FIRST THINGS FIRST!

This post is intended to familiarize parents of special needs children with certain lifestyle changes.

Snacks--Cut down all foods with high sugar and artificial flavorings such as baked goods, packed chips, chocolates etc. These foods are not only calorie dense, but also contain sugar, refined maida, food colors, preservatives, and additives; all of which aggravate hyperactive behavior and attention deficits. Encourage your child to eat whole fruit rather than juices, since the latter contains higher sugar minus the fiber. I agree that it is a challenge to with hold these items from a child in this modern world. Hence you can use these foods sparingly in the form of rewards for your child.

GFCF diet--has remained controversial over a long time. In my experience, I have seen some children who have benefitted from it, while many others have not been affected by the change to GFCF diet. Therefore, I hold a neutral opinion about it. A lot can be discussed about the GFCF diet, however this blog is not the place to do so. Any comments from parents are welcome, and I will answer them.

Slow down--I see parents being over enthusiastic and verbally commanding the child to complete a puzzle or color faster and faster. I request such parents to SLOW DOWN. Providing encouragement with slow but firm voice is fine. However, encouraging them to perform faster does not help; it rather works against learning any skill. Imagine yourself just learning to type words and someone rushing you to type with correct spellings.....I am sure you would be overwhelmed until you completely shut  down. This is what happens to young children if you demand speed when they are learning. FAST we perform when we have already learned the skill. Slowness during learning helps the child engage in the activity and build connections in the brain. Moreover, the unnecessary demand for speed also affects the child's behavior, and magnifies its hyperactivity. The child needs to be calmed down by appropriate voice modulation, slow movements, engagement, and ultimately learning.

Learning--Many parents inform me that the child knows body parts, alphabet, numbers, and so on. I agree that it is important for the child to learn this information. However, as a clinician, I am more concerned with how is the child using that information while interacting with his environment. Remember, knowing can occur through rote learning. But in SI therapy, activities are intended so as to receive active input through various segments of the body, thus encouraging optimal sensory processing.

Also, provide your child some opportunities to learn basic activities of daily living or ADL in therapeutic language. Rather than doing everything for the child such as putting clothes/shoes on, feeding, cleaning, putting away toys etc.....involve the child in these activities and let him/her do it with help from you. It will definitely take your time and effort, but the child will learn a lot in the process. Once the child is partially independent in these tasks, you will realize the reward for your effort! 

Equipment--A sensory gym can be created in a corner of your home with suggestions from the therapist. However, home activities cannot replace quality therapy provided by a clinician who observes, analyses, reasons, and then makes a clinical decision about gradual progression of activities. Moreover, buying certain equipment can prove to be unsafe for a young child. For example, the therapy ball and the scooter board are dangerous to keep around children who have poor safety awareness or no fear of falling.

Handheld devices--these have become indispensable in the current times and their value cannot be ignored. However, for young children, these modern gadgets do more harm than good. Children need touch, movement, emotional bonding, social skills, and proximity to nature in order to explore the environment and learn. Brain connections are gradually being built and strengthened while they learn. Handling the modern devices only leads to instant gratification and messing up these fragile connections in the brain. For more information, click on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/10-reasons-why-handheld-devices-should-be-banned_b_4899218.html

The link between toxins/harmful chemicals and birth defects is nothing new. However, the alarming rate of increase in autism and related disorders in the recent years is stupefying. In this light, please support yesterday's TV program Satyamevjayate on garbage disposal. India does not need modern incinerators for waste disposal; they are only machines that spit out toxins into the air. We have many other options to manage our waste. More importantly, please REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE to safeguard the health of our future generations.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-may-add-another-link-between-autism-and-toxic-prenatal-exposures