At Life Skills 4 Kids, we recognize that anxiety has no age limit and kids are not exempt from all the feelings and symptoms that adults experience. Of course, we realize that they are usually unable to articulate exactly what is causing them to feel the way they do, so an anxious child will tell us that something is wrong through behaviour, body language or related symptoms.

Why a Stomach Ache is a Common Symptom of Anxiety

When kids are feeling anxious, they will often complain of a stomach ache. The feelings are real; they really do have pain in their tummies. This is because the enteric nervous system resides in the gastrointestinal tract and is closely linked with the brain. In fact, it is often called the second brain.
So when kids complain of a tummy ache when they are feeling anxious, it is because the chemicals and hormones associated with anxiety are causing a response in their tummies.

An Anxious Child isn’t Making it Up

If you have ruled out illness or health issues that are causing your child’s  tummy aches, there’s a good chance that you are dealing with anxiety. It might be tempting to think that your child is telling stories or trying to get attention, but this is not usually the case. (And parents are pretty good at getting to the truth anyway!).
Your child is most likely experiencing anxiety that is manifesting itself in physical symptoms such as a stomach ache, or occasionally, a headache or other aches or pains.

Is it Anxiety or Physical Illness?

There are some clues that a stomach ache is anxiety-related, rather than being caused by illness or health issues. Take note of when your child complains about tummy pain – is it at a regular time, such as before school or at night before bed?
If it is happening regularly, your child is telling you that a particular event or experience is causing feelings of anxiety. There may also be other underlying concerns around the event or experience that are causing the feelings of fear or worry, such as being afraid of the dark or feeling alone at bedtime.

Other Anxiety Symptoms

There are other clues to watch for if you believe you might have an anxious child:

• Inability to focus
• Agitation or restlessness
• Wanting to avoid situations, events or experiences
• Tantrums
• Crying
• Not wanting to go to school
• Meltdowns about minor or unrelated matters
• Having high expectations of their own performance at sports or school work
• Difficulty adjusting to transitions between school and other activities
• Difficulty settling down to sleep at night

How to Help Your Anxious Child

When your child complains of a tummy ache or you observe other anxiety-related symptoms, it’s important to approach the issue in the right way. Check out these tips for ways to help your child manage anxiety.

1. Encourage Your Child to Face Fear

Avoiding an experience or event may bring short-term peace but its better to teach your anxious child to face their fears. Anxious or worried feelings become bigger and more overwhelming if they are allowed to rule choices and behaviour. By facing them, your child will experience the positive feelings of a “win” as well as knowing that they can do something that was previously scary or impossible. When fears are starved, they shrink.

2. Stay Calm Yourself

It’s important that your child sees that you are calm when they are experiencing fear or worry. A calm adult is like a rock in an ocean of fear to an anxious child. They can reason that everything is going to be ok because Mum/Dad isn’t worried or fearful.

3. Use Positive Reinforcement

When your child makes progress, be there to cheer them on. Take notice of the small victories and praise them for being brave and facing their fears. A little encouragement can go a long way. At the same time, avoid punishment for failures or reacting negatively as this can make anxiety issues worse. Try praise for taking small steps or rewards for hitting goals instead.

4. Teach Your Child Relaxation Techniques

Kids respond well to relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or breathing exercises that help to calm or ground them. You can do these together and you will both benefit! One easy exercise is to breathe in while counting to five, then breathe out while counting to five. You can find lots of great resources for mindfulness and relaxation on YouTube or other websites. One of my personal favourites is Cosmic Kids’ Yoga.

5. Pay Attention to Your Child’s Feelings

It’s important to acknowledge your child’s feelings because it helps them to recognize what’s going on. It also helps to empower them to take charge of solutions to the problem when they feel listened to and understood. Talk to your child about what’s going on and why they feel the way they do. Try to get to the bottom of feelings of worry or a stomach ache. Identifying the issues behind the scene will go a long way to helping both you and your child come up with strategies to manage them.
While an anxious child and a stomach ache go hand in hand, there are ways to manage anxiety so that it doesn’t hinder everyday life. Check out my new book for practical strategies that can help kids overcome this debilitating issue and thrive in every situation.

We hear a lot about screen time and the effects on developing brains, but children and young people with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are particularly at risk of adverse side-effects. Families struggling to cope with life with a child or teen with ASD are also at greater risk because of the exacerbated symptoms of excess screen time.

Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

While there are definite links between screen time and its effects on an autistic brain, it’s important to note that screen time has not been proven to cause autism. One Swedish study in 2014 concluded that the cause is likely a 50/50 split between environmental and genetic factors. As a complex disorder,  many other related factors also lie in the origins of the disorder within individuals.

Why are Autistic Brains more Vulnerable to the Effects of Screen Time?

Although we are all susceptible to the effects of excess screen time to one degree or another, young brains are more vulnerable than adults, and it affects children and young people with ASD much more than anyone else. This is because the unique characteristics of a brain with ASD  lend themselves far more readily to the disruption and chaos caused within the brain by screen time. ASD brains are not wired to readily process the regular use of technology without side-effects.
Not only are children with ASD more susceptible to the harmful effects of screen time, but they are also less able to recover. The effects last longer and have a deeper impact simply because their brains are not wired to cope. They are more sensitive, less resilient and more prone to lasting effects.

What Does Excess Screen Time Do to Children with ASD?

Excess screen time has a profound effect on the behaviour and coping mechanisms of children with ASD. These include the following;

1. Exacerbated Arousal Regulation Issues

Children with ASD often struggle with arousal regulation issues such as emotional dysregulation, exaggerated responses to stress, and a tendency to be either overstimulated or understimulated [1]. Excess screen time exacerbates all of these issues and manifests itself as exaggerated emotional dysregulation and increased likelihood of acute and chronic stress. It also causes overstimulation and hyperarousal [2].

2. Augmented Sleep Disturbances

Children with ASD often suffer from low melatonin, leading to sleep disturbances, particularly when technology is used at night [3]. Melatonin regulates the body clock and is critical for normal sleeping and waking patterns. It also works with other hormones to keep the brain chemistry balanced, plays a part in regulating immunity, and lowers inflammation. Excess screen time suppresses the production of melatonin, leading to even greater problems with sleep in children with ASD.

3. Increased Social and Communication Deficits

Screen time hinders the development of social and communication skills – even in children and teens that don’t have ASD [4]. This manifests as an inability to make eye contact, impaired ability to read body language, low levels of empathy and a delay in gaining language skills.

4. Higher Anxiety Levels

Children with ASD are prone to anxiety and screen time increases the risk of social anxiety and OCD issues. In addition, children with autism have been shown to be at greater risk of abnormal serotonin synthesis and amygdala activity and changes in amydala activity and serotonin regulation have been observed as a result of screen time [5].

5. Magnified Sensory Processing Issues

Children with ASD are more likely to experience sensory and motor integration problems such as sensory processing disorders, tics, and vocal and motor delays. Screen time worsens these issues, particularly sensori-motor delays. Tics may also worse due to higher dopamine levels.

Strategies to Help Families Reduce or Eliminate Screen Time

1. Educate Families About the Risks of Screen Time on an Autistic Brain

For many families, the use of technology is tempting because it restores peace, at least for a short time. So it is important that families understand the benefits of reducing or eliminating technology or they may be unwilling to try something new.

2. Encourage Families to do a Technology Detox

When families understand how technology use affects the brain of a child with ASD, initiating change is easier. Encourage them to try it for a specified time period (4 weeks is a good length of time to aim for) and see if it makes a difference.

3. Come up with Strategies to Replace Screen Time

Weaning a child off a favourite device will be more successful if parents have a plan in place ahead of time to replace that time with something more interesting or engaging. This will be something that fits each family’s unique dynamics, but memory-making events, spending time together out in nature, and playing together are options that can work well.

4. Encourage Parents to Limit their Own Technology Use

Encourage parents to model what they are trying to achieve. When children see that parents are not using technology either, they are more likely to accept the family’s decision to limit or eliminate screen time from family life.

5. Educate Parents about Healthy Sleep Habits

Some parents are not aware of the effects of screen time on sleeping habits – even for children and teens that don’t have ASD. Encourage parents to turn off all technology at least 2 hours before bedtime and establish regular bedtime routines and rituals. Preparing a child’s brain for bed is half the battle won.

If you would like to know more about screen time and autism, get in touch and call Deb or send us an email. We’ll be happy to talk to you!

References:

[1]. Matthew S. Goodwin et al., “Cardiovascular Arousal in Individuals with Autism,” Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 21, no. 2 (2006): 100–123; BA Corbett and D Simon, “Adolescence, Stress and Cortisol in Autism Spectrum Disorders.,” OA Autism 1, no. 1 (March 1, 2013): 1–6.
[2].  Marjut Wallenius, “Salivary Cortisol in Relation to the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in School-Aged Children,” Psychology 1, no. 2 (2010): 88–95; Amy E. Mark and Ian Janssen, “Relationship between Screen Time and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents,” Journal of Public Health 30, no. 2 (June 1, 2008): 153–60; Gary S. Goldfield et al., “Video Game Playing Is Independently Associated with Blood Pressure and Lipids in Overweight and Obese Adolescents,” ed. Philippe Rouet, PLoS ONE 6, no. 11 (November 1, 2011): e26643.
[3]. ] Shigekazu Higuchi et al., “Effects of Vdt Tasks with a Bright Display at Night on Melatonin, Core Temperature, Heart Rate, and Sleepiness,” Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985) 94, no. 5 (May 2003): 1773–76.
[4].  R. Adolphs, L. Sears, and J. Piven, “Abnormal Processing of Social Information from Faces in Autism,” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 13, no. 2 (February 15, 2001): 232–40.
[5]. Jun Kohyama, “Neurochemical and Neuropharmacological Aspects of Circadian Disruptions: An Introduction to Asynchronization,” Current Neuropharmacology 9, no. 2 (2011): 330; Klaus Mathiak and René Weber, “Toward Brain Correlates of Natural Behavior: fMRI during Violent Video Games,” Human Brain Mapping 27, no. 12 (December 2006): 948–56.

That’s right! What are your plans for self care and smart action this year? Check this out!

This week we have a vlog!  Feel free to watch above or read below.

Hey, how are you? It’s the beginning of the year. It’s the first week of term here in New South Wales where we are. I know that teachers are getting ready to go back to school or at school already. I just wanted to touch base about how we are planning to look after ourselves personally, health-wise, professionally in the next few months and for the rest of the year. So, I’m not talking about having new year’s resolutions because they often don’t stick but I want us to think about how are we planning to look after ourselves and what can we action right now to make sure that we meet those goals?

Before we start to figure that out, I want to just think who were you last year when you did really well, who was showing up, how were you showing up. When you showed up and did things that went really well, how did that make you feel, and what were you really committed to? So, that can be thought about in both the positive ways and also in a constructive way. When we committed to looking after ourselves and eating healthfully, going for walks or exercise or going to the gym, I guess you might have been showing up for yourself to be healthier and to be more positive which roles over all areas of life. When we are fit and healthy, then everything else seems to go better but on the flip side of that, those weeks, those months when we might be tired, when we might be unwell or when we just are a bit lazy perhaps, how do we go …

Who was showing up and what were we being committed to when things didn’t go so well?

For example, those morning when we’re lying in bed and we feel too tired and it feels way too much just to hit the snooze and to skip that walk or to skip the gym, what are we really committed to? Sometimes this can be really confronting to think about. Are we in those moments when we make those perhaps not so positive decisions. Are we really being committed to the best for ourselves or do we really need to stand up to ourselves and decide no, I’m really committed to being there for my health and just getting up and doing it.

So, we’ve talked a bit about fitness. What about our professional development and our personal development?

Personal development could be professional but it could also be learning a new hobby or doing some research with your child about a new activity or going with them to try something new. We need to commit to our financial goals as well. If we are teachers, what are committing to? Are we committing to our students, which I know you guys all do but seeing as sometimes we go through energy lags where it’s harder to do that, it’s harder to show up, sometimes it’s harder to do that preparation time. Life happens. Life throws us events that we’re not expecting and it’s really hard just to get through the basics but we really need to think about what are we committed to, how can we keep going with the most important things and how can we protect ourselves from the future.

With all the clinicians out there, same thing.  Are we showing up with planning efficiently and effectively? Do we timetable enough preparation time? Do we timetable enough buffer time between clients for preparation or for doing those extra phone calls? Because it can be really tempting, especially when you’re working for yourself or in private practice, to have those key performer indicators that we need to have because we are a business and we need to be able to meet our financial targets but we also need to look after ourselves and not try and put too many clients in, which means that we might have to work at night and lose some sleep and not look after ourselves quite as much. Whether you are a teacher or a clinician, it’s really important to have a plan and to get that locked in as soon as you can so that you can make sure that you’re supported, especially professionally because when we support it professionally, then our personal lives can go a lot easier because we’re not taking that baggage, that thinking through from … taking it home from work and just mulling over it or worrying about things.

So, yes. Whether you’re a teacher and you have those structures inside your school, that you have supervisors or mentors that you can catch up with regularly or a trusted teacher to offload to and work through things that might come up or different difficult students that might be tricky, make sure you got that structure in place and book it in your diary straight away. And if you’re an OT or a speech or other health professional, same thing. Make sure you got someone on your team, especially if you are in your own business on your own and/or if you are in a rural area where you have less support.

If you would like to connect with me, I also offer supervisor mentoring mainly for occupational therapists but also for some teachers who would really like to get their skills up in setting up their classrooms from a sensory safe perspective. But yes, so I mainly do that supervisor and mentoring for occupational therapists and I do that remotely right around Australia, so it doesn’t matter where you are. I have clinicians who are in the cities and I have clinicians who are in rural areas.  When we’re working on our own, no matter where we are, there’s very common issues and I’m very happy to talk over clinical issues, self-care issues and also a bit about business management and some tips of where to go to for help or how to make things easier.
Anyway,  I have three or four spots left for this year. If you’d like to book in for a free 15 minute chat, you’re most welcome to but no matter what type of professional you are, make sure you have a plan for both personal, healthy fitness and fun time, but also for that professional mentoring and backup. And on a regular basis, I have some clinicians who are catching up weekly, some who are monthly and some who are once a term.

If you would like to connect with me for a free 15 minute chat, just click here on the link below and we will be in contact with you to arrange a time. Okay, have a great day. Bye!

Link to : Free 15-minute chat with Deb Hopper
Written by Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Written By Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Planning for Back to School Success

Summer holidays are ending here in Australia in the next few days. As parents’ ideas for how to fill in time start to dwindle, and we finish off the back to school shopping, it’s really important to talk to and plan with our kids a successful transition back to school.
The first couple of weeks of school are often highly stressful at home as we all transition back to waking up earlier, getting back into the morning routine of things and getting started faster in the morning.

Back to school can also be anxiety producing for many children (of all ages).
What are the triggers for potential school anxiety which can affect you and your kids?

Causes of Back To School Anxiety in Children & Parents

• feeling rushed
• disorganised
• morning routine is hard to get back into
• difficulties in getting out of bed/out of the house on time
• parents are anxious about the kids being ok
• kids can be anxious about:
  • What will my new teacher be like?
  • Will my new classmates like me?
  • Will I be able to sit with my friends?
  • Who will I sit with at lunch?
  • What if I miss the school bus?
  • Are my clothes ok?
  • Will people laugh at me?
  • What if I don’t understand the lessons?
  • Will I look stupid?

How, as parents can we reduce anxiety in our children to a minimum and facilitate a smooth transition back to school?
If your young person has autism, check out this article too.

Strategies For Planning for Success and Reducing Back To School Anxiety In Children

All of us, parents and children alike, thrive on routine and this holds especially true when, as a family, we are faced with the prospect of going back to school.
It is important to look at ways of reducing anxiety around that date and finding a way to make the return to school an exciting, planned and positive experience.

#1. Timeline/Calendar

• Make a timeline together or go shopping and choose a big calendar that you both like.
• Calendars are often available for the academic year and these can be perfect to prepare all of the family for getting back into the swing of school life.
• A timeline can be a great tool in helping all of the household reduce any school anxiety that they might have.
• All kids like to be involved in decisions that effect them and their families.
• Make a timeline that covers the last 2 weeks before school begins and the following 2 weeks when school has started.
• For the last 2 weeks of the holidays, plan in treats and rewards for all of the family AND also plan in challenges which you all must achieve to get the treat or reward.  For example, all of the family must get up 10 minutes earlier each day for the first week of your timeline to be able to enjoy the daily treats that are planned.
• Plan these joint challenges so that they help your kids (and you!) to cope and get used to the morning routine again or getting out of the house on time each day.
• For the first 2 weeks of school, plan in after school activities, activities at the weekend and decide in advance who will pick your kids up from school each day.
• This visual structure, which you can display somewhere for you all to see, will provide a more gentle re-introduction of the back to school routine than if you suddenly panic on the night before school and try to sort yourself and your kids out!
• If you leave everything to the last minute you are creating anxiety in children and yourselves – which is a recipe for disaster on the first day back and will take days or even weeks to pull back.

#2. Make A Morning Schedule

• A visual timetable can be priceless for reducing anxiety and enabling your kids to smoothly transition from holiday to school time.
• Visual timetables are often used in school, so before the end of the school year, find out from them what sort of symbols, words, pictures they use on a daily basis.
• Using familiar visual cues at home can increase confidence in your kids and this will also spill over into reducing any school anxiety they may have.
• If it’s possible, this is a great activity to include your kids in well before the stressors of imminent school, you can design and create a morning schedule together.  You can make this activity fun by using timers to find out how long it takes to get on a school uniform or make a packed lunch or pack a swimming bag.
• When you have worked out the timings of activities that you need to include in your morning schedule, then you can add those timings into it and find out what time you will all have to get up to be ready to leave the house at a set time.
• Allowing kids to take ownership of their morning schedule by working it out with you is a great way to increase their feeling of responsibility, whilst reducing anxiety at the same time.

#3. Parent/ Child Check-in Time

• We ALL like to feel special and have quality, one-to-one time with the people we love.  Add into your calendar a daily Golden Check-In Time at home with your child.  (You could have two of these if it works, one in the morning and one in the evening).
• Plan a 10-30 minute time with your young person and add it to the calendar.
• Make this time special and choose together what you want to do during this time, examples could be:
  • make and share hot chocolate with marshmallows and chill out on the sofa together (NO mobile phones, NO interruptions!)
  • share a game of footie, take your dog for a walk, go outside and build a den/go to beach
  • have a pamper session – a manicure, pedicure, facial – whatever you both fancy!
  • build a model together, paint together
• The possibilities are endless!
• The most IMPORTANT thing to remember is that while you are enjoying each others’ company, you also chat about how your child is feeling, making sure they are ok, that school is ok and they are emotionally in a good place.

#4. Meet your child’s teacher

• Your child’s teacher will be only too happy to meet up with you to discuss and help with reducing anxiety for your kids.
• Every teacher strives for a happy, productive classroom environment where school anxiety is at a minimum.

#5. Remind your child that it’s normal to feel a little uneasy and teach them strategies for keeping calm

Transitions and change all bring a little uncertainty.
Talk with your child about how everyone feels uneasy as they adjust back into normal work routines. If you work, talk about how it’s always hard to go back to work after a holiday.
Talk about what strategies you use to feel more in control, such as planning out the day/ week and how you feel better when you go for a walk, to the gym etc. If you can, invite your child to come for a walk or to the gym with you.
Overall, with some planning and forward thinking, the trauma of returning to school can be dealt with effectively and in a positive way.  Taking a bit of time to put some strategies in place can reap dividends for not only your kids but for the whole family too.

Here are great and useful pointers on supporting children through end of year routine changes!
It’s that time of year again, when we are all coming towards the end of another school year.  As the end of term approaches and the summer holidays beckon, we can all look forward to a relaxed and chilled out time at school as we all wind down … well that’s what is ‘supposed’ to happen!
As teachers and professionals however, we know that for some kids, the end of the school year can be a time that is an anxiety-provoking nightmare which they do not understand and cannot cope with.
So, how can you prepare your class of kids to cope with the inevitable changes in routine that are an integral part of the transition between school and summer holidays?

Top Tips for Supporting children through end of year routine changes

At LifeSkills4Kids,  we are passionate about supporting kids and providing them with the skills to cope with life changes.  The build up to breaking up for summer holidays can be a massive life change for some of our young people.  As a professional, what can you do to help?
We discussed end of year strategies last year for supporting children through end of year routine changes.  Let’s revisit some of these strategies:
Use of a Visual Timetable

• The saying  ‘A Picture is worth a Thousand Words’ is very true for any of our pupils who may struggle with Sensory Processing Disorder, autism or any form of anxiety.  If you are unsure if any of your class have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), check out our article here.
• A visual timetable will enable pupils to make sense of their day and of the countdown to the summer holidays
• It is a great tool for preparing your pupils for the transition from school to holidays
• Encourage parents to get involved when you have identified pupils that could particularly benefit from using a visual timetable
• Include visuals in the timetable for ‘Surprise’ and ‘FunDays’ or ‘Special Events’.  If you include visuals for these sorts of activities you can provide all of your class with plenty of warning as to what may be happening and also to be prepared for days and lessons being a bit different to what they are used to
• Encourage your class to discuss any anxieties they may have and come up together with coping strategies.
• Depending on the age of your pupils, you may find it valuable to use visuals to enable them to let you know that they are struggling to cope and need help.  For example, you could use the ‘Just Right Technique‘ which we have developed after extensive research
• The Just Right Technique enables kids to be able to learn how to self-regulate by using visual representations of their emotions and physical responses to situations they experience.  The aim is to teach kids how to be happy, safe and content and stay ‘in the zone’

Provide a Great Transition Experience for your pupils

• There are inevitably many different transitions that children have to deal with at the end of the year
• They could be changing class on their return to school or moving schools.  An adequate period of transition to help the pupils know that they will be ok, to be able to meet new teachers and new classmates is vitally important
• The transition between school and summer holidays is a big one too, check out my article on this for some tips to help this run as smoothly as possible

Don’t underestimate the ‘tiredness’ factor!

• Let’s face it, we ALL get tired as the school year draws to a close!
• It is important that we acknowledge this and allow pupils to have choices and options of activities they would like to do and ones which they know will help them to self-regulate
• For some pupils that may be mindfully colouring (there are a plethora of colouring books for all ages, including adults); for others it may be quiet time with their headphones; and others may thrive on physical activity to keep themselves happy and relaxed

Home Involvement

• It cannot be underestimated how much the home environment can help in Supporting children through end of year routine changes
• Parents and carers are invaluable when they know what is coming up at school and can then spend time with their child and prepare them for what is going to happen
• It is a great idea to share timetables and weekly newsletters, so that parents and carers can talk to their kids about events and celebrations that will be happening during the last few weeks of school
• This also gives the family unit a chance to start to look beyond the end of term and decide together how their ‘holiday routine‘ could look
• My Sensory Holiday Survival Guide can be an invaluable resource to share with parents

Provide options & choices

• Wherever possible, as you move towards the summer holidays, provide options and choices for your pupils within each day
• If kids are in danger of overwhelm, due to the routine changes, make sure that there are options for ‘quiet’ time when individuals can withdraw from over-stimulating events.  It can be a good idea to allow pupils to bring in items from home which they know will help them cope with new experiences as the school year draws to a close

Ways to reduce anxiety

• The end of term changes in routine can lead to more anxious times for our pupils.
• For more information on how to reduce anxiety, read our article on reducing anxiety at the end of term
• A calendar for the last weeks of school and then for the summer holidays can really help with reducing anxieties and allow pupils to feel like they can have some control over the end of year routine changes that they will be experiencing

Overall, remember to make your classroom a relaxed and safe space for you and all of your class – this will minimise tiredness and allow each individual to cope with routine changes in ways that work for them.
Written by Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Learn the depression in parents with children with special needs… and how to help them

Recently I came across a Facebook post on my feed and I shared it to my Life Skills 4 Kids Facebook page and I was just blown away by the impact. This post was entitled “Special Needs Parent Depression”.
Within two hours, it had been shared 99 times, which is just incredible. You can take a look and people were reaching out for help. People were really identifying with this. It got me thinking about what the reasons were of why parents of special needs kids are really struggling. You know, all parents are busy, are juggling way too many balls, and are far too busy.

But for special needs kids, they really need to have time out for self care, but they don’t get that. Apart from the day to day juggles of getting the kids out the door to school, shopping, work, all those other things, they also have the extra appointments. The OT, speech, psychology, behaviour support plans, [inaudible] plan meetings, and all the paperwork. Managing that is way up there as well.

I really take my hat off to parents who have to cope with this extra stress as well. You guys are just amazing. It just got me also thinking about, as professionals, we see parents and kids most days. You know, at least a couple of them everyday are struggling with their mental health, with their tiredness. Often these kids, they really struggle to sleep, which means that the parents and the whole family doesn’t get enough sleep, which impacts on not being able to cope and the feeling of resiliency. It can be a never ending cycle and it can just really get you down.

Sometimes parents may come across as setting really clear boundaries with us as professionals. Parents may seem a little prickly or defensive. But this is just their way of coping. I’ve always thought, when dealing with friends or family or other professionals or parents, and for us as well, that if something is happening in our lives, we can’t be there and react as we would always want to.

Again, my thoughts for today are, if you are struggling with a parent that you’re working with, try not to get involved personally. Step back. You maybe consider what else is happening for them at the moment. You really try and reach out to support them in whatever capacity you have, whether that’s professionally or as a friend.

So, I’ll post the link to that Facebook post so you can take a look. I hope that this is helpful in just helping you to reflect and to perhaps refocus on being compassionate towards our parents who carry such a heavy load. If you have any questions about this, just shoot me an email or post below. Thanks, bye!

Written by Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist

Great Ideas for Creating the Best Home Environment for Your Autistic Child

Written by : Jenny Wise, Special Home Educator
Autism affects the way a child interacts with the world around them. As parents, it’s important that we do whatever we can to keep our children comfortable and safe. While you can’t adapt the entire world to fit your child’s special needs, you can ensure that their home environment functions as a safe, comfortable haven. Here are some key areas to consider when adjusting your home to fit your autistic child’s needs.
Color
As you’re probably aware, a child with autism perceives light, color, and sound differently. With a heightened visual perception, different colors can elicit different moods and reactions from your child. Red, vibrant colors can feed into energy, while cooler neutral colors can soothe and relax. When decorating your home, choose a color scheme that gives off the appropriate mood for the room. For example, when decorating your child’s bedroom, use a blue or purple scheme to promote sleep and relaxation.
Neutral color schemes are best for children with autism and provide the most comfort. When deciding what patterns and combinations to use, it’s always ideal to keep the aesthetic as simple as possible to prevent sensory overload. Also, opt for solid colors and minimalist patterns to keep your child at ease.
Lighting
Just like with color, the lighting you use in your home stands out to your autistic child. Lighting that is too abrasive or inconsistent can have a negative impact, as opposed to softer, more natural lighting. It’s for this reason that most autism experts warn against using any kind of fluorescent lighting, which can easily agitate your child due to its tendency to flicker. To make a more comfortable environment, stick to shaded or gradient lighting that gives you more control over the lighting from room to room.
Flooring
Children on the autism spectrum are not only hypersensitive to visual stimuli, but also to what they can touch and feel. To most children, a floor is for more than just for walking; it’s a giant canvas for playing games or it can double as a place to lie down and take a nap. Your child will spend a lot of time on the floor, so it’s important that your floors are safe and comfortable. Laminate flooring can be hard and cold to the touch, while tiling can be uneven or have over-stimulating visual patterns. You want your floors to be soft, and warm. Vinyl flooring is cheap, easy to clean, and typically softer and warmer on bare hands and feet.
Furniture
Finally, you’ll want to have furniture that’s suitable for providing the comfort your child needs. Remember that for children with autism, tactile sensation is important, and having material that is soft and squishy will provide a pleasant and comfortable sensory experience for your child. In your living room, most furniture types will be suitable for your child, but remember to avoid loud patterns, and sharp corners for their safety.
For their bedroom, you might even consider getting them a big squishy chair. Hug Chairs are giant beanbags that are fun to collapse on, and extremely comfortable. A Hug Chair might be the perfect addition to make your child’s room feel even more like their own.
These are just a few ideas to make your house suitable for your child on the autism spectrum. Home is a place where we are supposed to feel safe, comfortable, and loved. Give your child that extra sense of safety and comfort so that when the world gets to be a little too much, they have something familiar to come home to.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

Written By Deb Hopper, Occupational Therapist
Does your child (or the children you work with) have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?
Does your child (or the children you work with) have anxiety?
How do you know where a child’s SPD and anxiety begin and end?
Have you noticed that your child’s (or the children you work with) anxiety does not show any signs of improvement, even though you are ‘pushing’ through it together?
How are SPD and Anxiety similar?  How are they different? As a parent or professional, how can you help?
These are all valid questions and the information available can be a confusing mixture for you to try and make sense of.  Through my years of experience with kids who have SPD and anxiety, I’ve written this article to help all parents who have kids struggling with these issues.

How is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Anxiety Linked?

There are many times, as an Occupational Therapist (OT), that I am asked to  work with kids who have anxiety and it turns out that these kids have SPD.  Anxiety and SPD go hand in hand and initially SPD is often missed, whereas anxiety is not.
As a parent or professional, how will you know whether a child has SPD, anxiety or both?

How are SPD and Anxiety similar?

Not every child with Anxiety has SPD and not every child with SPD has anxiety, but a large proportion do.
SPD can cause your child to feel overwhelmed. They might have anxiety about situations that trigger their sensitivities, like noise or new foods. They might wake up angry because they have to put on clothes. They might worry about crowds and travelling on buses with other people.
Equally, your child may experience anxiety. They might have paralysing social anxiety, which prevents them from dealing with crowds and provokes a fear of not doing anything right, or have panic attacks or specific phobias.  Your child may also experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  As you can see, there are many different types of anxiety that could be experienced.
SPD and anxiety will cause similar symptoms which could include:

• shaking, trembling, rigid posture
• dilated pupils
• stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea
• excessive sweating
• disorientation, dizziness
• poor balance and coordination
• flushed face
• racing thoughts
• sleep problems
• shortness of breath
• heart palpitations

How are SPD and Anxiety different?

So far, it seems quite difficult to work out whether a child has SPD or anxiety, as they both have very similar signs and symptoms.
The main difference between SPD anxiety and other types of anxiety is that with SPD, it doesn’t matter how many times you work through the trigger for this anxiety, your child will still not cope with it and will continue to display the same symptoms.  This is because kids with SPD do not have the ability to habituate (become accustomed to) new information. Kids with SPD like routine and predictability and sensory stimuli is often neither of those things.   A lot of sensory stimuli is random and unusual and anxiety is often the result of this.
If your child experiences regular anxiety, you can work on helping them with getting used to the situation that causes that anxiety and eventually acclimatise them to the particular trigger.  Anxiety can be overcome by gentle exposure to the trigger that causes it – you can help your child work through this.  Have a look at our articles about Helping Kids with Social Anxiety, Managing Anxiety and Helping Kids with Emotional Anxiety 

What does Sensory Anxiety feel like?

Let’s take a look at sensory anxiety. This article is written by a person who has SPD and provides us with an insight into what sensory anxiety actually feels like.  The author mentions the chaos of SPD and anxiety together and provides some useful methods for relieving anxiety when it’s related to sensory issues:

1. Make it known: Tell people around you that you have sensory issues. Explain specifically what you struggle with (noise, physical contact, need for fidgeting). When more people are aware of it, the more likely your surroundings will be a sensory-safe space, which will reduce your anxiety.
2. Alternatives and Avoidance: I tell people this all the time, and I’m saying it again. It’s very much ok to avoid the anxiety-producing event all together.
3. Gear up: Sometimes, you have to swim with sharks. The best thing to do is to prepare your physical and emotional state for this encounter. Some sensory anxiety can’t be avoided, and when that happens, gear up your sensory self in the ways that work for you. Maybe you need to jump on a trampoline, or use a Wilbarger brush, or use a fidget. Allow yourself time to do what you need to ahead of time.
4. Make time to bounce back: In the event that you did have to swim with a shark, and there was no time to prepare beforehand, it’s necessary to dedicate time and energy to letting your sensory anxiety calm down afterward. Just like preparing beforehand, it’s crucial to give yourself time to bounce back after.

What can you do to help?

As a parent, how can you help your child who has SPD and anxiety?  The key to helping them is in finding ways to use the above four methods to enable them to reduce their anxiety due to sensory issues.

1. Explain to people specifically what your child struggles with because of their sensory issues.  That way other parents and people that your child comes into contact with will be able to modify the environment accordingly.
2. Give yourself and your child permission to avoid the anxiety-producing events all together.
3. If you have to take your child to an anxiety-provoking environment, be prepared!  Remember, to pack a bag of fidget toys or things that you know will keep your child as calm as possible; provide adequate warning for your child, this could be through visual clues and talking about what will happen before it happens; invest in ear defenders or a weighted vest if they are required – you know your child and you know what will work for them.
4. Spend time making sure that you have things in place after the event that will help your child (and you!) to recover.  It is vital to provide a safe space for both your child and yourself so that you can deal with the situation that happened and recover from it.

Want more information and help?

Register for my FREE webinar on Understanding the Extent of Anxiety in Children. 

What are fidget toys? How do the different shapes of fidget toys help kids learn and manage anxiety? Are fidget toys effective tools or classroom distractions?
There are a lot of claims that fidgets toys have been very useful tools in improving concentration and focus in students with ADHD.
Fidget toys…. fidget spinners… Kids love them, adults tolerate them. They were the fad of 2017 and now you can buy them for at least half price everywhere.
Many schools banned them, but are they actually useful for some children? We can find out.
Many children with anxiety do benefit from having a fidget toy of some sort to fiddle with in their hands and fidget spinners are just one option available. Fidget spinners and fidget cubes are just a more modern version of the old stress balls that we collect at conferences. And yes, they can be useful tools to help concentration and attention, in the right place at the right time.
The fidget spinners and cubes are probably not the best choice for fidget toys in classrooms as they can be distracting to other children due to the noise, but let’s not throw out the whole concept.
This great infographic below and the link to it’s sister article outlines a few other options for fidget toys in class and for helping concentration for homework.
See the full article here for more info.
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