So, what do I provide him?

1. One fresh fruit, either a peeled pear or apple (he has a salicylate intolerance and can not tolerate the peels although they provide the most fiber).

2. One Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. Because AJ has a very special diet the peanut butter is all natural, the jelly is organic, and the bread is Namaste No Sugar Waffle Mix (no wheat, corn, yeast, milk, lactose, sugar).

3. A small bag of peanuts.

4. Small bag of chips (Veggie Booty, Tings, Mary’s Gone Crackers, or Rice Crackers).

5. Silk Soy Yogurt (Vanilla) or Life Way’s ProBugs Kefir.

6. Nature’s Path Crispy Bar or Fruitabu Fruit Snack

7. Water

8. Organic applesauce or ZenSoy Pudding

Note that his lunch has protein, fruit, milk, water, grains, probiotics, etc. And, most of his lunch is healthy and organic. I do provide him with something sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, and soft because of his sensory difficulties. So, if he is having a hard sensory day he does have an option.

I also offer him variety with carrots, cucumbers, a gluten/casein free chocolate chip cookie, leftovers, etc. He has many food allergies and intolerances so packing lunches can be difficult for him. We do the very best we can.

What do you pack?

Post from: Blisstree

What School Lunches SHOULD Have

Unfortunately, that has not been our case.

He has, for the best part, worked himself out of his Post Traumatic Stress and his Institutional Autism but he still struggles every day with SPD, auditory, visual, and communication disorders, many of these things that could have been addressed when he was two.

We tried to get AJ services, and we did get him private OT and speech for about a year but our funding ran out and our insurance refused to pay anymore. But, what is Early Intervention supposed to do for your child and your family?

Early Intervention is supposed to apply to children 0-3 who are at risk of having a handicap (or have one) or who have a developmental delay. The purpose is to aid families in lessening the effects of the disabilities and handicaps, as they can and often times can be devastating.

According to Kidsource, “Early intervention may focus on the child alone or on the child and the family together. Early intervention programs may be center-based, home-based, hospital-based, or a combination. Services range from identification–that is, hospital or school screening and referral services–to diagnostic and direct intervention programs. Early intervention may begin at any time between birth and school age; however, there are many reasons for it to begin as early as possible”.

Additionally, under IDEA, early intervention services are to be available to all infants and toddlers with disabilities 0-2 no matter their financial status, despite what Michigan told us. But, unfortunately, services can’t be the same in all places because funding is alloted per county and counties are all different. Because we lived in a depressed county we suffered. Now that we live in a much better county we get much better services…but AJ is way past the 0-3 age group and now Early Childhood picks up.

The term “infants and toddlers with disabilities” in the law refers to children (ages birth through 2 years) who need early intervention services in any of the following areas:

* Physical,
* Cognitive,
* Communication,
* Social or emotional, and/or
* Adaptive development.

Post from: Blisstree

What does early intervention do?

Cortisol, the stress hormone, rises throughout the day in preschool children who have large classrooms, clung to the teacher, had encounters with the teacher, or did not like the teacher.

Unfortunately, high Cortisol levels affect the immune system and can raise blood pressure and the heart rate.

It has also been said that children in institutional settings at a very young age (orphanages) have high cortisol levels. These children tend to have more emotional and behavioral disorders, including problems in self regulation, peer relationships, sleep regulation, and academic achievement.

Could this all be related to stress? You bet!

When stress in these children in decreased (using methods like massage therapy, decreasing sensory overload and social input), these children greatly improve.

Post from: Blisstree

Stress in Preschool? You Bet!

image: morguefile

Post from: Blisstree

Wordless Wednesday: Back to the jungle

The b5media Health and Wellness have been on our toes too, prepping up for the new school year. And so we offer tips, ideas, experience and anecdotes on the road to a new school year.

Mary Emma Allen, at Alzheimer’s Notes, reminisces about lunch boxes and one-room school days, something that might entertain an Alzheimer’s patient, too.

Karen of Pink Ribbon Review has tips on how cancer survivors can get their ducks in a row. Consider your treatments and other to-do when planning for the new school year.

Scott at Men and Health write a lead in to help teenage boys navigate through puberty, and muscle building the healthy way.

Ruth at Eating Fabulous offers healthy breakfast ideas, in observance of Better Breakfast Month. I second-the-motion on this with more 10-minute healthy breakfast recipes.

Angela of Breastfeeding 1-2-3 says, “Nursing in public with a newborn? Can it be done? Angela braves the first PTA meeting of the school year.” You go, girl!

Kendra of Diabetes notes recounts how going back to school can be very stressful. Now add to the equation the fact that your little one has juvenile diabetes Well the situation just went from stressful to down right scary- are you and your little one prepared?

Kendra of A Hearty Life asks, “Do you think that school lunches are healthy? They have changes over the years, but for the better? Take my poll…

Alicia of Mental Health Notes shares 5 tips to keep your child’s mind healthy this school year, especially important with all the pressures and stress that children face from school.

Susan of Grounded Fitness shares the benefits of yoga for children, as an exercise program and managing anxiety and stress.

Liberty of Healthbolt takes on the hype of antibacterial soaps.

Finally, Grace of Kids Health Notes (moi!) has a poll: How active are your children after school? 

There are more posts coming, so I’ll bump this up as our channel heads “back to school” today.

image used with permission by Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

‘Health and Wellness’ back-to-school survival guide

Talk to your college-age kids about alcohol abuse.

It doesn’t help that some legislators and university heads want to lower the drinking age to 18 years of age, which is a stupid approach to this epidemic. But the statistics related to alcohol abuse in college are so high that our teenagers need to understand the consequences of drinking without control or knowledge.

There are three areas that parents can contribute in the decision making involving your college-bound son or daughter:

1. Parents of a High School Student—Choosing the Right College. Excessive alcohol use is more likely to occur in colleges where Greek systems dominate (i.e., fraternities, sororities), where athletic teams are prominent, and those located in the Northeast.
2. Parents of a College Freshman—Staying Involved. The first 6 weeks is crucial because students still have a great deal of free time.
3. Parents of a College Student Facing an Alcohol-Related Crisis—Getting Assistance. Be aware of signs of possible alcohol abuse by your son or daughter.

Details of what parents need to know about college drinking are found in this PDF. For more information, visit http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov.

Post from: Blisstree

The one topic to discuss with college-bound teens

From the AAP, here are some tips on making the  first day easier on our children:

• Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
• Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her memory about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
• Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus.
• If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.

Also print out this article that is addressed to children. It’s a short primer on going back to school by Dr. Mary Gavin of Kids Health.

Post from: Blisstree

A stress-free back to school

So here is a checklist for the first day of school:

• Is your child registered? When is the first day of school? What time does school start? 
• What time is lunch? Can your child buy it at school, and how much will it cost? Will she need a snack? 
• Have you filled out all the health forms or emergency contact forms that have been sent home? 
• Have any new health problems developed in your child over the summer that will affect her school day? Does the school nurse know about this condition, or is an appointment set up to discuss it? 
• If your child needs to take medication at school on the first day, have arrangements been made for this? 
• Does your youngster know where she is going after school (e.g., home, babysitter)? Does she know how she will get there? If you will not be there when she arrives, does she know who will be responsible for her, what the rules are, and how to get help in an emergency?

Best of all, tell your child and yourself to enjoy this new experience. And don’t forget the camera for taking pictures of that first bus ride!

source: AAP

Post from: Blisstree

Is your child ready for school?

Researchers report that college students were more alert if they massaged or tapped areas on the back of the neck, the hands and legs — areas that acupuncturists believe can stimulate the release of endorphins.

Lightly pinching the tip of the earlobe is still another stimulation technique that students can use to reduce mental fatigue and keep them awake.

Now I am a testimonial to this technique. My mom has been doing these to all her children and I tell you they really help. Tapping the head or running the fingers or the blunt end of a pen along the top of the head relieves a headache. Putting pressure on the flesh between and digits of the fingers (on hands and feet), as well as pinching the tip of the fingers near the nails are sure ways to release tension on the sinuses and face. Just recently, my mom massaged my whole body along pressure points when I got really sick with severe sinus congestion and fever and I felt better almost instantly.

So try it yourself and on your student. If anything else, it’s a great way to bond with your child.

Post from: Blisstree

Accupressure helps students stay awake

Most students I know have been drinking lots of coffee and energy drinks with their late night studying. But a growing number of students – 50 to 35 per cent college / 8 to 10 per cent high school students – are using stimulants like ADHD drugs to keep up with the stress, particularly during exam time. What’s more alarming from these findings is that 25 percent of high school and grade school students are approached by friends to use their medication.

Specialists at the University of Michigan Health System warn that misuse of stimulants can lead to depression, irritability, stomachaches and headaches. Serious abuse of these drugs can lead to very dangerous side effects, including hypertension and stroke. Too much caffeine from coffee or energy drinks can cause harm too – jitters, anxiety, increased heart rate, high blood pressure or even hyperthermia and stoke.

What can students do to cope with academic pressure? Don’t cram. Now of course that’s easier said than done. How can parents help? Teach children what to say if they are being offered medication by their friends. Ask children how they are especially as exam time approaches. Talking may help to relieve the tension they’re feeling, and give a parent clues to signs of depression or stimulant abuse. Other than doing their homework for them, parents can do a lot to help – research in the library or gather materials for projects, practice with them, establish an study-for-exams schedules in the weekends, make their favorite comfort food, go out and breathe an hour of fresh air and sunshine, or massage their backs.

Post from: Blisstree

More students misusing stimulants during stress