ILT Blog and News
By Dr. Shirley Kokot
Bread and ADHD type behaviours
Is bread really the staff of life for all people? The answer is almost certainly that it might have been once but in our modern times, the preservatives that are used to keep it fresh for longer might be underlying the difficult behaviours associated with ADHD in...
Getting children back into a sleep routine
During school holidays it is common for children to stay up a little later, spend a little more time on screens before bed and generally fall into less regular sleep routines. During term time, however, its important for children to have predictable bedtimes. We are...
How to have a conversation with your child
Why are children seemingly so reluctant to talk about school? How many times do you ask them ‘How was school today’ and they respond with a curt ‘Fine’. Shelbie Witte, writing for The Conversation, says that teachers may have the same problems in the classroom, with...
What happens when reflexes don’t integrate?
Last week I wrote about the importance of early developing reflexes for brain development. This week, we’ll have a brief look at the importance of those reflexes being integrated into developing brain functions. Once the brain has developed certain areas, the early...
Why do early reflexive movements matter?
Early, or prenatal, reflexive movements are involuntary movements that occur in the womb, such as: Kicking Stretching Sucking Grasping They’re not controlled by conscious thought but are triggered by the developing nervous system. How Do These Movements...
Should some children repeat Grade R?
Most pre-school children amaze us with their ability. Little Hanlie, at aged two, can name all the animals in her favourite picture book. Hansie names most of the cars on the road before his third birthday and many four year olds are fascinated by dinosaurs...
Helping your child start high school next year
Jill Colton, writing for The Conversation, says that young people face a range of challenges when they move from primary school to the high school years. The high school environment and learning methods can feel very different from primary school—with different...
What causes a reading problem?
Why are there so many bright and hard-working children in our schools that aren’t learning to read as they should? Interestingly, if you read something to them, giving them information through their ears, they understand. But when you give them the same words to...
Compassionate children, healthy teens
Recent research (reported by Elsevier) showed a surprising finding: children who are involved in kind and caring behaviours (being prosocial) are more likely to sustain healthy eating habits as teenagers. The findings from the study (details are given below) suggest...