Horizons Developmental Resource Center
Evaluation and Treatment of Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Sensory Processing Disorder, Behavior Disorders
As I was wandering around the Minneapolis airport recently, I found a store with a variety of posters, cards, and wall hangings with quotes and sayings on them. As I perused the options, I found one that I had to purchase and bring back to the office. Here is the quote:
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. (Author unknown)
The sun is beginning to shine, and the fresh smells of spring are upon us. This time of year is always a favorite of mine, whether I am working with clients or walking through the park with my sons. One thing is for sure, this time of year is always busy in school systems. Special educators, parents, and support staff alike generally meet together for an annual Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the coming school year. For those of you who are unfamiliar with them, IEPs are usually completed in the spring for students receiving special education services. When preparing for IEPs, it is essential for parents and educators alike to think about the conclusion of the current school year and the beginning of the next, and how they will support the child during this time.
I’ve been thinking about dysregulation and developmental “growth spurts” lately, as my 9-month old daughter has had a weeklong stretch of frustrating behavior. Normally she is a very easy baby; content to hang out with us and do whatever. She generally likes to be held, likes to play with toys on the floor, sleeps through the night, etc. Two weeks ago she learned to crawl —that funny army crawl where babies kind of use their elbow and knee to propel themselves forward as they move across the floor (OT’s in the audience-yes I know the importance of doing a cross-crawl but for now she is doing it this way!). She wants to get everywhere and she is FAST! There is now a lot of time spent telling her “no you can’t go there,” and picking her up to move her back to a space where she can be. She has also started to wake up quite a bit in the night; crying out and banging on her crib rails. I’ll go into her room to see her trying to pull herself up in the bed. Then she gets mad when she falls down onto the mattress. During the day she seems to be is frustrated and upset about everything! She doesn’t want to be on the floor unless she is allowed to crawl wherever she wants to. She doesn’t want to be in her jumper or her exersaucer; but she doesn’t really want to be held either. Basically she just wants to be on the go and exploring her newfound mobility, and if she can’t then she is MAD!
I’m not sure if you can answer this question for me or not, but it’s something that has been on my mind as my son is getting older. He is going to turn 16 years old in November and my husband and I are unsure what we may need to do as far as guardianship for him in the future. We know some families who have gotten guardianship for their adult children with disabilities, but I’ve also heard from some people who say there are better alternatives. Do you have any information or suggestions of where we can get information or options we should consider?
Thank you,
Sherry in Traverse City, MI
If anybody says that parenting is easy, they must not have kids! As a parent of three wonderful children, I have found that each one needs to be parented differently. One child needs to be held often, one needs opportunities to talk, and the other thrives on quality time. One is strong willed, another is a people pleaser, and the other is just busy! I’ve read many books, listened to several books on tape, and watched my fair share of DVD’s about different approaches to parenting; but a few things consistently resurface as important strategies when raising responsible and respectable children. These strategies work, because they’re not about the children, they’re about you – the parent. The first thing to do is write down the areas that you want to work on with your child. Speaking disrespectfully, hitting, potty training, walking off while you are talking, and homework issues are just a few of the problem areas you may be facing. Pick one thing to work on at a time, so as not to overwhelm yourself. I’ll use resistance to come in from outside as an example for this article. Once you’ve picked your battle, put your boxing gloves on and follow the guidelines below.
Question:My daughter just wants to touch people all the time. It’s frustrating and at times can be very embarrassing. She’ll even walk up to strangers. What can we do to stop this? If we tell her “No!” she gets a funny little smile on her face and then sometimes does it again! Help!
~ Linda from Ann Arbor
Singing songs, taking a walk, sharing a snack, holding hands, reading a bedtime story – these are the simple things in life. My daughter is really into music, and we spend many hours every day either listening to music, making music, or singing songs. It doesn’t matter to her that her momma can’t carry a tune. As long as I’m signing one of her favorite songs, life is good. One of her other favorite activities is walking around our yard saying, hi and bye to the trees. Sometimes she just wants to walk, and at others she wants to ride in the wagon as we visit each tree. At eighteen months old, she is developing quite the personality and independent mind; but she helps me to remember the simple things.
School-related decisions seem to be an ever-present issue for all families, but especially for families with a child with unique learning needs. Here are some tips I find myself frequently providing parents in regards to their child’s education:
Winter can start to feel long by this point in the season, especially for those of us living in cold climates! The holidays are long gone, early mornings and routines are back in full swing, and our bodies are likely digesting more fat and sugar than normal. The sun seems rarely to shine, at least here in Michigan; and exercise is hard to come by with snowy, blistery days. Let’s just face it; winter can be a tough season leaving many people in a slump, depressed, and finding that motivation takes effort. This can especially be the case when parenting children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Below are a few helpful tools for beating the wintertime blues – and feeling good while doing it.
It was one of those perfect days. The sun was out, the temperature was just right, around 70 degrees. The pressures of life were minimal for a few hours, but a wonderful few hours they were. I walked outside to join my daughters while they played. I planted some flowers, pulled some weeds, and freshened up the look of my front yard landscaping. Once I finished, one of the girls suggested that we go for a bike ride. The males of the family were taking a nice Sunday afternoon nap, so I thought “Sure!” – and off we went with the girls’ “American Girl Dolls” in the baby seat behind me. We rode around and ended up at a nearby park. The girls and their dolls enjoyed a little time at the park and then we journeyed home. When we arrived back, the boys were awake, so we started a riveting game of family kick ball. This to me was a perfect afternoon. I felt refreshed and reenergized as I faced a new week.
