Summer time is always fun and sometimes challenging for kids with sensory processing difficulties.  As the school year comes to an end, all children get summer fever and become anxious to get out of school.  The school schedule begins to change, the structure they are so use to starts to unravel under their feet and parents are working hard to figure out how to set up their entire summer schedule in order to keep the peace, for the child and the entire family!

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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We have Lisa Beaury back from our last episode, to share some more wonderful information with us.  Today she is going 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.  She did a phenomenal job of explaining the alternative tests and assessments they offer at their office in Orlando, Florida, as well as all the non-invasive testing that can be done for everyone, including our sensory kids that may behave a little less than perfect at times!

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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Today I had the privilege of interviewing Lisa Beaury, a holistic clinician from Healing Alternatives in Orlando, FL.

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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Hyperactivity is so common among the children of our current generation. It’s even more common in children who have sensory processing difficulties. My take on it is that children with sensory processing difficulties are children who are sensitive in general, so naturally their brain chemistry is going to be more reactive to imbalances that more mature brains would be able to handle. These sensitive brains are not just related to children, as many adults have sensitivities that can cause other problems such as migraines, seizures, etc… Today I am just talking about our sensory kids though!

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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Children are becoming diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorders more commonly now than in the past. This is a trend that is currently affecting 1 in every 110 children, and 1 in every 70 boys. While there are theories of why this may be happening, there is currently no single definitive cause.

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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