Guest helenrose Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 My 3rd grader has big problems with her "working memory". We have had her in a public school up until now. Is there any good curriculum for working memory issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Look up Interactive Metronome Auditory sequential working memory workbook Linguisystems which sells the executive function training workbooks And of course there are vendors with decks of digit span cards. PACE (Learning RX) will also work on it. You can do metronome work at home using an app and add in digit spans, sort of homemade IM... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geodob Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 We actually have a Visual working memory, a Spatial working memory, and an Auditory working memory. Which work in combination with each other. So for problems with working memory, it is important to recognize which one or ones are the real problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 We actually have a Visual working memory, a Spatial working memory, and an Auditory working memory. Which work in combination with each other. So for problems with working memory, it is important to recognize which one or ones are the real problem? How do you determine which memory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herekittykitty Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Have you looked at "The Mislabled Child" by the Eides? They have some information about working memory and activities to do. The old versions of the "Simon" game are great for visual working memory. There are several Ipad apps like it, but my son prefers the hand held game. I stumbled across one at a thrift store. The book also recommends doing some basic digit span exercises - give your child a series of digits orally and have them repeat back. Start small so they have some success, then add digits as they can handle them. HTH a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizatola Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've heard some therapists recommend Simon and the new game BopIt. I think Simon is a fun game, I wonder if we could find it somewhere today other than a thrift store. I have to admit that I don't shop the toy stores or aisles anymore, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 You can get a pocket keychain version of Simon at Wal-Mart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 My child has very poor visual sequencing memory - though all other visual perception areas were high. (Cerebellum aids in sequencing, so no surprise here.) Simon was a poor option for this child, though, as child is very muscial and child diverted to auditory not visual aspect of the game. As geodob pointed out, it is important to know what type of memory work child needs. If an activity or game seems too easy for the child, it probably isn't working what needs working. Many games work more than one type of memory at once and it is easy for us to rely on our strengths and not on our weaknesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Working memory is always a pandora's box question. She asked, and there are simple answers. Then she's going to do it and realize her kid has sensory distracting her during the working memory exercises. Then she's going to realize she has developmental vision problems holding back her visual memory. Then she's going to realize her kid has been using a weak auditory working memory to hold up for an even weaker visual working memory. Then she's going to realize the dc's overall EF was more problematic than the working memory and that the dc has bilaterality issues. It just goes on and on. You can't give someone answers. They have to walk down all the paths and learn for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Working memory is always a pandora's box question. She asked, and there are simple answers. Then she's going to do it and realize her kid has sensory distracting her during the working memory exercises. Then she's going to realize she has developmental vision problems holding back her visual memory. Then she's going to realize her kid has been using a weak auditory working memory to hold up for an even weaker visual working memory. Then she's going to realize the dc's overall EF was more problematic than the working memory and that the dc has bilaterality issues. It just goes on and on. You can't give someone answers. They have to walk down all the paths and learn for themselves. This would probably be funny if it weren't so insanely true. Really. I laughed, then wept at the bitter truth in your comment. As our therapists keep saying, "It is like peeling back the layers of an onion... When you get to the core, you realize you weren't even holding an onion." As a side note - I know my DH keeps telling me that I now "see" my son's diagnosis in every child. Not entirely true. But - yeah. Your own experience opens your eyes and makes you see things in a much different light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 How do you determine which memory? Heather, you can test the visual and auditory separately with digit spans. When the psych does it, they also do the recall backwards, showing not just the actual digit span but how hard it is for them to process it. Spatial I don't know a flying fig about. Nose memory (olfactory? fancier name?), now there's something interesting to ponder. But that's long-term, not short term unless we're dogs or sniffers for NASA like on tv, hehe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Working memory is always a pandora's box question. She asked, and there are simple answers. Then she's going to do it and realize her kid has sensory distracting her during the working memory exercises. Then she's going to realize she has developmental vision problems holding back her visual memory. Then she's going to realize her kid has been using a weak auditory working memory to hold up for an even weaker visual working memory. Then she's going to realize the dc's overall EF was more problematic than the working memory and that the dc has bilaterality issues. It just goes on and on. I've been following because my son has (relatively) weak working memory. I am looking at your onion example, and I'm wondering what is the general idea behind bilaterality issues. We have sensory going on (Aspie/PDD-NOS), we have an appt. for covd testing for strabismus (can't cross his eyes). He will have an auditory processing screening soon. He does seem to have relative lack of coordination on one side (very mild), but other than knowing it could indicate a problem, we don't know much about it. Does an OT diagnose or work with that? The OT is on the list of people to see. (And yes, I hear you about a full neuropsych workup, but the one that our pediatrician recommended retired, and we had some really good first-hand recommendations for our current psychologist. She has been a tremendously good fit for us.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I've been following because my son has (relatively) weak working memory. I am looking at your onion example, and I'm wondering what is the general idea behind bilaterality issues. We have sensory going on (Aspie/PDD-NOS), we have an appt. for covd testing for strabismus (can't cross his eyes). He will have an auditory processing screening soon. He does seem to have relative lack of coordination on one side (very mild), but other than knowing it could indicate a problem, we don't know much about it. Does an OT diagnose or work with that? The OT is on the list of people to see. (And yes, I hear you about a full neuropsych workup, but the one that our pediatrician recommended retired, and we had some really good first-hand recommendations for our current psychologist. She has been a tremendously good fit for us.) Occupational therapist can diagnosis and work with bilateral coordination issues. We do a lot of standing cross crawls, "patty cake" type hand movements, jumping jacks, etc. Things that you either have to cross the midline for or have to use both hands (and/or legs) together. If you google "bilateral coordination therapy" you can pull up tons of activities. Bilateral issues can be tied in to the vestibular system, which is part of your sensory integeration. Re: Strabismus - our son ended up having surgery for that at age six. We tried to avoid surgery for nearly two years before we went down that path, still regret not having the surgery earlier as it was such an improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I've been following because my son has (relatively) weak working memory. I am looking at your onion example, and I'm wondering what is the general idea behind bilaterality issues. We have sensory going on (Aspie/PDD-NOS), we have an appt. for covd testing for strabismus (can't cross his eyes). He will have an auditory processing screening soon. He does seem to have relative lack of coordination on one side (very mild), but other than knowing it could indicate a problem, we don't know much about it. Does an OT diagnose or work with that? The OT is on the list of people to see. (And yes, I hear you about a full neuropsych workup, but the one that our pediatrician recommended retired, and we had some really good first-hand recommendations for our current psychologist. She has been a tremendously good fit for us.) Button, I don't think anyone is trying to say a psych isn't good enough if it's not a neuropsych, kwim? Sounds like you're pursuing a lot of great stuff! You can't work on everything at once. You'll just burn out (yourselves, your kid, and your finances!) if you try. Sounds like your psych is helping you figure out what's most important to work on first. It was our COVD doc who referred us for OT after they did some screening. On the COVD doc, just make sure you got a really good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thanks for the clarifications! Our son does have sensory issues, and we do some homemade therapy for now, but nothing bilateral. I am really hoping an OT can help us refine that and get more mileage. His bilateral issues are quite subtle, but you can see it easily when he swims. At first he always swam with a "Nemo fin," but now it's mostly a fatigue problem. GoVanGogh, we think our son's strabismus is very minor, but we'll keep our options open. From what I can piece together, the kind of strabismus that keeps him from crossing his eyes responds to vision therapy (apparently it's a cause of convergence insufficiency?). The eye that is affected will not cross when both eyes are open, but it will cross if the good eye is covered. At any rate, it doesn't seem to interfere with reading--his reading is wonderful, and he reads like books are about to disappear forever. OhElizabeth, I know that many people don't think particularly highly of doing evals piecemeal. I appreciate your pointing out reasons why this approach has it's benefits! Our COVD doc comes highly recommended from another family, and she appears to have great credentials. If she does not pan out, our psych has one that comes highly recommended from her clients (much farther from our house). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I found this cheaper but similar version of IM for iPhones and iPads: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/measuring-metronome/id676748179?mt=8 It is not as fancy but does the same thing Ok, since all your posts say the same thing, are you the developer of the app? If you are, might be more in your interest to just give us the app for free on the boards here for a day and let people try it. Then you'd have some reviews. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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