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Unfortunately,
it is estimated that the upper two-thirds of the US population
are deficient in vitamin D. We used to get most of our vitamin
D from sunlight. Today, many of us work inside buildings.
We wear sun block and drive everywhere instead of walking.
Any window or sunscreen lotion with an SPF above 15 will
block the UVB rays necessary for vitamin D conversion.
Vitamin
D appears to interact with virtually every tissue in the
body. For example, many cancers seem to increase the farther
you get from the equator. Recent studies indicate that vitamin
D can act as a ‘brake’ on cell growth, preventing
uncontrolled cell division. Similarly, low vitamin D levels
are associated with the incidence of autoimmune diseases
such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and diabetes
Unfortunately,
most foods contain very little vitamin D. Milk, fortified
OJ, and some breads and cereals are fortified with only
trace amounts of vitamin D. The best food sources of vitamin
D are wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, cod liver oil
and liver. The best way to increase your vitamin D is by
taking a vitamin D supplement.
So how
much vitamin D do I need to take? The average multivitamin
provides only 400 IU of vitamin D. For those of us in the
Pacific Northwest, studies have shown that we need substantially
more than 2000 IU/day of vitamin D. Adding a supplement
of vitamin D may be a great way to support your good health.
For
more information contact:
Brooke Douglas | Registered Dietitian | Nutrition Authority
Phone 253.227.8284 | Fax 206.350.2612
brooke@nutritionauthority.com
| www.nutritionauthority.com
Children
having trouble in school?
Consider a learning disability as the reason.
Recognizing learning disabilities in children.
Parents are often worried that their child has learning
problems in school, but many are not sure how to be certain. Detecting
learning disabilities can be tricky, but here are some helpful
facts and things you should know in order to assess a learning
disability.
Learning disabilities affect
at least 1 in 10 schoolchildren. A learning disability is
a condition that produces a gap between someone's ability
and his or her performance. Children with learning disabilities
usually have a normal range of intelligence. They try
very hard to follow instructions, concentrate, and "be
good" at home and in school. Yet, despite this
effort, he or she is not accomplishing school tasks and
falls behind. It is believed that learning disabilities
are caused by a difficulty with the nervous system that
affects receiving, processing, or communicating information.
They may also be genetic.
Some children with learning
disabilities are also hyperactive; unable to sit still,
easily distracted, and have a short attention span. Another
name for this disorder is called attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). This disorder is found in children who
have trouble paying attention. They may be much more active
and/or impulsive than what is usual for their age. Aside
from contributing to learning difficulties ADHD contributes
to significant problems in relationships and behavior. Common
symptoms include not being able to play quietly, blurting
out answers, interrupting people, and not being able to
sit still.
Parents should be aware of
the most frequent signals of learning 
disabilities, when a child has difficulty understanding
and following instructions or has trouble remembering what
someone just told him or her. They may find it difficult
to read, spell, and/or write. They may also have a hard
time distinguishing right from left and reverse letters,
words, or numbers. If a child easily loses or misplaces
homework, schoolbooks, or other items the child may be suffering
from a learning disability.
“It is very important
for a parent to be supportive and contact the school or
teacher to seek help,” states Dianne Matthaei, the
owner of Lighthouse Learning in Tacoma.
Dyslexia, which means ‘trouble
with language and words,’ is the most common learning
disability among children. Dyslexia, also called specific
reading disability, is impairment in your brain's ability
to translate written images received from your eyes into
meaningful language. It often happens to children with normal
vision and normal intelligence. Children with dyslexia usually
have normal speech, but often have difficulty interpreting
spoken language and writing. Dyslexia can be difficult to
recognize, but some early signs may indicate a problem.
If your young child begins talking late, adds new words
slowly and has difficulty rhyming, he or she may be at increased
risk of dyslexia. The most common symptoms of dyslexia include
problems processing and understanding what they hear. They
may have difficulty comprehending  rapid
instructions, following more than one command at a time
or remembering the sequence of things. They often spell
things in reverse order and read from right to left.
Dianne Matthaei pointed out
that, “Dyslexia doesn’t mean that a child won’t
learn to read or write. It just means that a child will
have to go about learning to read or write a different way.”
Child and adolescent psychiatrists point out that learning
disabilities are treatable, yet if not detected and treated
early, learning disabilities may lead to low self-esteem,
behavioral problems, delinquency, aggression, and withdrawal
or alienation from friends, parents and teachers. They can
experience a tragic "snowballing" effect. For
instance, a child who does not learn addition in elementary
school cannot understand algebra in high school. Out
of frustration children often give up and drop out later
in school.
If treated, learning disabilities
can be conquered. If your child's reading achievement levels
fall below what's expected for his or her age, or if you
notice other signs or symptoms of a learning disability
talk to your child’s teacher. A teacher may suggest
that your child be scheduled for a physical exam to look
for any signs of neurological problems, gather enough history
to screen for psychological issues, and screen for vision
and hearing issues. If no problem is apparent, then an evaluation
for specific learning disorders is usually done. A teacher
may also refer you to a psychologist or educational therapist
who can offer an educational evaluation which includes an
intelligence test, if they want an assessment for an attention
disorder, or if they are concerned about emotional or behavioral
issues.
“An educational therapist
is a professional who combines educational and therapeutic
approaches for evaluation, remediation, case management,
and communication/advocacy on behalf of children, adolescents,
and adults with learning disabilities or learning problems,”
explains Dianne Matthaei. An educational evaluation by an
educational therapist asks the questions, “How does
this individual learn? What is his learning profile, including
learning strengths and weaknesses? Why is the individual
experiencing learning difficulties? Does the individual
have a learning disorder? How can the individual deal effectively
with his learning issues? How can the client develop academic
competence as efficiently as possible?” An educational
assessment generally begins with an intake interview with
the client and family, several hours of testing, and a conference
to share the results and recommendations. An educational
assessment generally involves an intake interview with the
client and family, several hours of testing, and a conference
to share the results and recommendations. A written document
accompanies the testing explanation. You may also qualify
for this evaluation through your public school.
After an educational evaluation,
an educational therapist discusses the findings with the client
and her family. Educational therapists offer individualized
intensive instruction to meet the client’s learning
goals. This one-on-one instruction is designed to increase
fundamental skills and to empower the students to take control
of their learning. Educational therapists can help a
second grader with dyslexia learn to read, or seventh grader
with attention problems learn to organize his work, or a tenth
grade with visual-spatial processing problems pass her geometry
class. An educational therapist can walk beside a family to
help them make academic and school decisions and to promote
collaboration between specialists and the school.
For more info contact:
Dianne Matthaei, Lighthouse Learning
253-779-5032
dmatthaei@arkinst.org
The ARK Institute of Learning
253-573-02ll
www.arkinst.org
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Happy Holidays!
We
wish you and your family the happiest of holidays.
If you,
a relative or an out-of-town guest becomes ill this season,
our holiday hours will be:
Hartland/Puyallup
& Bonney Lake
Sound Same-Day Clinic Holiday Schedule
Holiday Schedule
Christmas Eve 7:30 am – Noon
Closed Christmas Day
New Years Eve 7:30 am – Noon
Closed New Year’s Day
Bonney
Lake SDC – Regular Hours
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Hartland
SDC – Regular Hours
Monday - Thursday 7:30 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
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