Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Listening Therapy Center Opens in the Philippines

scottie — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:28:10 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Gina Diaz-Cembrano recently opened the I Listen Enhancement Center for Maximum Learning in the Philippines.

Body:

Dr. Gina Diaz-Cembrano recently opened the I Listen Enhancement Center for Maximum Learning in the Philippines. Although a dentist by training, Gina felt teaching preschool was a better way to help families who had children with autism and other developmental issues such as ADHD. The center uses the Tomatis Method. Gina explains, “The Tomatis method re-trains the listening system by using electronically modified music and language to re-educate, stimulate and improve the way in which we process auditory information.” Children with learning disabilities often have difficulty in communication and social interaction, the Tomatis methods attempts to increase listening skills, communication, and memory and attention. Gina has seen that Tomatis worked well with other therapies including occupational therapy, sensory integration, and speech therapy.

Read original article: All Ears for the Tomatis Method

Dentists Use Social Stories to Ease the Fears of Children with Autism

scottie — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:11:20 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Alan Milnes and Dr. Terry Farquhar are dentists who wrote an article about taking your child with autism to the dentist.

Body:

Dr. Alan Milnes and Dr. Terry Farquhar are dentists who wrote this article about taking your child with autism to the dentist. These pediatric dentists have advanced training in working with children with special needs. One of the tools they suggest is social stories, which can be made by the parents to show what will happen at the dental office. The dentists also suggest using the child’s natural desire for routine and excellent memory. Visits to the office can begin with a simple tour, and then expand to sitting in the chair, and looking at the equipment. It's a good idea to meet the hygienist and dentist beforehand to become more comfortable with their interactions. The kids learn new behaviors that may be repeated at each visit. Milnes and Farquhar explain, “This process is identical to that used in applied behavioural analysis (ABA) and relationship development intervention (RDI) therapies.” The dentists remind parents that good dental hygiene should happen at home on a daily basis; they have suggestions to help with tooth care at home.

Read original article: Dentistry and Autism

New Jersey College Opens Center for ABA

scottie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:48:35 +0000

Teaser:

Caldwell College in New Jersey recently opened the Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis.

Body:

Caldwell College in New Jersey recently opened the Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis. This program, directed by Dr. Sharon Reeve, trains undergraduate and graduate students in intervention treatments for kids with autism. Reeve explains there is no one program that works for all and the center focuses on customized therapies. The center includes intervention rooms, research lab, and a community integration program. People with autism are also taught life skills such as going to the dentist, getting a haircut, and attending church.

Read original article: Caldwell College Leading the Way in Autism Research

Taking Your Child with Autism to the Dentist

scottie — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:30:51 +0000

Teaser:

Drill noises, sharp objects, smells, strange lights – all of these can bother a neurotypical child at the dentist – a child with autism may suffer from serious sensory challenges.

Body:

Drill noises, sharp objects, smells, strange lights – all of these can bother a neurotypical child at the dentist – a child with autism may suffer from serious sensory challenges. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism (IRCA) has put together some information on going to the dentist and the Autism Support Network as reprinted it. First you should talk with the dental office about any issues your child has; find out if they deal with children on the spectrum. If your child is unfamiliar with brushing, consider working with an occupational therapist, using pictures to show how to brush, and a timer to indicate how long to brush. Other things to consider are having the exam chair already lowered, letting your child wear a weighted vest, or use headphones and music to drown out the unfamiliar sounds. The most important thing is communication with your child and the dentist about expectations.

Read original article: Taking your Son/Daughter With Autism Spectrum Disorder to the Dentist

The Pears National Centre for Autism Education Utilizes Entire Building Space for Therapy

scottie — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Teaser:

The Pears National Centre for Autism Education building was designed completely for the child with autism, right down to the room temperature.

Body:

The Pears National Centre for Autism Education building was designed completely for the child with autism, right down to the room temperature. Penoyre-Prasad, architects, worked with the TreeHouse Trust to build a space conducive for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. There is a training center, a work space, and a school for kids ages 3 to 19. Everything about the building has been designed to act as a teaching or therapy tool, for example, the delivery and maintenance areas have been designed to help with job skills. The center even has a simulated dental office to help acclimate children to having their teeth worked on. Another example of the architecture as ABA tool is explained, “Bathroom areas include a range of the different types of taps, driers etc that pupils may encounter outside the school environment. Autism can result in rigid behaviours hence the ability to practice activities of daily living in familiar but subtly differing surroundings is a necessary precursor to generalising skills."

Read original article: National Centre for Excellence Supporting Young People with Autism

Dental iPhone App Helps Kids with Autism

scottie — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

Delta Dental of Minnesota and Fraser autism services have collaborated on My Healthy Smile, an app for the iPhone.

Body:

Delta Dental of Minnesota and Fraser have collaborated on My Healthy Smile, an app for the iPhone. The app consists of 11 audio and visual social scripts – everything from brushing teeth to getting a cavity filled. Ann Johnson (Delta Dental) and Pat Pulice (Fraser) hope that My Healthy Smile helps kids with autism feel less anxious about visits to their dentist. Johnson says, “Pain and more costly dental treatment will result in the case of not establishing the basic daily and preventive dental care.” Pulice explains that the app works especially well for people with a developmental age of between 3 years and 10 years old.

Read original article: Delta Dental Collaborates with Fraser for iPhone App

Two Moms in the Philippines Offer Tips on Good Dental Health for Children with Autism

scottie — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

Going to the dentist can be scary for any child, but two moms in the Philippines have some tips for going to the dentist with a child with autism.

Body:

Going to the dentist can be scary for any child, but two moms in the Philippines have some tips for going to the dentist with a child with autism. Tiffany Tan from Autism Society Philippines interviewed Barbara and Chyril about their boys and visits to the dentist. The moms spoke about preparing their children for the visit using social stories, visual schedules, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). They have also both found dentists willing to learn about autism and to accept their children’s behaviors. The moms both say that flossing is the most important thing to do, along with brushing. Other tips included finding a dentist who will allow your child to touch the dental tools, visiting a dental office before the procedure visit, and bring a favorite toy or book along.

Living Gluten Free – Right to Heal

karmic health — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:27:03 +0000

By Sandi Star, CCN

After struggling for over 40 years with chronic migraines, IBS, Muscle and joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, asthma and a slew of other ailments and frustrations I decided to take a closer look at the cause rather than obsessing on the symptoms. I was tired of relying on doctors to give me answers and tired of the medications that only gave me side affects and little relief.

I had been committed to health and fitness for over 20 years, losing close to 50 pounds and 5 dress sizes, however I still had all the chronic conditions that played havoc in my life. I realized there was a key element missing and soon found out it was my reaction to gluten and dairy. I didn't know enough about food intolerance or allergies or at least put the two together. I never believed food could have such a serious impact on overall health let alone be the direct cause of my diseases. With what I know today I’m surprised my doctor didn’t put the connection together when he diagnosed me with Sjögren’s Syndrome (autoimmune disease). Sjögren’s is one of the symptoms of Celiac along with a long list as you will see below and nutrition plays a critical role in the healing process. By making the appropriate diet changes – (gluten and dairy free), I’ve managed to eliminate my migraines, IBS………etc., etc., and have the Sjögren’s Syndrome under control. Even better, I have eliminated all medications and use food and natural remedies for nutrition and overall health. Now that you know why I became a clinical nutritionist and why I started Karmic Health lets get into the details of why it’s so important to understand gluten and its relation to diseases.

Why the problem with gluten now? A lot has changed in the way we harvest food compared to 50 years ago. Some of the seed companies began engineering wheat kernels that could be more easily ground and produce fluffier flour to make the soft, delicious white bread for example had to have greater yields; it made more money for the farmer and increased sales.

Gluten is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. These exist, conjoined with starch, in the endosperms of some grass-related grains, notably wheat, rye, and barley.

Understanding what happens in the body and some of the symptoms will help millions of people who go undiagnosed. Celiac is the most common genetic disease of mankind (yet for every person diagnosed, 140 will go undiagnosed).

A wheat allergy is the body’s abnormal autoimmune response to a certain protein component of wheat; it’s exhibited by a severe sudden onset allergic reaction. Usual symptoms are immediate coughing, asthma, breathing difficulties, and/or projectile vomiting. It can cause life-threatening responses in allergic people. A true Wheat allergy affects less than 1/2 % of population.

Intolerance's are much more common than true food allergies but are harder to diagnose. Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to food that does not involve the body's immune system. Generally food intolerance is an inability to properly digest certain foods. In some cases food passes right through the body before digestion is complete.

Leaky Gut is an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to luminal macromolecules, antigens, and toxins associated with inflammatory degenerative and/ or atrophic mucosa or lining. Put more simply, large spaces develop between the cells of the gut wall allowing bacteria, toxins and food to leak into the bloodstream. Leaky Gut Syndrome has also been linked with many conditions, such as: Celiac Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Eczema, Dermatitis, and Ulcerative Colitis.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by an inappropriate immune response to dietary proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley (gluten and

gliadin). This response leads to inflammation of the small intestine and to damage and destruction of the villi that line the intestinal wall. These villi are projections (small folds) that increase the surface area of the intestine and allow nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fluids, and electrolytes to be absorbed into the body. When the villi are destroyed, the body is much less capable of absorbing food and begins to develop symptoms associated with malnutrition and malabsorption. When the body is exposed to the gluten and gliadin proteins, it forms antibodies that recognize and act against not only the grain proteins, but also against constituents of the intestinal villi. As long as the patient continues to be exposed to the proteins, he will continue to produce these autoantibodies. Celiac disease is found throughout the world but is most prevalent in those of European descent. It can affect anyone at any age and is more common in women. It is thought to be an inherited tendency that is triggered by an environmental, emotional, or physical event – although the exact mechanism is not fully understood.

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, about 5 to 15% of close family members of a celiac disease patient will also have the condition.

Symptoms

There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of symptoms of gluten intolerance. It all comes down to inflammation in the body! Many people believe the most common symptoms are gastrointestinal in nature - yet the majority of people with gluten intolerance (and celiac disease) have extraintestinal symptoms.

The most common symptoms of celiac disease include:

• Fatigue

• Addison’s disease (hormonal disorder)

• Gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, reflux)

• Headaches (including migraines)

• Infertility

• Mouth sores

• Weight loss/gain

• Inability to concentrate

• Moodiness/depression

• Amenorrhea/delayed menarche (menstrual cycles)

• Bone/joint/muscle pain

• Dental enamel hypoplasia (dental enamel defect)

• Short stature

• Seizures

• Tingling numbness in the legs

The “cure” is a life long gluten free diet.

Making the Transition

1. Have a reality check. Remember this is a choice! If you want to feel lousy for the rest of your life and get worse as time goes on then continue eating gluten. If you want to start on a journey to heal; go gluten free!

2. Give it time. It takes time to heal. Take the 45 day challenge.

Within this time frame you will notice the brain fog is gone. Your body will start adjusting to a healthy weight. Yes, you will lose the bloating and weight around the middle. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a little longer to feel 100%.

3. Look at your current diet and go through your pantry and refrigerator to find the foods and meals you already eat that are gluten-free. You may need to keep a food journal if you haven't already.

Be sure to list condiments, ice creams, produce, snacks, and other foods.

This list will be helpful as you create menus around your new foods and give you encouragement that you're already on the right track!

4. Give yourself permission to eat things that you may have restricted from your diet before your diagnosis. Potato chips or GF cookies may not be appropriate for other people, but they are a treat in a GF diet in small doses of course. You will need to find treats for yourself initially as you adjust to this diet. Count calories after you are comfortable with your new way of eating, manage your portions instead.

Once you are comfortable with the switch start cutting back on refined grains, crackers, breads, etc., to help the gut heal quicker. In all honesty, bread will not be that important. It's all about taking baby steps!

5. Look at your current menus and meals and find ways to eliminate gluten from your diet. Replace bread in sandwiches with GF bread or green leaf lettuce and add your favorite fixings and condiments. Have breakfast burritos with rice tortillas instead of toast and eggs. Look for GF hot and cold cereals (must not have barley malt) and have those handy for a snack or meal. Replace bread and crackers with tortilla or corn chips, brown rice cakes or popcorn. For example, chicken or tuna salad on rice cakes or scooped onto corn chips is delicious. Popcorn is a filling side dish with soup. Be on the lookout for meals on your current menus or the menus of friends and family that are naturally gluten-free (roasted chicken, baked sweet potatoes and steamed veggies, for example) and make them a staple on your new menus. Surf the internet, watch cooking shows and browse magazines for ideas and adapt them as you see fit.

6. Clear out any and all foods that have gluten, wheat, wheat flour, oats, oat flour, rye, semolina, or modified food starch from your pantry. This will allow you to see how close you are to living gluten-free already. If you have family members living with you who are not gluten free, you might consider giving the "offending edibles" to them to be put in another part of the house while you learn to live and think gluten-free. As time goes on you can cook for the entire family without gluten.

7. Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. Being caught hungry without a plan is not a good idea! Keep a few GF soups on hand in case of extreme hunger. Keep a small cooler in your car with snacks such as nuts, dried fruit and water. It helps to outline and pack any meals you're eating at home and away from home, including snacks. An example could be -

o Breakfast: scrambled eggs and mixed vegetables rolled in a rice tortilla, sliced apples, and coffee.

o Lunch: Lettuce with turkey, avocado slices, tomato, and mustard, 1 oz. chips, and 2 organic dark chocolate pieces.

o Dinner: Grilled fish or chicken with mixed vegetables, wild rice, and fruit.

o Snacks: 1 oz. almonds and popcorn.

o Desert: Coconut Ice Cream or fruit.

Tips

1. Be patient with yourself. You'll have days when being gluten-free is really depressing (maybe even "fall off the wagon"). This is normal.

Relax – it’s a process.

2. Carry snacks with you wherever you go. It's often difficult to find an appropriate snack when the hunger strikes. GF bars are great!

3. Arrange with the hosts of gatherings you may attend to bring your own sides or complete meals. Most people are very supportive of restricted diets.

4. Carry a small cooler in your car with small cold packs to store fruit, snacks and water.

5. Consider avoiding restaurants during your transition phase as you learn how to eat and think gluten-free. Grilled meats (over a flame), baked potatoes and salads without croutons are usually safe bets. But keep a log of places you eat, what you ate and how you felt afterward. Gluten is insidious and can turn up in the oddest places (french fries, for example which can be dusted with flour).

6. Get your hands on cookbooks or start collecting your own recipes in a binder.

7. Carry digestive aids (enzyme and bioflavonoid) with you in case of accidental ingestion. There are ones specifically for gluten such as GlutenFlam by Apex Energetics; available from your healthcare practitioner.

8. Consider taking a multi-vitamin to make up for vitamins and minerals you may lack with your new diet (ask your doctor or nutritionist if necessary).

9. Find a mentor or support system.

10. Breathe

About the author: Sandi Star, CCN

Sandi is the founder of Karmic Health, specializing in nutrition related to disease where a gluten and casein (dairy) free lifestyle is crucial; working with celiac, autism and all auto immune disorders. Sandi graduated from The Natural Healing Institute with a degree in Clinical Nutrition and is continuing her studies in Clinical Herbology. She has hands on understanding of many health issues and has dedicated her life in helping others reach their optimal health.

For more information related to this article please visit www.karmic-health.com or contact Sandi Star at 760.685.3154

Nevada Dentist Adapts ABA Therapy to Treat Children with Austim

scottie — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:13:50 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Jeff Kinner, a pediatric dentist in Nevada, sets aside one day a week to treat children with autism.

Body:

Dr. Jeff Kinner, a pediatric dentist in Nevada, sets aside one day a week to treat children with autism. He has adapted the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy to ease children's fears, "establishing eye contact, calmly repeating instructions and praising good behavior while not drawing attention to poor behavior." While he does not have special needs children of his own, Dr. Kinner saw the need and sought training from occupational therapists because he could not find dental ABA training. He likes for the parents to participate in the dental process and talk to their children about the office visit in terms their children best understand. One mom "told her son, who loves the movie 'Transformers,' that Dr. Kinner would look for robots in his mouth," and if there were bad robotshe would take them out.

Read original article.

The Caries Experience and Behavior of Dental Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

scottie — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:54:14 +0000

Title	The Caries Experience and Behavior of Dental Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Loo CY, Graham RM, Hughes CV
Journal Title	Journal of the American Dental Association
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	139
Issue	11
Pages	1518-1524
URL for Abstract	http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/139/11/1518
Full Text	Children with autism may have fewer teeth problems than other children. This study was designed to see if the dental health of children with autism differed from the dental health of other children. The authors searched through the dental records of the Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston. The records had four times as many boys with autism as girls with autism. Children with autism received care at the hospital up until the age of 21. Children with autism had fewer cavities and less severe cavities than children who did not have autism.