Late, Lost, and Unprepared

by Cooper-Kahn, Joyce

• ISBN13: 9781890627843
• ISBN10: 1890627844
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-10-15
• Publisher: Woodbine House

Summary

Is your child chronically late turning in papers? Does she show up for soccer practice without her soccer bag? Say things without thinking? Read something and forget what he read? Wait until the last minute and then get caught short of time to complete tasks?

Author Biography

Joyce Cooper-Kahn, Ph.D., is a clinical child psychologist and co-founder of Psychological Resource Associates, a private mental health group in Severna Park, Maryland, where she specializes in helping children and families to successfully manage the variety of developmental challenges affecting children. Dr. Cooper-Kahn has particular expertise in learning and attention disorders. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Catholic University and earned her undergraduate degree from Barnard College (summa cum laude). She is the parent of an adult son with AD/HD and executive skills weaknesses. Laurie C. Dietzel , Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in neuropsychological assessment and the diagnosis of ADHD, learning disabilities, PDD, and other neurodevelopment disorders. Dr. Dietzel earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland College Park and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is currently in private practice in Silver Spring, Maryland and provides national continuing education workshops. Both authors live in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.

Table of Contents

What You Need to Know
Introduction	p. 3
Why Another Book?
Who Are We?
The Plan for This Book
What Is Executive Functioning?	p. 9
The Basics
A Formal Definition of Executive Functioning
Understanding Executive Functions by Looking at Life without Them
A List of Executive Functions
How This Book is Organized
Final Thoughts
Development of the Executive Functions	p. 15
The Basics
Why Is My Child Having Problems with Executive Skill Development?
I.Q. and Executive Functioning
Typical Development
How Do I Know If My Child's Executive Skills Are Developing Normally?
The Child's Experience of Executive Weaknesses	p. 25
The Basics
Daily Life
Emotions
Impact on the Family	p. 37
The Basics
Impact on Parents
Impact on Siblings
Impact on Couples
Special Situations
Staying Healthy
Assessment: Figuring Out What's Wrong	p. 45
The Basics
The Purpose of Assessment
Evaluating the Role of Expectations
Who Does Testing and What Do They Test?
Should You Seek Assessment through the Public School System or from a Private Professional?
How to Be an Educated Consumer
The Evaluation Process
Once the Assessment is Done
Now What?
AD/HD, Learning Disabilities, and Other Conditions Associated with Executive Dysfunction	p. 59
The Basics
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
Learning Disabilities (LD)
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Other Conditions Often Associated with Executive Function Weaknesses
Wrap-Up
What You Can Do about It
How to Help-An Overview	p. 75
The Basics
The Two-Pronged Approach
Designing Interventions
Creativity at Work
Behavior Change in a Nutshell	p. 83
The Basics
Use Real Life to Teach
Take a Teaching versus a Punishing Approach
Collaborate with Your Child
Focus on the Desired Outcome
Raise the Stakes
Reward Even Small Steps in the Right Direction
Use "Tried and True" Behavior Modification Techniques
Trust Your Child's Own Developmental Urges
When Should You Allow Your Child to Experience Natural Consequences for His Behavior?
Change Does Not Occur in a Smooth or Steady Uphill Manner
If at First You Don't Succeed, Try a Few More Times Then...Change Your Expectations!	p. 91
The Basics
Don't Try to Keep Up with the Jones
The Limbo Game of Setting Expectations
If You Need to Change Expectations
Your Child's Expectations
Your Partner's Expectations
Fading Support
Helping Children Control Impulses	p. 99
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child Control Impulses
Strategies to Help a Child Manage Verbal Impulsiveness (Talking Excessively, Interrupting Others, etc.)
Strategies to Help a Child Manage Physical Impulsiveness (Grabbing Things, Pushing and Shoving Others, Hitting, etc.)
Strategies to Help a Child Stop Irritating Behavior
Strategies to Help a Child Control Running Off in Stores or Other Settings
Strategies to Help a Child Manage Homework Problems
Case Study: Putting It All Together
Transitioning from Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Helping Children Shift Gears	p. 121
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child Shift Gears
Strategies to Help Reduce a Child's Difficulty with Transitions
Strategies to Help a Child Adapt to New Situations or Environments
Strategies to Help a Child Who Becomes Upset when Peers Break the Rules or Behave in Unexpected Ways
Strategies to Help Reduce a Child's Frustration When Her First Attempt to Solve a Problem Isn't Successful
Case Study: Putting It All Together
Transitioning From Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Helping Children Get Started on Homework and Other Tasks	p. 137
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child Get Started
Strategies to Help Your Child Get Started with Homework
Strategies to Help Your Child Complete Chores and Routine Activities
Strategies to Help a Child Who Puts Off Major Projects
Case Study: Putting It All Together
Transitioning From Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Helping Children Handle Working Memory Issues	p. 151
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child with Working Memory Issues
Strategies to Help a Child Who Has Trouble Following Directions
Strategies to Help a Child with Written Expression and Other Complex, Multi-Step Tasks
Strategies to Help a Child Who Interrupts Others So She Won't Forget What She Wants to Say
Strategies to Help a Child Who Needs to Re-Read or Re-Learn Information - It Just Doesn't Stick
Strategies to Help a Child Who Has Trouble Taking Notes in Class
Case Study: Putting it All together
Transitioning From Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Helping Children Plan and Organize	p. 169
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child Organize and Plan
Strategies to Help a Child Who Does Homework but Doesn't Turn It In
Strategies to Help a Child Who Arrives at Sports Practice (or Other Event or Activity) Unprepared
Strategies to Help a Child Who Underestimates the Effort Involved in a Project
Strategies to Help a Child Who Gets Overwhelmed by Juggling Several Classes or Projects at the Same Time
Strategies to Help a Student Determine the Most Important Information from Material to Be Learned
Strategies to Help a Child Organize His Backpack (and Locker, Desk, Bedroom, etc.)
Case Study: Putting It All Together
Transitioning From Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Helping Children Monitor Their Behavior	p. 185
Summary: General Strategies to Help Your Child Learn How to Self-Monitor
Strategies to Help a Child Who Doesn't Notice When She Has Gone Off on a Tangent
Strategies to Help a Child Who Doesn't Notice "Careless" Errors
Strategies to Help a Child Who Fails to Adjust Behavior Based on Feedback
Strategies to Help a Child Notice When Peers Are No Longer Interested in the Topic of Conversation
Strategies to Help a Child Who is Genuinely Surprised When She Gets in Trouble for Misbehavior ("What Did I Do?")
Case Study: Putting It All Together
Transitioning from Short-Term to Long-Term Goals
Educate Others and Advocate for Your Child
Final Thoughts
Concluding Thoughts	p. 199
The Zen of Intervention Planning
The "No Victims" Approach
Building a Life
Who Can Help?
A Field in Progress
Appendix A	p. 205
References	p. 207
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