October Newsletter 2010

Happy Halloween! I can hardly believe the end of October is almost here. Things have been going very well so far with Mr C. His teacher and I agree that his speech is not only on target for his age, but even past that of many of his peers in class.

We recently have finished his mercury detox and have determined that his yeast overgrowth is under control. We have decided to also remove casein from his diet to help with his asthma and are very pleased with the results. We are now down to almost no medication for this.

We are still experiencing some sleep problems, but even these seem to be fading somewhat. If you are interested in more information about biomedical treatments for autism, ADHD, or sensory processing disorder, feel free to contact me.

Child-behavior-guide.com updates

Some of the following pages have brand new behavior charts to check out!

• Sticker Charts
• Printable Reward Charts
• Printable Certificates for Kids
• ADHD Behavior Charts
• Kids Charts
• Family Chore Charts
• Chores for Kids
• Gluten Free Casein Free Diet Info
• Signs of Autism in Infants
• Signs of Autism in Toddlers

Bonus Child Behavior Tip

Going to Restaurants

First we always make sure to bring a lot of toys. Now this may sound like a typical thing parents do, but we try to have certain toys that are mainly used at restaurants that we don’t allow much access to other places. We also bring at least a few options, so that we can switch when he is bored. One thing we often bring that seems to go over very well for a boy and possibly a girl too is a small bin of legos. Then we make tunnels and drive his cars through them.

Avoid letting children run around a lot inside or they will get the impression that this is okay to do. However, you may choose to let a child run around outside the restaurant for a period of time while you look at a menu (they often have one available at the hostess stand), choose what you want to order and have your spouse place the order while you kill some time letting your child burn energy. Then go inside and give your child the toys and activities you brought.

Also, bring a snack. The wait for food can be difficult for children, especially when they are very hungry. I know it seems like they may spoil their appetite, but if you bring a healthy addition to any meal you are only enhancing the meal. Some options may include raisins, string cheese, or banana. I’ve noticed that most restaurants don’t offer more than applesauce as a fruit or vegetable for children, so bringing a healthy addition helps in more ways than one.

Try to go somewhere that is kid friendly, doesn’t have a long wait and is quick with food. If you want to go to the hottest place in town that is elegant and relaxed leave the kids at home. This only sets up children to produce inpatient behavior and you to feel flustered and angry.

If your child does misbehave or have a difficult time sitting at the table, respond by saying, “Oh that is too bad, it looks like we will have to have some car time.” Then take your child to the car, secure them in their seat and stand outside of it without making any eye contact for one minute per year old as a time out or until calm for at least 10 seconds.

Go over the rules with your child about how to behave in restaurants. Make them very simple and easy to understand (Use a quiet voice, stay in your seat, etc.). Then, ask if they would like to try again. For some children, you may only have to do this once. For others it may take 2-3 times depending on how often you have allowed a child to misbehave in restaurants without any notable consequences, such as this.

If your child is really misbehaving and is older than 2 years old, take him/her to the car to wait until your spouse is able to get the food in carry out and pay the check.

What’s in the News?

Rosa’s Law

I think this is a great moment in history for children with disabilities to be recognized more as individuals rather than labeled with a name that has acquired a negative association. It’s been a long time coming!