Special Kids - Celebrating The Uniqueness of ALL Children

Top Ten Tips to Help Your Child with Autism Sleep Through the Night

Author: Donna Chambers

Many parents and caregivers of someone on the Autism Spectrum know what it is like to be short on sleep! For some reason, sleep disturbance is a common problem with autism.

Parents have told me so many stories about their childrens unusual sleep habits. Some children literally wander the house or their room all night long.

Recently I talked to a lady who would find her son sleeping in the closet. She was concerned and tied the bifold closet doors closed to keep him out, but he lifted them off the tracks at the bottom and crawled under the doors to get in!

My own grandson woke in the night one night and wedged himself underneath our bed. We were hysterical with panic the next morning until we found him sleeping peacefully under our bed! Obviously these boys both liked the small, confined spaces, and you are better off going with that than fighting against it! If they are not feeling safe and comfortable in their bed, they are probably not going to sleep there or stay there. My grandson stopped getting up at night after we started implementing some of the following tips:

1. White Noise- Use an air purifier or a fan for white noise.
2. Prevent Distractions- Heavy curtains, thick carpets, and making sure the door doesn't squeak.
3. Try a Tent- Let your child try sleeping in a pup tent inside a sleeping bag, many will love the small space. You can also find "bed tents" made just for this purpose by searching online.
4. Sunlight- Expose your child to sunlight in the morning to regulate the body's production of melatonin.
5. Supplements- Ask your pediatrician about supplementing with melatonin, it can help normalize the sleep-wake cycle in children with autism.
6. Heavy Play- Playing with weighted toys, carrying a heavy backpack, pushing, pulling, etc. before bedtime.
7. Epsom Salts Baths- Try giving your child Epsom Salts Baths before bed. Don't let them drink the bath water!
8. Bedtime Schedule- Create a PEC's Bedtime Schedule to hang on the wall and use it daily.
9. Ban Stimulants Before Bedtime- Don't give your child caffeine, sugar, or anything with additives 2 hours before bedtime. Autistic children can be especially sensitive to stimulants and food additives.
10. Weighted Blankets- A weighted blanket can be a lifesaver for your child and the entire family. You can find quality, washable weighted blankets at Affordable Weighted Blankets.

About the Author:

Donna Chambers, owner of Affordable Weighted Blankets. Donna lives in Chattanooga, TN. with her husband, Robert. She has 3 grown children, and one 6 yr old grandchild, David, with autism. Robert and Donna attend St. Elmo Avenue Baptist Church.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/disabilities-articles/top-ten-tips-to-help-your-child-with-autism-sleep-through-the-night-838234.html

Stability balls help children with ADHD stay on top of academics

Teachers in a Minnesota district say that sitting on stability balls rather than traditional chairs is especially helpful for their students with ADHD. "They're moving but they're working," said elementary teacher Deb Felstul, who applied for a grant to pay for the balls. "It gives them a chance to bounce a little bit, wiggle a little bit, but not so they're disrupting class." Morris Sun Tribune (Minn.) (2/7)

Toys For "Differently Abled" Kids

Having appeared on the cover of the Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, NBC Today Show' co-host(ess) Meredith Vieira delivered a very nice feature on holiday toy giving for children with special needs.

Thousands of parents, relatives, friends and caregivers have used theToys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids to find everyday toys that help spark imagination and build critical skills for the special needs child in their life. The Guide is developed with the National Lekotek Center, an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to making the world accessible to children of all ages and abilities. 

Traveling with Special Needs Children

Pediatric Therapist Aviva Weiss Offers Ten Tips to Prepare for Good Times Together This Holiday Season

The chaos of packing, airport crowds and security, lengthy car rides and yes, even overexposure to family and friends is enough to erode any holiday traveler’s festive spirit. Add traveling with children into the equation, especially when special needs are involved, and some parents might wish they could just stay home. But a few preparations, says Fun and Function LLC founder Aviva Weiss, can go a long way toward ensuring a good time for everyone.

Traveling disrupts routines and removes children from familiar surroundings. This can be especially stressful and difficult for children with special needs notes Weiss, a certified pediatric occupational therapist. A mother of four, including a daughter with sensory processing disorder, she says parents of special needs children can pave the way toward less stressful trips by observing these ten guidelines:

1. Prepare the child in advance as much as possible. Practice for the trip for a period leading up to the actual travels. Talk about the upcoming experience to help your child overcome anxiety. Act out or role play anticipated events in advance, from taking off shoes for airport security to applauding after a toast.

2. Redirect anxious energy into constructive activity. To take the edge off the potential anxiety of seeing many less familiar faces all at once, make the event a fun and educational by creating a special activity. Create a small photo album featuring people who will be at the event, and help your child play “Family Bingo,” checking off each person he or she greets or sees across the room. Or, create a pictogram of your itinerary or agenda and help your child follow along.

3. Encourage creative expression. For those able to write or draw, a pocket journal or sketchbook for illustrating what they’re experiencing can provide another useful outlet. Children who are more observers than participants may appreciate assignments such as taking pictures with a digital camera.

4. Don't expect perfection. Whenever you travel with children, it’s best to “expect the unexpected,” or at least leave room for something to pop up to divert you from your agenda.

5. Secure an extra set of hands. Try traveling with a friend, family member or caregiver to help keep things in order when you’re on the move, provide manpower for carrying belongings and an extra set of eyes, and even make bathroom breaks with multiple children an easier task.

6. Manage expectations for you and your hosts. A pending visit from a special needs child may produce stress for the host as well as the child and the parent. Prepare everyone by communicating your child’s needs in advance and asking for some general ground rules for inside the home, as a gesture toward making the visit as pleasant and peaceful as possible.

7. Bring along some “friends.” Pack a bag of objects that are fun and familiar. Sensory gadgets/fidgets, noise reduction headphones, weighted vests, or favorite belongings from home will help filter out outside stimuli and provide a comforting connection to “home.”

8. Minimize changes to eating habits. Try to keep your child’s diet consistent to prevent constipation, indigestion, allergic reactions or other adverse developments. Feed your child something satisfying to comfort them before a long trip, and take along favorite utensils as a connection to more familiar situations. Don't expect your child to sit for an entire meal. Rather, prepare a spot where he or she can rest, play or calm down while the meal continues.

9. RX for safer travels. Ready a medicine kit with prescriptions, medical information and OTC products to confront fevers, allergies, cuts and other issues that may surface when you travel out of your home.

10. Preserve the moment but reserve time for breaks. The ingredients of posing for pictures – people huddled close together, bright flashes, noise and the need to stay still – can lead to overstimulation. Don't oblige your child to participate in all the photos, and be sure to take breaks in between.

“Traveling with a special needs child – or any child, for that matter – needn’t be a stressful event,” Weiss says. “In fact, it can be a great experience, offering lessons and fond memories for all. The keys are to prepare everyone in advance, include a few fun and familiar items and activities, and above all remember that it takes time and patience to learn how to manage change.”

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Reprinted With Permission
Aviva Weiss, a pediatric OT and founder of Fun and Function LLC, offers tips for traveling with special needs kids.

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