WAMC: The Best of Our Knowledge # 837 (2006-10-02)

The Best of Our Knowledge

The Best of Our Knowledge # 837

(2006-10-02)

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ALBANY, NY (WAMC) - SENSATIONAL KIDS: HOPE AND HELP FOR CHILDREN WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER , Pt. 1 of 2 -
Most of us are probably more familiar with terms like ADHD, autism,
or Asperger Syndrome. You may have yet to hear about SPD, or
Sensory Processing Disorder. It's just recently been associated with
these other learning disabilities.
SPD is commonly defined as a neurological disorder characterized
by disruption in the processing and organization of sensory information
by the central nervous system. This can manifest itself by impaired
sensitivity to sensory input, motor control problems, unusually high or
low activity levels, and emotional instability.
SPD has been known about since the 1970s, but is only now coming
to light because of the first major book just published about it. The
book is titled, Sensational Kids. It's author, Dr. Lucy Jane Miller,
is the world's leading research and international authority on
Sensory Processing Disorder.
In this first part of our two part interview, Dr. Miller tells TBOOK
about SPD's early history, and early findings from her research.
Glenn Busby reports. (11:27)

**(Attention Program Directors. The website mentioned at the conclusion
of the above story for those listeners who would like to read more about Dr. Miller's work is: www.starcenter.us)**

SLEEP AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO LEARN -
Scientists and educators continue to probe the brain, trying to discover
more about what the brain does while we sleep. They are especially
interested to find out how sleep contributes to our ability to learn.
Over the past ten years, studies show that you do need a good night's
sleep in order to sort out all the information you get bombarded with
during the day. But that research was done on adults...not children.
Now that's changed. Dr. Robert Stickgold, Professor of Psychiatry at
Harvard, was one of two American scientists who collaborated with
their counterparts in Holland. Together, for the first time, they used
middle school children as subjects for the learning and sleep study.
In this report for TBOOK from Radio Netherlands, we hear about this
fascinating new area of scientific inquiry.
Wilimeen Kraut reports from Radio Netherlands. (6:46)

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