Helping Young Children Cope with Violent Tragedies

I’d like to welcome Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD  and founder of Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids to Warner’s Corner.  Wendy specializes in helping children and families cope with the little and not so little issues in their lives – anger, divorce, grief and loss, moving, etc.  Today, she shares her recommendations for parents to best help young children understand the recent violence in Newtown, Connecticut.  Thank you, Wendy!

Tragedy Unfolds
Newtown, Connecticut.  A sleepy little town less than one hour away from where I was born.  I watched in horror, with the rest of the world, as the tragedy in this small town unfolded.  The trauma surrounding these events is a heavy burden to bear for the town of Newtown, and it will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark.  Traumatologists, counselors, clergy and other supports will converge upon Newtown, to assist in helping its people begin to cope and pick up the pieces.  It will be a long road to healing. On behalf of Kidlutions, I offer our condolences, thoughts and prayers.   Read more.

Flip2BFit®: Building Relationships while Building Muscle

Flip2BFit^® is the newest fitness craze for differently-abled kids!  The game combines nutrition trivia, yoga, stretching, and aerobic exercises in a fast and fun workout appropriate for the whole family.  Players compete individually or in teams in a race through the park to meet “Springer” the dinosaur in the playground.  Crab crawl, lunge, toe touch, and do the downward dog to move your piece around the park.  Make a poor nutrition choice and you’re going to have to move back a few spaces!

Early and ongoing exercise helps differently-abled children make significant strides toward purposeful movement and increased cognitive and social development.

Gross motor skill development refers to a child’s ability to effectively use the large muscle groups that control arm, leg, and core body movement.  These muscles support their body’s ability to walk, reach, lift, throw, sit upright, and maintain balance and coordination.  Many differently-abled children experience developmental delays in their ability to use their bodies’ large muscle groups.

Motor planning also presents differently-abled children with enhanced challenges.  To understand motor planning, think about trying to cross a stream by stepping on rocks.  You need to evaluate which rocks will best help you cross the stream without falling in, right?  Then, you step, hop and jump from one to the next using your arms to create momentum and maintain balance.  You may also have to adjust course during the trip.  Differently-abled children need extra practice to develop these mental and physical skills.

Further, being overweight creates an additional layer of difficulty for differently-abled children who already work harder than their typically developing peers to accomplish activities of daily living:

·         Bathing and toileting become more difficult for the child as well as their caregiver.

·         Movement becomes more difficult thus curtailing a child’s ability to participate in playground activities, for example. 

·         It increases the potential for bullying for children who may be already be experiencing it because of their different-ability. 

·         In the long term, being overweight makes children, adolescents, and adults more susceptible to diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, orthopedic problems, sleep apnea, cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Flip2BFit^® innovatively promotes the development of gross motor skills and motor planning.  “Spiderman Crawls”, for example, get the heart pumping and the big muscle groups working!  The “Praying Mantis” builds strength and balance.  “Windmills” stretch the arms’ large muscle groups.  Simple instruction and picture cards facilitate players’ success.  Success builds self confidence. 

Flip2BFit^® builds bridges between differently-abled children and their typically developing siblings and peers as they together develop coordination, strength and personal relationships.  More broadly, the family that plays together bonds together!

Heather Parisi is the CEO/Founder of Flip2BFit® and Fitness for Africa.  Her passion for children; recognition of the rapidly rising childhood obesity rates in this country; and, acknowledgement of the large numbers of starving children around the world inspired her to create Flip2BFit^® and Bakari^® .  Her goal is to promote healthy lifestyles for children and families by putting the FUN in fitness and nutrition!

                                   

Report Finds Military Schools Struggle to Meet Severe Special Needs

Report Finds Military Schools Struggle to Meet Severe Special Needs:

The Government Accountability Office found that some military families are being sent to overseas assignments that lack the educational resources for their children with special needs. There are various reasons for this, GAO ...

See it on Scoop.it, via Special Needs Parenting & Blogging

Lollacups

Lollacups are in!  Please visit our store to order!

A Case for the Child Harness

Many years ago now, I spent my summers working at the Detroit Zoo.  Those that have visited it can tell you that it covers a lot of ground with elaborate gardens adorning the paths to the animal enclosures.   They can also tell you that it is easy to get turned around even with the map that they receive upon entering.  And, the larger the number of park visitors the more difficult the logistics are to manage.
On busy days, it was common for several lost, terrified and crying children to approach just our stand to ask for help.  The number of lost children park-wide was much larger.  From experience, I recommend the following precautions and procedures for your consideration when you are visiting the zoo or any large public place:

1. Quiz your child about your name (first and last) and what you are wearing (color and any unique identifier) just before you enter the park.  If they are old enough to know your cell phone number, quiz them on that, too.  A name, number, and a description of mom or dad was the first thing for which we asked and the information that is disseminated throughout the park during our search.  If they recite the information aloud they are more likely to remember it when they are under stress.
2. Review with them the procedure they are to follow if they become separated from you.  Good strategies include approaching a security guard or going to the nearest concession/souvenir stand employee and asking for help.  Point out a security guard and an employee to your child so that they become familiar with their uniforms.  For older children, designate a family meeting place where they are to go and wait for you.  A moving target is more difficult to find.
3. If your child is pre-verbal or non-verbal, PLEASE put your contact information on their person.  This can be a 3x5 card on a yarn necklace, a medical alert bracelet/necklace, or tucked into a clear plastic pouch on a backpack.  I also have seen small children in t-shirts that say, "I am non-verbal and autistic.  If I am lost, please call .... "
4. Although their use is somewhat controversial, use a child harness.  They are much cuter than they used to be and relatively inexpensive. 
   
   
   
   It has been 20 years and I still vividly remember one 2 year old boy that had become separated from his mother at the farmyard.    He had followed a "mom" that he thought was his to another exhibit.  Once he realized his mistake, he did not have the cognitive or verbal ability to ask for help.  He just ran, crying, and searching for his mom.  In the meantime, Mom had been searching frantically for him.  I have often wondered what kind of psychological after-shocks that little boy experienced.  Upon reflection now that I have my own child, I would rather sort out the emotional ramifications from wearing a harness than from the terror of not being able to communicate and being lost.
5. Try to remember that most children do not choose to become "lost".  They usually have just been caught up in the moment and lost track of you.  If they are afraid of being scolded for getting lost they will take longer to get help.  Upon reunification, take a breath and smile.  Your child will be looking for facial cues indicating how much trouble they are in.  Hug them.  Tell them that you are so glad that they have returned to you!  Then, make a better plan for sticking together.

No one wants their family outings marred by the stress of being separated from their child.  But, it happens.  A little preparation will go a long way in minimizing the time apart and the emotional consequences for everyone.

Five Reasons to Teach Your Child American Sign Language

Temper tantrums were common during our daughter's transition from pre-verbal to verbal.  Her word acquisition did not keep pace with her quickly growing wants and desires.  Through the frustration and tears (sometimes hers, sometimes ours), we would remind her, "Use your words!"  Eventually, we developed a somewhat  effective way of communicating with each other using words and gestures.  The problem was that no one beyond our immediate family "spoke the language".  How I wish that we had known about baby American Sign Language (ASL) back then!!

Although there are more than a few benefits to teaching your child ASL, here are my top five:

1. It's a real language.  In fact, it is the 4th most common language in the US!
2. It will facilitate your pre-verbal or non-verbal child's communication and, therefore, help them build connections with you and others.
3. This additional tool in their communication-toolbox means less dependence on temper tantrums for self expression.
4. Watching others sign stimulates visual attention and joint attention skills.
5. Signing develops motor skills.

If you are looking for a resource, we were fortunate to meet Jennifer Cranston, M.Ed. at a recent gathering.  She is a nationally certified sign language interpreter with over a decade of experience in interpreting and deaf education.  She can be contacted at Jennifer.L.Cranston@gmail.com or (703) 725-8289.
More in future posts!

Shop for ASL CDs, DVDs and Related Resources!

Wondering about Wandering? What you can do to Protect Your Autistic Child

Recent studies¹ have shown that nearly half of all children with autism between the ages of 4 and 10 are prone to bolting or wandering from familiar, safe places. Although the exact cause for autism wandering (also called elopement) is unknown, it is thought that these children are most often curious or explorative, and may be seeking their favorite play spot such as a nearby lake or playground, for example.