All About Kids Newsletter by Synergy Healthcare
All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care Of The Ones That Matter Most
“Why DoesMy Older Child Chewon Everything? ” Discussing ReasonsWhy Your Child Continues to Chew Items Beyond the Teething Stage
Inside:
For babies and toddlers, putting things in their mouths is a normal stage of development. Some children, however, continue to chew non-food items well past the mouthing/ teething stage. For some, it is a passing phase. Other individuals will always have a need to chew that may continue into adulthood. Why? There could be many different reasons, and it’s not always a straight answer. What many therapists find is that it’s typically a result of a number of reasons.
Stress/Anxiety The most common explanation for why some children chew is because of stress and/or anxiety. Chewing provides proprioceptive input to the jaw that is very calming and organizing. It’s similar to how some people might bite their fingernails when they’re nervous, or pace back and forth, do deep breathing, tap their foot, etc. It also reverts back to how mouthing/chewing/ sucking is a self-soothing technique when we’re babies. These are all mechanisms for how we cope with stress.
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All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care Of The Ones That Matter Most
“Why DoesMy Older Child Chewon Everything? ” (continued)
The stress we’re talking about could be everyday stress – when kids are frustrated, mad, or tired. Or, it could be the added anxiety of going to a new place, starting school again, etc. Chewing will typically increase relative to the amount of stress, AND relative to how well children deal with stress. Chewing is an easy way for kiddos to calm themselves because: 1. It’s a known motor plan. 2. There is always something nearby that they can chew on (whether or not it’s safe/appropriate) – a shirt, pencil, toy, something picked up off the floor, etc. 3. They can also control what goes in their mouth, which is something that many kids don’t get to do very often. Sensory Needs/Stimming Chewing as a calming mechanism is especially common for children who have autism and/or sensory processing disorder (SPD). Individuals with sensory issues process the world differently, and often times it can be very overwhelming. Lights might be brighter. Sounds might be louder. Touch might be painful. And so forth. Short for self-stimulation, “stimming” is one way that individuals with sensory issues organize themselves and manage all of the extra sensory information bombarding their systems. Stimming is typically anything repetitive, such as flapping one’s hands, rocking back and forth, spinning things, repeating certain words, chewing, etc. Body Awareness/ Proprioception We process the world around us through our senses, one of which is the lesser known “sixth sense” called proprioception. Proprioception is our ability to know where our body is in time and space. It’s how we process input from our joints and muscles in order to move and position the body. When children have difficulties properly interpreting this information, it can pose a whole host of problems. You might see them crashing into things, have poor motor control, have the “wiggles” and not be able to sit still or focus, and/or many other things. These kids in particular require what’s called a “sensory diet” of activities to regulate their systems. This is something an occupational therapist puts together. It’s catered to each child depending on their needs, and typically includes some sort of heavy work activities. If there isn’t a sensory diet in place, or if for some reason they’re not getting the right amount of compensatory proprioceptive input at any point throughout the day, they may try to self-regulate on their own. And often times they do this through chewing because again, it’s something that they know, have access to, and can control, and it provides proprioceptive input to the jaw.
Oral Awareness Some individuals have what’s called “oral hyposensitivity,” which is a fancy way of saying they have limited to no sensation in their mouths. To use a comparison that’s probably more relatable, imagine that for some reason you have decreased sensation in your fingers. How would you compensate? You would probably press on things harder, grip things tighter, maybe seek out things that are textured and have a lot of tactile information to them, and so forth. Similarly, individuals with limited oral awareness may seek out activities thatprovide increasedoral feedback,suchaseatingcrunchy foods,stuffing their mouths with food, grinding their teeth, and/or (you guessed it) chewing on non-food items. It is possible, however, to “wake up” the mouth and increase sensation. Concentration Have you ever chewed gum during a test? Or chewed on a pen cap or pencil while trying to concentrate on something? If not, then odds are you know someone who did/does. This is because chewing can be a very effective way to increase focus and block out other distractions, especially since it’s a repetitive movement. Chewing also activates muscles in the jaw down into the neck, which provides added stability that is grounding, particularly for children with decreased motor planning.
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WHAT IS BAL-A-VIS-X?
Bal-A-Vis-X is an AMAZING series of some 300 easy exercises, most of which are done withsand-filledbagsand/or racquetballs,oftenwhilestandingonanexclusiveBal-A-Vis-X balance board. Requiring multiple thousands of mid-line crossings in three dimensions, these exercises are steadily rhythmic, with a pronounced auditory foundation, executed at a pace that naturally results from proper physical techniques. Bal-A-Vis-X enables the whole mind body system to experience the symmetrical flow of a pendulum. There are lots of reasons why you should sign up to see Nathan for Bal-A-Vis-X . The rhythms students gain from Bal-A-Vis-X are the natural outcome of proper physical techniques,whichone learnsandcommits tomusclememoryduring therapy.Themajority of our exercises are done with a partner and/or in concert with others. Synchronicity is always the goal. In a Bal-A-Vis-X setting no one is allowed to be a Lone Ranger, free to follow his own plan. This carefully modulated system of exercises can become increasingly complex OR increasingly simplified/modified for those with severe special needs. Your child will definitely improve in their physical and mental needs when they participate in this impressive program. Registering is easy and participating is worth the time commitment. Invest in your child’s health by scheduling a session today. Contact Synergy Healthcare for more information.
Visit Bal-A-Vis-X to review their program more in depth! www.bal-a-vis-x.com/
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Staff Spotlight
Nate Hartley, MOTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Nate graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and then obtained a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2009. He has worked in a variety of settings, including skilled nursing, home health, schools, and outpatient pediatrics. Nate has been trained in Bal-A-Vis-X and Handwriting Without Tears. He has independently pursued knowledge inhownutritionplaysa role inbehaviorandpediatricdevelopment. Nate is passionate about helping kids achieve wellness and reach their fullest potential. Nate enjoys sports, exercise and being involved in his church, and loves to spend time with his wife and three kids.
Nate’s Family Wife Kari, baby Lucas (7 months), son Nicholas (3 1/2 years) & daughter Hannah 7 years
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Back To School SOCIAL THINKING
Thanks to the work of the Panhandle Autism Society, a conference on Social Thinking was brought right here to Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls for the community and clinicians to attend. We are proud to have sent all clinicians at Synergy to this conference. Social Thinking is an important curriculum developed by renowned Speech-Language Pathologist Michelle Garcia Winner. It challenges the assumption that all learn social concepts just by experiencing them and highlights the importance of explicit teaching of social skills and social knowledge, especially to those with social learning challenges. Through this conference, our clinicians have become well-versed in fostering a variety of skills in our clients: social self-awareness, perspective- taking, problem-solving and reasoning, social-emotional understanding, and organizational skills. Our clinic offers teaching in being a “social detective” as well as using superheros to help with self-regulation and cognitive flexibility. We are excited to share the knowledge that we gained from attending this local conference and share with you what we learned to foster your child’s best social thinking and cognitive skills. We anticipate starting some social skills groups in the near future so please get in touch with us if you think this is something that may benefit your child.
Patient Success Spotlight
“I have felt really good about my experience with Synergy. I have already told many others how good this place is. My son, Samuel, went from speaking only 2 word sentences to 4 word sentences over the summer. He has also been helped through occupational therapy. Another son has been improving greatly through his occupational therapy. The therapists are kind and knowledgeable. They explain things respectfully. We have been to another facility in the past and my children liked it mostly, but at Synergy they love it. They look forward to coming. I personally felt judged at the other facility. Here I feel respected and honored for the efforts I make on behalf of my children.” – Penny M. Samuel quickly went from speaking 2 to 4 word sentences!
Always learning…Always growing…
Do you know a child who needs therapy? Pass this on to a friend! Does Your Child Need Help with hand writing, speech, language, balance, feeding, walking, running, jumping, playing with others, or just being a kid? New Patients! Schedule today for a FREE Screening for Speech or Occupational Therapy
SPECIALIZED JUST FOR YOUR CHILD
We can help by providing: Occupational Therapy & Speech Therapy Evaluations & Treatment. Synergy Healthcare can further assess your child’s needs. Contact us today!
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“ Why Is My Child Easily Distracted from Completing Easy Tasks?” UNDERSTANDING SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
Sensory processing refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. Whether you are biting into a sandwich, riding a bicycle, or reading a book, your successful completion of the activity requires accurate processing of sensation. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), (originally called “sensory integration dysfunction” or SID) exists when sensory signals are either not detected or don’t get organized into appropriate responses. Pioneering occupational therapist, educational psychologist, and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological “traffic jam” that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school failure, and many other problems may impact those who do not have effective treatment. Sensory Processing Disorder can affect people in only one of their senses– for example, just touch or just sight or just movement–or in multiple senses.OnepersonwithSPDmayover-respond to touchsensationandfind clothing,physicalcontact,other tactilesensory input tobeunbearableand/ or theymay respond to visualor auditoryor another sensory input. Another person might under-respond and show little or no reaction to stimulation, even pain or extreme hot and cold or just may be slow to respond to sensation. In children whose sensory processing of messages from the muscles and joints is impaired, posture and motor skills can be affected. These children have postural disorder and are the “floppy” children who prop themselves up on walls when standing, lean over on their hand when writing and love to hang out, but not to move. The old fashioned “couch
potato” has now turned “mouse potato” as society becomes 2-dimensional (auditory and visual) with I-Pads, I-watches and I-everything! In yet another subtype (dyspraxia) children are awkward and clumsy and get called “klutz” and “spaz” on the playground, always the last to be picked for a team in PE. Still other children exhibit an appetite for sensation that is in perpetual overdrive; we call these children “sensory cravers”. They seem almost addicted to intense stimulation but when they get it they become dysregulated. These kids often are misdiagnosed - and inappropriately medicated - for ADHD. Effective treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder is available at Synergy Healthcare. We can provide sensory processing therapy to improve the individual senses your child struggles with. We help patients understand how to respond to their senses appropriately. Call our office today for a FREE SCREENING. We look forward to working with you and your family!
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3 EASY TECHNIQUES PARENTS CAN USE TO MANGE CHILDREN’S ANXIETY Activities to Help Children Manage Their Anxiety
Kids have a lot to worry about including meeting expectations from school, meeting the expectations of all the adults in their life, bullying, navigating natural life changes that come with things such as starting school, having a new baby sibling, moving to a new home, and simply growing up. And some kids have experiences that go beyond the typical life events. They may experience trauma, mentalhealth disorders, physicalhealth conditions, more-than-typical family dysfunction, or abuse. It’s important to remember that adults are not the only ones who deal with anxiety. Children are also very susceptible. Here are three techniques for parents to use to help their children manage anxiety. (It is important to note that parents should not try to take the place of a therapist. If your child has more than the typical anxiety or has gone through a difficult experience, consult with your doctor or a therapist.) Anxiety Relief Techniques 1. Blowing Bubbles Children can learn deep breathing skills by using bubbles. Deep breathing is anexcellentway tomanageanxiety. Ithelps toactivate theparasympathetic nervous system (PNS) which is the system of the body in charge of the activities that a person performs when they are in a resting state. In contrast, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is the system of the body that is responsible for when the body functions in a more reactive, automatic way (such as in the fight or flight response). To do this activity: Demonstrate and have children use bubbles while focusing on how they breathe to create a big bubble. Also, emphasize how this impacts their body and how it can train the body to feel more relaxed and to help them not to be so worried or nervous. Kids can practice their deep breathing skills even when they don’t have the bubbles on hand. (4-7-8 Breathing Exercise by Go Zen is a great video on YouTube demonstrating deep breathing). 2. Worry Can To help kids identify and discuss their worries, they can write down their worries and place them inside a can (with a lid). This helps kids to identify and express their worries instead of keeping them bottled up inside which can lead to even more difficulties. This activity can be modified to fit for the child’s particular situation and personality. To do this activity: Provide the child with a can or jar with a lid, paper, coloring and writing implements. Have the child make a label for the can titled “Scary Things”, “Fears”, “Worries”, or whatever seems appropriate for
their experience. Next, have the child write down their worries on slips of paper and put them in the can. Another version is to have a child journal about their worries. Journaling has been found to help ease anxiety and reduce stress. The child can then discuss the worries with the adult. 3. Calm Down Box Everyone has things that make them feel more at ease. This is true for children as well as adults. Helping children to become more aware of their own functioning includingwhat triggers them tobecomeanxious (or feelany sort of emotion), what helps them to relax, and to have the knowledge and belief that they can master control over their inner experience can greatly help them in managing their emotions and overcome their challenges. To do this activity: Use a box and help the child come up with objects to put in the box. The objects should be things that help them to relax and calm down. Some examples of things that can be included are the following: • Stress balls • Wonder tubes (tubes with glitter and confetti) • Lavender scented play-dough (or any kind of play-dough; lavender can be a soothing scent) • Bubbles • Essential oils to help with anxiety • Calming music (a CD or something to symbolize listening to music) • Paper, pencil, crayons, markers • A book (especially one about stress-relief or anxiety)
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