Executive Dysfunction Help

[vernap]

My son was diagnosed with problems with executive functioning this summer. Does anyone have any specific suggestions for curriculum or suppliers that would be of benefit?
TIA!

[MomofC&A]

Both of my dc were diagnosed with those same delays. The neuropsych recommended this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Executive-Skills-Children-Adolescents-Intervention/dp/1572309288/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228332175&sr=8-1

I cannot say how helpful it actually is as I have not read it yet. I would be interested in any info that anyone else can contribute. I have a stack of books to read for both of my kids and their issues and it will take a while to get through them all!

[Laurie4b]

There is a software program called Brainware Safari that works on numerous cognitive skills including working memory, other types of memory, and 5 specific attention skills. I've seen a difference in my son since he's started using it. The program is challenging enough for an adult, but there are levels that you work through from easy to difficult. The graphics are very appealing to kids. My ds is 12 and really likes it.

There is some research out supporting the possibility that a person's general working memory capacity can be improved through this type of training. There is certainly research supporting that practicing with specific tasks improves working memory for those tasks.

[EKS]

Laurie4b--
How long does your son spend on Brainware Safari each day?
Thanks!

[Laurie4b]

I used to just send him to work on it and not monitor him. Then I read he should be spending about 20-30 min per day, so now I hang around with him, and am his cheerleader. What is exciting to me is to see how he's improving on the tasks in the program (gives a lot of hope!) AND I think I'm seeing better concentration in school, and he seems to be having an easier time in math. He can now do several exercises in Brainware that I canNOT! (I play on the practice mode so I don't affect his score.)

[LizzyBee]

Two of my kids are using Brainware Safari. I can't say I've seen a difference in my 12 yo, but my 7 yo is suddenly making a lot of progress in her schoolwork. We've made so many changes (Earobics, Brainware Safari, started OT, changed phonics curriculum) that it's hard to say exactly what is causing the sudden leap in development, but I do think Brainware Safari is playing a significant role.

[cillakat]

There is a software program called Brainware Safari that works on numerous cognitive skills including working memory, other types of memory, and 5 specific attention skills. I've seen a difference in my son since he's started using it.

my 9.5 yo is also doing brainware safari....we are also seeing improvements since she started it. I'll toss out though that this has been a year of improvements overall and that we were seeing huge academic leaps even before starting brainware safari.

I guess what I specifically see now is increased mental endurance - for lack of a better term. Her ability to stick with a difficult topic and give it significant mental effort has definitely increased.


K

[cillakat]

I think I'm seeing better concentration in school, and he seems to be having an easier time in math.


Yup, that's what we're seeing too. Specifically word problems and multistep problems. There has definitely been a change in her working memory (for the better;p) even if one only looks at performance in Brainware.

K

[LizzyBee]

Yup, that's what we're seeing too. Specifically word problems and multistep problems. There has definitely been a change in her working memory (for the better;p) even if one only looks at performance in Brainware.

K

My 12 yo has been taking a break from BWS (new acronym :001_smile: ) but I'm planning to get her back on it next week. I'd love to see some improvements in math; she has been so frustrated with math lately. And multistep problems are the worst. By the time she finishes the first step, she forgets the rest of the problem and thinks she's done.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

it's currently 80% off retail.

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/brainware-safari/

hth,
K

[Laurie4b]

One thing the support people told me re: BWS is that as much as possible, a child should progress pretty evenly on the exercises. I didn't know that and ds had aced some of them and not attempted others. I started seeing the improvement when I started monitoring and got him to try the ones he was low on. Right now, cheerleading is enough, but I'll bribe if necessary. It's been interesting seeing which skills he has down and which are tripping him up. (The people at BWS have a nice chart they will email you of the various cognitive skills and which exercises use which. That has been a key piece of information for me!) Ds, for instance, finished Turtle Recall, which majors on longterm memory, in a flash. He's having the most trouble on the ones requiring working memory, timing, and sequence. Interestingly, based on his neuropsych's findings that he had trouble in areas of visual processing, his visual is ahead of his auditory on BWS. I cannot BELIEVE what he can do in some of the exercises. He just passed Jaguar Flash (7th level---this was one of those he had flown ahead in) and they flash 8 sets of 4 letters each on the screen for 1 sec (maybe 2?) You have to identify the one set that is wrong. I can do it about half the time because I could take in about half of what's on the screen at a time. There is NO time to glance around. Anyway, I've decided to order this for the rest of my kids, even the typical learners, because it looks like it really has potential to build underlying cognitive skills. I saw that Homeschool Buyer's Coop has again extended the time to purchase.

[jacqui in mo]

Anyway, I've decided to order this for the rest of my kids, even the typical learners, because it looks like it really has potential to build underlying cognitive skills.
Do you have to buy separate programs for each child?

[MomofC&A]

I was interested in this program especially for ds 9 who has the working memory deficits, slow processing speed, lots of visual processing deficits, etc. Is this considered remedial or just where does it fit in? I guess I mean where in the therapy hierarchy does it fit in and when is the best time to use it? He is doing a home VT program where he is making good progress but the dr. says he will be at it for a while (NVLD, ADHD) longer. She mentioned several things at the last appt and I think she might have mentioned Brainware?? Does that sound right? Thanks! I am so glad it is still on sale!

[Laurie4b]

You have to have a separate license for each user, so in essence, yes. Still, right now at Homeschool Buyer's Co-op, it's $49 per user, which compared to tutoring, OT, VT, neuropsych's or even the co-pay at your doctor, is a pretty good deal!

[Laurie4b]

My son has all the issues you listed in your first sentence. He is making good progress.
Brainware is "cognitive skills development."

It has been stated on this board that one needs to work on sensory processing issues first, and that might be true. With VT, though, I'm not so sure. I had the experience of our VT, who is a FELLOW with covd telling me that her testing didn't correlate with symptoms: that some kids with no symptoms showed signifcant problems in the occular motor, etc. testing and kids who showed signs IRL of having occularmotor problems, etc. don't have it show up on testing.

So whatever they do for testing, it's not necessarily correlated with the actual problems or lack thereof.

Brainware Safari is still $49 through Homeschool Buyers' Co-op. Don't know when that deal will be over. Buying it anywhere else is $349. (HBC gets a large group discount, as if they were a large school district, through the combined buying power of so many homeschoolers.)

[klmama]

it's currently 80% off retail.

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/brainware-safari/

hth,
K

Wow. This sounds interesting! Is this the program, though, that doesn't allow a child to go back to redo sections he has mastered previously, just for fun? Or, was that something else? Anyone remember?

[cillakat]

Wow. This sounds interesting! Is this the program, though, that doesn't allow a child to go back to redo sections he has mastered previously, just for fun? Or, was that something else? Anyone remember?

I don't know.....they may be able to go back and 'practice'. Laurie?

K

[Michelle T]

There is a software program called Brainware Safari that works on numerous cognitive skills including working memory, other types of memory, and 5 specific attention skills. I've seen a difference in my son since he's started using it. The program is challenging enough for an adult, but there are levels that you work through from easy to difficult. The graphics are very appealing to kids. My ds is 12 and really likes it.

There is some research out supporting the possibility that a person's general working memory capacity can be improved through this type of training. There is certainly research supporting that practicing with specific tasks improves working memory for those tasks.

My DS is 12.5, and while he is not flat-out disobediant or defiant, he is definitely resistant to anything he finds "boring", "stupid" or "for little kids". He has raging ADHD, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia. I'd say his overall developmental level is probably around nine years old, roughly a 4th grade level.

I'm interested in a cognitive program for him, but I don't think I could deal with a daily battle to get him to do the program.
Michelle T

[Laurie4b]

My ds12 is fairly resistant. This program is not boring or stupid. My ds 12 thinks the graphics are funny (they occur between the actual cognitive stuff. You choose an animal. Ds chose the bear. The bear starts out in diapers, then as you progress in levels, it grows up, playing soccer, graduating from high school, etc.) The actual activities are challenging, not boring. What I do is stay with ds when he's doing them, cheerlead, etc. For our vision therapy activities, which are, frankly, boring and tedious, I pay ds. I know that sounds awful, but I figure that for him, it is really hard, the most "work" he has to do all day, and worth a small wage. I pay a nickel a minute for real effort. Sometimes I offer higher amounts for passing something. If I needed to, I'd do this same thing with Brainware, but I haven't needed to.

[Laurie4b]

No. Once they've passed, they cannot reaccess that level. Once they've passed the activity, they can't reaccess it. However, the people at Brainware are really nice. THEY can set your child a level back. (I had to ask them to do that for my ds because he went racing through the two activities that don't require mastery before they bump you up a level: Llama Logic and Ancient Wisdom (or something like that). Those two are basically logic type activities, but use some of the other stuff you're learning. I wanted to see ds tackle those tasks, and so she set him back to zero. I only let him try one per day now, after he's done his others stuff.

[cillakat]

I don't think you'd have a daily battle. My kids beg to do it. Sometimes there is frustration and upset while doing it but there is something a about it that keeps them going.


dd9.5 had a terrible time (tears, upset) with the mazes when she got to the level at which the maze disappears.....but she kept slogging through and conquered it.

K

[vernap]

Thanks everyone on the replies and the link for the co-op. I just ordered BWS for my son!
Verna

[BMW]

How can you order this if you're not a member of the co-op? In the terms and conditions it says that they verify your membership by comparing your email addy... I am not a member of anything! Thanks, this looks very interesting!

Bee

[LizzyBee]

There is no cost to join the co-op.

[BMW]

I have windows vista... is this compatable??

Thanks,
Bee

[LizzyBee]

Sorry, I don't know. I have xp. I'll bump this up and hopefully someone else will know.

[BMW]

I emailed the company and they said it will work fine.

[cillakat]

How can you order this if you're not a member of the co-op? In the terms and conditions it says that they verify your membership by comparing your email addy... I am not a member of anything! Thanks, this looks very interesting!

Bee


just join. it's as easy and free as signing up to post on this website;)

K