I have to make my apologies. I haven’t been to this blog in a very long time. One of my goals for 2008 is to post on it regularly.

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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You know your child best right? You are the expert, you have to make it your job to know everything about whatever disability you’re dealing with.

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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I got a message yesterday from one of my friends on facebook.

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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Please help spread the word. 

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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I was made aware of this just last week by one of my social worker friends, and then again yesterday on A Little Joy For Today 

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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Many children deal with different types of anxiety.  These fears and phobias can be so real and intense that they can immobilize the child.

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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I just came across an excellent article at AskDrSears.com.  The article is titled Disciplining the Special Needs Child 11 Time-Tested Tips

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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