Why Are Your Kids In Therapy?

The most common question other than, “What do they have?” is “Why are your kids in therapy?” I get this a lot. It is always followed by, “They look normal. You would never know.” This conversation always upsets me. I hate the word “normal”. I prefer typical. I know that they are saying these things as a compliment, but it always bothers me.

When asked the question, “Why are your children in therapy?” I usually say therapy is very important for their growth and development because it helps their bodies stay regulated, so they can learn. But, it really does much more than that.

Therapy for my children:

1.     Improves their ability to focus

2.     Decreases their need to stim or injure self

3.     Improves communication

4.     Improves socialization

5.     Increases independence

6.     Helps expression

7.     Decreases anxiety

8.     Improves transitions

9.     Teaches choice

10. Teaches how to adjust to change/ the known

11.  Increases strength

12.  Builds confidence

13. Encourages healthy eating

14. Teaches coping mechanisms

And for me, therapy gives me support. It helps me know how to respond and meet my child’s needs. I am so thankful for the therapy my children receive.

Benefits from Playing on a Playground

A playground promotes physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. It encourages physical activity to develop coordination, balance on dynamic surfaces, and fine/ gross motor skills. Children also engage in cognitive learning on a playground as they conceive, organize, and carry out unfamiliar sequences and realize problem and solution. Playgrounds, furthermore, allow children to work on social skills and communication as they play. Overtime, a playground will help special needs children learn how to adapt to the environment around them as they explore a vast array of sights, sounds, and textures. Their self esteem will also grow as they overcome challenges while playing.

·        The obstacles on the playground will provide vestibular (movement) input, proprioceptive (deep pressure) input, and tactile input (touch) that will help calm an anxious or upset child and help their emotional development.

·        The swing set involves balance, eye movement, and body position and will give a child both vestibular and proprioceptive inputs.

·        The slides provide the children with a safe way of exploring movement and speed. Sliding down provides vestibular input and the hard surface provides propriceptive input. Different types of slides help children develop muscle tone and cognitive skills such as problem solving.

·        Climbing steps and climbing activities also provide vestibular and propriceptive input. It also improves balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and muscle tone as the child works on both fine and gross motor skills.

So, the next time you are trying to find something fun for you and your child to do, head to the nearest playground. It is good for them!

Using Cord Blood to Treat a Child’s Disability or Disease

Five years ago, while I was pregnant with my son, my OBGYN approached us about storing my baby’s cord blood upon birth. Due to the cost of this procedure, we decided to do some research to make sure this was the right choice for us. During my research, I found out that cord blood can be used to treat cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, metabolic disorders, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, pediatric stroke, traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss. After reading the lists of treatable disorders and diseases, I watched videos of children making a remarkable recovery after a cord blood transplant.

One of the videos, about a little girl named Chloe Levine, really stood out to me. Chloe had Cerebral Palsy, and at one year old, her parents were told that she would never be able to use one side of her body. In the video, you saw Chloe scooting and unable to hold things with her right hand. Her parents were determined to help Chloe, so she underwent an experimental procedure at Duke University where she was infused with her own cord blood stem cells. Her parents stated that just a week after the treatment Chloe started speaking. Then, the stiffness in her right side started disappearing. Now, Chloe is able to walk, run, do sign language, and talk.

Ironically, as I watched the video, I noticed that my friend’s son showed the same signs as Chloe. He too was diagnosed with Cerebal Palsy, and at this point, had tried Botox. After showing my friend this video, they contacted their cord blood company, CBR, about a treatment. Just like Chloe, he made a remarkable recovery. His video is now featured on the CBR site.

When it came time to give birth to my son, we did bank the cord blood. To me, it was like an insurance policy that we couldn’t risk not having. Many parents of children with disabilities do not know that this treatment is available. If you did not store your child’s cord blood, and he or she is diagnosed with one of the disorders or diseases above, you can contact CBR for a donor treatment. If your baby has been identified at pregnancy or birth with one of the treatable diseases or disorders, you can be eligible for the Newborn Possibilities Program that helps provide free cord blood.

I am so glad that I watched Chloe’s video that day, and got to share her story with my friend. And today, I am glad I got to share it with you. I think it is very important for all of us in the special needs community to keep sharing, so we know all of our options out there.

The Sensory Learning Center Program

Recently, one of my friends took her son to a Sensory Learning Center and talked to me about their experience.  She said that just after a few days of the intervention she saw improvements in his balance. Now, three weeks out she is also hearing him say spontaneous things instead of mimicking. I personally saw her son walk with more balance and swing sitting straight up. I have been so impressed with her son’s results; I decided to also look into this for my children too.

The Sensory Processing Center says that this is “not a treatment”, instead they say that it is “an approach to developmental learning” that uses light, sound, and movement “to better integrate sensory messages”. People that benefit from this approach include people with sensory processing disorder (that are sensitive to light, sound, and motion), people with Autism, people with birth trauma, people with speech delays,  people with delays in motor skills, people with ADD/ ADHD, people with behavior problems, and people with irregular sleep activity patterns.  

It is a one-time intervention that has lasting benefits. The benefits include improvement in vision, understanding, focus, processing time, sensitivities, sleep, speech, memory, body awareness, motor planning, and social skills. Results from this approach actually are seen immediately and significant results happen in the first twelve days and continue through days, weeks, months, and even years to come.

Before a person begins this program, there is an assessment form to fill out. Once the assessment form is complete, a listening profile and visual field measuring photocurrent are taken. These assessments help customize the program and will continue through the intervention to track improvement. After a customized program is created, the person will spend two thirty minute sessions each day for twelve consecutive days. During those sessions, the person receiving the intervention will lay on a bed and head phones will be placed over the ears. As the bed moves and music plays, different colors of light will light up the room. This will engage the person’s visual, auditory, and vestibular systems all at once and cause them to work in an integrated way. Once the twelve day treatment is complete, the individual goes home with a portable light to continue the program twenty minutes in the morning and evening for eighteen days.

Currently, there are 33 locations that provide this approach, 31 of them are in the United States. It cost about $3,000. If you are interested in more information, check out their website at:   http://sensorylearning.com/index.php  .

Splash Pads Are Great For Special Needs Kids

One of my kids’ favorite things to do is go to the splash pad. We love taking them there because the splash pad has so many benefits for Special Needs Children. A splash pad helps a child physically, emotionally, and socially.

Splash pads help children physically by helping them develop strength. Children strengthen gross motor skills by running, jumping, and dodging water. Water play also encourages hand and eye coordination through splashing, pouring, and feeling the water. Children restricted to wheel chairs also have plenty of room to ride around and increase upper body strength.

 Splash pads also help a child emotionally by providing deep pressure, soothing sounds, and opportunities of dealing with the unexpected. My son loves holding his foot above the fountain while it spurts water on the underside of his foot. He laughs and says it tickles. What he doesn’t realize is that the water is massaging his foot and calming his body as he does it. Another fun activity my children enjoy is trying to guess what fountain is going to go off next. Emotionally, this helps us learn to deal with our answers of being right or wrong.

At a Splash pad, children also work on social and speech skills. They work on social and speech skills when they ask to have a turn and share. They also work on social and speech as they communicate how much fun they are having.

With winter approaching, many local splash pads will be closing sometime this fall until they open again in the spring. Luckily, some states have indoor splash pads at their water parks where children can gain benefits from them year round.

One of our favorite indoor water parks with a splash pad is Co Co Key Water Resort. It is located in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida.

Our other favorite indoor water park with a splash pad is the Great Wolf Lodge. It is located in Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

So whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall, get to the splash pad and enjoy each station for the beauty of a splash park is that your child will be able to enjoy it regardless of ability.

Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP)

If your child is having trouble with their behavior in school, he or she might need a Behavior Intervention Plan. BIP’s have been used for children who have ADD/ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Opposition / Defiance, Anxiety, Laziness, or Attendance problems.

 A BIP is specifically designed to help a child learn to change his or her behavior. BIP’s are usually included in a student’s IEP (Individualized Education Program). An effective BIP includes coping strategies, support, and intervention to defuse the problem behavior. Here is a list of things a BIP should do:

·        identify and avoid triggers

·        modify environment (seating, pace, frequent breaks, leave early to transition)

·        identify emotions and learn appropriate responses to emotions

·        learn replacement behaviors (behavior must serve the same function but be socially and emotionally appropriate)

·        reward good behavior and provide consequences

For the plan to work, the child must be willing to follow the plan. It is helpful to make the child a visual of the plan (simplified) to serve as a reminder. Below is an example of items included in a BIP:

·        Problem behavior

·        Replacement behavior/ how it will be taught

·        Accommodations, such as: Special seating, Review rules, Clear directions, Frequent reminders, Breaks, Provide a cool down spot and time frame, Routine schedule/ high structure day, Avoid critiques, Avoid power struggles, Avoid contact

·        Three goals

·        Progress chart- shows positive and negative consequences

·        Evaluation: progress/ time frame

When the BIP is put in place the child must have support to change the behavior. The teacher or support staff needs to work with the child to let the child know when inappropriate behaviors are happening and alternatives to that behavior. Good behavior must be taught and rewarded. Social stories are a great way to incorporate teaching appropriate behavior. Role play and visuals are also effective.

Having clear communication with the parent and providing daily feedback will also help the child. Also, having the child’s parent enforce the BIP at home will make a big difference.

Creating a Garden for Your Special Needs Child

Both of my children are picky eaters. One night while brainstorming with my husband on ways we could get them to try veggies; we came up with the idea of a garden. We bought three horse troughs to create raised gardens since our soil is horrible. As we created the garden with the children, I realized that this garden wasn’t just going to help them with feeding; it was going to help them with other skills as well because a garden is a complete sensory experience. They will have different opportunities to learn using a kinesthetic and multi sensory learning approach through seeing, touching, tasting, smelling and hearing.  It will also help them learn how to adapt to sights, sounds, and light.

One thing I really love about the garden is learning the unexpected. Today we had a full lesson on caterpillars and butterflies after observing a caterpillar eating one of our tomatoes. It made the kids want to eat a tomato too!

Another thing a garden promotes is physical and emotional wellness, as well as, cognitive development. As my children help to tend the garden, they will be using fine and gross motor skills. The smells and sounds of the garden are also very calming.

If you have some space where you can have a garden, I highly recommend it. Some great sensory items for a garden include soft flowers, scented plants (ie: mint, parsley, oregano, rosemary), springy moss, prickly seed pods, rough bark, smooth stones, rubber mulch, sand, running fountain, and bird bath.

Testing Special Needs for Services and/ or a Diagnosis

Getting a special needs services and/ or a diagnosis is a process. It involves medical history, observations, and testing done by therapist, doctors, and/ or specialist. If you are concerned about your child not meeting developmental milestones, then you have a few choices to begin testing for services and/ or a diagnosis:

 

Option One: Early Intervention

If your child age 0 to 3 years old, you can contact Early Intervention for your state and submit a referral for an evaluation. This service is done at no cost to you (covered by our taxes). After you have applied, Early Intervention will send a state coordinator to your house to evaluate your child to see if your child needs to be tested for a disability or developmental delays. If the coordinator thinks testing needs to take place, they will then send out a therapist or specialist at a later date for an evaluation. After the evaluation, you will meet with the coordinator and anyone else involved with the testing to review the data from the test. They will talk to you about whether your child qualified and the services available. If your child qualifies, they will write up an IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan). This document will explain the services that your child and family will receive. You will then give your consent for services to begin. Your child’s goals will be reviewed every six months until they are no longer receiving services.

 

Option Two: Public Schools

If your child is over the age of three, they can receive testing through the public schools (even if you home school or if your child attends private school). This service is also free to you (covered by our taxes). All you need to do is contact the special education department of your local school district, and they arranged for your child to be tested by therapist or specialist. After testing, results are discussed and if qualified, an ARD is set up at a later date. At the ARD, (Admission, Review, Dismissal process) you will to over your child’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and see what modifications and accommodations will help your child be successful.  It will also note if your child will receive additional therapy services. After the meeting, the child’s services begin.

 

Option Three: Private Practice Offices

Any child at any age can be evaluated at a private practice all you need is a referral from your pediatrician or family doctor. If you have insurance or the funds to do this testing, it is more extensive than the options above. For example the options above will only use one test for qualification, whereas, private places will use three. Because the testing is so extensive you will also see many people with this option. Types of specialist that you may test during a diagnosis include: a speech and language therapist (test for feeding disorders, and speech delays), occupational therapist (test for sensory problems), and physical therapist (motor delays). Once a delay has been noted, the child will then see a psychologist/ psychiatrist who will add to the therapists’ evaluations with a clinical interviews, IQ testing, behavioral testing, and personality testing. These professionals will then work as a team to determine an accurate diagnosis. If the child is of school age, they might also ask for input from that child’s teacher. Once a diagnosis is established, recommendations can be made for therapy or special services.

 

I have used all three of these avenues for testing. I started off testing through the state (public schools/ Early Intervention) and then took my results to a private practice for more extensive testing. When it came to a diagnosis for my children, I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. It never hurts to get several options.

 

When the Teacher Asks: What Do I Do?

Two days ago, when I took my son to school, he was in a great mood. He was the first child in the building, so he eagerly went inside and was ready to start his work. However, when we got to his class, he had to go to the bathroom. We walked to the bathroom, and eight minutes later returned to class. By that time, the class was filled with students. My son got very nervous and started saying, “Too loud.” As I went to reach for his headphones, he started stimming (a hum sound) to calm himself. I then got his chewy and tried to pass him off to his teacher. The teacher looked at me, and then looked at my son. Then, she looked back to me in desperation and said, “What do I do about this?” I told her, “Just give him time and some space. He will calm down and put his tools up when he is ready.” Then, I left feeling upset.

I was upset because as an educator myself, I would have never said this to a parent. I always wanted the parent to feel confident about leaving their child with me.  I felt like she should have known what to do. When I got home, all I thought about was what I could do to help her have more tools to know what to do.  I have already provided her with:

·        a two page letter explaining my son’s disorder, how the disorder affects him, and how to respond to him

·        tools my son might need while in her class (his chewy stixx, sun glasses, head phones)

·        additional information about my son’s anxiety (spoken to her in a before school started conference).

Upon looking at the list of things I have done, I realized how hard his teacher has tried already to accommodate him. To ease his anxiety, she gave me a copy of the schedule and discipline routine, so we could prepare my son at home before school started. She also allowed practice visits so we could practice walking into school before the year began. She really does want him to be successful and that is why was reaching out to me to be a partner in my son’s education. Thinking about this totally changed my attitude.

I decided that my next step to be a partner with my son’s teacher was to provide her with a list of strategies to help my son. Here is what I came up with:

When my son appears to be overwhelmed,

·        give him his bag of tools.

·         allow him to go to a calm down spot in the classroom.

·        give him a bear hug for deep pressure (if he will allow you).

·        let him take a break from the environment.  Try asking him to take a break to the bathroom or to get a drink. Sometimes changing the environment can help him refocus.

·        redirect his focus to something else (such as a computer). Sometimes redirection helps ease his anxiety. He then is focused on an object and not his fear.

I know that communication is the key between parents and teachers to ensure a child’s success. It is important for a teacher and parent to be honest with each other, so the child gets the most out of their educational experience. I am glad now that his teacher reached out to me today. Hopefully, these strategies will help her next time.

20 Fun Activities for Sensory Seekers

My son is a sensory seeker. He is loves chewing on everything, crashing into the wall, spinning in circles, and playing music loud.  Here are 20 activities we do at home to help give him input:

1.     Jump on a trampoline

2.     Jump and crash in an inflatable jumper or a crash pad

3.     Sit, lay, roll and bounce on a peanut or exercise ball

4.     Spin around on a sit and spin

5.     Push, ride, and crawl on a scooter board

6.     Swing

7.     Hang on a trapeze bar or on monkey bars

8.     Ride a bike

9.     Shoot hoops with a basketball or run and kick a soccer ball

10.   Pull or push a wagon, lawn mower, baby stroller, or laundry basket

11.   Finger paint

12.   Play with play dough, sand dough, putty, or modeling clay

13.    Scoop, dump, and build in a sand box

14.    Scoop, dump and splash in a water table

15.   Scoop, throw, and move around in a ball pit (filled with different textured balls)

16.   Build a tower with blocks or legos and knock it down

17.   Chew on a chewy stixx, gum, or crunchy food

18.   Use a critter vibe to massage face and mouth

19.  Blow bubbles

20.  Play musical instruments (blow recorders/ whistles, beat drums, shake shakers)

The thing I love most about this list is that most of these items you already have around the house. Find the activities your child loves doing the most. These activities probably give him or her most amount of input. They love them because it makes them feel good. Then, plan 2 to 3 activities three times a day to help your seeker feel regulated.

Getting Through the School Doors- Part Two

On the 12^th day of school, my son gave to me a perfect stress free drop off! This is huge! Last year it took 27 days before he was able to walk into a classroom and feel comfortable enough to put his things up and get started on an activity. I say this to give hope to the parents whose children are struggling to adjust to the school routine. I know how hard it is watching your child get worked up about just getting through the doors. I have watched my son run to the restroom (feeling sick), or start stimming or go into OCD repetitive behaviors to ease his stress. I get it, and totally understand how torn up you are as a parent watching it. Every. Single. Day. My hope and prayer for you too is that each year it also gets easier on your child.

With this said, here is a new idea (to add to my previous ideas “Getting Through the School Doors”) that we tried today, and we will continue to do every school day for the rest of his school years. We took him to school early. We went before anyone else was there. He had his own warm up time and didn’t have the distractions of the other people interfering.

With no one around, he was able to walk in, hang up his things, and start his routine. By the time the other children came in, he was so focused on what he was doing that they didn’t bother him.

It was such an incredible feeling to walk out of the school doors today claiming a victory. I felt like doing the V-I-C-T-O-R-Y cheer. Today was a great day!

Food Menu- Increase Child’s Food Selection through Choice

When my son was two years old, he had five foods in his diet. He would eat bars (granola with chocolate chip and marshmallows), bananas, applesauce, chicken nuggets, and grilled chicken. If I tried to offer him other foods, he would push them away and refuse to eat them. Today after three years of therapy, he has a wide range of foods that he will eat. He will also always try a new food now before he says it is yucky. What helped us overcome his feeding issues? Me letting go and giving him control of his eating. That does not mean that I opened a pantry and said have at it. We wouldn’t have changed one thing doing that. I actually made a menu with his therapist for breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner. On the menu, we put the foods he liked along with foods he hadn’t tried. Each meal, he could pick three items to eat. Each menu included 10 items and included a main dish, side dish, and a drink. I had a picture with each word since my son could not read. Here is an example of one menu (sorry pictures wouldn't post):

Breakfast menu

waffle	pancakes
eggs	fruit
cereal	Juice box
bacon	milk
bar	Orange juice

 

Every four months we would change the items on the menu. Now that he is older and has a wide range of foods, he helps me plan the family menu for the week. On Sunday, we put together our week menu. It is so nice to now have everyone eating the same thing.

Another thing we did to make eating fun was play a game while eating. My son’s favorite games to this day are “Spin or Roll a Bite”. You play using a dice or spinner. The child rolls or spins to see how many bites he or she needs to take. Everyone at our family table plays and has fun.

The great news is once my son started eating more, he was able to sleep better too. I hope these ideas work for you too. They did wonders for us!