autism Archives - Patterson Educational Therapy

HSP – Highly Sensitive Person

Sometimes common words are used to describe medical conditions. “Overweight” is actually used as a measurement, between “normal” and “obese”. By contrast, sometimes exotic words are used to describe common experiences, such as PreMenstrual Dysphoria Dysfunction (PMDD). (Yes, you can read between the lines on that one.) There are lesser-known diagnoses or descriptions of behaviors that are outside the norm. We’ve all heard of “Gifted”, “Gifted and Talented Education” (GATE), and possibly “Highly Gifted,” but there are actual criteria for meeting this designation, such as scoring above 130 on an intelligence test such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

1,000 most (81) commonly (423) used (149) words (250) in (6) English (524)

1,000 most (81) commonly (423) used (149) words (250) in (6) English (524) When writing, one way to check to see if a student’s work contains some original words is to see if they are NOT on this list: https://www.insightin.com/esl/1000.php Truthfully, this brings up a deeper issue of personal originality. People who perceive themselves as “different from the mainstream” usually are (until they hit 35 years old). Many people find their identity in being different and unconventional. Some people with disabilities are so well-adjusted that they demand to be accepted as they are. I have been so impressed with the “Don’t

Diagnosing ADHD with Brain Imaging

Diagnosing ADHD with Brain Imaging In a related field, autism research, new findings show a brain-scanning measurement of “grey matter (GM) volumetric data, to assess whether individual ADHD adolescents can be accurately differentiated from healthy controls based on objective, brain structure measures…” from Autism Speaks, https://asdresearchinitiative.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/grey-matter-adhd-autism/ While this study is looking for biological measurements to identify people with autism spectrum disorders AND ADHD, it explains that the screening mechanism is a good way to detect ADHD. Rather than compare brain waves (see my blog post here), it looks at actual structures of different parts of the brain. Many doctors and psychologists say that

Twice Exceptional Learners Are “2E”

The term “2E” refers to being Exceptional, as in gifted, and Exceptional, as in having special learning needs. Many children who have learning differences/disabilities are also gifted, perhaps in math, the arts, or other areas. A thought-provoking theory about giftedness is that these special traits or talents are “intensities”. I like this description for many reasons, one being that it honors the basic abilities that most people have to create, to think mathematically, to understand literature, to relate on some level to the creation they are witnessing. For example, most people shudder at the thought of public performance, but they