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Case Histories

Solutions for Learning Disabilities: Part 1

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Translations: Part 2  

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What are Learning Disabilities?

If a child or teenager shows a lack of concentration or curiosity, or is a nuisance to teachers, the child may be called learning disabled. Children with learning disabilities are expected to have diminished creativity and spontaneity, depressed motivation and diminished sense of life. Yet many children diagnosed with learning disorders reflect simple nutritional or relationship disturbances.

Few learning disorders can be confirmed in a laboratory. These terrible labels are judgments by teachers and psychologists. Some children diagnosed with learning disorders will seek refuge in alcohol or drugs. Some will become delinquent, perhaps leading to lives of crime. Many will enter the working world with inadequate education. Some will withdraw from other people into isolation - and a few will withdraw from reality into psychosis or suicide.

Some children with learning disabilities show biochemical imbalances and irregularities in medical imaging - although other children with similar imbalances and irregularities may learn easily and quickly. Some people believe that biochemical imbalances cause learning disabilities - while others believe that learning disorders cause biochemical imbalances.

A practitioner who believes that metabolic imbalances cause learning disorders will likely prescribe psychotropic drugs; while a practitioner who believes that learning disorders cause metabolic imbalances will likely recommend dietary analysis, remedial therapy and/or systemic coaching.

[ Children of Divorce ] [ Systemic Education ] [ Food Allergies ]

Education Success

Major blocks to a successful education are societal beliefs about "What is possible in education?", parents' beliefs about "What can our children accomplish?" and teachers beliefs about "What can be changed at schools?". Current beliefs are likely to limit funding for educational research.

While academic success can be measured with examinations and tests, the social success of education can be summarized as attitude. Children from dysfunctional families are less likely to relate to other children with friendly confidence - instead they may become loners or form gangs. A boost to attitude occurs if friendship skills are taught by teachers who demonstrate friendliness.

[ Parental Alienation ] [ Parent Coaching ] [ Emotional Incest ]

Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities

Guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) require that children show typical learning disabilities for at least six months. Differences in diagnostic frequencies between professionals indicate that psychiatric labels may be applied to children who are perceived as nuisances by teachers. (That is, many students suffer from teaching disabilities).

Learning Disabilities & Nutrition

Many children with learning disabilities subsist on sugar and sugar-forming junk foods and/or suffer family chaos, both of which can cause and worsen learning disorders. Even so, food sensitivities are rarely explored - instead amphetamines provide a simple solution, regardless of their side-effects.

Many children with learning disabilities are intolerant of or allergic to common foods. Foods such as wheat, potatoes, milk or corn products can cause children to show depressed or hyperactive behavior, leading many doctors to manage those children with amphetamines such as Ritalin or Dexedrine.

Some psychological symptoms of allergies to common foods may be diagnosed as learning disorders. These symptoms include aggressiveness, anxiety, depression, dizziness, hyperactivity, indifference, insomnia, irritability, sleepiness, slurred speech and stuttering.

A person is rarely aware of foods that cause psychological symptoms although hidden allergies and intolerances associated with common foods. Food intolerance tests can diagnose toxic reactions. Studies of food intolerance tests showed a 70% success rate, while only 20% accuracy with skin testing. (Note: Many people are addicted to foods to which they are allergic or intolerant).

Dietary analysis does not always solve learning disorders, but careful observations and follow-up tests can expose potential food triggers. Your children's food has a great impact on their lives.

Learning Disabilities & Drugs

As many health professionals believe that learning disorders are caused by a biochemical imbalance, health professionals routinely prescribe mind-altering drugs to children. Amphetamines can subdue hyperactive children and reduce the problems faced by parents and teachers. However, many children medicated with addictive drugs will show dysfunction into their adult lives.

Ritalin has a similar molecular structure to cocaine.The side effects of amphetamines include lost appetite: medicated children are often underweight and grow more slowly than their peers. Other side effects include addiction, elevated blood pressure, irritability, emotional instability and fatigue.

Systemic Coaching & ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

Psychiatrists and doctors may not give physical exams for suspected ADD, but just fill out checklists. A diagnosis of ADHD cannot be confirmed in a laboratory, as can an infection. This label may indicate that a health professional simply does not know what is wrong. If chaotic family relationships, food sensitivities or allergies are causing a child's symptoms, then that child does not have ADD.

Many people experience temporary attention deficit in a crisis, or if there are many simultaneous conversations or background noise. Others experience attention deficit if there is too much internal conversation or self-talk. These people with ADD may benefit from Soulwork sessions that control or decrease inner criticism and inner conflict.

You can help children diagnosed with ADHD or ADD by providing dietary analysis for the children and systemic couple coaching for the parents. Correcting the diet of children with learning disabilities often helps improve their behavior. Testing for food allergies and sensitivities and providing vitamins and minerals can help "learning disabled" children.

Coaching the parent to rebuild love and family harmony can help many learning disabled children. During systemic coaching, parents can identify and resolve their conflicts, transferences and bonds - which show up as immature behavior and family secrets. Children, especially if under the age of 12, often respond quickly, positively and dramatically to their parent's increased happiness.

[ Evaluating Partnership ] [ Predictable Partnership ] [ Couple Coaching ]

Relationship Coaching & Autism

Autism impairs a person’s ability to maintain normal contact with the world. Autism was once thought to be caused by trauma. Some scientists theorize that parents caused autism by rejecting a child, or by failing to bond emotionally.

Although coaching may help children modify their behavior and improve communication, systemic coaching is often more effective for helping parents of autistic children.

Relationship Coaching & Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a disability about learning to read. Research suggests that up to 20% of people (1 in 5) show some dyslexia. Dyslexia is often diagnosed when reading difficulties seem to be uncorrectable.

If dyslexia can be corrected - it is not dyslexia! Many dyslexic people seem to have a basic left-right confusion, often accompanied by confusion between memories and expectations. Dyslexia seems to be more common if a child witnesses chronic parental confusion, role reversal or conflict.

Soulwork coaching with parents may reduce any "systemic need" for dyslexic symptoms, and then subsequent coaching for children diagnosed with dyslexia can produce a significant increase in reading speed and comprehension.

Relationship Coaching & Mental Retardation

Mental retardation is characterized by an inability to meet the common demands of daily life. Mentally retarded people often lack basic skills: communication, self-care, home living, use of community resources, self-direction, health and safety, leisure, or work.

The causes of mental retardation include genetic and hormonal disorders; dietary deficiencies; infections; toxic substances and brain injury. And sometimes the presence of mentally retarded children seem to hold families together.

Special education for students with substantial limitations in mental functioning, and systemic coaching for the parents, can dissolve the need for some children to carry this burden.

Relationship Coaching & Psychosomatic Disease

Psychosomatic symptoms may be diagnosed as learning disabilities. Psychosomatic disease has no apparent physical or organic cause, and appears to result from emotional conditions such as anger, anxiety and depression, which reflect a person's relationships.

Psychosomatic symptoms indicate that the body can create physical disease symptoms that compensate for dietary or relationship deficiencies. (For example, hypnosis-induced allergic reactions indicate that a person's immune response can dramatically change during an intense relationship).

Systemic coaching can remedy both the physical and emotional aspects of psychosomatic symptoms. Objective physical symptoms may fade when a person’s subjective environment improves.

Next Steps: What Can You Do?

Soulwork systemic coaching can help people change the components of relationship, emotional and mental problems.

Part 2: Solutions for Learning Disabilities

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