Early Childhood  

	My daughter was born in November. She is supposed to enter 1st grade, according to her birth date, but her kindergarten teacher thinks she should stay behind another year because she's not emotionally ready. I'm very undecided and I don't know what I need to do in order to make the right decision.
We recommend that you consult with the kindergarten psychologist and conduct a 1st grade readiness evaluation. This service is offered by the Educational Psychology Services Clinic of the preschools and is free of charge when the teacher refers the family. We recommend receiving the evaluation results in a face-to-face conversation so that you can ask all of the relevant questions. In conclusion, parents have a significant influence with regard to this decision, since the psychologist receives information also from the parents' reports. In any case, even if it's decided to leave you daughter for another year in kindergarten, this is only a recommendation and the parents have the right to decide, so there's no reason to worry about the results of the evaluation.
	My son is 5-years-old. His teacher claims that he has difficulty in certain activities and she recommends that he take an assessment for learning disabilities. I'm not sure this is necessary. What should I do?
We recommend speaking with the teacher and understanding from her which difficulties she's noticed and why she thinks he needs an assessment. Additionally, you should pay attention for a number of signs that are likely to suggest the presence of learning disabilities: does the child have difficulty learning the colors, numbers, shapes, the Aleph-Bet? Is there a problem with understanding and following directions? Does the child have difficulty with or avoid activities such as drawing, coloring, cutting, and/or building puzzles? Does the child have trouble sitting through rikuz (morning meeting time)? How does the child get along with friends and adults who surround him? Does the child have difficulty obeying the rules of games or group activities? And more. In a case where there are significant difficulties in a portion of these areas, then it's probably a good idea to go for an assessment in which the nature and source of these difficulties will be clarified. Afterwards, it will be possible to treat and to ease the child's entrance into 1st grade and the beginning of school.
	My son is in kindergarten in our community's preschool/kindergarten program. I'm interested in taking him for a 1st grade readiness assessment before Pesach. He's being treated by a speech therapist and an occupational therapist.
In fact, it's a good idea to perform an assessment before 1st grade and even to consider the possibility of leaving him for an additional year in kindergarten. In a case like this, a psychological evaluation should be conducted. This can be done at the city's Educational Psychology Services Clinic for free. This should be done in coordination with the preschool's psychologist. Similarly, psychological and didactic assessments, which focus on 1st  grade readiness, treatment methods, and recommendations for preschool and school, can be done at Nitzan.
	I'm the mother of a 5-year-old boy who is in a special education preschool. The boy is a twin, and since 8 months of age there have been developmental delays. He is being monitored by the Child Development Center and has been given comprehensive tests in which all of the results were normal. The diagnosis is that there's a developmental delay. Two years ago he was given a psychological assessment and as a result of this he was moved to a special education preschool. My question is how often is it possible to be given a psychological assessment and how is it possible to receive assistance?
A psychological evaluation is usually valid for 3 years; however, in early childhood, assessments can be made after shorter periods of time. If the child attends a special education preschool, then you can consult with the teacher and receive an up-to-date evaluation from her of his present functioning and his progress. It's customary to perform an additional assessment before the transition to 1st grade to check his maturity and readiness for the transition from kindergarten to grade school.
	My son is entering kindergarten. Usually, when he's asked to learn numbers or letters, to build puzzles, or any other task he answers that he's tired or he can't do it. In addition, for example when learning numbers, he learns the number 3 and later on it's as if we didn't teach him the number. These examples we've described frustrate us as parents very much on the one hand, and on the other hand we're not successful progressing with the child.
In light of your words, you should check your son's cognitive development. We recommend consulting with the Educational Psychology Services Clinic in your area of residence, and if necessary to do an assessment. These assessments are given for free until 1st grade.
	I have a 6-year-old boy who every time he is sad or bored he comes to hug me (this can be a couple of times an hour)...When there are guests at the home or I'm busy, it's even more. He is a child who likes touch very much; also with friends/siblings he likes to hug. But most of the hugs are directed toward me. He was being treated by an occupational therapist and she said that this doesn't need treatment because this doesn't disturb his functioning (only mine). What should I do?
We recommend that you be attentive to the need your child is expressing. It's probably necessary to dedicate individual, quality time for parent-child activities. From our experience, enwrapping the child with hugs and love can equip him with energies and strengths to cope with the challenges that await him.
	I would love to get your opinion about a 5-year-old boy with a problem of language dyspraxia (not motor). He's received treatments since 2.3 years of age with a speech therapist. Today, he speaks wonderfully. My understanding of the situation is that he will have learning disabilities, and the speech therapist also assumes that since his problem was with identifying sounds; therefore, he will probably have a problem identifying letters. I would like to note that he would not be going up next year to school since he's small age wise and we also prefer to give him another year to mature in kindergarten. I noticed that he doesn't remember names of the children in kindergarten. I would like to ask which assessment should I take him for and when? To which type of professional should I take him?
According to your description, there is, in fact, a suspicion of learning disabilities, which is discernible in difficulty associating the sound with the word and also in difficulty naming. Treatment for these difficulties is preventative treatment and preparation for reading and writing in first grade. It's recommended to join programs dealing with literacy and phonological awareness before first grade (strengthening the connection between the sound and the word) as a basis for better integration into first grade. In any case, you should consult with the Educational Psychology Services Clinic regarding an early assessment of difficulties and their treatment.
	My son is 5.5 years old. Next year he'll be entering first grade. Currently, he still doesn't recognize the letters of the Aleph-Bet.
As far as we know, children are taught to recognize the letters in preschool. Therefore, the fact that your son still doesn't recognize the letters is worrisome, unless he wasn't taught. Under this assumption, we recommend discussing this problem with his teacher and to request a first grade readiness assessment. Early detection and diagnosis can aid in building an intervention program that will prepare you child to integrate in first grade. This will also save much frustration.
	My 5-year-old son was diagnosed at the Child Development Center and receives treatment from a speech therapist and occupational therapist and next week he begins therapeutic horseback riding for emotional treatment. I wanted to check if you do assessments at this age, since the assessment that was done doesn't seem right to me since he didn't cooperate. Also, what types of treatments do you offer for preschool children?
The assessment at this age is conducted by an occupational therapist and a speech therapist. It's recommended to receive the teacher's opinion regarding her recommendation whether to advance the child to first grade. It important that you know that at the Educational Psychology Services Clinic there are first grade readiness assessments whose purpose is to appraise successful integration into first grade. In certain situations, the decision is to leave the child an additional year in kindergarten so that he will come ready to first grade. At The Nitzan Association, we do assessments from the beginning of first grade in order to aid in building a program for advancing the reading and writing.
	My son has a problem with a lack of sensory functioning and this year he's entering the first grade. What activities should be performed or emphasized in this area in addition to an assessment and treatment of the problem?
We recommend making an appointment with a pediatrician immediately to receive a referral for occupational therapy treatment.
	My daughter, who is soon turning 6-years-old, was diagnosed by an occupational therapist as suffering from sensory regulation difficulties. My question is whether she could also have a learning disability? I have the feeling that it's a little difficult for her in kindergarten, even though she's intelligent, etc., but it seems to me for some reason that her potential is not being fully utilized and that there are things that don't seem to us currently as problematic, but in first grade they will be. Is there a connection between sensory regulation and learning disabilities or even to ADHD? It should be noted that the kindergarten teacher says about her only good things, but it could be there are things that aren't being said...?!
Firstly, the fact that the kindergarten teacher says good things about your daughter can be a cause for joy. If your feeling is that there are probably things that aren't being said, then you should speak with the teacher and clarify this issue. From our experience, frequently difficulties in sensory regulation appear together with ADHD or learning difficulties, but they do not necessarily go together. If there are things that you feel are likely to develop in the future into difficulties or disabilities and you have the feeling that your daughter isn't succeeding to take advantage of her abilities, then it's advisable to follow after these things and accordingly to seek consultation. This can be done at The Nitzan Association. We offer assessment and treatment beginning with first grade.
	My daughter is entering 1st grade next year. She began treatment with a speech therapist as a result of problems with language and word retrieval. The therapist recommended an evaluation for ADHD. I'd be glad to receive information on this topic.
We recommend for you to inquire through your health clinic about the Child Development Center. It's important for you to have a detailed letter from the speech therapist describing your daughter's difficulties. If additional professionals treated the child in the past, then you should bring these treatment/diagnosis summaries.
	Is ADHD recognizable in 1 ½-year-old infants? Is it diagnosable at this age? My 1 ½ year old son is very frenetic and has trouble performing tasks that require patience and attention, like those which are appropriate for his age and are done by the other children at his nursery school. He is quickly discouraged from performing tasks; he can't sit still and prefers to run from place to place all of the time. Also in front of television and movies for his age, his attention is very low and he can sit for only five minutes. He enjoys, for example, putting together Lego with big pieces, but after three minutes he loses patience and interest, throws the pieces and runs to find other challenges. When this is in the presence of other children, his boredom causes him to come very quickly to hit other children, or he cries, or climbs on something. He never sits on me or on his father quietly. He's always moving and running. Since he was a few weeks old, he would whine and demand that we take him in our hands from place to place and that we not leave him with ordinary toys on a blanket or in his bed. He never enjoyed lying in his cradle and looking at the mobile for more than a minute, but rather demanded my attention. He doesn't rest for a moment. It's difficult for him to calm down before going to sleep and there are a lot of struggles around bedtime. We are worried that we'll run into these issues in a more serious way when he starts going to school. What should we do?
In recent years a body of knowledge has built up which points to the presence of ADHD even in infancy. In this age, the treatment is mainly environmental and focuses on training the parents and the preschool staff. Today in Israel, there are a number of unique clinics for treatment in early childhood, and we suggest contacting a clinic like this in your area of residence. Treatment in early childhood can prevent more serious problems in children and adolescents.
	Approximately, a week and a half ago, the preschool teacher informed me that according to her opinion my son suffers from ADHD and I should go to a neurologist. Understandably, this was very difficult for me because I know for myself that there's a problem but it was hard for me to put my finger on it. The child is very intelligent, smart, and loves to talk, maybe too much. He has "ants in his pants", he's naughty but charming, loving, and heartfelt. Of course, since then I gather information and I decided previously to seek a doctor for development and in addition we began giving him a natural supplement. Today, I decided to take him for an evaluation and I wanted to know if it's worthwhile? What do you suggest for me?
When a suspicion of ADHD arouses, one should diagnose and treat as soon as possible. It's important to note that the element of parent training is no less important from any other recommended treatment. We recommend for you to read about ADHD on our website in order to learn about the symptoms and to understand their meanings. Your consultation with a doctor of child development is certainly correct and in consultation with him, you should consider treatment and intervention methods. At The Nitzan Association, we conduct evaluations beginning with 1st grade.
	I have a son who is 1 year and 10 months old. He doesn't like to sit. He is a happy child who is always running, dancing, and singing. He has a good vocabulary for his age, but when can I reveal learning or attention difficulties? Does his lack of patience to sit and draw or play while sitting suggest something? He can occupy himself alone for a long time but he throws the toys more than playing with them. He doesn't sit down to draw or put puzzles together for his age. Also, when I sit with him, he is more interested in dancing and watching tapes of singing. Does this suggest ADHD or is this normal for his age?
From you description, it seems that your son's behavior at his young age is normal. If these behaviors, like difficulty sitting for periods of time (i.e. 15 minutes at 3 years old), avoiding tasks like drawing, cutting, gluing, etc.(3 ½ years old), then you can consult with the preschool teacher and hear from her at she sees the things. In any case, you can always consult with a child development clinic about these issues.
	My oldest child is 3 ½ years old, has "ants in her pants", and is very hyper. This is her first year in a public preschool. She's a very bright girl with an amazing feeling for words, she's quite intelligent, and she learns well. In preschool, the teacher told me that she has very nice and developed visual perception for her age. Where can I do for her evaluations at this age and, most important, free of charge?
From our experience, many children who are very active with "ants in their pants" are very intelligent, talented, and emotional. What's more, you describe your daughter as intelligent with good visual perception, well developed for her age. If you are still bothered, you can seek a child development clinic close to your place of residence. At this age, if needed, an evaluation can be done free of charge through the child development clinics of the Ministry of Health.
	My daughter is 4.5 years old. She's red-haired, looks older than her age, and is developed ahead of her age by a couple of years. She isn't diagnosed with ADHD. At home everything runs normally and she's a wonderful child, neat, with good habits and I wouldn't define her as different in her behavior than other children, except that she has more energy since she's red-haired and temperamental. At home she can sit with me for an hour and work in her workbook and alone on the computer for a long time! The main problem with her is at preschool. There, the teacher claims that it's very difficult for her to sit and she needs incentives and "prizes" in order to sit! Her height and level bring her to want to be in the role of the one in charge and only this works; therefore, the teacher always chooses here to be the head of the group. In light of these facts, is it possible to think that she may have a problem with ADHD? Could her temperament be the source of her lack of ability to sit for a long period of time? (I am also very active and temperamental).
From our experience, when there are problems with ADHD, they are prevalent in different areas of life and in different settings in which the child is found. The ability to work alone in front of a computer for a long time is not a sign that there isn't a problem with ADHD. One-on-one activity as you describe that takes place at home isn't similar to group activities where your daughter is one of a group of children at the preschool. Definitely, it's likely that your daughter is lively and especially temperamental due to the fact that you describe yourself as such. However, if as a result of such difficulties are created that allow her to behave and integrate as excepted from all other children, you should seek out consultation and the Child Development Clinic in your area of residence, or through the preschool psychologist at the Educational Psychology Services Clinic. In any case, you should learn how to direct the energy and liveliness to productive channels according to your daughter's areas of interest and talents in order to take advantage of them as a source for optimal functioning.