Dyslexia –How Schooling Affects Behaviour

My autistic son will be leaving school this summer. He has autism and I am extremely grateful he has always attended a special needs school where his particular needs have been recognised. However, I am now waiting for a decision, which will ultimately change his life, and mine, i.e. where he will go next.

There is very little provision for adults with autism and at the age of nineteen he could find himself in an environment with people almost four times his age. Once an adult, always an adult, and the services take no account of whether you are nineteen or ninety.

Finding the right school or provision is so important for every child and there will be several parents disappointed to learn they haven't got their child into the school of their choice.

Schooling is an issue for parents of all children, but if your child has some form of special needs, especially if it hasn't been formally identified and recognised, it can be particularly harrowing.

One poor woman was so desperate to find a school where her clearly intelligent, but incredibly dyslexic son's needs could be addressed, she bought her own. That's a bit extreme, but when she learned the school which appeared to finally understand her thirteen-year-old son was due to close at the end of the Christmas term, she followed her gut instinct and bought it.

Now Annabel Goodman is obviously reasonably well off. She has a degree in psychology and is a barrister but has no teaching experience. Her main asset is she is a mother and understands her son.

She knows the reason her first born has already changed schools nine different schools in his short life time is because the classroom environment was not set up to see how clever Jacob really was.

Whilst most people were pouring over what presents to buy for Christmas, and enjoying the New Year festivities, Annabel was deciding how to raise the funds to
buy the small school before the beginning of the following term, and how to actually run it.

Luckily, she raised the money, the three teaching staff decided to remain, as did the twelve children, and this has now increased to seventeen teachers with thirty-four children. Annabel runs it, helps out with teaching the Primary school children,
and teaches Citizenship to the older children. She still also works as a barrister.
I admire her.

I know from my experience with autism when you have even one child with some form of special needs, it affects the whole family. It is not just the child and his or her family, but siblings and grandparents too.

The school your child attends can significantly either help or hinder the situation, but sadly not all pupils with special needs will ever have them identified. Many are seen as just being disruptive, but people with dyslexia find it hard to follow instructions, read or copy from the board.

I have in the past worked as a teaching assistant and seen the problems first hand. Many children with problems like dyslexia, especially in their teenage years, lose self-confidence. Even their peers may call them "thick", "dumb" or "stupid". Often they play the fool in the classroom just to take attention away from the fact they are struggling with the written work their classmates are doing. They are perceived to be naughty, and yet most are really creative, well co-ordinated physically and have a lot of empathy for others.

However, given the correct environment, where the classes are personalised for the individuals, these dyslexic children can thrive. Clearly they are intelligent and verbally bright. Their problem is demonstrating their unique abilities in the way most school environments expect.

Dyslexia is a permanent specific learning difficulty, which affects a person's ability to deal with text, and often numbers. It affects between 4 – 8% of the population, and like autism is more prevalent in boys than girls. The rates are about 1:4 for boys and 1:10 for girls.

Unfortunately, many children go through their entire schooling never being properly diagnosed and it's no wonder there is so much trouble in many mainstream schools. One disruptive child in a classroom can seriously influence the learning experience of the rest of the students and that's another reason parents need to find the correct school for their offspring.

Education is the key to life and if a child leaves with low literacy skills his or her employment prospects could be seriously impaired. Unfortunately, these days it's usually the formal qualifications you have which gets you the first foot in the door. It doesn't matter how skilled you are, how trustworthy or reliable, the best jobs go to those who can read and write and have the qualifications to prove it.

It's a worry. Anyone know of any more schools for sale?

Jean Shaw
www.jeanshaw.blogspot.com



Are you an adult (16+) with possible undiagnosed dyslexia?

Adult Dyslexia Online Screening

If You Want A Positive Attitude Get Singing! Tune In To Positivity

My son is autistic and only says a few words. When he does speak it's not very clear and yet when he sings familiar songs you can understand everything he says, or rather sings. Infact I know a young man who also has autism and was taught to speak through singing. His parents sang rather than spoke to him. Luckily they both had good voices.

I know I am musically challenged and my absolute nightmare would be to sing in public. How people perform karaoke I'll never know, but there's just something about music that gets to you. It lifts your spirits and reaches deep inside. It can even change your attitude.

Sometimes, however, I just can't stop myself and have to burst into song. Certain jingles just stick in my head and I can't get rid of them. Today was like that but thankfully the neighbours were out!

I don't know whether you believe in personal development and positive thinking or not, but there are a lot of people who do. I'm one of them. The hard thing though is remaining positive. We all have those days when it seems the world is against us and sometimes it's a struggle to put on a happy face and remain optimistic.

However, it's all about attitude. If you believe in the best with an inner conviction, rather than just hope for it, then that's what will manifest. Lisa Diane, a charming, very successful lady and real motivator, is renowned for using the phrase "Your thoughts create your life". I'm not sure where it originated but certainly it's your thoughts which trigger some sort of action, and it's that action which determines the result, so she is right.

So there you go - if you don't get the result you want, it's because you were thinking the wrong thoughts in the first place. I know it sounds a bit far fetched but I recommend you either watch or read The Secret, and read about the Law of Attraction, then maybe you'll understand why things happen. You have to focus on what you want, rather than what you don't want in your life, remain positive and back up that positivity with positive affirmations.

It isn't always easy, but this tune I heard today is just brilliant as a tool to help you. It's the easiest and most fun way I know to keep you focused on whatever it is you wish for.

Go on - listen to it and I bet you'll be singing along too.

Listen for a Positive Attitude

Marriage Proposals - 29th February – Will It Be Lucky or Unlucky?

The Gregorian calendar came into existence in 1582 and ever since the days in the months have been explained with the following:

30 days hath September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31, except February alone, which has 28 days clear and 29 in each leap year.

Well, today is 29th February and depending on your outlook anyone born on this day is either incredibly lucky or unlucky.

If you are an optimist you will realise that technically you only age one year in every four, which is great once you get older and the years seem to rush by far too quickly. However, for those of you who love birthdays then it's not so good as you miss out for 75% of your life.

Today is also the day when women are traditionally allowed to propose to their loved ones and again depending on your outlook this can be extremely lucky or unlucky.

On the television this morning several women had said they were intending to ask their other halves to marry them. One woman had gone so far as to arrange a secret party. She'd invited fifty family and friends and was optimistically planning to make the surprise bash her engagement, hen party and wedding too. I just hope the prospective groom doesn't decide he wants to watch football or something and not turn up, or worse still turn down her proposal.

Wouldn't that be awful?

There seems to be a difference of opinion about whether women should propose or not. Certainly there has been a shift in the idea women have to wait for men to make the first move, and many women say if they waited for their partners to actually ask then they'd wait forever. Others say as they wanted to enter marriage with the idea of it being a permanent thing, (at least initially), if they asked their boyfriend to marry them they could potentially miss out on the romance of ever being proposed to.

From the male point of view being asked to marry by their girlfriend can be quite scary. It's not being asked which seems to be the problem, but the whole wedding day thing if they say "Yes".

For women it's supposed to be the most important day of their lives and generally they enjoy the preparations, etc. It's something women supposedly dream of, but most men, on the other hand, consider the wedding day the ultimate cruelty – public humiliation and all that.

Also, apparently they feel trapped if they are asked to become a husband on 29th February because they have no time to think it over. Twenty-four hours every four years is not a lot of time to make such an important decision.

Even if they really love their partners they feel they'd like to make a decision in their own time. Increasingly in society, many men feel they are losing control of so many areas of their lives, and the decision of if, who and when to marry is important to them.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be a lot of proposals made today and I hope they will all result in happy endings – particularly that surprise proposal/engagement/wedding.

However, if you feel you need a bit of help in coming up with a great marriage proposal you might want to look at:

"The Romantic's Guide To Popping The Question"

Jean Shaw

http://www.jeanshaw.com/

Writing Poetry - Why It's Better Late Than Never

I started writing poetry about ten years ago. Until then I didn't realise I could do it. I've met several women since who've said the same thing. One woman told me she'd read somewhere you become more creative when you get menopausal. Maybe that's supposed to make up for all the other horrible changes your body goes through, I don't know. I do know that first poem led to me write many more,a few of which you will find on my site. I've also written numerous articles, three books, and now maintain four websites and three blogs. They were a natural progression.

It happens to men too though, and often it is around middle age when people who've never previously shown any inclination for words take up the pen, or computer. Perhaps it's because by the time we reach our forties we've had sufficient experiences to stretch our imaginations and have something we feel is worth writing about. Also people do tend to take us more seriously as we should, after all, have grown up. Of course that isn't the case for everyone. Some people just grow old.

There is supposedly a book in all of us. Everyone is unique and we all have a tale to tell. Our observations of life are different and we can express them in various ways. A lot can be said in a few words, which is why I like poetry. However, for me, the verses have to rhyme.

My absolute hero was Rohald Dahl. I love all his work, but lately I've also come to appreciate many of the poems in our monthly free local village magazine. Here is one submitted by Iris Hesseldon. I've no idea who she is, but if she wrote it and ever reads this, "Well done". I think the poem is lovely.

I have a son with autism and he loves the Disney movies. One of his favourites is Bambi and I thought of that when I read this poem. There is a scene where Thumper's mum (the rabbit) says "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all", and it's one I try to live by.

In this poem the sentiments are that you can really make someone's day with simple gestures. I know it works. I've seen it happen, and it costs nothing to be nice to people. Try it and spread a bit of happiness. We all need it.


Evening Thoughts


If angels ask you what you did
What you achieved today
Would it be hard to answer them
And just what would you say?

We can't accomplish mammoth tasks
Small jobs we need to do
But maybe you just lent a hand
Or shared a smile or two

Perhaps you sent a greeting card
Or simply made a call
By lifting someone's heart and mind
You left them walking tall

So as the day fades fast away
And you lie down to rest
You'll hear the angels whispering
Well done, you did your best!


Is there a Poem or a Book inside you?


Learn how to write your book faster than you ever thought possible

Mercury Poisoning – Yes, Your Teeth May Indeed Be Killing You

I don't know about you but I consider myself to be fairly energy conscious. I switch off lights when not in use, don't overfill the kettle and never leave the television or computer on standby. However, I must confess I don't have many energy efficient light bulbs yet, although I understand in a few years there won't be any others. People are already hoarding them away. Maybe they'll become collectors' items. Just make sure you keep the box, as apparently that's the important bit. Well, at least it is on auction and antique shows.

Anyway, the main reason I don't use energy efficient light bulbs (apart from the expense) is they are too long and unsightly. They simply won't fit in my down lighters and in the fittings where I have a normal shade, or none at all, they look ridiculous. Also, they take a long time to get bright enough to see anything.

However, I now have another reason for avoiding them as long as possible, and that is mercury. It's recently been disclosed they contain this dangerous heavy metal and if one should break in a normal house, the advice is that everyone should be evacuated. That may sound extreme to some, but not to me. You see, I had mercury poisoning and now know quite a bit about it.

I know fluorescent tubes contain mercury and are considered "hazardous waste" by Environment agencies. The companies that dispose of them have to wear special safety clothing. I also know small domestic barometers are disappearing fast and already hospitals have replaced their mercury filled thermometers.

There are various sources of mercury apart from fluorescent and energy saving lights including, but not limited to, batteries, body creams, cosmetics, crematoria, diuretics, fabric softeners, felt, floor waxes, fungicides, pesticides, industrial waste, laxatives, paints, photo engraving, psoriatic ointments, seafood, sewage disposal, skin lightening cream, tanning leather, tattooing. However, the main culprits and the ones, which affected me, are vaccines and dental amalgam.

Mercury is the second most toxic substance on the planet after plutonium and it makes up 50% of every amalgam filling. Did you know your teeth could be killing you? Don't laugh – it isn't funny and unfortunately for many it's a very real situation. Believe me, I know.

I've had letters from people all over the world suffering from the condition and only last week I was speaking to a 54-year-old builder who was terrified because he'd just been told he had mercury poisoning. He'd had extensive filling replacement done seven months ago and his health has been deteriorating ever since.

He's very weak, incredibly forgetful and panics about silly things. They are classic early symptoms, but unfortunately as neither the medical nor dental professions acknowledge mercury poisoning caused by amalgam fillings, it often gets misdiagnosed. Usually patients are led to believe they are either losing their mind, or are written off as complete hypochondriacs. Both are wrong.

Mercury poisoning is very difficult to diagnose because no two people will present with the same problems, and unfortunately it is hard to test for. Mercury only stays in the blood stream for a short transit period so blood tests are inconclusive. As mercury is a fat binding toxin, it attaches itself to the fatty organs in your body, and depending on which one (or ones) it selects, the health signs and symptoms of something not being right will appear. Unless you are offered some form of chelation to get the mercury back into your blood stream, the only other real test mainstream medicine can offer would be by doing a biopsy. Needless to say there aren't many people wishing to undergo one of those.

I know of people who have been completely bedridden because of mercury poisoning, and many have wished to die. Some have.

As I said, mercury poisoning is no joke. If someone says to you they think their teeth are poisoning them, don't just dismiss them as being crazy. Believe them and offer support. What do you think was wrong with The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland?

Yes – Mercury Poisoning!

There are tests available and with the right help and support, mercury-poisoning symptoms can disappear. It's a long process though. Just don't give up.

More mercury information

www.jeanshaw.com

Lie – Of Course I Don't Lie

I've always considered myself an honest person, but apparently I'm not. A recent survey revealed that each of us tells on average four lies a day, and what I'd always considered as simply being economical with the truth is, infact, a lie.

It seems the most common untruths are that we feel "fine" when actually we don't, and if someone asks our opinion on an outfit we are somewhat careful with our response. After all, how many men do you know who dare honestly respond to, "Does my bum look fat in this?"

Statistics are strange things and vary depending on whom you ask, but this survey said seventy-five per cent of men lied more than women, and overall, two-thirds of us didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it.

"Untruths", "porky pies", "lies" or whatever you choose to call them oil the wheels of social discourse and we would have far fewer friends if we always told the truth. I don't know if you ever saw the film Liar, Liar with Jim Carey but certainly life was a lot smoother for him when he stopped telling the absolute truth.

Apparently we learn to lie as babies. I know that seems hard to believe, but the experts say when our little angels cry for no reason it's because they want attention and their noise makes us believe there is something wrong. They are, infact, lying to us. Who'd have believed it?

Anyway, we lie to protect our fragile egos but not everyone is good at it. Men fare worse as they demonstrate tell tale signs like sweaty palms, hot flushes and strange hand/face gestures; or they embellish their stories and give too much information.

Women can usually tell when a man is lying but it's far more difficult the other way round. Maybe, they just never suspect the female to be devious, or just don't take any notice of their partners' body language, etc.

Of course, that's assuming the lie is being told to your face, and I have to say there are some people who make a living out of lying. Having been the victim of two incredibly clever and plausible scams, when the "liars" looked me in the eye, shook my hand and then defrauded me of thousands of pounds, I often wonder how they sleep at night.

As the victim I felt hurt, sick and humiliated, and sadly I've reached the point where I don't trust anyone any more. It's a shame, but a reflection on our society.

In the newspapers and on the television there are repeated cases of vulnerable people being scammed, People lose their life savings, and often it destroys their health and will to live. Some people have even taken their own lives because of such despicable acts.

When I worked as a secretary for a lawyer there were many bitter disputes between friends and family because of money lent and never repaid. It ruined relationships, and whenever I came across them I always thought of my dad's wise words "Never a borrower nor a lender be".

Recently I heard of a young student who's had his university course blighted by some "lady" claiming to be studying medicine at Birmingham. It seems they met at a party and "hit it off", if you see what I mean and continued their "relationship" via the internet as he was in a different location.

A few days after the party she told the student she'd been mugged in Nigeria and had lost all her money. The smitten student cabled her his grant money, which she promised to repay upon her return to UK, and guess what? Yes, she disappeared along with the money. Unsurprisingly, the free yahoo e-mail address is no longer valid and the police can't do a thing about it.

The young male student is now finding university somewhat more frugal than he had anticipated and struggling to provide the course books he needs. Meanwhile, the medical student, if indeed she is one, is probably having a fine old time.

So, here's a warning. If you see a slim, brunette, white girl with a Birmingham accent and a free e-mail address, calling herself Jane Smith (I know!) who claims to be studying medicine and is pretty flush with cash, and free with her favours at parties, be very wary. She obviously cried a lot as a baby because at the tender age of twenty-two she's certainly a master at lying.

How To Tell If Somebody Is Lying To You Within 60 Seconds – Without Even Listening To Them

Food – What Can We Eat?

Recent surveys have shown that one in four of us are completely confused with the official guidelines on healthy eating.

Take red meat for instance. Does it cause cancer or is it good for us? Is alcohol bad or good in moderation and should you stop drinking if you're pregnant. How about tea and coffee – is the caffeine bad for us or not?

Then of course, there's chocolate. Do the feel good factor and antioxidant properties in some brands make it worth risking all those calories.

We all know processed food contains lots of saturated fat, salt and sugars, as well as colourings and flavourings so we shouldn't eat too much of it, but we're now told we shouldn't eat the good old English breakfast either.

Bacon, sausage, egg, beans and toast should be relegated to the dustbin apparently. Instead we should eat fresh fruit and cereal, but even that is often full of hidden salt and sugar.

It is difficult knowing what you should or shouldn't eat and most people don't have the time to read the packaging. Even if you did you'd probably be confused, as each manufacturer seems to have a different method of describing the contents. The simplest to understand are the traffic light symbols, which show red, amber and green, as most people understand that red means stop, amber means be cautious and green means go.

We should, for the sake of our health eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because they contain chemicals to prevent cancer. They also fill you up without providing too many calories which is great. If you can afford organic food it's even better because not only do they taste better, and have more natural vitamins and minerals, they are grown without harmful chemical pesticides and fertilisers. This means they don't add to the daily toxic build-up in your body. Unfortunately they are in the wrong price range for most people on a limited budget.

There is no question we are getting bigger and childhood obesity levels are rising. This will inevitably have health consequences and it is partly our modern lifestyle which has created the problem. Apparently we now live in an obesegenic environment.

When food was scarce we had to use a lot of energy to get it, but now we are surrounded by high-energy foods and labour saving devices so it's really hard to get rid of those excess calories.

Another problem is the lack of facilities to be able to exercise safely. Many of the school playing fields have gone and cycle paths are not traffic friendly. Few children are encouraged to go out to play because of the fear of muggings, gangs, paedophiles, drugs, etc, and that's in daylight hours.

I It seems to me though, there's no point getting obsessed with food otherwise you just end up miserable. If you like something, eat it but do so in moderation and stop when you feel full.

If you are one of those people brought up to believe you must eat everything put in front of you because of the plight of the starving people in other countries, then use smaller plates and eat slower. It may sound simple but it works. I've tried it.

You end up eating less, but feel full because you've taken the time to actually chew and taste the food, and also chewing releases a chemical in your brain which tells your stomach you are full. Clever, eh?

It also prevents food waste because even if you do leave something on your plate it unfortunately won't help the starving millions.

A True Weight Loss Story