As parents of children with special needs, it’s no great secret that our boys and girls will encounter a lot of adversity in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, this also includes bullying in a variety of forms. In the past, bullying was limited to school playgrounds or hallways. Today, however, bullying has been given a digital upgrade and can now find a child anywhere, anytime, and even from the safety of their own homes. It’s easy to say that this won’t happen to our children, but we must consider the facts that research shows 87 percent of all kids have encountered cyber-bullying!
Continue Reading...Benefits of Coloring for Kids, Teens, and Adults
What are the benefits of coloring for kids, teens, and adults? Coloring books have been around for ages but when my own children were young we started hearing that coloring someone else’s designs was not creative enough. Parents and teachers were advised to let the children draw their own pictures and then hopefully color them.
Continue Reading...Benefits of Sensory Toys for Kids with Special Needs
What are the benefits of sensory toys? This is a question we get on our SentioLife Solutions Facebook page and our KidCompanions Facebook page. We often receive messages from distraught parents asking for solutions for their child who has challenging behaviors. Like it is often said, “Behavior is a form of COMMUNICATION”; therefore, it is best to search for the root of the problem.
This means parents, teachers, and therapists have to figure out what is causing their child/student with autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, Down syndrome, etc. to act a certain way. Knowing what triggers their child’s behavior makes it possible to find a strategy to help help them. The answer may be as simple as providing sensory toys or a chewy fidget.
Continue Reading...Pierrette d’Entremont Talks About Her Sensory Tools with Radio Canada
Pierrette designed her sensory tools thinking of her own child with sensory issues. Now KidCompanions Chewelry is sold worldwide to kids with autism, sensory processing disorders, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, etc. The interview, “Pierrette d’Entremont Talks About Her Sensory Tools with Radio Canada” has the English Translation below. Pierrette d’Entremont-Crimmins, owner of KidCompanions talks about Chewelry and the growth of her company, SentioLife Solutions, Ltd. on Canadian News channel Radio Canada.
Continue Reading...Sensory and Focus Issues: Help Whining, Wiggly Kids
Think your child has sensory and focus issues? Parents are always told that behavior is a form of communication. If parents can figure out what is causing their child to be constantly On-the-GO or to constantly be chewing, biting, mouthing toys, clothing, hair, hands or fingers, etc., then they can help them. If parents cannot help
Continue Reading...Academic Accommodations for Mental Health Problems: Know Your Rights
This post about academic accommodations was first published in May 26, 2010. Today, March 2016 we have updated the content and the links to help parents and young adults with mental health issues or other special needs to know their right to academic accommodations while pursuing courses in community colleges, university, and any other post-secondary education.
Parents of 5 year old children going off to primary school, think it is difficult to see their little one leave the nest. Seeing an older teen with mental health problems going off to university can make parents sick with worry. For all of you who are about to face the same situation, read on to find out the kind of academic accommodations university students with mental illnesses are entitled to as are students with many other disabilities or challenging needs.
Continue Reading...Friendship Circle’s 2015 Great Bike Giveaway for Kids with Special Needs
Do you remember the freedom you felt, the confidence you gained, the pride you had when you received your first bike? The Great Bike Giveaway will help give children with special needs the same feeling you had when that shiny new bike arrived at your home.
Neutralizing Negative Messaging about Children with Autism by Lorrie Servati
The team at SentioLife Solutions, Ltd. thanks Lorrie Servati for her post, “Neutralizing Negative Messaging about Children with Autism”. It fits perfectly with our other posts of October about bullying and cyberbullying as this is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Children with Autism as well as other children with special needs are too often victims of bullying by their peers. Parents, other caregivers, and school staff have to be vigilant year round to protect the most vulnerable students who are taunted by others and they must act immediately to put a stop to this bullying.
Continue Reading...Special Education Etiquette by Authors of Parents Have The Power To Make Special Education Work
This post on Special Education Etiquette was written by Judith Canty Graves and Carson Graves who spent fifteen years in special education with their son and now they are trying to help other parents avoid the problems they encountered. These problems include evaluations that are vague and don’t convey useful information, IEP goals that aren’t measurable, conflicts of interest for school employees and even outside professionals, and graduation standards designed to push special education students out of the system before they receive an appropriate education.
Continue Reading...Tourette Syndrome and School: Your Child, His Tics and How To Tell his Classmates
What is Tourette syndrome? If your child has Tourette syndrome you will probably be asked that question many times or, without being asked, you will need to explain about Tourette to justify your child’s behavior if vocal and/or motor tics bring unwanted attention to your child. Today’s post has tips how to explain Tourette syndrome to your child’s classmates and the importance of being proactive in telling all staff members at your child’s school.
Continue Reading...Mental Illness and Mental Health in Children and Youth
Unfortunately the term “A Happy Childhood” does not apply to all children and youth. It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or mental disorder, as it is also referred to. Mental disorders are the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide. Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are the second highest hospital care expense in Canada.
Continue Reading...KidCompanions Chewelry and SentioCHEWS: SAFE Chewables for Those Who Bite and Chew
Are toys, clothes, bedding, books, and even furniture covered with little teeth marks and, worst yet, soaked and ruined from being chewed by a child who MUST chew or bite? Pierrette d’Entremont, owner and designer at SentioLife Solutions, Ltd., has just the safe chewables for those who bite and chew. Their popular chew necklaces KidCompanions Chewelry and the SentioCHEWS, on the market since November of 2013, help those with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), autism (ASD), Tourette syndrome (TS), Down Syndrome (DS), and all individuals who need oral stimulation.
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