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Understanding Dyslexia

I often get asked by parents how they can support their child who has dyslexia. There are many ways to help your child with dyslexia. However, it is important to understand that there is more than one type dyslexia (e.g., Dysphonetic, Surface, Mixed etc.). You have probably heard of children who confuse the shape & sounds associated with the lowercase letters ‘b’ and ‘d’. However, there are many symptoms of reading difficulties beyond these letter reversals. Also, there are several factors that underpin reading difficulties. For example, many kids with dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness, which is a component of phonological awareness. Kids with limited phonemic awareness have difficulty manipulating phonemes. For instance, if I say the word ‘fright’ and ask you to change the /f/ sound to the /b/ sound, you should be able to say the new word, which is ‘bright’. During reading, children with dyslexia often look at the first letter of a word and say that sound but guess the remainder of the phonemes in the word (instead of sequencing multiple sounds together to prompt their word recognition skills). It takes targeted and explicit instruction to address dyslexia. Additionally, challenges with reading are also connected to difficulties with spelling. It is best to start a reading intervention as soon as possible because as your child gets older, the curriculum in school becomes more rigorous and your child will be expected to know how to read at a certain level. You can also turn the subtitles on when your child watches TV to give kids more exposure to connecting sounds to the text. Dr. Chelsea Moodie offers an intensive reading tutoring program that can help your child read with confidence. Dr. Moodie also teaches parents the same skills that she teaches your child so that way you know how to help your child at home too. To learn more about our dyslexia tutoring program, please email: scheduling@moodycounseling.com

ADHD Help

One of the most common questions that parents ask us is: “How do I help my child who has ADHD?” Children who have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

ADHD typically experience impulse control challenges. Children who have ADHD also have challenges listening and following directions. This can lead to many arguments between parents and children. You have probably already tried taking video games and other privileges away when your child is not listening (only to find that the issues persist). Please note that many children who have ADHD are not intentionally trying to be defiant, their brains are processing information in a unique way. In the moment, they don’t always know how to navigate all the incoming information. We recommend that when you are giving your child a list of chores or tasks to complete, only present one or two items at a time. Use a timer/clock that visually shows how time has elapsed because many children have a difficult time conceptualizing and managing the passage of time. Positive reinforcement in the form of verbally telling your child how much you appreciate their efforts is meaningful. When parents are busy and they believe that the tasks they have asked their child to complete are basic, parents do not think it is meaningful to verbally praise the child for completing the basic tasks. However, because following multi-step directions requires proficient executive functioning skills, it is worth mentioning your appreciation because it encourages your child to continue the good behavior. At Moody Counseling, we equip children (as well as the parents) with the skills needed to listen and follow directions so that way communication is enhanced. When communication and conflict resolution are strong between you and your child, everyone in the home benefits! Email scheduling@moodycounseling.com today to schedule your first appointment and learn more!

  • Understanding Dyslexia
    by Moody Counseling
    I often get asked by parents how they can support their child who has dyslexia. There are many ways to help your child with dyslexia. However, it is important to understand that there is more than one type dyslexia (e.g., Dysphonetic, Surface, Mixed etc.). You have probably heard of children who confuse the shape & sounds associated with the lowercase letters ‘b’ and ‘d’. However, there are many symptoms of reading difficulties beyond these letter reversals. Also, there are several factors that underpin reading difficulties. For example, many kids with dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness, which is a component ofContinue reading “Understanding Dyslexia”
  • ADHD Help
    by Moody Counseling
    One of the most common questions that parents ask us is: “How do I help my child who has ADHD?” Children who have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ADHD typically experience impulse control challenges. Children who have ADHD also have challenges listening and following directions. This can lead to many arguments between parents and children. You have probably already tried taking video games and other privileges away when your child is not listening (only to find that the issues persist). Please note that many children who have ADHD are not intentionally trying to be defiant, their brains are processing information in aContinue reading “ADHD Help”
  • How To Help Your Children Overcome Fears and Sleep in Their Own Bed
    by Moody Counseling
    Questions that parents often ask me are: How can I get my child to be brave? How can I get my child to try new things? How can I get my child to sleep in their own bed? While the answer to these questions are quite simple, dealing with your child’s meltdowns, crying spells, or tantrums can be difficult in the moment. It can be very scary and overwhelming for your child to overcome the negative thoughts they may be having about a particular trigger. It is important to acknowledge and validate their feelings about the fear because it feelsContinue reading “How To Help Your Children Overcome Fears and Sleep in Their Own Bed”

How To Help Your Children Overcome Fears and Sleep in Their Own Bed

Questions that parents often ask me are: How can I get my child to be brave? How can I get my child to try new things? How can I get my child to sleep in their own bed? While the answer to these questions are quite simple, dealing with your child’s meltdowns, crying spells, or tantrums can be difficult in the moment. It can be very scary and overwhelming for your child to overcome the negative thoughts they may be having about a particular trigger. It is important to acknowledge and validate their feelings about the fear because it feels very real to them. Saying things like “you will be fine” or “it will be OK” are common phrases that parents use. However, you may find that your child is still scared. One of the common reasons these reassurance phrases do not work is because the child needs to be able to reassure themselves. You will not always be physically present and standing next to your child to remind and reassure your child of their strengths. Therefore, the child must be able to reassure themselves in difficult situations when you are not around, such as at school.

What you can do:

You can have your child say aloud the fear that they are experiencing and encourage them to come up with a positive twist to that statement. Strong-willed children tend to believe things that they say themselves rather than what and authority figure says. Different contexts have different demands, and your child will need to be able to adapt to these demands by changing the way they perceive situations. You have probably already realized that you cannot control or change other people. It is important that we guide children to view challenges as opportunities and change as a chance to grow! Many children do not like change. What about reflecting on any of your contributions to the fears by asking yourself if you are enabling any of the behaviors? For example, if you are personally anxious about something, your child may also notice this and develop an aversion to it. Another example would be when parents engage in prolonged goodbyes when separating from their children. This can contribute to separation anxiety—it is best to keep goodbyes concise. If your child is not sleeping in their own bed because they are scared, give them coping skills to use at bedtime. An example would be creating a worry jar where they can draw pictures of their fears and talk about it with you. Then they can place the picture in a jar and the jar will hold onto the fear, so they don’t have to. If your child still gets up in the middle of the night and crawls into your bed, it is important for you to walk them back to their own bed each time. I know that means interrupted sleep for you initially, but it can be worth it in the long run. They need to see that you are not going to enable and coddle. Through a combination of positive self-talk and boundary setting, your child will be on their way to experiencing the benefits that come from being brave. When children demonstrate courage and see that they were able to get through it, it improves their self-confidence and self-efficacy. And isn’t that a main goal of parenting? To create confident and courageous children who can go out into the world and thrive! If you are experiencing problems getting your child to overcome anxiety and fear, contact Moody Counseling today and Dr. Chelsea Moodie will walk you through the process step-by-step!

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