Feature Articles

All About Apraxia

Apraxia is a weakness in motor planning, i.e., a disconnect in the brain that interferes with a child’s ability to “just do it.” A child with apraxia has trouble imitating and repeating the movements that come naturally to other children. We take for granted the movements and timing involved in catching or kicking a ball, speaking words and sentences, or tying shoes. Children with apraxia have to be taught each smaller step that makes up the major task. Read full article...

Kids and Food: The Battle Rages On

"I don’t want chicken for dinner.” “I don’t like green beans.” “I want hot dogs again.” Most parents have heard one of these lines at some time or another during their child’s life. Some of us have even said them ourselves. These are the words of a fussy eater. Read full article...

Teaching Children to Empathize

According to Stanley Greenspan, a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics and author of Great Kids, one of the 10 traits of a “great kid” is empathy. However, for some children with learning differences, feeling empathetic is more difficult since many learning differences involve deficits in social skills. Read full article...

Connect for Success

The vision of Kids Enabled is to create an informed community where all children with learning differences have the resources to reach their full potential and lead fulfilling and independent lives. We believe this vision is accomplished through connections. Read on to see how many ways you can connect in 2011. Read full article...

Extraordinary Gifts of Learning Differences

As the parent of a child with learning differences, I know firsthand the challenges and trials of finding success academically and socially. I also have some insight into the gifts that our children have sometimes because of their differences. For instance, my son thinks outside the box. He may have been creative regardless of his dyslexia, but I believe the skill was cultivated because of his reading impairment. When he could not read the words on the page, he made up the story that he envisioned. His gift of creativity has taken him to new heights and will continue to serve him well. Read full article...

Grinch-free Holiday Gathering- Tips and Tricks for Your Child with Learning Differences

The holidays are an exciting time. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, families and friends often deviate from the routines of the rest of the year with delirious abandonment. Many children with learning differences, however, thrive best with the established normalcy of everyday life. So, how can you have the most “wonderful time of the year” without spiraling out of control? Kids Enabled found the following guidelines very useful. Read full article...

Bully, Bullied, Bystander: How Vulnerable Are Our Youngsters?

As both educators and parents become more aware of the subtle-to-obvious evidence of bullying, more questions are being asked. Where do the threats come from? How prevalent is this bullying? Is my child the bully? How can I intervene, protect and provide strength so that the bullying is stopped? Read full article...

Take Me Out the the Ballgame: Sports for Special Needs

For many families, weekends are planned around games, meets and matches. But not all children fit into the sporting world so easily. Luckily, there are sports enthusiasts who believe all children should feel the thrill of victory and have made the playing field level for all. Read full article...

Energy Crisis: Educating the Child With Mitochondrial Disease (MITO)

Children affected with mitochondrial disease face unique hardships both physically and intellectually in the school setting. Parents offer advice that other parents, teachers, and administrators need to help these children succeed in their educational endeavors. Read full article...

Going Gluten-Free: The Struggle to Find an Answer

Reducing the toxins in a child’s life can make a dramatic difference in behavior. One family struggled for 10 years to determine a cause of their child’s challenges. Now a gluten-free diet makes it possible to effectively manage their child’s special needs. Read full article...

It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To… Helping Kids Find Confidence in Social Situations

Not every child loves a party. For kids with learning differences, social situations can spell awkwardness and fear. Here are some tips for parents on how to give their child the confidence and communication skills needed to relax and enjoy the party. Read full article...

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too Making Healthy Food a Part of the Party

Providing safe and healthy food choices for children at home is manageable when parents have control over food selection and preparation. But what about birthday parties, family reunions or classroom celebrations? How can parents ensure healthy food choices for their children at these events? Read full article...

Step Up to the Plate! Healthier Food for Healthier Brains

With a recent study making controversial headlines about the connection between ADHD and pesticides, parents are more concerned than ever about what their children eat. Kids Enabled offers the following guide to help parents make sense of the studies and find practical and budget-minded ways to eliminate the family’s exposure to pesticides. Read full article...

Kids Enabled Feeds a Hungry Crowd

The crowd at the second event in the Kids Enabled Brain Health & Nutrition Speaker Series “What’s Food Got to Do with It? New Tools for Nutrition,” came hungry for nutritional advice. Those present were not disappointed. Read full article...

15 Ways to Keep the Education in Your Vacation

Summer doesn’t have to mean a regression of academic skills. Parents can take advantage of those “teachable” moments and keep their kids learning all summer long. Read full article...

Resurgens Charitable Foundation Funds “All-Abilities” Playgrounds

Resurgens Charitable Foundation is all about creating “all-abilities” playgrounds. The Foundation has funded eight playgrounds in the Metro area since its inception in 2001 with special play structures where all children, regardless of their abilities, can play together. Read full article...

Are We There Yet? Traveling with Sensory-Sensitive Kids

Summer is just weeks away, and that means traveling to see friends and family. For parents of kids with sensory issues and learning differences, traveling can mean more stress than fun. Kids Enabled offers these tips to help parents stick to a routine and create coping strategies so that everyone enjoys a smooth ride. Read full article...

Peeking Inside the Homes of Homeschoolers

The stories of families that homeschool are as different as the families themselves. Homeschooling a child with learning differences adds another layer of decisions that need to be made and details that need to be addressed. Join Kids Enabled as we take a look into how some local families came to homeschooling and how it worked for them. Read full article...

Bringing it Home: Education Tailored to Your Child

While homeschooling is the first educational choice for some parents, others choose it because they’ve run out of options. In either case, there is a myriad of factors to be considered before making this important decision. Read full article...

When the Road Leads to Boarding School
By Jean P. Hague, M.A.

Boarding school is not the best choice for every family, but for some students with learning differences boarding school can provide the academic and social resources necessary for success. Read full article...

And the Beat Goes On - How Timing Affects Learning
By Beth Ardell, MPT

The tick-tock of a metronome has long been used by pianists while practicing their craft. Research now suggests that students with learning differences who “stay on beat” can increase their focus, mental processing and cognitive abilities. Read full article...

Kids Enabled Resource Fair 2010

This Just In…! Kids Enabled Resource Fair a Huge Success! Over 60 exhibitors and more than 200 parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators attend the high-energy and interactive event! Read full article...

Educational Transition 101: Rolling with the Changes
By Kristina Zuppan

Some students struggle with change, and some have the innate ability to “go with the flow.” With some effective planning, those who don’t adapt naturally to change can still enjoy smooth transitions in school. Read full article...

Keeping Students Organized for Academic Success
By Michelle Cooper, CPO® and Michelle Grey, CPO®

Staying organized is hard enough, but for children with learning differences, managing time, homework and activities can seem impossible. Two professional organizers offer timely tips and encouragement to parents who are struggling to help their children get organized. Read full article...

The LDAG and Kids Enabled Announce the 2009 KIDS Gift Award and Professional Impact Award Winners

Eric Sweet, 18, is a senior at Mill Creek High School and is challenged by
motor skill deficits and autism. But he has not allowed these obstacles to stop
him from becoming a leader in his school and his community. Read full article...

Sheryl Pruitt, founder and clinical director of Parkaire Consultants, has
been selected as the 2009 Professional Impact Award winner! As an author and
speaker, Sherry educates children, adolescents and adults about neurological dis-
orders and the coping skills needed to remediate the deficit areas caused by these
disorders. Read full article...