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International Suicide Prevention Day

You may know the signs of choking, stroke, heart attack, and even hypothermia or sunburn, but do you know the warning signs of suicide? The recent death of legendary actor Robin Williams has brought increased attention, focus and discussion about suicide and suicide awareness. Sadly, statistics show that in America more people die of suicide than in car accidents each year. It is estimated that someone in the world commits suicide every 40 seconds. Recognizing the significance of this problem, and hoping that suicide can be prevented with warning sign identification and treatment, it is important that you too are informed. The following article from CTV news provides the top warning signs and risks to look for if you are concerned about someone. Please take a moment to understand the signs to help prevent further loss.

CTV News:  Suicide: How to spot the risks and warning signs

 

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Healthy Home Cooked Meals In A Hurry

New schedules bring an adjustment to eating and food preparation routines. With less time available to put together a proper meal, people tend to rely on fast food or ready-made options that lack essential nutrients, or that are packed with preservatives and empty calories. The following from Greatist.com provides you with 52 different meals from breakfast to dinner that you can prepare in 12 minutes or less! Bon appetite!

Greatist.com:  52 Healthy Meals in 12 Minutes or Less

Check out more great healthy eating tips and recipes in our “Food For Thought” section.

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Sensory Overload! Understanding Sensory Sensitivity in Kids

Guest Blogger Jana Maich, Occupational Therapist

In my previous blog, “Busy Bodies, Is It Sensory Seeking,” I wrote about the sensory seeking child. To quickly re-cap, sensory seekers are always on the move, searching for sensory input in order to meet their high sensory thresholds. On the other end of the spectrum is the sensory defensive child. Unlike sensory seekers who have high thresholds for sensory input, sensory sensitive children have very low sensory thresholds. Due to these low thresholds, they experience sensory input much more intensely or notice sensory input much more often than their peers. This means that sensory input that may not bother you and I (for example the feel of jeans, brushing our teeth, or the sound of an alarm going off) may be very aversive, distracting, threatening, or even painful for that child.

Sensory sensitive children can respond to their low sensory thresholds in couple of ways. For some children, they may actively avoid sensory input in an attempt to avoid meeting their threshold. They may set strict rituals and routines to avoid unfamiliar sensory input which can be seen as threatening, engage in disruptive behaviours, or escape the situation in an attempt to avoid feeling the pain or discomfort caused by some sensations.

Other children may demonstrate less active attempts to avoid sensory input. Although these children do not actively avoid the situation, they are constantly bombarded with sensory input as they notice it much more than others. They may appear distracted, hyperactive, or have difficulty focusing as their attention is constantly being diverted to a new sensory stimulus in the environment.

Sensory sensitivity is not to be confused with normal selectivity of children. For example, it is not uncommon for a child to dislike going to the dentist or to cover their ears in a noisy environment. Ask yourself: How much is the sensitivity negatively impacting my child’s daily routine and functioning? Is my child unwilling or unable to participate in daily routines and activities due to avoidance or sensitivity to sensory information?

As mentioned in the last blog, if you are concerned that sensory sensitivity may be a problem for your child, an occupational therapy assessment can help determine the underlying causes and potential solutions. Therapy sessions for sensory sensitivity may focus on specific exercises and techniques designed to desensitize your child and support increased tolerance for sensory input. Additionally, occupational therapists can offer simple strategies and/or modifications to daily routines that enable your child to better accept difficult sensations (e.g. hair washing, eating certain foods, or tooth brushing). Strategies can also be recommended to improve your child’s ability to filter out extraneous sensations in order to promote increased attention and focus. As always, all strategies would be tailored to meet your child’s specific needs, modeled, and modified as needed.

If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing sensory sensitivity, and you would like some support and guidance to understand or reduce those behaviors, try occupational therapy.

References
Dunn, W. (2002). Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile: User’s Manual. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation.

Dunn, W. (1997). The impact of sensory processing abilities on the daily lives of young children and their families: a conceptual model. Infants and Young Children, 9(4), 23-35

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Back to…A Healthy Mind

The “lazy days” of summer are over, vacations are done, the kids are back to school, and it’s time to get back to routine. As a mom of four, believe me that I understand the stress of September and how parents can easily lose themselves with the focus on getting the kids back to a manageable routine. So, this September, we wanted to provide a series of ideas and strategies to make sure you are going “back to school” while also getting “back to you!”

Our “back to you” focus this week is “back to a healthy mind”. It is known that our thoughts control our feelings and actions, so naturally the mind is the best place to start! And there is no better way to get there then to take some much needed “you time”. Here are some tips and pointers to help get your mind back on track for the fall:

1.   Start small and gradually build on the time you take for yourself. Develop a new routine that adds some time into your schedule for
thinking, reflecting, being grateful and being present. Add it to your calendar! Start with 10-15 minutes and build on this to get you to an hour
if you can.

2.   Don’t work through lunch: Cognitive focus improves when we take small breaks during the day to turn our attention elsewhere. Combine
the cognitive rest and renewed physical energy by taking a walk, exercising or stretching on your lunch break.

3.   Join a class: Have you always wanted to join the gym, learn to knit, sing, play an instrument, learn to draw, try yoga, martial arts, ballet?
There are some great introductory offers in September for you to challenge your mind and body to something new. By joining a class or signing
up for a series of lessons, you are more likely to commit and give that new something time to become a new staple in your life!

4.   Power down: Turn off the television, smart phone, tablet or distracting electronics. Facebook can wait. Pick up a good book, take a hot bath,
meditate, and enjoy some technology-free time.

5.    Express Yourself: If you’re looking for inspiration for you time, pick up some paper and draw, journal, write poetry or music, or just doodle.
Being creative sparks cognition and will help you to balance all of your demands while reducing stress and improving mood.

Are you ready to commit? Put it in writing! Tell your friends, family, even children what you are going to do for yourself. And fill us in…what change are you making to get “back to a healthy mind” this fall?

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A Healthy Breakfast– Start The Day Off Right

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – especially for children considering their physical and cognitive development and need to attend to school activities all day. Studies show, among other things, that eating a healthy breakfast promotes concentration, however, it is known that more than 40% of Canadian children skip this important meal regularly. The morning rush can be quite chaotic, so check out these great easy breakfast recipes that kids can eat on the go.

Parenting:  15 On-the-Go Breakfast Recipes

The month of September celebrates “Breakfast for Learning,” a Canadian charity that for over 20 years has helped to nourish school-aged children by providing breakfast, snack and lunch programs in schools. Be sure to check out their great work and help support Breakfast for Learning across Canada.

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Busy Bodies: Is it Sensory Seeking?

Guest Blogger Jana Maich, Occupational Therapist

In my experience as an occupational therapist working with children, sensory related concerns are some of the most common issues brought to me by parents. Sensory processing is complex, however, often there are simple home-based strategies that can be very helpful in meeting your child’s sensory needs. One of the most troubling sensory related concerns for parents is when their child is a “sensory seeker,” meaning they seem to be constantly looking for additional sensory input. In this blog post, I will be explaining what it means to be a “sensory seeker” and will provide information on how occupational therapists can help you to meet the needs of your child in order to keep him or her in a more regulated state throughout their day.

Sensory seekers are constantly “on the go” as they are attempting to obtain the sensory input that their bodies crave. They may run, crash, jump, mouth items, bounce, flip, spin, etc. to keep their bodies moving. This type of child has what we call a high sensory threshold (1). This means that in order to feel “regulated” and in an optimal state for attention and focus, they require much more intense sensory experiences than others. As a result, they are constantly on the lookout for such opportunities.

Occupational therapy works with children who struggle with sensory seeking by first identifying the types of sensory experiences your child is seeking, and second by helping to create more opportunities for sensory input throughout your child’s daily routines. When needed sensory input is provided naturally, these children are able to remain in a more regulated state, reducing the behavior.

If you are concerned that sensory seeking may be a problem for your child, an occupational therapy assessment can help to outline the behaviors, causes, and possible solutions. Our treatment would then involve specific activities and strategies tailored to your child’s needs. Additionally, these strategies will be modeled, monitored, and adjusted as needed during treatment sessions to help reduce them over time.

There are many activities that occupational therapists can suggest to support you in meeting the unique needs of your child. Everyday activities such as household chores, park visits, games and activities can be designed in ways that help provide needed sensory input. An occupational therapist will ensure to make the activities FUN and a part of the daily routine. The ultimate goal is to integrate activities that are enjoyable for your child naturally into their day, making “therapy” not seem so “therapy” and to ultimately benefit your child and other members in the family impacted by the behavior.

If you are concerned that your child is sensory seeking, and you would like some support and guidance to understand or reduce the behaviors, try occupational therapy.

1) Dunn, W. (1997). The impact of sensory processing abilities on the daily lives of young children and their families: a conceptual model. Infants and Young Children, 9(4), 23-35

2) Ayres, A.J. (2005). Sensory integration and the child. Understanding hidden sensory challenges. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Service.

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Back To School: 1st Day Jitters and Separation Anxiety

Starting or returning to school after summer is can be both exciting, but also anxiety provoking for many kids. Some will slip back into routine quite easily, however, some will struggle with separation anxiety. This can be extremely stressful for both kids and parents, but with proper preparation and planning the first day transition can be an easier one. The following from Parenting magazine provides 16 tips and tricks to help you and your child prepare.

Parenting:  16 Ways to Prep For School Separation Anxiety

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Healthy School Lunches

School starts next week and although many welcome the return of routine, packing a healthy lunch that won’t come home uneaten remains an ongoing parental challenge. It’s true–packing your child’s lunch can seem like a daunting, never ending task, but it doesn’t  have to be. The following from Eat Right Ontario provides all the information you need know to ensure your kids are eating healthy foods every day.

Eat Right Ontario:  Packing Healthy School Lunches and Snacks