One successful Tweetchat for The Coffee Klatch I had was with Julie Clark, author of Asperger’s in PINK: Pearls of Wisdom from inside the Bubble of Raising a Child with Asperger’s . Julie Clark’s book is a must read for all whose paths intertwine with a child who has Asperger’s sydrome. True, she wrote it based on the experience she had raising their daughter, Kristina, who has Asperger’s and sensory issues but there is a lot in this book for teachers, parents, grandparents, and all who work with or are raising children who have various special needs. Today you will learn more about Julie Clark, who is author, artist, advocate and mom. She will give us advice on teens with special needs transitioning to high school.
Continue Reading...How To Diversify a Diet When A Child Has a Significantly Limited Food Repertoire by Lindsey Biel, OTR/L
How to introduce new foods to a child who is a picky eater? The article, “How To Diversify a Diet When A Child Has a Significantly Limited Food Repertoire” appeared in the March-April 2011 issue of the Autism and Asperger’s Digest under the column Sensory Smarts: Happy Mouths, Happy Meals by Lindsey Biel, OTR/L. It is reprinted with permission of publisher. Please note that we added the photos and added the words KidCompanions Chewelry in this article.
Continue Reading...Meet Dr. Duncan McKinlay, the Psychologist with Tourette Syndrome
I must introduce you to a remarkable person who can be the answer to your prayers if you know, love or work with a person who has Tourette syndrome. For our Author Interview Series, I was honored to interview a renowned fellow Canadian, Dr. Duncan McKinlay. He is the author of Nix Your Tics! Eliminate Unwanted Tic Symptoms A How-To Guide for Young People. Duncan McKinlay is the psychologist with Tourette syndrome himself who has become the perfect mentor for all families coping with Tourette.
Continue Reading...Juvenile Bipolar Disorder: Often Misdiagnosed or Overlooked
When bipolar disorder is finally diagnosed in an individual, parents will most often confess that since early childhood, as young as 5 or 6 years of age, they KNEW something was not just right. They explain how their child has had a very difficult time to settle for the night, had extreme difficulty sleeping through the night, experienced severe separation anxiety and had always had lots of challenging issues. The visits to their professional support had probably been in vain as all the above complaints could be attributed to many causes; therefore, Juvenile Bipolar Disorder is often misdiagnosed or overlooked. Pediatric bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnosed because many of the symptoms are similar to those of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorders — or even just normal, childhood behavior.
Continue Reading...Bipolar Disorder: Mental Illness Hurts Horribly But You Just Cannot See IT
These are the exact words used by my friend with bipolar disorder,”Mental Illness Hurts Horribly But You Just Cannot See IT!” Today I will share my conversation with this 50 year old woman who has struggled all her life with bipolar disorder and co-existing issues. This is her very sad, troubling story and the worst part is that all these fears and emotions which started as a young child are still crippling her 50th year of life! But first, what is bipolar disorder?
Continue Reading...Ten Tips for Successful Celebrations for Kids with Autism: Birthdays, Holidays, Family Reunions…
Holidays and family celebrations are a stress for many families for both parents and children. If you have a child with special needs these celebrations become a dreaded event that most parents would like to cross off their schedules or learn to celebrate differently. Most families like to keep ties with other family members and friends and this is usually done during family gatherings during the holidays or during family celebrations. What can parents do to help kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) be able to enjoy these family reunions and parties and in turn make it a successful celebration for all? How can you help your child with autism develop the social skills needed to interact with others at these social gatherings?
Continue Reading...KidCompanions Chewelry & SentioCHEWS: SAFE, Sensory Chew Necklaces and Clip-on Fidgets
Pierrette and Lorna d’Entremont are co-owners of SentioLife Solutions, Ltd., the makers of two sensory tool lines “KidCompanions Chewelry” and Tougher-than-Silicone SentioCHEWS. Our goal is to help special kids be themselves and thrive. Our sensory chew necklaces and our clip-on fidgets give parents peace of mind and support their children who MUST bite, chew or fidget.
Our chew pendants are SAFE! They are BPA, lead, latex, pcv, and phthalate free and serve as chew necklaces and as handy fidgets! These age-appropriate, oral-motor tools are sold online and in retail stores as well as in educational and special needs catalogues around the world.
Continue Reading...Siblings of Children with Autism or Special Needs
On one of the Coffee Klatch Tweetchats I moderated, my guests were Bobbi Sheahan and Dr. Kathy DeOrnellas, authors of What I Wish I’d Known About Raising a Child with Autism. Our topic was: Siblings of Children with Autism or Special Needs and what a lively discussion we had! Let me share our tweets with you. Remember the Twitter restriction of 140 characters. Twitter might not make it eloquent English but the ideas and advice are first rate. Let me tell you a bit about these remarkable ladies.
Continue Reading...Kids, Tweens and Teens with ADHD Focus Better when Allowed to Use Chewelry or Fidgets
(This article has been updated 22 Sep, 2018)
Excessive chewing or fidgeting is sometimes an indication that your child with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) needs to MOVE! Moreover, some youngsters with ADHD will chew or bite on anything within their reach, because chewing IS movement. For hygiene, safety and even economical reasons, we are seeing that safer alternatives to commonly chewed items like pen tops, pencils, shirt sleeves and collars, cords, etc. should be provided to satisfy this overwhelming need to chew, bite or/and fidget.
Continue Reading...Raising a Confident, Capable, Contented Child Starts Early in Life
Molding of a child’s self worth, raising a confident child, starts in his formative years where the parents are the major role players. The parent’s positive reinforcements will determine how a child feels about himself and the others around him. Parents and other caregivers have an important role to play in raising a confident child who will know he can do things by himself and for himself to meet his needs. Lin Buress in her article entitled Improving Self-Esteem in Kids says: “The overall happiness and success of children primarily depends on parents building self-confidence in their children, as having high self-esteem will have tremendous impact on a child’s success and independence as adults.”
Continue Reading...Spring Break Activities For Kids Without Breaking the Bank
Teachers and kids are looking forward to it but many parents hate when it rolls around…Yes, it’s Spring Break time again. How can families remove some of the STRESS of Spring Breaks? Many working parents must take time off to care for their children and they want this free week from school and work to be a happy, family event. How to plan Spring Break activities for kids without breaking the bank? Should you be looking for educational, scheduled, paid for activities or just enjoy free from routine, spur of the moment, fun things to do?
Continue Reading...KidCompanions Chewelry Designed by a Mom Who Knows About Special Needs
WHO is behind KidCompanions Chewelry? Pierrette d’Entremont, a mom who breast fed her three children, felt there was a need on the market for a safe item to occupy the exploring hands of a baby being fed or held. Pierrette developed a two-part pendant and a custom breakaway clasp which she called HeartString Baby’s Companions . This process took a while. Then this handy chewy or fidget toy for infants and toddlers evolved into a sensory oral-motor tool for individuals with special needs. Here is the KidCompanions Chewelry story!
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