My experiences with learning struggles in children have been quite frustrating. Over the years of helping families who are hanging on by a thread, trying to help their child navigate school and life, I learned most of all, that the old way is not necessarily the best way.
I started my career over 20 years ago. While working with my own children in our homeschool setting, we faced many challenges. I sought advice for help and solutions. What I found is that children and their special learning needs are unique and there is no “one size fits all” for addressing the myriad of symptoms and behavioral developments within each individual child. I also discovered that the resources and “so called” answers to these difficult issues were either hard to find, hard to attain and almost always not affordable.
Of my three children, two are grown; one married with our first grand baby on the way and the other successfully navigating his last year of college and career pursuits. My youngest is in his freshman year of high school and about to begin dual enrollment through our homeschool program.
It was while attempting to teach my oldest to read, so so long ago, that I ran into some roadblocks. He was smart and he could read all of what he needed to but he struggled with not being able to “see” all of the words, usually the little words like and, but, the, is and it. I got advice from everyone who had the answer to my problem and how to fix it, but to no avail. I did finally find a woman who gave an assessment that looked deeper into the minds eye to understand how his brain was processing what he saw. BINGO! We finally had a real answer. And with that we were able to change up how we did his lessons. By the time he was 4, he was a fluent reader and to this day I ask myself, “Why did I teach this kid how to read and think for himself?!” LOL
Unfortunately our problems did not end there. He began having severe digestive issues that affected every aspect of his little life, not just learning. Without giving the entire multi-year story, we finally found a Functional Medicine practitioner who traced his issues back to his early vaccines and we began a very strict regimen of diet and supplements to begin the healing process. Now please don’t misunderstand, I am not anti-vax (necessarily). I am however, very pro education and making sure that the decisions we make are truly the best ones, making sure not to fall into that “one size fits all trap”.
Fast forward 20 plus years. I have since graduated my oldest and have gone on to work with so many children with learning struggles. One thing I knew for certain when dealing with my sons issues was that I wanted to avoid the medication route. And so many of those who were well intentioned in their advice to me were suggesting it. I understood that some children and even adults need that type of therapy, but I knew in my heart of hearts that was not the right path of treatment for my son. And so today, in my practice with my clients, I specialize in helping families who either do not want to start medication to begin with, or want to try a new way and help their child be done with medications that only seem to exacerbate the problem and honestly, never fix it.
Remember when I said that there is no “one size fits all” solution? The reason for this is quite simple. No two children have the same genetics, health history, environmental factors, traumas or life experiences as another. When we look at how to help a child, we need to look at ALL of the factors involved. In my practice, I dig deeply into all of those categories to find the missing link and begin to build a bridge to better cognitive function, starting with health and nutrition. Not just any nutrition… Functional Nutrition! What is the difference? I’m glad you asked! Functional nutrition starts with the gut and with the individual. Long before any recommendation is made, we find out what is going on in there!
Did you know that nearly 12 million people are misdiagnosed with ailments or diseases each year in the United States? That is 1 in 20 adults. And that according to a 2010 study done at the University of Michigan, nearly 1 million children in the U.S. are misdiagnosed with ADD/ADHD yearly. That is nearly 20%! That number is not okay with me. Study after study and article after article reveal how these children are placed on medication that was not intended for them and are now suffering the long term affects of that medical professionals decision. Lets not do things the same old way.
In the weeks and months to come I will be posting blogs about many of these issues and offering better “first do not harm” solutions. I hope you will come along with me to Learn and Grow in our understanding of cognitive function and the physiological connection that can, in many cases, cure the dysfunction.
Until next time…
Dawn
