Blog

by Altaf Mohammed, the CREN Team

Editor’s note: In 2015, The University of the West Indies (UWI) Children’s Centre launched the Caribbean Food Revolution, an initiative to promote healthy eating nationally. CREN Team member Altaf Mohammed recently had the pleasure of chatting with Mrs. Rena Jangeesingh-Nunes, an educator of The UWI Children’s Centre and the creator of the project, about the successes and future plans for the Caribbean Food Revolution.

by Dr. Jane Holmes Bernstein, CREN Guest Contributor

"A disturbance in attention is very much like fever. It is not a diagnosis; it is a symptom....Attention is actually very vulnerable to being undermined – by lack of sleep, too much to drink, too many things to think about at once, as well as brain injuries or disorders of all kinds. As a symptom, an attentional problem is sensitive but not specific." 
(Dr. Jane Holmes Bernstein, 2017)

I am a developmental neuropsychologist and a clinician who works with children. When parents come to me they are typically concerned that something is getting in the way of their child being successful in school or the family or in the community. I use available knowledge about how the brain works to help me to understand how this child thinks and learns in all areas of life. I integrate the available findings into a diagnostic formulation and discuss this in detail in a feedback session with the child (when appropriate) and with the parents.

by Kristian Ali, CREN Guest Contributor

Every year, the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) hosts its annual International Week of the Deaf, a short but packed week of events all over the world aimed at raising awareness of the languages, cultures and rights of deaf people in their respective countries. The WFD picks a theme that represents an aspect in the lives of deaf people that is crucial enough to be focused on for one week per year. This year’s theme advocates for “Full Inclusion with Sign Language”, while the pressing theme last year was “With Sign Language, I am Equal” — an echo of the theme from the year before, “With Sign Language Rights, Our Children Can!”

by Siddel Ramkisson, CREN Guest Contributor

Editor's note: Siddel Ramkissoon is one of this year’s recipients of the Queen's Young Leaders Award. He is committed to empowering young persons, encouraging youth engagement and involvement and enriching his nation of Trinidad and Tobago. In honour of International Youth Day 2017 (August 12^th), we asked Siddel to share with us his motivations and challenges in being a youth advocate in the Caribbean. We here at the CREN are honoured to share his story with you.

by the Speech Language and Audiology Association of Trinidad and Tobago

What are speech and language?

Speech and language are tools that humans use to communicate or share thoughts, ideas and emotions. Language is the set of rules, shared by the individuals who are communicating, that allows them to exchange those thoughts, ideas or emotions. Speech involves speaking - one way that a language can be expressed. Language may also be expressed through writing, signing, or even gestures in the case of people who have neurological disorders and may depend upon eye blinks or mouth movements to communicate.

by Dr. Lenisa Joseph, CREN Guest Contributor

Editor's note: The University of the West Indies Family Development Centre, presented the symposium ‘Enhancing Children’s Engagement in Social and Cognitive Activities’ in March 2017.  Professor Jaipaul Roopnarine, Professor James Johnson and Professor Michael Patte, renowned authors on Play and Early Childhood, engaged participants on the following topics: play in attaining social skills and nation building in young children and implementation strategies for teachers and parents to effect quality learning through play and loose parts. Dr. Lenisa Joseph, Visiting Professor of Early Childhood and Special Education at Duquesne University, was invited to attend the symposium.  She later engaged the presenters while sharing a meal. She shares her gleanings in this article.