Allergies and Special Needs: A Key to Making a Difference

January 28, 20131 Comment

Allergies can play all sorts of rolls in children with special needs. We commonly hear about autism and the roll food allergies can play. From being ‘the cure’ to minimizing some of the issues, it can help children succeed. This video for Real Look Autism.com shows us how therapists and parents are helping a six-year old boy, with severe food allergies, learn to eat safely.

Allergies can come in all shapes and sizes however. It maybe food but it also may be environmental or seasonal allergies that set off a string of issues in a child or adult. I personally have lots of allergies from fragrances to dyes to preservatives, and even when I am not having a super bad allergic reaction if I do something as simply use normal soap, I can become super itchy and as a result super distracted. If you add a disability to this, their problems to be compounded. It can also be exhausting to try and overcome these allergies while dealing with other health issues.

I found an interesting article that stated:

“People with autism are more susceptible to allergies and food sensitivities than the average person; and this is likely due to their impaired immune system.Food sensitivities are considered to be allergies due to the fact that in autism, one’s immune system is overly reactive to these substances. The most common food products to which this sensitivity develops are grains (e.g., wheat, rye, oats) and dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese, whey).”

I have also heard a great developmental pediatrician talk about a child that was misdiagnosed. He was really allergic to a chemical used in the cleaning supplies at his school and as a result showed problems that gave the illusion to an emotional disability.

If you suspect you or your child have such an allergy, get tested. You can also try omitting certain things from your diet or body for ten days and see if you notice a difference.

Behavior and Cognitive Interventions: Finding the Best Solution

January 25, 2013Leave a comment

Behavior and Cognitive interventions can help children succeed when they have been having difficulty. The following are activities, strategies, and methods for teaching appropriate behavior and cognitive skills to children with Emotional Behavior Disorders. Although these tools are primarily for those with Emotional Behavior Disorders, they can be applied to all children learning these skills.

Behavior Interventions

Behavior interventions can be necessary for children who act out in class or home and have difficulty following along. These children may need extra guidelines and assistance to stay attentive in class or at home with appropriate behaviors. They also may assistance in forming a positive self-value and learn new coping skill. In order to help them:

Set up minimal, concise, and clear rules
Get on the same page as parents, therapists, and other professionals
Reinforce positive behaviors
Stay patient and remain objective
Establish routines so that children know what to expect
Allow times for children to practice their responsibility
Concisely identify the behavior that needs to be changed

Cognitive Interventions

Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders are often challenged throughout school in a variety of academic skills and as a result may need some cognitive interventions. These interventions can help to challenge them and encourage them to become successful in the classroom. Cognitive interventions can also apply to helping children’s mental health. The following ideas are strategies that can be used to encourage cognitive development:

Direct families to seek professional psychological help if necessary.
Keep children challenged and push them without being scared of their outburst and/or other reactions
Set up appropriate academic goals, which challenge the child’s academic skills and cognitive development
Assess the child to see where they currently are psychological and developmentally
Set up a plan to help children cope independently as well as facilitated
Have children as part of the IEP team to set up goals, which can focus on academic and psychological health

Child Development Milestones: the First Five Years

January 12, 2013January 12, 20132 Comments

Here’s a great graphic about child development milestone. It shows why the first couple years are so crucial and what to look for so that you know your child is on the right track. If there seems to be any discrepancies between your child and the typical listed. Talk to a doctor. A developmental pediatrician is specifically geared toward helping your child meet their child development milestones.

With the above in mind:

Read to your kids, talk to your kids, try to find a place where your children can enrich their education. So much happens in the early years of a child’s development. Create an educated child who gets the most out of their 3 year old 90-95% developed brain. This part of their child development will have a lasting lifelong impact.

Child Development: the First Year

Your child has much to accomplish in the first year from learning to move to learning to walk. They are connecting the outside world to themselves. They are learning to manipulate objects and get their needs met. If at any time you feel your child is not meeting these goals, please talk to your doctor. Early intervention is key.

Child Development: Ages 1 to 5

Although it is true that children develop at their own pace, it is also true that they may need encouragement in order to reach their developmental milestones. Each child has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some children are naturally social, others talk with ease, while plenty climb and use great gross motor strength. While acknowledging a child’s strengths are important. It is also important to look and make sure they are not falling far behind in another area. It is also important to notice if a child truly reaches all that is within a specific subset. For example, a child might be able to reach certain goal, like saying ‘x’ number of words but are they also able to follow directions. Language has both an expressive and comprehensive component, so make sure you are taking into account the whole child.

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Intellectual Disability an Introduction

January 7, 2013March 27, 20182 Comments

Terminology of Intellectual Disability

In 1955, AAMR published its first manual on the definitions and classifications of mental retardation also known as an intellectual disability. It gave a standard deviation of only one below the mean or approximately a score of 85 on an IQ test. This new definition presented many board line cases, which were now being educated in special classes.

There are other changes that have also occurred throughout the history of mental retardation. In the past, these individuals have been labeled feeble minded, morons, educable retarded, trainable retarded, mentally deficient, idiots, cretin, high level, and/or low level. Today they are more often referred to as having mild, moderate, or severe retardation or as an individual with an intellectual disability with needing intermittent, pervasive, extensive, or limited supports.

These labels are often created out of political propaganda and still may not soothe all the individuals affected by the label. Labels also can construct how an individual is perceived. This can limit others expectations on the individual and prohibit others from seeing the person as an equal. Labels can also lead to name calling and psychological scaring.

It is important for teachers and others working with those diagnosed as Mentally Retarded not to overlook the individual. The child’s goals and curriculum should not be geared toward this diagnosis, but rather to the individual’s next steps and needs. It is also important to break social barriers early by helping educate other about what it truly means to have mentally retardation.

People do make the choices to come up with laws, definitions, and terminology. There is undoubtedly no way to make everyone happy, but it is important to try our hardest to ease the problems associated with each of these subjects labeled with n intellectual disability.

A Child With Needs

Early child development from a mom and professional.

Month: January 2013