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Early school entry linked to increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder among children

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I’m pleased to share an article published in Khaleej Times, to which I had the opportunity to contribute. Glad for the chance to share my thoughts on the above-mentioned topic. Early school entry linked to increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder among children Published: Mon 19 Jan 2026, 9:32 PM By: Khaleej Times Staff A research paper examining the influences leading to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among children has identified early school enrollment as a key determinant in the rising number of ADHD cases. Conducted by a team from Harvard Medical School, the findings were released in The New England Journal of Medicine on November 28th, highlighting the critical impact that the timing of starting school can have on such diagnoses. One of the authors of the research, Anupam Jena commented “As children grow older, small differences in age equalize and dissipate over time, but behaviorally speaking, the difference between a 6-year-old and a 7-ye...
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WHEN SOCIALISATION FEELS RISKY

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  “When Socialisation Feels Risky: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Children” Owi, my grandson, has been attending nursery for the past 3 months. He loves his teachers, caretakers, and his preschool. However, he struggles with drop-offs and cries his heart out when dropped off at the nursery. Similarly, when he is in a social setting, such as a birthday party, in a grocery store, or at a family get-together, he gets anxious, overwhelmed, or upset and sticks to adults he is familiar with. I am sure many children are facing the same issue – finding it challenging to adjust to social situations. It takes them quite a long time to get accustomed to the new situation, and it can be painful for the parents to watch their children struggle with adjustments. Parents would love to wave the magic wand and make all their children’s struggles vanish, all at once. Unfortunately, they can’t. The truth is–“Socialisation is Risky”–a lesson lear...
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SPEECH AND LANGUAGE - A Delay or Disorder?

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                      SPEECH AND LANGUAGE: A Delay or Disorder? Humans are the only creations bestowed with the art of communication using spoken language. Speech is the sound produced, while language is a measure of comprehension (Saeed, 2018).   Most parents are concerned when they realise that their 2 -3 yr old child has constraints regarding the ability to speak. This delay could be due to two reasons: physical conditions or environmental factors. Physical limitations, of course, can be addressed through medical therapy, but environmental variables that cause delays in speech development provide a distinct challenge. Home is the first place where the child learns to speak. According to Kahlmar (2008), an environment rich in speech expressions is one that motivates young children to talk and provides examples of how to employ organisation, emphasis, and dialect to advance their language development. Since language develo...
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THE UAE – NOW & THEN

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                                                   THE UAE – NOW & THEN The UAE is fast emerging to be a salad bowl of cultures and traditions and the home to approximately 200 nationalities. I call it a ‘salad bowl’ rather than a ‘melting pot’ as I have my reasons for it. In a melting pot, every ingredient loses its individuality and uniqueness and assimilates into one single entity. Whereas in a salad bowl, every ingredient retains its individual flavor, colour, appearance while contributing to the rich diverse bowl of oneness and unity. The UAE is exactly the place to be in where you celebrate diversity, individuality, and identity while being an integral part of the UAE’s rich multiculturalism.  It is a place where many cultures, traditions and customs co-exist peacefully and in harmony. At the preschool, it is always a good practice, to cel...
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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN

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         SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN        (Article featured in:  ETA Journal - Switzerland - Vol.39; No.1; Summer 2022) “Spirituality refers to the child's relationship to a higher power, whether that be nature, God, the universe - even a tree. The key is that the force has a guiding and active place in the child's daily life.” – Lisa Miller The holistic development of a child includes physical, social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and linguistic development. However, spiritual development has not been understood or researched as well as the other areas of child development. Moreover, there is this misconception that promoting spiritual development in a child is equal to imparting religious education as it is difficult to separate spirituality from religion. But the fact is that, religion without spirituality is dangerous and detrimental to oneself and to the wor...
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WHEN YOUR CHILD SAYS HE HATES PRESCHOOL

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        WHEN YOUR CHILD SAYS HE HATES PRESCHOOL As a parent it is very upsetting and disturbing when your child says that he/she hates preschool. Before you decide to pull your child out of preschool or change his/her preschool, you need to study the situation carefully. You need to investigate and get to the real problem. Ask yourself questions that may help you to understand why your child dislikes preschool - questions such as: 1.     The preschool’s learning style: Is it in accordance with your child’s interests and likes. 2.     Did anything unpleasant happen in the preschool that has impacted your child? 3.     Is it you who is rushing? Have you given ample time to settle and adjust to the new environment and people? 4.     Did the preschool change the teacher, the caretaker, the classroom, or any of his/her favorite peers? 5.     Separation anxiety is a very normal emotion...
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