The Misdiagnoses of Language and Learning Challenges in Young People

Often children and teens with language and learning challenges are misdiagnosed. For example, a writing disorder diagnosis may fail to address problems with oral language. Some children have problems with written and oral language, but if a speech pathologist isn’t part of the evaluation process or if the speech pathologist is not familiar with evaluating children …

Unstory: Developing Storytelling Skills in People with Asperger Syndrome

We connect with others through sharing our personal narratives. Poor verbal storytelling skills in people with Asperger Syndrome often go undiagnosed and prevent them from participating effectively in social, academic, and work environments. Structured speech and language assessments don’t pick up on subtle problems that children with AS demonstrate. Traditional Speech language testing uses structured …

Mindblindness vs Context blindness

Replacing the generic term of “mindblindness,” often used to refer to people on the autism spectrum, with a more specific term such as “context blindness” has been proposed by Peter Vermeulen, PhD.   Simon Baron-Cohen created the term “mindblindness,” to refer to the deficit  people on the autism spectrum have in reading others mental states. This term …

Social engineering to improve social deficits

In a recent article in Attitude magazine, a magazine that offers strategies and support for people and their families with ADHD and LD, a mom created a Facebook birthday event for her son with Asperger syndrome.  No one wanted to come to her son’s 13th birthday  and her son was upset.  She decided to with …

Researching Homework Problems

Parenting is a hard job.  When your child begins to have difficulties with homework, parents often panic. Is it my fault? What can I do? Our minds, race. Will they ever learn to read?  How come I have to keep repeating myself so much? Why won’t he sit down and just do his work? Why …

Identifying speech and language challenges

Sometimes children and adults come to me using strategies and tools that do not address their learning problem. What is the result? frustration! If your child struggles with homework because of speech and language challenges finding the right help is critical. How do you find the right intervention to align with your child’s speech and language …

Not Qualified for Services: Twice Gifted Students

Twice gifted students with learning problems can go through their entire academic career struggling with school work, but unable to receive services.  The struggle is primarily encountered on the home front.  Frustrated children and parents, battle through homework and self-esteem issues that leave everyone exhausted. Often twice gifted students’ strengths effectively hide their weaknesses. As …

It’s a Two Way Street: Communicating with People with Asperger Syndrome

If you missed my webinar you can listen here.  “It’s a Two Way Street: Helping the World to Communicate with People with Asperger Syndrome” produced by AANE and presented by Kai Long, MS SLP CCC of Long on Language. This webinar will discuss society’s role in communicating with people with Asperger Syndrome (AS). Typical communication relies on …

Language Challenges Uncovered: The Foundation for Academic Achievement Part 2

If language is the foundation for academic achievement then what do language challenges look like in everyday life? There are many areas that can impact language including word finding, auditory processing, comprehension and As a speech therapist one of the most telling signs of word finding problems  in children and adults is the frequent use …