2012年9月19日 星期三

What You Should Know About Tactile Defensiveness and Other Tactile System Disorders


One of the most common sensory disorders is Tactile Defensiveness.  With this condition, a child is over or "hyper" sensitive to different types of touch.  Light touch is one of the most upsetting types of touch to a child with SI dysfunction.  Depending on the intensity of their dysfunction, they may become anywhere from mildly annoyed to completely freaked out by having someone lightly touch them.  A gentle kiss on the cheek may feel like they are having coarse sandpaper rubbed on their face.  They also may dislike feeling sand, grass or dirt on their skin.  Getting dressed may be a struggle as different clothing textures, tags and seams may cause them great discomfort.

Often children with Tactile Defensiveness or touch hypersensitivity will avoid, become fearful of, or are irritated by:


The wind blowing on bare skin
Light touch
Vibrating toys
Barefoot touching of carpet, sand and/or grass
Clothing textures
Tags and seams on clothing
Touching of "messy" things
Changes in temperature

On the other side of the spectrum is a child with Tactile Undersensitivity or "Hyposensitivity".   A tactile undersensitive child need a lot of input to get the touch information he or she needs.  They will often seek out tactile input on their own in sometimes unsafe ways.

A child who is undersensitive to touch may have these difficulties:



Emotional and social  - Craves touch to the extent that friends, family, and even strangers become annoyed and upset.  This could be the baby who constantly needs to be held, or the toddler who is clingy, craving continual physical contact.

Sensory exploration - Makes excessive physical contact with people and objects. Touching other children too forcefully or inappropriately (such as biting or hitting).

Motor - To get more tactile sensory information, he may need to use more of his skin surface to feel he's made contact with an object.

Grooming and dressing - May choose clothing that is, in your opinion, unacceptably tight or loose. He may brush his teeth so hard that he injures his gums.

If you child shows signs of Tactile Defensiveness or Undersensitivity, it's important to get a proper screening by an Occupational Therapist, pediatrician or other licensed professional.  This sensory assessment will help you in seeking out the proper course of treatment and therapy.




Visit [http://www.SensorySmartKid.com] for more information and support regarding Sensory Integration, PDD and other Autism Spectrum Disorders.





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How Integrated Marketing Can Save Your Budget and Your Mind


Is your marketing plan all over the place? Does your message get diluted by the number of competing priorities and interests within your company? Do you often feel like you're wasting your budget?

In this tip I'd like to introduce you to the simple wisdom of Integrated Marketing Communications. It's one of those concepts that seem so obvious; you can't imagine why you didn't come up with it yourself.

Currently, your company is represented on many platforms. You have the website somebody built for you. You have the social networking effort you manage in-house. You have an advertising campaign produced and implemented by an outside agency. There's a consultant who handles your PR. There's the sales staff who communicates directly with customers. You also have your database marketing, your customer servicing department and your retail sales promotion team, all of whom report to different managers. These department managers operate in functional silos. They may also be protective of their ideas, their budgets and their power bases. In short, you have many types of company spokespeople, and they are not all on board with a unified game plan.

This situation is common. It is also a template for mixed messaging, miscommunication and inconsistent branding to your target customer.

But hope exists right here in this blog article, in the form of IMC. Essentially, Integrated Marketing Communications is a customer-focused, coordinated effort to align all the marketing and business operations of a company into a seamless program that provides a consistent and constantly reinforced central message. IMC is not a strategy in itself, it's the tactical delivery of a communications plan.

That's a lot of words. But, if you can get your mind around this concept and implement it, each of the independent channels along which your business operates can reinforce the other and advance your goals exponentially.

Here are some integrated marketing suggestions followed by an example:

• Conduct research directly with your target customer through social networking, focus groups, online surveys or review sites. Establish dialogues and learn from them.

• Assess your business and determine a unique selling message that not only separates you from your competitors, but directly addresses what you learned from your target customers.

• Include all communication channels - marketing, sales, advertising and press relations- in a unified message, with feedback mechanisms at all consumer touch points.

• Train all of the people in the organization with any degree of customer contact to embody the tone and message of the brand. Keep them current on all promotions and marketing efforts.

• Ensure that your branding looks the same across all marketing channels, with the same logo, typeface, color palette, balance and emotional quality. This includes everything from your letterhead to packaging to point of sale materials to your Facebook page to your magazine ad.

• It is extremely important that your website's home page perfectly matches the theme of your advertising and marketing campaigns.

• Link any advertised promotions and specials directly to a website landing page that deals specifically with that promotion. Consumers should not be asked to navigate multiple pages in their quest for a 15% discount.

• Use each marketing medium for its unique strengths. Your campaign should combine the scale and brand building abilities of traditional media with the nimbleness and precision of online options.

• Use traditional media to encourage consumers to seek out more information on your website or your social networking channels. The sites should include a call to action and a follow up from a trained sales or service staff member.

• Your brand's image, emotional tone and central message should remain consistent across multi-sensory delivery vehicles: through sight on television, sound on radio, and the tactical and kinetic experience online. It should all reinforce the consumer's impression of your brand as he seamlessly travels the arc from discovery to engagement.

• Integrated marketing should enable consumers to interface with the product at any point along the arc and to receive a consistent experience, whether it is from an online conversation, a voice on the phone or a sales call. Branding must be constant across the entirety of the organization.

Now for an example. Let's say that you run a dental office offering all of the usual services. You take most of the insurances, your fees are reasonable and your location is easy to access. You've been promoting your general dentistry practice in the local newspaper and through direct mail, but you don't have much to show for it.

Meanwhile, you've made a habit of asking every patient to submit an online review of your services in exchange for a 5% discount. You notice that the patients who actually do this enthusiastically are the ones who have had cosmetic work- you've corrected a crooked tooth or whitened a smile or replaced a silver capped crown. You're proud, because you know you do exceptional work in this area. You also recognize that cosmetic work is a good way to get people in the door who may become regular dental patients after their custom work is completed.

You've concluded that expert and artful cosmetic dentistry is your unique selling proposition. Now, run with it!

Provide cosmetic services to your receptionists and dental hygienists, so that each of them can greet customers with a shining example of your work. Create a tag line, such as "We give your back your perfect smile." Include this line in your letterhead, on your business cards and in your email signature. Have your receptionist include the line as part of her welcome when she answers your phone. Use it as the subject of your print ads. Make it the theme of your website home page, and then optimize your site to cover all the search terms you can think of that have to do with cosmetic dental work. Use pay per click marketing to target people who are searching for cosmetic dentistry. Write a blog about how to maintain a perfect smile. Display "before and after" photos on your website and in your waiting room. Host an open house featuring satisfied patients. Use your website to invite potential customers to share photos and stories about how their stained and ragged teeth stifle their smiles, and provide free services to a random winner.

Supply toothpicks to area restaurants with wrappers that say, "If you had your perfect smile, you wouldn't need this toothpick!" Donate a series of white modern enamel chairs to the local park, with a sign that says, "Wouldn't you like your smile to look as perfect as these?" Put a white picket fence around your office to resemble teeth and affix a banner, "Home of the Perfect Smile!" And be sure to smile at your customers! You've created a winning integrated marketing campaign!

IMC is a tactical process that involves not just creativity, but big-picture organizational vision and an ability to communicate between departments. If you are an entrepreneur of a small business, this may be something you can handle independently. If you are an executive at a larger company, you may need to host regular meetings between managers of different business operations to confirm that all are on message. As another alternative, companies can hire one individual to be responsible for managing the effort. This person could be on staff or could work as a freelancer.

I happen to know somebody who specializes in integrated marketing communications. If you are interested, contact me at jenwhite@whitehousemedia.org and I'll make an introduction.




Jennifer White is President of White House Media, Inc.

http://www.whitehousemedia.org





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2012年9月18日 星期二

Design Psychology: How Our Sensory Responses to Aromas Create Happy Homes


Our sense of smell elicits strong emotional reactions and triggers powerful memories, whether we're consciously aware of it or not.

Scents and Feelings

Our olfactory system sends a chemical message about the scents around us through the limbic part of our brain, which is the oldest part of our brain. In seconds, that message is telegraphed to our central nervous system, which, in turn, controls how our body functions and how we feel about those smells.

Scents also influence the temperature we feel emotionally. For instance, a grass matting floor covering has a pleasant scent, and makes us feel cooler, while the aroma of fresh baked bread creates a warm feeling of being loved. Marine scents, such as salty sea air, refresh us, while spice and wood scents bring warm thoughts.

The Evolution of Aromatherapy

The ancient civilizations of Arabia, Babylon, China, Egypt, Greece, India, and Rome all used the aromas of scented plants, flowers, and woods to heal and protect. Religious and spiritual ceremonies have used aromas to arouse mankind's deeply spiritual nature from the dawn of time. Today, the science of aromatherapy, which is a holistic healing practice, uses essential oils and herbs, to treat stress-related illnesses, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive ailments, and even skin problems.

The Effects of Scent on Emotions

Essential oils influence our emotions within seconds of inhalation. For instance, clary sage stimulates the thalamus to release a hormone called encephalon, a neurochemical that creates a sense of euphoria and provides pain relief. Lavender and chamomile fuel the release of serotonin, which has a calming effect on fear, stress, aggravation, or insomnia.

Scents activate the deep part of the brain, where memories are stored. You can recreate pleasant memories and share them with your family and friends through the use of smells. For instance, my mother often baked a cake just before we kids arrived home from school. Now that I've grown up, we don't eat as much cake in our home, but sharing a vanilla scent with my children often prompts them to share stories about their grandmother.

Smells are a powerful link with the memories of our past. My mother used to tell me stories of her grandmother, whose home smelled like baked cinnamon rolls in the morning and exotic, tangy spices in the evening.

The sense of smell, a potent tool in Interior Design Psychology, brings a feeling of harmony and serenity to any room in a home. Embrace the scents you love and those that conjure pleasant memories, and make the use of scent an integral part of your overall design plan.

Copyright (c) 2004 by Jeanette J. Fisher




Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of Joy to the Home eNewsletter. Discover innovative Interior Design Psychology and makeover your home to support happiness, productivity, and well-being. For Design Psychology information, see http://www.designpsych.com/ For more information about ?Joy to the Home,? see http://www.joytothehome.com/





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Getting to Know Your Baby - How She Learned From Every Sensory Experience


As each week goes by, your baby will appear less floppy, less curled up, and more alert. She is now interested in the world and is learning from every sensory experience.

Reflexes and posture - At this stage reflexes still govern your baby's movements, although over the next few weeks they will become more integrated and most of the more primitive ones will disappear. Your will notice that she still has her fencing (ATNR) reflex - when her head is turned to one side, she extends her arm on the same side. She will start to catch a glimpse of her hand in this position, but because her arms swipe around so much, she will not be able to remain focused on it for long. Her arms and legs move a lot at this stage, especially the arms, swiping wildly through the air. This makes her feel disconcerted and you can help her to feel more composed by cupping your hands behind her shoulder blades and providing some pressure to bring her hands towards the midline of her body. During this period you will notice that she clasps her hands much less. Occasionally she will open them. She will not start reaching for objects yet, but will stare intently at them, almost reaching out with her eyes.

During this period your baby needs opportunities to work her back and neck muscles, as she becomes less flexed. If you place her on her tummy she will start to lift her head up from the surface and when held in a sitting position she may hold her head upright for a little while. When you pull your baby into a sitting position from lying on her back, she will start to hold her head in line with her body. By six weeks your baby will have uncurled a lot, have straighter hips and knees, and will be able to hold her head up for a few minutes.

Visual development - Your baby is working hard at developing her eye muscles. The muscles inside her eyes are responsible for her focus and clearness of vision. She will be practicing her focus at different distances. She loves mobiles with contrasting colours because they help her to maintain focus and work those muscles. The muscles surrounding her eyes are responsible for coordinating eye movements. This is essential if she wants to watch a moving object. Your baby enjoys patterns of any kind. She will watch people if they are in her line of vision and even turn her head towards them if she hears a sound.

Social awareness - Your baby recognizes your face and will stare intently at your facial features. If you stick out your tongue, she may copy you. If you smile, she will try desperately to copy it. Eventually the big milestone that makes all the hard work seem worthwhile will happen around the six-week mark: your baby will start smiling. Some babies start smiling with intention (not just for gas bubbles) even earlier than six weeks. Your baby loves language and responds to your voice. When you speak to her she will hold your gaze for longer and may even try to talk by making little throaty noises.

Regulation - At this stage your baby can just about maintain her body temperature and heart rate. She cannot regulate her sleep/wake cycles or state (calm-alert/active-alert, and so on) yet and that is why she fusses just before she falls asleep. One of your baby's key tasks at this age is to learn to remain calm when exposed to stimulation.




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8 Important Items to Help You Advocate For Your Child With Aspergers Syndrome


Has your child recently been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, and you are struggling to get your school district to recognize the diagnosis? Would you like to learn some important information to help you in your special education advocacy efforts, for your child? This article will specifically address things that you need to know to help you fight for special education services for your child.

Things that you need to know.

1. Aspergers Syndrome has its own category in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IV) that is used for diagnosis. It is under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

2. The American Psychiatric Association is proposing changing Aspergers Syndrome from its own category to within the autism category for the DSM V. The intent is to try and make the diagnosis of autism clearer. The decision will be made within several months (middle to end of 2010).

3. From an educational standpoint this is a wonderful decision, in my opinion, that will benefit thousands of children throughout the United States. Why? Many school districts have denied children with this disorder special education services because they state that the child does not have autism, and so therefore is not eligible. But in reality the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act state that a child must have one of 13 covered disabilities and have educational need. Aspergers is a part of the autism spectrum and should be a covered disability; though you may need to advocate for this.

4. Many children with this disorder will require help learning appropriate social interactions and social skills. This should be provided as a special education services for your child if they need it. It could be working directly with a school social worker or participating in a small group social skills class.

5. Small groups may help your child with their education and also to develop appropriate social skills.

6. Modifications and adaptations in the regular classroom may help your child keep up with their peers.

7. Sensory integration disorder is common in many children with this disorder, and shows itself in difficulty with lights, sounds, different foods and different fabrics. If your child shows this difficulty, ask your school district for testing by an Occupational Therapist who is SIPT qualified (has received specialized training in the area of sensory integration/processing disorder).

8. Many children with Aspergers may need Occupational Therapy also for motor clumsiness. Ask for specific testing in this area if your child shows need.

Keep these 8 items in mind when you attend Individual Educational Plan Meetings (IEP) for your child. They will assist you in trying to help your child receive a Free Appropriate Public Education!




JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special education system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.





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2012年9月17日 星期一

Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment


Sensori-neural hearing loss (SNHL) is a common disorder which is caused by a dysfunction of the components of the inner ear, which mainly include the cochlea and the auditory nerve. Impaired hearing may result from biochemical, metabolic, vascular, hematologic or endocrine causes. Hearing loss may also be genetically acquired, and may be associated with other abnormalities in the body.

The Ayurvedic treatment of SNHL is aimed at treating the known cause of the condition, and improving the structural and functional integrity of the inner ear and the central nervous system. Medicines like Saarivadi- Vati, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, and Maha-Rasnadi-Guggulu are used for symptomatic treatment of the inner ear. Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha, Saarivasav, Arogya-Vardhini, Punarnavadi-Mandur, Gokshuradi-Guggulu, Chandraprabha-Vati and Dashmoolarishta are used to treat the various causes of this condition. Herbal medicines like Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Pippali (Piper longum), Marich (Piper nigrum), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia) and Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus) are also very useful for this purpose.

Medicines like Tapyadi-Loh, Ekangveer-Ras, Vat-Gajankush-Ras, Maha-Vat-Vidhvans-Ras, Bruhat-Vat-Chintamani, Abhrak-Bhasma, Trivang-Bhasma, Kaishor-Guggulu and Sinhanaad-Guggulu are used to strengthen and improve the functioning of the auditory nerve and the central nervous system. Herbal medicines like Yashtimadhuk (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Mandukparni (Centella asiatica), Haridra (Curcuma longa), Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Guggulu (Commiphora mukul) and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) are used to heal and regenerate damaged nerve-cells, thus improving nerve function.

Immunomodulatory medicines like Suvarna-Bhasma, Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Abhrak-Bhasma, Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), and Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) are used to reduce the deleterious effects of stress and to boost the immune status of the body. This helps in early improvement in SNHL, and prevents further deterioration of this condition.

It is also important to take into consideration other associated abnormalities in the body. In such situations, the treatment is aimed at healing the body tissues. More commonly, medicines which act on the "Rakta", "Mansa" and "Meda" dhatus (tissues) are used. These medicines include Patol (Trichosanthe dioica), Patha (Cissampelos pareira), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Nimba (Azadirachta indica), Triphala (Three Fruits), Draksha (Vitis vinifera) and Kutaj (Holarrhina antidysentrica). Correction of abnormalities in the body tissues indirectly helps in improvement in hearing by reducing the dysfunction of the inner ear.

Patients affected with SNHL often present with no obvious cause for the condition, or may give a confusing history. A typical case history will adequately drive home this point. A thirty-six year old female came for treatment of SNHL of both ears, with more hearing deficit of the left ear. She reported that this problem started after coming back from her native place, where she had an episode of influenza, and had also received a minor injury on the left side of her face, to which she attributed her symptoms. She was treated for her hearing deficit, keeping these obvious causes in mind. However, when she did not report any benefit even after 6 weeks of treatment, a more detailed history was taken, with direct questioning for any other possible causes for her condition. She then reported that she had worked for some time with a construction company, where a large amount of drilling work was in progress. Unable to withstand the noise, she had left the job in two weeks. She was then given different treatment in the light of this new knowledge and she recovered completely with four months of treatment.

Surgery, hearing aids, and speech and language therapy are the currently accepted interventions in the management of SNHL. Ayurvedic herbal treatment can be used as an alternative or supportive therapeutic modality to give better, quicker, or additional benefits to individuals affected with SNHL.




Dr. A. A. Mundewadi is Chief Ayurvedic Physician at Mundewadi Ayurvedic Clinic based at Thane, Maharashtra, India. He is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com. The online clinic offers Ayurvedic treatment for all chronic and refractory health problems. Dr. A. A. Mundewadi uses high quality herbal extracts in tablet form, which are easy to take, effective and safe for long-term use. Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, B.A.M.S., has clinical experience of 25 years and clinical research experience of 12 years. He has conducted extensive research in HIV infection, Schizophrenia and many other chronic diseases.





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Spectacular Content Presentation Tips - Sensory and Emotional Communication


How Sensory and Emotional Communication Engages Your Audience

While you never want to ignore the analytical aspects of communication, you must realize the value of the sensory and emotional aspects of communication. The authoritativeness and competence with which you command an audience is influenced powerfully by these facets of communication.

Sensory Communication

Sensory communication is one of the most powerful tools to grab an audience's attention. It allows the presenter to engage the audience and add dimension, variety, and interest to the content. This tool not only engages the audience, but it also dramatically improves the audience's recall of the content. This is a very important factor.

Emotional Communication

Most presenters are aware of the fact that you need to build a rapport with your audience. This is not a secret. However, this is done most quickly through emotional communication. The way the audience members feel will seriously influence what they think of the presentation and their final decisions. Whether or not the listeners are moved to action is dependent upon how the presentation, and more importantly the presenter, made them feel.

Everything passes through an emotional filter. How you made people feel about yourself and the topic you presented will affect how they process the information you provided. Emotions drive the perception the audience takes away from the presentation. Emotional thinking influences the end results dramatically.

Your goals as a presenter should be:


Earn the audience's trust
Build a rapport with the audience
Demonstrate professionalism

It is not uncommon for presenters to be judged solely on their ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level. The intensity of the emotions that are elicited has great bearing on the attention you receive from the audience and their level of recall and their likelihood to take action.

How to Move Your Audience toward Action

The best way to move your audience to action is to involve them emotionally in the presentation. The conviction and passion that you convey will affect the emotional connection you make with your audience. There are some powerful tools you can use to elicit emotional connections with your listeners, such as:


Music
Images or pictures
Stories

These are all wonderful tools that you should make use of whenever possible.

When you balance your sensory and emotional communication with your analytical information, you have the ingredients for a powerful presentation. The sensory and emotional aspects allow you to get the audience's attention and connect with them so that the analytical information can be received, processed and retained.

Never neglect the emotional and sensory aspects of a presentation as this is where you earn trust and build rapport with your audience. A presentation that ignores these features tends to be dry, dull, and uninteresting. It will not be well received, thus the information will rarely make it to processing. Keep the personal aspects of the communication process fully integrated and you will have a successful and memorable presentation.




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Sensory Loss in Older Adults - Vision - Behavioral Approaches For Caregivers


As we age, our sensory systems gradually lose their sharpness. Because our brain requires a minimal amount of input to remain alert and functioning, sensory loss for older adults puts them at risk for sensory deprivation. Severe sensory impairments, such as in vision or hearing, may result in behavior similar to dementia and psychosis, such as increased disorientation and confusion. Added restrictions, such as confinement to bed or a Geri-chair, increases this risk. With nothing to show the passage of time, or changes in the environment, the sensory deprived person may resort to repetitive problem behaviors (calling out, chanting, rhythmic pounding/rocking) as an attempt to reduce the sense of deprivation and to create internal stimulation/sensations.

This article is the first in a series of three articles that discuss the prominent sensory changes that accompany aging, and considers the necessary behavioral adjustments or accommodations that should be made by professional, paraprofessional, and family caregivers who interact with older adults. Though the medical conditions are not reviewed in depth, the purpose of this article is to introduce many of the behavioral health insights, principles, and approaches that should influence our caregiving roles. This article addresses age-related visual changes.

CHANGES IN VISION THAT ACCOMPANY AGING

A. The changes in vision that accompany aging include:

1. A loss of elasticity of the lens; this means the person is no longer able to focus or accommodate to changes in lighting conditions. (Starting in our 40's, glasses are needed to see fine print). It also means the older person cannot adjust to sudden changes in lighting, resulting in an uneasiness when leaving a bright room to enter a dark hallway, or finding seats in the dark in recreation rooms, or theater. Going in the reverse direction can be equally difficult: from a dark room to a bright area.

2. Decreased pupil size; the light reaching the retina is reduced, requiring more light to see. This results in the need for lighting 3x to 4x what younger people need to see clearly

3. A loss of transparency; with age, there is a yellowing of the lens in the eyes, making color discrimination more difficult, especially blue and green. Warmer colors, such as reds and yellows are perceived best, explaining why bright colors are preferred.

4. More susceptibility to glare, and longer time is needed to recover from the effects of glare;

5. Eye diseases and disorders, such as cataracts causing a clouding of the lens; glaucoma, resulting from increased pressure of fluids in the eye, damaging the optic nerve and impairing vision. Glaucoma, the number one cause of blindness in U.S., in advanced stages results in yellow halos around images. Macular degeneration may occur, where vision is distorted, and images appear different sizes or different shapes, and are missing a central element. Visual disorders may be secondary to stroke, in which the eye can see the image but the brain cannot interpret the images. Diabetes may result in disrupted blood flow to the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy and a loss of vision, and blindness, in extreme cases.

B. What are the effects of visual loss on the older adult?

1. An increased dependency on others;

2. A sharply reduced quality of life (changes in activities in daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, reduced connection with outside world);

3. And, a fearfulness and reduced tendency to venture outside.

C. What are the effects of vision changes on demented elderly?

1. With the losses in visual acuity, other problems in cognitive functioning are heightened, such as difficulty processing unfamiliar faces and settings;

2. Because the person with dementia already has difficulty learning new behaviors, he or she is less able to learn new habits to compensate for the visual losses (e.g., learning to use visual aids to identify articles of clothing or other possessions;

3. There is likely to be an increased disorientation and confusion, as the search for structure and external cues is strained.

PRINCIPLES FOR CAREGIVERS

The following principles apply to caregiving approaches with older adults who have diminished sensory function. Increased sensitivity and insight to the needs of these individuals improves their quality of life and improves our effectiveness:

1. Observe the behavior of the person, and look for cues and signs of pain or discomfort;

2. Help the person work through the emotional impact of the sensory changes, allowing expression, acceptance, and support of the grief and sadness accompanying these losses;

3. Do not try to fix the unpleasantness; acceptance and support goes a longer way toward healing than a quick fix or a patronizing attitude;

4. Reduce excess disability by maximizing whatever functioning is still left, such as proper eyeglass prescriptions, or functioning hearing aids;

5. Consider assistive devices (phone amplifiers, large text books, headphones, and the Braille Institute for a variety of useful visual aids).

Approaches for impairments in vision:

1. Address the person before you touch him or her, identify yourself, let him or her know when you are leaving, speak normally, and do not shout;

2. Describe his or her surroundings to help orient and familiarize the person to the environment, tell him or her location of belongings, and if things have been moved;

3. Use as much contrast as possible, e.g., red objects on white background is better than black on a gray background, or blue on green background, (consider switch plates on walls, toothbrushes, combs);

4. Avoid moving quickly from a bright room to a darkened room, or v.v. Make sure the visually-impaired person takes the time for the pupils to adapt to the changes in lighting;

5. Introduce yourself every time you come into contact with the person, and explain what you are going to do because there are no visual cues;

6. Help to identify others in their environment with colored clothing, name tags with large print, etc.

7. Clean eyeglasses regularly, provide adequate lighting, and avoid glare;

8. Provide night lights, and arrange furnishings in the environment for safety and ease of mobility.

Even with normal aging, functioning of our five senses is not like it was when we were younger adults. This article offers caregivers who work with visually-impaired older adults some insights into the special needs and adjustments that will turn unpleasant, frustrating situations into more caring, helpful, and sensitive interactions. By integrating these behavioral approaches in the delivery of the health care with older adults, we can favorably impact the management of these conditions.

Copyright 2008 Concept Healthcare, LLC




Joseph M. Casciani, PhD, is a geropsychologist who has devoted his professional career to working with older adults and their caregivers. His company, Concept Healthcare, http://www.cohealth.org, offers online resources to integrate behavioral health approaches in the health care of older adults.





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Family TV Watching and Autism - Ways You Can Help Your Child


You can help your child with autism lower their stress level with some simple rules about family TV watching.

As a child and now an adult with autism and sensory processing disorder, I know that TV can be stressful to the point of jumping, tears, anger, confusion, and other reactions. As an adult, I have learned to contain some of my reaction in front of others, but children don't necessarily have that regulation built in yet. Also, while watching TV, I will start to feel upset. I often don't realize what is bothering me early on, but I have learned to identify my own signs.

When my hubby and his kids are talking and watching sports, I have to leave the room, close the door, and go away because my aggravation from the sound continues to elevate until it boils. A child may not know that they can leave the room to a quieter place. A family member may even tell the child to stay in that room or the TV may be audible throughout the house, so the child has no escape from the sound. With the noises from the TV, the child's irritability can climb all day.

Here are some TV rules that could make your child's life much more relaxed:

1. No talking while the TV is on. More than one source of sound is not merely aggravating; it feels like a hurt in the brain.

2. Mute the commercials. The sudden jarring sound of a blasting commercial bashing into the ears can make your child jump, sweat, breathe fast, or make sounds.

3. If your TV has the capability, lower the treble. The higher register noises are more painful.

4. Put the TV in an enclosed room and close the door so your child does not have to hear it.

5. If you are not watching the TV, turn it off.

6. Have your child look away from the screen during commercials so the fast-moving visual stimuli don't make it worse.

7. Turn the volume down.

8. Learn to make TV more bearable for your child by doing a brushing protocol first. Your child can also lie under a weighted blanket while watching TV.




Eileen Parker is the creator of the Cozy Calm weighted blanket. She has autism and sensory processing disorder so she knows first-hand how her weighted blanket gives her a happy and restful sleep. Find her weighted blankets at http://www.CozyCalm.com Read her blog at http://www.EileenParker.com

Her blankets are machine wash/dry, made of soft, cuddly fleece, and they are evenly weighted. They are designed for people like her.





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2012年9月16日 星期日

Autism Therapy - The Various Types


One of the world's most popular developmental disabilities is autism. It usually affects the person's social and communication skills. There are some treatments for autism that can improve the patient's developmental growth. Many patients have, in fact, benefited from therapeutic intervention. Among the commonly used and well-known therapies are RDI or Relationship Development Intervention, ABA or Applied Behavioral Analysis, and DIR/Floortime.

DIR/ Floortime

Made by Serena Wieder and Dr. Stanley Greenspan, the writer of Engaging Autism, this approach is comprehensive and interdisciplinary. It focuses more on the child's emotional development. Such approach to autism intervention is said to be child-centered. It involves not just Floortime specialists but parents as well. They both have to meet at the child's developmental level and agree to use his or her strengths to be able to form new skills. Floortime can be included into the child's daily habit to make the learning process appear more natural.

Relationship Development Intervention

This approach, which is designed by Dr. Steve Gutstein, gives more attention to the quality of life. More than just teaching an individual with life and social skills, this program also promotes genuine relationships and self-empowerment and creates an ability to thrive in such dynamic world. Its website said that this intervention program is parent-based because they are given tools to successfully teach not just Dynamic Intelligence skills but also children motivation. Among the Dynamic Intelligence Skills are dynamic analysis, flexible problem solving, experience sharing, episodic memory, resilience, and self-awareness.

Applied Behavior Analysis

It is considered as a systematic approach to evaluating behavior as well as applying interventions that changes the person's behavior. Practitioners will not qualify as Board Certified Behavior Analyst without a Master's degree and without meeting some criteria. Such approach is science-based and can do well in helping individuals learn new skills and curb improper behavior.

Play Therapy

Originally, this therapy is made to serve as a tool to provide young people with psychotherapy to help them cope with mental disorders, trauma, and anxiety. In the said context, play helps children to act their feelings out and discover some coping mechanisms. Specialists who use play therapy to their patients are actually giving them something similar to Floortime Therapy. Play Project is an additional therapeutic approach utilizing play as an instrument for developing skills in children with autism.

Sensory Integration Therapy

Autistic children usually find it hard to combine their senses to be able to make sense of the environment they are in. A type of occupational therapy, sensory integration therapy puts a child in a room that's specially designed to test and stimulate all his or her senses. The therapist closely works with the patient to promote movement inside the room. This autism therapy works in four principles:

1. The patient has to be successful in meeting the challenges presented via playful activities.

2. The autistic child gets used to fresh and useful tactics in response to the presented challenges.

3. The child with autism is willing to participate because the presented activities are fun

4. The choices of the child are utilized to set off therapeutic experiences in the session.

Sensory integration therapy is created based on the assumption that patient is either under-stimulated or overstimulated by his or her surroundings. It hence, aims to enhance the brain's ability to process the sensory information, making him or her function well in all his daily chores.




I'd like to give you a FREE DVD (worth $97) on shaping your child's autistic behaviors. Click here to claim your FREE DVD today! We only have 250 DVD available, so hurry and get your FREE DVD today and start understanding and helping your child!





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Stopping Your Child's Bedwetting Using a Sensory Device


You Are Not Alone

Bed wetting has long been one of those taboo subjects that people prefer not to speak about. Some parents feel that if their child is still bed wetting at age four or five or beyond, that they have in some way failed in their parenting. 

Conversely, some children are embarrassed or ashamed about their bed wetting and feel like they are the only ones in the world that it has happened to. This can cause further problems, including reduced self esteem or social isolation as children seek to distance themselves from other children for fear of being teased.

Sadly, these are common feelings for both parents and children and indeed could not be further from the truth. If you are one of those parents who worries that you haven't done enough or you are simply not getting through to your child, then here is one fact about bedwetting to help you realise that you are not alone in this challenging journey - there are currently 5-6 million children world-wide who wet their beds several times if not every night of the week.

Reasons for Bed Wetting

By its very nature, bed wetting is frustrating and upsetting for both parent and child. Usually occurring in the middle of the night, emotions become heightened and crankiness and tears are the order of the day.

When it first occurs, some parents will write off an episode or two as just simply an accident. But when bed wetting starts to occur on a more regular basis, parents sometimes jump to the immediate conclusion that their child is being lazy or trying to control the parent.

In fact, it is highly unlikely that it is neither of these, as the last thing most children want is to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold wet bed.

While there is no single cause for bedwetting, studies relating to chromosomes 8, 12 and 13 indicate that in fact, bed wetting is likely to be inherited from one or more of the parents.

This in fact can be quite a useful thing to know, because suddenly the child can feel like they are not alone and that mum and/or dad can relate to them. In addition to any genetic disposition your child may have, bed wetting can also be caused by things like:

Your child may have a bladder that is smaller than expected for a functioning bladder in a child of his or her age,

Your child may be maturing a little later than other children of the same age and hence may not yet be ready to make the connection between a full bladder and the need to wake from sleep,

Your child may be a particularly deep sleeper and hence, their brain may not get the message that they need to wake up to empty their bladder,

Your child might be low in the anti-diuretic hormone which sends a signal to the kidneys to make less urine during periods (of slumber for instance), and

Your child might be constipated and the constant pressure on the bladder over several hours through the night causes the bladder to contract and empty.

 Irrespective of the cause of the bed wetting in your household, using a sensory device is a safe and efficient method for arresting an ongoing problem. Sensory devices override any kinds of behavioral or physical/medical problems such as the size of the bladder or any constipation (that a parent may or may not be aware of). 

A sensory device helps the child to learn to move quickly to the lavatory to empty their bladder. It does this by sounding a buzzer or alarm that is sounded when any moisture is present.

Reasons to Choose An Alarm over Medication

Sensory devices are manufactured in a number of different constructions, but they all essentially perform the same function. All products contain a device that senses the moisture and an alarm which sounds to wake a sleeping child and alert them that it is time to empty their bladder. 

Products do vary however in the ways in which they are designed and the method in which they are used. For example, some products use sensory devices that are attached to the underpants and the alarm is attached to the wrist while other products attach the alarm to the shoulder.

Anecdotally, there are many stories of parents who have successfully used sensory alarms in preference to medication; achieving long term success. But some parents are so frustrated that anecdotal stories are simply not enough, and they need harder evidence to move to yet another strategy.

In a study that was outlined in the Journal of Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing, researchers confirmed that medical testing had demonstrated categorically that sound or alarm devices were the most effective treatment in preventing bed wetting, over and above other treatments such as medications.

A second study that was outlined in the Journal of Paediatric Child Health also reported that in a study of 505 children, 79% of those children achieved a dry bed within 10 weeks of wearing a sensory alarm each night and that of that group, a further 73% had maintained that dryness over the ensuing six months.

A third study conducted by the University of Aberdeen in Scotland comprising 2,345 children proved that 67% of children who used a sensory device ceased bed wetting within two weeks. 

They further demonstrated that children that were using medication did stop bedwetting faster than those using bed wetting devices, but in fact, once the treatment stopped, the drugs were less effective in sustaining a long term bed wetting solution.

In addition, only 18% of the children using medication stayed dry in the weeks following the study, compared with 67% of children who used sensory devices.

Some Of The Products Currently Available

There are a myriad of sensory devices available online, through your medical practitioner or health care professional and at the drug store. Some of the more common products including: DRISleeper, Nytone, Nite Train-r, Wet Stop Original, DryNite and Nature Calls.

For a parent who is trying to solve their child's long standing bed wetting problem, it can be difficult to know which product to choose. The descriptions below provide information on some of the more useful and downright annoying features of the products.

DRISleeper is one of the leading brands available. DriSleeper offers a sensor cord that can be unplugged and plugged in for immediate re-use. The device itself is made of moulded plastic and has no sharp edges. It is also very thin, meaning that it does not disrupt your child while he or she is sleeping.

The unit itself is very light and takes four button sized batteries. The DRISleeper sensor is attached to the shoulder of the child; increasing the chance that your child will be woken by the alarm. DRISleeper offers a 30 day warranty.

Nytone is a highly sensitive device that allows the drops or flow of urine to flow across it - giving it maximum sensitivity and hence, a promptly sounding alarm. It is made of a metal dome and can be easily washed and cleaned. Nytone offers a unisex design, meaning it can be used for more than one child in the family if washed thoroughly after use. Ntyone requires a 504 battery. Nytone offers a 30 day warranty.

Nite Train-r is made of layers of foam plastic, making it an unpopular choice with children as it can seem uncomfortable when the child moves around. It has a simple unplugging facility making it easy to replace the sensor if required. The urine is collected in specially designed holes so washing and cleaning must be thorough. Despite some of these negative characteristics, like DRISleeper, the sensor on the Nite Train-r is attached to your childs' shoulder rather than the wrist. Nite Train-r offers a 60 day warranty.

Wet-Stop Original is manufactured using hard plastic. For this device to work effectively, moms will need to sew pads to the underpants and then the sensor device is attached to the sewn in pads. This can be a nuisance for some parents. 

It is also important that the electrodes be kept clean and although this is a challenge it is relatively easy to keep the Velcro and sensor areas clean with washing and wiping. Wet-Stop Original is light and thin making it easy to use. It offers a One Year warranty.

DryNite is one of the more reliable brands available, as the alarm continues to sound until the sensor itself is cleaned, dried or the batteries are actually removed from the device. DryNite uses a small plastic clip which attaches to your child's underpants. The sensor is placed inside a pouch which is then attached to your child's shoulder. DryNite offers a unisex design and comes with a 30 day warranty.

Nature Calls again offers a reliable alarm feature in that is continues to sound every 60 seconds until such time as the sensor is dried. This ensures that there is no opportunity for your child to drift off back to sleep after first being woken for the device. The downside of this product is that the sensors require frequent replacement for sanitary reasons as the manufacturer suggests weekly replacement. It is however, light and thin and is easily attached to your child's underpants without discomfort. Nature Calls offers a unisex design and comes with a 90 day warranty.

Integrating an Alarm into the Night Time Routine

It is important to recognise that choosing to use a sensory device with your child each night is a significant commitment and requires lots of patience and time. You will need to learn how to use the device yourself and then transfer this knowledge by training your child to use it too. It may involve a few sleepless nights as you both make the make mad dashes to the lavatory together.

To ensure that the alarm or sensory device works most effectively, you should follow the same routine each night. This involves encouraging your child to empty their bladder immediately before going to bed. You will need to then teach your child how to reset the alarm - you may need to do this a few times - and then encourage them to do it themselves. Other things that might help include:

Have fun with your child in testing the buzzer to make sure it is working,

Turn it into a game and encourage your child to try to beat the alarm by emptying their bladder before the buzzer sounds,

Leave a night light on so your child can walk freely to the toilet and has enough light to be able to re-set the buzzer,

Maintain a rewards chart and each morning, add a star if your child has had a dry night; offer a reward for 5 or 10 stars (dry nights).

 Studies show that over a 10-12 week period of intensive use of a sensory device, children eventually begin to wake before the alarm even sounds and are able to move to the lavatory without wetting the device, their night clothes or their bed.

What To Do Next

If you have been struggling with bed wetting strategies on your own, then it is important that you start to work collaboratively with your medical practitioner or health care professional before adopting any new strategies.

Your medical practitioner not only has access to the latest information about bed wetting technologies, but can also provide you with advice and support. Having an impartial but understanding sounding board is particularly important for parents who feel like the bed wetting nightmare will never end and they are almost at the end of their tether.

Talk to your medical practitioner or health care professional about some of the more common products on the market, including DRISleeper, Nytone, Nite Train-r, Wet Stop Original, DryNite and Nature Calls. Ask him or her which product she or he would recommend for your child's situation.




Frances Peters frances@no-more-bedwetting.com

If you need bedwetting information and strategies please visit http://www.no-more-bedwetting.com





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Top 10 Reasons Why You Need To Integrate Manual Therapy Into Your Current Program


I want this article to reach out to practitioners, trainers and the general public because I feel that everyone needs to implement some form of manual therapy into their program. Whether it's a monthly Massage Therapy treatment, a bi-weekly A.R.T. visit, or a weekly laser therapy session, I believe that any and all therapies will not only make your program better, but it will make your program work better for you.

Here's how we can break this down for the above target groups:

1) For Clients, this area of health is often over looked and underutilized. Knowledge is power, and by reading this blog, readers can take action towards a proper health care plan.

2) For Trainers and Fitness Pros, working with a health care professional can take your business to the next level and help your patients achieve greater success. They will thank-you for being informed and dedicated to their success and lead them to a achieving great results.

3) For Practitioner: as a health care professional, we often think that everyone knows what we do, and immediately think every client must have this done. This is not the case so we must make everyone aware of what we do and how we can help them.

Manual therapists are Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, or Body Workers. These professionals follow an actual science and technique, with takes a lot of schooling and practice. Techniques from these professionals are a far cry from the indiscriminate kneading and pounding of some masseuses, who only make people to feel better for awhile, sort of like a placebo.

Manual Therapy and Alternative Medicine is not only for pain, but to stay healthy and achieve an optimal level of fitness and health in our current workout or lifestyle plan. Whether you are an athlete looking to get stronger, or a stay at home mom looking to create a balanced lifestyle, here are my top 10 reasons you need manual therapy in your current program. There are far more reasons for someone to be working with a health care provider such as a massage therapist or chiropractor, some are general and more are individual. Feel free to leave your comments and ideas on the bottom of this blog. I would love to hear your thoughts!

1. Create Body Awareness

Have you ever been told that your glutes doesn't fire or you have one side of your body much stronger or balanced than the other? A Manual Therapist can show you how to balance and strengthen your weak areas and teach you how to get your muscles to fire properly, allowing you to take your program to the next level.

2. Removing built up toxins

Massage flushes away waste products from your muscles, tissues, and skin more easily. This helps digestive disorders (such as spastic colon, constipation and intestinal gas) as well as acne and other deficiencies.

3. Relieve pain.

Soft tissue work can help block nervous system pain receptors and increase blood flow to the muscles. It can reduce the pain of arthritis as it relieves and increases joint mobility and it takes pressure off painful joints. Trained practitioners can also help ease the pain of migraines, childbirth and cancer.

4. Increase attitude and alertness.

Bodywork improves attitude. It gets things flowing in the brain by stimulating brain-wave activity which helps increase alertness. Techniques like Massage Therapy and standard chiropractic adjustments can help you reach your goal!

5. Prevent injury and illness.

Tense muscles pull and tighten the body, restrict circulation and pull the body out of alignment. Unattended, this can lead to a host of problems.

6: Release of Endorphins

Endorphins are chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters, or natural pain killers. They transmit electrical signals within the nervous system. They are mostly found in the pituitary gland. In addition to decreased feelings of pain, we experience euphoria, a change in appetite, release of sex hormones, and enhancement of the immune response. With high levels of these natural chemicals, we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.

7. Improve nerve Function

Contracted muscles can press on or pinch your nerves causing tingling, numbness or pain.

Certain manual therapies like massage therapy relaxes these contracted muscles to relieve the compression on your nerves. Sensory receptors in the skin and muscles wake up bringing new awareness to areas that have felt cut off by chronic tension patterns.

8. Be a Preventative Measure for Better Health in The Future

Getting treatment and making a plan with your health care professional will allow you to heal small injuries head on before they become chronic or debilitating. We call this a maintenance plan and have seen amazing results from clients who once would only come when they were severely hurt. Now they don't even go to that place, all it takes is half an hour every 2-3 weeks.

9. Work with A complete Health Care Team

If you're lucky enough to go to or work in a clinic with a number of different practitioners, you'll know what I mean by this. Having an entire team behind you not only will allow you or your clients to get every aspect of their health properly taken care of, but it allows the client to feel comfortable and confident in their health care plan.

10. Guidance

As practitioners, we are often asked advice and sometimes told the life story of our clients. This happens to any professional who allows their client to feel safe and confident in their presence. When you achieve this safety zone with your clients not only will they heal quicker, but they will refer clients your way as well.




Adam Bogar is the clinic director and co-owner at Dynamic Training & Rehabilitation in Ontario, Canada. [http://www.dynamictrainingandrehab.ca]

DT&R is a leading alternative health care, rehabilitation, and fitness facility that utilizes acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic, bootcamps, and personal training to achieve desired results.

Adam is also the co-create of therehabbiz.com, Alternative Therapy Management Group. The most powerful online strategic marketing, coaching and products for alternative health care professionals.

To learn more, check out [http://www.TheRehabBiz.com]





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2012年9月15日 星期六

5 Reasons Why Your Child Receiving Special Education May Be Misbehaving


Does your child with autism have increased behavioral difficulty at school? Do you sometimes wonder, why your child misbehaves at certain times of day at school, or while doing certain activities? To determine what your child is receiving from the behavior a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) must be conducted. But this article, will give you a few things that could be causing your child's behavior.

Reason 1: Your child could be having difficulty with their behavior, due to a health concerns. When my daughter Angelina was younger she would have behavioral outbursts that seemed to be tied to not feeling well. I would take her home, she would go to bed, and wake up and do just fine.

Also if your child has seizures, the behavior could be seizure related. Keep track of the behavior and check with your child's doctor, if you think there could be a health reason for the behavior.

Reason 2: Many children with autism or other disabilities have sensory integration dysfunction; which can negatively affect their behavior. Some children misbehave, because they are wanting, sensory stimulation. Or some children are trying to avoid sensory stimulation.

You can learn more about sensory integration dysfunction, by reading a book about the disorder. Or search the internet for treatments and things that can be done in the classroom to help your child.

Reason 3: Your child could be trying to escape hard academics, or a situation that they cannot handle.

Investigate and make sure that your child is being taught academics at their level so that they do not get frustrated.

Reason 4: Some children misbehave because they are trying to get attention, from other students or special education personnel.

Reason 5: If your child is not receiving an appropriate education in the right type of placement, they may experience a lot of behavioral difficulty.

When my daughter Angelina was younger, she would throw herself on the ground to avoid hard academics. Also if a child is unable to learn academics, it might be time to consider functional skills training. In my advocacy I have seen many children positively respond to functional skills, without behavior. Angelina also responded very well to increased functional skills training rather than a focus on academics.

By learning if any special circumstances are causing your child's behavior difficulties, you will be able to try some different things to see if they help! Good Luck!




JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com





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Top Twelve Therapies For Autism


If your child is diagnosed with autism, you may not know where to start. If you are lucky, your physician will have some suggestions and your child's teachers will have some suggestions. Beyond that, you will likely turn to your neighbors, books, and the internet.

As you read and talk with others, you will likely quickly realize that no one therapy works for all children. While many children with autism are able to improve with therapy, there is no magic cure.

So, acknowledging that all children are different, your best shot is to look closely at your child and at your family and try the therapies that are most likely to make a difference and that are the most realistic for your family. Since many autism therapies are poorly studied and none are proven 100% effective, you cannot afford to rely solely on science-based evidence. Instead, I suggest that you begin with the therapies that are most commonly used by families with children with autism. While there is no guarantee that these therapies will work for your child, it does suggest a level of acceptance in the autism community.

The top 12 most commonly used autism therapies are:


Speech and language therapy (used by 70% of parents)
Visual schedules (used by 43.2% of parents)
Sensory integration therapy (used by 38.2% of parents)
Applied behavior analysis therapy - ABA (used by 36.4% of parents)
Social story therapy (used by 36.1% of parents)
Vitamin C (used by 30.8% of parents)
Vitamin B6 and magnesium (used by approximately 30% of parents)
Essential fatty acids (used by 28.7% of parents)
Picture exchange communication system - PECS (used by 27.6% of children)
Casein-free diet (used by 26.8% of parents)
Gluten-free diet (used by 23.1% of parents)
Vitamin A (used by 22.0% of parents)

Consider these therapies first. Consider the pros and cons for your family if you were to adopt these therapies. Is the therapy too expensive to be realistic for you? Is the therapy inaccessible for your family? Is the therapy too complicated for your family structure? Be realistic. If a therapy will put undue stress on your family, try the next therapy down the list.

When you decide on a therapy approach, keep a detailed record of your child's symptoms and response to the therapy. Try to add just one therapy at a time (perhaps just one per week). If a therapy causes worse behavior in your child, then drop it. If, after a month, you see no improvement in your child, consider dropping the therapy. Above all, do not believe so much in any given therapy that you deny the response that your child is showing you. No one therapy works for all children. If a therapy does not work for your child, then move on and try another therapy. Your child is precious, but so is your time and money. You owe it to your child, yourself, and your family to find a therapy approach that works specifically for your situation.

(The list of most popular therapies was taken from a survey by Dr. Vanessa Green that was published in 2006.)




Lara Pullen, PhD is the CEO of http://autism.healingthresholds.com. Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy is a free website and email newsletter dedicated to healing the lives of families touched by autism. They provide comprehensive therapy fact sheets, daily updates of autism therapy research and news, and a global directory of autism-related therapists and services. The 100 top autism therapies are listed and discussed at http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy with comprehensive fact sheets provided for the top twelve therapies.

Lara is a former research scientist in the field of immunology. She has been a medical writer since 1999 and has written on a wide range of topics from Alzheimer's disease to diabetes. She is the mother of three children, the youngest of whom has Prader-Willi Syndrome.





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Integrating Your 4 Freedoms - Part 8 of 9 - Mate Relationship and Summary of the 4 Freedoms


Integration in a Mate Relationship

A mate relationship is a superlative setting for integrating your Four Freedoms. A relationship is the ideal arena for learning to become whole. Lovers do not complete each other but rather comprise one whole relationship. Not only is committed relationship a testing ground for confronting issues of personal and spiritual growth, it also provides a secure haven in which to do so. In its cocoon, you can cultivate pleasure and explore desire.

One of the most powerful choices you can make on your path to total freedom is to select your relationship as the most important thing in your life. When you make this choice, your relationship becomes a spiritual practice. Three essential qualities of a relationship as spiritual practice are commitment, fidelity, and time. In a relationship covenant, commitment affirms your intention to grow old together. Monogamy provides the security you need to risk being emotionally vulnerable and transparent, so you can open the door to a shared sexual/spiritual ecstasy. Spending lovers' time together feeds the relationship through such simple activities as daily gazing into each other's eyes, sending love back and forth, and taking a weekly block of hours to be lovers.

As you engage in the intimacies of a relationship, as you learn the knowledge and skills to become fit for a relationship, you will naturally call upon, activate, and reinforce your Four Freedoms. No matter how irrelevant or frightening a particular freedom can seem, it is essential to embrace each of them, because they all interact subtly in an infinite number of ways. Synchronizing, integrating, and bringing the Four Freedoms (Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul) into harmony are some of the most important tasks you can possibly undertake. Your health, well-being, and happiness depend upon harmonization. The Four Freedoms are optional, not mandatory. It is your responsibility to reclaim and embrace your Freedoms.

Embrace all your Four Freedoms

Reclaiming your Four Freedoms is not particularly difficult. You do not have to search for where to find them, for they reside within you. You do not have to earn them, because they are your birthright. You do not have to deserve them, because they wait to be claimed in the lost-and-found room where you have forgotten that you left them.

The essence of Body Freedom is direct sensory experience of what you see, hear, taste, smell, and touch in the now moment. To reclaim Body Freedom, adopt a pleasure orientation. Touch, make love, learn the art of sacred sex, and set aside shame associated with your body, sex, and experiencing pleasure. Love yourself, love your mate, love life.

The essence of Mind Freedom is consciousness. The responsibility of Mind Freedom is to exercise two kinds of choices. The first is what you think about, your attention. The second is how you think, your intention. You can choose to pay attention to what you want, rather than what you don't want. The subject of your attention becomes a choice-you are saying that you want more of it. You can think about what you want in a consistently positive way. Then you must take action to support your thoughts.

The essence of Heart Freedom is emotion, the capacity to feel. The supreme emotion is love, which by its very nature implies a relationship, the lover and the beloved. The responsibility of Heart Freedom is to allow yourself to feel everything, both positive and negative, and, in addition, to act in spite of emotional discomfort. Your challenge is to repeatedly open your heart every time it closes.

The essence of Soul Freedom is faith. In spiritual matters, faith is what you believe even in spite of evidence to the contrary. With faith you know that however bad the current situation is, something better is just around the corner. The responsibility of Soul Freedom includes the necessity to take action in faith, regardless of how hopeless the situation might appear.

Excerpted from our new book Sensual Love Secrets for Couples: The Four Freedoms of Body, Mind, Heart and Soul, by Al Link and Pala Copeland, Llewellyn, 2007.




Al Link and Pala Copeland own and operate 4 Freedoms Relationship Tantra. They regularly host Tantra Sacred Loving weekends near Ottawa Canada, and weeklong retreats in exotic locations around the planet. For more information call toll free from Canada or USA: 1-800-684-5308 International long distance: 1-819-689-5308. Visit Page http://4freedomstantra.ning.com/profile/AlLink or Send email: 4freedoms@tantraloving.com. Their book, Soul Sex: Tantra for Two, is published by New Page Books, 2003.





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Physical and Alternative Therapies for ADHD


Four and a half million American children aged between five and seventeen have been diagnosed with ADHD since 2006. The symptoms vary from one child to another and certain symptoms may be more pronounced in one child than it is in another child, depending on the type of ADHD that the child has. Generally, the symptoms could include overactivity, uncontrollable behavior, impulsivity, and the inability to remain focused.

Some medical doctors like to prescribe medications while naturopaths advocate natural remedies, such as mineral supplements that have proven helpful for the condition. In addition to any herbal or pharmaceutical medicines, research has shown that physical therapy can be very beneficial. It is suggested that parents exhaust all other options before settling for drugs.

Since there is a link between sensory integration disorder and ADHD, sensory integration is one of the therapies on offer to help improve hyperactivity, impulsiveness and restlessness. Strenuous exercise and deep pressure are some of the methods used. Research has shown that kids who receive sensory intervention therapy are better able to pay attention in noisy classrooms and generally more at ease.

The therapy will depend on the type of behavior which is most pronoounced. The exercise ball, swings and gentle or deep brushing of the skin are some of the most common therapies.

Occupational therapy is used to improve school performance by helping the child to learn self-management techniques. Sensory integration therapy stimulates the five senses in a regulated manner. The patient is assisted in effectively organizing the sensory information and interpreting it correctly.

The alertness is regulated with self-regulation techniques which helps the child to better concentrate on the task at hand. Programs exist for both adults and children alike.

As part of the intervention, the sensory input is managed along with the regulation of alertness levels. This helps the child to easily regain focus after a break and to help him or her maintain concentration during the day.

It is recommended that ADHD kids take part in physical activities such as organized sports. Sports provide an appropriate outlet for all that hyperactive energy.




Lizette has extensive experience in creating home education tools and resources that are available freely from [http://www.twinstaracademy.com/]

She also has a lot of experience in dealing with an ADHD child, thanks to her 9-year old daughter. However, she has found benefit from Minerals for ADHD





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2012年9月14日 星期五

Sensory Reduction and the Quest for Human Potential


As the nature of our lives evolves and changes we are constantly looking for ways to improve our creativity and production. This is not a new challenge but one that has taken a sudden sense of urgency, especially in the modern business world. One of the strategies for doing this is to step out of our daily routines, block out the world and focus on our 'inner selves'. 'Getting away from it all' has taken on new meaning and relevance in our stress-filled hurried lives.

The quest for human potential has been going on for 'eons'. Some argue that Cro-Magnon people isolated themselves from their outside world by entering caves and eventually producing pre-historic cave art. The great religious leaders often promoted meditation and introspection as a means of gaining greater understanding and ultimately arriving at a higher level of potential and production.

Today we try to get away to isolated vacation spots, stress-reducing spas and use New and Old Age methods of turning off the outside world. The premise is that by shutting down the barrage of outside stimuli we can allow ourselves to develop internally. And of course in the Modern Era we use technology to help us with our quest.

One such technological innovation is the flotation tank. No one knows when the idea for sensory reduction started but the first scientific experiments began in the early 1950s. The original premise was that by shutting down outside stimuli one could shut down brain function. The initial surprise was that the brain did not shut down but instead became more active in different ways.

A flotation tank has been described as a portable closet turned on its side and filled with about ten inches of concentrated Epsom salts dissolved in water. The typical tank will have between 800 and 1000 pounds of concentrated Epsom. Newer tanks have an air supply and a temperature regulator that keeps the solution a constant 93.5 degrees F. or skin temperature and a door that essentially shuts out all light. Earplugs are often worn and most tanks have very little or 'no' sound.

The floater enters the tank, closes the door and with it blocks out most external stimuli. The floating experience comes close to no gravity -- one floats and physically cannot sink in the tank. There are no rules -- no set procedures, no instructions, no agenda.

Each floater takes into the tank what they bring with themselves. Some meditate, others work on business problems, and others let their minds go and try to enter a creative state. Many, though not all, go into a brainwave state known as the 'theta zone' -- a brainwave pattern similar to sleep. There are no drugs, massages, or therapy processes. In short, there is no intervention of any kind -- only the floater and the tank.

"Floaters" report many different types of experiences and many of these experiences are perceived as profound. I recently conducted a series of interviews with floaters and was told the following: A systems analyst uses the tank to reduce stress and become 'less of an nerd'; a research scientist visualizes molecules and protein structures; a banker uses the tank to work on difficult projects by isolating each component of a project and visualizing how these components can come together. Athletes use floating for optimal performance, visualization and injury healing.

Doctors and chiropractors recommend floating as a way to reduce pain, especially back pain. Psychologists recommend floating as a way to reduce levels of depression. Writers and inventors use floating as a way to create and innovate.

Why does floating work? There are a number of theories: the anti-gravity effect, the increase of left brain activity as right brain activity is decreased, endorphin production, and integration of the primitive and modern brain layers, brain waves (theta), biofeedback and homeostasis of the human brain.

But most floaters do not care so much how it works but that it works. They report that old ways of thinking simply 'melt away' and do not have to be 'strategically broken down'. They report a greater sense of well being and an enhanced sense of creativity and innovation. Many report that floating has significantly changed their lives. The effects can last for days, weeks, years or a lifetime.

As a matter of curiosity I tried floating. The immediate effect I noted was a sense of well being that lasted for weeks. I cannot say whether it was cause and effect, but after floating regularly for several months, I started a new business venture that I had been contemplating for over a year.

As a true skeptic I cannot say what is going on but I can say that something is going on. My wild guess is that it has something to do with endorphin production but admittedly that is a wild guess.

For those of us that constantly deal with human potential in the workplace we cannot ignore the human mind. Although we do not fully understand how the mind works, we do know some of the basics. We now know that constant stimuli bombardment can lead to high levels of stress, which in turn can cause mental and physical maladies. These maladies can lead to lower production and a reduced potential.

The Brave New World of the future may not have our minds hooked up to stimuli producing machines. The Brave New World may have us float in a tank and 'regress' to some primordial state where we can shut out the modern world and realize ourselves and our own potential.

In a true sense, we may be returning to the cave to find ourselves.




Jack D. Deal is the owner of Deal Business Consulting. aRelated articles [http://www.jddeal.com] may be found at [http://www.jddeal.com] and http://www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com





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The Daily Sock Battle


Every morning, five-year-old Emily would begin her day by arguing with her mom about putting on socks. Emily hated socks or anything on her feet, toes, or ankles for that matter. She complained to her mother that this sock felt too "big", this seam "poked her", and the elastic on another pair made her ankle "itchy." Even after a happy medium was finally found an hour later with the "right" pair of socks, Emily would next resist putting on shoes, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and finally to having her teeth and hair brushed.

Her mother Dena tried patiently to find the right clothing combinations that agreed with Emily, but many times this seemingly benign routine of getting dressed caused a loud commotion, which sometimes ended in tears of frustration. Finding sympathy but no answers from her friends and family, Dena began searching the Internet for a reason why Emily made mornings such an intense ordeal. This could not be how every child acts about dressing and grooming! Dena felt there must be something else going on that made these mornings such a battle. She found parenting forums that outlined some of the same clothing dramas her family had been experiencing. More importantly, Dena's reading introduced her to a condition known as Sensory Integration Disorder (SID).

A simple definition of Sensory Integration Disorder is the inability to process the information a person receives through their senses. Also called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, SID is a glitch in the central nervous system, which hinders the brain's ability to analyze, organize, and connect sensory messages. As a result, children with the condition might have trouble associating many basic sensations including touch, movement, body position, sight, sounds, smell, and taste. Since the brain is at times struggling to organize a multitude of stimuli from all the senses, many aspects of an affected child's behavior may seem disorganized or challenging.

In Emily's case, the feel of a cotton seam in a sock caused irritation that was almost unbearable on her toes and toenails. Emily was also hypersensitive to the tag on the inside of her shirts that continuously scratched her throughout the day, and long-sleeved shirts must have felt somewhat like wearing a straight jacket. The bristles on a toothbrush agonized her sensitive gums and nerves in her cheeks, while brushing her hair meant pain from her roots through to her scalp with every stroke. When the exaggerated sensations are brought to mind, Emily's aversion to dressing each morning seemed more appropriate.

Although there are many degrees of the disorder and the effects will vary by individual child, parents of SID children are many times the first to identify that something is a bit different with their son or daughter. Even a mild degree of SID can cause feelings of distress in a mother, when the lightest touch or even a gentle kiss is forever wiped off or never easily accepted by her toddler. There can also be endless inconsistencies in a child's behavior or reactions, for example complaining of discomfort when gently nudged on the shoulder but ignoring the pain of cuts and bruises received on the playground. There are also more pronounced degrees of the disorder that can greatly hinder a child's development, sometimes playing a secondary role to autism or fetal alcohol syndrome.

Many children with SID improve when parents and caregivers seek assistance early. By talking openly to a pediatrician, learning about SID, initiating Occupational Therapy, and developing a home life that is rich in sensory experiences tailored to the individual, children can build tools to respond to the daily challenges SID creates.




Anna Chavez is a former Editor Owner of a large weekly Newspaper. She is currently Editor and Author of several online resource sites that can be found at [http://www.thirdplanetsearch.com]





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Sensitivity to Lights and Sounds in Vehicles


Children with sensory integration disorder or sensitivities to light and sound, can resist going out for a walk, playing on the playground, and even going for a ride in the car. Sensory integration disorder is when the brain doesn't understand the information it is receiving from the senses and misinterprets it.

When a child is sensitive to the brightness of light or sound that it is either too loud or high-pitched, they may overreact and exhibit a variety of behavioral challenges, such as crying, screaming, having headaches or stomachaches. As onlookers, we interpret this child as being temperamental or having a bad day. The way the parents respond, if they are not aware of this sensitivity, is to do a number of things to calm or stop the child's behavior. Most people have not heard of sensory integration disorder, although it is on the rise, primarily due to the frequency of diagnosis and quantity of people having the same or similar sensory issues.

Sensory integration disorder can coexist with Autism spectrum disorders, other learning disabilities or disorders. The book, "The Out of Sync Child," by Carol Stock Kranowitz, discusses and explains what this disorder is and how to adjust events in your child's life so that your child can be more comfortable. Checklists on the web do not fully understand the disorder, and try to attest their validity by making blanket statements, with black and white conclusions. Many children exhibit sensory issues, but parents and therapists may not recognize all the symptoms. Symptoms may occur one day and not the next two days or new ones may surface. Some days a child may be overly sensitive to sound or light, and other days they may be under sensitive.

Some children are okay with having sunglasses on, to protect their eyes from the light. Those who do not like to have things on their face or who are too young to wear eye protection, can typically shield their eyes with a hood or cover. Vehicles that have darkly tinted windows in the backseat are perfect for these children. Some people find that tires that do not have a specific expiration mileage will produce more sound and noise than tires that that last for just 50,000 or 100,000 miles, for example. These types of tires are firmer due to the amount of rubber that is spun tighter around the tire.

Some of the newer vehicles, have features that auto adjust mirrors so light is either reflected or muted and won't glare or bounce off other reflective objects in the car. Additionally, there are muted colored lights throughout the car that given an amber, blue or red glow to light the console or dashboard.

If you are unable to purchase a newer vehicle, there are ways to adjust the interior of your car to reduce the glare or brightness. Private investigators use black curtains hung near or around the windows to prevent the light from glaring in. The same curtain can be used to hang from the inside of the car's window, using the window to hold it up. Using white noise machines, video games, or soft music helps with irritating or aversive sounds.

Observe your child's behavior on a daily basis to see how or if the amount of light is bothersome. Ask your child questions and help them become more comfortable. Traveling in a car with your child in car can be a pleasant experience; most importantly, it needs to be safe so the driver is not distracted and the passengers are safe.




Julie Callicutt is the owner of Ferko Therapeutic Group, a company specializing in providing intensive rehabilitation therapy to children with disabilities, specifically those on the Autism Spectrum. Julie's services include 1:1 intensive therapy, coaching/mentoring of caregivers and making herself available to speak at local and national early childhood conferences. If you would like more information, please visit, http://www.ferkotherapy.com.





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2012年9月13日 星期四

Adult ADHD: Why Sensory Stimulation is the Secret


In my last article I told about a kid with ADHD symptoms who I was working with in my practice. I taught him to connect his love of hockey with doing science homework, which he was currently getting F's in because he was bored. He used hockey cards and posters and music to do this and he ended up getting A's in Science as a result.

That's an example of someone with ADHD symptoms connecting something they love and something they're not that excited about together to make it at least a semi-exciting experience.

Today, Stephanie Frank and I are going to going to talk about how to use sensory stimulation with Adult ADHD symptoms--using all five senses--to help focus the brain with Adult ADHD.

An example of this is when I have to do the dishes--something I find extremely boring. It's hard for me to stand there for more than two minutes. My ADHD symptoms kick in and I wander off. So here's what I do to stay focused when I do the dishes.

First I make myself a nice pot of coffee (ever noticed how people with Adult ADHD love coffee?). The second thing I do when I want to get a household chore done at high speed is, a technique I started using after we came up with this hockey idea for the kid with ADHD symptoms I was working with: except I use a different interest.

I'm a distance runner. I love running. So, I actually will get in my running clothes, shoes, shorts, and shirt, and do the dishes at high speed while dressed up like a runner. It's kind of a funny sight, but it works. It works really well--and can work great for anyone Adult ADHD symptoms.

Stephanie Frank explains why this really works with Adult ADHD symptoms:

Stephanie: Let's talk about why that works with Adult ADHD, Tellman. If you're focusing on something, you're probably doing it unconsciously. You're not even aware of all the things that are happening. Let's bring that up to the awareness level that people with Adult ADHD symptoms operate at.

The point is that when you want to focus, people with Adult ADHD symptoms have a brain, a body, a mind that works automatically in kind of a multi-tasking sort of a mode. People with Adult ADHD can accomplish many, many things at once, whereas most people without ADHD symptoms have to go from one thing to the next thing to the next thing.

Because you have Adult ADHD symptoms, you like to do lots of things at once. This is because when you sit down and you try to just focus on this one thing, what happens is your brain almost rebels. It shuts down. It gets to that point where it says, "Ugh. I'm so bored. There's not enough stimulus. There's nothing going on. I can't just focus on this one thing because I have such a capacity to do more things."

The basic premise for getting something done with Adult ADHD symptoms, especially when it's something you don't like to do, is very simple, and it's this: you have to involve multiple senses. You have to involve all your senses.

Tellman said that he puts on a pot of coffee for the sense of smell. Of course, caffeine doesn't hurt, right? So right there, you can smell the coffee. Then he puts on his running clothes. That's kinesthetic. That's feeling in your body. You could also light a candle. That could be a visual sense that doesn't distract, or it could be a smell too.

You can play music. That is auditory. So, you've got your entire body, all your senses involved and being stimulated...and your ADHD symptoms are just soaking it up, actually helping you to focus more...did I get all the senses?

Tellman: Well, you're talking about visual, kinesthetic, auditory or hearing, olfactory, and gustatory which is smell and taste. Then, some people would say, "What about your connection with your spiritual life?" Some people would even refer to that as a sixth sense.

You can integrate that too, if that's your style, and that makes sense to you. Whatever religion you practice, see if you can somehow incorporate that into what you're doing.

There are lots of very powerful ways to simply connect up things that interest you with what you're doing, to really make them work for you. Be creative. Use your ADHD symptoms of hyper-creativity and innovation to your advantage on this.

While we're on the subject, there is another solution people with Adult ADHD symptoms can use for getting those things done that you don't like to do, and it's called "outsourcing."

There are very specific ways people with Adult ADHD can outsource things at home, and things at work, that are taking your time and energy that shouldn't be. To find out more about outsourcing and other great techniques for Adult ADHD, see below.




Tellman Knudson can help you learn to focus, beat distraction and accomplish your goals. Learn more about Adult ADHD Symptoms and pick up your free newsletter of ADHD practical tips and techniques to make your life better today!





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