Round Two of Sound Training – My Son’s New Gains

We’ve successfully completed our second round (“intensive”) of Sound Training and I am once again blown away by my son’s progress. It wasn’t until I sat down to create his update that I realized just how many new gains I’ve observed in the past few weeks.

During the “off time”, his brain is integrating all the changes that were created during his Listening Time. Remember, children may have different rates of integration when it comes to seeing noticeable gains. It is a process – not an overnight miracle!

You can check out the list of gains (and what I thought might be regression!) I saw after his first intensive here.

What’s new since then?

  • Traveled for 7.5 hours in someone else’s car (with his immediate family and family friend) with no meltdowns or major issues (whoa! No seat kicking, bathroom catastrophes or tantrums!)
  • Interacted with a family friend – engaged her in games and conversation (he acted calm and polite, using manners and asking lots of questions – bravo!)
  • Took direction from family friend (responded favorably when asked to quiet loud voices or stop a behavior)
  • Rode his first “big person” roller coaster without fear (and what a ride to choose as a first! Dangling from the car, suspended horizontally… loops and craziness ensued!)
  • Looks to me for facial expressions/reaction/approval when he’s about to exhibit a behavior or perform an action (this is HUGE! The entire thought process of ‘will Mom get mad if I do this?’ was never present. He was simply incapable of processing a connection like that. I can’t be more thrilled.)
  • Brought two Cs up to As and Bs on fourth quarter report card (yeah!)
  • Started asking me questions about his Autism – wants to learn more, recognizes that he is not his diagnosis (his brain is really hungry to learn, not just soak up extraneous video game facts)
  • Willingness to help – will bring objects to or do favors for others (again – whoa! He even gets something from another room for his older sister if she asks!)
  • Desires more independence – makes own breakfast at times, somewhat dresses himself more often (this is extremely exciting for me. I sometimes forget how much I have to do for him until I take a step back and realize that it is atypical for a child his age)
  • Continues to create flipnote videos with more expressions and emotions in the scenarios (not just aping his favorite characters)
  • Was able to participate in the birth process and early rearing of six puppies until five were adopted out (this would have been a very unsafe and unsettling situation if he hadn’t made this incredible progress)
  • Is gentle and caring with the puppy we kept (I still have to keep a close watch, but he is interacting with animals much more appropriately than he had with previous pets)
  • Is a lot more expressive, which of course is not always an ideal situation for ME even though it is good for him to be in touch with his feelings (I’m BORED! Will this EVER END? I don’t WANT TO!)

All in all, I can’t WAIT to see what’s next, as the struggles are falling away from him like layers of skin shed and his true personality starts to really shine.

Don’t forget! If you want to hear more about Sound Training IN PERSON and you’re in the Atlanta area, come to An Evening Seminar with Angie Marshallclick here for the deets!

In other news…

I had my first mission as a volunteer Bike Medic with the Fire Department at the PDK Good Neighbor Day Air Show Saturday. I trained hard for this during the month of May and was absolutely honored to be able to serve my community as a First Responder in this capacity. I’m in a world of hurt currently, but it is the pain of accomplishment, so I’ll survive :)

How Chewelry Saved Me $14.99+ a Month

He came home from school each day with holes in his shirt. He destroyed countless pencils, board game coins, and “reusable” plastic straws. But the worst: the perpetual trips to GameStop to replace the myriad styluses (stylii?) that were nibbled to mere nubs. Oh, I tried ultimatums, tried using economic substitutes, and even tried begging and whining :)

The truth is, he can’t help it. Children with autism have difficulty in regulating their sensory experiences. They can have hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to various sensations. Excessive chewing is an example of sensory hyposensitivity.

Through a social media connection, I found Chewelry by Kid Companions and was quite intrigued! Other chewing “redirect” attempts did not stick for us. In their own words, “Kid Companions is a chewable and wearable fidget that is safe, stylish and effective. It’s the perfect alternative to fidget toys and chewys.”

We ordered one for home and one for school, and I got amazing news the first day he tried it!

“Mom! I did all my morning work today! I could concentrate!”

Wow! Shirt without holes: check. Pencils intact: check. Stars achieved for completed morning work: check. Never before had a sensory item made such an impact upon its first use.

Unfortunately, Justin’s best friend also thought it was super cool. When I arrived at school the next day he was wearing it around HIS neck. Blech! Since Justin had two (yes, both previously used), he thought it was okay to share.

One social story and one cleaned and returned Chewelry piece later, we’re back in business. I no longer find pencils gnawed to the lead (attack of the killer beavers?) lying around his room, I don’t have to keep sewing shirts, and best of all, one pack of styluses has lasted over two months, saving me $29.98 so far! Yeah!

Product Review: Escapes, Music for Relaxing by Jeff Gold

I recently received a CD entitled “Escapes – Music for Relaxing” by Jeff Gold. It is described as “One hour of soothing instrumental music to uplift and revive you. As refreshing as a long walk along a perfect beach, ‘Escapes’ is the ideal tempo and rhythm for creative inspiration, massage, yoga, scenic drives or just winding down.”

This beautiful music – composed, performed and produced entirely by Jeff – is true to its word and then some. The chief reason I wanted it was to see how it might help my son relax, especially when he’s in the throes of a sensory meltdown. Ideally, when the flags pop up for an impending meltdown, it is the perfect time to see if I can head it off at the pass, so to speak!

Jeff’s compositions exceed my expectations in so many ways! His uncomplicated melodies and single instrument focus in each song (some piano, some guitar) not only help my son but actually inspire the entire family, including our six new puppies!

The number one benefit that I immediately witnessed was Justin’s focus while doing homework. Normally it takes over an hour to do about 20 minutes of actual work because of distractions, wandering, and plain old not wanting to do it. I put Escapes on softly and we zipped through all four subjects in less than 30 minutes without arguments or repeated prompting. If this were the ONLY outcome of having this CD I’d take it in a heartbeat! Everything else is icing ;)

Here are some other ways my family has enjoyed Jeff’s gifts:

  • Well, right now I’m listening to it so I can write this overdue blog post! “Smooth Sailing” is taking me on a journey, and I find that the words are starting to pour out faster with each swell of the music. I love it.
  • These days I am frequently overwhelmed with my growing To-Do list, multiple jobs, volunteer time with the Fire Department, and of course being a single mom to boot! This CD instantly takes me out of my head and into the present moment, where I need to be always. It literally takes my blood pressure down several notches along with my stress level. That’s a GOOD THING!
  • My teen daughter is able to complete more of her homeschool chapters when listening to Escapes. Of course she doesn’t realize this, but I am always watching!
  • Our new pups are now at the age (4 weeks) where they are crying for attention. A lot. All night. And all day. Did I mention I was exhausted? Anyway, their incessant whining causes Mama Dog to experience much distress, as she thinks something is wrong and tries to get them out of their contained area. The situation escalates pretty quickly. This morning I put the music next to the pen and the puppies went to sleep! Mama was able to go outside and enjoy the back deck for a while.
  • After school each day, my son and I do a rotation of Fitness 4 Autism (a fitness program I created based on Eric Chessen’s mentorship), yoga, and EFT sessions. This CD complements are sessions perfectly.
  • And let’s not forget bedtime! Parents, I KNOW you can relate to the many sleep issues that often accompany an Autism Spectrum Disorder. We love listening to Jeff’s music when doing our sensory routine before bed and during “tucking in” time to help wind down for the night.

Thank you, Jeff, for creating such inspiring and relaxing music. It continues to enhance our family’s activities daily and provides the perfect tool for Autism meltdowns, teen angst, parental overwhelm, and even puppy anxiety!

I highly recommend you go to JeffGoldMusic.com and get a copy!

Stay tuned for additional special reviews on Chewelry, a Kiboomu app for the iPhone, and two awesome eBooks from Zidlow Marx!

I do tricks already! Adopt me!

P.S. Wanna puppy?

How Important is Digestive Support?

It’s well documented that many children on the Autism spectrum can have a broad range of digestive struggles.  For some it can manifest as constipation, diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain. Until recently, my child’s bathroom “sessions” would typically last 45 minutes or more, and he would have myriad accidents because he simply did not look forward to the painful experience.

Other children may have no outward appearance of symptoms but within their digestive tract there is disorder in the form of inflammation, leaky gut and food intolerances or sensitivities.

I recently started my son on a digestive enzyme, specifically formulated to aid in the digestion of gluten and casein.  Our bodies already contain enzymes that break down our food when we eat.  It’s imperative that by the time food reaches our intestines it is broken down properly, allowing nutrients to be absorbed into our bloodstream and taken to the cells around the body where they are needed most.  Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down by enzymes, but for many children with Autism they seem to have problems breaking down and digesting their food properly.

Intolerances to certain foods, particularly wheat and dairy, are a common issue.  The proteins in these foods are not broken down properly and can cause damage to the intestinal lining and cross – undigested – into the blood, where they can cause many symptoms including behavioral problems.  Also what happens for many children is that during the process of attempting to break down these proteins, opiate-like substances are formed which can cross into the bloodstream and reach the brain. As a result, children may enter a drug-like state and can experience symptoms such as poor communication, lack of eye contact, drowsiness and exacerbated spatial issues.

Poor Digestion of Sugars and Fats

Many children with Autism have also been found unable to break down sugars, which can feed unwanted gut bacteria. When the digestive tract is overgrown with unwanted bacteria this can increase intestinal inflammation and can lead to a leaky gut, which allows undigested food to pass into the bloodstream and can aggravate many of their symptoms.

In addition to the Gluten Defense, I also began my child on Reuteri powdered probiotic to give him additional support for this bacteria overgrowth. Both of these products have no odor or taste, making it seamless and effortless to hide in his food. Other supplements I have tried have been instantly detected and rejected due to texture, odor, color, or taste, despite my best sneaky efforts. So far, so good!

Poor absorption of fats is also common, and it’s important for health that fats are broken down properly so that essential fatty acids can be used in the body. These essential fats are vital for digestive and immune health, as well as cognitive function.

To top off this super trio of support, I also added Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 Blend, an Omega Fatty Acid DHA supplement. I add this to applesauce, smoothies, and sometimes even in his morning cereal.

It’s important to remember that digestive enzymes are not a substitute for a gluten/casein elimination diet, but should be seen as one tool in a complete strategy.  There are no reported side effects of these natural products; however, as with any treatment, you may first observe worsening behavior, as unwanted gut bacteria may be dying off. Any time toxins are released from the body a small “healing crisis” may be experienced temporarily. It’s important to stick to your supplement plan, unless your child is experiencing an extreme negative symptom. You know your child best.

We just started our supplements, so I will report back our progress each week. I’d love to hear others’ experience with digestive enzymes, probiotics, and omega fatty acid supplements as well! Please comment below, or leave me some feedback on Facebook or Twitter!

TYSA Brings TOPSoccer to the Community Again

Spring is in the air, and on the TYSA soccer field it is also buzzing with excitement! Young athletes with a spectrum of disabilities – some familiar with each other from the program’s debut in Fall 2010 and some new faces – greeted each other on Sunday, March 13 at Henderson Park.

“We are very excited about the start of the second season of the TOPSoccer Program at TYSA.  The feedback from the parents, players and volunteers from our inaugural season has been tremendous.  We look forward to building upon the initial success of the program and the opportunity it provides to these young athletes.  It is, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding and fulfilling programs the TYSA has been involved with since it’s inception in the late ‘70’s”  says Ken Barnett, the Director of the TOPSoccer Program at TYSA.

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based soccer training program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by Tucker Youth Soccer Association volunteers. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to share the love of soccer with young athletes with disabilities. Through TYSA’s TOPSoccer program, these special young athletes feel that they are an integral part of Tucker Youth Soccer Association.  This program is open to all kids with any type of physical or mental disability between the ages of 6-18.

The TOPSoccer program at TYSA has been partially funded through grants from US Youth Soccer and adidas®.  These initial grants are helping to support the cost associated with starting this special program by allowing TYSA to provide TOPSoccer player with the basic equipment they need to participate in the program.

As the parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, I am delighted to see the return of the amazing program, and so is my son! He greeted old teammates and welcomed new faces as he ran onto the field last week to start some drills.

I am really grateful for TOPSoccer; he hasn’t been able to participate in any type of organized sports in the past. It was also a great measure for me to see all the coordination and movement work I’ve been doing with him at home pay off in a safe environment!

TOPSoccer will meet in Henderson Park on Field 4 Sundays from 1 – 2 pm. Players and parents will meet on five Sunday afternoons for practice and then culminate in a Jamboree on the sixth Sunday.

Registration Fee: $25, which includes a Jersey, Socks, Shin Guards, a Ball, and a Carrying Bag.

Doctor’s approval required.

For further questions please contact Nancy Marsden, at admin@tysa.com or 404.219.3752.

Our Listening Training Experience So Far

Listening Training? Huh? Is that some new form of obedience school for children?

No, silly! It’s an awesome auditory processing tool that I decided I wanted my son to experience.

From EnListen®:

Listening is the primary foundation for competency in speaking, reading, writing and social interaction. There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the passive reception of sound, while listening is the active acknowledgment and organization of sound. Listening is the interpretation of sounds in the brain. Individuals with autism and other learning disabilities can have significant listening disabilities.

The process began with an extensive questionnaire and interview to assess Justin’s history, strengths and deficits, sensory issues, diet, behaviors, and more. From that and the desired skill set indicator (specific, measurable goals), a listening program was custom-engineered and shipped to us for his first intensive.

This intensive, two-hour sessions per day for fifteen days, consisted of low-frequency music files and narrated stories. He listened in special bone and air conduction headphones to sounds with different filtering, gating and delays sent separately to the right and left ear to wake up the brain and stimulate his vagus nerve.

Low frequency training addresses issues with basic body functions, including fine motor skills, toileting, balance, appetite, sleep, spinning, and the need to crash into things (sensory-seeking proprioceptive behavior). The vagus nerve connects the brain to the body’s major organs, delivering vital messages via the parasympathetic nervous system.

Our Experience with Listening Time

I thought it would take an Act of Congress to get my child to sit still and listen to ANYTHING for two hours. Knowing that he could engage in conversation, do homework, draw, or sleep during Listening Time helped my willingness to try it :)

He LOVED this time. Every day there was a new experience that he looked forward to; each session alternated between music and narrated stories. But this isn’t just “music therapy”, the files are engineered to delay and repeat in specific ways that wake up the brain and “rewire” neural pathways! By day two, he actually fell asleep during Listening Time. YES! (it works whether the child is awake or asleep)

It was made very clear to me that this is a long-term process, not a magic bullet or overnight solution to anything. Each intensive consists of roughly two weeks of Listening Time and a four-to-six week “integration” period before the next one.

The Noticeable Changes

Each child is different, and I was also prepared to see no real gains within the first intensive, which was to be expected. In fact, there was a strong possibility of seeing some regression, or behaviors getting worse before they got better. We had a mixed bag of experiences, all positive in regard to the big picture.

I first noticed Justin expressing frustration at small things quite a bit. He had a few more tantrums and meltdowns than I was prepared for. However, I was able to take a step back and realize that he was feeling things for the first time and had to learn how to react and respond to these new feelings. This was good!

He started falling asleep to Listening Time, and was relaxed and in bed by 9:30 several nights in a row! You don’t understand, this is a child that even with a Melatonin pill in his system would be-bop around like a whirling dervish until at least midnight. This was HUGE. It also meant we started consecutively making it to school on time for a change!

Other amazing observations include Justin being able to do his homework in his own handwriting and having an easier time in the bathroom; his typical 45-minute potty experience began taking 15 minutes or less. Wow.

It’s been a few weeks since his first intensive and he continues to show new behaviors that astound me. He recently looked at a bad grade in school and showed remorse that he did not complete the assignment. Given another chance, he was able to draw the conclusion that he could change his grade by completing it then and promptly did so. He apologizes when he unintentionally hurts me and is much less hyper. He is starting to think through responses rather than mimic phrases.

I know these things will continue to improve as I support him fully with other modalities and tools we already use, as well as clean up his diet (progress, not perfection!). I love being able to ease some of his struggles without attempting to change who he is.

The next intensive will address planning and organization, language, multi-step instructions, magnitude, expression, and more, so we’re VERY EXCITED about that!

I will be releasing a video and free report that goes into more detail about EnListen®… stay tuned as I share with you our journey with Listening Training!

And uh…thanks for listening.

Sorry… I had to :)

Stunning Stocking Stuffers and Funny Bathtub Antics

My good friends at The Puzzling Piece created these really cool gifts that would be perfect in the stocking of anyone that has been touched by Autism. According to the Autism Society of Greater Georgia, there a child is diagnosed with Autism every 20 minutes. I am certain that you know a family member, neighbor, co-worker or friend whose life has been affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder. What better way to show your support than with one of these stunning and unique gifts?

Click HERE to order

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Washing Logic Down the Drain

Recently my bathtub decided to start taking 20+ minutes for the water to exit the drain. It seemed to become a slow and laborious task with no prior warning. Being that I have a husky that leaves puppy-sized fur spheres around the house (no, I didn’t feed her after midnight!) and a daughter with Alanis Morissette hair, I suspected it was a typical blockage and did what any good woman would do: bought a giant bottle of Liquid Plumber.

The entire bottle, emptied in 45-minute segments could not help this drain. What on earth had gotten down through the drain screen that could have caused such a sudden backup? It was becoming dangerous at that point to have the tub fill over six inches each time I showered, as it left a nice layer of soap, shampoo, and conditioner residue each day. Not to mention how disgusting it is to not be able to effectively clean it because it wasn’t draining properly.

My landlord came to the rescue, emptying a quarter of a bottle of lye into the drain… but it, too, was ineffective. He returned a few days later with a new bottle of lye, figuring it was simply a stubborn block that needed a double dose.

Nope.

Regretfully, we had to call a plumber. Soap-skating in my tub each day had “Emergency Room” written all over it :)

The day before he was scheduled to arrive, my landlord came over to try out one more idea. He unpacked his bucket o’ supplies and knelt on the floor. As I was standing in the doorway making pleasant conversation, my lovely son came running up and crashed into me, declaring “Uh… you have to pull the lever down!” He promptly whizzed out of the room and carried on his noise-making elsewhere.

It took a minute to register: holy cow. The lever that controls whether or not the tub drains was in the “up” position. Oops!

In my defense (please hear me out! This is not as bad as the day I drove off with the drive-through bank tube!), we always use the Rubbermaid tub stopper thing (pictured to the right), so it’s not as if I took a bath one day and forgot to put the lever back!

I simply found it nothing short of amazing that this child, seemingly unaware of the situation at hand, be-bopped into the bathroom and made the most logical, simple connection that the rest of us had missed for several days.

Do you have any funny stories or experiences similar to this? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below, or post it on my Facebook page!!

Two Great New Supports for My Child

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, past attempts at organized sports have been very challenging for us. Either my son could not sit still long enough to hear what was expected of him (does the term whirling dervish mean anything to you?) or he wasn’t capable of performing the movements consistently.

Recently, TYSA (Tucker Youth Soccer Association) introduced a great new program, TOPSoccer.

The Outreach Program for Soccer is a community-based soccer training program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by Tucker Youth Soccer Association volunteers.

The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, despite any physical or mental challenges. Their goal is to share the love of soccer with young athletes with
disabilities. Through TYSA’s TOPSoccer program, these special young athletes feel that they are an integral part of Tucker Youth Soccer Association.

My son had a great time being a part of this program! He would not take off his uniform shirt and couldn’t stop talking about the feeling he had when he scored goals. I am really grateful for this opportunity, for him to feel like he is a part of a group and be encouraged without comparing himself to others. It was also a great measure for me to see all the coordination and movement work I’ve been doing with him at home pay off in a safe environment!
The TOPSoccer program is open to all kids with any type of physical or mental disability between the ages of 6-18. The Fall season is five weeks, and will finish off on Halloween with a game and festive Jamboree.

For more information on TOPSoccer, either for the current season or the Spring season, contact Nancy Marsden, at admin@tysa.com or call  404 219 3752.

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We also found a REALLY COOL place to go hang out this week! Under the Umbrella recently opened its doors in Alpharetta. Their mission is to become the premier provider of a “drop off” play center specifically for autistic children in the metro Atlanta area. They encourage kids to explore a sensory-rich variety of activities designed to keep them engaged and calm.

What we loved about Under the Umbrella

  • The three-to-one ratio of adults to children
  • The special attention and encouragement my child received during playtime
  • The music room with large floor mat piano and silly noise cushions
  • The variety of sensory activities
  • The option to drop off my child in a safe environment that I know he enjoys
  • The staff!

I encourage you to stop by Under the Umbrella and tell all your friends!

Product Review: Calmer By Nature DVD

I first became aware of this amazing DVD through a LinkedIn connection with Barry Wheelock. We immediately connected and started talking about the product’s incredible (and surprising) benefits for Autism and Sensory Processing issues.

I invited Barry to speak during my Sensory Integration Teleseminar and received a copy of the 57-minute Calmer By Nature DVD to use at home. This film is pure and stunning nature footage – there are no people, no voiceovers, and no music.

The concept was created to simply relieve stress and anxiety; however it has turned into a powerful therapy supplement for people with Autism, Sensory issues, Dementia, Alzheimers, insomnia, and more. It is reliable, predictable, and safe, which are key elements for special needs patients. It even encourages communication and creates talking points for people that have difficulties with social skills and conversation. It’s also used by some of the top Occupational Therapists to aid with cognitive and behavioral therapy.

I was hoping for mild results at bedtime with my son, who can at times be-bop around like a whirling dervish until all hours of the night despite our best rituals. If the DVD helped that issue alone, it was worth the price!

What I experienced from the product far surpassed my expectations! Yes, it works at bed time just as I had hoped. It also:

  • Calms him before an outing he may be feeling anxious over
  • Redirects him during times of high stimulation
  • Provides him with short, 10-minute “cool down” times when he needs a sensory break
  • Gives him ideas for drawing and video creation projects
  • Starts conversations about the wildlife we see on the film

Surprisingly, my daughter also became an instant fan. She told me that it enhanced her creativity when drawing or writing new stories and helps her overcome her blocks. It’s definitely a nice change from the blaring TV shows that are sometimes over-prevalent in our home :)

For me, I typically have trouble shutting my mind off when I am amidst a task list that is pages long. The overwhelm can feel… well, overwhelming! The film brings me back into the now and offers a reprieve from my mental gymnastics.

In fact, I love this product so much that I am now able to offer it for purchase in the U.S. You can view a three-minute demo here and experience a bit o’ nature magic for yourself! I highly recommend Calmer By Nature for all ages, whether you’re dealing with Autism in your family or just want some stress relief. You won’t be disappointed.

I can’t wait to see the other projects Barry has in the works, including two more films, an Audio CD version, and an iPhone application.