Every learning disability has a social component. Affected children are socially out of step with their classmates and peers, and often they are ridiculed or ostracized for their differences. A successful social life is immeasurably important to a child's happiness, health, and development, but until now, no book has provided expert advice on helping learning disabled children achieve social success. This book offers practical strategies to help learning disabled children ages six through seventeen navigate the treacherous social waters of their school, home, and community. Rick examines the special social issues surrounding a wide variety of learning disabilities, including ADD and other attentional disorders, anxiety, paralinguistics, visual-spatial disorders, and executive functioning. Then he provides proven methods and step-by-step instructions for helping the learning disabled child through almost any social situation. --From publisher description.

"A Touchstone book."

Introduction : "the other sixteen hours" -- pt. 1. Why do they do the things they do? : the impact of learning disorders on the development of social skills -- 1. Children with learning disorders are wired differently : it's all in their heads -- 2. Anxiety: a cause and consequence of social isolation -- 3. Language difficulties : getting and giving the message -- 4. Paralinguistics : words carry the message, body language carries the emotion -- 5. Attention deficit disorder : the social lives of the unhappy wanderers -- pt. 2. Social skills on the homefront : dealing with parents, siblings, and other strangers -- 6. Enhancing organizational skills : bringing order and structure to the disorganized child -- 7. Siblings and other strangers -- 8. Playdates : the social coin of the realm -- pt. 3. Social skills at school : reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic, and relationships -- 9. Bullies, victims, and spectators : strategies to prevent teasing, intimidation, and harassment in school -- 10. Mastering the hidden curriculum of school : the unwritten, unspoken rules -- 11. Teacher-pleasing behaviors : polishing the apple -- pt. 4. Social skills in the community : no kid is an island -- 12. Appropriate social skills in public places -- 13. Meeting, making, and keeping friends.