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2012年9月18日 星期二

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

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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2012年8月28日 星期二

Helping the Child Who Has Sensory Processing Issues


There's something up with a child you know. He's clumsy, picky, always on the move, or flopped in a chair like a wet noodle. He's impulsive, intense, and quirky. Maybe he has a learning disability, ADHD, or autism, or maybe not, but his behavior and responses to everyday sensations are puzzling. Why does he withdraw or act out? Why are transitions so difficult? Can he really hear the fluorescent lights that he claims are distracting him?

It's very likely that this child you're concerned about has sensory processing disorder, also known as SPD or sensory integration dysfunction. An estimated 1 in 20 children and almost all children with autism have SPD.

The nervous system of a child with sensory processing disorder is wired atypically, causing her body to process everyday sensations differently. Unable to rely on her senses to give her an accurate picture of what is going on in her body and her world, she is prone to anxiety, distractibility, impulsivity, and frustration. A child with SPD will tune out or act out when overstimulated. The need for sensory input such as movement and touch can be so overpowering that the child truly can't control her need to seek it out. An everyday sound or sensation may be experienced as so intense that it sets off a primitive fear response, also known as a fight-or-flight response. Many of us have difficulty tuning out background noise, or prefer clothes that fit a certain way. These are sensory preferences. When a child's sensory issues interfere significantly with learning and playing, he needs the help of an occupational therapist and a sensory smart adult who can teach him how to feel more comfortable in his body and environment.

Fortunately, many of the accommodations that can make a huge difference in the life of a child who has sensory issues are simple and inexpensive. Here are just a few:


Cut out clothing tags, turn socks inside out or buy seamless ones, and avoid clothing with embroidery and elastic that will touch the skin and create distracting, irritating sensations.
To tolerate the intense sensation of having his teeth brushed, the child with SPD may need to use nonfoaming toothpaste and have his mouth and lips desensitized by using a vibrating toothbrush or even just gently pressing a hand-held vibrator against his cheek, jaws, and lips before attempting to brush.
To calm and focus a child with sensory issues, you can try applying deep pressure against the skin as you compress her joints. Hugging, or pressing pillows against her body or rolling her up in a blanket to play "burrito" are often enjoyable ways for a child to get input. Always pay close attention to what a child is telling you, in words or body language, about her response to sensory input. Do not upset her with unwanted touch.
In school or at home, allow him to sit on an exercise ball or an inflatable cushion, with a smooth or bumpy surface. This will meet the movement needs of a child who just has to be able to squirm and help the child with poor body awareness to better sense where his body is when he's seated. When these needs for movement and body awareness are met, the sensory child will focus better on listening, eating, or doing schoolwork.
Provide a quiet retreat when she's overwhelmed by the sensory onslaught of everyday life. Whether she sits alone with you in a car outside of a party or restaurant, or in a quiet, darkened room, listening to relaxing music on a personal music player with headphones, a sensory break can do wonders for a child's ability to tolerate her environment.

A pediatric occupational therapist who is both trained and experienced in helping children with sensory issues can work with parents and teachers to plan and carry out activities for the child that can help him or her function better at home, at school, and away. She can also help problem solve and discover accommodations that will ease the child's discomfort, and set up a "sensory diet" of activities that will help him. Whether working on a consultation basis, in a sensory gym nearby, at home or at school, the right sensory smart OT can make a huge difference for a child with sensory processing disorder.

copyright (c) 2012 Nancy Peske




Nancy Peske is an author and editor and the parent of a child who at age 2 was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and multiple developmental delays. She is coauthor of the award-winning Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues. You can learn more about sensory issues at http://www.sensorysmartparent.com





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2012年8月26日 星期日

Parenting a Child with Sensory Integration Disorder


After suffering another incredibly stressful morning trying to get my 5 ½ year old son dressed, I've come to the conclusion that there must be other families who go through the same frustration every morning. Most just wouldn't believe that we have it different than anyone else who has young kids. When I'm talking to someone about Jeremy, my stress shows but the explanation is too long so I don't usually elaborate. Their usual answer is "sounds like a typical 5 year old". I guess I've grown used to that. What is harder is to hear from other people who are trying to be helpful that we have a "discipline problem." They offer their typical advice of how to reign a child in and get them to behave.

The fact of the matter is, is that he is NOT a typical 5 year old! Oh, Jeremy loves to play instead of work, throw rocks and finds an empty box utterly fascinating, but the day to day events of our lives, the usually mundane things, are stressful and incredibly different.

This morning was supposed to be a lot of fun. We all woke up early to take a trip to Miami to see my husband's family. It's a 3 day weekend so we wanted to get an early start on Saturday morning so we could enjoy the afternoon in Miami. My husband got up and made coffee, I wrapped about 6 gifts that we're bringing and Jeremy started pulling out clothes and toys he wanted to bring.

I encouraged him to bring the clothes and toys into his room but instead more and more toys got dragged into our living room. When it was time to sit down and eat his breakfast, his favorite of 'waffles and cream', the battle started. Normally, a good tactic is to put a clock in front of him so he can see how much time he has. Today we didn't do that because we were not thinking about the exact moment we had to leave like we do every day for school. That was a BAD CHOICE on my part. I should have showed him the exact time he needed to have eaten and gotten dressed by. Then we should have marched out the door. Unfortunately, we had to pack our suitcases and pack the car.

When Jeremy got to the table ate a few strawberries and milk and got up. My insistence of him sitting and eating finally got ugly after about 15 minutes. While I was running around trying to get everyone ready to go out of town; I continued to put him back in his seat and demand that he eat. I sat with him for about 5 minutes and he didn't eat. I told him he could get a star for his chart if he ate, and got dressed. He started whining and crying so I took a star away from his chart that we've created. On one trip to the bedroom he started playing with a tractor. When I found him again ( I was now taking a shower) he wanted to bring the tractor to the table. I told him NO and to get back to eat. He was screaming and crying because now he wanted the tractor and then he said that "you are the only mommy in the world who is mean to me every day". That is when I told him that if he said that one more time he would get his mouth washed out with soap. (This works wonders for those awful things that kids tend to say sometimes but If I could live without ever doing anything drastic like this, I would!!!)

That stopped the complaining about how "mean" I am but the whining continued. I had to finish feeding him myself in between his tears. He finally finished eating after about 45 minutes. I had turned off the TV by this time of course. I've learned that having the TV on or light music can easily overwhelm Jeremy.

Next, getting him dressed was no easy feat. The first shirt I put on didn't feel comfortable. This was a brand new pre washed long sleeve t-shirt from Osh Kosh. It's darling, but unfortunately, new clothes rarely stay on my son. He prefers old and soft. Many of his very favorite clothes and shoes have spots and tears, but they are the only ones that I can get him to stay in. This morning was no different. I put on Gap underwear, Osh Kosh Jeans and the Osh Kosh t-shirt. After he was completely dressed, he started screaming and wailing about the shirt being too small and the pants being too big. So, off the clothes came! And it wasn't just a calm, "mommy I'm taking off these clothes", it was a screaming crying whining fit accompanied by throwing his clothes across the room which landed on my husband's face as he was walking across the room. At least today he didn't RUN when it was time to get him dressed. That is the typical scenario. He races across the room when it's time to take off his pajamas or time to get changed any time. I can't figure out why! I don't know if that is his body having an automatic reaction to change, or if it's a behavior issue. But it's something that we want to work on in occupational therapy.

Because I already know the drill, that nothing I can say or do will make him keep clothes on when he doesn't want to wear something, I went to the drawer and brought out the old favorites. The yellow long sleeve t-shirt with the #63 and the army looking pants that are soft and comfy. If you see Jeremy out of his school uniform, this is more than likely the outfit he'll be in.

I think of all of the hundreds of dollars that I've wasted by buying clothes that don't quite feel right. I think of the dozens of pairs of shoes that he has kicked and screamed about. I have thrown out piles of socks that just didn't have the seam in the right place. Getting Jeremy dressed to go anywhere, is a struggle nearly every single day.

Recently, the school had a second hand sale on uniforms. I felt like I struck gold by finding the oldest shirts in the school. To me, that means, the SOFTEST and that is perfect for my kid! He is 5 years old, and he wants to wear size 12 shirts. They are big and don't cling to him. Also, discovering the GAP undershirts has been a miracle in our lives. My friend Diane has a red head boy (I believe red heads are more sensitive) and they recommended the GAP undershirts.

I remember trying to get Jeremy dressed at age 2 was no different than now. He went to the Montessori school and because it was pre-school, they weren't particular on the time we arrived. Many, many mornings Jeremy would fight and scream when I had to get him dressed. He would have been perfectly happy staying at home watching TV all day. He would be completely happy just doing that every day of his life. But, fortunately for him, he has two incredibly active parents who rarely ever sit around and watch TV. We have our traditional "Friday night movie night" but we don't watch TV much during the week.

Jeremy does get to go to After Care at school if he's had good behavior the day before. There, they run around the fields, play ball, climb on the jungle gym, have snacks and play with their friends. He loves it! I find that it's the best place for him since he races the kids and exerts more energy there than anywhere else. The hardest part is when it's time to go. What else? He runs away! My mom has found it completely embarrassing because he doesn't pay attention when it's time to come. He just continues playing and then runs to the other side of the field where he can't even hear us yell for him.

By reading books like "The Out of Sync Child" and talking with other mom's I've found a few things that work in this situation. First of all, when you get there, allow the child 5 minutes or 10 minutes to play. Tell him/her that he has 5 minutes and then it's time to go. For Jeremy, he then gets time to transition to the next activity. And the expectation is set. Our new rule is that he is able to achieve a star for his chart at this point. If he comes immediately after the 5 minutes is up, he can get a star for that which when added up every day can determine whether or not he gets to go to after care the next day. He needs to get 5 stars a day - for getting out of bed quickly, for eating and taking his plate to the sink, for making his bed, for getting dressed (almost) by himself, brushing his teeth and hair, etc. He has the chance to earn 3 stars in the morning. Several of the above list is combined into one section for instance: putting dishes in sink and making bed = one star.

The chart system is working for us pretty well. He gets stars taken away for negative attitudes or whining. One day he ripped all of the bad and the good extra stars down. He didn't realize he also ripped the good ones down. Jeremy can earn EXTRA stars for having excellent behavior like the day he had such a great attitude one morning. I was so pleased and so proud of him that he got to go to After Care that day even though he didn't have enough stars the day before. The extra stars can accumulate to 20 and then he gets to go to Toys R Us to buy a toy. So far, he has only a couple of extra stars for good behavior.. and believe me.. I'm looking!

It's hard for Jeremy's self esteem to have these problems. He's gotten in trouble nearly every single day at school. He's come home many times saying, "I'm a bad kid, I'm a bad kid", which really rips out my heart! The system of putting their "apple or acorn" in the yellow, or red basket brings a reputation of "bad behavior". Jeremy has also had his apple on the teachers' desk many times. If he gets bad behavior like this, they take him out of recess. They'll take him out for 5-10 minutes or even the whole time! When I learned this, I freaked out! Jeremy NEEDS activity in order for his brain to FUNCTION correctly. By taking him out of free time outside, they're just hurting the situation. I caused a stink about that at the school and I think they've made some adjustments. The school counselor is now involved and helping to guide the teachers in working with Jeremy. It's truly been a collaborative effort.

Jeremy has also been slow to finish his work. We had him professionally evaluated and it was also discovered that he has auditory processing disorder. This doesn't allow him to process more than one thing at a time. He can hear well, but he can't focus on more than one thing at a time. It doesn't allow him to hear people calling his name if he is immersed in another activity. Next summer, he'll be doing a 10 day intensive program for auditory processing which includes 2 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. He'll be listening to headphones which somehow reprogram his brain to hear more than one thing at a time. I am really looking forward to this time to see if we can correct some of the behavior that he has.

We've found a few things that can work for Jeremy in regards to his behavior at school. First of all, Jeremy is OFF of all sugar. He used to have waffles with syrup every morning and all of the sugar gave him too much energy and he was bouncing off the walls! We finally realized that sugar has adverse effects so he now gets little if any sugar in the morning. We even prefer milk over orange juice since fruit has sugar in it.

Next, Jeremy has to take time to exercise in the morning. We put a mini trampoline in our living room and he bounces a few hundred times in the morning before school. If we have time, my husband will take him out to ride his bike before school or run around the field and play Frisbee. On mornings that he doesn't get to exercise, he seems to be more talkative and figity at school.

I've had to explained to Jeremy that sugar is "poison" to his brain. It makes him react in such a negative way where he throws fits and disobeys. I seem to automatically know when he's had sugar! When he acts like this and I know he's not overtired, I automatically ask if he's had sugar!? Usually, the answer is yes and so then I require him to start bouncing on the trampoline to get the energy out.

Jeremy might also have ADHD, which is a possibility since he was a preemie and upwards of 40% of preemies have ADHD. I went to one doctor and within about 1 minute he was telling me that Jeremy had ADHD and would require medicine! That appalled my husband and I was quite put off myself. Even if Jeremy does have ADHD, we're not going to put him on medication without trying to find every other way to manage it first. Besides occupational therapy, we've heard of other therapies that families have used and have had great success. Besides monitoring diet, they've used biofeedback and also some sort of testing of the electrodes in the body to eliminate toxins. I may have those details wrong, but we haven't gone down that road yet. Right now, Jeremy is in Tae Kwan Do 2 times a week. There, they teach self discipline, self esteem, leadership and focus. These are all qualities that I want for Jeremy.

If anyone could have told us where we'd end up even 6 months after we started down this path, I wouldn't have been able to handle it all at once. When we first discovered it, people came out of the woodwork to tell us their discoveries and what they went through. A friend from high school confided in me about her family situation and how they dealt with it. It was hard on her husband to imagine that their kid, coming from two "over achiever " parents, would have developmental problems. I could relate to that of course, but when she started telling me that her child couldn't stand loud noises and would cover his ears and cry and scream, I couldn't relate to THAT. She also told me that it'd be best for Jeremy to repeat kindergarten and at the time, it was a thought that I couldn't bear. We've since determined that Jeremy will repeat kindergarten next year. Coming to that conclusion took a lot of time and was a result of visiting numerous pre schools, talking with our own principal, vice principal, other parents, his teacher and the counselor. It was our principal who encouraged us not to do anything rash. I trusted her and I kept him in school and made the decision early on to repeat next year.

Other parents of kids of SID children had other stories. One parent's child had low motor skills and didn't want to swing or play with other kids. That was completely OPPOSITE of Jeremy. I did meet one mom at a workshop for parents with kids of SID who is very similar to Jeremy. He's a "crasher" and needs just as much physical stimulation as Jeremy. We laugh over the fact that we TELL our kids to jump on the couch... instead of getting off of them. So, little by little, with more reading and more talking, I found we all had one thing in common: MAJOR FRUSTRATION!

My friend from high school also had some of the same issues I was facing at home. My husband, who is a complete overachiever, couldn't deal with the fact that it was recommended that Jeremy go on medication. He absolutely REFUSED to even consider the possibility and so this would create lots of tension. My resolve was to find a solution, whatever that was. I was dealing with the teachers and with Jeremy every day, not just in the morning or at bed time. When I took Jeremy to school, the stress stopped for my husband, but not for me or his teachers. After speaking with numerous wives, I've discovered that the husbands don't believe it, or WANT to believe it. It appears that because men feel that they must be strong in every situation and must handle many obstacles in life, and that having a son that is facing problems is just too much to bear. Most of the dads of the boys with SID are in denial at first. The wives tend to have to deal with finding out what the issues are all by themselves by researching, talking and finding solutions. Many of the husbands fight the wives to the end until the wife finally convinces her mate to "just speak with an expert". In one case I know, the father uses the excuse, "he's just like I was" so he assumes it is okay. Meanwhile, everyone including his wife is going crazy having to deal with his child. My friend is of the mindset that if there IS help available, then she's going to get it! In reality, many of these men are right, because the kid IS just like them... and if there would have been help for their own mothers way back when, then the moms more than likely would have taken it instead of suffering through it and of course it would have made everything easier on the child. They could have learned tactics that would have helped them manage their actions, their bodies and their behavior.

My husband finally came around when he was able to speak with the Occupational Therapist where we got Jeremy evaluated. They promised to do whatever possible to work with Jeremy to correct many of these issues. The whole topic of using medication to help Jeremy hasn't come around for a while, but I know that my husband will be open to it if we have to do it. He's had to deal with Jeremy while I've been out of town and it nearly put him over the edge.

We're really just starting on this journey to getting the help we need. I've discovered many successes through trial and error. I've found that having a chart that rewards Jeremy for his chores and responsibilities for the day motivates him better than punishment. Tae Kwan Do has been fantastic to improve his self esteem. Talking with the teacher on an almost daily basis alerting her with new research I've found or discoveries that have happened has really helped. Daily massages on his feet, legs, back and hands are helping the stimulation of his skin so he doesn't freak out quite as bad when putting on socks and shoes. Teaching him to breathe himself through frustrations is an ongoing process and educating him about what to feed his body to it works correctly has helped me just as much!

Had I known what it would take to parent a child with Sensory Integration Disorder, then I would have said that I didn't have what it took. And I probably would have been right. My stress level has been through the roof ever since I had Jeremy but in reality finding out that he had something that was actually diagnosed gave me the power back! I knew that if I educated myself, our situation would improve and indeed it has.

I'm now able to understand that I need to implement complete structure in order for him to function at his best. That structure does include plenty of free or down time, but when it's time to do something or go some where, I put on my "drill sergeant" hat to get him to perform. It goes against my nature to be that firm, but I've learned that in order for our family to function, then I have to do what I have to do.

Please feel free to share your stories with me or to reach out for support. Perhaps if several of us can reach out to others to help, then others will be able to educate their spouses, their teachers and their friends.




Mary Gardner is an executive communications consultant and lifestyle coach. She is the mommy of Jeremy, a precious and active 5 year old boy who has Sensory Integration issues. Mary can be reached at mary@marygardner.com





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2012年8月25日 星期六

Book Reviews For "Raising a Sensory Smart Child"


Book Review for "Raising a Sensory Smart Child"

Written by: Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske

Penguin Books

ISBN: 014-303488

399 pages

$15.00

5 Stars

Biel and Peske share their personal stories dealing with Sensory Integration Dysfunction in order to help other parents cope with sensory integration issues. SI Dysfunction is separate from autism, but often presents with autism and autistic spectrum disorders. In SI Dysfunction, a young child receives sensory input correctly, but misinterprets the information. The most likely cause is a neurological condition, but the authors spend a chapter discussing reasons why SI Dysfunction would present, including genetics, head trauma during birth, and fragile X syndrome.

Biel and Peske explain there are seven senses a young child uses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, vestibular, and proprioception. Vestibular involves one's sense of balance and proprioception involves the compacting/expanding of joints. Without careful integration, a young child might seem a little off and in a child's young development, they might present with speech and developmental delays. When SI Dysfunction presents by itself, a young child will usually make all their physical milestones on time, like sitting and walking, but when it comes time to start to use utensils and start talking, they'll demonstrate delays.

Biel and Penske explain that children with SI Dysfunction have hypo or hyper sensitive symptoms. Hyper means they tend to avoid an activity and hypo means they seek out behaviors to calm themselves down. A hyperactive sensitivity to touch might have a child pulling the tags off his shirt because he can't stand the way it feels against his skin. A hypoactive sensitivity to proprioception might have a child jumping up and down to feel the compression of her joints.

Biel and Penske's explanations are easy to understand and help give the reader a sense of what the dysfunction is, how it's caused, and what to look for in your child.

The book also discusses intervention options and how to best help those children with SI Dysfunction. An occupational therapist plays a crucial role in helping parents and children manage their sensory seeking or avoiding behaviors. Most children with SI Dysfunction can lead productive lives. There is also a list of resources and tips on how to create a sensory diet. A sensory diet is used to manage a child with sensory issues.

Biel and Penske write in a conversational style that's easy to read and understand. The book is full of knowledge for parents who have children with sensory issues. The writing is crisp and sharp. The book is well organized. "Raising a Sensory Smart Child" is a good read to learn more about SI Dysfunction.




StephB likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at Writing.com which is a site for Creative Writing.





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2012年8月23日 星期四

Autism Sensory Integration - Why Does a Child With Autism Need Physical Therapy?


There are many reasons a child with Autism may need physical therapy. Physical therapy helps develop strength, develop balance, possibly provides sensory integration, and for many children is just plain fun. Physical therapists have well defined goals for the work they do with a child though.

Children with Autism are sometimes tight, sometimes floppy, and sometimes a combination of the two. Most parents see this in their child's trunk or core of their body. It later is evident in their arms and legs but we see it first in their body.

A babies body strengthens from the inside or core to the limbs. It is a similar process for a child with Autism to develop strength in the right areas. It is also a similar pattern to develop flexibility if that is part of the problem

Physical therapists work with large muscles. They can uniquely work with a child with a disability to help develop flexibility or strength. Physical therapists can manipulate your child's body. They also can help parents problem solve situations at home or in other environments parents go with their child.

Some of our children with Autism walk on their tip toes and could work with a physical therapist on this issue. Other children have problems with balance when they walk and somewhere someone will suggest physical therapy. The physical therapist can work with our children on going up and down stairs.

Usually an occupational therapist is the person to go to for help with sensory integration. Occasionally a physical therapist is interested in sensory integration issues and will provide a unique perspective. When looking for this type of therapy for a child with any disability you have to ask for sensory integration specifically. There are some teams that work on sensory integration that include physical therapists.

As parents it is just easier when our child likes to go to therapy. Some children with Autism are sensitive to touch and the therapist will have to work out those issues first. After that our children seem to like it though.

My child would also come out of the session tired. They had worked and played hard. Physical therapists may also give you 'homework' to do with your child between sessions.

Since parents want to see their child use skills over a variety of settings it is always a good idea to at least try the homework. Siblings and grandparents were always a good source of hands to try some of this homework.




Would you like more free information? Please register here:
http://autismonabudget.blogspot.com/2009/12/free-information.html

Mylinda Elliott is the parent of five children. The third of the five has Autism which was diagnosed early on. The fourth of the five children has Aspergers. She is a self taught expert on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Mylinda Elliott has also worked professionally in the disability world for the past fifteen years. She is considered the "Go To" woman for advice or resources on disabilities.





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2012年8月21日 星期二

Can Your Child, With Sensory Issues, Learn to Tolerate Holiday Gatherings and Parties?


Does your child with sensory integration disorder avoid or become distressed at parties and gatherings? Whether it is a party, family gathering, or school social event, the stimulation that these situations provide can be much too unsettling for children with sensory issues. A child may actually go into what's called a panic response of "fight or flight," where his nervous system reacts as if he is in actual danger when what's really happening is that the noise, lights, and movement are so intense for him that they are triggering this primitive survival response. The sound of a group of several children singing in unison may make him feel to him as if someone is attacking his ears. He may perceive all the visual stimulation of colored lights, party decorations, and people milling about as an all-out assault on his nervous system. So how can you help a child with sensory issues to have fun without removing him from the situation completely? Accommodations and a plan for helping the child cope with the stress of special events are necessary.

First, help the child to understand exactly what will happen at the party or gathering and in what order. You might write a social story, that is, a simple story of what the child will experience from the beginning of the party to the end, with photographs or illustrations, to help her feel a sense of control over what will happen. You might simply talk to your child about the order of events and what she might do in stressful situations, such as if the music seems too loud or she is frightened by the large number of children moving about in the room.

When planning events, remember that children with sensory issues need a quiet, safe, low-stimulation environment to retreat to when they begin to feel their anxiety rising. If the child is becoming stressed out, accompany him to a quiet, dimly lit room nearby-a cloakroom, a bedroom, or even an unoccupied bathroom. Offer opportunities for comforting and focusing stimulation. Your child might need to sit and rock, listen to calming music on a personal music player, lie on a couch or sit in a chair as you gently press pillows against him, or lie on the floor as you roll an exercise ball over him or press pillows against him gently. Oral comforts such as a lollipop, chewing gum, or other chewable item may help the child regroup and, in time, return to the event. Earplugs can help reduce some of the noise, and activities that allow him to hyperfocus may make the "hoopla" less distressing to his nervous system. Calming activities can be done before, during, and afterwards, as needed. Then too, ask your child to help you identify what would make him feel more comfortable.

You might give your sensory child a pile of Legos or blocks, or allow her to play with a toy on her own off to the side of the main activity area, if that's what she needs in order to be a part of the group. Don't assume she doesn't like the other guests just because avoids participating in the activities the other kids are enjoying. She may be better off socializing in a more low-key atmosphere with a minimal number of children and a focused activity such as a craft project, a baking project, or a card game or board game. Frankly, she may not be ready yet to attend a party with all the cousins, or the kids at the day care center without frequent breaks. As she develops ways to accommodate her sensory issues and you and others work with her to develop her ability to tolerate stimulating environments, she'll be better able to handle a variety of sensory situations.

It may be that your child with sensory issues can't handle the activity at all and, for safety reasons, needs to be escorted home. Be prepared to "rescue" your sensory child at preschool, late at night at a slumber party, or during a family gathering. You might want to ask a close friend or a relative to be available to take her in or watch your other children should you realize your sensory child cannot handle the situation. If you talk to your sensory child beforehand and let her know what her coping strategies and options are, however, you may be able to ease her anxiety enough that she will push herself to tolerate the unusually high amount of stressful stimulation. Encourage her to let you know her limits and be as flexible as you can-or let it go this time and simply plan an alternative celebration she can handle.




Nancy Peske is an author and editor and the parent of a child who at age 2 was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and multiple developmental delays. Coauthor of the award-winning Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues, available from Penguin Books, Nancy offers information and support on her blog and website at http://www.sensorysmartparent.com and sends out a newsletter of practical tips available at http:www.sensorysmartnews.com Nancy has been active in the sensory processing disorder community since 2002.





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2012年7月22日 星期日

Coping With an ADHD Child


Some parents say that dealing with an ADHD child is a nightmare. However, many people have experienced a marked improvement using some behavioral techniques. It is important to distinguish between punishment and behavioral therapy. When a parent becomes impatient with a child who cannot seem to manage basic and acceptable behaviors, the relationship can easily be tarnished.

A loving and supportive relationship is very important between the parent and the ADHD child. If the relationship is compromized, the child will probably become more difficult to handle. By this time, the management of the child will probably consist of punishment, which further damages the relationship. Instead, following a few simple guidelines will help to improve the relationship and in return the child's behavior.

1. Rules and discipline must be consistent. The child must have a clear understanding of the consequences of his or her actions and inactions. This will make certain that the child understands the behaviors that are unacceptable.

2. Anger is a common and understandable emotion for parents of an ADHD child. However, it should be controlled and parents should use a slow and quiet voice. Many of these children have an associated disorder, known as sensory integration dysfunction and shouting and screaming could make them react even worse.

3. Look for good behavior and praise the child for this. When praising the child, avoid bringing any negative behaviors into the equation. Don't say "It is good that you are playing quietly and not jumping around as usual." Rather say "I am proud of you playing so quietly." The child should know that they are loved, even when his or her behavior is not liked.

4. A clear routine helps to build security and confidence into a child's life. A timetable with times for play, homework, eating and relaxation can be placed in a spot where the child can find it. An ADHD child is bound to push the boundaries and sometimes he or she will not complete certain tasks on time. However, the parents should encourage them to stick to the routine as much as possible. ADHD kids are often forgetful and a routine will help him or her to get used to daily tasks and organization.

The organizational and behavioral skills an ADHD child learns will stand him or her in good stead in the future.




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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The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child


Reminiscing about the good old days when we were growing up is a memory trip well worth taking, when trying to understand the issues facing the children of today. A mere 20 years ago, children used to play outside all day, riding bikes, playing sports and building forts. Masters of imaginary games, children of the past created their own form of play that didn't require costly equipment or parental supervision. Children of the past moved... a lot, and their sensory world was nature based and simple. In the past, family time was often spent doing chores, and children had expectations to meet on a daily basis. The dining room table was a central place where families came together to eat and talk about their day, and after dinner became the center for baking, crafts and homework.

Today's families are different. Technology's impact on the 21st century family is fracturing its very foundation, and causing a disintegration of core values that long ago were what held families together. Juggling work, home and community lives, parents now rely heavily on communication, information and transportation technology to make their lives faster and more efficient. Entertainment technology (TV, internet, videogames, iPods) has advanced so rapidly, that families have scarcely noticed the significant impact and changes to their family structure and lifestyles. A 2010 Kaiser Foundation study showed that elementary aged children use on average 8 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75% of these children have TV's in their bedrooms, and 50% of North American homes have the TV on all day. Add emails, cell phones, internet surfing, and chat lines, and we begin to see the pervasive aspects of technology on our home lives and family milieu. Gone is dining room table conversation, replaced by the "big screen" and take out. Children now rely on technology for the majority of their play, grossly limiting challenges to their creativity and imaginations, as well as limiting necessary challenges to their bodies to achieve optimal sensory and motor development. Sedentary bodies bombarded with chaotic sensory stimulation, are resulting in delays in attaining child developmental milestones, with subsequent impact on basic foundation skills for achieving literacy. Hard wired for high speed, today's young are entering school struggling with self regulation and attention skills necessary for learning, eventually becoming significant behavior management problems for teachers in the classroom.

So what is the impact of technology on the developing child? Children's developing sensory and motor systems have biologically not evolved to accommodate this sedentary, yet frenzied and chaotic nature of today's technology. The impact of rapidly advancing technology on the developing child has seen an increase of physical, psychological and behavior disorders that the health and education systems are just beginning to detect, much less understand. Child obesity and diabetes are now national epidemics in both Canada and the US. Diagnoses of ADHD, autism, coordination disorder, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders can be causally linked to technology overuse, and are increasing at an alarming rate. An urgent closer look at the critical factors for meeting developmental milestones, and the subsequent impact of technology on those factors, would assist parents, teachers and health professionals to better understand the complexities of this issue, and help create effective strategies to reduce technology use. The three critical factors for healthy physical and psychological child development are movement, touch and connection to other humans. Movement, touch and connection are forms of essential sensory input that are integral for the eventual development of a child's motor and attachment systems. When movement, touch and connection are deprived, devastating consequences occur.

Young children require 3-4 hours per day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate sensory stimulation to their vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems for normal development. The critical period for attachment development is 0-7 months, where the infant-parent bond is best facilitated by close contact with the primary parent, and lots of eye contact. These types of sensory inputs ensure normal development of posture, bilateral coordination, optimal arousal states and self regulation necessary for achieving foundation skills for eventual school entry. Infants with low tone, toddlers failing to reach motor milestones, and children who are unable to pay attention or achieve basic foundation skills for literacy, are frequent visitors to pediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics. The use of safety restraint devices such as infant bucket seats and toddler carrying packs and strollers, have further limited movement, touch and connection, as have TV and videogame overuse. Many of today's parents perceive outdoor play is 'unsafe', further limiting essential developmental components usually attained in outdoor rough and tumble play. Dr. Ashley Montagu, who has extensively studied the developing tactile sensory system, reports that when infants are deprived of human connection and touch, they fail to thrive and many eventually die. Dr. Montagu states that touch deprived infants develop into toddlers who exhibit excessive agitation and anxiety, and may become depressed by early childhood.

As children are connecting more and more to technology, society is seeing a disconnect from themselves, others and nature. As little children develop and form their identities, they often are incapable of discerning whether they are the "killing machine" seen on TV and in videogames, or just a shy and lonely little kid in need of a friend. TV and videogame addiction is causing an irreversible worldwide epidemic of mental and physical health disorders, yet we all find excuses to continue. Where 100 years ago we needed to move to survive, we are now under the assumption we need technology to survive. The catch is that technology is killing what we love the most...connection with other human beings. The critical period for attachment formation is 0 - 7 months of age. Attachment or connection is the formation of a primary bond between the developing infant and parent, and is integral to that developing child's sense of security and safety. Healthy attachment formation results in a happy and calm child. Disruption or neglect of primary attachment results in an anxious and agitated child. Family over use of technology is gravely affecting not only early attachment formation, but also impacting negatively on child psychological and behavioral health.

Further analysis of the impact of technology on the developing child indicates that while the vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and attachment systems are under stimulated, the visual and auditory sensory systems are in "overload". This sensory imbalance creates huge problems in overall neurological development, as the brain's anatomy, chemistry and pathways become permanently altered and impaired. Young children who are exposed to violence through TV and videogames are in a high state of adrenalin and stress, as the body does not know that what they are watching is not real. Children who overuse technology report persistent body sensations of overall "shaking", increased breathing and heart rate, and a general state of "unease". This can best be described as a persistent hypervigalent sensory system, still "on alert" for the oncoming assault from videogame characters. While the long term effects of this chronic state of stress in the developing child are unknown, we do know that chronic stress in adults results in a weakened immune system and a variety of serious diseases and disorders. Prolonged visual fixation on a fixed distance, two dimensional screen grossly limits ocular development necessary for eventual printing and reading. Consider the difference between visual location on a variety of different shaped and sized objects in the near and far distance (such as practiced in outdoor play), as opposed to looking at a fixed distance glowing screen. This rapid intensity, frequency and duration of visual and auditory stimulation results in a "hard wiring" of the child's sensory system for high speed, with subsequent devastating effects on a child's ability to imagine, attend and focus on academic tasks. Dr. Dimitri Christakis found that each hour of TV watched daily between the ages of 0 and 7 years equated to a 10% increase in attention problems by age seven years.

In 2001 the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement recommending that children less than two years of age should not use any technology, yet toddlers 0 to 2 years of age average 2.2 hours of TV per day. The Academy further recommended that children older than two should restrict usage to one hour per day if they have any physical, psychological or behavioral problems, and two hours per day maximum if they don't, yet parents of elementary children are allowing 8 hours per day. France has gone so far as to eliminate all "baby TV" due to the detrimental effects on child development. How can parents continue to live in a world where they know what is bad for their children, yet do nothing to help them? It appears that today's families have been pulled into the "Virtual Reality Dream", where everyone believes that life is something that requires an escape. The immediate gratification received from ongoing use of TV, videogame and internet technology, has replaced the desire for human connection.

It's important to come together as parents, teachers and therapists to help society "wake up" and see the devastating effects technology is having not only on our child's physical, psychological and behavioral health, but also on their ability to learn and sustain personal and family relationships. While technology is a train that will continually move forward, knowledge regarding its detrimental effects, and action taken toward balancing the use of technology with exercise and family time, will work toward sustaining our children, as well as saving our world. While no one can argue the benefits of advanced technology in today's world, connection to these devices may have resulted in a disconnection from what society should value most, children. Rather than hugging, playing, rough housing, and conversing with children, parents are increasingly resorting to providing their children with more videogames, TV's in the car, and the latest iPods and cell phone devices, creating a deep and widening chasm between parent and child.

Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and child development expert has developed a concept termed 'Balanced Technology Management' (BTM) where parents manage balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use. Rowan's company Zone'in Programs Inc. http://www.zonein.ca has developed a 'System of Solutions' for addressing technology overuse in children through the creation of Zone'in Products, Workshops, Training and Consultation services.




Cris Rowan is an impassioned occupational therapist who has first-hand understanding and knowledge of how technology can cause profound changes in a child's development, behavior and their ability to learn. Cris has a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and is a SIPT certified sensory integration specialist. Cris is a member in good standing with the BC College of Occupational Therapists, and an approved provider with the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, and Autism Community Training. For the past fifteen years, Cris has specialized in pediatric rehabilitation, working for over a decade in the Sunshine Coast School District in British Columbia.

Cris is CEO of Zone'in Programs Inc. offering products, workshops and training to improve child health and enhance academic performance. Cris designed Zone'in, Move'in, Unplug'in and Live'in educational products for elementary children to address the rise in developmental delays, behavior disorders, and technology overuse. Cris has performed over 200 Foundation Series Workshops on topics such as sensory integration and attention, motor development and literacy, attachment formation and addictions, early intervention, technology overuse, media literacy programs, and school environmental design for the 21st century for teachers, parents and health professionals throughout North America. Cris has recently created Zone'in Training Programs to train other pediatric occupational therapists to deliver these integral workshops in their own community. Cris is an expert reviewer for the Canadian Family Physician Journal, authors the monthly Zone'in Development Series Newsletter and is author of the following initiatives: Unplug - Don't Drug, Creating Sustainable Futures Program, and Linking Corporations to Community. Cris is author of a forthcoming book Disconnect to Reconnect - How to manage balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use.





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How To Teach A Child With Learning Disabilities


Education is very important and when a child suffers from learning disabilities it is still vital that you influence his or her learning experience in a positive way in order to make a difference in how they interpret things. Every child sees and hears things differently but if your child has been diagnosed with learning disabilities, don't worry you can still encourage your child and help them to learn just in different ways.

Sometimes disabilities in learning can be misdiagnosed as ADHD. While they may have similar symptoms, they may be completely different in the end. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects more people than you realize. Learning can be more difficult because the individual cannot keep their attention on any one thing for too long.

There are seven types of learning disabilities according to the American Medical Association. These are:

* Dyslexia, or special impairment

* Dyscalculia or the inability to understand basic math concepts

* Dysgraphia or the inability to write correctly

* Language problems

* Time and space management problems

* Memory complications

* Sensory integration complications

When someone suffers from disabilities in learning they are challenged in some way or several ways while trying to perform a simple job or task that wouldn't normally be a problem. In fact, learning disabilities may not be diagnosed until later on in the school year. You may be able to pick up on it if your child is good in one subject such as science but cannot comprehend basic math problems.

If you have been told that your child suffers from one or more learning disabilities you may first blame yourself for not picking up on symptoms or clues earlier. You may continuously blame yourself while you try to back up in time figuring out when your child started showing signs that something wasn't being understood.

Attention deficit disorder is different from other learning disabilities in several ways. When someone suffers from ADHD all normal cognitive reactions are affected instead of only one or two like in the example above. ADHD is more of a medical condition then it is a learning disability and therefore it is picked up during an examination from a medical professional and not during a test given by the school.

If you feel that your child may suffer from a disability such as the ones listed below, these learning disabilities your child's school will know how to further test your child in order to determine which disability he or she may suffer from. Once it has been diagnosed, your child can receive special help and counseling in order to learn how to deal with their learning disabilities and how to better help themselves. If you suspect that your child may be suffering from a disability contact your school to set up a test that can determine if this is correct or if something else may be wrong. A child should be able to learn without any disabilities however when a disability exists a child can still learn.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com.





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2012年7月20日 星期五

How to Help Your Child Develop Good Handwriting


Postural alignment, shoulder stability and strength are all necessary components in order for your child to sit at desk and produce handwriting. We don't normally think about how many elements need to be in place for handwriting to emerge. But when one or more of those elements is absent, your child can have a miserable time learning to write and keeping up with written class assignments.

It is amazing that there are so many discrete parts that form the foundation of handwriting skills. In addition to the above mentioned components, a child also needs good motor planning, good visual motor skills, good spatial awareness, good perceptual skills, good sensory integration and good executive functioning. It is important that they be able to use their hands independently or together, and be able to cross midline (go from right to left or vice-versa). A vital element of handwriting is the creation of hand arches.

In order to hold a crayon, pencil or pen correctly, the hand arches have to be well formed. The arches are defined by the creases/lines in the palm of the hands. These are the lines that fortune tellers claim determine love, marriage and life expectancy. When you look at your hand, you see three major creases - one across the palm about midway, one curving along the pad of the hand by the thumb, and the other by the pad near the wrist on the pinky finger side. They form a triangle which enables us to bring our fingertips together, cup our hands and move objects around within the hand.

Good muscle development contributes to the formation of the arches. The muscles of the hands are either extrinsic, or intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles originate at the forearm and the tendons of these muscles cross the wrist and insert in the hand. You can see the tendons move when you wiggle your fingers. The intrinsic muscles are contained within the hand. These muscles all work together with the bones, tendons and ligaments to provide us with hand skills.

Now as babies develop, the framework for hand skills happens as a natural function of development. Babies initially prop on their forearms, then push up to prop on hands and finally transition to crawling on all fours. All these positions and developmental milestones require weight bearing. Weight bearing on the hands improves arch development by strengthening muscles and tightening tendons and ligaments.

Interestingly, most of the tasks we do require only the thumb and first two fingers of the hand. These three form the skill side of the hand. The ring and pinky fingers are basically used for grasp and power, such as when we carry heavy objects like a bucket. The skill side of the hand is responsible for holding a pencil, tying laces, buttoning clothes, zipping zippers, etc. We are able to do these things with the thumb and first two fingers because the hand arch enables us to bring finger tip to thumb tip and create a pincer grasp.

If your baby or toddler has missed some of the developmental stages, or has achieved them later than the norm, it is possible that they will need some extra help when it comes to pre-writing and writing tasks. Children with developmental delays and those with low-tone often miss the weight bearing positions which are so important to good hand development. Additionally, missing these developmental milestones can result in poor muscle strength and tone. Your child may have trouble maintaining good posture at a desk, or may become easily fatigued. Poorly developed hand arches and low tone can also mean that they will have a hard time developing a pencil grasp. Children with these issues often press too hard, resulting in hand and arm discomfort, or do not press hard enough.

The best thing you can do as a parent or caregiver to ensure your child has an easy time developing good handwriting skills is to prepare them by getting them strong. Get them involved in an exercise program, or have them evaluated for physical and/or occupational therapy. The time you spend now helping them to get strong will pay off once they are in school.




My name is Nancy Konigsberg. I have a master's in Occupational Therapy and have provided child development treatment for the past sixteen years. I have worked in schools, clinics, hospitals and homes. I have also worked with a wide spectrum of diagnoses from mild delay to severe genetic disorder. Currently I write a blog called Milestone Mom. In my posts I offer tips and strategies so that caregivers can work with their child at home. There are video demonstrations, step-by-step directions and descriptions of what to look for.

Please visit me at Milestone Mom. http://www.milestonemom.com





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2012年7月19日 星期四

A Book Review: Why Can't My Child Behave? Why Can't She Cope? Why Can't He Learn? By Jane Hersey


Dr. Benjamin Feingold, an allergist with Kaiser-Permanente, developed the K-P Diet that eliminated food additives and artificial flavors in the 1960s. While Dr. Feingold passed away in 1982, the program is carried on by volunteers who are members of the Feingold Association.

This book by Jane Hersey has many testimonials that I will not try to reproduce, but I will highlight the program. There have been some studies done that address some of the pieces of the Feingold Diet, but no one has studied the pure program.

Symptoms that Feingold families testify to having seen improvement:

(These symptoms will not improve for everyone. It depends on the underlying cause.)


Easily upset, incessant crying, temper tantrum
Not hearing what is being said
Motor stuck on fast forward
Repeated behavior
You sense that behavior cannot be controlled
Other children avoid playing with your child
Difficulty interacting
Fine one minute, next minute out of control
Demands his way and rules for a game
Off in own world
Always losing things
Homework lost, forgotten or mutilated regularly
Hard time understanding subtle cues, facial expressions
Laugh too loud or inappropriately
Has lots of labels
Hyperactivity
Attention problems
Screaming after eating
At home fine, school too much
Learning Disabilities
Fine Motor difficulties
Thyroid problems and mood swings
Asthma / Allergies / Hives
Arthritis
Social Skills
Autism / Aspergers
Headaches
Sleep issues
Nail biting
Workaholic
Earaches and ear infections
Digestion problems
Bedwetting
Depression
Developmental Delays
Sensory Integration Disorder
Vision Problems
Seizures
Nasal Polyps
Tics

What is the Feingold Program?

1. A test - "for several weeks, you use only foods that are free of synthetic dyes, artificial flavors and three preservatives, as well as a group of foods know as 'natural salicilates.'" p. 16 Keep a record of foods eaten and behaviors seen.

2. All of the remaining foods are usually well tolerated. "If this trial results in an improvement in your child's behavior, or in other target symptoms, then the test becomes a treatment." P. 16

3. "After a few weeks of success you can gradually expand the food choices, adding back natural salicylates one at a time, and watching for any return of old behaviors." P. 16

How to begin....Becoming a member of the Feingold Association is extremely helpful because they are continually researching the ingredients in a wide range of products and keep the members up to date on changes from the Foodlist that comes in the packet. Membership Packet includes:


Foodlist & Shopping Guide
The Feingold Handbook
Medication List
Recipes & Two-Week Menu Plan
Pure Facts - 10 issues of newsletter
FAUS Counseling Line
Salicylate/Aspirin Senstitivity program
Gluten/Casein-free diet information and resources
List of mail order resources for hard-to-find products
For more information and current membership fee: http://www.feingold.org or call 1 800 321-3287

Eliminated on Feingold Program:

Artificial Flavorings

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal -trademarks)

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) - antioxidant preservative

BHT (buytlated hydroxytoluene) - antioxidant preservative

Citrus Red # 2 - synthetic coloring

Cyclamate - synthetic sweetner

Ethyl vanillin - synthetic (artificial) flavoring

FD&C colors - synthetic (artificial) coloring

MSG (monosodium glutamate)

Saccharin - synthetic (artificial) sweetner

Tartrazine - FD&C Yellow # 5, synthetic (artificial) coloring

TBHQ - (tertiary butyl hydroquinone) antioxidant

Vanillin - artificial flavoring

Other food dyes.

Natural Salycilates

Almonds, oranges, all berries, tangerine, cherries, nectarine, peach, apricot, apple, plum, prunes, grapes, raisins, cranberry sauce, juices from these fruits, peppers (bell and chili and red), tomato, cucumber or pickles, cloves, currants, coffee, tea, aspirin, oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate).

Many families have found this and other diets helpful with behavior, coping and learning. Before you invest in a membership, why not give it a trial in your family for at least three weeks? If you find that behavior or focus or learning improves in any member of your family, then you will know that a family membership will benefit you.




Maggie and her husband, Ronnie operate the Center for Neuro Development in Lakewood, Washington. They offer local, on site services as well as some long distance consultation. They work with homeschoolers as well as those who attend school. While many of their clients are challenged with learning they offer products and services for a broad range of individuals. http://www.centerforneurodevelopment.com

For all you need to begin the Feingold Program and Jane Hersey's book: http://www.feingold.org





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2012年6月29日 星期五

Is My Child Just Active Or Could it Be ADHD?


Are you the parent of a young child who seems to be perpetually moving? Does your child have difficulty attending to tasks? Have you been told by family and friends that your child's behavior is not normal. Are you concerned that your child may have ADHD? This article will discuss 9 symptoms of ADHD, and also give information about a rating scale that can be used to help determine if your child has the disorder.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This disorder has 3 core symptoms which are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are an estimated 1 and ½ to 2 and ½ million children with ADHD in the United States, which is 3-5% of the student population. More boys than girls are diagnosed with ADHD which is approximately 4-9 times more.

According to the DSM IV ADHD can be defined by the behaviors exhibited. Children and adults have a combination of the following behaviors.

1. Fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming in their seat.

2. Difficulty remaining seated when required to do so.

3. Difficulty sustaining attention and waiting for a turn in tasks, games, or group situations.

4. Blurting out answers to questions before the questions have been completed.

5. Difficulty following through on instructions and in organizing tasks.

6. Shifting from one unfinished activity to another.

7. Failing to give close attention to details and avoiding careless mistakes.

8. Losing things necessary for tasks or activities.

9. Difficulty in listening to others without being distracted or interruption;

A child can have ADD which is Attention Deficit Disorder without the hyperactivity. Those children would have symptoms of inattention and impulsivity but no symptoms of hyperactivity.

If your young child has several of these symptoms over several months, you should bring up the possibility of ADHD with your child's physician. A rating scale is available to help determine if a child has ADHD; the scale is called the Connors -3: Connors Third Edition.

This scale can be given by medical personnel or educational personnel. If your child is three years old and receiving special education services you may ask special education personnel to conduct a Connors Rating Scale. The Connors-3 can be found at: http://www.proedinc.com.

The reason that it is important to determine if your child has ADHD :

1. Because of the impact ADHD can have on your child's academic success.

2. Because of the impact ADHD can have on your child's school behavior.

3. Because many children with ADHD may have other disabilities; such as learning disabilities, short term memory disorders, sensory integration disorder, anxiety or mood disorders.

The earlier you know that your child has ADHD the earlier that you can begin treatment, watch for other disabilities, and help your child reach academic success!




JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities. She has been an educational advocate helping hundreds of parents successfully navigate the special education system. She is also the author of the book: Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How to Beat Them at Their Own Game. For more information about parenting a child with a disability go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com





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My Special Needs Child - A Challenging Journey


Due to prematurity and then neglect by her biological parents, my daughter, now seven, was greeted into the world by a life full of challenges. The first time I saw her, she was three and a half years old and lying in an institutional bed with her nose tubed to an oxygen tank and her stomach tubed to a feeding bag as she lay in bed pulling strands of her hair out. No, this was not some orphanage in Romania, but the USA. Sounds terrible, looked terrible, but she was actually receiving the best care that could be given in the circumstances. Several weeks earlier, she been removed from her biological parents by an emergency court order.

"Caged in" to prevent her falling to the floor, everything she was given to try and amuse her, she threw over the top of her "cage" and into the opposite wall. What does "play" mean when you're still struggling to coordinate your mind and body and make your basic needs understood?

Weighing in at about 25lbs, she looked no more than eighteen months old. Unable to speak, caused by oral apraxia, she spent most of her time screaming in frustration when she wasn't sleeping. When she tried to stand or walk she would suddenly topple over. Nor could she crawl. She was like a floppy rag doll to hold on the few occasions she would allow you to hold her for more than a few seconds. Still in diapers, she behaved and sounded like a feral child who had been living with wolves. She behaved, physically and mentally, below he level of a six month baby. Also diagnosed as possibly autistic and/or with mental retardation, her condition was labelled global development delays. With no disrespect meant to the medical profession, I think really meant "the causes and prognosis of her condition remains unknown. "

To cut a long to cut a long story short, I became her foster mother. When the judge terminated her parents' rights, I was allowed to adopt her at the age of five. A single parent and in my fifties, let that rock your world. The good news? Over the last three years everything has changed. Parental advocacy, love, dedication, chosen medical care and therapy have opened doors I never thought would open. We discovered that inside her uncoordinated body, there was a perfectly intelligent child trying to get out. One who understood at her age level what was going on around her, even though she couldn't physically or socially express herself at that level. One of the challenges she faced was (is) sensory integration dysfunction. Originally, when placed on her back, she was unable to roll over like an eight month old baby. Her limbs had no coordination. Not even her fingers would work independently of each other, leaving her unable to communicate with sign language. Today, nearly four years later, she rides a three-wheeler, walks, runs, climbs and is learning to swim. Mostly not with all the grace of other kids(yet) but she can do it all without having to rely on a helping hand. She is learning to speak and eat orally. Her progress is amazing.

These are some of the books I read that educated me to understand and advocate for her.:

The Out of Sync Child

The Out of Sync Child Has Fun

The Special Needs Planning guide: How to prepare for Every Stage

The Learning Disability Myth

A Parents Guide to Development Delays

Life Skills Activities for Special Children

Poor Eaters

The Primal Wound

Adoption and Advocating for the Special Needs Child

Sign Language for Babies

Brains that Work differently

Attaching In Adoption

The Special Needs Child - Encouraging Intellectual and Emotional Growth

Assessment of Children and Youth With Special Needs

Married With a Special Needs Children

More Than A Mom: Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs

Parenting Children With Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips and Tactics

Sleep Better




http://kidbreak.blogspot.com/

http://breakingnewsreviews.com/futuristic-wheel-chair-hits-the-news/





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2012年6月28日 星期四

Is Auditory Processing Disorder Affecting Your Child With Autism in Special Education?


Does your child with autism struggle to understand verbal information? Do you sometimes think that your child must not be listening enough, because they always mix up verbal directions? Have you heard of Auditory Processing Disorder and wonder if your child has it? This article will be discussing APD, diagnosis and possible characteristics of this disorder.

It is important to understand that many disabilities have Co Morbid conditions that may occur with them. For example: a child with Autism may also have Sensory Integration Disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities and also Auditory Processing Disorder. By having knowledge of all disabilities that a child has, you will be able to advocate for appropriate needed special education services.

Auditory Processing Disorder is the inability to attend to, discriminate among, or understand auditory information. Language is developed by children by listening. When auditory skills are weak, the child may experience auditory overload; which makes learning much more of a challenge.

Also much of school learning is done verbally, which puts the child with this disorder at a terrible disadvantage!

Here are a few characteristics and symptoms of APD:

1. Has normal hearing but has difficulty in the reception (receiving) and interpretation of auditory information. Trouble making sense of what he or she hears.

2. May have difficulty staying on task.

3. May look around for visual cues, since they do not understand directions.

4. Responds fairly well in quite situations but may have great difficulty listening in noisy environments.

5. May have difficulty telling the difference between words that sound familiar.

6. May have difficulty remembering information in the order it was said?

7. May be visually alert.

8. May perform poorly on tests requiring verbal language information.

9. May have difficulty working independently.

10. Inconsistent performances.

If your child is showing some of these signs, you may refer them to your special education personnel in your school district, for an Audiological evaluation. Most school districts do not have Audiologists on staff, so they would have to pay for the evaluation for you to take your child to a private Audiologist (if they agree of course-though some hearing officers have given parents Independent Educational Evaluations at public expense, if the school district refuses to evaluate a child in all areas of suspected disability).

A complete Audiological evaluation includes all of the following:

1. Referral

2. Case History

3. Complete Audiological Evaluation

4. AP test battery

5. Results of whether the child has the disorder; and any recommendations for needed special education services or equipment.

Use this information to refer your child for an evaluation if you think that your child may have this disorder. Auditory processing Disorder negatively affects a child's education, but with appropriate special education services and equipment, your child can continue to learn and have a bright future!




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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3 Ways to Use the 13 Disability Categories to Benefit Your Child With a Disability!


Are you the parent of a child with a disability that has been unable to convince special education personnel that your child needs special education services? Did you read my number 1 article; What are the 13 Categories of Disability for Special Education Eligibility, and wonder how you could use this information to benefit your child? This article is for you, because I will be discussing 3 ways for you as a parent to use the 13 disability categories, to benefit your child.

#1 Way: Bring the eligibility category list to your child's eligibility meeting. Use this list to advocate that your child's disability is one of the covered 13 disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). For Example: Schools are reluctant to recognize Specific Learning Disabilities and provide correct remediation, so knowing the definition of Specific Learning Disability (Exhibits a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes-such as visual, motor language etc-which negatively affects a child's education) can help you advocate for this disability category. Once your child is identified as LD you can investigate what the research based method is to re-mediate your child's learning disability, and advocate for these services for your child.

#2 Way: Use the list to advocate for an appropriate disability category for your child. In order to determine appropriate services and remediation that a child needs, the child's disabilities must be appropriately determined.For Example: Many school personnel want to state that children with Autism actually should be categorized as Emotionally Disturbed (ED). While the disability category is not supposed to determine services, in reality it often does; and children with ED categories are often denied educational services. In this example use the definition of ED from my article "... an inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors" to advocate that your child has other issues that are affecting their ability to learn, so therefore your child cannot be labeled Emotionally Disturbed. Many children with Autism have issues related to the Autism, Sensory Integration issues, expressive and receptive speech difficulties, and Learning Disabilities that may explain their difficulty with learning. This leaves out ED as a disability category, because the child has other issues that are causing the difficulty with learning.

#3 Way: Use the category list to educate yourself about the category of OHI: The child exhibits limited strength, alertness, due to chronic or acute health problems, including but not limited to asthma, ADD/ADHD, etc, which negatively affects your child's education.

Be careful about allowing your school district to use this category if your child has ADD or ADHD, and may have learning disabilities. Some school districts may be offering OHI as a compromise when parents believe that their child may have Learning Disabilities. The school district may then refuse to give the child educational services, that they may need. OHI is not a compromise for a specific learning disability category, in my opinion. Children with Learning Disabilities need appropriate remediation which can only be given if the child's Learning Disabilities are recognized by special education personnel.

By educating yourself about the 13 Disability categories you can increase your child's chance of being found eligible for special education services, and also increase their chances of being found eligible under the appropriate disability category. It will also increase your child's chances of receiving an appropriate education! Keep fighting for your child, they are depending on you.




JoAnn Collins is a successful special educational advocate for over 20 years and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game!" The book is filled with truths about special education, for parents, and lots of easy to use advocacy tips. Check out her blog at: http://specialeducationspotlight.disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book and special education as well as testimonials on her book, please go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com. For questions or comments feel free to E mail me at: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.





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2012年6月20日 星期三

Categories For Special Education - Which One Fits My Child?


Have special education personnel stated that your child was ineligible for special education, because they do not fit into one of the 13 eligible categories? Does your child have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) but you were told by school personnel that this does not fit into the 13 eligible categories? Has your child been diagnosed as emotionally disturbed and you believe the child has autism? This article will discuss how you can determine what category of classification that your child can receive special education services under. By knowing these categories you can advocate for the one that meets your child's needs.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that every child with a disability must receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Also special education services to meet their unique needs. Labels or classifications do not determine, if a particular child is eligible for a particular special education service, though sometimes special education personnel act like it does.

Categories:

1. Autism: If you suspect that your child has autism ask special education personnel to give him or her, a childhood autism rating scale (CARS). The scale is done by the parent answering 13 questions about their child, and a knowledgeable person giving a score to the scale. The higher the number the more chance that the child has autism. If the scale is positive take your child to a specialized Pediatrician that specializes in autism.

Pervasive developmental disorder is on the Autism spectrum. Autism is one of the eligible categories for special education services. So a child with PDD is eligible for special education services under the category of autism.

2. OHI: For a child to be eligible under this category usually requires some type of documentation from the child's physician. Many children with ADD and ADHD receive special education services under this category.

3. Mental Retardation: Determined by IQ score; a child's IQ score under 75 is considered to be in the mental retardation range. Be careful if your child's IQ is normal and decreases as they grow older, this is indicative of an inappropriate education, not necessarily mental retardation.

4. Emotional Disturbance (ED): Many children with autism are being given an ED label-Why? Because in my opinion special education personnel are reluctant to give a child an autism label due to cost of special education services. For a child to truly be ED, they must have no other disability!

5. Deafness: This is a total loss of hearing and usually requires physician documentation.

6. Hearing Impairment: Not a total loss of hearing as above!

7. Visual Impairment: Severe impairment not fixed by glasses or contacts.

8. Deaf-Blindness: Total loss of hearing and total loss of sight.

9. Specific Learning Disability (LD): Children with reading difficulty despite appropriate instruction, math difficulty despite appropriate instruction, dyslexia, visual processing disorder, sensory integration disorder (SID), auditory processing disorder, all qualify under LD.

10. Multiple Disabilities. Must include another disability and also mental retardation.

11. Orthopedic Impairment: A child with Cerebral Palsy would qualify under this category.

12. Speech or Language Impairment. Includes delayed speech, communication disorder, language disorder such as dyslexia, receptive and expressive language disorder etc.

13. Traumatic Brain Injury: Any injury to the brain either at birth or when the child was older.

By understanding the 13 categories and what is required for each one, you will be able to be an informed advocate for your child. Children who need special education services and do not get them may have their lives ruined forever!




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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