Thriving in the Midst of Chaos: Parenting With Special Needs Kids

Thriving in the Midst of Chaos: Parenting With Special Needs Kids

By Jessica TempleParentingKids & Family
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Thriving in the Midst of Chaos: Parenting With Special Needs Kids episodes

  • Building Independence in Your Children With Special Needs With Dr. Sarah Allen

    Episode 94: Building Independence in Your Children With Special Needs With Dr. Sarah Allen

    In this episode, we discuss developing and promoting independent skill building in children with special needs. Guest Dr. Sarah Levin Allen, AKA The Brain Gal, discusses ways to minimize anxiety in children with autism. She also provides tips for how to help kids cope with changes within the family. For independence, remember to teach the skill. Don't just rely on sticker charts. Things don't always come as naturally to children with special needs. Break down the parts to the skills and help the kids to understand what they are doing. Use reflective questioning. She discusses areas to work on the most and ways to get around challenges. She discusses ways to build self-advocacy in young children. We converse about aiding children in coping with divorce and explaining dating and blending families to children with special needs.

    Raising Brains : Mindful Meddling to Raise Successful, Happy, Connected Kids

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    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    59 min
  • Raising a Micropreemie With Autism With Guest Melissa Harris

    Episode 93: Raising a Micropreemie With Autism With Guest Melissa Harris

    In this episode, we discuss a mother's experience raising a micropreemie. Melissa Harris has two children, one of whom was born at 24 weeks gestation. She found that she had a bincorniate uterus, and had to undergo several surgeries to fix the problem. While trying to become pregnant with her second, she experienced several miscarriages. She underwent several IUI's to become pregnant. She had frequent hormone shots to keep the pregnancy going. If there was any hint of a problem, she was placed on strict bed rest for 3 days. She was diagnosed with an "incompetent cervix" which was thought to be the cause of her son being born early. When she went into early labor, she was taken to the hospital, where she had to lay completely still until her son was born. She had to be tipped back 30 degrees as well. They found that the sac had already started to come out and she was contracting frequently. She was given magnesium to stop the contractions. She held on for 6 days before her son was finally born. She had little to do during that time, and passed the time by having visitors and watching shows. She felt very sick with migraines and from the magnesium. Due to her son being a micropreemie, she had to undergo a c-section to have her son.

    After her son was born, he was taken right to the NICU, where he stayed for 95 days. He required oxygen, two surgeries, had a lot of apneas and bradycardia, his kidneys stopped working, and was found to have retinopathy. Otherwise, he had a relatively calm NICU stay. He had respiratory therapy and occupational therapy for head shape and head positioning.

    She had numerous complications herself during the first month, including a bad uterine infection. During the NICU stay, she hyperfocused on making sure that everything was ok and she didn't give herself time to process and cope. She struggled to balance care for her daughter and her son. The surgeries were overwhelming for Melissa to deal with.

    Once her son arrived home, the family was not allowed to leave their house for 6 months. She had to quit her job because they wanted her to come back to work and she was not allowed to leave the house.

    When her son was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with autism. He was diagnosed quickly and tried lots of different types of therapy. She copes with the busyness of life by writing.

    One Pound Twelve Ounces

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    Preemie primer book

    Autism Self Advocacy Network

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    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

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    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    1 hr
  • Sensory Processing Disorder With Guest Candice Curtis

    Episode 92: Sensory Processing Disorder With Guest Candice Curtis

    In this episode, we discuss sensory processing disorder, meltdowns, and making it all work. Guest Candice Curtis's, OT, oldest son is autistic. Throughout her training, she began to gravitate toward occupational therapy and sensory processing disorder. There are 8 different sensory systems. Our brains have to organize all of the sensory inputs, decide if it is important or not important, and make all of it available for us to use when we are trying to do different activities and tasks. A disorder happens when our brain can't do that effectively or easily and it impacts one's ability to be able to participate in activities.

    Try to see things through the mind of your child. This will help you figure out what to do to help your child. Her biggest recommendation for sensory strategies is to get your children outside in nature more often. Nature has a huge regulating quality, as it is slower and calmer. Set up a playroom or play areas in your house. Ideas for it include a beanbag chair, swing, trampoline, rocking chair, weighted blankets, and/or lycra blankets. Take your child's lead to play. Slow down and take your time. Play with them and interact with them. Join in with whatever they are doing. Use rhythmic vestibular activities.

    During COVID, Candice decided to homeschool her children. She needed to get better at self-care, step back, give herself grace, meal plan, delegate where she could, omit tasks when she could, give herself more credit for all the tasks that she did, think about progress over perfection, write down her routines and do what she was also ready doing but in a different way to make things more efficient, use music and headphones for her son, start her son's day with sensory strategies, listen to meditations at night, use sensory strategies right before bed, schedule some time buffers into her time, and schedule time in just to sit and exist with her children. For self-care, she recommends shifting your perspective, examining your self-talk, creating a joy list, making an effort to make joy moments part of your every day, paying attention to self-talk, joining book clubs, planning out your week ahead and blocking everything out, and figuring out what to prioritize or simplify.

    A meltdown occurs when the child is way too overwhelmed. Practice strategies with the child when they are calm, so they have the skills when they need them. Be proactive and use sensory strategies with the child throughout the day. Keep in mind that they are reacting to stress and they can't help it. It is your job is to keep them calm, find out what could have caused the meltdown, and figure out how to help them through it.

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    The Autism and Sensory Parenting Podcast

    Sensory Integration and The Child

    Balanced and Barefoot

    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    55 min
  • The Science Of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, The Joy of Living, and Positive Psychology, With Guest Dr. Rabia Subhani

    Episode 91: The Science Of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, The Joy of Living, and Positive Psychology, With Guest Dr. Rabia Subhani

    Today, we discuss mindfulness, self-compassion, the joy of living, and positive psychology. Guest Dr. Rabia Subhani trained and worked as a pediatric neuropsychologist. However, after she had a child with autism, she found a different path and started working in the area of mindfulness. She found that when she changed her reactions and used mindfulness practices herself, her son's behaviors changed. Mindfulness is bringing your attention to the present moment with a loving, nonjudgmental awareness.

    Mindfulness is helpful for neurodiverse children, as it can help with sensory overload, overwhelm, emotional overwhelm, improving focus, calming down, emotional regulation, reducing stress, coming back to the present moment, and managing anxiety. If you help the child practice regularly, then it becomes routine for the child to use these strategies when stressed. Mindfulness can make changes in the brain to help depression, chronic pain, anxiety, memory, monkey mind, and attention/concentration.

    Mindfulness can help children and parents. Mindfulness can be used at school when the child is stressed, without anyone else seeing or knowing what the child is doing. Strategies include mindful eating or drinking, breathing exercises (including using an expanding and collapsing sphere to demonstrate the breath), 5-5-5 breathing, using cues to remind the child to take deep breaths, sitting meditation, bring attention back to their breath, the raisin exercise, brush teeth or shower mindfully, mindful movements (such as yoga), and modeling mindfulness behaviors for your children. Try to build these practices into a routine. Start off small.

    Self-compassion is giving yourself the same level of caring and compassion that you would give to someone else, with the intention and motivation to alleviate your suffering. Think about how you would treat someone else in your situation. Treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. If you don't replenish, it leads to overwhelm and stress. Without self-compassion, it leads to shame, depression, anxiety, overwhelmed, and poor self-image. With more self-compassion, people engage in more exercise, eating well, going to the doctor, and have more optimism, life satisfaction, happiness, and better physical health. Parents can gain self-compassion by soothing touch (giving yourself a hug), doing things that make you feel better (warm bath, massage, drinking a cup of tea, going out in nature), self-compassion meditation, and a self-compassion break (have mindfulness that this is a moment of suffering, shared humanity vs isolation, and self-kindness).

    The joy of living is about choosing to live each moment with love, joy and gratitude and finding that joy. You are constantly finding new ways to get excited and everything makes you happy. You are consciously living to be optimistic. D what feels aligned with your heart, soul, and mind. Do what feels good to you.

    Positive psychology can increase joy of living, including savoring and gratitude. Savoring is noticing and appreciating the positive things in life, and letting them linger, the mindful experience of pleasure. Gratitude is recognizing, acknowledging, and being grateful for the good things in life.

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    Self-Compassion Meditations 1

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    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

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    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    49 min
  • Successfully Navigating College and Employment With Autism, Part 3

    Episode 90: Successfully Navigating College With Autism, Part 3

    To help with the transition to college, work on independence at home, bit by bit, select the goal with the student and start with the easiest one, rather than the hardest or most importance, then build up from there. Incorporate a reward system into the mix. It is helpful to help the child gain independence in communication with the teacher and have the student ask for the help and supports, especially starting in high school. Same thing with doctor appointments. Have the student schedule their own well visit. If they aren't comfortable with it or can't do it, work on self-awareness, anxiety, and social skills that are preventing this from happening.

    Know that in college, writing and written expression are huge. If a student struggles with written expression, college will be difficult. It is helpful to figure out in high school why they might have trouble and to see what can be done to help, if possible. If there is a subject that the student hates, see if there is a way that they can engage as minimally as possible, but in a way that they will get by in the college courses they need to take.

    Another big issue is the ability to include oneself. Students need to find ways to make themselves part of communities in college. Without socialization, depression can occur. Create or find ways to do this in high school. Practice having conversations and introducing yourself. Keep in mind that once your child is 18, the college does not have to speak with parents unless the student signs a release. Agree as a family beforehand about the level of involvement of the parent in the college education and have the student sign a release right off the bat. Then develop plans to fade out parent involvement and support and empower students to be their own supports over time. This should start in the high school years. Let the student know ahead of time that parents will start to fade out.

    When it comes to employment planning, parents often have great ideas to create or carve out jobs for their children. It is helpful to identify career interests and skills that need to be built, in order to help the student be extra prepared for employment after college. Employment doesn't always go well because the traditional interviewing and hiring process is a poor fit. The interview process is heavy on social engagement, social nuances, fast rapport building and social communication, navigating small talk and chit chat, and navigating questions about strength and weaknesses. Experience-based/task-based interviews are a better fit. Other things to help with job-finding include finding a career mentor, making sure the students accrue some sort of vocational experience in high school and college, finding jobs that give students an opportunity to practice basic work skills to start off, have them use their school career center to identify opportunities, and connect to vocational rehabilitation services.

    Links:

    Emory Autism Center Education and Transition Services

    The College Autism Network

    NASPA College Autism Summit

    College Autism Spectrum

    Frist Center For Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt

    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    53 min
  • Successfully Navigating College With Autism, Part 2

    Episode 89: Successfully Navigating College With Autism, Part 2

    In this episode, we continue our discussion of everything college for teens and young adults with autism. Guest Dr. Matt Segall discusses how to decide on the type of college that is right for the teen with autism. When deciding on the type of college to choose, pay the most attention to social maturity of the teen, executive functioning challenges and independence in using strategies to support academics, self-advocacy ability, and the reason for going to college. If a teen has difficult with these, a 4 year college, at least to start, may not be the best choice, or taking a slow approach to school may be beneficial. For these individuals, Dr. Segall recommends a 2 year Associate's degree option, perhaps transitioning into a 4 year college afterward. For those who are a hands-on or an experiential learner, technical school might be a great option. It can be helpful to start specializing in that area in the high school years as well. The likelihood of those who go to a technical school getting a job after college is much much higher than those who go the traditional college route. Online learning is best for someone who is overwhelmed by learning in person, but has a strong skillset of independent learning and self-management and executive functioning. Make sure to match the educational setting to the person's life goals.

    The four pillars of important support in college include care coordination, skill building, within campus inclusion and capacity building, and vocational development.

    When looking to see if the school is a good fit for your child, consider the living situation, and examine the distance from home, the requirements to live on campus, classroom size, student support systems, academic coaching, mental health support, care coordination/case management, assistance with skill building, mentors, assistance with executive functioning, independent living skills, and the community of students. When looking for a college, reach out to the autism support networks there and meet with them, get a sense of how the student will register with the office of disabilities, inquire about autism supports on campus, look at academic rigor of the school, think about if the student has nailed down their academic career path, examine the community of students.

    Don't start looking into college and doing the aforementioned in the spring right before graduation. Start thinking of these things in the 10th grade year. Think about the level of independence of the student academically, build up independence skills and task management skills, build executive functioning skills, and engage in person-centered planning to help them identify what they want in a community.

    Links:

    Emory Autism Center Education and Transition Services

    The Parent's Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum

    The College Autism Network

    NASPA

    College Autism Summit

    Eric W. Carter

    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    1 hr 30 min
  • Successfully Navigating College With Autism, Part 1

    Episode 88: Successfully Navigating College With Autism, Part 1

    In this episode, we discuss everything college for teens and young adults with autism. Guest Dr. Matt Segall discusses that nowadays, many teens with autism are going to college. However, a low number of them graduates. Those who do graduate tend to have a higher academic ability, good executive functioning skills in the areas of self-management and completing and turning in work, resilience, and the creation of a support team around the individual. In those who do not graduate, often college was not a good choice of postsecondary education or it was the wrong college for them. Choosing to go to college must be an active choice. Passively going to college without reason or supports can lead to anxiety, depression, and shutting down.

    Some challenges to success in college include reduced executive functioning, difficulty with social engagement, anxiety, and developmental delays.

    In college, you need an active and engaged initiation where you use self-advocacy to obtain a support system and accommodations you might need. Creating a strong social network with supports is crucial to success in college. Dr. Segall recommends ways to be more successful in college including accommodations, strong self-advocacy, strong social support network, possibly staying in high school longer, taking the "slow approach" to higher education, and/or dual enrollment in high school and college during the 5th year of high school. It can be helpful for the teen to practice going to their professor/teacher and disclosing their diagnosis and requesting accommodations. They should also practice using office hours, checking in with the professor occasionally, using peer mentors, and using visual schedules and visual supports. It is helpful to pull on self-advocacy and teach the teen helpful strategies, so supports will eventually be successfully faded out.

    Self-advocacy is key. Self-advocacy is about autonomy of choice and reaching out to get the things you need. In college, the teen can go to the career center to find information about resources, careers or internships, ask for accommodations at the college, speak up for themselves in small groups academic projects, and reach out to the counseling center and request an appointment. Meet with the office of disability services at the school about accommodations. Disclosure and advocacy can be two different things. Disclosure can be a powerful tool that one can use at your disposal.

    The ideal college situation is an inclusive college campus where they understand the universal design for learning, educate faculty staff and students about autism, and the faculty reaches out to the students if they notice someone has features of autism. There are 100 colleges nation-wide who have college autism support programs. The provide academic accommodation supports, academic coaching, skill building and teaching skills, care coordination, tutoring, mentoring, life skills building, and preparation for employment. However, these come at a higher monetary cost.

    Start planning for college in 8th or 9th grade. Think about what accommodations that are benefitting the student at that point that will be helpful in a college environment, and make sure the student is aware of what those things are. Include the student in the IEP process. Fade out what you can when you can. As they approach graduation, get a new psychoeducational evaluation and include the relevant tools, resources, accommodations, modifications. Use this as documentation of needs for the office of disabilities at the college.

    Links:

    Emory Autism Center Education and Transition Services

    The College Autism Network

    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple and Lewis Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    1 hr 4 min
  • All Things Physical Therapy With Guest Lucia Montuonto

    Episode 87: All Things Physical Therapy With Guest Lucia Montuonto

    In this episode, guest Lucia Matuonto discusses physiotherapy! Physical therapists (PTs) work in rehabilitation and accident prevention. Their goal is to improve the patient's quality of life. A child needs a PT when there are developmental delays, the child is not meeting milestones, or when there are birth defects, cerebral palsy, accidents, spinal cord problems, spina bifida, hypotonia, down syndrome, ataxias, dystonia, and peripheral nerve issues, as well as many others. If there is a difference with your child, PT might be useful. Parents should bring their child to a PT as soon as they see that the child is having a developmental delay or struggling to reach a physical milestone. The sooner they begin, the better the chance that the child can recover completely.

    They use joint mobilization, strengthening, stretching, gait and vestibular training, ultrasound, and using other devices to help the children. They educate patients to prevent falls, fit them for wheelchairs, and provide orthotics training. PTs use tools and methods to help with balance, coordination, fine and gross motor, and wheelchair trainings. They can use methods like the Swiss ball, weight training, Pediasuit, and "monkey cage."

    To help engage the children, Lucia started telling the children stories. This led to her writing and publishing her stories. Reading stories about children or animals with special needs can help teach children, lead to compassion, and help with inclusion.

    Links:

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    The Relatable Voice Podcast

    Uncut

    Zoe The Crab

    LA Tribune Article

    Interview 1

    Interview 2

    Interview 3

    Interview 4

    Interview 5

    Interview 6

    Interview 7

    NLP

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    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    46 min
  • Fostering and Adoption Journeys With Children With Special Needs With Guest Daniel Hall

    Episode 86: Fostering and Adoption Journeys With Children With Special Needs With Guest Daniel Hall

    In this episode, Daniel Hall discusses adoption and special needs. He and his wife have 5 children with special needs of varying degrees. Conditions ranged from Autism, drug exposure, Fetal Alcohol Symptoms, slowed processing speed, Reactive Attachment Disorder, developmental delays, PTSD, and possible Dissociative Identity Disorder. Daniel himself was in foster care as a young child, and was later adopted by the Hall family. His foster car experiences were abusive and traumatic prior to being adopted by the Hall family.

    After adopting children (5 at a time), he was asked to be a trainer for parents who would like to foster or adopt children. He learned a lot by adopting his children. At first, it was hard to reach some of them. Over time, he learned about their traumas, how to reach them, and the best ways to interact with them and reach them.

    Before you decide to foster or adopt, know your limits and get a good sense of what you will be like as a parent. Realize that you will have to learn about their trauma, learn about trauma in general, and help the children self-regulate. Be prepared for friendships to change. Surround yourself with people who understand. Listen to your children. Show interest in what your children are doing. Advocate for them. Look into foster parent associations to gain additional useful social support.

    Links:

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    LinkedIn

    Email us if you have any questions or ideas!

    We are now on instagram!

    Check out updates on our website.

    Follow Thriving on Twitter.

    Check us out on Facebook!

    We are also on Pinterest!

    Please subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store, or wherever you find your podcasts, Leave us a 5-star review, to help us know what you like and what you don't like, and to make sure other like-minded people find support through this podcast.

    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    1 hr 6 min
  • Infant Feeding Challenges With Guest Mallory Millet

    Episode 85: Infant Feeding Challenges With Guest Mallory Millet

    In this episode, Mallory Millet discusses feeding difficulties in infants and young children. Her three children experienced their own feeding difficulties, including difficulty nursing and reflux. She shared their stories. She noted that both speech therapists and occupational therapists (and occasionally physical therapists) can be feeding therapists, with the right training. They can assist with bottle feeding, breastfeeding, or both. If the parent feels like anything is wrong during feeding, it is beneficial to seek a specialist. If there is clicking, reflux, gas, loss of milk out of the mouth, popping on and off of the breast, coughing, or choking on liquids, it would be useful to seek an assessment. Some conditions are more likely to require feeding therapy, including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, congenital heart disease, low tone babies, cleft palate, and cleft lip. The most common feeding issues are reflux, dysphasia, aspiration of food, and tongue tie. The earlier things are addressed, the better. A big sign to look for is open mouth posture.

    To evaluate the children, a therapist will take a good history, learn about the feeding journey up to that point, will evaluate the mouth, and watch the baby feed. Feeding therapy is baby dependent, but should be pushing baby to do more, releasing tension in the baby's mouths, education for parents of what to do at home, teaching the baby oral play, and teaching the parent how to interact during feeding time.

    To help their babies, parents should get in the baby's mouth, encourage oral play, and let baby stretch and open their neck. To help make mealtime more pleasant for mom and baby, relax during feeding time. With toddlers, don't be afraid to push for them to try different foods, allow them to work through gagging (as long as they aren't choking), don't fight with them if they say no, offer preferred foods at each meal, offer one nonpreferred food at each meal, limit the amount of food on their plate, don't make food a battle, and set up expectations early. To find a good feeding therapist, find someone who specializes in feeding therapy, ask why they do each activity and ask what the goals will be for feeding therapists.

    Links:

    Website

    Instagram

    The Infant Oral Play Guide

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    Show Music:

    Intro Outro: Intro Outro 2 by Mattias Lahoud under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Theme Song: 90s rock style by monkeyman535 under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Self Care Song: Green and Orange No Water by Duncan Alex under CC-BY 3.0 License (www.freesound.org)

    Hosted by: Jessica Temple

    Disclaimer: Our show is not designed to provide listeners with specific or personal legal, medical, or professional services or advice. Parents of children with health issues should always consult their health care provider for medical advice, medication, or treatment.

    Copyright 2021 Jessica Temple

    55 min

About Thriving in the Midst of Chaos: Parenting With Special Needs Kids

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Welcome to Thriving in the Midst of Chaos! This show is about surviving parenthood while having a child with special needs, while attempting to keep your self and your sanity intact. We share ourโ€ฆ