"What my son taught me about SPD"

Part three of CMOTC mom Meghan A.'s posts on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

~~~~~~~~~~~
This post was originally posted on my blog - here.

Yesterday was a hard day for Sumner.

We went to a Japanese steakhouse for my little sister's birthday. Sumner started worrying as soon as he heard where we were going, and his big concern was that they were going to "make a fireplace" on the table. (This is part of the cooking/show of the meal.) He kept telling me "Mommy, it is too bright! I am so scared of it! What will I do? Can we go to another restaurant? Please?"

We talked about what we might do ahead of time to plan and prepare: sunglasses, covering his face, wearing a weight belt...

He decided to wear his new Iron Man helmet that Santa brought to help protect him from the "fireplace." He was anxious in the car the whole way there, and he was hesitant to even sit at the table. He started whining/fussing as soon as we sat down. Unfortunately they seated us between two tables, both preparing to start the lunch "show."

In the end, I covered his eyes and face with my hand. After the first fire, he became desperate to cover his face through the second fire. (Delayed by a few minutes.) His senses were clearly heightened and after the meal, he wanted to go around the table to talk to family, but told me he was "afraid of the fans" (vents in the ceiling) and had to hold my hand to go around the table.

Outside in the lobby we had cake. As the singing began, Sumner refused to sing, and when it concluded, the meltdown began. Both David and I took turns taking him outside, and I even tried jumping with him and letting him push the wall. He was too far gone for it to help.

I took him in the bathroom, and he looked up at me with huge sad eyes and said "Mama, this place scares me. I am so scared."

My heart broke into a million pieces right there. I cannot fathom how the entire meal felt to him: how overwhelmed he was, how his body went on hyper alert, and how his SPD felt. We left, and he struggled the remainder of the day, and most of today too, but for one minute I saw in his eyes everything: that he was completely overwhelmed and didn't know what to do to make it stop.

The story is awful, and just a snapshot at what both of the boys must deal with every day. There were bright spots here too that I can't ignore: we planned ahead. He was able to tell me what he was afraid of. He really did well considering. But for a moment I wished I could scoop him up and put him in a cave where there was no sensory input and let him hide. The thing is, I know that won't do him any good. This day is just the tip of the iceberg as to what he'll face every day, and running away from sensory things won't help.

Sumner's sensory over-responsiveness is not always a bad thing. He is an amazing singer and always sings on pitch. He notices things that no one else would. The world is very beautiful through his eyes, and he frequently says things that make me stop and see things in a different way. I just have to keep thinking of ways to give him every tool in my arsenal to help him prepare for things that will overwhelm him, and deal with the unexpected.

~ Meghan

Sensory Therapy

Part two of CMOTC mom Meghan A.'s posts on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

~~~~~~~~~~

What does sensory therapy look like? Well, the sensory gym looks a lot like a play area. Swings, slides, ball pits. zip lines, all of these are very much the norm. The idea is to re-train the brain and create new neurological pathways. In essence, to teach the brain to take in sensory information and handle it correctly. Most research shows that the brain is most elastic in the youngest of children so the sooner this work can begin, the better.

Sensory therapy is often led by an OT. Some OTs are SIPT certified, but most important is finding one who has experience with SPD.

Some images of sensory equipment:




















Some activites your child might participate in:

• deep pressure
• pressure vests
• weighted belts
• "squishes" or hugs
• swinging
• sliding
• ziplines
• ball pits
• spinning
• messy art
• shaving cream play
• food/textures
• climbing
• motor planning
• listening therapy
• sensory tubs
  

All of these activities are a fun way of re-teaching the brain the correct way to respond to sensory stimulation. By creating new neural pathways, therapy helps the child with SPD respond in the right way to the things going on in their environment around them.

Specific tools your child can use and you can use as a parent will be taught as well. Accommodations, preparing for sensory events...this is not just education for your child but for you as well! It's important as a parent to be equally involved in your child's therapy. Many of the activities down in sensory therapy can be re-created or carried over to the home environment.

Look forward to more posts about SPD, and how to recognize it. For more information, feel free to stop by my blog: http://taderbaby.blogspot.com

~Meghan

Help Me Grow's Developmental Milestone Guideline

CMOTC mom Kathleen P. found this great resource to share with everyone. It is a general developmental milestone guideline for children from birth to two years of age. This particular list came from the Help Me Grow website and is what they use as their guideline for early intervention as well. What a great resource for any mom to have; thank you Kathleen!

To add my two cents, speaking as a mom of twins who have developmental delays and one with Apraxia of speech, one of the best things I ever did was contact the Help Me Grow when I suspected delays at three months of age based on this guideline. The program is wonderful and the team of therapists that we worked with from four months to three years (when the program ends) were just fabulous and very caring with my children (and us). Our Early Intervention Specialist was a great resource and also so supportive. I highly recommend that you contact your county's Help Me Grow program if you suspect any issues or developmental delays. They will come out and assess your child and determine if there is indeed a delay or issue. If there is, your child(ren) will qualify for the program which is free (funded by our tax dollars) and offers so many valuable resources, support and help for your child. This program isn't just for children with simple developmental delays, it is for any child in need such as a known like Down's Syndrome or a medical condition that delays your child (like cancer or heart conditions). All children who need therapy and services qualify. To find your county's Help Me Grow Program click here. Early intervention is key.

We also have a great post on the blog, "When twins need "intervention" developmentally", written by CMOTC mom Meghan A. that outlines some resources available to you, which includes the Help Me Grow program. ~ Wendy

~~~~~~~~~

Birth to Two Years - Guideline for Developmental Milestones published from the Help Me Grow website.

Age one month

• Raises head slightly off floor or bed when lying on stomach
• Holds head up momentarily when supported
• Briefly watches and follows object with eyes
• Avoids mildly annoying sensations (placement of cloth on face)
• Some "Noise in Throat" sounds

Age two months

• Hold head erect, bobbing, when supported in sitting position
• Follows moving person with eyes
• Imitates or responds to smiling person with occasional smile
• Vocalizes

Age three months

• Lifts head and chest when lying on stomach
• Vigorous body movement
• Head control is improving
• Recognizes breast or bottle
• Coos
• Chuckles
  

Social and emotional development between zero to four months:

• communicate by crying
• enjoy being cuddled
• smile spontaneously

Age four months:

• Good head control
• Rolls from side to side
• Takes object, such as a rattle, held near hand
• May begin reaching
• Follows moving object when held in sitting position
• Laughs aloud
• Enjoys play
  

Social and emotional development between four to nine months:

• cry, smile, kick, coo, laugh to attract attention
• respond differently to strangers (stranger anxiety, 8 months)

Age six months:

• Sits with minimal support
• Rolls from back to stomach
• Transfers object from hand to hand and from hand to mouth
• Babbles-more than two sounds

Overall during birth to six months, baby will:

• I smile
• I look at faces
• I listen to voices or noises
• I lift my head when I’m on my tummy
• I follow moving objects with my eyes
• I hold a rattle or toy
• I babble or coo
• I roll over
• I pull to sitting holding someone’s fingers
• I recognize and reach for Mommy

Age nine months:

• Sits alone
• Changes position without falling
• Plays with 2 objects at the same time
• Unwraps block
• Says Mama and Baba
  

Social and emotional development, ten to twelve months:

• Pay attention to his or her name
• Tease and test parent's limits
• Learn to cooperate
• Display separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• Be curious

Overall during six months to one year, baby will:

• I sit alone
• I say "Mama" or "Dada"
• I crawl
• I clap my hands
• I recognize familiar words
• I copy speech sounds
• I pull myself to stand
• I use my fingers to eat some foods
• I understand "No"
• I take steps with help
• I say "peek-a-boo"
  

One year to eighteen months:

• I walk alone
• I say several words
• I try to feed myself with a spoon
• I stack 2 or more blocks
• I follow simple directions such as "bring your shoes"
• I scribble on paper
• I run and jump
• I turn pages in a book
• I point to 3-5 pictures in a book

Eighteen months to two years:

• I put 2-3 words together
• I pedal my tricycle
• I balance on one foot
• I begin to use the toilet or potty
• I like to be "the boss"
• I ask a lot of questions
• I jump with both feet
• I tell you how I feel (sad, mad)
• I climb the stairs
• I copy circles or lines
• I understand "In", "On", "Out"

Social and emotional development

One to two years:

• Begin to become independent
• May become angry if activities are interrupted
• Respond to simple commands by adult
• Show anger through aggressive behavior
• Have temper tantrums

Two to three years:

• Defend possessions, but is beginning to share
• Participate in simple group activity
• Be loving, engaging, enthusiastic and appreciative
• AND explosive, tense, rigid, insecure, and easily frustrated

Seek help for your child if:

• Your baby is not sleeping or eating well on a continuous basis
• You think your young child may hurt self or others (is angry or excessively destructive)
• Your young child is very sad, depressed or nervous most of the time
• Your child's play is always aggressive
• Your child's behavior suddenly changes (begins to act very differently)
• You have a concern about your child's development (such as walking, talking)
• Your child regresses (goes back) to an earlier behavior
• Your child is unusually advanced in sexual behavior
• Your young child has a medical condition that could affect emotional or physical growth
• Your child has lead poisoning

These are only guidelines. You are the best judge of when you or your child needs help. Your doctor and other professionals can help with any concerns you may have.

The Help Me Grow program is in each county and provides developmental screenings and evaluations (including emotional development evaluations) for children birth to three. Help Me Grow can connect you to community resources that will meet your child's needs. Ongoing home visiting services are also offered that help to address your needs.

~~~~~~~~~

Cleaning For A Reason

Many of us, unfortunately, have had a friend or family member (or maybe even ourselves) with cancer. Recently I saw an advertisement for an organization called Cleaning For A Reason. They partner with local cleaning companies to offer free house cleaning for women who are currently under cancer treatments. What a great help this would be in a time when cleaning your house is the last thing on your mind!

This is what they offer:

"We partner with professional residential maid services who are insured and bonded to participate in our foundation. The companies have agreed to take 2 patients at a time and offer four free general cleanings – one a month for four months as a way to give back to their community."

They currently have 817 partners in 50 states and Canada, which includes a few right here in Columbus. Applications are posted on their website starting at 12 noon CST, Monday through Friday, and they do limit it to 50 applications a day.

This sounds like a great organization with a great cause, and one that is worth sharing with all you as a resource, if the need ever presents itself.

For more information, go to the Cleaning For A Reason website.

Article: The Hidden Health Risks of Food Dyes

CMOTC mom Katie B. found this article on food dyes to be interesting and wanted to share it with all of us. It's definitely worth the read! Thank you Katie!

~~~~~~~~~

The Hidden Health Risks of Food Dyes

By Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D., "Live or Let Dye,"

November/December 2010 issue of Eating Well

How bad is Red 40 and more synthetic dyes?

Americans are now eating five times as much food dye as we did in 1955. That statistic isn’t as surprising when you consider that since then food dyes have made more and more of our foods colorful—from breakfast cereals to ice creams. While natural colorants made from foods like beets are available, many manufacturers opt for synthetic dyes—which may have dangerous health consequences, particularly for children, according to a recent report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. This is why the nonprofit Washington, D.C.-based consumer-watchdog group has asked the Food and Drug Administration to ban them. Such man-made food dyes appear in ingredient lists as a name of a color with a number following it: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6.

The three most widely used culprits—Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40—contain compounds, including benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl, that research has linked with cancer.

Research has also associated food dyes with problems in children including allergies, hyperactivity, learning impairment, irritability and aggressiveness. A U.S. study published in Science found that when children who scored high on a scale measuring hyperactivity consumed a food-dye blend they performed worse on tests that measured their ability to recall images than when they drank a placebo. A 2007 British study found that children who consumed a mixture of common synthetic dyes displayed hyperactive behavior within an hour of consumption. (These children had not been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.) The results, published in The Lancet, prompted Britain’s Food Standards Agency to encourage manufacturers to find alternatives to food dyes. In July 2010, the European Parliament’s mandate that foods and beverages containing food dyes must be labeled as such went into effect for the entire European Union.

Preliminary evidence suggests that many children have a slight sensitivity to food dyes—and a smaller percentage are very sensitive. “We see reactions in sensitive individuals that include core ADHD symptoms, like difficulty sitting in a chair and interrupting conversations,” says David Schab, M.D., M.P.H., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and co-author of a 2004 meta-analysis that found food dyes promote hyperactive behavior in already hyperactive children. Even so, says Schab, this isn’t the most compelling reason to give up food dyes. “Foods with dyes are often riddled with other nutritional problems, like excess calories and fat,” says Schab, who points out that childhood obesity is a far greater public health concern.

Bottom Line: If you’re concerned, ditch the potentially dangerous synthetic dyes. Look for foods bearing the green-and-white USDA certified organic label, but be aware that foods labeled “made with organic ingredients” may still contain synthetic dyes. You can also check product ingredient lists for beet, carotenes, annatto, capsanthin (a paprika extract)—as all are natural colorants. Counterintuitively, the terms “artificial color,” “artificial color added” or “color added” also indicate that nature-derived pigments were used since synthetic dyes must be listed by their names.

Amanda's Saving Money the Homemade Way - Homemade Hair Bows

With Christmas just around the corner, as does everyone, I have a list to fulfill but a very limited budget. I like to look for simple homemade ideas for gifts. I do some baking every year and this year, I found a really neat and easy gift I can make for the young girls on my list- such as my 3 young nieces. Every little girl loves hair bows! Before I even get started, let me tell you how completely NOT CRAFTY I am. I don't like crafts and I am not good at them. But, even I was able to easily learn how to make these bows and was surprised how easy they are!

Here is a picture of the first one I made:

I had never done these before but within a few minutes, I made this adorable bow! I will show you how to make 3 different but similar bows. They were really fun to make and I have two adorable little almost 4 year olds that were happy to model!

To get started:

Here is a sampling of the ribbon I bought:

I didn't pay more than a dollar for any single spool. I bought a lot more than this - this is just a few! I found some in the dollar bins at JoAnns as well as in the dollar section of Target. Dollar stores also have them sometimes.


You will also need:

• a few dowel rods (costs less than a dollar each)
• you can get thin or fatter depending on how big you want the curls in your ribbon. I also cut them in half.
• a few wooden clothespins
• plain hair clips (I found them in the homemade jewelry section at JoAnns - I got snap-shut clips and alligator clips)
• glue gun
• thin thread
  

To get started, wrap the ribbon around the dowel rods, held on with clothespins.


Place the ribbon covered dowels across a cookie sheet and put in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and unclip the pins and let ribbon slide off- it will be curled!

To Make the bows:

1) First I will show the process for a large clip, similar to the one shown above:

This bow, like the first, is a little thicker and bigger. After curling the ribbon, cut 6-8 pieces about the same length. Take a long piece of thread, folded in half and lay across the table. Lay the pieces of ribbon in the middle of thread as shown below:



Gather the string around the ribbon and tie tightly into a knot (Don't worry about the ribbon staying perfectly aligned- you can adjust it). Then just fluff and pull the ribbon around until it looks right!

To get the clip ready, lay out a piece of ribbon that will match the bow and put a strip of blue from the glue gone on it. Place the clip on top of the glue.

Put a little more glue on the clip and wrap the ribbon over it.

Put a dab of glue gun glue on the ribbon where it is tied together and attach to the clip! Allow to dry and it is done!

2) Here is a smaller version of the same style:

To make is smaller, just cut the pieces smaller and maybe use fewer pieces. (on the ribbon above, I used 8 pieces, for this one, I used 5). You tie it and attach it just the same way:

3) Long curly pony holder:

Cut 4 longer pieces of curled ribbon (approximately 6 inches or so)

Gather them together in the center and put a single stitch through it to hold them together in that spot.

After putting in the stitch, take a small piece of ribbon (an inch or less) and put glue from the glue gun on it. Wrap the small piece of ribbon around the middle of the bow and an elastic pony holder to attach them together and you are done! You may need to trim the ribbon a little to make it all the same length.

These bows are fun to do and easy and cheap! As I mentioned before, I didn't pay more than a dollar for a spool of ribbon- some were only 50 cents! I paid a total of about $20 for ALL supplies (the dowel rods and clips included!) and got enough supplies to make dozens of hair bows. This works out to be less than a dollar a bow. These would cost $5 or more for a single hair bow in any store.

Obviously, the options are endless. If you are good at tying bows, you could tie a bow with straight ribbon and glue to the clip. JoAnns also had a huge assortment of little flowers and such- all you would need to do would be glue those on a clip and be done. Definitely a low cost way to give a beautiful gift with a personal touch!

Happy holidays!

~Amanda

Tastefully Simple Cozy Comfort Gift Collection - and the winner is...

Carrie H.

(comment #18)

Congratulations on winning the Cozy Comfort Gift Collection!! Please email us (columbusmultiples@gmail.com) your contact information (email address).