Blog
Usha Patel, Neurocognitive Therapist and Director of Raviv Practice London shares her first-hand experience of working with children /adults and the latest research and upcoming events in her series of blog posts.
Having a flashback to a memory long forgotten…
A rainy day in London last December 2022 reminded me of the journey I took to get where I am now in a very unexpected way. My worries just kept on snowballing out of control. I was terrible at spelling. I knew it, my assistant knew it, and the whole architecture studio I worked in knew 'spelling' was not my thing. I was a designer, not a wordsmith.
Guide for Parents: Is your child entering years 1 or 2 this September?
Today more than ever, we want to nurture a love for books and stories; it is as natural as playing in the sandpit or with toy sewing machines. The dialogues children enjoy when playing with their peers; the social interaction is so critical.
Why is my child always getting so angry and frustrated by everyday tasks?
Poor emotional regulation can obstruct progress, stopping us from achieving our goals. Most adults will find a way to regulate their emotions for the majority of the time, but children need to learn how to navigate their emotional states as they grow. Most of the time, this is all perfectly normal and you will find a way to address it naturally as your child develops.
A rough guide for parents – eye tracking issues and what to look for
When someone has poor vision, an optician help corrects their focusing ability so they can compensate for this particular deficiency. When spelling, you need to pay particular attention to the letter configuration, especially when the word being spelt is not phonetically obvious and you need to memorise the order of letters. All of these skills require correct eye-tracking.
What good balance does for your body and how to get it
Whether or not we are as adept at balancing as The Cat in the Hat, we could all do with better balance. Good balance makes it easier to move and helps prevent injury. It is interesting to note that in China, the average number of falls among the elderly is significantly lower than in Western countries.
A parent's guide on how to teach your child to learn to read the time
As a Neurocognitive Therapist, I work with all sorts of curious learning glitches. One that seems to be cropping up more and more in recent years is not being able to read the time. Children, who otherwise have the reasonable ability, are stumped at telling the time from an analogue clock!
What is working memory, and why is it so important?
What is working memory, and why is it so important? If your child has difficulties following instructions, is challenged with mental maths or reading comprehension understanidng working memory is the first thing you need to learn about.
Why you should not give young children iPads or similar electronic devices
We cannot expect parents to be with their children every waking hour. There are always important chores, such as cooking or laundry, and many parents have to juggle all this with work. Modern life is very demanding and children are starting nursery without.
The boy who was raised as a dog
On one of my re-reads of this book, I was on holiday in a small Indian village. As I was reading, I was also watching the children of the village play in their extended family setting environments. Sadly, this story is not one that had a happy ending, but it is one that teaches us an important lesson. Fortunately, laws have changed since then and children can no longer be left alone like this.
When Dyslexia doesn’t feel like much of a “gift”
For a long time, dyslexia/neurodivergence was poorly understood in education, and only seen in terms of the challenges it created for both those in more old-fashioned schools and those trying to teach them with outdated methods. It can be called many things: being easily distracted, having poor executive function skills or having poor working memory.
Does your child constantly talk about doing things wrong?
We all want our children to grow up confident and happy in their abilities, and able to face life’s challenges with positivity. So, what can we do to help them if they seem stuck in a cycle of negativity about themselves?
Why does my child mix up 12 & 21?
This is quite a common error children make when writing numbers. They understand the difference between 12 and 21 as number, and can usually count correctly without jumping numbers, but struggle when it comes to writing these numbers down properly.
How can students with ADHD learn to manage their time more effectively?
Students with ADHD often struggle with time management, leading to stress, missed deadlines, and underperformance. This blog explores how forward planning, daily scripting, and the Habit Change approach can transform time awareness and academic outcomes.
Does your child hate reading?
Many children resist reading, not because they can’t learn, but because they don’t see the point or feel anxious about it. Instead of forcing reading, it helps to understand their perspective and find alternative ways to engage them. Using tools like audiobooks, kindle unlimited, and tailored learning strategies can make all the difference.
What is cogmed and is it worth the money?
Cogmed is a clinical software program, worked on at home, on the computer. Raviv Practice London has been using this program since it arrived in the United Kingdom in 2008. We are the leaders in terms of experience and have a track record of working directly with Cogmed (the makers of Cogmed) and then with Pearson Clinical (distributors of Cogmed). At Raviv Practice London, Cogmed is part of a more extensive therapeutic intervention for 90% of our students.
Why Cogmed working memory training can fail
Here, at Raviv Practice London, we have developed a new method that shows more valuable data about the positive effects taking place. While we still use Cogmed as an objective measure, we have also introduced our own, more subjective, measure in the form of a questionnaire.
Power up your amazing ADHD brain with habit change!
Tired of chaos ruling your mornings or your mind? This post explores how ADHD brains can thrive using small, consistent habit changes. Inspired by bestselling books and real-world results, it explains why habit building is often the missing link in ADHD management and how Raviv Practice London 12 week program is helping both parents and teens take control.
Don’t underestimate the value of doing… nothing!
Having ADHD could be considered a superpower. Those with ADHD often say they have many thoughts racing at any one time.
The “Time Planning Fallacy” and what it could mean for you
For most of us, the seasons don’t affect our time planning very much. We might feel more tired because it is dark when we wake up or come home from work, but usually we still know, for example, that it takes 30 minutes to get to work and plan accordingly. Many of those with ADHD, however, struggle with this because they struggle with measuring time.
Are you worried about how your child will do in their SATs or 11+?
Exams can be an extremely stressful time for both children and parents. So, why it is that every time you see your child, they are staring at their phone? Surely, they should be revising!