Childhood Issues & Parenting Index


    Individual Websites
    ADHD in Adulthood
    • ADDitude – PLEASE READ MY CAUTIONARY NOTE AT THE END OF THE DESCRIPTION in my linked post.  This website is chock full of ideas and resources for “Strategies and support for ADHD and LD.”  Read More >
    • Article: ADHD is Different for Women – One young woman’s story about being diagnosed in college.
    Autism (including Asperger’s)
    • National Autism Association – This website has it all: information about Autism, research, support group information, downloadable tool kits, and trainings.
    Bullying
    Communication

    Knowing how to communicate with your child so that they feel heard and respected (which does NOT mean that they always get their way) is so important.  It creates a relationship with your child that lets them know that they can turn to you with difficult subjects and you won’t overreact.  It also helps with being able to problem solve together when there is conflict between you.

    • Communication Tips for Parents (American Psychological Association publication) – Looking for a concise list of guidelines to help you keep the lines of communication open with your child?  This is resource for you.
    • How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish – Need more examples, support, and explanations?  This is a very well respected book that will help you understand the logic behind why these techniques work and gives concrete examples of how to shift your communication style to one that increases understanding, leads to positive results in your child’s follow-though and compliance to your requests, while minimizing conflict.
    Divorce
    • Guide to Telling the Children about the Divorce by Lisa Herrick, PhD – I don’t know this clinician at all but, when hunting around the internet for helpful resources on this topic, I found her article to cover a lot of the important points when it comes to telling your child about the decision to divorce.
    • How to tell your child you’re getting divorced (ages 5 to 8) by Ziba Kashef – This article is on a commercial site, so there’s tons of ads. However, it is very thoroughly written.  Many of the points in this article are the same as in Guide to Telling the Children about the Divorce, above.  However, the ideas are explained in more detail as they apply to this age range and even gives some sample wording that you can use to come up what is comfortable for you and your partner.
    Executive Functioning Skills (learn about what these are here)
    • Cognitive Connections – This is a practice based in Massachusetts that has done some wonderful work creating materials and pulling together ideas based on what the research tells us about how to help people of all ages improve their executive functioning skills.  They have a great (though not cheap) school planner that can be really helpful, provided that the user is motivated to make use if it.  If not, it can springboard to lots of other creative ideas for how to help with organizational and study skills.
    Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

    When a pregnant woman consumes alcohol during pregnancy, there is the potential that it can permanently damage the growing baby.  While the potential for damage increases with the amount of alcohol consumed, it is not known what all of the factors are that can cause permanent damage.  For this reason, organizations such as NOFAS advocate that no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is safe.  “These [damaging] effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.”  Some of the behavioral difficulties include: immature or inappropriate behavior; memory deficits; impulse control problems; and poor judgment.  Due to issues such as these, individuals with FAS and pFAS (Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) have a higher rate of getting into trouble with the law, are more likely to make poor decisions regarding managing their finances, and can struggle to perform well in the employment world.


    ADHD
    • CHADD – (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorde)r This is a national organization that has local chapters in the area (West Chester & Elkins Park as of July 2015).  The website itself is a great resource.  The organization is a support group to parents, kids, and adults with ADHD.  Provides a place to connect with others who know what you are going through, listen to guest speakers talk about ADHD related subjects, and to network about other resources in the area.  They also host annual conference days that are geared toward individuals, as well as professionals.
    “Asperger’s”
    • ASCEND – (The Asperger and Autism Alliance for Greater Philadelphia)  Support, information, and opportunities to learn more for individuals, parents, and professionals alike.
    • ASPEN – (Asperger/Autism Spectrum Education Network) – Based in NJ, another resource for support and opportunities to learn.
    • ARC of Chester County – Has a large variety of support services for adults and children with autism, and their families ranging from early intervention to adult vocational services.  Additionally, free lunch & learns are offered to the public where speakers offer their experience on certain topics and related services in the community.


    • Teen Extremes: Regulating Moods in the Age of Adolescence – Interview with Marsha Linehan, PhD and creator of the DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) approach.  Read More > 


    ADHD
    • Parenting Children with ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medication Can’t Teach by Vincent J. Monastra, PhD  Read More >
    Executive Functioning Skills (learn about what these are here)
    • Smart But Scattered by Peg Dawson, EdD & Richard Guare, PhD  Read More >
    • Smart But Scattered Teens by Richard Guare, PhD, Peg Dawson, EdD, and Colin Guare  Read More >
    • The Work-Smart Academic Planner: Write It Down, Get It Done  by Peg Dawson EdD & Richard Guare PhD  Read More >
    Children with Intense Emotions
    • Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Help Your Child Regulate Emotional Outbursts and Aggressive Behaviors by Pat Harvey, ACSW, LCSW-C  Read More >
    Parenting In General
    • Wise Minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for Raising Successful Tweens + Teens by Laura Kastner, PhD  Read More >