Jun

27

When a parent feels guilt

Posted by preciouschild

June 27, 2009 | 5 Comments

I’m sure that most parents of kids with special needs can identify with this - that feeling of guilty, or responsibility for the problems your child has.
I am no different. I have tendencies that are somewhat obsessive and compulsive but I wouldn’t exactly say I’m OCD. I do have attention deficit issues of my own. [...]

May

25

How does a parent dealing with special needs take a break?

Posted by preciouschild

May 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Often caring for a child with special needs is a 24/7 job and most parents don’t get a break, a day off or even a quiet moment for themselves.
So what ways do you get a break, or find a moment of peace in the midst of chaos?
Because my son’s special needs don’t require constant vigilance, [...]

May

14

Helping your special needs child through a natural disaster

Posted by preciouschild

May 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Last Friday our region (Southern Illinois) was hit with severe weather. It has been referred to as an “inland hurricane” which brought wind gusts of over 106 miles per hour.
It was a devastating event for my neck of the woods and it left us without electricity for five days, my husband was off work for [...]

Oct

2

Ways and Means

Posted by preciouschild

October 2, 2008 | 1 Comment

Is there any treatment?

The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder:  poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.  There is no single best treatment package for all children with AS, but most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better. 
An effective treatment program [...]

Sep

24

Let Mother Nature Sooth the Spirit

Posted by preciouschild

September 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment

There is a rather new term coined to describe kids’ behaviors gone awry due to lack of exposure to the outdoors, Nature-Deficit Disorder. The gist of the phenomenon is that “the child in nature is an edangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseperable.” (Richard Louv) Last Child [...]

Sep

22

Top 10

Posted by preciouschild

September 22, 2008 | 1 Comment

Last week I shared nine strategies to de-stress your kids. Today I close it up with number 10. I’ve decided to continue the talk on anxiety and stress this week. Here’s #10:
Devise a less stressful school schedule (I know, hard for us to hear):
Despite the pressure to go all at his competitive Palo Alto, California, [...]

Sep

20

3 Additional Ways to De-Stress Kids

Posted by preciouschild

September 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

#7 Protect Sleep
Experts recommend nine hours of sleep a night for teens, but high school seniors average under seven. Work with your child to limit late-night studying, try to enforce an earlier bedtime, and sneak in some restorative daytime sleep.
#8 Take the bite out of tests
Teach teens some instant calm-downs to use before tests, like [...]

Sep

19

3 More Ways to De-Stress Kids

Posted by preciouschild

September 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment

#4 Brainstorm mini vacations
Ask your child, “If you had just 10 spare minutes of a day, what would you do to really relax?” Post a list of ideas such as petting the dog, e-mailing a friend, or rereading Harry Potter. When sh’e had a high-stress day at school, encourage her to take a 10-minute vacation [...]

Sep

18

3 Ways to De-stress Kids

Posted by preciouschild

September 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment

1. Allow Downtime
As much as it may pain you to see your child lying on her bed like a slug, let her - time to unwind after school protcts mental health. “For teenagers, downtime is productive because they’re thinking about their day, figuring things out,” says Roni Cohen Sandler, Ph.D., author of Stressed-Out Girls: Helping [...]

Aug

29

Friday Share

Posted by preciouschild

August 29, 2008 | 2 Comments

Farrell’s Son Has Special Needs
Irish actor Colin Farrell has spoken for the first time about the difficulties he faces raising a son with special needs. The heartthrob says his 4-year-old son James suffers from a rare form of cerebral palsy known as Angelman Syndrome, which affects his speech and motor skills. But the star is [...]

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