LD & ADHD Resources and Support

Sources of Information: Delve into the Resources section to find credible and useful sources of information from well-respected organizations, authors, and experts in the field in Canada that provide websites, books, videos, journals/articles, as well as government documents.

If you are looking for Sources of Support, we provide guidance in finding Service Providers in Find Help for Children and Find Help for Adults.

Learning Disabilities Associations of Canada, Alberta & other provinces, and America.

This LD resource is for parents and adults in Canada and all of North America. Join the Learning Disabilities Associations to get up to date information on research, best practices, news, advocacy. Sign up for the Associations’ newsletters and attend upcoming conferences. Learning Disabilities of America publishes an LD Journal.

Listed are just a few of the provincial Learning Disabilities Associations in Canada, but they are all worth connecting with.

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC)

Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (LDAA)

Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO)

Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA America)

 

Foothills Academy Community Services – Resources

  • Psychological  assessments and counselling
  • Read/Write & Math remediation programs
  • Camp Amicus Recreation programs
  • Online Courses for Families about LD and ADHD
  • Online Courses for Educators about LD and ADHD
  • Community Workshops
  • Professional Development workshops for educators and other groups

 

CanLearn Society – Resources

  • Psychological assessments and counselling
  • Literacy programs for children, families and adults
  • Numeracy programs for adults
  • ADHD coaching for children, teens, families and adults
  • Community workshops
  • Virtual resource library 
 

Understood.org

Understood.org is a U.S. based network of non-profit organizations that have joined forces to support parents of children with learning and attention challenges. Excellent website and resource for parents and educators.

LD Online

LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD. The site features hundreds of helpful articles, multimedia, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children’s writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, and very active forums.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)

U.S. based: Provides resources, articles, current reports and studies, and community forums. They have excellent resources, and have developed very informative websites as resources, including:
Get Ready To Read
RTI (Response To Intervention) Action Network


Child Mind Institute

Focus: Mental Health, ADHD, learning disorders.
Information for Families and Educators. Research Projects.
About: The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national (American) nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Our teams work every day to deliver the highest standards of care, advance the science of the developing brain and empower parents, professionals and policymakers to support children when and where they need it most

ADHD Organizations/Websites

These ADHD resources are for adults and parents from Canada.

CADDAC (Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada)

CADDAC is a Canadian not for profit, organization providing leadership and support in awareness, education and advocacy for ADHD organizations and individuals across Canada. They develop, provide and present up-to-date scientifically based information on ADHD.

CHADD (Children & Adults with Attention-Deficity/Hyperactivity Disorder)

CHADD provides information, support, and advocacy for individuals with ADHD. Their resources and publications, such as their Attention Magazine, training, and CHADD chapters supports families, adults, educators, and other professionals.
Information: Serves as a clearinghouse for evidence-based information on ADHD, including great information and resources for adults with ADHD.
Advocacy: Serves as an advocate for appropriate public policies and public recognition in response to needs face by families and individuals with ADHD.
ADHD Education & Training Programs for Parents, Adults, and Educators
ADHD Support Online Communities for Adults, Parents, Educators
Attention Magazine – bimonthly

ADDitude Magazine

ADDItude is a very thorough, U.S. based website which covers: ADHD Symptoms & tests, Treatment, Parenting, Adults, For Professionals, New & Forums, ADDitude Magazine, Downloads, Webinars, Podcasts & Tools, and ebooks that cover a range of topics related to ADHD.

ADHD Palooza

Annual online conferences on ADHD for women and parents. You can listen by phone, or watch the videos in real time. If you miss the live event you can subscribe to watch the replays.

ADHD EXPERTS: Books, Websites, YouTube Videos

Dr. Russell Barkley:
Dr. Barkley is one of the most well known experts in the field of ADHD. He has written numerous books on the subject for both parents of children with ADHD and adults with ADHD, including a few listed here. He also has informative YouTube videos.

  • Book: Taking Charge of ADHD. The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents (3rd Edition). Author: Dr. Russell Barkley.
  • Book: Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. Author: Dr. Russell Barkley. Published in 2010 by Guilford Press. Dr. Russell Barkley describes how adults with ADHD can succeed at work, develop good relationships, handle their finances, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • YouTube: Dr. Barkley has numerous YouTube videos. Here’s 1 to get you started: 30 Essential Ideas You Should Know about ADHD

Dr. Ned Hollowell & Dr. John Ratey
Dr. Hollowell & Dr. Ratey, both of whom have ADHD, have written a series books on ADHD, coined the “Distraction Series”, including: Driven to Distraction, Delivered From Distraction, Married to Distraction, Answers to Distraction.

  • Website: Dr. Hallowell: In his website you can watch webinars, listen to podcasts, and order his books.

Dr. Peg Dawson & Dr. Richard Guare
They provide practical guidance for how to improve executive function skills, which is a real challenge for people with ADHD.

  • Book: Smart but Scattered. The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach their Potential. Authors: Peg Dawson & Riley Guare.
  • Website: Smart but Scattered Kids

Rick Green – Totally ADD
For Adults with ADHD. The founder, Rick Greene, who has ADHD himself, collaborates with experts in the field to provide ADHD-friendly information, through blogs, newsletters, resources, and their famous videos. The videos are both very helpful & very humorous!

YouTube Channel: How to ADHD
By Jessica McCabe
A central hub for ADHD education for adults. Jessica is both informative & humorous!

Book: Understanding Women with ADHD. Authors: Kathleen Nadeu & Patricia Quinn. Published in 2002. Brings experts together to address the issues unique to women with ADHD at each life stage.

RESOURCES with MEDICAL FOCUS for Physicians & other Health

Professionals: People with ADHD can also find helpful information, including lists of physicians trained in mental health issues such as ADHD.

CADDRA – The Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance

CADDRA is an independent, not-for-profit resource organization for medical, healthcare and research professionals with an interest in the field of ADHD. There is also information for adolescents, adults, and parents under the Resources – Public Info section.

CanREACH

The Canadian Research and Education for the Advancement of Child Health
CanREACH develops primary care providers skills and abilities in pediatric mental health. The REACH Institute trains physicians to correctly identify and differentiate among pediatric (childhood) behaviors, including depressions, ADHD, bipolar disorder, anxiety states, oppositional and conduct disorders, and psychosis.

*CanREACH provides a list of CanREACH Trained Practitioners (doctors) throughout the provinces in Canada. Families can access this list to find doctors with training in ADHD.

Organizations, Websites:

Reading Rockets
Provides detailed information about learning to read and strategies for supporting struggling readers at home, school, and in the community. It offers news practical information, expert advice, and resources for parents, teachers, child-care workers, and policy makers.

International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
An international global advocacy and membership organization that was created in 1956 to improve reading instruction. An excellent resource for both parents and educators. It publishes resources, sets the standard for literacy professionals and teacher education programs, and hosts literacy conferences.

The Reading League
An excellent resource for educators to help them to align their literacy instruction to the science of reading. Just a few of the offerings are: professional development, information on their site about literacy instruction, regular podcasts, a peer reviewed journal, and an opportunity to become a member.

Florida Center for Reading Research
Excellent resource for teachers. Includes: Resource database, student center activities for pre-kindergarten to grade 5, etc. Links to Florida Learning Disabilities Research Center, another great research site for LD.

International Literacy Association
International Literacy Association is a professional organization connecting research & practice to continuously improve the quality of literacy instruction.

Dyslexia Help
A website developed by the University of Michigan that provides information and resources about dyslexia for parents, adults with dyslexia, and professionals.

The section for Professionals covers: Learn about Dyslexia, Students Strengths & Interests, Dyslexia and Intervention, Apps for Dyslexia & Learning Disabilities, Software & Assistive Technology.

Books

Overcoming Dyslexia. Author: Sally Shaywitz. 2nd Edition Published 2020.
A New and Complete Science-based program for reading problems at any level. It provides useful information for parents, adults, educators. The 1st edition, published in 2003, also has valuable information for parents, adults, educators

The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. Author: Ben Foss.
For Parents: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning

Essentials for Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties. Author: David Kilpatrick. Published 2015.
Educators; provides current, evidence-based guidelines on assessment, interventions, and educational programming. Parents who want to have a better understanding of what current, evidence-based reading instruction is all about would benefit by reading this book.

Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. Edited by Judith Birsh & Suzanne Carreker. published in 2018 by Brookes Pub. Co.
A detailed, excellent resource for educators. Goes into depth about Science of Reading, Structured Literacy, MultiSensory Approach to teaching literacy skills, etc.

Language At the Speed of Sight. Author: Mark Seidenberg.
How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, And What Can Be Done About It

Reading In The Brain. Author: Stanislas Dehaene.
The New Science of How We Read

LD & ADHD Resources in Calgary

On this page are sources of information and materials that you can access in the Calgary Region.

If you are looking for ADHD support in the Calgary Region, go to Find Help Children or Find Help Adults for guidance on how to find appropriate support services for your needs. In those sections we provide a few of the major agencies to get you started, but we can’t provide individual service providers.

Foothills Academy Community Services offers extensive services to the community, including just a few offerings listed here:

  • Community Newsletter
  • Learning Disabilities & ADHD Articles
  • Monthly Parent & Community Webinars
  • Online Courses for Parents
  • Workshops & Online Courses for Educator & Other Professionals
  • Literacy and numeracy remediation programs
  • Camp Amicus Recreation programs

 

CanLearn Society offers extensive services to the community, including just a few offerings listed here:

  • Community Newsletter
  • Psychological assessments and counselling
  • Literacy programs for children, families and adults
  • Numeracy programs for adults
  • ADHD coaching for children, teens, families and adults
  • Community workshops
  • Virtual resource library

 

Calgary Public Library
Your free library card gives you free access to books, programs, online resources, printing, plus much more! Children, teens, and adults can access free programs and resources for school help. Excellent digital/audio books.

Calgary’s Child Magazine
The magazine provides information and lists resources and services found in the Calgary area for children and youth from preschool to teensn

Disclaimer: The Learning Disabilities & ADHD Network does not support, endorse or recommend any specific method, treatment, product, remedial centre, program, or service provider for people with Learning Disabilities or ADHD. It does, however, endeavour to provide impartial and, to the best of our knowledge, factual information for persons with Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD.