Experts at rethink autism report...Turn Getting a Haircut into a Fun Activity

Preparing your child ahead of time can make getting a haircut a more enjoyable experience. This video features several helpful ways to make your child more calm and comfortable during his next haircut.

This week's tip is based on a lesson from our Social / Emotional lesson category:

Preparing for a Haircut

Six Tips for Making the Start of School Less Stressful

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time, but for many children getting back into the routine can be difficult. Becoming familiar with new classrooms, classmates, rules, and teachers can be a difficult transition. Below are ideas for starting the new school year right.


1. Return to a School Sleep Schedule: Help children make the transition easier by getting them ready physically for early mornings. A gradual change is often more difficult than an immediate change. The first few days of getting up early and going to bed early may be difficult, but this will be helpful in the long run. Make getting up in the mornings easier by doing fun activities such as going on a walk, making breakfast together, or taking an early bike ride.

2. Introduce a New Environment or Re-Introduce a Familiar One: Three months goes by quickly, but children often forget many important things about school. Make a book with your child to remind them of their classmates’ names, teachers’ names, school layout (auditorium, art room, music room, etc.), bus rules, classroom rules, and school rules. Children can help by drawing pictures or writing the text. For children starting a new classroom or school, the teacher most likely will send information home that can be used to write a book.

Read 4 more tips....

Experts at rethink autism report...Give Your Child a Head Start this School Year!

Practice these home and classroom skills ahead of time and make your child's school year even more productive and rewarding!

This week's tip is based on lessons from four of our lesson categories:

• Dressing Following a Schedule
• Raising Hands to Answer Questions
• Joining Ongoing Play with a Peer
• Recalling Experiences About the Day

Warrior Mama, Lisa Sell, Reports....Bach Flower Remedies

by Lisa Sell

The first experience I had with Bach Flower is "Rescue Remedy" readily available at health food stores. I used it for years for my son and myself. It has been helpful for my child during stressful situations, such as meeting a new therapist.

Rescue Remedy is a small spray bottle you can carry in your pocket or bag - like a breath freshener. I find it has a slight aftertaste similar to white wine, but essentially, it is flavorless. Unlike an anxiety medication, it does not make me drowsy or spaced out, and the effects do not last for hours for me, but do help in the moment.

I am not a Bach Flower practitioner, so this is nothing more than a mom's opinion. I recommend you consult a Bach certified practitioner for advice on using the remedies.

As a parent and layperson - not a practitioner – my current experience with Bach Flower gives me the impression it is a botany-based healing system with some elements from herbal and homeopathic ideas. We use both herbal and homeopathic treatments and it seems like the Bach remedies do not fit neatly into either category, and yet have elements of both in theory, usage, and results. However, Bach Flower is its own theory about the “mind” portion of “mind-body” healing, and that is an important point to remember.

Some parents feel their child's autism was the result of a toxic assault, and for my child that appears to be the case. As we detoxify his body, his autistic symptoms lessen. In my experience, Bach Flower Remedies have not helped with detoxification or any of the physical aspects (such as yeast management) that are common in autism treatment. I do not personally know of anyone who reports such results, either. However, that is not what the remedies are intended to heal, after all.

We found the remedies helpful in moving toward emotional healing. When we moved to a new home, our son had a difficult time with the transition for a few weeks. It was not that he missed our previous home; he just felt that everything was unfamiliar and strange. We used a remedy specifically for adapting to change, and I muscle tested him to see if the remedy was a good fit. It was, and within a day and a half his anxiety resolved and he was enjoying his new home and neighborhood. I was intrigued to learn more.

The anxiety in many kids with autism spectrum disorders is often very high. Back to school time is a huge stressor for many children, on the spectrum or not. Transitions can be unbearable, fears may run rampant, and kids may have self-confidence issues as they become more aware and realize they have different abilities than their peers. Anxiety can heighten sensory issues for some, as well. Let’s face it, living with autism, or being a parent of a child with autism, can be difficult and stressful in today’s world. I know I’m not the only parent spending hours on the phone negotiating services, therapies, insurance and payments. Bach Flower Remedies have been helpful in letting all that frustration go at the end of the day.

Bach Flower Remedies helped my son to break emotional cycles that had become “standard operating procedure”. As he moves toward the higher end of the spectrum, sometimes I think he just automatically reacts, instead of experiencing a true response. It seems some of his behaviors are a sort of an emotional habit, yet I suspect he is now capable of interacting more appropriately, in some situations. This is where I found Bach Flower to be helpful in releasing fears, decreasing anxiety, easing transitions and so forth. When my child realizes a different way of experiencing, reacting, and behaving, it opens up the door for further growth and gains. We found the remedies to be simple to use, affordable, effective, and safe. I have been so impressed by the results we have seen that I hope to start formal studies of Bach Flower Remedies in the near future.

For further information, click HERE and find a practitioner

Warrior Mama, Lori Ciccarelli Reports....Unlocking Autism, Part 1

by Lori Ciccarelli

Over the years, my son’s (JJ) challenges have included low impulse control, poor concentration and processing issues. The kids at school knew what buttons to push getting JJ into trouble regularly. At 16 when JJ was suspended from school for low impulse control, this was a wake-up call. I was scared because at 18, if one breaks the law, there are consequences far more harsh than a suspension from school.

JJ had been on two medications for 10 years for anxiety, attention and impulse control; clearly they weren’t helping anymore. I didn’t want my child to just “exist” in the world. I wanted good quality of life for him functioning at his highest potential possible. I was desperate; so, I got on my knees and asked God for direction. I then met with JJ’s physician. I wanted JJ off medications as I didn’t know what he looked like any more since he had been chemically dependent for 10 years. “There’s got to be another option,” I said. His physician recommended a therapy called neurofeedback therapy and referred me to a specialist, Dr. Nicholas Dogris.

What is neurofeedback (NFB) therapy? 

According to Dr. D. Corydon Hammond, Professor and Psychologist, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah School of Medicine, “In the late 1960’s & 1970’s we learned that it was possible to recondition and retrain brainwave patterns. Some of this work began with the training of alpha brainwave activity for relaxation, while other work originating at UCLA focused on uncontrolled epilepsy. This training is called EEG biofeedback or neurofeedback….brainwaves occur at various frequencies. Some are fast and some are quite slow. The classic names of these EEG bands are delta, theta, alpha, and beta.”

Each of us always has some degree of each of these brainwave bands present in different parts of our brain. Some are fast and small, some are slower and larger. People with learning disabilities, head injuries, or strokes tend to have excessive slow waves. When an excessive amount of slow waves are present in the frontal parts of the brain, it becomes difficult to control attention, behavior, and or emotions. Such persons generally have problems with concentration, memory, controlling their impulses. They can’t focus very well and exhibit diminished intellectual efficiency.

Dr. Dogris explained that the LENS (Low Energy NFB System) was like physical therapy for the brain and reassured me that it was a very safe treatment in which electrodes are administered to retrain the brain making new pathways. He provided a brain mapping of JJ’s brain. It was clear that there was no activity in JJ’s frontal lobe hence low impulse control and poor attention. It’s hard to put into words the miracle that unfolded right before our eyes. Typically, the lobes in people with autism don’t communicate; NFB woke up JJ’s brain causing his lobes to communicate. It was like rebooting JJ’s system.

Our family, JJ’s educational team, his therapists and specialists could not believe the changes that took place over the next eight months of NFB treatment....join us next month for the remainder of this story.  In the meantime, check out LENS: The Low Energy Neurofeedback System to learn more about this therapeutic option. 

GFCF Expert, Barrie Silberberg Reports....Carrot Muffins and More

by Barrie Silberberg I thought this week I would share a favorite recipe from my book, The Autism & ADHD Diet. It is for Carrot Muffins and appears on pages 124-125. Muffins are a wonderful food to service your family, if prepared in a healthy manner. Most commercial muffins contains way too much fat and sugar, so making them from scratch can help in obtaining a much healthier treat. Making muffins is a great way to hide all sorts of healthy ingredients, such as carrots. These muffins originally were made, using pumpkin, and actually, you can add any type of vegetable. It would be fun to experiment. Keep in mind, to reduce the fat and calories, you can substitute ½ or 1/4 of the fat content (oil, margarine) with apple sauce. If you like more flavor in your muffins, add an additional amount of the spices.  These muffins are very moist and are terrific frozen and defrosted to eat at a later time. No one will know they are GFCF. Enjoy! 4        4 oz jars of organic carrot baby food (or any other veggie) 5        ¾ cup oil 2 cups white sugar 3 eggs 3 cups GF all-purpose baking flour (There are many pre-mixed varieties) 1-teaspoon cinnamon 1-teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ginger 1-teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon GF baking powder 1-teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt, if desired 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (optional) Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C). Line baking cups, or grease with vegetable shortening. Mix carrots, oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, spices, baking soda and baking power. Add dry ingredients to carrot mixture and mix. Add flaxseed meal for extra fiber and omega-3 fatty acids (optional) Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 24 muffins.

What Would You Do?

I love this show. It takes a real hard look at the awful side of human nature. It shows a more typical human reaction in most cases of people who just don't want to get involved. And in each show, there is always those special few who step up to the plate to do the right thing. What would you do?

To ‘V’ or not to ‘V’? What Are Your Doing? Are you informed? Are you getting the right Vaccine?

This month, the North Hudson Community Action Corporation (NHCAC) is collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) Immunization Program to offer five vaccinations for free to everyone from newborns to seniors at NHCAC’s public health centers in Union City and West New York.

The program, made possible by funds from the federal government allocated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is being conducted just as parents rush to get checkups and vaccinations for their kids before they return to school.

NHCAC is encouraging all residents to take the opportunity to protect and promote their health and the health of their families, and their community – but some Hudson County residents may not be lining up anytime soon.

After a study published in a medical journal, The Lancet, in 1998 showed a possible link between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism, some parents began to show concern about the growing list of vaccines their children are mandated to take. And although that study was discredited and more recent studies “found no evidence of harm” from vaccines, many people nationwide, including some high-profile celebrities, are still pushing the cause of vaccination research and choice.


Mother turned medical practitioner

Louise Kuo Habakus, a member of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice, which held a session last year at a restaurant in Hoboken, is also the director and founder of The Center for Personal Rights, a non-profit organization based in Middletown.

Habakus said she got involved in the fight for vaccination choice after two of her children were injured by vaccines. She said they developed inflammatory bowel disease, which got progressively worse after each vaccine.

However, she stressed that the injuries her children faced may be less or more severe than what others could face.

“Vaccine injury manifests very differently in different people,” said Habakus.

Read more: Hudson Reporter - To ‘V’ or not to ‘V’ Free vaccinations offered controversy continues

Excellent commentary found at Age of Autism 

Just as I received the news article and reviewed the commentary at AOA, I received an e-mail from Medscape Nurses entitled,  DTaP-Tdap Mix-ups Now Affecting Hundreds of Patients  I would share the link but it is password protected.  The gist is....


"The ISMP Medication Errors Reporting Program (ISMP-MERP) database contains hundreds of cases of accidental mix-ups between adult and pediatric products used to immunize patients against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Several reports involve errors that affected numerous patients. In one report alone, 80 clinic patients were given the wrong vaccine. In all, these mix-ups may be affecting thousands of patients given that not all cases are reported to ISMP."

The problem has been around since 2006.  Adacel (also sold as Boostrix) is Tdap and Daptacel (also sold as Infantrix & Tripedia) is DTaP.  The product names are the problem. 

Daptocel is for pediatric patients 6 wks through 6 yrs. Higher antigen quantity of the diptheria and pertussis components needed for initial vaccine, rather than for booster shots.   

Adacel is meant for a booster shot for older children, adolescents and adults. 

Similar names, similar abbreviations....a recipe for disaster. 

An infant who received the Adacel received a lesser amount of antigen and may not be vaccinated.  An adult who received teh Daptocel would not require re-vaccination.

Common location of mix ups?  Clinics and Doctor offices where vaccines are selected from stock supplies or in hospitals where the vaccines got mixed up and stocked in the wrong location.  

Solution?  Alert all health care professionals administering vaccines.  Separate pediatric from adult in all storage areas.  Encourage prescribers to order vaccines by BRAND name not the vaccine abbreviation.  Hand parents the CDC info sheet and let them see the vial pre-admin and perform a double sign off.  Parents need to be educated about this potential mix up. 

Another solution may be a "time out" before dispensing and administering.  Two clinicians are required to check off laminated cards with pictures of the two products to verify the right medication/vaccination.  Clinicians should always document the vaccine & the lot number on the vaccine log before admin, then document drug administration on the MAR only after administered.  There is a major difference in lot # format from what is normally recorded that could raise a red flag in a conscientious clinician. 



Vaccine manufacturers are making adjustments via changing colors of the product labels, adding statements to labels, etc.  

Unfortunately, reports of mix ups continue to rise.  More needs to be done to differentiate pediatric from adult.  Also, the abbreviations are the main culprit.  Perhaps adding a "Ped" to DTaP and "Adult" to Tdap?

The FDA and the CDC have been made aware of this issue. 

Check your immunization print out.  What did your child receive?  Be informed.  Before accepting an injection, ask the nurse to verify the right medication.  It is the nurses responsibility to honor the 5 rights in medication administration.  The right med and the right dose being two of the five. 

So not only do consumers have to worry about vaccine ingredients, they have to worry about whether they are getting the right vaccine.  I think that unless the FDA, the CDC and the Pharmaceutical companies can really green our vaccines and adequately label vaccines...we as consumers should be permitted to have vaccination choice.  What do you think?

Dear Haley Reports...What do you suggest is the best way to get ready for a back to school schedule?

by Haley Moss

How to prepare in advance?

Hi everybody! Can you believe it’s already been a month and it’s time to get back to school already? In some ways, school is a relief because it puts families back on a schedule/daily routine. However, each new school year brings about its challenges, trials, and tribulations. To get ready for the new school year, we try and make it as stress-free as possible. Here are some suggestions to help you get ready for school without feeling totally lost and fearful.

1) If you didn’t read my last post, I said it is a good idea to stay on a schedule throughout the summer. If you didn’t, start a few weeks before school. For instance, start waking up early like you would for school a week or two in advance. This helps you and your kids prepare, as well as get rid of the shock of waking up early on the first day of school.

2) If you can set up a meeting to go to the school and just tour around (this is a great idea especially if your child is: going to a new school, starting middle school, or starting high school). Requesting a meeting with the school guidance counselor and/or teachers to discuss your child’s strengths and weaknesses BEFORE they enter school works because adults at school know how to help your child and they keep a special eye out for him or her.

3) Make sure your child has done his or her summer reading requirements. If you can, read the books after he or she is done so you can have a discussion and make sure they understand the main concepts. I still do this with my mom and I am a junior in high school.

4) Be enthusiastic about going back to school. Sound excited when bringing up the time to go to supply shopping. Let your kid choose a lunchbox, backpack, the cool folders, etc. This will make them feel empowered and excited.

5) Also, look through catalogs, fashion magazines, etc. try figure out what the back to school looks are. Even if your child is not crazy for fashion, blending in has helped me in many, many ways. People approach me. They’re nicer to me because I look a certain way and “fit in”. It really helps.

I have so many more tips and information about starting school and getting ready for all the little things in my book, Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About. It is available on my website, haleymossart.com, and on Amazon and various other online bookstores globally. I wish all of you the best of luck in starting the 2010-2011 school year and please keep your questions coming so I can be of help to all of you!

Love,
Haley

Meet Special Moms, Special Healing Expert, Julie McAllister

Julie McAllister is the owner and creator of Special Moms, Special Healing, which supports and empowers mothers of special needs children. She is married and the mother of two sons, one with Sensory Processing Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, and the other with food protein intolerances.

She used natural and spiritual methods to recover herself from serious depression that came as a result of her children’s special needs as well as other factors. She doesn’t want another mother to go through what she did. But when she started looking around for resources for mothers of special needs children, she realized that there was not much available and she decided that that had to change!

Her mission is to help mothers apply the methods she used (self-love, forgiveness, and nutrition) so that they will love themselves as much as they love their children. When they do, everyone benefits. She likens it to putting the oxygen mask on first as it is demonstrated on airplanes.

She currently offers teleseminars and an annual workshop/retreat for mothers of special needs children. She has created a wonderful community on her site www.specialmomsheal.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/specialmomsheal

Before creating Special Moms, Special Healing, Julie worked with at-risk youth and their families through juvenile probation and in the non-profit Big Brothers Big Sisters. Her final position was as CEO.

Julie certainly has a lot to offer the readers at OJTA!  We are so pleased to have her on board with us.  Join Julie each month on the 22nd!

Awesome! Vaccine Ingredient Calculator

Just in time for going back to school, this powerful tool has been updated with the most current information available on vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for 2010/2011. This “push” adds to your ability to plan a vaccine choice based on available ingredient calculation information and is featured on our homepage. Features include:

• Built-in safety protections notifying the user of invalid vaccine combinations and appropriate age-based vaccine use;

• Graphs comparing vaccine ingredients to federally established safe exposure levels (when available);

• New links to ingredient information resources;

• A growing library of video tutorials on using the VIC;

• Calculates exposures to aluminum, bovine protein, egg protein, formaldehyde, mercury (Thimerosal), mouse protein, phenol red, phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80 and yeast protein;

• Vaccination Plan printout to assist in parent/physician dialogue.

Read on.... 

Complete the calculator and come back to visit us and leave your feedback and comments!! OJTA would love to hear what you have discovered.

Experts at rethink autism report...Autism Tips for a Successful Academic School Year

With summer winding down, its a great time to prepare your child for a successful year ahead by practicing academic skills at home!

This week's tip is based on the Academic lesson videos:

• Solving Single-Digit Addition Problems with Objects
• Labeling Value of Coins (NEW!)

Life Coach, Darcie Lyons Reports.....Finding Fullness In Self Care

by Darcie Lyons

Here it is, August, already. Where did the summer go? I was sitting out on my deck the other night and looked up at the mountains. I have sat on my deck many times before and yet this night seemed so different. The details in the mountains were jumping out at me. I saw a road that I imagined cars going up and down it with people seeking solace. The colors were beautiful. The sun beggan shining upon the side of the mountain and it was just perfect. From a distance, the mountain looked magnificent but when I have driven up that road in a car, the real details have come into play. The rocks on the road bumping the car all over become much more noticeable. You can see the individual flowers along the road. From a distance you couldn’t see them, but up close, they were there in all their glory.

I think of self-care just like that. Looking from a distance you can see an image of fullness. The life we live, from the outside looking in, can be as beautiful as the mountain or a tangle of roots that weave together. As we move closer to our individual being, the details of our lives come out. Self-care can be tricky. As I am writing this blog, I am preparing for surgery in a few days. I am thinking: How am I going to take care of myself when I come home? How am I going to make the phone calls to the school that need to be made? How am I going to buy school supplies and clothes for her when I won’t be able to drive for a few weeks? How am I going to get this first blog written by my deadline? How am I going to do this all perfectly so I won’t be a burden to anyone? Can anyone relate? 

The first thing I can do is BREATHE. Just stop and take a breather. That is what I want you to do today: stop and take a breath. When life is going crazy or you are having a chaotic moment, stop and take a breath.
I dare you to practice this until I write to you again next month.

Stop and breathe. Self-care is sometimes baby steps for us.

Think about where you need coaching in your lives. What areas of your life are tangled that could use clarity?   Email me at sheridandml@yahoo.com. Please put in the subject line, "life question for the coach".

I am excited to walk this road with you all.  Have a great day everyone!!!

GFCF Expert, Barrie Silberberg, Reports....Let's Focus on Feingold

by Barrie Silberberg So often the GFCF diet is the forerunner of conversations when discussing special diets and special foods for those with autism or ADHD. But, I think it is truly important to know about The Feingold Diet, as it is a large part of the healing process for our kids. My son was not where he is today, until I started to also incorporate many aspects of the Feingold Diet. For him, he needed all chemicals and all artificial ingredients gone. He also did not do well with apple juice. Once we removed all of the above, especially the artificial dyes, all of my son's sensory issues were gone! This was the final straw that needed to break autism's back! A healthy diet is so important for ALL of us, but especially for children with these disorders. Whole foods, natural, single ingredient foods are what we should be feeding our family.  Say no to added chemicals. Feingold is more than just removing toxins.  It is also about removing some very healthy, yet damaging foods, that often react negatively within our children's bodies.  Some of the following behaviors can be improved or eliminated by removing many foods listed on the Feingold diet: hyperactivity, short attention span, disruptive behaviors, poor self-control, inappropriate noises, excessive talking, loud talking, abusive behavior, aggression, repeating behaviors, touching things or people excessively, bed wetting, headaches, stomachaches, chewing on clothing, scratching, biting, low tolerance for frustration, irritability, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, difficulty writing or reading,  and much more. Some of the top offending foods are grapes, apples and tomatoes. Other individuals also have poor reactions to: peppers, oranges, berries, bananas, peanuts, chocolate, almonds, apricots, cherries and more. Consult www.feingold.org to learn more and to obtain a more extensive list of symptoms that can be helped, as well as other foods to avoid.

Warrior Mama, Dr. Juliet Burk Reports....What is the price of a happy child?

by Dr. Juliet Burk

It's the start of a new school year and for the first time since pre-K, we are homeschooling our 12 year old son with autism.

E. went to public school from pre-K through fifth grade with an aide who, as years moved on, faded into more of a general classroom helper. Half way through fifth grade, his aide was pulled entirely because we all thought he could handle school on his own, which he could. Until...


The last two months of sixth grade became a nightmare. I averaged two calls a week from the vice principal. There were detentions, suspensions, trouble with rage, self injury, language and worst of all, a miserable young man questioning why he should be alive.


One of the first autism lectures I ever attended discussed the high rate of suicide among people with HFA and Asperger's disorders. I promised myself I would never willingly let that happen to my child. So against my husband's wishes, I allowed a psychiatrist to put E. on Prozac (helped), took him to therapy (didn't help), and started looking for answers again. Just as I decided to move across the country for E. to attend an autism school when he was two and three, I knew I was looking at a major life shift. The answer this time: homeschool.


I work. My husband works even more. Because of the progress my two spectrum kids have made, and through the grace of God, we can afford to hire a tutor. Her name is Carlye and she is wonderful. But what is even more wonderful is that I have a happy boy who is burgeoning with confidence and it has only been a week! He has put together two office chairs, learned to speak a little Spanish, and doesn't have anyone to make him feel stupid! Imagine that! He socializes more freely with his peers, does chores without nagging and smiles a whole lot. But to sum up how very right this is for E., his oldest brother Isaac tells me nearly every day, "I can't get over how happy E. is! He's like a different person! I can't remember the last time he was this happy!". But you know what is sad? I can.

He was two... Two! The age when we had to focus on what was wrong with him to help him get better. A necessary evil with the potential to destroy any person's confidence. Keeping him with his normally developing peers would have continued to reinforce that confidence drain. And I'm so happy to be able to now enjoy E. learning without a critical audience or discouraging social interactions! I'm so glad I have my happy boy back!