Learning Disabilities…Is There Hope?

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Air Date: January 06, 2014

Host: Jim Schneider

Guest: Steve Shapiro

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Jim began this edition of Crosstalk with two updates:

As noted on the January 3rd edition of the program, 13 year old Jahi McMath, underwent tonsil surgery and other procedures on December 9th at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California, in order to treat sleep apnea. After suffering complications she went into cardiac arrest and was placed on a ventilator. On the 11th, doctors diagnosed her as legally brain dead. The family asked to keep her on the ventilator but the hospital wanted it removed. Due in part to calls from Crosstalk listeners, the hospital has agreed to allow a team to transfer Jahi to another facility.

On December 20th, U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled that Utah’s ban on homosexual marriage violates the constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples. Since that time more than 900 gay and lesbian couples have entered into so-called same-sex marriage. This morning the U.S. Supreme Court put same-sex marriage on hold in Utah while a federal appeals court more fully considers the issue.

Steve Shapiro holds a Masters Degree in Special Education and an Undergraduate Degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Kansas. After graduating in 1975, Steve taught for several years in a private school coordinating special education services and needs. In 1979 he moved to Oklahoma with a desire to expand his knowledge in order to help students struggling with Dyslexia, learning disabilities and reading problems. It was during this time Steve met an optometrist specializing in children with learning and reading difficulties and began using a unique developmental training program. He formed a center for the purpose of effectively helping students overcome learning and reading disabilities. This center later became ‘The Learning Connection’ and is based in Colorado Springs. He has two books, ‘The Learning Connection’ and ‘Falling Through the Cracks.’

20-30% of school age children today suffer from some kind of learning disability. In the realm of such disabilities there’s the short attention span problems associated with Attention Deficit Disorder to the backward letter or number writing of Dyslexia to the various behavioral characteristics caused by Autism.

What’s exciting about Steve’s approach to this problem is that he’s discovered that these difficulties do not always neatly fit the brain disorder categories medical science has given them. He’s found that certain symptoms can be signs of visual challenges that can be overcome. In fact, Steve has found that even adults can benefit from his vision processing program, a system that does not require the use of Ritalin or other drugs.


More Information

The Learning Connection
www.thelearningconnection.org
Phone: 719-495-3400

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