/index.html

Ron Davis Inteview - Concept of GIFT OF DYSLEXIA

Raymond — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:11:56 GMT

Ron Davis Interview - Gift of Dyslexia concept Ron Davis' theory in resolving dyslexia is the observation that when an auditory symbol (a word) lacks a mental picture and meaning for the dyslexic, disorientation and mistakes are the result. When we show a dyslexic how to turn off the disorientations at the moment they occur, and then help find and master the stimuli that triggered the disorientation, the reading, writing and spelling problems start to disappear. Born autistic and dyslexic, Ron has had incredible life. From standing in the corner at school with a dunces cap on, being teased and beaten, and not talking until well into his teens, he started teaching calculus to the engineers working on the Polaris missile system before he turned 20! he went on to become a millionaire through real estate but always felt like a fraud because he could not read or write. Ron reveals his amazing breakthrough and how he now teaches The Gift of Dyslexia through his network of international facilitators. A truly compassionate and amazing man. This is Ronald D. Davis interview video in regards to Dyslexia and Autism. I was very touched by his story. He went through a lot,but he became a success and ended helping other neurodivergents. He explains what Dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions are about. He says that they are a product of thought,talent,and low threshold for confusion. He talked about evolutionary changes. He mentions stuff about Indigos and Crystals. He talks about how education system really needs to change to respond to the 500 percent increase of autism. He believes that purpose of the public education is to control and keep people docile. I wish that I can get his birthdata. I would love to do his chart. I have no doubt that he's very strong in both outerplanet and kuiper belt energy Gift of Dyslexia Part 1 length: 54 minutes,55 seconds http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/rdavis.htm Gift of Dyslexia Part 2 length: 31 minutes,4 seconds The Gift of Dyslexia - Part 2: Autism http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/rdavis2.htm Ron Davis continues his fascinating interview and reveals that over the last decade, the number of children being born with autism has increased by 500 percent - and Ron says this phenomena is only the beginning. He shares who these 'new people' are, and how our educational system needs to respond, not just for their sake but for the sake of ALL children. Ron Davis - Unlocking the Power of Dyslexia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqyInQ9XwY&NR=1 The Davis Dyslexia Correction Program http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOuQ_yxMSF4&feature=related

Addressing The Misconceptions Of Dyslexia

Raymond — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:42:25 GMT

A lot of people have misconceptions about what Dyslexia is like seeing things backwards. A lot of people don't know that in most cases,Dyslexia involves phonological,auditory processing problems which I have.. A lot of people aren't aware that speech problems are symptoms of Dyslexia and that many have a history of speech therapy in special education like I do. A lot of people think that all students in special education have mental retardation. They don't know that a lot of children in special education classes aren't retarded even though they refer to special education class as "the retard class" and refer to all special education students as "retards". They don't seem to understand that a lot of Dyslexics benefit from early intervention special education,and so they can learn to read,write,and spell well. A lot of people think that speech problems indicate low intelligence. For instance, I read a lot about how President Bush has problems with speech,and so they say that indicates how stupid he is. They don't stop to consider that there are many intelligent people that do have history of speech problems. The following is from International Dyslexia Association. I am a sustaining member of this organization,and that's part of my advocacy. It is the oldest and largest Dyslexic organization. What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person's life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services. (as you see, the severe Dyslexics qualify for special education...so you see,there are severe Dyslexics in special education classes. I was one of them. Not everybody in special education classes are retarded. ..Therefore, special education classes should not be referred to as "the retard class" nor should special eduation students be referred to as "retards") What are the effects of dyslexia? The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some dyslexics manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays. People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language, even after they have been exposed to good language models in their homes and good language instruction in school. They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating to other people. The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom. http://www.interdys.org/FAQ.htm What are the signs of dyslexia? The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that dyslexic individuals "read backwards," although spelling can look quite jumbled at times because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and forming memories for words. Other problems experienced by dyslexics include the following: Learning to speak Learning letters and their sounds Organizing written and spoken language Memorizing number facts Reading quickly enough to comprehend Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments Spelling Learning a foreign language Correctly doing math operations (A lot of people think Dyslexia is seeing words backwards,but it's actually a myth....you can see that Dyslexics can have problems with speech, and so speech problems aren't necessarily mental retardation) (As you can see,there are many Dyslexics that have problems with spoken language and auditory processing like I have. Speech and auditory processing problems don't mean mental retardation. Everybody needs to stop thinking that people with those problems are mentally retarded when they could actually be Dyslexic) DYSLEXIA AND RELATED DISORDERS The word dyslexia comes from the Greek language and means poor language. Individuals with dyslexia have trouble with reading, writing, spelling and/or math although they have the ability and have had opportunities to learn. Individuals with dyslexia can learn; they just learn in a different way. Often these individuals, who have talented and productive minds, are said to have a language learning difference. Does My Child Have Dyslexia? Individuals with dyslexia usually have some of the following characteristics. Difficulty with oral language Late in learning to talk Difficulty pronouncing words Difficulty acquiring vocabulary or using age appropriate grammar Difficulty following directions Confusion with before/after, right/left, and so on Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs Difficulty understanding concepts and relationships Difficulty with word retrieval or naming problems Difficulty with reading Difficulty learning to read Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (Phonological Awareness) Difficulty with hearing and manipulating sounds in words (Phonemic Awareness) Difficulty distinguishing different sounds in words (Auditory Discrimination) Difficulty in learning the sounds of letters Difficulty remembering names and/or shapes of letters Reverses letters or the order of letters when reading Misreads or omits common small words "Stumbles" through longer words Poor reading comprehension during oral or silent reading Slow, laborious oral reading Difficulty with written language Difficulty putting ideas on paper Many spelling mistakes May do well on weekly spelling tests, but there are many spelling mistakes in daily work Difficulty in proofreading http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/Dyslexia_and_Related_Disorders(1).pdf (As you can see speech,auditory processing,phonological processing issues are included in the symptoms of Dyslexia. Therefore, a lot of Dyslexics don't have visual processing issues. Speech problems aren't necessarily mental retardation even though a lot of people think speech problems mean little intelligence. Reading is not just a visual task. It is also a phonological,auditory task. You have to know how words sound and how to sound them out and not just know what the words look like) : Can Individuals Who Are Dyslexic Learn To Read? A: Yes. If children who are dyslexic get effective phonological training in Kindergarten and 1st grade, they will have significantly fewer problems in learning to read at grade level than do children who are not identified or helped until 3rd grade. 74% of the children who are poor readers in 3rd grade remain poor readers in the 9th grade. Often they can't read well as adults either. It is never too late for individuals with dyslexia to learn to read, process and express information more efficiently. Research shows that programs utilizing multisensory structured language techniques can help children and adults learn to read. http://www.interdys.org/FAQLearnToRead.htm How is dyslexia treated? Dyslexia is a life-long condition. With proper help, many people with dyslexia can learn to read and write well. Early identification and treatment is the key to helping dyslexics achieve in school and in life. Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach. It is important for these individuals to be taught by a systematic and explicit method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time. Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace. In addition, students with dyslexia often need a great deal of structured practice and immediate, corrective feedback to develop automatic word recognition skills. For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers. http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/Dyslexia_Basics_FS_-_final_81407.pdf (As you see, early intervention therapy can help many Dyslexics learn to read and write well. Early identification and treatment helps a Dyslexic achieve in school and in life. I can't stress enough the importance of early intervention. I can't stress enough that many Dyslexics do learn to read and write well. A lot of them do that through special education. The problem is that too many people think special education is for the mentally retarded, and so they can't comprehend the idea of early intervention helps many Dyslexics as result of getting special education therapies) How widespread is dyslexia? About 13-14% of the school population nationwide has a handicapping condition that qualifies them for special education. Current studies indicate that one-half of all the students who qualify for special education are classified as having a learning disability (LD) (6-7%). About 85% of those LD students have a primary learning disability in reading and language processing. http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/Dyslexia_Basics_FS_-_final_81407.pdf Q: How Common Are Language-Based Learning Disabilities? A: 15-20% of the population have a language-based learning disability. Of the students with specific learning disabilities receiving special education services, 70-80% have deficits in reading. http://www.interdys.org/FAQHowCommon.htm (As you see,half of the children in special education aren't even retarded. They have a learning disability. Most of those learning disabled have primary learning disability in reading and language processing. Therefore, special education is not only for mentally retarded children but children with learning disabilities. Special Education class should not be referred to as "the retard class" and special education students should not be referred to as "retards" ) I hope that after reading this, you will understand what Dyslexics are like. You will know that many Dyslexics have auditory,phonological,speech processing problems like myself. You will know that not every person in special education is retarded and that half of the special ed students aren't retarded but learning disabled like myself. You will know that majority of those learning disabled are Dyslexic like myself. You will know that it is the severe Dyslexics who qualify for special education. You will stop thinking that Dyslexics see words backwards and stop thinking of people that have history of special education and speech therapy as retarded. I feel that I have to use my experiences of what it was like growing up Dyslexic,and help people raise awareness of Dyslexia and what it actually entails and help get rid of myths of Dyslexia that actually end up hurting Dyslexics. It leads to confusion,misunderstandings,negative labels,misdiagnoses which often leads to insecurity and low self esteem which can progress into anxiety and depression. I have this dream that all people will understand Dyslexia. I have a dream that all Dyslexics will understand themselves and never believe that they are stupid and that they will believe in themselves which can lead to great success. I have a dream that special education will no longer be referred to as the "retard class." I have a dream that special education students will no longer be referred to as "retards" I have a dream that all Dyslexics will get identified,get the treatment that they need,and learn to read and write well. I have a dream that all Dyslexics will not be discriminated against but treated as equals. I have a dream that all Dyslexics will not be misdiagnosed. I have a dream that all Dyslexics will use their strengths,talents,gifts to make their lives and others' lives better. This dream is not just for Dyslexics but all neurodivergents. Raymond Andrews

Neurotypic Disorder

Raymond — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:59:59 GMT

In society, I find neurotypicals (normal neurological processing people) to be very intolerant of neurodivergent people. They are very ignorant about people like us and how we differ in our processing things like thoughts and emotions. I had a bad experience yesterday that makes me feel a bit resentful towards neurotypical people even though I shouldn't be. Many neurotypicals have problems judging others without knowing them. That's a big problem in our society. I do think that they tend to think that they are superior than us and we're disordered. Therefore,they tell us that we have some something wrong and try to fix us so we can think like they do....even want to medicate us into conformity. That's how I feel about it. It's not safe to be neurodivergent in this society An autistic person expressed his feelings about how neurotypicals are. Out of humor,sarcasm as well as outrage,she came up with Neurotypic Disorder What Is NT? Neurotypical syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by preoccupation with social concerns, delusions of superiority, and obsession with conformity. Neurotypical individuals often assume that their experience of the world is either the only one, or the only correct one. NTs find it difficult to be alone. NTs are often intolerant of seemingly minor differences in others. When in groups NTs are socially and behaviorally rigid, and frequently insist upon the performance of dysfunctional, destructive, and even impossible rituals as a way of maintaining group identity. NTs find it difficult to communicate directly, and have a much higher incidence of lying as compared to persons on the autistic spectrum. NT is believed to be genetic in origin. Autopsies have shown the brain of the neurotypical is typically smaller than that of an autistic individual and may have overdeveloped areas related to social behavior. * The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Normal Disorders: 666.00 Neurotypic Disorder How Common Is It? Tragically, as many as 9625 out of every 10,000 individuals may be neurotypical. Are There Any Treatments For NT? There is no known cure for Neurotypical Syndrome. However, many NTs have learned to compensate for their disabilities and interact normally with autistic persons. Could I be NT? http://isnt.autistics.org/index.html DSN-IV (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of 'Normal' Disorders) Disorders Usually First Evident in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence 666.00 Neurotypic Disorder The essential features constitute a severe form of Invasive Developmental Disorder, with onset in infancy or childhood. Diagnostic criteria for 666.00 Neurotypic Disorder At least eight of the following sixteen items are present, these to include at least two items from A, one from B, and one from C. Note: Consider a criterion to be met only if the behavior is abnormal for the person's developmental level. A. Qualitative impairment in independent social interaction as manifested by the following: (The examples within parentheses are arranged so that those first mentioned are more likely to apply to younger or more handicapped, and the later ones, to older or less handicapped, persons with this disorder.) (1) marked delusional sense of awareness of the existence or feelings of others (e.g., treats a person as if he or she were an extention of himself; behaves as if clairavoyant of another person's distress; apparently projects own concepts and needs onto others) (2) extreme or abnormal seeking of comfort at times of distress (e.g., constantly comes for comfort even when ill, hurt, or tired; seeks comfort in a stereotyped way, e.g., cries, whines needs demands for attention whenever hurt) (3) constant or mindless imitation (e.g., always wave bye-bye; copies mother's domestic activities; mechanical imitation of others' actions whenever perceived to be in context) (4) constant or excessive social play (e.g., always actively participates in simple games; prefers group play activities; involves other children in play only as long as the other children are exactly like themselves with no differences "mirrored images") (5) gross impairment in ability to make peer friendships (e.g., obsessive interest in making peer friendships with other Neurotypics; despite interest in making friends and afore mentioned delusion of clairavoyance, demonstrates lack of understanding for those who are different and an obsessive rigidity for social convention, for example, constantly seeks attention/positive reinforment while staring mocking or laughing at others while they stim and rock and remain mute) B. Qualitative impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, and in imaginative activity, as manifested by the following: (The numbered items are arranged so that those first listed are more likely to apply to younger or more handicapped, and the later ones, to older or less handicapped, persons with this disorder.) (1) blatent overuse of all modes of communication, such as communicative babbling, facial expression, gesture, mime, or spoken language (2) markedly abnormal nonverbal communication, as in the use of eye-to- eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, or gestures to initiate or modulate social interaction (e.g., anticipates and enjoys being held, does not stiffens when held, constantly looks at the other person or smiles when making a social approach, compulsively greets parents or visitors,insists on invasively stares into the eyes of others in social situations) (3) excessive imaginative irrelevant activity, such as playacting of adult roles, fantasy characters, or animals, lack of interest in computers or other logical fullfilling pastimes (4) marked abnormalities in the production of speech, including volume, pitch, stress, rate, rhythm, and intonation (e.g., gregarious grandious tone, overly emotional or syrupy melody, or overcontrolled pitch) (5) marked abnormalities in the form or content of speech, including stereotyped and repetitive use of speech (e.g., immediate mindless or mechanical repetition of NT peers' latest 'in' or catch phrases) (e.g., "whatever" to mean "I am saying I disagree with you but I want you to be upset by my saying so in this way"); idiosyncratic use of words of phrases (e.g., "are you dissing me?" to mean "don't disrespect me"); or frequent irrelevant remarks (e.g., starts talking about the behavour of autistics at a table nearby during a meal at a restaurant) (6) marked impairment in the ability to refrain from initiating a conversation or once initated to sustain a full thought during conversation with others, despite adequate speech (e.g., unable to stay ontopic/on thought due to the interjections from other Neurotypics) C. Markedly restricted repertoire of activities and interests, as manifested by the following: (1) inability or lack of understanding for or interest in stereotyped body movements, e.g., hand-flicking or -twisting, spinning, head-banging (except for during certain types of rock concerts), complex whole-body movements (2) persistent lack of awareness or inability to perceive parts of objects (e.g., seeing 'a windmill' but failing to see the existance of the many beautiful finite parts which comprise the whole object, oblivion to feelings of texture of materials, spinning wheels of toy cars) or has an attachment to unusual objects (e.g., insists on driving around in a BMW, wearing Rolex watches, carrying a cellular phone or briefcase) (3) marked oblivion to changes in aspects of environment, e.g., when a vase is moved from usual position (4) unreasonable insistence in sameness in others in precise detail, e.g., insisting that exactly the same social behaviours always be followed when shopping (5) markedly restricted range of interest and a preoccupation with one narrow interest, e.g., interested only in status quo climbing, impressing friends, or in pretending to be smarter or better than they are. D. Onset during infancy or childhood. Specify if childhood onset (after 36 months of age). http://isnt.autistics.org/dsn.html

History of the Grading System,Lecture Teaching

Raymond — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:56:10 GMT

Pages 189 to 191 of Thom Hartmann's Complete Guide To ADHD: A "Hunter in Farmer's World" book Thomas Jefferson was arguably one of the most well-educated Americans of his time. He was well-read, thoughtful, knowledgeable in a wide variety of topics from the arts to the sciences,and the founder of the University of Virginia. The same could probably be said of Ben Franklin, or James and Dolly Madison. On the larger world stage, we could credibly make such claims for Rene Descartes, William Shakespeare, Galileo, Michelangelo, and Plato. But there is this one thing unique about the education of all these people, which is different from that of you, me, and our children: none ever were given grades. All attended schools or had teachers who worked entirely on a pass/fail system. The model of education from its earliest times was one of mentorship, starting with hunter-gatherers taking children out on the hunt 100,000 years ago, all the way up to the teaching methods employed at the university founded by Thomas Jefferson. The teacher and the students got know one another. They interacted constantly throughout the day. The teacher knew each child, had a clear vision of each child's understanding of the coursework, and worked with each child (or encouraged them to work with each other) until the teacher was satisfied each child understood the material...or was hopelessly incapable of being educated. Because this latter was virtually an admission of failure on the part of the teacher, it happened rarely. When a student graduated, the most impressive thing she or he could share with prospective employer was not a Grade Point Average (GPA) or even the name of the institution attended: it was the name of the teacher. Students of the great teachers of history often became famous themselves because of thoroughness with which their mentors had inculcated knowledge, understanding, skill, and talen in them. This is how things went from 98,000 BC to roughly 1800 AD. Then name Wailliam Farish. Around the turn of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was going full-bore. Piece-work payments were becoming increasingly popular, and many schools were beginning to pay teachers based on the number of students they had, as opposed to a flat salary. William Farish William Farish was a tutor at Cambridge University in England in 1792, and, other than his single contribution to the subsequent devastation of generations of schoolchildren, is otherwise undistinguished and unknown by most people. Getting to know his students, one may suppose, was too much trouble for Parish. It meant work, interacting and participating daily with each child. It meant paying attention to their needs, to their understanding, to their styles of learning. It mean there was a limit on the number of students he could thus get to know, and therefore a limit on how much money he could earn. So Farish came up with a method of teaching which would allow him to process more students in a shorter period of time. He invented grades. (The grading system had originated earlier in the factories, as a way of determining if the shoes, for example, made on the assembly line were "up to grade." It was used as a benchmark to determine if the workers should be paid, and if the shoes could be sold.) Grades did not make students smarter. In fact, they had the opposite effect: they made it harder for those children to succeed who style of learning didn't match the didactic, auditory form of lecture-teaching Farish used. Grades didn't give students deeper insights into their topics of study. Instead, grades forced children to memorize by rote only those details necessary to pass the tests, without regard to true comprehension of the subject matter. Grades didn't encourage critical thinking or insight skills, didn't promote questioning minds. Such behaviors are useless in the graded classroom, and within a few generations were considered so irrelevant that today they're no longer listed among the goals of public education. Grades didn't stimulate the students, or share with them a contagious love for the subject being studied. The opposite happened, in fact, as the normative effect of grades acted as a muffling blanket to any eruptions of enthusiasm, any attempts to dig deeper into a topic, any discussions into larger significance or practical application of content. What grades did do, however, was increase the salary of William Farish, while, at the same time, lowering his workload and reducing the hours he needed to burrow into his students' minds to know if they understood a topic: his grading system would do it for him. And it would do it just as efficiently for twenty children as it would for two hundred. Farish brought grades to the classroom, and the transformation was both sudden and startling: a revolution as rapid and overwhelming as the Industrial Revolution from which it had sprung. Within a generation, the lecture-hall/classroom shifted from a place where on heard the occasional speech by a famous thinker to the place of ordinary daily instruction. While grades didn't help students a bit--and, in fact, had the now well-known effect of "dumbing down" entire nations--they vastly simplified the work of teachers and schools. So they spread across Europe and to America with startling speed, arriving here in early 1800s. Without grades, the assembly-line-classroom would not be possible. With grades, whole categories of children were discovered who didn't fit onto the conveyor belt, providing an entire new realm of employment for adults who would diagnose, treat, and remediate these newly-discovered "learning disabled" children. Responsibility for the success of learning shifted from teachers to students: when kids failed, it was their own fault, because they obviously had a defect or disorder of some sort. A process of sorting and discarding the misfits began (just like in the shoe factory) which, to this day, rewards the "standard" and wounds the "different." William Farish gained, but something precious was lost to generations of students thereafter: the mentored learning experience. Research by Child Development Theorist Linda Kreger Silverman suggests that less than 30% of the population strongly uses visual/spatial thinking, another 45% uses both visual/spatial thinking and thinking in the form of words, and 25% thinks exclusively in words. According to Kreger Silverman, of the 30% of the general population who use visual/spatial thinking, only a small percentage would use this style over and above all other forms of thinking, and can be said to be 'true' "picture thinkers" Accoring to L.K.Silverman's research for over two decades, there is a high confidence (over 80%) that: * At least one-third are strongly visual-spatial. * One-fifth are strongly auditory-sequential. * The remainder are a balance of both learning styles. Of that remainder (who are not strongly visual-spatial nor strongly auditory-sequential): * Another 30% show a slight preference for visual-spatial learning style. * Another 15% show a slight preference for auditory-sequential learning style. This means that more than 60% of the students in a regular classroom learn best with visual-spatial presentations and the rest learn best with auditory-sequential methods. http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Visual_thinking To sum is up, schools use to be all about mentoring, one-on-on interaction between the student and teaching,adapting to the student's learning style. There were no grades which were based on factory systems. They were pass/fail. Mainstream schools involve auditory lecturing teaching, but it is only suitable for less than 40 percent of students in the regular classroom. If schools were like the schools before the 1800, the diagnoses of learning disabled,ADHD as well as the dropout rate would be considerably smaller. To address the students that are truly learning disabled (or should I say learning differenced),there are special education therapies that can address those things like auditory therapy,speech therapy,motor skills therapy. That's what special education programs are for. They are not just for children that are mentally retarded.

Needing To Differentiate Neurodivergence from Psychiatric Disorders

Raymond — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:01:28 GMT

I feel that psychiatrists and other mental health professionals need to consider learning disabilities when patients have mental health problems. I have a long history of anxiety and depression,and not one single mental health professional even considered that I had learning disabilities. I believe that there should be screening for learning disabilities in people with mental health problems...especially if they have a history of low self esteem, insecurity,hypersensitivity to criticism that includes feelings of intellectual inadequacy. Psychiatrists really need to have their patients tested psychologically and neurologically in order to differentiate learning disabilities from psychiatric disorders. Poor coordination,left/right confusion,memory issues,disorganization,and speech irregularities are not just symptoms of psychotic disorders but they are also symptoms of learning disabilities. It was these issues that got me misdiagnosed as a schizoaffective bipolar in 1999. They never did any psychological testing nor neurological testing. Aspergers is listed as one of the conditions misdiagnosed Bipolar in the book,THE BIPOLAR CHILD by The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder by Demitri Papolos M.D.,Janice Papolos, Janice Papolos,Janice Papolos. I actually copied the characteristics of Bipolar children and gave alternative explanations that could be linked to neurodivergent conditions. One of the common characteristics of bipolar children listed in the book was learning disabilities which pretty much supports my belief that a lot of learning disabled are getting diagnosed as having bipolar. One of the very common characteristics of bipolar are oversensitivity to environmental influences,and learning disabled people are highly sensitive. How many learning disabled children act out,misbehave,throw temper tantrums,lash out,pout,and/or cry because they are frustrated,stressed,angry,irritable,and overwhelmed from problems with processing information that leads to being misunderstood,teased,ridiculed,and criticized. A whole lot. I definitely was no different. Where is the common sense in regards to learning disabled children having secondary psychological symptoms? It just seems like there is very little of it. Learning disabled children grow up to be learning disabled adults,and many of them have secondary psychological problems. I definitely was no different. There is definitely a significant overlap between learning disabilities and mental health problems. My Diagnosis of ADHD by psychologist in 2004 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=LD_ADHD_Assessment_005 My Diagnosis of Cerebellar-Vestibular Dysfunction by Dr. Harold N. Levinson http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_000 My Diagnoses of Dyslexia,Dyspraxia by Veteran Affair neurologists in 2006 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_007 Children with learning disabilities are prone to chronic depression. Older adolescents and adults tend to become withdrawn. They may be quiet or become agitated, irritable, and angry; they may also look sad and talk about their sadness. Young children, on the other hand, tend to exhibit non-verbal clues and express their emotional struggles more by their behavior than by talking. A major depression typically lasts several weeks and may be intense. Mild chronic depression (dysthymia) may last for an extended period of time and frequently appears to be an aspect of a child's usual moods and personality. http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/parents/mental_health/depression.asp Learning Disabilities Association of America There's all sorts of research in the field to suggest and support the concomitance of learning disabilities and mental health problems. Several recent studies show that 50% of individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities have scores above the clinical range on a well known depression scale. One thing we know is that attentional problems are a common feature of both. Another study summary says, Teachers have long known and reported that students with learning disabilities at lower educational levels have similar but more, and more severe,depression, than their peers without learning disabilities. There's no reason to think this link disappears with age. In fact, it becomes more urgent. And the stakes are higher. Failure to remediate at this adult stage has more serious consequences. http://dyslexia.mtsu.edu/modules/articles/displayarticle.jsp?id=17 About 75 percent of dropouts have trouble reading, according to research conducted by Reid Lyon of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. About half of adolescents with criminal records and substance abuse histories have reading problems, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health in 2001. http://www.hopelit.com/Star-telegram.htm Social Skills Deficits in Learning Disabilities:The Psychiatric Comorbidity Hypothesis http://suicideandmentalhealthassociationinternational.org/mentpsych.html For some the humiliation becomes too much. In one study, Peck found that over 50 percent of all suicides under age fifteen in Los Angeles County had been previously diagnosed as having learning disabilities. The actual percentage of youngsters labeled "learning disabled" in most school districts in the United States is below 5 percent;therefore, it seems clear that youngsters with learning disabilities constitute a disproportionately large percentage of adolescent suicides compared with the general adolescent population. Results from a study in the U.S.A. by the National Center for State Courts demonstrated that youths with LD were 200 percent more likely to be arrested than nondisabled peers for comparable offences. According to the U.S. Department of Education 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85 percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems. http://www.audiblox.com/learning_disabilities.htm Social and Emotional Problems Related to Dyslexia Depression is also a frequent complication in dyslexia. Although most dyslexics are not depressed, children with this kind of learning disability are at higher risk for intense feelings of sorrow and pain. Perhaps because of their low self-esteem, dyslexics are afraid to turn their anger toward their environment and instead turn it toward themselves. However, depressed children and adolescents often have different symptoms than do depressed adults. The depressed child is unlikely to be lethargic or to talk about feeling sad. Instead he or she may become more active or misbehave to cover up the painful feelings. In the case of masked depression, the child may not seem obviously unhappy. However, both children and adults who are depressed tend to have three similar characteristics: #9642; First, they tend to have negative thoughts about themselves, i.e. a negative self-image. #9642; Second, they tend to view the world negatively. They are less likely to enjoy the positive experiences in life. This makes it difficult for them to have fun. #9642; Finally, most depressed youngsters have great trouble imagining anything positive about the future. The depressed dyslexic not only experiences great pain in his present experiences, but also foresees a life of continuing failure. http://www.interdys.org/FactSheets.htm Children with both dyslexia and ADD are at dramatically increased risk for substance abuse and felony convictions if they do not receive appropriate interventions. http://www.dys-add.com/nowknow.html ADHD and Antipsychotic Drugs Studies conducted at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.,suggest that the drugs are routinely prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=61845 More research needed There has been little carefully controlled, long-term research on children taking most psychiatric drugs, including the atypical antipsychotics. The FDA is trying to get more pediatric research on the atypicals, says Thomas Laughren, the agency's director of the psychiatry products division. The FDA has asked five pharmaceutical companies that make the drugs to test them in children with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the uses they're approved for in adults. Under law, they can get a six-month extension on their patents for doing these studies. Also, the drug companies are doing their own pediatric studies on children with disorders as diverse as ADHD, autism, conduct disorder and Tourette's syndrome. Janssen LP has applied to the FDA for approval to use its atypical antipsychotic, Risperdal, in the treatment of symptoms of autism, says Ramy Mahmoud, vice president of medical affairs for Janssen. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-05-01-adult-antipsychotics-kids_x.htm July 1, 2005 -- The antipsychotic drug Risperdal may cut aggressive behavior in children with autism. That effect was reported in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers including James McCracken, MD, of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), studied Risperdal and autism. http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20050701/antipsychotic-drug-may-help-kids-with-autism Patients with schizophrenia are likely to have problems reading, reveals a study that shows some may even have impairments similar to those seen in patients with dyslexia. http://www.patienthealthinternational.com/ncm.aspx?type=news&param=14509 The ability to recognize objects is a fundamental cognitive task in every sensory modality, e.g., for friend/foe discrimination, social communication, reading, or hearing, and its loss or impairment is associated with a number of neural disorders (e.g., in autism,dyslexia, or schizophrenia). http://neuro.georgetown.edu/faculty/riesenhuber.htm History: Most children who develop schizophrenia have disturbances of behavior and cognition prior to the onset of characteristic symptoms of psychosis. Delays in speech and language and delays in acquisition of motor milestones are noted in approximately one half of these children. Children who develop schizophrenia have higher rates of impaired social skills and school achievement prior to presenting signs of schizophrenia http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2057.htm (Delays in Speech and language are signs of Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,and Autism. Delays in acquisition of motor milestones are signs of Dyspraxia. Impaired social skills are signs of Aspergers,Autistics. Impaired school achievement is common in Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,ADHDers.) Language Disorder In Schizophrenia As A Developmental Disorder by Ruth Condray Language disorder is increasingly understood to be an important characteristic of schizophrenia. The hypothesis advanced here is that receptive language disorder in schizophrenia represents a learning disorder that involves a neurodevelopmental etiology. It is argued that receptive language disorder may involve a preexisting developmental reading disorder for a subgroup of schizophrenia patients. Whether the language disorder of schizophrenia is equivalent,phenotypically and etiologically, to the language disorder of dyslexia is an open question. Although schizophrenia and dyslexia are separate clinical disorders, independent lines of evidence are suggestive of parallels between their hallmark features,cognitive dysfunction, and potential pathophysiology. http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/biometrics/Publications/Biometrics%20Archives%20PDF/890-2005%20Condary%20Sz%20Res%20Lang%20Disord.pdf I want to help stop the misdiagnosing of neurodivergents and prevent the unnecessary medicating which can cause serious damage on an emotional and physical level. This would involving having psychiatrists to have their patients undergo psychological and neurological testing and not just go by observations. You can't judge a book by its cover.

Drug Free Alternative Treatments,Therapies for ADHD

Raymond — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:13:15 GMT

It's ADHD that is considered a psychiatric disorder that needs to be medicated. However, discoveries of the novelty seeking-gene DRD4 7R gene and how it's found to be an advantageous gene dated back between 10,000 to 40,000 years ago that helped humans thrive and survive in huntering-gathering societies contradicts ADHD being a disorder that needs to be medicated. They have a different way of learning that is a mismatch for mainstream teaching environment. They are much better off in schools that have multisensory teaching methods and not just auditory sequential teaching methods. I already posted things and made my points about that. There are many ways to address ADHD, and that includes things like better nutrition(making sure getting enough vitamins/minderals,cutting down on sugar/junkfoods),dealing with food sensitivities/allergies,the use of cod liver/fish oil for Omega 3 fatty acid intake,the use of flaxseed oil for Omega 3 fatty acid intake, biofeedback/neurofeedback therapy,meditation,behavior modification. Their ADHD can be channeled into certain activities like artistic/creative outlets and physical outlets such as sports,working out. Herbs like Ginkgo Biloba,Chamomile. I have a book called MEDICAL ASTROLOGY Healing for the 21st Century Marcia Stark listed treatments for ADHD 1. Avoid any chemical additives in foods,pesticide sprayed vegetables and fruits,sugar and sweeteners. Avoid hot spicy foods that tend to aggravate liver heat. 2. Avoid fluorescent lighting and household chemicals used for cleaning. 3. Eat a balanced diet with emphasis on whole grains for B complex vitamins, and dark green vegetables for their natural chlorophyll,which is the magnesium ion. 4. Use chelation therapy to get rid of heavy metals such as mercury,cadmium,lead,and aluminum 5. Ozone treatments are very helpful for clearing the liver and getting rid of toxic material. 6. Supplementation with important minerals and nutritional factors is very important. In research with ADD Children, deficiencies in the essential fatty acids and in zinc were common. 7. accupuncture and magnet therapy are helpful. Certain acupuncture points work to calm the spirit,as do magnets applied to the inside of the elbow and the inside of the wrists. 8. Finding the homeopathic constitutional remedy is very important. 9. Color therapy has worked well to relax the nervous system. Sound therapy has worked very well to balance the spirit and supply tones that may be missing from the individual's range. SUPPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADHD GLA is one of the EFA's (essential fatty acids) which is found in evening primrose oil,borage oil and black currant seed oil. EPA and DHA are the Omega 3 long chain fatty acids that are found in fish oils. They are particularly helpful for those with allergies and chemical sensitivities. Zinc helps the body in cases of chemical detoxification. It is very important for the immune system and regulates the function of the white blood cells. Magnesium a key mineral for the nervous system and helps in the assimilation of calcium as well. It can be supplemented through liquid chlorophyll, as well as through capsules. Manganese helps the nervous system and also helps in blood sugar disorders. B Complex Vitamins are important for stress and for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Deficiencies can contribute to depression,insomnia,and irritability. Bioflavanoids with Quercitin help the immune system and are important in protecting from allergic substances and chemical sensitivities. They also are necessary in circulation and and in manufacturing vitamin C in the body. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant which helps to prevent the breakdown of nutrients. Glutathione and L-cysteine----Glutathione is in intoxidant;it helps protect against environment toxins and heavy metals by detoxifying those chemicals. It is obtained from L-cysteine or N-acetyl cysteine. Probiotics are very important in producting the B vitamins in the body; they also help with food assimilation. They may be taken in powdered or capsule form. HERBAL RECOMMENDATIONS Nervine herbs including hops,chamomile,scullcap,catnip,lavender,and spearmingt are very helpful as teas. Alfafa tea is good for making the body more alkaline and balancing the blood sugar. Parsley tea made from fresh organic parsley simmered in water alkalizes the body and clears the kidneys.

Strengths of Neurodivergence

Raymond — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:11:46 GMT

I want to go over the strengths of Neurodivergence There hasn't been much posted about the strengths of neurodivergence which can be used to compensate for their weaknesses. Asperger’s Syndrome often allows a student to show: * Intense concentration on studying * Independence * An affinity with computers and other technology * Good formal essay writing * Attention to detail and precision * Original ideas * Reliable meeting of deadlines. Positive aspects of dyscalculia focus on difficulties. Dyscalculic people often have strengths as well, such as: * Creativity * Strategic thinking * Practical ability * Love of words * Intuitive thinking * Problem-solving Positive aspects of dyspraxia Most books and web sites on dyspraxia focus on difficulties. Dyspraxic people often have strengths as well, such as: * Creativity * Determination * Motivation * Strategic thinking * Problem-solving Positive aspects of dyslexia Most books and web sites on dyslexia focus on difficulties with reading, writing and memory tasks. Dyslexic people often have strengths as well, such as: * Creativity * 3 dimensional thinking * Seeing the 'whole picture' * Pictorial thinking * Divergent thinking * Problem solving * Making unexpected connections ADHD is part of what might be called ‘neurodiversity’. Its indicators can overlap with dyslexia in respect of lack of concentration and difficulties with personal organisation. On the other hand, there are said to be some potential advantages of this kind of brain: * Ability to see the ‘big picture’ * Being creative and inventive * Ability to focus intensely for a time * High levels of energy * Risk-taking can lead to discoveries * Being intuitive ne of the more disturbing indicators of Tourette Syndrome are vocal and muscular tics (coprolalia/copropraxia) in the form of expletives, socially taboo words and obscene and inappropriate gestures. The person with TS cannot control these urges and can often become scorned upon by other people. Coprolalia/copropraxia are only present in less than 30% of Touretters (Packer,94), however because of media stereotypes these are the symptoms the general public often and only associate with Tourette Syndrome. Whilst the indicators discussed may seem negative, there are also positive characteristics of TS as there are in many types of neurodiversity. These can include: * Excellent musical abilities. * Memory capable of almost “total recall”. * Excellent peripheral perception. * Laser-like concentration. http://brainhe.com/

Neurodivergence Is Not Really Another Label like Indigo and ADHD

Raymond — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:38:11 GMT

Neurodivergence is not really another label like Indigo and ADHD Neurodivergence is not a diagnosis nor any other type of medical term. It's not some new age label either. It's not some label that means deficient nor is it a label that means something great. It's not some label that puts people down nor makes people feel good. It's not a label that's positive nor negative. It's just neutral like the word human, or homo sapiens which is technically the name of our species. label is a short word or phrase descriptive of a person, group, intellectual movement, etc. name is a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known. The actual concept of name and label are pretty much the same.....just semantics. Our own names(first,middle,last name, nicknames,user names) are labels which identify who we are. the term,label can be used for any noun which is a word in regards to a person,place,or thing. words themselves can be labels. even the word itself is an actual label for the thing itself. All words were made up,and they were created to describe certain things whether a noun,verb,adjective,adverb. It's better than using unintelligible noises like grunts to describe something. That's why we humans created words which we use in speech,writing,and typing. It was developing verbal communication. Of course there is also nonverbal communication in the form of facial expressions,gestures,body language,and even tone of voice. the term, "neurodivergent" is a liberal and practical word to use. Some would say that it's a politically correct word to use. It's better than using words like "stupid","idiot","crazy","retarded",and other negative labels that we're usually given by people that aren't like us. I know from personal experience since my special education years. It's not a word that means defective. It's not a word that has any metaphysical connotations either. There is no need for it. Many people that don't fit the relative neurological norms are metaphysically oriented,and some aren't. There have been people like us existing in ancient times. We're not something recent. I am 37 yrs old(born October 29, 1971) and come from a family of neurodivergents on both my mother and father sides of my family. I think that there is some misunderstanding about the use of the word. When we neurodivergents use the word,"neurodivergent", we use that as word to say "hey..there is nothing wrong with us...we're not some mental defects...different doesn't mean deficient" However,both conventional and alternative health practitioners tend to have that view. as for Neurodivergence - neuro as in neurological divergence as in - to diverge (third-person singular simple present diverges, present participle diverging, simple past and past participle diverged).....the opposite of convergence 1. (intransitive) to run apart; to tend into different directions divergence as in in the book, UPSIDE DOWN BRILLIANCE The Visual-Spatial Learner by Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D. on page 377 the author wrote the following about visual spatial learners: are divergent thinkers, preferring solutions that are more creative. - may be actually unaware of the more usual methods of problem-solving or classification--or they may be unaware to use these because they have things framed in a different way. neurodivergent just means different way of thinking,thinking outside the box, a different frame of mind. atypical neurological processing. It's a term that was first used by Autistic,Aspergers people to describe themselves as people that are just different type of thinkers,and so they don't see themselves a deficient that they they need to be fixed in some way. Then it later on got extended to Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,ADHD,Tourette Syndrome. It has to do with the neurodiversity movement which I strongly support. It has to do with the belief of civil/equal rights for people who don't fit inside the box that include things like equal treatment and protesting against things that try to put us in a mental straightjacket like medications. We don't believe that we are types that should be medicated because we don't fit inside a box. I don't agree with the psychiatric medicating of Autistic Spectrum people nor ADHD people. Antipsychotics like Risperdal are used on these people now,and I am strongly against that. If I was a child in the 1990's or 2000's and had parents and/or teachers that wanted me medicated instead of a child in 1970's/1980's, I'd be on Ritalin or some other psychiatric meds too. I was lucky to have special education with great special education teachers instead as well as a 4th grade regular school teacher who straightened me up and helped me realize my potential as a regular student that I finished the year with award for most improved student with a B plus average report card. I started off with typical ADHD behaviors in 4th grade. In October 1999, I was misdiagnosed as having schizoaffective bipolar disorder because my speech was abnormal,and they wanted me to take an antipsychotic. My thought processes weren't psychotic. These people were clueless. They didn't know about my history of special education,speech therapy. Later on the neurologists including the world renowned neurologist/psychiatrist, Dr. Harold N. Levinson told me that I wasn't psychotic and confirmed my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia. Therefore, I felt vindicated. I became my own advocate and succeeded in getting my neurodivergence recognized,documented for the first time since my special education years. I fought against the psychiatric diagnoses. I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't learned about neurodivergent conditions in 2003 and realized that I wasn't stupid,crazy, and that my misdiagnosis of schizoaffective bipolar was a misdiagnosis. I realized that I inherited my neurodivergence from both my parents who had their problems with psychiatry because of their neurodivergence. I realized that my father always had problems with his neurodivergence, especially as a black man born on Jan 2, 1941. He didn't get help for his,and he got diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic. My mom(born June 13, 1954) told me that he had the same speech,auditory processing,and coordination problems that I have. He was a highly emotional,ultrasensitive person like me too. After I showed stuff about Dyslexic Syndrome(which was a term that Dr. Levinson used for Neurodivergence because of Dyslexia and the other neurodivergent conditions have strong overlap in symptoms) to my mother, she even told me that she has a lot of the neurodivergent symptoms. She is also a highly emotional,ultrasensitive person like me too. One of the problems,she tends to overreact to things and lose her temper easily and that led to her verbally and physically abusing me. She got easily angry if she felt like she was being talked down to or "getting smart" with her which she perceived me to do when I was talking back like in a retort or rebuttal, especially if I am trying to make a valid point that might come off rather sharp. She confessed to me that she didn't feel like she was smart until her early 30's. I read the same list to my maternal aunt Dominga (born on Nov 9, 1961),and she told me that has a lot of the neurodivergent symptoms too. Her daughter,Shavon(born on Nov 30, 1980) was diagnosed ADHD at 7 years old. I even talked to her other daughter,Gina(born on August 14, 1982),and she told me can relate to ADHD. I talked about neurodivergent conditions to my maternal stepgrandmother(born on Sept 11, 1941). She told me that my uncle(her son) Eddie(born on Sept 3, 1961), who had speech problems, was recommended to be be put on medication for hyperactivity,but she refused. She told me that she's hyperactive,and so was my grandfather(born June 22, 1935) and they weren't on medication for their hyperactivity. Therefore,she thought it made no sense for my uncle to be medicated for his hyperactivity. She also told me that my maternal grandfather's half brother,Gino is Dyslexic. She,herself,told me that she has problems remembering things that she reads. My uncle Eddie's son,Joey(born Feb 18, 1994) is described as a hyperactive type. Most of my mom's family have significant neurodivergent traits(mainly ADHD). Therefore,it seems like I come from a neurodivergent family. I realized that my life purpose was to help my fellow neurodivergents,and that includes raising the issue about the need to distinguish neurodivergence from psychiatric disorders to prevent the psychiatric misdiagnosing of neurodivergents. I don't want my fellow neurodivergents to go through what I and many other neurodivergents have gone through. I grew up believing that I was meant to do something special,but I didn't know what. I seriously believed that. That's the thing "special". I was referred to as being "special" in my early childhood years because of my having special education needs. If it wasn't for special education therapies(auditory therapy,speech therapy,phonics,motor skills therapy), I'd still be autistic-like. I did resemble somebody with autism,and that's why I misplaced with the mentally retarded in 1st grade. Therefore,I can relate to the new agers label of Crystal given by New Agers for autism. Now I am Aspergers-like. I never had the nonverbal communication issues though. I was always very good with nonverbal communications. Dyspraxia and Autistic Spectrum have a strong overlap in symptoms/traits. Therefore, as a Dyspraxic,I always resembled somebody as being on autistic spectrum. Any ways....As a person that had special education needs, I am meant to help others with special education needs...especially children. Therefore,I was meant to do something special literally. DANDA was formed by neurodivergents for neurodivergents. I know some of these people from Dyspraxia Yahoo group. The term Neuro-Diversity was first coined in the USA in the nineties on a computer list for people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Internet searches on the term tend to direct you to sites dealing with these conditions. It was also used by dyslexics on one of their lists in the USA. Unlike most names for ‘medical’ conditions, it was not chosen by the professionals. However, many have now adopted it. Neuro-Diversity refers to the spectrum of neurological profiles describing how effective an individual is in processing information. This information comes in many forms, including written and spoken language, sounds, visual images, light, temperature, touch, texture and taste – as well as movement and co-ordination signals form the brain. The processing of all these things includes not only receiving and interpreting, but also transmitting, concentrating and storing. For most people, i.e. the Neuro-Typical (NT), the cognitive profile is relatively smooth, with little variation in effectiveness of information processing. This is in line with their general level of intellectual and reasoning ability. In contrast, a minority of people, i.e. the Neuro-Divergent (ND) have a cognitive profile which shows significant peaks and troughs, denoting significant disparity between the best and worst of their information processing. The processing differences are present from birth, and are independent of any basic physical malfunctions, for example of eyes, ears or limbs. It is thought that 10% of the population is significantly ND, with many more having some degree of neuro-diversity. The norms of ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’ tend not to work for NDs, and in many cases are actually reversed. For some, complex mathematical analysis is ‘a walk in the park’, where an actual walk in the park can be a nightmare. What conditions does Neuro-Diversity include • The conditions currently considered part of Neuro-Diversity are Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, AD (H)D, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism and Tourette’s syndrome, as well as other conditions such as Semantic Pragmatic Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). What problems can be caused by to lack of Awareness • Over and above the difficulties that can be caused by Neuro-Diversity itself, there are a number of issues that arise as a result of a lack of awareness of Neuro-Diversity by NDs themselves, and by society at large. Many NDs, even as adults, are not aware of the condition, let alone that they have it. There is a very low level of awareness among the medical profession in relation to adults. Many NDs have got themselves into a pattern (consciously or unconsciously) of masking or over-compensating for their difficulties from birth, and may find it hard to be assertive. As a result of having to deal with their conditions in a world not willing to accommodate them, the ND can have mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, and some can end up with drug/alcohol abuse which may also mask their condition. Many have problems realising their (often considerable) potential. For example, the workplace is designed around the needs/features of the Neuro-Typical, e.g. open plan offices without screens to reduce distractions, and an expectation of organisational/administrative skills and an ability to multi-task. The sooner the associated conditions are diagnosed and people given the necessary support and opportunities, the more likely it will be that they can lead fulfilled lives. http://www.danda.org.uk/

Proportion of the population with neurodivergence as well as overlapping,comorbidity of neurodivergence

Raymond — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:52:15 GMT

Neurodivergent conditions tend to have high degree of overlap with each and comorbidity. Comorbidity seems to be the rule and not the exception. It seems that the percentage of neurodivergents in the population is around 25 percent if you consider comorbidity. It affects about 3 - 5% of children with symptoms starting before seven years of age. ADHD occurs twice as commonly in boys as in girls. ADHD is generally a chronic disorder with 10 to 40% of individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to meet diagnostic criteria in adulthood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention-deficit_hyperactivity_disorder Dyspraxia estimates range from 5% - 20% with at least 2% being affected severely. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developmental_dyspraxia Dyslexia affects at least 1 out of every 5 children in the United States. http://www.brightsolutions.us/ Dyslexia and ADD so frequently coexist within the same child that it is always best to test for both. http://www.brightsolutions.us/ A large proportion of ADHD children (around 50%) also show clinical features of dyslexia and/or dyspraxia, as noted above, although these associations are stronger for the Inattentive form of ADHD than for Hyperactivity-Impulsivity. http://www.apraxia-kids.org/atf/cf/%7B145BA46F-29A0-4D12-8214-8327DCBAF0A4%7D/richardson.pdf The overlap with ADHD is around 30-50%, and with dyspraxia it may be even higher. http://www.apraxia-kids.org/atf/cf/%7B145BA46F-29A0-4D12-8214-8327DCBAF0A4%7D/richardson.pdf Autistic Spectrum Disorders with comorbidity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditions_comorbid_to_autism_spectrum_disorders Autism affects an estimated two to 10 of every 10,000 people http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/disorders/autism_fact_sheet.shtml * 4 people in every 10,000 have autism * 35 people in every 10,000 have Apsergers Syndrome (about 10:1 ratio of male to female, though the lower incidence of women may be due to their ability to mask the condition and remain undiagnosed) * 15 in every 10,000 have another type of PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) This means approx 0.5% of the population has some sort of Autistic condition. http://www.inthelight.co.nz/topics/aspergers.htm

Top 5 Emotional Difficulties of People with Learning Disabilities

Raymond — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:03:15 GMT

Top 5 Emotional Difficulties of People with Learning Disabilities 1. Shame People growing up with a learning disability often feel a sense of shame. For some, it is a great relief to receive the diagnosis while for others the label only serves to further stigmatize them. For many adults, especially older adults, an accurate diagnosis was unavailable. These individuals were frequently labeled as mentally retarded, written off as being unable to learn, and most passed through the school system without acquiring basic academic skills. Sadly, these feelings of shame often cause the individual to hide their difficulties. Rather than risk being labeled as stupid or accused of being lazy, some adults deny their learning disability as a defense mechanism. Internalized negative labels of stupidity and incompetence usually result in a poor self concept and lack of confidence (Gerber, Ginsberg, & Reiff, 1992) Some adults feel ashamed of the type of difficulties they are struggling to cope with such as basic literacy skills, slow processing, attention difficulties, chronic forgetfulness, organizational difficulties, etc. The following myths about learning disabilities have perpetuated the general public’s negative perception about learning disabilities: Myth #1 People with learning disabilities have below average intelligence and cannot learn. Fact People with learning disabilities have average to above average intelligence (Gerber. 1998). In fact, studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LD are gifted (Baum, 1985; Brody & Mills, 1997; Jones, 1986). With proper recognition, intervention and lots of hard work, children and adults with learning disabilities can learn and succeed! Myth #2 Learning disabilities are just an excuse for irresponsible, unmotivated or lazy people. Fact Learning disabilities are caused by neurological impairments not character flaws. In fact, the National Information Centre for Adults and Youth with Disabilities makes a point of saying that people with learning disabilities are not lazy or unmotivated (NICHCY , 2002). Myth #3 Learning disabilities only affect children. Adults grow out of learning disabilities. Fact It is now known that LD continues throughout the individual’s lifespan and “may even intensify in adulthood as tasks and environmental demands change” (Michaels, 1994a). Sadly, many adults, especially older adults, have never been formally diagnosed with a learning disability. In fact, the majority of people with learning disabilities are not diagnosed until they reach adulthood (LDA, 1996) Myth #4 Dyslexia and learning disability are the same thing. Fact Dyslexia is a type of learning disability. It is not a another term for learning disability. It is a specific language based disorder affecting a person’s ability to read, write and verbally express themselves. Unfortunately, careless use of the term has expanded it so that it has become, for some, an equivalent for "learning disability". Myth #5 Learning disabilities are only academic in nature. They do not affect other areas of a person’s life. Fact Some people with learning disabilities have isolated difficulties in reading, writing or mathematics. However, most people with learning disabilities have more than one area of difficulty. Dr. Larry Silver asserts that "learning disabilities are life disabilities". He writes, “The same disabilities that interfere with reading, writing, and arithmetic also will interfere with sports and other activities, family life, and getting along with friends." (Silver, 1998) Typically, students with LD have other major difficulties in one or more of the following areas: * motor coordination * time management * attention * organizational skills * processing speed * Social skills needed to make friends and maintaining relationships * emotional maturation * verbal expression * memory Many adults with learning disabilities have difficulty in performing basic everyday living tasks such as shopping, budgeting, filling out a job application form or reading a recipe. They may also have difficulty with making friends and maintaining relationships. Vocational and job demands create additional challenges for young people with learning disabilities. Myth #6 Adults with learning disabilities cannot succeed in higher education. Fact More and more adults with learning disabilities are going to college or university and succeeding (Gerber and Reiff 1994). With the proper accommodations and support, adults with learning disabilities can be successful at higher education. 2. Fear Another emotional difficulty for adults with learning disabilities is fear. This emotion is often masked by anger or anxiety. Tapping into the fear behind the anger and/or the anxiety response is often the key for adults to cope with the emotional fallout of learning disabilities. Feelings of fear may be related one or more of the following issues: * fear of being found out * fear of failure * fear of judgment or criticism * fear of rejection Fear of Being Found Out Many adults with learning disabilities live with fear of being found out. They develop coping strategies to hide their disability. For example, an adult who can hardly read might pretend to read a newspaper. Other adults may develop gregarious personalities to hide their difficulties or focus on other abilities that do not present learning barriers. Unfortunately some adults will have developed negative strategies such as quitting their job rather than risking the humiliation of being terminated because their learning disability makes it difficult for them to keep up with work demands. The fear of being found out is particularly troublesome for many older adults who have never been diagnosed with a learning disability or those who received inappropriate support. Such adults were frequently misdiagnosed with mental retardation, inappropriately placed in programs for the mentally disabled, and/or stigmatized by teachers and classmates. In later life, these adults often return to learning through adult literacy programs in order make up for lost educational opportunities. Seeking help is a difficult step forward for these adults because it requires them to stop hiding their disability. The simple act of entering a classroom can be an anxiety producing experience for adults who have been wrongly labeled and/or mistreated by the educational system. For these adults, returning to a learning environment is truly an act of courage! Low literacy skills and academic difficulties are not the only type of learning disabilities adults try to hide. Adults with social skill difficulties may live in constant fear of revealing social inadequacies. For example, an adult who has trouble understanding humour, may pretend to laugh at a joke even through they don’t understand it. They may also hide their social difficulties by appearing to be shy and withdrawn. On the other hand, hyperactive adults may cover up their attention difficulties by using a gregarious personality to entertain people. Fear of Failure The National Adult Literacy Survey, 1992, found that 58% of adult with self-reported learning disabilities lacked the basic functional reading and writing skills needed to experience job and academic success (Kirsch, 1993). Most of these adults have not graduated high school due to the failure of the school system to recognize and/or accommodate their learning disability. Needless to say, adult literacy programs are a second chance to learn the basic academic skills missed out in public school. As mentioned above, going back into an educational environment is often a fearful experience for adults with learning disabilities. One of the main reasons for this is the fear of failure. Many adults reason that, if they have failed before, what is to stop them failing again and, if they do fail again, then this failure must mean they, themselves, are failures.. The tendency for adults with learning disabilities to personalize failure (i.e. failure makes ME a failure) is perhaps the biggest self-esteem buster for adult learners. Educators need to be aware of these fears to help learner’s understand that failure does not make them a failure and making mistakes is a part of the learning process. For most people, anxiety about failing is what motivates them to succeed, but for people with learning disabilities this anxiety can be paralyzing. Fear of failure may prevent adults with learning disabilities from taking on new learning opportunities. It might prevent them from participating in social activities, taking on a new job opportunity or enrolling in an adult education course. One positive characteristic that often helps adults overcome their fear of failure is their ability to come up with innovative strategies to learn and solve problems. These strategies are often attributed to the “learned creativity” that many adults with learning disabilities develop in order to cope with the vocational , social and educational demands in their everyday lives. (Gerber, Ginsberg,& Reiff, 1992). Fear of Ridicule Adults with learning disabilities frequently fear the ridicule of others. Sadly, these fears often develop after the individual has been routinely ridiculed by teachers, classmates or even family members. The most crushing of these criticisms usually relates to a perceived lack of intelligence or unfair judgments about the person’s degree of motivation or ability to succeed. For example, comments such as “you’ll never amount to anything”, “you could do it if you only tried harder”, or the taunting of classmates about being “in the mental retard class” have enormous emotional effects on individuals with learning disabilities. For many of these adults, especially those with unidentified learning disabilities, these and other negative criticisms, continue to affect their emotional well-being into their adult years. It is not uncommon for adults to internalize the negative criticisms and view themselves as dumb, stupid, lazy, and/or incompetent. Such negative criticisms often fuel the fear adults with learning disabilities have about being found out. Fear of Rejection Adults with learning disabilities frequently fear rejection if they are not seen to be as capable as others. If they come from a middle to upper class family where academic achievement is a basic expectation for its members, fear of rejection may be a very real concern. They may also fear that their social skill deficits will preclude them from building meaningful relationships with others and may lead to social rejection. Prior experiences of rejection will likely intensify this sense of fear. 3. Environmental and Emotional Sensitivity Environmental Sensitivities Adults are often overwhelmed by too much environmental stimuli (e.g. background noise, more than one person talking at a time, side conversations, reading and listening at the same time). Many people with LD and ADD have specific sensitivities to their environment such as certain fabrics they cannot wear, foods they cannot tolerate, etc. Emotional Sensitivity Many adults with learning disabilities see themselves as more emotionally sensitive than other people In its most extreme form, high levels of emotional sensitivity are both a blessing and a weakness. The positive features of this trait helps adults with learning disabilities build meaningful relationships with others. For example, they are often very intuitive and in-tune with both their own and other people's emotions. Sometimes they are actually able to perceive other's thoughts and feelings. However, this strength also serves as weakness due to its propensity to overwhelm the individuals. Emotional difficulties occur when they are unable to cope with the onslaught of emotions they are feeling. Highly sensitive adults with LD may be moved to tears more easily or feel their own and other people’s pain more deeply. For example, Thomas West, writer of "The Minds Eye", not only gives a thorough explanation of Winston Churchill's learning disability, but also describes his sensitive nature. West details Churchill's tendency to break into tears quite easily" (West, 1997) even out in the public eye. He notes one incident in which Churchill was moved to tears after witnessing the devastating effects of a bomb. This description of Churchill also serves to highlight the strong sense of justice that many adults with learning disabilities possess. Unfortunately, this sense of justice often serves as a double edged sword. On one hand, it is refreshing to behold the passion of many of these individuals in their fight to overcome injustice. While on the other hand, this very passion, when it crosses the line into aggression, can cause social rejection and/or emotional overload. Often the individual may be unaware that their behavior has turned aggressive. They only wish make their point known and have others understand it. This type of over reaction is not a purposeful attempt to hurt anybody. It is more likely to be caused by a difficulty with monitoring their emotions and consequent behavior. 4. Emotional Regulation Difficulties with regulating emotions are common for highly sensitive adults with learning disabilities. Dr. Kay Walker, describes the connection between learning disabilities and self-regulation problems in her paper “Self Regulation and Sensory Processing for Learning, Attention and Attachment”. She asserts that self-regulation problems frequently occur in those with learning disabilities (Walker, 2000) In its most extreme form, individual may easily shift from one emotion to the next. Others may experience difficulty regulating impulsive thoughts or actions. Fortunately, most adults have learned to handle their emotional sensitivity to avoid becoming overwhelmed or engaging in negative social interactions. Nevertheless, some adults may be so deeply affected that they become depressed or suffer from anxiety. A lack of school, job and/or social success will likely add to this emotional burden. Some adults with LD, especially those who have been ridiculed by their family members, teachers and/or peers, may be more apt to take criticism to heart because of their experiences and/or their ultra-sensitive nature. Emotional wounds from childhood and youth may cause heightened emotional responses to rejection. In turn, social anxiety and social phobia may result 5. Difficulty Adjusting to Change Change is scary for everyone, but for people with learning disabilities and other neurological disabilities, change may be particularly difficult. Children with learning disabilities may prefer procedures to stay the same and have a hard time moving from one activity to another. Usually this difficulty becomes less of an issue as the child matures. However, adults with learning disabilities may still experience difficulty adjusting to change in more subtle ways . For example, some adults will have trouble moving from one work task to another without completely finishing the first task before moving on to the next one. Adults with learning disabilities are frequently described as inflexible when it comes to considering another person’s view point or a different way of doing something. Adjustment to change is difficult for adults with LD because change brings the unexpected. In general, people with learning disabilities are less prepared for the unexpected. The unexpected may bring new learning hurdles, new job demands or new social challenges. Since all these areas can be affected by learning disabilities, it is no wonder why change can produce so much anxiety for adults with learning disabilities. To avoid the tendency to blame the person for their lack of flexibility, it is important to understand the neurological basis for this difficulty with adjusting to change. With this said, through social skills practice, adults with learning disabilities can improve their ability to tolerate change. In addition, parents, instructors, and other professionals can help adults with learning disabilities by making transition processes easier through understanding and accommodating the adults’ needs. References American LDA, (1996), They Speak for Themselves- A Survey of Adults with Learning Disabilities (Shoestring Press) Pittsburgh, PA 15234 Baum, S (1985). Learning disabled students with superior cognitive abilities: A validation study of descriptive behavior. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, Storrs. Brody, L. E. & Mills, C. J. (1997). gifted Children with Learning Disabilities: A review of the issues. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(3), 382-296. Gerber. P.J., Ginsberg, R., & Reiff, H.B. (1992). Identifying alterable patterns in employment success for highly successful adults with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25 (8) 475-487. Gerber, P. J. (1998). Trials and tribulations of a teacher with learning disabilities through his first two years of employment. In R. J. Anderson, C. E. Keller, & J. M. Carp (Eds.), Enhancing diversity: educator with disabilities (pp. 41-59). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. Gerber, P. J., and Reiff, H., eds. (1994) Learning Disabilities In Adulthood: Persisting Problems And Evolving Issues: Stoneham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Jones H. B., (1986). The gifted Dyslexic. Annals of Dyslexia, 36, 301-317 Kirsch, Irwin S., Ann Jungeblut, Lynn Jenkins, et al. (1993) Adult Literacy in America: A First Look at the Results of the National Adult Literacy Survey, (pg. 44) U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Washington, DC. Michaels, C. A. (1994a) Transition strategies for persons with learning disabilities. San Diego, CA. NICHCY - National Information Centre for Children and Youth with Disabilities. (2002) General Information about Learning Disabilities. (pg. 1) Fact sheet #7. Retrieved November 2, 2002, from http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/general_info/nichcy_fs7.pdf Silver, L. B. (1998) The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping With Your Child's Learning Disabilities 3rd edition, NY: Random House Books. Walker, K. (2000) Self Regulation and Sensory Processing for Learning, Attention and Attachment . Occupational Therapy Department, University of Florida. West, T. G. (1997). In the minds eye: visual thinkers, gifted people with dyslexia, and other learning difficulties, computer images, and the ironies of creativity. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. http://ldpride.net/emotions.htm

My Gratitude List based on The Secret

Raymond — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:52:35 GMT

I was watching The Secret video. They suggested that we make a gratitude list. They said that it helps us feel positive focusing on the things that we're grateful for so I made mine GRATITUDE LIST I am grateful for: 1. for being alive 2. to have a roof over my head 3. to have food to eat 4. for mom to be alive 5. for mom to stop smoking 6. for Robert being there for my mom 7. for finding my life purpose as a neurodiversity advocate,helping other neurodivergents 8. for my neurodivergent conditions being diagnosed,documented for the first time since my special edication years 9. for my early identification,diagnoses of my neurodivergent conditions in childhood 10. for learning about neurodivergent conditions that helped me understand my neurodivergence 11. for learning about Astrology that helped me understand myself especially emotional nature in regards to my being a psychic,emotional sponge 12. for my gift as an astrologer and being help others with it 13. for my gift as a massage therapist and being to help others with it 14. for believing in God but in a pantheist way 15. for my 720 hour massage therapy certificate 16. for the disability compensation money that gave me much financial security and helped me support my mother 17. for ending my sugar addiction 18. for ending my junkfood addiction 19. for my dental work 20. for being an attractive person - inside,outside 21. for all the people that made a positive difference in my life 22. for all the people that have loved me 23. for my exgirlfriend Meghann loving me 24. for Meghann being a catalyst in my life that I forgave my mom for abusing me and the psychiatrists for misdiagnosing me 25. for having a romantic relationship with Meghann,getting to experience mutual romantic love 26. for meeting Meghann when I flew to see her,and spent time with her 27. for being highly intelligent 28. for all the awards that I received in school 29. for making rate in the navy 30. for completing all 4 years of my first military term 31. for Anne Angelheart's soul reading and advising me to seek a shaman for healing 32. for having Steve Flores,the shaman, as my healer/advisor 33. for meeting somebody on Second Life that introduced me to Eckhart Tolle's teachings 34. for finding that I love Eckhart Tolle's teaching, finally finding a spiritual teacher that I love to listen to and find humorous 35.for learning about THE SECRET which is about the Law of Attraction 36. for meeting others that are into The Secret at Living The Secret group 37. for understanding that I can be successful by having a positive frame of mind and going after what I want,striving for it, believing that I deserve it and that I am good enough to obtain it 38. for meeting Isaac and his becoming my partner in ASTROLOGY OF NEURODIVERGENTS (AKA INDIGO,CRYSTAL) tribe 39. for finding my father and confirming my hunch about his moonsign being Pisces like me 40. for being born a multiethnic person to a white mother and black father helping me to be believe in unity,universal love as well as be tolerant and accepting of diversity 41. for being neurodivergent,my special education experiences that helped me to learn to treat others like I want to be treated 42. for my mother raising me as best as she could 43. for my stepfather raising me 44. for my stepsisters for being like real sisters to me,teaching me things like how to swim when I was 3 45. for all the friends that I ever had in my entire life 46. for my 2nd grade special education teacher,Sue Ann Miller who believed in my intelligence and had me mainstreamed in a regular classroom 4 years before predicted to begin as a regular student in 7th grade 47. for my gift as a good dancer which helped me socialize and meet people,met women and go on dates when I was in the navy 48. for my gift of self expression 49. for the lessons that I have been given to help me with my soul evolution 50. for the new beginning that will be full of wonderful things that including things that I have always wanted for myself and others. At the end, I really felt very good. I am grateful for a lot of things in my life. It's good to focus on the positive stuff and get in that positive frame of mind. Then I can attract more positive things in my life.

Loose and/or or Rapid Speech in Disorders Other Than Mental Illness

Raymond — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:49:14 GMT

LOOSE AND/OR RAPID SPEECH IN DISORDERS OTHER THAN MENTAL ILLNESS Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals tend to think that if a person speaks rapidly then they have manic speech. They think that is their speech is tangential,then they must be psychotic. They tend to judge people by their speech,and then tell them that they have a thought disorder,and so they tried to get them to take a neuroleptic. Some even want you to take Risperdal. That's what it was like for me as a Dyslexic,Dyspraxic,ADHD person. They didn't know that my rapid,tangential speech was cluttering. They never stopped to consider that at all. They told me that I had some "slight thought disorder" and wanted me to take a neuroleptic. When I came back to mental hospital for depression, they made me take Risperdal because of my speech irregularities. These psychiatrists never asked if I had a history of speech therapy nor special education. I had intensive speech therapy in special education for my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia. It's so important that psychiatrists differentiate cluttering speech from speech stemming from mental illness like schizophrenia,bipolar. This type of speech runs in families, my mother told me that my father had speech problems that including stammering and stuttering. I read that they were the same,and so I asked my mother if my father cluttered. My mother told me "No", but I read my mother about the symptoms of cluttering, and my mom said that's what he did. My father was a clutterer like me,and he was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic by prison psychiatrists. My father was a black man in 1960's,and so it was common for black people to be misdiagnosed schizophrenic in those days. If you have Dyslexic,Dyspraxic,ADHD issues like my father,your chances of getting diagnosed schizophrenic increase even more. Understanding cluttering speech is very important. Many nonprofessionals can even misjudge clutterers too,and look at them like they are clueless and/or crazy because they are ignorant about this type of speaking. DISORGANIZED AND OR RAPID SPEECH IN DISORDERS OTHER THAN MENTAL ILLNESS page 59 of DSM-IV-TR Diagnositic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders The most common associated feature of Expressive Language Disorder in younger children is Phonological Disorder. There may also be a disturbance in fluency and language formulation involving an abnormally rapid rate and erratic rhythm of speech and disturbances in language structure (cluttering). When Expressive Language Disorder is acquired, additional speech difficulties are also common and may include motor articulation problems, phonological errors, slow speech, syllable repetitions, and monotonous intonation and stress patterns. Among school-age children, school and learning problems (e.g., writing to dictation, copying sentences, and spelling) that sometimes meet criteria fo Learning Disorders are often associated with Expressive Language Disorder. There may be also be some mild impairment in receptive language skills, but when this is significant, a diagnosis of Mixed Receptive Language should be made. A history of delay in reaching some motor milestones, Developmental Coordination Disorder,and Enuressis are not uncommon. Social withdrawal and some mental disorders such as Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are also commonly associated. Expressive Language Disorder may be accompanied by EEG abnormalities, abnormal findings on neuroimaging,dysarthric or apraxic behaviors, or other neurological signs. CLUTTERING UPDATED Our research has advanced the following working definition: "Cluttering is a syndrome characterized by a speech delivery rate which is either abnormally fast, irregular, or both. In cluttered speech, the person’s speech is affected by one or more of the following: (1) failure to maintain normally expected sound, syllable, phrase, and pausing patterns; (2) evidence of greater than expected incidents of disfluency, the majority of which are unlike those typical of people who stutter." An example of cluttered speech can be seen in the sidebar at the center of p. 5. This definition expands previous definitions that focused only on two components: an excessively rapid and/or irregular speaking rate, and disfluencies that are frequent but are not judged to be stuttering. Like all working definitions, this one must change as new data are gathered. Admittedly, the definition is not wholly satisfactory, partly because it is based on listener judgment. One especially frustrating problem is that people with the disorder frequently do not clutter, for example, when they speak in a short screening evaluation. In such cases, they either are not diagnosed or one must rely on subjective reports, by the client or others, that cluttering does indeed exist. Another vexing issue is the extent to which language planning and pragmatic problems are implicated in the diagnosis of cluttering. We do not currently include language difficulties in the definition because there appear to be at least a few clutterers for whom language problems are not evident. A third confusing issue is that cluttering often—but not always—coexists with stuttering, although the two are now regarded as distinct fluency disorders by most authorities. Moreover, cluttering is often noticed before the stuttering takes over during development of the disorders and after stuttering is treated successfully, but not while a person manifests significant stuttering. Further adding to this confusion, even in relatively rare cases of "pure cluttering," is that most clutterers or their families refer to their problems as "stuttering." Regardless, we are currently convinced that rate problems are somehow central to cluttering. There is the near universal impression that clutterers try to talk too fast, so fast that their speech intermittently breaks down. This explains the common clinical impression that most cluttering disfluencies result from placing excessive demands on the output capabilities of the speaker’s linguistic and other systems. Clutterers also tend to slur or omit syllables of longer words, which compromise intelligibility during spurts of rapid speech. Many other symptoms have been reported in people who clutter. These optional symptoms include: lack of awareness of the problem; family history of fluency disorders; poor handwriting; confusing, disorganized language or conversational skills; temporary improvement when asked to "slow down" or "pay attention" to speech; misarticulations; poor intelligibility; social or vocational problems; distractibility; hyperactivity; auditory perceptual difficulties; learning disabilities; and apraxia. http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2003/q4/f031118a.htm Cluttering is another problem that makes speech difficult to understand. Like stuttering, cluttering affects the fluency, or flow, of someone's speech. However, the difference is that cluttering is a language disorder, while stuttering is a speech disorder. People who stutter have trouble getting out what they want to say, and those who clutter says what they're thinking, but it becomes disorganized while they're speaking. Because of this disorganization, someone who clutters may speak in bursts or pause in unexpected places. The rhythm of cluttered speech may sound jerky, rather than smooth, and the speaker is often unaware of the problem. http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=studenthealthzone&lic=180&cat_id=20357&article_set=35152&ps=604 page 47 to 49 from A SOLUTION TO THE RIDDLE OF DYSLEXIA(The DISCOVERY OF CEREBELLAR-VESTIBULAR SYNDROMES by Harold N. Levinson, MD Occasionally, dyslexics manifested a "loose" and telescopic quality to their associative speech or thinking styles, and as a result tended to be rapid,wordy, and rambling in their spontaneous descriptions. This interesting speech pattern appeared independent of anxiety factors, and tended to resemble a schizophrenic's "loose associations" and tangential thinking. However, these dyslexic children were not psychotic, and lacked autistic preoccupation and projective thinking mechanisms. They merely seemed to forget momentarily the direction of their thought sequences and/or the thoughts and words themselves. Occasionally, the temporal spacing between words and sentences was shorter than normal and even dysmetric. Later studes noted nonpsychotic "absentminded" adult dyslexics to manifest similar loose,wordy, and rambling speech patterns ---- clearly demonstrating the need to qualitatively and diagnostically distinguish dyslexic speech patterns from schizophrenic patterns (Kasaninin, 1964). Upon analysis, this loose, absent-minded dyslexic thinking style prone to slips was found to be due to the very same underlying memory, directional, and temporal spatial dyscoordination mechanisms characterizing dyslexic reading, writing, and spelling. Not infrequently these so-called absent-minded individuals intend to do say or do one thing and wind up saying or doing another, even the opposte of what was originally intended. Forgetting is commonplace. As a result, the dyslexic's speech and action patterns may often exhibit a disoriented and disjointed, even comical, quality, which many clinicians fallaciously consider due to primary psychogenic determinants. However, upon analysis, the dyscoordination or slip between intention and speech or motor response was most often found lacking a primary emotional causation, and appeared qualitatively consistent with the dyslexic symptomatology. In retrospect, these slips invariably provoked secondary emotional attempts at compensation; and the unsuspecting psychiatrist and psychologist will unwittingly mistake secondary defensive reaction with primary causation. For example, some dyslexics become embarassed, blush, and retreat socially as a result of their slips, while others attempt to joke and rationalize them away. Paradoxically, some dyslexics were found to demonstrate highly organized, crystal-clear thinking and expressive styles. Upon analysis, many of these individuals were found to have had subtle and compensated speech impediments during their early childhood. In retrospect, their highly condensed speech patterns appeared to be defensive or adaptive attempts at minimizing speech output and thinking errors. Although these dyslexics were often incapable of spontaneous free-associative and reflective speech, they were more than capable of performing these same very same functions in silence. For example, when asked to freely think aloud about a question, they could not or would not. But they could, and would,invariably produce the answer after a silent pause----clearly demonstrating their highly developed, silent associative and reflective thinking capacities. Following recognition and resolution of their guarded or defensive speech mechanisms, many learned to think aloud and to express themselves without embarassed or fear of criticism. Later adult stories not only confirmed these observations but revealed the existence of dyslexics who were capable of free association and reflection only when writing. Their fluent and lucid writing styles appeared to be motivated similarly by dyslexic verbalization difficulties which were compensated for by gifted and/or unhampered writing functions. Because the ability to free-associate is a cardinal and essential prerequisite for candidates being evaluated for psychoanalytic therapy, and since this ability may be nonverbally present, it behooves psychiatrists and psychoanalysts to explore seriously these clinical considerations in their diagnostic-treatment assessment of psychoanalytic patients. The first part are my problems. That's why I was misdiagnosed as having schizoaffective bipolar by psychiatrists years ago in adulthood,and they never did any medical testing. They only went by what they observed. Luckily, Dr Levinson understood that my speech and thoughts weren't psychotic but Dyslexic. I saw Dr Levinson in June of 2005. He is the psychiatrist/neurologist who diagnosed m e as having cerebellar vestibular dysfuncion and recognized my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,sensory integration diffiiculties. He didn't diagnose me with any mental illness. He thought my problems were neurological. The second part is me too....mainly compensatory thinking,speech mechanisms.

Natural Medications for Neurodivergent Issues

Raymond — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:41:10 GMT

Here are a list of helpful natural Medications for neurodivergent issues that Dr. Levinson listed in his book, SMART BUT FEELING DUMB Niacin(Vitamin B3) - deficiencies - depression, mental dullness, confusion, forgetfulness, disorientation, hallucinations,insomnia,nausea,vomiting Vitamin B2(Riboflavin) - deficiencies - hypoglycemia, eyes have abnormal reaciton to light, blood shot eyes,mucous in eyes, bulbar conjunctivitis, hypoglycemia, trembling, dizziness,sluggishness Vitamin B6 - deficiencies - pancreas problems, diabetes, hypoglycemia, skin disorders, extremities going to sleep, cramps in fingers,hands/feet swelling, neural pathway disturbances Vitamin B12 - deficiences - sore or weak extremities, poor reflex action, exhaustion, diminished mental energy, loss of concentration,lethargy, difficulties with walking,stammering, tingling sensation in fingers,stiffness in body Thiamin - deficiencies - tirednesss, loss of appetite, emotional instability, unexplained irritability, loss of mental alertness, labored breathing, cardiac damage, erratic heartbeat, slow heart rate, enlarged heart, indigestion, anorexia, severe and continuous constipation, gastic antony, neural problems like neuritis Choline - deficiencies - liver problems, kidney problems, high blood pressure,and glaucoma, hypertension,nervous disorders Lecithin - protect proper cardiovascular health, improve brain function, increase energy levels, support of a healthy liver and aid in digestion of fats DHA - good for brain and eye functioning, deficiencies - deficits in learning, hyperactivity, problems with brain and eye development, problems with mental and visual functioning DMAE - increases neurotransmitter acetycholine, improving mental alertness and clarity of thinking, improve memory and learning ability, increase energy levels, stabilize moods Ginkgo Biloba - helps mental performance, improves inflammatory condition, treats blood vessels, treatment for hearing loss and tinitus, good for vision and hearing - helps with problems with memory, alertness,attention,and disorientation Mentalin - helps to support mental function, alertness,and memory, promotes a positive mood and a sense of calm Ginger Root - Ginger has been used by many as a remedy for the common cold. Additionally, it has also been used as an effective analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-viral, in the treatment of hypertension, and in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Other benefits of ginger include its ability to cleanse the colon, reduce spasms and cramps, stimulate circulation, and aid metabolism. Many have used it to treat colitis, nausea, gas, indigestion, bowel disorders, morning sickness, motion sickness, vomiting, congestion, fever, and headaches. Asian medicine still uses it as a treatment for asthma, shortness of breath, water retention, earache, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Homeopathic practitioners even recommend it for sexual disorders. An added benefit to Ginger is that it is a strong antioxidant and effective microbial agent for sores and wounds. Other nutrients that I added myself which I feel would be good for neurodivergent issues Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - deficiencies - fatigue, depression,irritability, dizziness, muscular weakness, stomach distress, constipation, adrenal exhaustion, cramping, lack of coordination, hypoglycemia, insomnia, stomach/intestinal disorders..burning,itching,painful feet Folic Acid - fatigue, bodily weakness, irritable behavior, insomnia,forgetfulness, intestinal disorders, gastointestinal disorders, poor health growth, lackluster hair, balding or premature graying, mental depreession bordering on schizophrenia,.... women can give premature birth,hemmorrhage after birth and to incur toxemia, child's groth can be delayed, there can mental retardation in child

ADD - The Hunter Trait

Raymond — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:55:11 GMT

Thom Hartmann believes that ADD well suits a person to live in a hunting-gathering world, but that it puts them at a disadvantage in a farming or industrial world. For the first two hundred thousand years of human history, ADDers ruled the world, but now that over 98 percent of the world's population lives in an industrial or developing industrial world, ADD has become a disadvantage --- unless you're one of those who has learned how reinvent your life to work with,instead of against, your neurological difference. He believed that ADDers and Hunters are one and the same. He believes that ADD traits are hunter-gatherer traits. He believe that the "normal" people who are good with routine,order,obedience,conventional are the farmer types. A New View of ADD, Not as a Disorder but as a natural adaptive trait page 73 from Thom Hartmann's Complete Guide to ADHD 1.Trait As It Appears In the Disorder View 2. How It Appears In The Hunter View 3. Opposite Farmer Trait 1. Distractible 2.Constantly monitoring their environment 3. Not easily distracted from the task at hand 1. Attention span is short,but can become intensely focused for long periods of time 2. Able to throw themselves into the chase on a moment's notice 3. Able to sustain a steady, dependable effort 1. Poor planner: disorganized and impulsive (makes snap decisions) 2. Flexible;ready to change strategy quickly. 3. Organized,purposeful. They have a long-term strategy and they stick to it. 1. Distorted sense of time: unaware of how long it will take to do something 2. Tireless: capable of sustained drives,but only when hot on the trail of some goal. 3. Conscious of time and timing. They get things done in time,pace themselves,have good staying power. 1. Impatient 2. Results oriented. Acutely aware of whether the goal is getting closer now. 3. Patient. Aware that good things take time; willing to wait. 1. Doesn't convert words into concepts adeptly, and vice versa. May or may not have a reading disability. 2. Visual/concrete thinker, clearly seeing a tangible goal even if there are no words for it. 3. Much better able to seek goals that aren't easy to see at the moment. 1. Has difficulty following directions. 2. Independent. 3. Team player. 1. Daydreamer. 2. Bored by mundane tasks; enjoys new ideas, excitement, the hunt, being hot on the trail. 3. Focused. Good at follow-through, tending to details,taking care of business. 1. Acts without considering the consequences. 2. Willing and able to take risks and face danger. 3. Careful, look before you leap. 1. Lacking in the social graces. 2. No time for niceties when there are decisions to be made! 3. Nurturing; creates and supports community values; attuned to whetheer something will last. Thom Hartmann's views have been confirmed by the discovery of the DRD4 7R Gene too. It is a novelty seeking gene connected approximately half of ADD cases. It is an advantageous gene dated back between 10,000 to 40,000 years ago that helped humans thrive and survive. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/01/020109074512.htm http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/005263.html http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609195604.htm

Vestibular Disorders

Raymond — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:52:39 GMT

I wanted to post about Vestibular Disorders (aka Cerebellar-Vestibular Dysfunction,inner ear problems) which have symptoms that overlap with Dyspraxia,Dyslexia,AD/HD,Auditory Processing Disorder,and especially sensory integration disorder Vestibular disorders in children are generally considered uncommon. They are not as easily recognized as vestibular disorders in adults, in part because children cannot describe their symptoms as well. Symptoms and signs that may indicate vestibular dysfunction in children include developmental and reflex delays, visual-spatial problems, hearing loss, tinnitus, motion sensitivity, abnormal movement patterns, clumsiness, decreased eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, ataxia, falls, nystagmus, seizures, dizziness, nausea, ear pressure, difficulty moving in the dark, behavioral changes, and/or delays in performance of developmental activities such as riding a bicycle, hopping, and stair climbing involving alternating left-right leg movements. http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/pediatric-vest.-disorders.php (developmental delays,visual-spatial problems,abnormal movement patterns,clumsiness,decreased eye-hand and eye-foot coordination,developmental delays, difficulty moving in the dark,behavioral changes,falls,and delays in performance of developmental activities seem to fit right in with Dyspraxia).....I had all those problems except for visual spatial problems because I have visual spatial strengths of Dyslexia Possible Symptoms of Vestibular Disorders The human balance system depends on the inner ear, the eyes, and the muscles and joints to transmit reliable information about the body's movement and orientation in space. If the inner ear or other elements of the balance system are damaged, the result may be vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, and other symptoms. The human balance system depends on the inner ear, the eyes, and the muscles and joints to transmit reliable information about the body's movement and orientation in space. If the inner ear or other elements of the balance system are damaged, the result may be vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, and other symptoms. With vestibular disorders, the type and severity of symptoms can vary considerably. Symptoms can be frightening and difficult to describe. People affected by certain symptoms of vestibular disorders may be perceived as inattentive, lazy, overly anxious, or seeking attention. They may have trouble reading or doing simple arithmetic. Functioning in the workplace, going to school, performing routine daily tasks, or just getting out of bed in the morning may be difficult for some people. The following is a list of symptoms that have been reported by people with vestibular disorders. Not all symptoms will be experienced by every person with an inner ear disorder, and other symptoms are possible. An inner ear disorder may be present even in the absence of obvious or severe symptoms. It is important to note that most of these individual symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, unrelated to the ear. (I only listed the symptoms that fit with neurodivergent conditions........so I left some out....I could be wrong too because maybe some of the other symptoms fit with neurodivergent conditions)....not that they said that an inner ear disorder may be present even in the absense of obvious or severe symptoms....so vestibular disorder can easily be undiagnosed,misdiagnosed due to lack of apparent symptoms suggesting a vestibular disorder....especially if they only focus on problems with balance...also if there is talk about problems with the inner ear,many people will just associate that with only hearing problems. a lot of people think that ear is only for hearing but don't know about it being important for balance. Cerebellum,part of the brain,is important for balance too.) Vision Symptoms of Vestibular Disorder * Trouble focusing or tracking objects with the eyes; objects or words on a page seem to jump, bounce, float, or blur or may appear doubled * sensitivity to light, glare, and moving or flickering lights; fluorescent lights may be especially troublesome http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php (They fit with the visual processing issues of Scotopic Sensitivity and Visual Dyslexia.......My problems are in tracking objects with the eyes, sensitivity to light,glare,and moving or flickering lights,flouresecent lights may be especially troublesome, but it's not the point that my vision is distorted) Hearing Symptoms of Vestibular Disorder * Hearing loss; distorted or fluctuating hearing * Sensitivity to loud noises or environments http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php (They fit the auditory processing issues of Auditory Processing Disorder and Auditory Dyslexia)....I have a history of distorted hearing(auditory reversals that have been corrected through auditory therapy), mishear words at times) and have problems with sensitivity to loud noises or environments,but it doesn't lead to pain but an audiological tester asked me if I need earplugs when I go to bed, I wore headphones while I was working with sandpaper that my navy coworkers looked at me like I was weird) Cognitive and psychological Symptoms of Vestibular Disorder * Difficulty concentrating and paying attention; easily distracted * Forgetfulness and short-term memory lapses * Confusion, disorientation, difficulty comprehending directions or instructions * Difficulty following speakers in conversations, meetings, etc., especially when there is background noise or movement * Mental and/or physical fatigue out of proportion to activity * Loss of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem * Anxiety, panic * Depression http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php (Every single one of those symptoms can be symptoms of psychiatric disorders including even psychotic disorders) (Difficulty concentrating and paying attention,easily distracted fit with AD/HD......I have all those issues...Fish/Cod Liver Oil helps me (Forgetfulness and short term memory lapses fit with ADHD,Dyspraxia)...........I have all those issues.....Fish/Cod Liver Oil helps me Confusion,disorientation,difficulty comprehending directions or instructions fit with Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,AD/HD)....I have all those issues Difficulty following speakers in conversations,meetings,etc,especially when there is background noise or movement fits with Auditory Processing Disorder,Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,and AD/HD).....I have all those issues (Mental and/or physical fatigure out proportion to activity, loss of self reliance,self confidence,self esteem are emotional fallout of learning disorders and AD/HD)......I have a history of those issues since my special education days (Anxiety,panic fits with Anxiety Disorders,Avoidant Personality Disorder)....I have those issues (Depression fits with Depression Disorders)....I have those issues (both can be emotional fallout of learning disorders and AD/HD).....That's definitely true in my case Other * Motion sickness * Sensation of fullness in the ears * Headaches * Slurred speech * Sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents (sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents,headaches,slurred speech could fit in with neurodivergent conditions)...I can relate to motion sickness,headaches, and sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents After reading Dr. Levinson's books on cerebellar vestibular dysfunction which seems pretty much all about vestibular disorders and he trying to connect them to learning disorders and AD/HD,I am starting to believe that a vestibular disorder could be a cause of Dyspraxic,Dyslexic,other Learning Disorders,AD/HD symptoms. I don't believe that vestibular disorder causes all cases of Dyspraxia, Dyslexia,other learning disorders,nor AD/HD, and so that's where I disagree with Dr. Levinson. I also believe that the vestibular disorder could be a co-existing disorder with learning disorder and AD/HD. In 2005, Dr. Levinson's testing showed that I have vestibular disorder,and so he diagnosed me as having cerebellar vestibular dysfunction. I had a severe ear infection when I was 3 months old. I have a history of balance and coordination problems. At 4 years old,I was examined by neurologist because of those issues and brain damage was ruled out. In 2006,Veteran Affairs neurologists confirmed that I have an abnormal cerebellar system. After neuropsyche testing that concluded that I have learning problems, they confirmed that I have Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. It was Dr. Levinson's testing that I took to the neurologists to get me tested. My Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction Diagnosis http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_000 My Diagnosis of Dyslexia,Dyspraxia by Veteran Affairs Neurology http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_007 My Diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Inattentive Type, Generalized Anxiety Disorder,Dysthymic Disorder,and Avoidant Personality Disorder http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=LD_ADHD_Assessment_005 Dr. Levinson uses the same testing as doctors that test for vestibular disorder including electronystagmography (ENG which include Rotation tests, Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP),and Speech audiometry tests on me. He didn't use a 3D Optokinetic scanner for me because I told him that I didn't have visual processing Dyslexic problems but auditory processing Dyslexic problems. He tested me with a 3D auditory scanner which measures auditory blurring,and the instrument capable of speeding up a series of clear sounds until they could no longer be distinguished, with and without an interfering background,thus establishing the auditory blurring speed. He also conducted neurological tests which are exactly the same type of tests that are used to test for intoxication in drivers suspected to be drunk. Maybe intoxication impairs the cerebellar-vestibular system. I was very abnormal overall on the Cerebellar Dysfunction/Neurological Testing. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_002 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_003 Confirmation of Abnormal Cerebellar System by Veteran Affairs Neurologists http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_002 Testing for Vestibular Disorder http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/diagnostic-tests.php Testing for Dyslexic Syndrome http://www.levinsonmedical.com/information/testing.html Dr. Levinson prescribed me Meclizine( aka Antivert,an antihistamine that is used for vestibular disorders and is available in drug stores without a prescription) and recommended Ginkgo,DMAE,Lecithin,and Piracetam. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_004 Symptoms of Vestibular Disorder http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php Dr. Levinson's list of Symptoms of Dyslexic Syndrome that are obvious symptoms of vestibular disorder http://www.levinsonmedical.com/information/syndrome.html Symptoms of Dyspraxia http://www.ncld.org/content/view/466/391/ http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/symptoms_of_dyspraxia.html http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/adult_symptoms.html I want to reiterate that vestibular disorders don't cause all nor most cases of learning disorders nor ADHD. I believe that they can cause many cases of them though. I also believe that the vestibular disorder can co-exist with learning disorders and AD/HD. Another thing is that Ronald D. Davis mentions that disorientation,confusion are strongly connected to learning disorders and AD/HD in his book,GIFT OF DYSLEXIA. The thing is that disorientation,confusion are symptoms of vestibular disorder too. Also Dore uses exercises to treat cerebellar dysfunction which he believes is root of learning disorders and AD/HD. Exercise program is also implemented to treat vestibular disorder. Vestibular Disorder therapy http://ww.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/treatment/vestibular-rehab.php Ronald D. Davis Theory of Dyslexia where he talks about disorientation/confusion http://www.dyslexia.com/library/davistheory.htm Dore http://www.dorecenters.com/how.aspx I just want to say that I don't believe that nobody has all the answers to problems in life. That goes the same with people who have answers to the neurodivergent conditions. There could be right in some things and wrong in others. There can be many roots to a problem,and so there can be many solutions to a problem. I always feel that it's always good to look at numerous views of things whether they are believed to be right or wrong. Many things can seem controversial to people if it doesn't fit with mainstream views. However,many views that were controversial are mainsteam today. Jesus' teachings were seen as highly controversial,and he was rejected by many Jewish religious leaders and crucified. Now his teachers are mainstream with Christianity being one of the major world world religions.

Fine Line Between Neurological Disorders,Neurodivergence and Mystical Perceptions,Schizophrenia

Raymond — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:37:55 GMT

I am interested in the fine line between neurological disorders and mystical perceptions. It's found that temporal lobe seizures could lead to mystical experiences. Scientists say that could be a mystical part of the brain. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6664802 I am a believer that mystical experiences do exist. I also believe that they can be in synchronicity with temporal lobe seizures. I think that there can be fine line between synchronicity and cause/effect when it comes to physiological activity and perceptual experiences. Some scientists dismiss out of body experiences because they find that brain activity can be monitored during out of body experiences. Out of body experiences can be in synchronicity with brain activity. Who is to say that people aren't coming out of their bodies. What if there is like some type of energy cord that connects their minds to their bodies. It could also be that a person focuses their mind's eye at different focal points and be so vivid in their visual thinking that it can seem like they are having out of body experiences. I know that I am such a visual thinker, I visualize everything while I am doing it like I am seeing myself in the mirror. It could be my focusing my minds eye on myself. Whenever I focus my eyes on a side of an object, my mind's eye seems to automatically focus on other sides of the object. When I give people massages,I tend to visualize the muscle I am massaging. When I go to a dentist, even though my eyes are closed, I would visualize the instrument in my mouth and the actions that it's doing at the time as well as where its at the time, even visualizing stuff the inside of my mouth,blood,nerves,etc. That's how visual that I am in my thinking. It's just automatic. For a long time,I couldn't understand why books were written about advising how to visualize and imagine things. I thought everybody could visualize and imagine things easily. I thought everybody thinks in pictures like I do. Well...I turned out to be wrong. I do wonder if the more visual a person is in his/her thought processes, the more likely he/she could experience out of body experiences. I also wonder if the more visual a person is in his/her thought processes, the more likely he/she could be disoriented and confused. Ronald D. Davis talks about how disorientation/confusion can lead to distorted perceptual experiences that neurodivergents have. He believes that the highly visual,picture thinking of dyslexics makes them use their disorientation to automatically distort their peceptions but also can be used to see things from other perspectives. He believes those things are strongly connected to each other. They are highly imaginative. They could actually have an overactive imagination that leads to the perceptual distortions. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_010_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_014_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_015_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_016_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_017_gif This could even apply to people with schizophrenia. Disorientation/confusion is commonly viewed as a symptom of schizophrenia. Schizophrenics have distorted perceptions. Schizophrenics are highly imaginative too. Their schizophrenia can be connected to having an overactive imagination leading to perceptual distortions. Antipsychotics seemed to be used to harness the imagination of schizophrenics. Maybe the antipsychotics are actually be used to harness their visual thinking. People that believe in the Indigo concept believe that psychiatric medications suppresses the psychic,mystical gifts of Indigos. Maybe the psychiatric medications are harnessing their right hemisphere strengths that include being highly imaginative,visual,nonlinear thought processes. Maybe psychiatric medications..especially antipsychotics can make rightbrained types of people be more leftbrained. The psychiatric medications lead to schizophrenics to be more organized and linear in their thinking. lower doses of antipsychotics could actually be used to make rightbrained people in general to be more organized and linear in their thought processes. This can be an ethical problem.....especially if many children are having problems in school because they have strong right hemisphere processes that make it hard for them to learn left hemisphere type ways of teachings as in auditory sequential teaching methods including lecturing. If they are daydreaming a lot in school,and that inteferes with their school work, that could be a problem too. What if they are actually doing a lot creativity,art,and other things associated with strong right hemisphere activity? How would the medication impact those activities? That is something to consider. Not everybody is cut out for academics. We could forcing naturally rightbrained children to be leftbrained. Why not incoporate Montessori,Waldorf teaching methods in education institutions including preschool,elementary,jr high,high school,and college? Teaching should reach all learning styles. Ronald D. Davis, talks about focusing mind's eye....He talks about it from his experience as a neurodivergent...He talks about the shifting of the mind's eye and move it to optimum viewpoint for real-world perception can help with disorientation of neurodivergents.......who knows....maybe that could help with schizophrenic's symptoms too http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_018_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_019_gif http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Gift_Of_Dyslexia_020_gif Disorientation/confusion also are symptoms of cerebellar-vestibular dysfunction which Dr. Harold N. Levinson believes is root of neurodivergent conditions. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album03&id=Smart_But_Feeling_Dumb_Dyslexia_018_gif Dr. Harold N. Levinson and Ronald D. Davis seemed to degree on somethings about neurodivergent conditions. They both beleive that neurodivergent conditions have highly significant overlapping symptoms and comorbid. That's why Dr Levinson refers to the whole neurodivergence as Dyslexic Syndrome, and Ronald D. Davis believes that root of neurodivergent conditions is Dyslexia which he views as a perceptual talent. That's why his first book was called GIFT OF DYSLEXIA. They both believe that the neurodivergent conditions and disorientation/confusion are strongly connected. The only difference is that Dr. Levinson believes that it stems from cerebellar vestibular dysfunction,and should be treated with antimotion sickness medication. Ronald D. Davis believes that it stems from being a highly visual,picture thinker, and that it can be resolved with mind's eye focus therapy. I believe that cerebellar-vestibular dysfunction can be in synchronicity with neurodivergent conditions and not just cause and effect. It could be one of those " what came first....the chicken or the egg" I believe that it's possible that the neurodivergent person can be ultrasensitive to sensory input to the point that the cerebellar vestibular system is overwhelmed which results in disorientation/confusion. Therefore, cerebellar vestibular problems could actually be the symptoms of hypersensitivity. I am just coming at it from a neurodivergent perspective. Things like Omega 3 fatty acids not only found to decrease the symptoms of neurodivergents, but also decrease hypersensitivity too. Neurodivergents tend to be hypersensitive any way. Certain vitamins and minerals help with cerebellar vestibular functioning too,and they also can decrease hypersensitivity...especially Vitamin B complex which is known as the stress vitamin. Motion sickness medications are used to treat cerebellar vestibular dysfunction. They could actually decrease hypersensitivity. Motion sickness could stem from hypersensitivity to movements. In psychology text books, I have read that schizophrenics can be hypersensitive and so they can retreat inside themselves for protection. However, this also be said for people with autism. Studies show that Omega 3 fatty acids can help with schizophrenia,bipolar too. Hypersensitivity is very common in people with those psychiatric disorders. Also Vitamin B6 and zinc deficiencies can lead to schizophrenia and bipolar issues. Pyroluria is a condition that pulls Vitamin B6 and zinc out of the system which can lead to schizophrenic,bipolar symptoms. I am interested in mind machines. Maybe they could be used to decrease the symptoms of neurological,psychological disorders. flickering lights can't be used for people with history of seizures though. I have mind machine called The Proteus The Proteus will give you an awe-inspiring experience. To begin, simply select one of the pre-programmed sessions, put on the headphones and lightframes, and press the start button. The session will gently guide you into other mental states by stimulating your senses with special patterns of sound and synchronized colored lights. Extraordinary kaleidoscopic patterns of color are seen behind your closed eyelids that dance with thick washes and pulses of sound. These special combinations of flickering color and sound pulses also have an effect on your brainwaves. Geometric patterns shape-shift and color cycle while guiding you through the session toward the mind state you desire. http://www.mindmodulations.com/prodprot.html

Bipolar And Learning Disabled - Do They Co-exist In A Person Because Of Ignorance?

Raymond — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:34:11 GMT

BIPOLAR AND LEARNING DISABLED - DO THEY CO-EXIST IN A PERSON BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE? It seems that a lot of learning disabled people can have many of the Bipolar symptoms. It is not because they have a chemical imbalance. I believe that they are suffering from being misunderstood,ridiculed,rejected as well as feeling frustrated.They are human beings with real feelings, and so they can be hurt like anybody else. If the learning disabled person is highly sensitive, then he or she can be deeply hurt. Maybe Bipolar Disorder would significantly decrease if people were treated a lot better. I feel that there is a strong connection between Bipolar and Learning Disabilities. I would call it the Undesirably Special Syndrome. I am saying that out of sarcasm. I am disgusted that people are getting unfairly labeled because they are different from the norm. Normal doesn't mean right. Normal is what the majority thinks is acceptable. Would you blame a Pre-Civil Rights black kid for being irritable,moody,aggressive,and oppositional? Would you blame homosexual people to be that way in anti-gay society? Would you blame a female to be that way in a society where females have no rights and respect? Would you blame Christians to be that way in the days of Emperor Nero of Rome? Would you blame Native Americans to be that way for being minorities in their own native land? Would you blame Learning Disabled people to be that way for being accused of being retarded,lazy,and crazy? I say not just "No"....I say " Hell No!" We need to look at alternative explanations for why a person has bipolar symptoms. Maybe ignorance can lead to Bipolar. I believe that it can in the learning disabled. SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIORAL TRAITS IN BIPOLAR CHILDREN from the book, THE BIPOLAR CHILD http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Child-Definitive-Reassuring-Misunderstood/dp/0767928601/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231546169&sr=8-1 AND ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS by me Not all of the symptoms have alternative explanations Just the ones that I feel can be explained as challenging life experiences as a learning disabled person All the descriptions after the hyphen are my alternative explanations ......looking at it from the neurodivergent perspective and not the neurotypical pespective VERY COMMON Separation Anxiety - fear of and don't want to go to school, fear of being around people that will look down on him or her, don't want to be away from the only people that love,respect,understand and doesn't ridicule him or her, fear of being bullied at school or other places Rages and explosive temper tantrums lasting up to several hours - being provoked, frustration, being picked on, teased, bullied Marked irritability - being provoked,frustration, being picked on, stress, being teased, bullied Oppositional behavior - Frustration, being picked on, teased, bullied, fighting against what is thought to be wrong, standing up for self, wishing to make his or her point known and have others understand it,passion in him or her to fight injustices Rapid cycling (frequent mood swings, occurring within an hour, a day,or several days) or mood lability - Frustration, being picked on, stress, high sensitivity Distractibility - reactions to external stimuli, high sensitivity, excessive concentration leading to the stopping of focus from being tired, preoccupied with what's happening inside Hyperactivity - anxiety build up, nervousness, excitement, increased stress,poor or low frustration tolerance,high energy,quick mind Impulsivity - being provoked, being picked on, teased, bullied, stress, impatience Restlessness/fidgetiness - impatience, wanting to get away from people that are making them uneasy, sensitivity to flourescent and bright lights, bored, anxiety, nervousness,stress Silliness, giddiness, goofiness - humor as an escape from stress, "make fun of yourself before they make fun of you", be the class clown so people lay off him or her Racing thoughts - nonstop worrying, accumulation of preoccupied thoughts that have to do with anxiety and nervousness, quick mind Aggressive behavior - being provoked,frustration, being picked on, teased, stress, wishing to make his or her point known and have others understand it, passion in him or her to fight injustices Grandiosity - Believing in fantasies of being great because they want to escape from being somebody that everybody despises,teases,ridicules,and is ashamed of.....believing in fantasy of being special in a positive way to escape from being special in a negative way Carbohydrate cravings - sweets can make the person feel good, sugar-sensitive Risk-taking behaviors - frustration, anger, desperation,being rebellious, going where nobody has gone before .... People who start their own businesses are risk-takers People who save the lives of others in dangerous situations are risk-takers... People who fought for equal/civil rights were risk-takers Depressed mood - frustration, being picked on, low self esteem, stress, feeling rejected, sadness Lethargy - sick and tired of having a screwed up life, hopelessness,giving up "Why bother to do anything? I am stupid any way. ",mental burnout due to a mind that works much and uses much energy which is the case with dyslexics who use 4.6 times more brain area when doing a simple language task Low self-esteem - the most common symptom in the learning disabled, feeling stupid,dumb,or retarded, feeling like he or she won't amount to anything, feel that he or she doesn't have a future, feeling ashamed Difficulty getting up in the morning - doesn't want to go to school, doesn't want to be picked on, doesn't want to deal with people that ridicule the person Social anxiety - afraid to be evaluated or tested, afraid to be seen as stupid,retard,and inept by others, afraid to make mistakes in front of people and be seen as an idiot,moron,retarded,and imbecile, insecurity, being anxious when it comes to their weaknesses......for example if somebody has problems with speech, then they would be anxious about talking in front of people....if somebody has problems with coordination,they would anxious about doing things in front of people that require the use of coordination Oversensitivity to emotional or environmental triggers - sensory integration issues, just being highly sensitive, being allergic to certain substances, can be particular past emotional triggers like past experiences of physical and verbal abuse, and so the person overreacts when he is hit or being put down COMMON Bedwetting (especially in boys) - problems with coordination, stress, poor muscle control Night terrors - could be from anticipated harm by others, nightmares of being ridiculed by others Rapid or pressured speech - anxiety, nervousness,desperate to be listened to, eager to be heard, feeling the need to get points across,being passionate..... people get really tense and agitated when not being listened to Excessive Daydreaming - highly imaginative, being bored, fantasizing about how great if would be to be "normal" and not ridiculed Obsessional Behavior - preoccupied about doing things that help make him or her be accepted and/or seen as being intelligent and/or attractive, Compulsive Behavior - preoccupied about doing things that help make him or her be accepted and/or seen as being intelligent and/or attractive Motor and vocal tics - could be from coordination and speech problems.....also can be symptoms of both Tourette's Syndrome and the side effects of antipsychotics Learning disabilities - THIS IS MY ENTIRE POINT! Dyslexia, Dyspraxia as well as other neurodivergent conditions like ADD/ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, Sensory Integration Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disability,Autism Poor short-term memory - typical symptom of learning disabilities and ADHD Lack of Organization - typical symptom of learning disabilities and ADHD Fascinating with gore or morbid topics - reading too many Stephen King novels! hehehehehe Hypersexuality - resulting from low self esteem, needing lots of intimacy with a person to make them feel good, past history of sexual abuse Manipulative behavior - control issues because of self esteem problems Extremely bossy behavior with friends/bullying - frustration, being picked on, low self esteem a person who is bullied might bully others Lying - fear of getting in trouble, pretending to be somebody else, self - protection, anxiety, lack of trust Suicidal thoughts - shame,frustration, sick and tired of being teased,picked on, and ridiculed feels like he or she won't amount to anything, and so he or she feels that he or she doesn't want to live any more and complicate others' lives, sick and tired of not being "normal" Destruction of property - frustration, being picked on, stress, Paranoia - lack of trust, fear of being exposed, suspicious that the person cannot be trusted, fear from past experiences from being picked on, feeling persecuted - being picked on, being called names, being bullied, suffering from prejudice Hallucinations and delusions - religious and spiritual experiences that are not understood by others, believing that he or she had pastlives, any perceptions that conflicts with mainstream views LESS COMMON Migraine headaches Bingeing - indulging in food to escape from problems of being picked on, stress...........a lot of people eat out of depression cannot cope with problems of dealing with inconsiderate,cruel,and ignorant people Self-mutilating behaviors - low self esteem issues Cruelty to animals Please keep in mind that these people aren't necessarily Bipolar. They could be misdiagnosed. I feel that anybody can be misdiagnosed Bipolar because Psychiatry is not an infallible science. If you act,feel, look, believe, think and/or talk in a way that differs from the norm, there is a possibility that you will be diagnosed as mentally ill. People with ADHD have been misdiagnosed Bipolar, and so it is not surprising that Dyslexia and Dyspraxia can be misdiagnosed Bipolar because they often have comorbidity with ADHD/ADD.

Indigo - New Age Label For Neurodivergents

Raymond — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:30:43 GMT

I read the book, THE CARE AND FEEDING OF INDIGO CHILDREN by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D. I took a look at it,and I found that I could strongly relate to this stuff. Therefore, I bought the book. The more I read it, the more I believed that Indigo Child seemed like a label for children with learning disabilities and AD/HD. I feel that New Agers created this label because of the skyrocketing increase of children with AD/HD. The problem is that the AD/HD condition is not just exclusive to children. There has been an increase of diagnosing AD/HD in adults. Some were diagnosed AD/HD at 60 yrs old. In 2004, I was diagnosed inattentive type ADHD at the age of 32, and my mother told me that she can relate to many of the symptoms AD/HD and Dyslexia. From what my mother told me,my father seemed to have Dyslexia and AD/HD. From what I have seen in my mother's side of the family, numerous relatives have these AD/HD traits. Everyone of my mother's 4 halfsiblings dropped out of high school,and my mother never even went to high school. They did find their niches,and they did well in their careers except for my uncle Dino has gone through many jobs but he has learned many skills. My Uncle Eddie who is now 47 years old, was always hyperactive. He was in special ed with speech problems like me. My stepgrandmother refused to have him medicated because both her and my grandfather were hyperactive,and they weren't on medication. It seems that hyperactivity runs in the family. With knowing these things, I do not believe in Indigo generation nor the Indigo label itself. The label is not going to help a child with problems with learning to read and communicate as well as learn. Special education helped correct my Dyslexic,Dyspraxic problems,and so I am a compensated Dyslexic,Dyspraxic As for the AD/HD, I really don't think it's a problem. I honestly feel that it's an alternative learning style that doesn't fit well with mainstream classroom,and I feel the same about Dyslexia. I also feel that because of their sensitivity, the wrong foods can affect them in adverse ways. I also feel that the fluorescent lights in the classrooms can make them feel uncomfortable and can exacerbate both AD/HD and Dyslexic symptoms. Fluorescent lights can make Scotopic Sensitivity worse. The fluorescent lights can make people with Scotopic Sensitivity have problems seeing black print on white paper due to reflection of the light on the paper. Here are things in the book that I read that pertains to me and other Dyslexics as well as others with learning differences including Dyspraxia,Sensory Integration Disorder,and AD/HD as well as visual spatial learners page 100, Indigos may seem awkward or clumsy and may be labeled a having delayed motor skill functioning (those are symptoms of Dyspraxia) page 101, Talking and reading may also seem unnatural to Indigo Children, who intuitively know that more accurate and honest conversation is available through telepathy (speech delays/problems are early warning signs of Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,Autism) page 11, Indigo Children are exquisitely sensitive in many ways. They may have been subject to taunts such as "You're too sensitive," yet their sensitivity is a spiritual gift equivalent to a detecting instrument. (that can be sensory integration disorder, sensory integration issues which are common in Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,and ADHDers but highest in the autistic spectrum disorders) page 172, Because right-brained people have such acute senses, they're easily distracted. They can hear every little click of the school clock's hand, and the high pitch of the fluorescent lighting. (that can be Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,ADHDers,and people with autistic spectrum disorders) page 97, one of the reasons why Indigo Children are so good at manifesting is because they processing information primarily through mental pictures. They are skilled visualizers and can easily develop a photographic memory. They think and learn mainly in pictures (Dyslexics,Autistics,and a lot of ADHDers think mainly in pictures instead of words) page 113, Sensitive Indigo Children aren't just affected by the physical properties of their bedrooms; they;re also influenced by the invisible nontangibles in their rooms. Music, lighting,and scent and can make a big difference in your children's sleeping patterns, moods,and energy levels. (again....this can be sensory integration disorder,sensory integration issues that are common in Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,ADHD, but highest in the autistic spectrum disorders) page 6, Indigos are highly creative children,and think outside the box. This thinking style has created many of the world's breakthrough inventions (this type of thinking is in Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,ADHDers,and autistic spectrum disorders) page171, Indigo Children, gifted children, who are labeled ADD or ADHD and adult lightworkers are almost always rightbrain dominant. This means that they interact with the world primarily with the right hemisphere of their brain, which focuses upon visions and feeling and relates to nonverbal studies such as art, music, math, philosophy, psychology,and psychic arts. Right brain - dominant people can make excellent writers and speakers, provided they learn how to translate their mental pictures and strong internal feelings into the world. (this can apply to Dyslexics,Dypraxics,ADHDers,and people with autistic spectrum disorders) there was talk about psychic abilities and visions. I didn't get into that stuff. Those aren't symptoms of learning disabilities. Many learning differenced people have the common sense to keep those things secret from people that they know that they can't trust with those things including especially psychiatrists. However; in the book,the BIPOLAR CHILD, learning disabilities was listed as one of the common symptoms and traits in bipolar children. Oversensitivity to environmental influences was listed as one of the very common symptoms and traits in bipolar children. Many children that were diagnosed as AD/HD are now believed to have been actually Bipolar.That's the same with adults now believed to have AD/HD,and many AD/HD adults have talked about how their AD/HD was misdiagnosed as bipolar. Many children are being on antipsychotic drug, Risperdal for Bipolar. It's approved for autistic spectrum disorders,and it has been used off label for behavior problems of ADHD. I was a special ed student for 3 yrs in elementary school. If it wasn't for special education(motor skills therapy,auditory therapy,speech therapy,phonics training, I would always had severe problems with language processing and very poor motor skills because of my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. I have had psychiatric misdiagnoses of psychotic,bipolar crap by psychiatrists in adulthood because they were ignorant of my Dyslexic,Dyspraxic nature. I have history of anxiety and depression. I have always have been extremely sensitive on every level too. I was referred to as being "special" by my mother and stepfather. After all, I had special needs. I was in special education. A lot of people had no idea how much I hated that word. You know how some people say "Oh..You think that you are so special!" to cut you down. They didn't know they were talking to somebody that had special needs and was a special ed student. I definitely believe that Indigo Child is just a New Age copout label for people like myself. I don't believe in the Indigo Child propaganda. I believe that Indigo Child is an umbrella term for people with atypical neurological systems(AD/HDers,Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,other Learning Disabled,Aspergers,Autistics) like myself. They have always existed. There is nothing new about people like us. We're the types that have been in self contained special education classes,special schools,group homes,doped up on heavy antipsychotics,gave us lobotomies,or locked us up in asylums. Our types were probably burnt at the stake in other time periods. In modern times, we just have more awareness of the diversity of neurological make-ups in people. We have a very long way to go for society to tolerate and accept neurodiversity which is shown by the skyrocketing increase of neurodivergent people on psychiatric medications. I have a list of books that I have about learning differences and special sensitivities PARENT'S GUIDE TO CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA by Abigail Marshall THE GIFT OF DYSLEXIA by Ronald D Davis THE GIFT OF LEARNING by Ronald D Davis THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDE TO CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA by Abigail Marshall SMART BUT FEELING DUMB by Harold N Levinson, MD A SOLUTION TO THE RIDDLE DYSLEXIA by Harold N Levinson,MD SMART BUT STUCK by Myrna Orensttein,PhD THOM HARTMANN'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO ADHD RIGHTBRAINED CHILDREN IN A LEFTBRAINED WORLD by Jeffrey Freed and Laura Parsons THE EDISON GENE by Thom Hartmann DYSPRAXIA by Amanda Kirby UPSIDE DOWN BRILLIANCE The Visual Spatial Learner by Linda Kreger Silverman,PhD IN THE MIND'S EYE by Thomas G West UNDERSTANDING DEVELOPMENTAL DYSPRAXIA by Madeleine Portwood ADD and ADHD Complementary Medicine Solutions by Charles Gant MD,PhD THE CARE AND FEEDING OF INDIGO CHILDREN by Doreen Virtue, PhD THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE CHILD by Elaine N. Aron, PhD THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON by Elaine N. Aron, PhD THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON IN LOVE by Elaine N. Aron, PhD sites on Dyslexia and other learning differences http://www.dyslexia.com/ http://www.dys-add.com/ http://www.levinsonmedical.com/home.html http://www.dyslexiamylife.org/dyslexia.html http://www.dyslexia.tv/ http://www.macalester.edu/~psych/whatha … index.html http://www.dys-add.com/#video (free online Dyslexia video to watch...Susan Barton herself speaking) http://www.tomatis.com/English/Articles/dyslexia.htm

Neurodivergent Empathy Program

Raymond — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:12:58 GMT

NEURODIVERGENT EMPATHY PROGRAM by Raymond Andrews an outline Since many neurotypical don't understand neurodivergence, and can easily mistake neurodivergent conditions as psychological problems/psychiatric disorders as well as even laziness,apathy,irresponsibility,and/or not trying, I propose that a Neurodivergent Empathy program be developed to help neurotypicals understand neurodivergence by simulation of neurodivergent experiences Visual processing problems - the use of 3D Optical Scanner.....speeding up a series of letters,words....so they can be blurry,make you dizzy to simulate visual processing issues. Dr. Harold N. Levinson uses one to detect visual processing problems. It could be used to overstimulate the eyes to induce visual processing issues. http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/information/testing.html Auditory processing problems - the use of 3D Auditory Scanner as produce auditory overloading,speeding up a series of sounds,letters,words.....so they can be blurry,make you feel confused,dizzy to simulate auditory processing issues Dr. Harold N. Levinson uses one to detect auditory processing problems. It could be used to overstimulate the ears to induce auditory processing issues. Highly bright flourescent lights used to simulate oversensitivity to light Highly loud sounds used to simulate oversensitivity to sound Slapping on the hand and body to simulate oversensitivity to touch Electric moving platform while standing,walking to simulate gross motor,balance problems Field Sobriety Tests determine possible intoxication of drivers stopped on suspicion. The tests varied widely: a driver might be asked to touch his or her finger to the nose, stand on one leg, or walk a straight line. No studies were available to determine the fairness of these tests. http://www.fieldsobrietytests.org/fieldsobrietytests.html Here is my neurological tests and ENG tests by Dr. Harold N. Levinson in 2006 This consists of a series of standardized neurological tests commonly administered to assess the status of the integrated function of the cerebellar-vestibular (CV) system as well as other central nervous system (CNS) structures. Difficulties with any of these tests indicates a dysfunction within the CV or CNS systems. The ENG is a standardized neurophysiological test in which eye movements are induced and measured under various testing conditions. Fine and reflexive eye movements are controlled by the cerebellum and the vestibular system. As a result, the ENG can help determine whether or not an inner-ear abnormality exists. http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_002 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Dr_Levinson_exam_003 Here is my neurodlogical tests by Veteran Affairs neurologists http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_002 http://astynaz.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album01&id=Veteran_Affairs_Neurology_Assessment_and_Follow_Up_003 The same tests that are used for drunk driving are the same tests that are used to test for cerebellar vestibular dysfunction and neurological problems in general. Even the horizontal gaze nystgamus test is used to test for drunk driving,and that tests the eye coordination. Therefore, people with neurodivergent issues would fail the testing given to drunk drivers,and so they could be mistakened for being drunk. It seems that alcohol could also impair the cerebellar vestibular system. DRUNK BUSTERS Impairment Goggles™ simulate effects of impairment, including reduced alertness, slowed reaction time, confusion, visual distortion, alteration of depth and distance perception, reduction of peripheral vision, poor judgement and decision making, double vision, and lack of muscular coordination. http://www.piplus.com.au/drunk_busters.htm these symptoms are also symptoms of neurodivergent issues) If the drunk impairment goggles simulate effects of drunkeness, then then they can simulate neurodivergent issues Maybe we can come up with virtual reality program that simulates neurodivergence in neurotypical people Using virtual reality glasses - visual processing problems headphones - auditory processing problems simulator sensory gloves with biofeedback interaction to experience fine motor skill problems moving platform to simulate gross motor skill problems A 3Dimensional Screen with rapid moving stimuli to simulate issues with disorientation that can lead to confusion with directions as well as can lead to difficulty with body movements. Very Bright Screen to simulate problems with hypersensitivity to light Symptoms of neurodivergent issues Reading * Memory instability for letters, words, or numbers. * A tendency to skip over or scramble letters, words, and sentences. * A poor, slow, fatiguing reading ability prone to compensatory head tilting, near-far focusing, and finger pointing. * Reversals of letters such as b and d, words such as saw and was, and numbers such as 6 and 9 or 16 and 61. * Letter and word blurring, doubling, movement, scrambling, omission, insertion, size change, etc. * Poor concentration, distractibility, light sensitivity (photophobia), tunnel vision, delayed visual and phonetic processing, etc. Writing * Messy, poorly angulated, or drifting handwriting prone to size, spacing, and letter-sequencing errors. Spelling, Math, Memory, and Grammar * Memory instability for spelling, grammar, math, names, dates, and lists, or sequences such as the alphabet, the days of the week and months of the year, and directions. Speech * Speech disorders such as slurring, stuttering, minor articulation errors, poor word recall, and auditory-input and motor-output speech lags. Direction * Right/left and related directional uncertainty. Time * Delay in learning to tell time. Concentration and Activity * Impaired concentration, distractibility, hyperactivity, or overactivity Behavior, Temper, or Impulse disturbances Balance and Coordination * Difficulties with balance and coordination functions, i.e., walking, running, skipping, hopping, tying shoelaces, and buttoning buttons. Psychosomatics * Difficulties with headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, motion sickness, abdominal complaints, excessive sweating, and bed-wetting. Self-esteem * Feeling stupid, ugly, incompetent, brainless. Phobias and Related Mood and Obsessive/Compulsive Disorders * Fears of the dark, heights, getting lost, going to school. * Fear or the avoidance of various balance, coordination, sports, and motion-related activities. * Mood disturbances. * Obsessions and compulsions. http://www.levinsonmedical.com/information/syndrome.html DYSMETRIC DYSLEXIA AND DYSPRAXIA Hypothesis and Study http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/ddd_study.pdf?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4783406&dopt=Abstract DYSMETRIC DYSLEXIA AND DYSPRAXIA: synopsis of a continuing research project http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/ddd_synopsis.pdf COMPENSATORY MECHANISMS IN CV-DYSFUNCTION,DYSMETRIC DYSLEXIA AND DYSPRAXIA http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/comp_mech_cv.pdf THE CEREBELLAR-VESTIBULAR BASIS OF LEARNING DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN,ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS: Hypothesis and study http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/cv_basis_ld.pdf THE DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF CEREBELLAR-VESTIBULAR TESTS IN DETECTING LEARNING DISABILITIES,DYSLEXIA,AND ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/cv_tests.pdf This is scientific papers that show that anxiety,mood disorder,and phobias aren't necessarily psychological(especially involving emotional weakness,a dysfunctional childhood) but could be stemming from cerebellar-vestibular dysfunction A CEREBELLAR-VESTIBULAR EXPLANATION FOR FEARS/PHOBIAS: Hypothesis and study http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/cv_fears.pdf THE CEREBELLAR-VESTIBULAR PREDISPOSITION TO ANXIETY DISORDERS http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/cv_predis_anxiety.pdf ABNORMAL OPTOKINETIC AND PERCEPTUAL SPAN PARAMETERS IN CEREBELLAR VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION AND RELATED ANXIETY DISORDERS http://www.levinsonmedical.com/evidence/papers/optokinetic_cv_anxiety.pdf