Publications
Articles
Published May 19, on bustle.com. Jenny Hollander explains Dyspraxia, a.k.a. Developmental Coordination Disorder. Many clumsy folks have underlying sensory issues that affect how they respond to sensations of touch and movement. Read more
Published in ADDitude: Strategies and Support for ADHD & LD, Winter 2016.
Put sensory problems to rest with these quick “tuneups” that can help kids with ADHD and SPD regroup after becoming overloaded.
Published May 31, on Boston Parents’ Paper
At recess, Emma, 9, refuses to participate in jump-rope or four-square games. Emma is over-responsive to movement sensations, which terrify her. She tells her friends, “I’m no good at that.”
At the front door, Aiden, 10, waits for his mother to tie his shoelaces. He has dyspraxia, and sequencing the actions to dress himself is still hard. “Today, you try it!” she says hopefully. He scowls and growls, “No, not today.”
Published May 24, on Mother.ly
Envision two unique babies. Benjy has been on the go since Day 1. Constantly active, frequently fretful, easily startled, and a fitful sleeper, he sure keeps his parents on their toes. Speaking of toes, he skipped crawling and walked on tiptoes at nine months! Mom and Dad are exhausted—but that’s just how it is with an infant, they guess.
Valerie’s parents appreciate her peaceful nature. She goes to anyone, naps often, sleeps all night, and is content being moved from car to grocery cart to stroller to house, strapped in her baby seat. Her parents notice that she’s uninterested in watching it snow or grasping a rattle, but she does seem entranced with the laptop’s screensaver beside her on the kitchen counter.
Two very different tots—one underlying disorder.
Published March 31 in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
During Carol Kranowitz’s 25 years as a preschool teacher, she realized there were certain children in her classes that seemed “out-of-sync.”
“They refused to participate in art projects or music projects,” she said, explaining that these kids often didn’t like touching gooey or sticky things like paint. “I really wanted every child to have fun at school.”
Kranowitz began looking into reasons why these children experienced things differently than others. That’s when she discovered SPD — a disorder where the nervous system receives sensory signals but does not organize them into appropriate responses, often resulting in motor and behavioral problems.
Published June 8 on Parents.com
Kids who are “out-of-sync” with the world due to Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) struggle with a variety of sensory and motor challenges, but we can help them through simple routines and consistent activities. I’ve learned this from everyday experiences with my own autistic son (SPD and autism often go hand-in-hand), as well as through conversations with educator and writer Carol Kranowitz, who has helped parents and professionals better understand SPD for years with her popular books about the disorder, including The Out-of-Sync-Child.