Caregivers who are (too) young

When a child cares for an ailing parent, we usually think of an adult child caring for an infirm octogenarian. However, recently, the New York Times looked at minor children who care for their middle aged parents. As you might expect, the results are difficult and stressful, especially when financial resources like insurance are scarce and the families have few others to depend on.

Across the country, children are providing care for sick parents or grandparents — lifting frail bodies off beds or toilets, managing medication, washing, feeding, dressing, talking with doctors. Schools, social service agencies and health providers are often unaware of those responsibilities because families members may be too embarrassed, or stoic.

Some children develop maturity and self-esteem. But others grow anxious, depressed or angry, sacrifice social and extracurricular activities and miss — or quit — school.

Educators and social workers try to address the gaps in the lives of those in need. But identifying the families is only the first step. Sometimes, resources are just not at hand.

(Photo by NatyRive; used by permission.)

A new ray of light (and hope) for children with autism

A diagnosis of autism is heartbreaking for the parents of a young child whose development is delayed or impaired. Now, the Washington Post reports that a new study seems to indicate that some children with autism spectrum disorders can be treated and possibly even "cured." Of course, the study raise hopes for parents, and therefore these early results are controversial if they only offer a false hope. Yet, the study may lead to a fuller understanding of autism and the treatments and teaching techniques to assist the children effected by the disorder.

"I don't know that the children 'recovered,' though they did improve . . . to the extent that they no longer met the diagnostic criteria," [Vanderbilt University professor of pediatrics and psychology Wendy] Stone said. "Almost all continued to have some form of developmental disorder."

"I think the most hopeful message we need to give parents," said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the nonprofit group Autism Speaks, "is that all children with autism are capable of learning and developing new skills with the help of early intervention."

"The long arm and the hungry mouth of the law"

Schools, nutrition, and bake sales collide in this recent story in the New York Times. I am all for teaching children about healthy eating and nutrition, but a cupcake ban?!! Why should school policies or state regulations take the place of ordinary common sense and self-discipline?

In Berkeley, Anna X. L. Wong, a kindergarten teacher at Jefferson Elementary, incorporates “good foods” versus “bad foods” into the curriculum and offers her students healthy snacks, including edamame.

UGH!

(Photo by D'Arcy Norman; used by permission.)

Learning to combat dementia

The New York Times offered this fascinating piece on how learning, especially in the Montessori method, has been found to assist those with Alzheimer's disease to remember and learn. Something in how the brain acquires, stores, and processes memory is prompted by physical and motor learning.

Check out this excerpt:

Montessori-based programs for the elderly build on the work of Barry Reisberg, a New York psychiatrist who coined the term “retrogenesis” to describe the way the mind’s deterioration reflects its development: the first faculties to develop are the last to go. For instance, children around age 2 begin to understand their image in a mirror as a reflection of themselves, rather than a separate person; people in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s lose that distinction and are often frightened by mirrors, especially in bathrooms, where they think a stranger is watching them. Understanding this helps gerontologists recognize the problem not as random disorientation but as a predictable condition.

. . .

Similarly, just as physical skills and habits develop early, people with severe memory loss can often sing, read, manipulate a screwdriver or play a musical instrument even when they have difficulty maintaining a conversation. Montessori techniques build on these skills and habits, with the goal of improving quality of life and independence by using cognitive strengths to neutralize weaknesses, making frequent use of repetition to create unconscious learning.

(Photo by joguldi; used by permission.)