In It: Raising Kids Who Learn Differently

Special education teacher and technology specialist Shira Moskovitz discusses assistive technology (AT) and its benefits for kids who learn and think differently. She covers different types of AT, how they work, and how to determine if they're right for your child. Topics include personal experiences, overcoming stigma and cost, and the importance of self-advocacy.

While the holiday season can be exciting, it can also stimulate the senses in a way that makes it less fun for some kids. For kids with sensory processing challenges, the holidays can be overwhelming.In this episode, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome returning guest Keri Wilmot. Keri, a pediatric occupational therapist, shares some of the ways the holidays can bring on sensory overload. From costumes to new foods and more, Keri has strategies to help you and your child enjoy the holidays.To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.Related resources How to make a sensory travel kit for your childPicky eating: Why it happens and how to helpSensory processing challenges fact sheet Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Bonus episode! Introducing Understood’s newest podcast: What Now? A Parent’s Guide. Tune in for a peek at Season 1, which is all about tantrums and meltdowns. Listen to host Dr. Andrew Kahn as he shares practical tips on how to project calm, even when you don’t feel it.  Get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes from What Now? A Parent’s Guide at u.org/podcasts.  We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.  Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about In It and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Why do some kids bully others? And why do some kids seem to be targets of bullying, time and time again?  In this episode, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek talk with parenting coach Caroline Maguire, author of Why Will No One Play with Me?: The Play Better Plan to Help Children of All Ages Make Friends and Thrive. She specializes in social-emotional learning and raising kids with ADHD.  Tune in to learn about both sides of bullying, and what families can do to help. Plus, hear Caroline share her own story of being bullied, and how that experience shapes her work.  To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.Related resources Bullying, learning differences, and how to helpWhat to do when your child is the bully StopBullying.govPlus, check out Caroline’s book, Why Will No One Play With Me?  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Why do kids sometimes refuse to go to school? And what can families do about it, both in the moment and to help avoid it in the future?In this episode, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek hear from Erin, a returning guest whose family has struggled with school refusal challenges for years.  The hosts also talk with psychologist and Understood expert Dr. Andrew Kahn, who shares some of the reasons that could be behind a child’s school refusal. He also offers tips and strategies for turning the situation around. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org. Related resources Download: Find out why your child doesn’t like going to schoolSelf-care for kids: 6 ways to self-regulateListen to Erin’s first conversation on In It, about her son’s school refusal journey. Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

For many families, the new school year brings a real mixed bag of emotions. There’s the excitement of a fresh start combined with jitters about all of the unknowns. For families of kids who learn and think differently, there may be IEPs or 504 plans, and new teachers to connect with about all these things. It’s a lot to think about — and to navigate.In this episode, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek talk with returning guest DeJunne’ Clark Jackson, an education consultant and parent advocate. She’s also a mom of two kids, one with an IEP. Tune in for back-to-school strategies that have worked well for DeJunne’ and her family. Find out how she sets goals with both of her kids, keeping in mind their strengths and challenges.To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.Related resources Download: Back-to-school update for families to give to teachersDownload: Goals calendar for kids who struggle with planningMy kids have different strengths and challenges. Here’s how I set goals with them.Hear more from DeJunne’ in this episode about parent-teacher conferences from last season Get back-to-school tips from executive function coach Brendan Mahan in this episode about building executive function skills   Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Join us for Season 5 of In It, a podcast about the ins and outs — and ups and downs — of supporting kids who learn and think differently. Hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek will continue to bring stories, tips, and advice from families and experts. They’ll cover topics from ADHD and puberty to helpful tech for kids. Season 5 starts Thursday, September 7. Subscribe now!  We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.    Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Bonus episode! Learn five common myths about special education that can keep kids of color from getting the support they deserve. In this episode from Understood’s The Opportunity Gap, host Julian Saavedra talks with Christina Gutierrez, a former educator and the mom of a child with an IEP. Find out which of the five myths “gets under her skin” the most — and which one crept into her own thinking when her son was struggling.Get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes from The Opportunity Gap and more episodes from In It. Related resources Common myths about special educationWhat to do when people don’t believe your child has a learning or thinking differenceHow to get past parenting guilt Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Bonus episode! This time on In It, learn about ADHD and eating disorders in this episode from Understood’s ADHD Aha! podcast. Host Laura Key talks with Dr. Roberto Olivardia about why ADHD and binge-eating disorder (BED) often co-occur. Learn how ADHD symptoms like impulsivity play a role in disordered eating. Plus, find out about treatment options and what to do if you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder and needs support.  Get a transcript of this show and check out more ADHD Aha! episodes at u.org/ADHDaha.  We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.  Related resourcesFind support at The National Eating Disorders Association.And learn more about:ADHD and eating disordersADHD and depression Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

In this bonus episode, Rachel Bozek, Gretchen Vierstra, and a few of their Understood colleagues share summer reading recommendations. Learn about books that embrace differences for readers of all ages. Plus, get tips on how to make summer reading fun for kids.   To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at init@understood.org.  Related resources Summer reading reimagined: How to help all kids enjoy reading9 books that explore and embrace difference Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give