Consistency is always the key! Try to keep your schedule as consistent as possible for whose kids who thrive on structure and have a hard time with change. They may respond in different ways to these changes, as some children may become disorganized, others become distressed and try to keep everyone on track with following routines and rules, and others may become silly and or inattentive and the excitement of change and summer gets the best of them. Because kids with sensory processing difficulties are sensitive kids in general, you will often see them respond like their peers, but their actions usually stand out more than others, as they can take these changes and react in a more extreme way.

I have put together some tips for planning vacations, as it can be a great time for all, when you get the chance to go on a family vacation, but as you parents well know, it’s not going to be so great when your child can’t handle the events to come!

Preparing for a vacation:

If you are working with a sensory therapist it would be very helpful to ask them what tips they have for you to plan for a specific vacation, as they know the in’s and out’s of your child’s sensory difficulties.

-You may want to come up with a child-friendly itinerary to help alleviate the stress of the unknown.

-Think about your child’s sensory aversions and ways to avoid or minimize them in advance (especially with travel, or sleeping in a different place)

-Think about your child’s sensory preferences and how you can make sure to get the most sensory input into your child’s day, to make sure they feel good, which results in everyone else having a good day (physical activity, spinning, going to a park, rough housing, massage, chewy foods, quiet time, do you need to pack certain toys/a favorite blanket, oral calmers, fidgets, squeeze toys, playdough, or a Wilbarger protocol brush for calming?).

- Think about the foods your child will be around and what type of foods may affect your child’s behavior in a negative way, and plan to have your own food accommodations in advance… (health food store nearby, packing basic foods, finding a place to cook if needed)

Once you are on vacation:

-Try to keep their sleeping and eating schedule the same

-Plan for sensory breaks built in throughout the day (to prevent over-stimulation or over-tiredness)

-Plan to incorporate sensory and self-regulation activities into your daily routines (have opportunities for movement, quiet time, a change of clothes, chewing objects, etc…to prevent meltdowns based on what makes your child’s nervous system stressed)

-Refer to your schedule each day, or more often if needed to help keep your child feeling organized and in control

-Make sure you have your child’s special food/drinks, toys, and any special devices recommended for sensory alerting or calming each day when you leave for an outing.

In general, plan to be flexible and don’t sweat the small stuff! Your attitude and stress level will set the tone for your trip.  Work to be calm and organized before and during your trip so you can be an effective parent for your sensory sensitive child. So, be in the right mind set to have a great vacation and you will!

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Please refer back to the previous episode if you haven’t listened to it yet, or at least read the blog, to know more about Healing Alternatives before listening to this episode, as so many children with sensory processing difficulties have, and do consistently respond very well to their services.

These are the highlights from this episode:

1. Common Symptoms expected to be seen in children when they have been exposed to an excessive amount of toxins:

Weakness, unsteadiness, vision disorders, tactile disorders (i.e.- aversion to certain types of clothing or food), auditory disorders, sleep disturbances, excitability, depression, irritability, restlessness, speech impairments, and learning impairments- just to name a few!

2. The biggest suspected causes of SPD, ADD, AD/HD, or mood disorders from an alternative health care perspective:

Poor diet (SAD stands for the standard American diet which consists of processed foods, white sugar and white flour), food sensitivities/allergies, nutritional deficiencies, family stress (which is a huge burden on the nervous system), and toxins found in babies fat at birth.

3. The most common recommendations given to families with children in order to help improve their overall health and functioning:

First look at food allergies and get these children off of gluten and casein-based foods (basically wheat and dairy products).  These foods are considered inflammatory foods and can cause a whole host of problems.

Try to buy organic foods, especially organic milk, eggs and meat as well as porous fruits and vegetables that absorb the pesticides that are sprayed on them (i.e.- strawberries, blueberries, etc…).  This will help reduce your child’s exposure to pesticides and his or her overall toxin load (as the bigger the burden, the more the body will break down and show symptoms of dysfunction).

Soy and corn products are not so good as they are genetically modified foods in this country.  Please read about genetically modified food if this is a new term for you- you will be amazed!

Try to avoid or eliminate sugars both natural and artificial, fruit juices, refined carbohydrates such as pastries, French fries, sweetened cereals, “healthy” waters that contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup and/or food coloring.

4. Helpful websites offered by Lisa for parents out there who are struggling to find answers and help for their kids:

Hamster Study – Genetically Modified Foods:  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/22/jeffrey-smith-interview-april-24.aspx

Environmental Working Group: Children’s Health – http://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth

Is Organic Food Worth The Price? – http://www.oprah.com/food/Food-Writer-Nina-Planck-Gives-O-the-Lowdown-on-Organic-Food/1

Fighting Toxic Exposures in Your Home – http://www.oprah.com/world/How-to-Fight-Toxic-Exposure-and-Keep-Chemicals-Out-of-Your-Home-Simran-Sethi

Homemade Veggie Cleaner Spray:  1 cup water, 1  cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract.   (Recipe: Sophie Uliano)

CNN Study – Pesticides Linked to ADHD – http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/17/pesticides.adhd/index.html

5. Additional helpful tips:

Find parent blogs online for support from parents going through these difficulties first hand.

Keep in mind that working on improving your child’s overall health and decreasing his or her symptoms of dysfunction takes time! It’s like peeling the layers of an onion, and everyone is different.

Thank you so much again Lisa for sharing your time and knowledge!  I know this will be a great resource for parents everywhere, for many years to come.  We are continually finding out more information about how to improve our children’s health, so parents out there, please stay connected with these great resources, continue to do your research and continue to keep an open mind, as I find the parents who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and try some of these alternative health approaches are yet to be disappointed!

If you would like to contact Healing Alternatives directly you can find them on-line at www.healingalternativesinc.com call them @ 407-682-7111 or email Lisa directly at: lisa.halternatives@gmail.com

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Healing Alternatives is a holistic wellness clinic that focuses on treating the entire person – mind, body and spirit.  They treat patients of every age and walk of life, by looking for the root cause of their ailments and healing from those causes, not from symptoms.

Dr. Donna Johnston, D.O.M. has 20 years of experience in natural medicine.  Not only is she a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, but she is a Doctor of Naturopathy, she has also achieved the status of Master Herbalist and Certified Natural Health Professional. She is further certified in Homeopathy, Iridology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, Reiki, Yoga, Biological Terrain and Metabolic Balancing for Allergy Elimination.

Her clinician who is with us today works with and supports her on a daily basis with all patients.  Lisa works with applied kinesiology, as well as all bioenergetic feedback modalities, and energy clearings.  She answers client questions and sees patients for appointments when Donna is not available.

There is also a new Acupuncture Physician, Tara Reed who will be starting with them soon and will focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbs, as well as Acupuncture.  She will be a great addition to their dynamic team!

Lisa started off by talking about how common it is to see children now days needing alternative types of health services to treat attention, sensory and/or behavioral difficulties.  She stated that it’s much more common now than 10-15 years ago.  Their clinic is set up to see people of all ages, but they are getting calls at least once a week from parents concerned about their children having ADD, ADHD, sensory-based concerns, etc…  These parents express how they have been through the wringer trying to figure out ways to help their children after a number of unsuccessful attempts and a whole lot of frustration.

She stated that usually by the time a family brings their child in for an evaluation they are happy but frustrated and often feeling nervous about trying a new testing or treatment approach.  After the team at Holistic Options spends a good hour with them reviewing their background, the parents usually feel well understood, less stressed, and then they become curious of what can be done to help their child.

As far as their testing procedures, I had Lisa explain to us how their office determines a child’s underlying problems when they come in for initial testing.  This is something I try to explain concisely to many parents that have children with sensory processing difficulties, food sensitivities, allergies and suspected neurotransmitter imbalances to name a few.  Lisa was able to break this down for us with very good explanations (of course)!

They always start their testing by looking for “root causes” of the symptoms reported by the parents.  They have explanations of their tests on their website at  http://www.healingalternativesinc.com/ if you look under their “services” tab.  They mainly use applied kinesiology techniques and a computerized electrodermal screening machine called the LSA Pro by Zyto.  These are fascinating testing approaches that are highly sensitive and able to pick up subtle changes in the body to give the clinician information on how the body needs to best be balanced.  I highly recommend you listen to this episode to hear the great ways that Lisa explains this technology in an understandable way.  The LSA Pro machine has 40,000 different test items in its database with the ability to assess the health of each organ and every gland in the body as well as detecting specific viruses, mineral imbalances, neurotransmitter imbalances, foreign chemicals in the body (such as plastics and pesticides), parasites (as well as identifying the type), molds, mycotoxins and even electromagnetic fields that affect our bodies in negative ways.

If you are concerned about your child being able to sit still and cooperate, rest assured, they have several tricks up their sleeve to help ease you and your child.  They have toys, Legos, crayons, etc… available to distract your child, and often one of them will work gently to distract your child while the other one does the testing, so the parent can be freed up from trying to get their child to behave and feel a lot less stressed.  This allows the parent to think more clearly, be able to share information and ask all the important questions they came with and have along the way.

Once Lisa and Dr. Johnston have identified the keys areas to address within each child’s body, they find specific supplements from their natural pharmacy of over 1,800 products to complement and balance that child.  They are very creative and realistic when it comes to finding ways to get children to take certain products, vitamins or supplements, and can disguise many products into a tasteless liquid form to put in their mouth or to be blended into good-tasting drinks or shakes.

Lisa has agreed to return for our next episode, to talk to us about: common symptoms that are seen in children who have been (usually unknowingly) exposed to high levels of toxins compared to what their body can handle; the biggest known causes of AD/HD, mood disorders and sensory disorders from an alternative health provider’s prospective; common treatment plans provided to help children to act and feel better; and other general health recommendations that we can all learn from.

Thank you so much Lisa for your time and expertise!  We look forward to more great information!

If you would like to contact Healing Alternatives directly you can find them on-line at www.healingalternativesinc.com call them @ 407-682-7111 or email Lisa directly at: lisa.halternatives@gmail.com

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SUGAR is a stimulant, and is therefore a huge contributor to the hyperactivity we see in many children. Sugar is fast-acting, so most parents and caretakers should know in general if their children do well when they eat cake, cookies and sugary drinks.

CAFFEINE is also a stimulant and it works in the same general fashion as sugar. We usually think of coffee and soft drinks when we think of caffeine, but for children I usually suspect chocolate first, and soft drinks second.  Some children eat chocolate candy and parents report this when asked, but they often forget their child drinks chocolate milk every day for a certain meal, because they think of it more as “milk” versus “chocolate”.

FOOD DYES & PRESERVATIVES are often culprits for causing hyperactivity as well, as these are foreign chemicals we put in our bodies.  Our brains are like computers and they have a system for identifying foods and knowing what to do with them, but when we add these chemicals to our bodies, our brains can get confused and not know what to do with them.  They are also fast-acting like sugar and caffeine, so these foods are easier for parents to identify as problems once they start reading the labels of everything they give their children.  Red dye #40 is the most common food dye that is linked to hyperactivity.  Parents have reported that juices, soft drinks, gummy fruit snacks and candy with red coloring cause problems over the same foods that are of different colors.  There are no set rules for what may be causing reactions in your child though, so you have to take this general information and start your own food dairy and food investigation!  One child may be sensitive to red food dye and others may be reactive to blue or yellow dyes.  Preservatives are hidden in many foods that are found along the shelves in grocery stores.  The best ways to avoid preservatives are to buy: organic foods, foods for which the ingredient list is short and every ingredient is known as a common food (and easy to pronounce), and foods that are found along the perimeter of the grocery store.

MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS are also common contributors to hyperactivity in children.  This correlation is a lot tougher for parents to figure out on their own because dairy products don’t usually cause immediate behavioral reactions.  They slowly affect the digestive system and bog it down, causing imbalances in the body.  The good news is that if you are interested in seeing if dairy products are a culprit linked to your child’s behaviors, you only need to do a dairy elimination diet for 2 weeks- which is how long it takes for all dairy to completely leave the body.  If your child’s behaviors don’t change in this time, then you will know it’s at least not a huge and obvious food that affects your child.

I highly recommend you seek professional guidance from a doctor, nutritionist or trusted healthcare provider to figure out the in’s and out’s of your own child.  You can use this information as a general guide to get moving in the right direction and then find a doctor who has researched the effects of food on children and hyperactivity, so you can get your child’s brain running to be the best it can be!

I sighted some research on this podcast episode if you would like more information, but you can also do an internet search and find a lot of articles now on these topics.  I hope this information has been helpful to you.  Please feel free to post any comments or questions and I will do my best to answer them or guide you to the right professional.  Good Luck!

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How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?

The development of communication skills begins in infancy, before the emergence of the first word. Any speech or language problem is likely to have a significant effect on the child’s social and academic skills and behavior. The earlier a child’s speech and language problems are identified and treated, the less likely it is that problems will persist or get worse. Early speech and language intervention can help children be more successful with reading, writing, schoolwork, and interpersonal relationships.

Birth to One Year

What can I do to help?

Check your child’s ability to hear, and pay attention to ear problems and infections, especially when they keep occurring.

Reinforce your baby’s communication attempts by looking at him or her, speaking, and imitating his or her vocalizations.

Repeat his or her laughter and facial expressions.

Teach your baby to imitate actions, such as peekaboo, clapping, blowing kisses, pat-a-cake, itsy bitsy spider, and waving bye-bye. These games teach turn taking that is needed for conversation.

Talk while you are doing things, such as dressing, bathing, and feeding (e.g., “Mommy is washing Sam’s hair”; “Sam is eating carrots”; “Oh, these carrots are good!”).

Talk about where you are going, what you will do once you get there, and who and what you’ll see (e.g., “Sam is going to Grandma’s house. Grandma has a dog. Sam will pet the dog.”).

Talk about colors (e.g., “Sam’s hat is red”).

Practice counting. Count toes and fingers.

Count steps as you go up and down them.

Teach animal sounds (e.g., “A cow says ‘moo’”).

One to Two Years

What can I do to help?

Talk while doing things and going places. When taking a walk in the stroller, for example, point to familiar objects (e.g., cars, trees, and birds) and say their names. “I see a dog. The dog says ‘woof.’ This is a big dog. This dog is brown.”

Use simple but grammatical speech that is easy for your child to imitate.

Take a sound walk around your house or in the baby’s room. Introduce him/her to Timmy Clock, who says “t-t-t-t.” Listen to the clock as it ticks. Find Mad Kitty Cat who bites her lif and says “f-f-f-f” or Vinnie Airplane who bites his lip, turns his voice motor on and says “v-v-v-v.” These sounds will be old friends when your child is introduced to phonics in preschool and kindergarten.

Make bath time “sound playtime” as well. You are eye-level with your child. Play with Peter Tugboat, who says “p-p-p-p.” Let your child feel the air of sounds as you make them. Blow bubbles and make the sound “b-b-b-b.” Feel the motor in your throat on this sound. Engines on toys can make a wonderful “rrr-rrr-rrr” sound.

Expand on words. For example, if your child says “car,” you respond by saying, “You’re right! That is a big red car.”

Continue to find time to read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and one or two words or a simple phrase or sentence on each page. When reading to your child, take time to name and describe the pictures on each page.

Have your child point to pictures that you name.

Ask your child to name pictures. He or she may not respond to your naming requests at first. Just name the pictures for him or her. One day, he or she will surprise you by coming out with the picture’s name.

Two to Three Years

What can I do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate.

Show your child that you are interested in what he or she says to you by repeating what he or she has said and expanding on it. For example, if your child says, “pretty flower,” you can respond by saying, “Yes, that is a pretty flower. The flower is bright red. It smells good too. Does Sam want to smell the flower?”

Let your child know that what she or he has to say is important to you by asking him or her to repeat things that you do not completely understand. For example, “I know you want a block. Tell me again which block you want.”

Expand on your child’s vocabulary. Introduce new vocabulary through reading books that have a simple sentence on each page.

Name objects and describe the picture on each page of the book. State synonyms for familiar words (e.g., mommy, woman, lady, grown-up, adult) and use this new vocabulary in sentences to help your child learn it in context.

Put objects into a bucket and have your child remove one object at a time, saying its name. You repeat what your child says and expand upon it: “That is a comb. Sam combs his hair.” Take the objects from the bucket and help your child group them into categories (e.g., clothes, food, drawing tools).

Cut out pictures from old magazines and make a scrapbook of familiar things. Help your child glue the pictures into the scrapbook. Practice naming the pictures, using gestures and speech to show how you use the items.

Look at family photos and name the people. Use simple phrases/sentences to describe what is happening in the pictures (e.g., “Sam swims in the pool”).

Write simple appropriate phrases under the pictures. For example, “I can swim,” or “Happy birthday to Daddy.” Your child will begin to understand that reading is oral language in print.

Ask your child questions that require a choice, rather than simply a “yes” or “no” answer. For example, rather than asking, “Do you want milk? Do you want water?”, ask, “Would you like a glass of milk or water?” Be sure to wait for the answer, and reinforce successful communication: “Thank you for telling mommy what you want. Mommy will get you a glass of milk.”

Continue to sing songs, play finger games (“Where is Thumbkin?”), and tell nursery rhymes (“Hickory Dickory Dock”). These songs and games introduce your child to the rhythm and sounds of language.

Strengthen your child’s language comprehension skills by playing the yes-no game: “Are you a boy?” “Is that a zebra?” “Is your name Joey?”

Three to Four Years

What can I do to help?

Cut out pictures from old catalogs. Then make silly pictures by gluing parts of different pictures together in an improbable way. For example, glue a picture of a dog to the inside of a car as if the dog is driving. Help your child explain what is silly about the picture.

Sort pictures and items into categories, but increase the challenge by asking your child to point out the item that does not belong in a category. For example, a baby does not belong with a dog, cat and mouse. Tell your child that you agree with his or her answer because a baby is not an animal.

Expand vocabulary and the length of your child’ s utterances by reading, singing, talking about what you are doing and where you are going, and saying rhymes.

Read books that have a simple plot, and talk about the story line with your child. Help your child to retell the story or act it out with props and dress-up clothes. Tell him or her your favorite part of the story and ask for his or her favorite part.

Look at family pictures, and have your child explain what is happening in each one.

Work on comprehension skills by asking your child questions. Have him or her try to fool you with his or her own questions. Make this game playful by pretending that you have been fooled by some of his or her really hard questions.

Expand on social communication and storytelling skills by “acting out” typical scenarios (e.g., cooking food, going to sleep, or going to the doctor) with a dollhouse and its props. Do the same type of role-playing activity when playing dress-up. As always, ask your child to repeat what he or she has said if you do not understand it completely. This shows that what he or she says is important to you.

Four to Five Years

What can I do to help?

Talk about spatial relationships (first, middle, and last; right and left) and opposites (up and down, big and little).

Offer a description or clues and have your child identify what you are describing.

Work on forming and explaining categories (fruits, furniture, shapes).

Follow your child’s directions as she or he explains how to do something.

Give full attention to your child when he or she is speaking, and acknowledge, praise, and encourage him or her afterward. Before you speak to your child, be sure to get his or her undivided attention. Pause after speaking, allowing him or her to respond to what you have said.

Build on your child’ s vocabulary. Provide definitions for new words, and use them in context: “This vehicle is riding on the highway. It is a car. A bus is another kind of vehicle. So are a train and an airplane.”

Encourage your child to ask for an explanation if he or she does not understand what a word means.

Point out things that are the same or different. Play games incorporating these concepts that he or she will encounter later in the classroom in reading readiness.

Sort items into categories. Now try to sort them by pointing out more subtle differences between objects (e.g., rocks that are smooth vs. those that are rough, heavy vs. light, big vs. small). Again, have your child identify the object that does not belong in a given category, but now ask him or her to explain why the item does not belong.

Expand on social communication and narration skills (telling a story) by role-playing. Play house, doctor, and store using dialogue, props, and dress-up clothes. Do the same with a dollhouse and its props, acting out scenarios and making the dolls talk.

Read stories with easy-to-follow plots. Help your child predict what will happen next in the story. Act out the stories, and put on puppet shows of the stories. Have your child draw a picture of a scene from the story, or of a favorite part. You can do the same thing with videos and television shows, as these also have plots. Ask “wh” questions (who, what, when, where, or why) and monitor his or her response.

Expand on your child’ s comprehension and expressive language skills by playing “I Spy”: “I spy something round on the wall that you use to tell the time.” After your child guesses what you have described, have him or her give you clues about something that he or she sees.

Give your child two-step directions (e.g., “Get your coat from the closet and put it on”). Encourage your child to give directions to explain how he or she has done something. For example, ask your child to explain how he made a structure out of Lego blocks. When playing doctor, ask your child to explain what she did to give the baby a checkup. Draw a picture, and write down your child’s story as he or she tells it. Your child will soon grasp the power of storytelling and written language.

Play age-appropriate board games with your child (e.g., “Candyland” or “Chutes and Ladders”).

Have your child help you plan and discuss daily activities. For example, have him or her make a shopping list for the grocery store, or help you plan his or her birthday party. Ask his or her opinion: “What do you think your cousin would like for his birthday? What kind of fruit do we need to buy at the store?”

This information represents, on average, the age by which most monolingual speaking children will accomplish the listed skills. Children typically do not master all items in a category until they reach the upper age in each age range. Just because your child has not accomplished one skill within an age range does not mean the child has a disorder. However, if you have answered no to the majority of items in an age range, seek the advice of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist .

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If you are seeing some signs that your child may fall into the Autism Spectrum category, I encourage you to do your research as there are many websites, support groups and networks available through the internet and most likely in your area. The sure way to determine if your child’s symptoms and behaviors fit within this category is to have your child seen by a pediatric developmental specialist. This is often times a developmental pediatrician, behavioral pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, psychologist or a neuropsychologist. You will have to see what practitioners or physicians are available in your area.

Early diagnosis for your child is key, whether you feel comfortable with this or not, because you need to know what you are dealing with, in order to find every opportunity to make the most progress with your child. There are stories of children no longer having Autism, because parents have worked so hard to find the right resources to help their children at a young age, so let’s get you on this band wagon!  This is the opportunity you will want to have, if your son or daughter needs it.

The diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder is very hard to swallow, and it may be very difficult for some of you to believe this or want to share this information with others.  Just know that it is completely your choice of who you want to share this information with.  It’s usually best to tell your child’s child care providers and your family, or it may be in your child’s best interest to keep this on the quiet side for the time being.  This is sometimes the case when your child is unfortunately stuck in an unsupportive environment.  This is a personal decision that you will have to consider, and decide if sharing this information will help your child, or hurt your child.  Most times sharing this news is going to be helpful, so you can get services and accommodations for your child, and understanding from others when your child may do things that appear out of the ordinary.

Once you get past this initial stage, you need to get moving!  Your child is going to need a lot of interventions to try to beat this diagnosis!  The most common treatments children seem to receive now are sensory-based occupational therapy which I will talk about mostly, speech and language therapy, behavioral therapy, and nutritional modifications from an alternative health care specialist or a DAN! Doctor.  DAN! is the acronym for Defeat Autism Now.

Now when it comes to the world of therapy and interventions, it doesn’t matter whether your child has a diagnosis of any specific condition or not, it’s just important that your child gets help!  Therapists do not work with your child’s diagnosis per say; they work with their specific symptoms and areas of difficulty, as every child is unique.  I encourage you to do your internet research on the types of interventions I mentioned, to help you decide where you may want to start.  Once you receive an evaluation from a physician or any specialty therapists, they should be able to direct you to the other services that would be helpful and complimentary.

I am going to share some of the benefits of Occupational Therapy services for these children with you, while emphasizing the need to work with a therapist or clinic that specializes in treating sensory processing disorders.  The most common symptoms I expect to see with young children who may be on the border of being diagnosed are:

• Speech delays
• Echolalia (parroting what others say, or repeating themselves)
• Less eye contact
• Decreased sensation awareness

(i.e.- unaware of touch; unaware of safety hazards; wandering off; stepping into a pool or off a ledge without realizing; needing constant pressure from hugs or tight clothes; not being aware of drooling or food in the mouth- causing them to stuff their cheeks or gag; not realizing when their diaper is wet or dirty due to not feeling it or smelling it; constantly seeking movement with swinging, spinning or jumping on furniture; not being able to sit still and tune in to group activities or show the same level of sustained interest; being a risk seeker like wanting to climb on top of play sets or furniture; not being as emotionally connected with family members as one would expect; or constantly seeking visual stimulation through fast moving TV shows, or rolling or flapping objects close to their eyes).  These are only a handful of sensory symptoms that are often reported.

Then you have a group of symptoms related to when children are hypersensitive or hyper-reactive to sensations, such as- screaming, tantrumming, running off or possibly showing aggression toward others with self-care or play times; refusing hair washing, tooth brushing, being tilted back in the bathtub, the feel of a diaper, or certain clothes, or refusing certain foods; having digestive issues with strong gas, constipation or frequent diarrhea; not being able to tolerate loud or busy environments, being taken out in public without tantrumming, running off or melting down; not being tolerant of touch from others, being held, and having excessive difficulty tolerating any changes in their home routine, or anyone messing up their agenda.  Again, this is not an all-inclusive list, I am just trying to give you a general idea of what is commonly seen.

Your child’s symptoms should be looked at from a non-biased eye to help you determine if the frequency and severity of symptoms (like the ones I have mentioned) are a big enough problem to affect the success of your day or your child’s day.  If the intensity of your challenges are affecting normal routines and expectations and someone’s overall stress level (which means you, your child, or your child’s caretakers), then it’s time to get an evaluation from a sensory trained occupational therapist.

The testing completed by an occupational therapist will look at developmental skills and abilities that are expected for your child’s age, as well as your child’s ability to function and perform in his or her everyday environment.  The therapist will focus on family stressors and sensory symptoms that may warrant intervention.  The great part about starting this type of therapy is that sensory symptoms can be highly reduced if not eliminated in most children, and the intervention is done in a play-based way.  Most children enjoy their therapy sessions, as they get the stimulation or calming strategies that their body so badly craves, and then you as the parent will be taught how to continue these activities at home, and how to incorporate them into your daycare or school environments.

Auditory integration training programs are also an integral part of helping your child’s sensory processing difficulties.  These programs can help decrease their hypersensitivity to sound; improve their attention, eye contact, initiation of language, and overall coordination skills, as well as improve their mood stability for those high stress kids and frequent tantrummers!  You can refer back to previous episodes to learn more about these types of programs. They can be just short of working miracles, when you have the right combination of therapies for your child!

I encourage you to find a local occupational therapist that you feel comfortable with, in terms of being able to communicate with them openly, getting your questions answered to your satisfaction, and most importantly seeing progress in your child!  You will also want the therapist you choose to be willing to collaborate with other professionals as needed, so your time and money is not being spent receiving conflicting information from different professionals and then trying to figure out which way to go!

Here are some websites to get you started with some other research, if you haven’t scoured them already! Best of luck to you and your family!

http://www.defeatautismnow.org/

www.centerforautism.com

www.NationalAutismAssociation.org

http://www.autismspeaks.org/

www.autismnetwork.org

http://www.ianproject.org/

http://www.autreat.com/

www.autism-pdd.net

www.Icare4autism.org

http://www.theautspot.com/

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They have a great self-explanatory website that I encourage you to check out. They are currently offering “clothing basics”, which include casual/dressy clothing that mix and match well with many outfits, ranging in sizes from 4-12. They use a super silky cotton that never pills, that even the pickiest of children have raved about, along with flat seams, waistbands with elastic encased in cotton, water-based printed labels versus tags (with printing from vegetable dyes to not be irritating or distracting), wide/flat collars to not disturb the sensitive neck line, and designer prints on the clothes that are not rough, crackly or annoying. Upcoming in April 2010 are their seamless socks, soft jeans, shorts and collared shirts, and they are working on some super cool underwear that will be available in 2011! Oh boy, I can’t wait!

Jessica shared with us that she always has some type of offer or sale going on that you can find out about, or you can sign up to receive information on new product releases on her website. They may have anything from free shipping, to 20% off, or free shirt offers!

In addition to offering this great starter line of clothes, Jessica has put together an extensive website to offer support services to teachers and parents on the overall topic of tactile hypersensitivity. You can find these additional resources at www.softclothing.net. There is a section on this website she calls “therapy corner” where she posts the best resources she has found over her years of research. Some of these resources are checklists for teachers and parents to determine if a child may have sensory processing difficulties.

For more information on Jessica’s “Soft” products, I recommend you listen to this podcast as she is fun and informative. If time doesn’t permit, then you should be able to get your all your questions answered between her two websites above, and you should be able to order some clothing basics quickly online from her e-store.

Thank you Jessica for your time and great innovations! I can’t wait to share your information with some of my current clients as well as a good handful of past clients!

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Suzette is a nurse practitioner who is a co-founder of the Parents Everywhere Network with a show in the network: The Madness of Motherhood Show.  She is also a mother of three great children!

She gave some great suggestions in this episode, delivering them with such fun and sincerity.  I encourage you to listen to this episode as you will surely enjoy her description of these tips! If you can’t, then here are the highlights:

1. Take a nap!

This is her favorite recommendation and she encourages you to do this daily, for 20-60 minutes at a time. Try making this fun by letting your kids get into your bed, setting up a tent or fort in the house, or setting out a blanket in the middle of the floor and snuggling up!

2. Get good sleep!

This is so important for restoring your body’s health, repairing your body and rejuvenating it, so you can be your best for your children and for yourself.

3. Give your kids a choice of what they can do to help.

They may not want to do what you have planned for them (like writing out Christmas cards), but they may be more willing to unload the dishwasher or complete another household chore.

4. Use your time in the shower to relax and set the tone for the day.

Suzette turns off her bathroom lights, lights one candle and plays some relaxation/meditation music, or her favorite Pop CDs, and uses deep breathing techniques to help rejuvenate her self. She allots 15 minutes to do this with the door locked so she cannot be interrupted by one of her three children. Doesn’t this sound great? I can’t wait to try it myself!

5. Use deep breathing techniques

You can really do this anywhere: in your home, office, or even in your car. If you have a busy morning getting your kids off to school then you can sit in your car and just take a few minutes of quiet time, with slow breathing.  Try not to think of anything, just be at peace and relax. Five minutes of this type of breathing and total relaxation could feel like an hour when you are really busy or stressed, and really, it’s only five minutes!  You could also spend time listening to your favorite music or some relaxation music while driving, versus listening to the kid music that you may be so programmed to play.  If you are a working parent, you can also bring your lunch to work and find a quiet place outside to eat and relax, or just spend a few minutes of quiet breathing outside, at your desk, or in your car before going back to work.

6. Let it go!!!

The chaos will wait for you, and the chores won’t go anywhere, so why be in such a rush?!  You can only do so much, so pace yourself and be content with your choices of what needs to be done, and what will have to wait.

For more great information from Suzette, you can find her online at www.parentseverywhere.com.  She can also be reached by emailing her if you have a specific question, at  sboyette@parentseverywhere.com.

Thank you so much Suzette, you are so inspiring and amazing!

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So I came up with a list of key points to remember around the holidays, as if I was talking to a parent in my office:

Tips to Make the Holidays Smoother:

• Plan ahead for changes in the schedule
• Try to keep your child’s sleeping and eating schedule the same
• Plan for sensory breaks built in throughout the day (to prevent over-stimulation or over-tiredness)
• Plan to incorporate sensory and self-regulation activities into your daily routines (have opportunities for movement, quiet time, a change of clothes, chewing objects, etc…to prevent meltdowns based on what makes your child’s nervous system stressed)
• Set aside quiet time opportunities (away from other siblings, away from large family gatherings, etc…)
• Setup a schedule for your child to refer to throughout the trip or for each day, if your vacation is packed with a lot of activities in one day. This schedule can be a group of pictures on a dry erase board or poster board, or a written outline for those who are good readers
• Sleeping arrangements (try not to change too much if your child is sensitive to his/her bedtime routine).
• Make your own list of survival tips if you are concerned about your child acting out or being overly stressed.
• Shop early for food/presents so you are not rushed and more stressed.
• Think about the foods your child will be around and what type of foods may affect your child’s behavior in a negative way, and plan to have your own food accommodations in advance

Foods Recommended:

• A high protein diet
• Low sugar foods
• Organic when possible, especially for meat, milk (if any at all), grains and porous fruits that can easily absorb pesticides when they are growing

There are some great pies and desserts that can be found in health food stores more commonly now, to address food sensitivities, such as gluten, wheat, dairy, soy & other ingredients that can affect our children as well as the rest of the family, such as sugar or dyes & preservatives.

It’s also easy to find recipes online now to accommodate your child’s food sensitivities. Try to do your best to incorporate foods and routines into your daily schedule that can be helpful to others as well as your child. You don’t want to make your child look any more different that necessary, so you may find fun things to do with family in town or some great recipes that are yummy for everyone.

Here’s a sample plan to help you come up with your own plan, specific to your child:

• Have chewy foods available (snacks in the car) or chewy objects (chew tubes, teethers, soft pencil grips on a shoelace, etc…)
• Plan where the local parks are if the weather is nice, or know where the indoor kid places are, to provide your child with a good physical outlet
• Plan physical activities into your vacation, based around your child’s sensory needs and dislikes (skiing could be a great choice or it could be disastrous for a child who is hypersensitive to touch).
• Balance out your plan for sedentary or adult-based activities with some sensory calmers.
• Know what you are going to tell your relatives or friends that you don’t see often, when you may need to make some accommodations for your child. This includes thinking about how comfortable you are with discussing your child’s sensory difficulties with the rest of the family, and what you want to share with them, if you choose to be selective.)

Another very important tip to keep in mind is that you need to be calm and organized in order to be an effective parent for your sensory sensitive child, so you have to take some time to plan for yourself.

Next week we will have Suzette Boyette from the Parents Everywhere network on the show to talk about ways to distress the body and stay sane for the holidays!

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Cris reported that in a 10-year period of working in the public school system, she noticed a huge explosion of child diagnoses such as AD/HD and Autism. She was curious about the effect that technology had on the changes that were seen in these children. She started researching this area by asking parents how much their children were using technology when she met with them during school IEP meetings. Then she left her school system position and began to develop class interventions and workshops for teachers and therapists while in her private practice.

Cris shared with us the following steps to successfully unplug children from technology, based on her research and expertise in the fields of child development and technology usage:

• Become informed.
• Parents need to disconnect from technology to reconnect with kids and establish “sacred time” in their daily routines, during times such as car rides, meal times, holidays and evenings, such as one hour before bed.
• Enhance child performance skills in alternate activities to build self-satisfaction (i.e.- climb a tree).
• Ensure critical milestones of movement, touch and human connection are met at a frequency of 3-4 hours per day.
• Address parent misperceptions of outdoor safety.
• Restrict all technology use for toddlers under two years of age, and limit technology use to no more than two hours per day for elementary-aged children. (Cris would love to see TVs outlawed in pre-k and daycare programs.) She also has a rule of one hour in- one hour out to balance play time for children.
• Restrict all media violence (including cartoons!) for children under the age of eight years.
• Remove all TVs from bedrooms.

Cris has also developed numerous products and initiatives to make changes in how children to use technology, and she continues to develop new games, programs and resources for families all the time. Here are some of her products which can be found on her website:

Zone’in is a self regulation program that teaches children to harness their energy to focus and attend, and is complete with simple strategies and tools that achieve immediate results. Zone’in is accessible learning for all students, while making a teacher’s job easier.

Move’in is a two part program. A fun board game assesses fine motor skill components and provides individualized interventions to improve printing and reading. Move’in comes with easy-to-use software to create a database, as well as make custom work and journal sheets.
Unplug’in addresses TV, videogame and internet addictions in children, helping them develop the necessary skills to unplug. Traveling through the Me, We, Earth and Spirit dimensions builds performance skills, empowering children to unplug. Unplug’in brings imagination and creativity back into children’s lives!

Live’in improves child health and promotes a life long love of learning.  Designed for school and home use, the Live’in Resource Guide contains information regarding the negative effects of technology overuse, the Zone’in Research Fact Sheet, Technology Topics for Discussion, Technology Addiction Questionnaire, the Survivor Unplugged Challenge, Ten Steps to ‘Unplug’ Your Kids, Alternate Activities to Technology and the Technology Schedule.

Unplug’in brochures provide parents, teachers and health professionals with useful information and techniques to address TV, videogame and internet addictions in pre-school and elementary aged children.

She has also set up the following child health initiatives which can be found on her website:

• Balanced Technology Management Champion Status: for Canadian Governments, Health Units, Elementary Schools, and Technology Production Corporations.
• Linking Corporations and Communities Initiative- where she is working with large corporations such as Microsoft to redesign some of their programs and get them to put money back into community parks and nature, etc…
• Creating Sustainable Futures Program
• Unplug – Don’t Drug Policy Initiative

If you would like to contact Cris, sign up for her newsletters, participate on her new forum called “The Source”, or view her website, you can find her at:

www.zonein.ca
info@zonein.ca

1-888-8zonein (888-896-6346)
604-885-2666

Remember you have any questions or comments; please post them on The Sensory Show blog.

Thank you again Cris for everything you do. It’s obvious that you are passionate about taking such an active role in making a difference in this world for our challenging, but amazing children!

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