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Good books, videos, and websites to learn even more about dyslexia.
Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without Hyperactivity)
Attention Deficit Disorder is a completely separate condition than dyslexia. However, research has shown that at least 40% of people with dyslexia also have ADD/ADHD.
ADD/ADHD a Real Disorder
A large number of scientists joined together to issue a consensus statement on ADD/ADHD. They state:
We, the undersigned consortium of 75 international scientists, are deeply concerned about the periodic inaccurate portrayal of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in media reports. This is a disorder…to which many of us have dedicated scientific studies if not entire careers. We fear that inaccurate stories rendering ADHD as myth, fraud, or benign condition may cause thousands of sufferers not to seek treatment. It also leaves the public with a general sense that this disorder is not valid or real or consists of a trivial affliction.
The U.S. Surgeon General, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others, recognize ADHD as a valid disorder. While some of these organizations have issued guidelines for evaluation and management of the disorder, this is the first consensus statement issued by an independent consortium of leading scientists concerning the status of the disorder. Among scientists who have devoted years, if not entire careers, to the study of this disorder there is no controversy regarding its existence.
We have created this consensus statement on ADHD as a reference on the status of the scientific findings concerning this disorder, its validity, and its adverse impact on the lives of those diagnosed with the disorder as of this writing (January 2002).
Need for Treatment of ADD/ADHD
Dr. Russell Barkley, author of “Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents,” cites these grim statistics:
- 90 percent of children with ADD are academic underachievers.
- 36 percent don't finish high school (compared to 9 percent of the general population).
- 25 percent will be involved in a teen pregnancy.
- 80 percent will abuse drugs at some point in their lives.
- 72 percent of boys and 68 percent of girls in juvenile detention facilities suffer from ADD.
- People with ADD have the highest rate of auto accidents and speeding tickets among any group studied.
- If untreated, people with ADD are at high risk for depression and anxiety.
Treatment of ADD/ADHD
Although medication is not usually the first form of treatment, and should never be the only form of treatment, here's what a nationwide survey of 3,000 parents whose children are being treated with medication report:
- Among parents of boys who are currently taking medicine for their ADHD, 59% were initially reluctant to do so.
- 96% of parents whose children are being treated with medication said that the treatment has helped their child.
In addition to reducing ADHD symptoms (chronic and pervasive inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity), most children who receive medication say their treatment helps them:
- Get along with their parents (82%)
- Feel good about themselves/feel happy (80%)
- Get along with their siblings (73%)
- Make friends (67%)
- Participate in after school activities (65%)
Almost all children receiving medication say that their treatment helps them focus on schoolwork (95%) and “get things done” (94%).
Although the media claim that medication “dopes” children into submission, ADD medications are not sedatives. They do not “medicate a child into submission.”
Instead, they wake up the brain's “focusing system”—the part responsible for attention, focus, behavior control, and cognitive performance—by allowing Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, to reach that part of the brain consistently.
Great Resources for ADD/ADHD
National Call Center for ADD/ADHD Information
CHADD (Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) has opened a new ADD/ADHD National Call Center to provide information about ADD/ADHD.
Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the center responds immediately to anyone who contacts them:
- Email: national@chadd.org
- Telephone: (800) 233-4050
Visit their great website: www.help4adhd.org.
Good Links for ADD/ADHD Information
- Web's most comprehensive ADHD site:
https://www.add.about.com - Well-written synthesis of the National Institute of Mental Health's research on ADHD:
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml - The National Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA):
www.add.org - Take an online Adult ADD test:
www.amenclinics.com/ac/tests/add_test1.php - The Parent Advocate Website for ADD/ADHD, a great site for parents:
www.healthyplace.com/Communities/ADD/Site/index.htm - November 2023 Dyslexia Newsletter
- December 2023 Dyslexia Newsletter
- January 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- February 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- March 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- April 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- May 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- June 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- July 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- August 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- September 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- October 2024 Dyslexia Newsletter
- Click here to order online
- or call (800) 424-7963—Product ID: 1863454
- Click here to order online
- or call (800) 424-7963—Product ID: 1919050
- Click here to order online
- or call (800) 424-7963—Product ID: 11095022
- Click here to order online
- or call (800) 424-7963—Product ID: 11095021
- Click here to watch a 5-minute on-line video called Part 1: We Have A Problem, which contains statements from many of these famous professionals.
- Click here for an index of their videos.
- Click here to read the interviews and other fascinating information on this website
- Overcoming Dyslexia
- Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention
- The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan
- Basic Facts About Dyslexia & Other Reading Problems
- DyslexiaLand: A field guide for parents of children with dyslexia
- From Emotions to Advocacy: A Survival Guide to Special Ed
- Language at the Speed of Sight: How we read, why so many can't, and what can be done about it
- Dyslexia Advocate: How to advocate for a child with dyslexia within the public educaton system
- Looking for Heroes: one boy, one year, 100 letters
- The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic
- The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
- Straight Talk About Reading
- Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print: A Summary
- Informed Instruction for Reading Success: Foundations for Teacher Preparation
- Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum
- Dyslexia: Theory & Practice of Remedial Instruction
- About Dyslexia: Unraveling the Myth
- Mothers Talk About Learning Disabilities: Personal Feelings, Practical Advice
- No One To Play With: Social Problems of LD and ADD Children
- Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution
- Meeting the Challenge of Learning Disabilities in Adulthood
- Click here for more information.
- Click here to order.
- Click here to order.
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- Click here to order this new book
- Available from Amazon.
- Available on Amazon.
- Available from Amazon.
- Click here to order this book
- Telephone: (217) 244-4083
- Fax: (217) 244-4501
- Telephone: (800) 962-2763
- Fax: (410) 560-6758
- Call Modern Learning Press at (800) 627-5867 to order this book
Dyslexia Newsletters
Good Videos
Susan Barton Videos
Susan Barton is recognized internationally as an expert in dyslexia.
Richard Lavoie Videos
Richard Lavoie is a nationally-known expert on learning disabilities.
“How Difficult Can This Be? The FAT City Workshop”
Watch how teachers and parents react when participating in a simulation designed to make them understand what it feels like to have learning disabilities in a mainstream classroom.
Available on Amazon from PBS Video:
“Beyond FAT City: A Look Back, A Look Ahead”
Twenty years ago, PBS Video released Richard Lavoie's original video, “F.A.T. City,” a simulation in which adults experienced the Frustration, Anxiety and Tension that children with learning disabilities feel every day.
“Beyond F.A.T. City” is filled with powerful stories about the impact of “F.A.T. City,” the major trends and issues in the field of learning disabilities, and the challenges ahead for parents and education professionals.
If you liked “F.A.T. City”, you'll love “Beyond F.A.T. City.”
Available on Amazon from PBS Video:
“When The Chips Are Down”
As Executive Director of Riverview School, a residential school for children with learning disabilities, Richard Lavoie offers practical advice on dealing with behavioral problems quickly and effectively. He also explains how teachers and parents can create a stable, predictable environment in which children with learning disabilities can flourish.
Available on Amazon:
“Last One Picked…First One Picked On”
In this video, Lavoie anecdotally shares the variety of social skill deficits children with learning disabilities may exhibit, and offers practical advice for parents and teachers to improve those social skills.
Available on Amazon from PBS Video:
Other Good Videos
“Which Brain Do You Want? The Proof About Drugs, Alcohol, and The Brain” by Dr. Daniel Amen, MD
In this powerful anti-drug video, you'll see graphic proof, from SPECT scans, that drug and alcohol abuse greatly damages the brain.
You will meet 5 young people, hear the impact of drugs and alcohol on their lives, and see their brain scans. You'll see the brain damage, hear what happens when a brain misfires, and learn ways to improve the functioning of a damaged brain.
To order this video, click here.
“Children of the Code,” a public television series
American children suffer more long-term life-harm from failing to learn to read than from parental abuse, accidents, and all other childhood diseases and disorders combined. In purely economic terms, reading related difficulties cost our nation more than the war on terrorism, crime, and drugs combined.
More than any other subject or skill, our children's futures are determined by by how well they learn to read.
So begins this fascinating website that contains amazing statistics, quotes, and over 100 interviews with leading neuroscientists, reading researchers, educators, and policy leaders.
Good Web Sites
International Dyslexia Association
www.interdys.org
Reading Rockets Explains Dyslexia
www.ReadingRockets.org/helping/questions/dyslexia
Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity
www.dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexiastraighttalk.html
LD Online
www.LDOnline.org
Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan
www.DyslexiaHelp.umich.edu
Xtraordinary People
www.XtraordinaryPeople.com
For Parents of Dyslexics
www.DyslexicHelp.org
Learning Ally (formerly Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic)
www.LearningAlly.org
CHADD Children and Adults with ADD
www.chadd.org
National Resource Center on AD/HD
www.help4adhd.org
Good Books
Overcoming Dyslexia
by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, M.D.
Sally Shaywitz runs the Dyslexia Research Center at Yale. This is one of the NIH research sites. Sally and Ben Shaywitz are at the forefront of the brain research and fMRI studies on dyslexia.In this book, Dr. Shaywitz explains the latest brain research in layman's terms. It's a lengthy book, but it is well worth reading.
Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention
by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling
This clear and concise book provides an in-depth look at dyslexia along with information that will prepare school psychologists, neuropsychologists, and educational diagnosticians to recognize, assess, and provide effective treatment programs for dyslexia. This book is also a good resource for parents or teachers who are helping a child with dyslexia.
Susan Barton feels this new book, which quotes the latest research, is a “must have” and should be on every professional's bookshelf, right next to Dr. Sally Shaywitz's book, Overcoming Dyslexia.
The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan
A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child's Confidence and Love of Learning
by Ben Foss
This book is going to revolutionize how we talk about, and deal with, dyslexia.
There have only been a few books that excited Susan Barton so much that she stayed up all night to read them. This is one of those very rare books.
Ben Foss, a successful adult with severe dyslexia, shares facts, advice, and strategies along with stories from his own life – and those of more than 400 other adults with dyslexia he has interviewed in the past few years – to create a blueprint for parents.
His theme is a child with dyslexia is not broken.
Parents must take a very active role in helping their child accept, understand, and embrace their dyslexia – so their child does not end up suffering from severe shame caused by feeling defective.
How? He starts by forcing parents to face and deal with their own fears and myths.
Then he shows them how to empower their child to dream big, deal with the school system, balance tutoring with accommodations and technology tools, become part of the dyslexia community – and so much more.
This ground-breaking book is available in print, as a Kindle ebook, and on audio.
Basic Facts About Dyslexia & Other Reading Problems
by Louisa Cook Moats & Karen E. Dakin
This book is a must-have guide for parents or teachers of a child who struggles with reading, writing, or spelling. It defines dyslexia and illustrates, with real-life examples, how to recognize dyslexia and other reading problems at various stages of development, from preschool to adulthood.
The authors have selected and distilled the most significant research in the field to create this descriptive and informative resource.
This thin book (115 pages) is written in parent-friendly language.
DyslexiaLand: A field guide for parents of children with dyslexia
by Cheri Rae
DyslexiaLand is an imaginary place, but a very real one for the 1 in 5 students with dyslexia. Especially in school, where these otherwise bright children struggle unnecessarily, and parents don’t understand why, or how to help.
Parents are surprised, even shocked, to discover that most public schools do not teach dyslexic children in the way they learn, and they must take action and overcome many challenges to get the quality education their children deserve and is required by law.
In this guide, parents will find the help they need to navigate the tricky territory of the public school system with proven strategies, easy-to-follow directions and maps.
From Emotions to Advocacy: A Survival Guide to Special Ed
by Peter and Pam Wright
Peter Wright is one of the nation's leading educational rights attorneys. Every parent who has a child in the special education system should read this book. It explains how the system works and how to get what your child needs.
Purchase it online:
Language at the Speed of Sight: How we read, why so many can't, and what can be done about it
by Mark Seidenberg
The way we teach reading is not working, and it cannot continue.
Understanding the science of reading is more important than ever--for us, and for our children. Seidenberg helps us do so by drawing on cutting-edge research in machine learning, linguistics, and early childhood development.
Language at the Speed of Sight offers an erudite and scathing examination of this most human of activities, and concrete proposals for how our society can produce better readers.
Available from Amazon.
Dyslexia Advocate: How to advocate for a child with dyslexia within the public educaton system
by Kelli Sandman-Hurley
Dyslexia Advocate is an invaluable tool for parents trying to negotiate a complex legal system in order to get the best outcome for their child. It is an essential guide for anyone who is considering acting as an advocate for a child with dyslexia.
Using case studies and examples, this book demonstrates clearly how to apply the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to the unique requirements of a dyslexic child. It offers simple, intelligible help for parents on how to coordinate successfully with their child's school and achieve the right services and support for their dyslexic child; up to and beyond getting an effective Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Looking for Heroes: one boy, one year, 100 letters
by Aidan Colvin and Lisa Ogburn
An estimated 13 million students in the United States have dyslexia, a neurologic disorder that impairs reading. Reading quickly and accurately is often the key to success in school. Without it, many dyslexics struggle and fail. Some, however, go on to achieve wild success. How?
In this true story, dyslexic high school student Aidan Colvin decides to ask them. Over the course of one year, he writes 100 letters to successful dyslexics. He doesn't expect anyone to write back, and is genuinely surprised when people do. This book features letters from Writer John Irving, Arctic Explorer Ann Bancroft, Surgeon and CEO Delos Cosgrove, Sculptor Thomas Sayre, Poet Phillip Schultz and others. It also features conversations with Comedian Jay Leno and Filmmaker Harvey Hubbel.
This is a story about growing up, fostering grit and humor in the face of challenges, and seeing one’s differences in a new light. It is also a story about the importance of heroes -- for kids like Aidan, but also for anyone. Throughout the book, Aidan shares tips that have helped him succeed in the classroom.
The Dyslexic Advantage
Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic.
by Brock Eide, M.D. M.A. and Fernette Eide, M.D.
Presenting a variety of case studies and true stories to support the science, The Dyslexic Advantage demonstrates that each individual with dyslexia is unique, and faces specific challenges while, at the same time, experiences remarkable talent and ability. Carefully explaining how four areas dyslexics excel in appear in the activities of children and adults, the Eides provide useful advice on how to maximize an individual's potential in: material reasoning (used by architects and engineers); interconnected reasoning (scientists and designers), narrative reasoning (novelists and lawyers); and dynamic reasoning (economists and entrepreneurs).
The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
by Regina Richards
Written for parents, this well-paced easy-to-read book shares the latest research on Dyslexia and remediation methods. It also does a fabulous job explaining dysgraphia (the extreme difficulty with handwriting that affects many dyslexic children) and what can be done about it.
Available from Linguisystems, part number 6-0308-1.
Straight Talk About Reading
by Susan Hall and Louisa Moats
This book is ideal for the parent who knows their young child is struggling with reading but doesn't know why (and isn't getting good answers from the child's school). It discusses the various reasons children struggle, what specific tests to request, how to tell what reading method their school is using, how to be an effective reading coach, games parents can play that will help, etc.
Available from Amazon.com.
Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning
About Print: A Summary
by Marilyn Jager Adams
A compilation, interpretation, and summary of 20 years of reading research.
Available for $10 from the Dissemination Director, Center for the Study of Reading:
Informed Instruction for Reading Success: Foundations
for Teacher Preparation
by the International Dyslexia Association
This 25-page position paper, published in 1997, describes an “informed approach to reading instruction” that would best serve all children and that is crucial for “at-risk” children and those with dyslexia.
Available for $5 from the International Dyslexia Association, (410) 296-0232.
Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum
by Marilyn Jager Adams, Barbara Foorman,
Ingvar Lundberg & Terri Beeler
Brimming with fun, adaptable activities and games, this prereading program can by used by preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade teachers in any classroom to teach and improve phonemic awareness. The developmental sequence follows a school year calendar, building on simple listening games and gradually moving on to more advanced sound manipulation exercises like rhyming, alliteration, and segmentation. Assessment activities are also included.
Available from Paul H. Brookes Publishing, (800) 638-3775.
Dyslexia: Theory & Practice of Remedial Instruction
by Diana Brewster Clark &
Joanna Kellog Uhry
An excellent resource book that not only briefly describes how people learn to read, but includes one chapter on each Orton-Gillingham Multisensory teaching method. Each chapter describes the similarities and differences of the methods, quotes research articles that prove the effectiveness of each method, and describes the training necessary to become proficient in each method.
Available from York Press:
About Dyslexia: Unraveling the Myth
by Patricia Vail
Written for educators, parents, and other interested adults, this easy-reading 50-page book discusses the symptoms, strengths, and weaknesses of those with dyslexia at various ages, from pre-school through adulthood. Any book by Patricia Vail is worth reading.
Mothers Talk About Learning Disabilities:
Personal Feelings, Practical Advice
by Elizabeth Weiss
“In this generous, compassionate book, Elizabeth Weiss shares the story of her own emotional growth, and that of other honest mothers, who have made peace with the many and varied challenges of raising children with learning difficulties.”
Patricia Vail
“If I had only known that there were other mothers feeling the way I did, the journey through my child's learning problems would have been less lonely. I wish this book had been written 20 years ago.”
Anne Schneider
Call the Special Needs Project at (800) 333-6867 to order this book.
No One To Play With: Social Problems of LD and ADD Children by Betty B. Osman
A detailed explanation of the often under-estimated social difficulties experienced by children with learning differences, along with solid advice on how to lessen their social problems.
Available from Academic Therapy Publications, (415) 883-3314
Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole
Written by two “academic failures”—that is, two academic failures who graduated from Brown University at the top of their class. Jonathan Mooney and David Cole teach you how to take control of your education and find true success. Jonathan Mooney has dyslexia, and David Cole has ADD. These are the tricks they used to survive and thrive at Brown University.
Available from Amazon.com.
Meeting the Challenge of Learning Disabilities in Adulthood by Aryln J. Roffman
Learning Disabilities are lifelong. To better understand how they impact the lives of adults, read this book. Ms. Roffman presents a diverse group of adults with LD who describe how they've met disability-related challenges at work and at home, and discuss frankly how learning disabilities affect their lives as adults.
The book offers practical suggestions and proven strategies to help adults capitalize on their strengths, and promote a satisfying quality of life.
Available from Amazon.com.