I did my first post today, and I have to say. Yuck. This site is very out dated and is having a lot of technical problems.

So…

1. Look for a new look very soon
2. Look for better functionality
3. Look for some great information to help you help your kids

Expect the Best,

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Often times we are dealing with multiple disabilities and diagnosis. We are dealing with several different specialists, pediatricians, pharmacists, therapists, social workers and the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, I love all these people and they are very necessary in caring for our kids. What I’m saying is that as parents and caregivers, it is our job to be knowledgeable in everything that they are telling us to do with our children.

Just in caring for our children daily, we get to know their strengths and limitations and what works best for them. The routines, tricks and tools that you use with your child become almost nature to you. Awesome. But take it a step further.

• When you meet with the professionals, have a list of questions ready to ask them, make sure you understand what it is they are telling you. If you don’t, get them to explain it again.
• Go online and research the disability, any conditions, ALL medications and what the side effects are. Find out what has worked best for other kids with this disability. Find out EVERYTHING you can.
• Keep a journal. Include any significant events, any meetings you have, behaviors, diet, seizure activity, medications changes… all of that stuff. You won’t be able to remember everything in your head.
• Talk to the pharmacist, get the fact sheet on medications.
• Find other parents that would be a good support for you. It helps to talk.

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Dan Reinhold from WAHumor.com is raising money for Autism. Dan is doing the first annual “Wonderful WAHumor Giveaway for Autism Research”.

Dan is a work at home Dad (which is cool ). One of his kids has Autism, and so this is an issue very close to his heart. Every year (for the last 9) they have participated in the annual Greater Boston, Massachusetts Walk for Autism Research.

This year he wants to raise $5000.00 to bring to the Walk, so he has teamed up with some of his Internet Marketing friend to provide this offer.

For this week only and for a cash donation of $25, Dan is giving you 7 Great Products. You can check out all the details here.

I have to say, some of the people he has contributing with products are some of the best in the industry. Lynn Terry, Kelly McCausey, Harvey Segal just to name a few.

If you should feel like donating fifty bucks, he’s bumping up the giveaway even more. Check it out at the Wonderful WAHumor Giveaway for Autim Research

Why don’t you take a few minutes to make a donation and get some cool stuff, or spread the word with a blog post or email your list. Or hey do both

Thanks for helping out.

Expect the Best,

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Awareness is key in preventing this horrific disability.  I work with these children everyday and it breaks my heart to see the struggles they will go through during their lives.

FASD is 100% preventable.

Please keep these children and families in your thoughts and prayers today.

Hugs,

Heather

FASworld is an international alliance of parents and professionals who do not want to see any more children, teenagers and adults struggle with birth defects caused when their mothers drank alcohol in pregnancy. Co-founded by volunteers in Toronto, Canada, and Tucson, Arizona, it has resulted in the creation of the Canadian organization, FASworld Canada, which continues to work with the FAS Community Resource Center in Tucson to coordinate work in worldwide awareness.

Individuals struggling with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders may be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) — formerly known as Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) — Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD), Alcohol-Related Birth Injury (ARBI) or Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS). (In New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and other parts of the world, these conditions are spelled, “Foetal Alcohol Syndrome,” etc.).

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. The term FASD is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis.

Psychologists and psychiatrists often assess individuals with FAS disorders as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder or Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) — but are often unaware that the real problem is permanent neurological damage caused by prenatal alcohol.

People with prenatal alcohol exposure have a high risk of mental disabilities, learning disabilities, early school drop-out, juvenile delinquency, trouble with the law, alcoholism, drug addiction, unemployment, homelessness, poverty, incarceration, and mental illness. As many as half of all adults with some form of FASD have depression and a significant percentage of those have attempted suicide. With early diagnosis and treatment, many of these “secondary disabilities” could be prevented.

[tags]fas, fasd, prevention, children, fetal alcohol, awareness, arnd[/tags]

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Strawberry Quick is a new form of Meth that has a great appeal to kids.

Remember those pop rock candies we use to eat when we were kids?  Well, this stuff apparently is like that.   It looks and tastes like strawberry candy.

This is a News Clip on the drug.  Spread the word to other parents, so we can keep our kids safe. 

This is scary stuff.  Talk to other parents and talk to your kids!

Peace and Blessings,

 

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In part one we will look at the different kinds of anxieties, and what some of there symptoms are.  Part two will discuss ways that we can help our children deal with these disorders.

I know this list does not cover ever know type of anxiety disorder.  It does however touch on seven of the biggest.

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder - The child experiences an unrealistic worry about almost anything and everything they encounter. The Children’s Hospital Boston explained it as “Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as chronic, excessive worry and fear that seems to have no real cause. Children or adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder often worry a lot about things such as future events, past behaviors, social acceptance, family matters, their personal abilities, and/or school performance.”
2. Separation Anxiety - This is typically found in younger children.  They are unwilling or very apprehensive to be separated from significant people in their lives such as parents, grand parents, an older brother/ sister.  These children can become very clingy.  They may also experience things like depression or being sad.
3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - After being part of or witnessing a traumatic event such as sexual abuse, violence or physical abuse, natural disasters like earthquake or hurricane, the child may experience extreme feelings of fear and helplessness.  These feeling are re-occurring and can come in the form of thoughts, images, and nightmares.
4. Panic Disorders - This is when a child is continually experiencing recurring panic attacks.  These panic attacks come on unexpectedly and are defined as sudden episodes of intense fear and/or discomfort.  Symptoms may include rapid heart beat, sweating, shortness of breath, a feeling of choking, feelings of lightheadedness or being dizzy, and nausea.
5. Phobias - Child phobias are intense and ongoing fears of certain situations and things.  For instance a fear of spiders, thunder and lightning, fear of water or drowning.  These intense feeling of fear and dread may seem unreasonable to an onlooker, but to the child experiencing the phobia, they are very real.
6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Is when a child will repeat the same behaviours without being able to control the urge to do so (compulsion).  Or think  the same thoughts or images even though these thoughts are unwanted, and they try not too (obsession).  An example would be checking to make sure the door is locked at night, every night many times over and then some times even getting up again to check. 
7. Social Anxiety Disorders - This is an intense fear of coming into contact with certain people or groups of people.  It may be certain social interaction and settings that cause these fears.  They may try to avoid the situation all together as much as possible.

Even though these fears don’t seem realistic to parents, teachers, friends or anyone, to that child they are very real.  These anxieties can be crippling because they are so intense for the child.

In part 2, we will go further into what can be done to help the child cope with their anxieties and try to function on a day to day basis.   

[tags]childhood disorders, anxiety, phobias, child anxiety, OCD, panic attack, panic disorder, general anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, child trauma, child anxiety disorder[/tags]

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It goes into detail about the pitfalls to avoid when disciplining a special needs child.  I think these are fairly common errors made by parents.

A few of them really hit home for me.

Not Disciplining your child is a really easy trap to fall into.  Just because they are special needs does not mean that they don’t need to live by some rules.  It’s easy to say, Oh Johnny just doesn’t understand, or we don’t want to upset him.  Both may be true, but children need to learn from a young age to respect people and property and house rules.

Providing structure is another really biggy.  With many disabilities, structure is key to maintaining a balance for your child.  It may seem like more work to have the routines in place, but you will find your child is calmer and more well adjusted.

Over attachment is a mistake that many parents make (I’ve made this one).  When you only allow yourself to be the “parent of a special needs child” and nothing else you are really missing out and actually hurting yourself.  Nobody expects you to be only a caregiver.  You need to be involved with other activities and areas of life to maintain a healthy balance in your own life.

Give the article a read, it’s really very good.  Of course children are all different and some respond better to some things than others do.  See what works in your family, and find your balance.

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These are some suggestions to help you and your child have a successful homework experience.  Keep in mind that every child is different and routines must be fit to your child’s needs.

Find out the recommended amount of time that your child should be spending on homework each day.  This varies depending on the age of the child.  A general guideline is:

• Elementary           30 minutes/school day
• Middle School        60 minutes/school day
• High School          90 minutes/school day

Having a communication book or agenda to write down the homework assignments is a good idea.  I learned long ago though that just because you have one doesn’t mean the homework will get written down, or that it will get brought home.  Of course it depends on your child, but you may need to get the teacher or assistant to help in this regard. 

Remember that schedule and routine is important for kids with ADD ADHD.  Set a homework schedule and stick with it.  When is the child best able to concentrate? Some kids do best to get it done straight after school.  Others are involved in activities and need to do homework after supper. 

Set up a study area, homework should be done in the same area daily.  All the necessary supplies should be close at hand.  Children should not be doing homework in front of the television or while talking on the phone to a friend.  The study area must be free from all these kinds of distractions.

Children with attention deficit disorder can get overwhelmed with large projects.  They have difficulty staying on task.  They work better if the task is broken down into smaller more manageable chunks.  If you have 20 math problems to do, try doing 5 or 10 at a time with a little break in between.

If doing 30 minutes of homework at a time is too much for your child, break it up into 10-15 minute intervals with a small bathroom break.  Using an egg timer helps your child to visualize how much time is left.  Set the timer for study minutes and break minutes, it will help your child stay on task.

Always stop if your child is getting too frustrated.  You don’t want to force the issue and have him hating homework time.  When your child is really frustrated, they will not learn anyway.

I once worked with a child that could not ingest anymore learning after the regular school day was finished.  It was a constant battle of frustration and tears every day.  The child was not getting anything at all out of doing homework, his brain just couldn’t take anymore in.  It was starting to affect the relationship that we had.  I talked to the teacher and explained the situation and said that if that were the case, I would simply put the homework away.  From then on, the teacher did what they could not to send homework home.  If she did, we would try it, some days he could do a bit, other days we just put the books away.

That’s what I mean about working with the individual child’s abilities.  Other kids are able to manage small amounts of homework.  Other kids may work on a reading program so that they try and read 15 minutes each night.  Make a plan so your child will be successful. 

Use plenty of positive reinforcement, and small rewards.  Praising your child and saying job well done goes along way in getting them motivated to continue.  Immediate positive reinforcement will help keep them involved.

[tags]homework for adhd, adhd, homework assignments, learning disability, attention deficit disorder, hyperactive, staying on task, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder[/tags]

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I think it is of great value to sit and eat as a family, and I think this tradition has been lost in too many homes today.  People eat in front of the TV, or they grab something on the way to a sport or a meeting.  Eating together as a family, taking time to ask each other “how was your day” and listen to the answer is of huge benefit in keeping the lines of communication open.

Even though I’m not a breakfast person, I stop working to go and sit with my kids while they are eating theirs.  They tell me about the dreams they had, or what they are going to be doing at school that day.

We have a game that we often play at our evening meal.  It’s called Best Thing,  Worst Thing.  It’s very simple, each person tells about the best and worst things that happened that day.  This is a fun way for us to communicate.  The kids can’t wait to start the game, it helps them develop speaking and listening skills and it helps me to know what they are up to at school.

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12 Tips and Trick to help your ADD/ADHD Child Behave…

1. Realize that you are working with a disability.  It helps me to take a step back and understand that a lot of the behaviors that my son exhibits are because of the ADHD, not because he is a “bad child” or because I’m a “bad parent”.  It’s not like he “purposely” gobbles his supper, forgetting all the table manners that I teach him EVERYDAY.  Nor is he trying to annoy me with the CONSTANT, ENDLESS chatter.  That is the way he is, period!
2. Structure and Routine.  Establishing a daily routine for you child is so very important.  Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder do not respond well to spontaneity or change.  They like to know what is going to happen and at what time.  We have a routine established in our home and try not to deviate from it.  Even the order in which we get ready for school is not altered.  If we plan to do something that is different than what is regularly “scheduled”, I let my son know the day before and remind him a few times.  This give him a chance to prepare.
3. Organization and Time Management.  I have a really big calendar that hangs in my kitchen.  I put every activity on this calendar for each person in the home.  If there is a special event coming up, a school activity, or even a friend coming over to visit I write it all down.  It helps my son to be able to visualize.  Every morning, he will go and check the calendar to see what’s happening that day.
4. Be Consistent.  It takes lots more work, but being consistent with an ADHD child is very necessary.  You need to be consistent in the daily routine and include logical consequences all the time.  If “Sam” does behavior A, he know that consequence B is going to happen EVERY time.  Give the child one warning to stop the behavior and then have the consequence happen immediately.  You also need to be consistent over the long haul in things you do.  I have to remind my son everyday about his table manners.  This likely won’t change.
5. Agree on the consequences together.  Your child is more likely to “buy in” to your set of rules and consequences if they have had some say and fell like they are part of the decision making process.  
6. Avoid Power Struggles.  Children with ADHD will often try to engage you in a debate.  Do not do this.  Instead give short direct answers and keep repeating them.  Instead of raising your voice (to be sure you are heard), try lowering it.
7. When giving instruction, break bigger tasks into smaller more manageable ones.  Instead of telling him to set the table, ask him to put the plates on.  Once that is accomplished, put the forks and knives on and so on.  Being given a big task is often to overwhelming for an ADHD child, if the task is broken into smaller bits, you will see a greater success of completing the task.
8. Be very specific when giving instructions.  When giving instructions to a “normal” child, you might say “John, take out the garbage please” and John would know what to do.  The garbage would end up in the appropriate receptacle outside.  When giving instruction to an ADD child, you need to be specific in order to help your child successfully complete the task.  “John, please tie up the garbage bag, bring it outside and put it in the silver can by the back gate.”
9. Catch your child doing something good.  Reward your child for the smallest things that they do correctly or without being prompted.  A kind word, or pat on the back will go along way in helping your child repeat such behaviors.
10. Always show them love and respect and lead by example.
11. Provide an outlet for release of energy.  Children that are hyperactive need a safe way to release some of that energy.  Getting them involved in a sport such as Karate, or Tae Kwon Do is a constructive way to release energy.
12. Take some time for you.  It is very important for you a the parent of an AD(H)D child to take a break.  This could be Dad letting Mom have the night off to go out with a friend.  It could be sending your children to Grandma’s for a sleepover.  It could be setting up a regular respite home that your child goes to for a weekend once each month.  However you work it in, remember taking time for you as a parent is not a bad thing.  Having a chance to rest and relax will give you renewed energy and allow you to give your best to your child. 

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