Posts by Carla Grobler
Why do some kids struggle to read and spell?
Good readers are: phonemically aware (can sound the letters) knows die letters of the alphabet possess strong vocabularies (knows appropriate words for their age) knows syntactical and grammatical skills e.g. spelling rules It is vital that visual perceptual skills (the building blocks for reading and writing) are intact: Discrimination Memory Sequential memory Form constancy Closure…
Read MoreWhy do some kids struggle in school?
What could cause a child to struggle in school? Developmental delay The parents will hopefully have realize this early on and taken the child for therapy. Learning difficulties These difficulties usually only become apparent when a child goes to nursery school or Gr. R. Referring a child for an assessment at an occupational therapist. Emotional…
Read MoreSo what does dyslexia really mean?
(All information was obtained from Stark – Griffin’s book Dyslexia) I can test for and treat dyslexia in children Gr. 3 – Gr. 12.I am registered as a specialist on the Red Apple website and www.disleksie.co.za Definition of dyslexia A neurological-functional problem manifesting as a deficit in word decoding (reading), encoding (spelling) and nemkinesia (writing)…
Read MoreWhat is Autism?
Autism forms part of a wider diagnosis called autism spectrum disorders. Other diagnosis that also falls under the autism spectrum disorder is Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder and disintegrative disorder. It is believed that 1 in 88 children suffer from autism. The exact cause of autism is still unknown but it is believed that genetics…
Read MoreWhat is occupational therapy all about?
Occupational therapists: Assist people to reach their full potential in independence in all areas of their life focusing more on play (work for adults) and activities of daily living (e.g. eating, bathing, dressing, driving, etc.). We treat a person in a holistic way looking at their unique personality, social support system, financial situation, their strengths…
Read MoreDoes my child have low muscle tone or insufficient postural control?
What is muscle tone? Definition (medical-dictionary): The internal state of muscle-fiber tension within individual muscles and muscle groups. Degree of muscle tension or resistance during rest or in response to stretching. The tone in your muscle when at rest This has nothing to do with muscle strength You are born with a certain tone in…
Read MoreTips for kids who are left handed
It seems that more and more children are left-handed these days!!?? This is only partially true as we as parents and teacher are not ‘forcing’ kids to be right handed any more but giving them the opportunity to develop their dominance naturally. Unfortunately we live in a right-handed word as most people are right handed.…
Read MoreThe importance of laterality and midline-crossing
Laterality Hand preference starts to develop between 2 – 4 years of age. Hand dominance should be fully intact by the age of 5 years 6 months old. By now your child should use 1 hand, dominantly, for all of the tasks he performs. If you child is still switching hands to perform tasks there…
Read MoreHow to improve a child’s concentration in the classroom and at home while doing homework?
There could be a variety of reasons why a child is struggling to focus/keep concentrating in the class and home environment e.g.: Tiredness Emotional distress ADD/ADHD Poor postural control Low muscle tone Finding the work too difficult for his/her level of functioning Hunger Incorrect sitting posture Not enough ventilation Too hold/cold in the environment Environmental…
Read MoreDyslexia vs Visual Perception
How does the child present in the classroom/at home: 1.Dyslexia Reverses letters/numbers Skips words/lines when reading Performs poorly in spellings tests Has anxiety when reading Guesses words when reading Reading and/or spelling below age level Knows the work when mom asked them at home but performs poorly in the exams Adds extra letters to words/omits…
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