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The Head Start Center for Inclusion offers a library of visual supports for teachers to use with children in the classroom. Look for illustrations of toys, art materials, daily schedule pictures, problem solving cue cards, and classroom certificates, to name just a few. Each one can be downloaded and printed out for immediate use.

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Classroom Visuals and Supports – Head Start Center for Inclusion

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Head Start Center for Inclusion COVID-19 Resources

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Here are 10 tips to help teach children to be independent with self help skills and everyday routines:

1. Make sure you have time to give the child your undivided attention when you are first teaching a new skill or routine. Likewise, make sure that the child is paying attention when learning the skill. Minimize distractions and create a quiet environment at first.

2. Break down the skill into simple steps. Give specific directions on how to complete each step. For example with washing hands break the skill into several steps: wet hands, put soap on hands, rub hands together and wash for 20-30 seconds, rinse hands, dry hands and turn off water.

3. To help the child understand the self help skill provide visual images or photographs for each step. When each step is completed the child can move on to the next picture. See below.

4. Demonstrate each step as you move through the sequence. Check if the child understands fully before you move to the next step.

5. Try to use the same wording on each step by step direction for consistency. As the child becomes more independant, reduce the verbal cues until they can be discontinued completely.

6. Encourage and praise the child for each step that is accomplished. If a child is unable to complete a step you can help with that one step. Always work to slowly fade away your assistance.

7. If able, offer a choice to help the child feel more independent. For the handwashing example, offer two different kinds of soap to choose. For dressing skills, let the child pick out his/her clothes.

8. Offer some positive reinforcement. For example, if you complete a certain number of steps then you will be able to choose a book to read, play with a toy for special toy for a few minutes, etc.

9. Be patient. Take your time completing the routine or skill. Provide extra time to complete the skill.

10. Celebrate! When a child is consistently independent with a new skill or routine celebrate the success. Give the child a reward. Check out these 30 free or low cost rewards.

Need visual picture images when teaching dressing skills? Check out this popular packet - Dressing Skills: Step by Step Visual Directions to Teach Children How to Dress. Find out more here https://www.yourtherapysource.com/dressing.html

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10 Tips to Teach Children Self Help Skills - Your Therapy Source

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Here are 10 tips to help teach children to be independent with self help skills and everyday routines: 1. Make sure you have time to give the child your undivided attention when you are first teaching a new skill or routine. Likewise, make sure that the child is paying attention when learning the skill.

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Easy, actionable, and functional Occupational Therapy activities and interventions. OT resources and information to help kids thrive.

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Welcome to Speech Therapy Activities!

FREE activities to motivate and engage children to learn speech, language, and communication skills.

Articulation, language, literacy, and communication activities to sing and dance about.

ideas and activities for all ages

Books in a Bag - Great books that engage and teach language concepts.

Language Fun - Action based activities and games that encourage language development.

Rhymes - Activities and games that use nursery rhymes to learn.

More Language - Ideas that are appropriate teaching language to teens.

Children learn best when they are having fun!

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FREE activities to motivate and engage children to learn speech, language, and communication skills. Articulation, language, literacy, and communication activities to sing and dance about. ideas and activities for all ages Books in a Bag - Great books that engage and teach language concepts. Language Fun - Action based activities and games that encourage language development.

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This website gives information on the advantages of signing, and provides resources, news, updates, products and videos.

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Baby Sign Language lets babies, as young as six months old, communicate their needs so they don't need to cry. Your baby will learn how to tell you:

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Some children who have been diagnosed with autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) could dramatically benefit from not being exposed to electronic screens.

New clinical case studies have found that many young children who spend too much screen time-on TV's, video games, tablets and computers-have symptoms labeled as "autism." When parents take away the screens for a few months the child's symptoms disappear. The term for this phenomenon is "Virtual Autism" or autism induced by electronic screens. The term "Virtual Autism" was coined by Romanian clinical psychologist Dr Marius Zamfir.

Romania witnessed an astonishing rise in autism among youngsters in a children's hospital. The cause was unknown, so one psychiatrist dug into the activity logs the hospital collected on all admitted patients. In those records he found a strong trend: children presenting with autism were spending four or more hours a day watching some kind of screen: television, computer, tablet, or phone. Today in Romania, treatment of autism by screen withdrawal is considered routine and has public support.

We are seeing a startling rise in autism diagnoses in the United States, a trend that has parents, teachers, and mental health professionals puzzled and concerned.

These statistics from the Center for Disease Control paint a stark picture of the rising rates of diagnoses:

In 1975, 1 in 5000 children were diagnosed with autism.

In 2005, 1 in 500 children.

In 2014 (the most recent CDC numbers), 1 in 68 children.

The latest government survey of parents suggests that today the number of children living with autism may be as high as 1 in 45. That means that today in the United States a child is 100 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than children in 1975.

What's going on? What is behind the exponential rise in the diagnosis of autism? Does removing electronic screens from the lives of at least some young children decrease their risk of autism or even reduce their symptoms after they have been diagnosed?

Two French doctors with expertise in child development, Dr. Isabelle Terrasse and Dr. Anne-Lise Ducanda, have created an excellent YouTube video that provides some answers. The video is called: "Screens: Danger for children from 0-4 years old" (in French with English subtitles). They made the video based on case studies at Dr. Ducanda's clinic.. Their intent is to warn parents and health professionals about the rising tide of "Virtual Autism" and to propose solutions. Their research found that some children between the ages of 0 to 4 who were diagnosed with autism benefited from eliminating their exposure to electronic screens.

Dr. Ducanda and Dr. Terrasse looked at children who had been diagnosed with autism at hospitals. (In France, this is where children are typically diagnosed with serious problems.) These children's symptoms entirely disappeared one month after eliminating their screen time. "Virtual autism" is the term they used to describe this phenomenon. The researchers concluded that screen time hindered these children's brain development and prevented them from developing a normal social life.

In the video, Dr. Ducanda points out that children's TV shows teach the child to repeat words without knowing what the words mean. A child can count, but the child doesn't know what the numbers mean. For example, the child can repeat the number three. But if you ask the child: "Give me three pencils," the child cannot do it. When shown a picture and asked a question like "What is the little girl doing?" the child simply echoes the words "What is the little girl doing?" instead of answering the question.

Children learn the meaning of words through social interaction-by playing with real objects and having someone look at him and talk with him. A mother says "Put on your coat and we will go out for a walk" which is associated with the action of putting on a coat and going for a walk, giving the words context and meaning. A child learns about the world by manipulating a toy with his hands, feeling it with his mouth and throwing it on the ground. The child's brain registers the connections.

A small child's brain cannot develop without this sense of touch and interaction. Light and noise from electronic screens capture a child's attention, but they do not lead to healthy brain development.

Indeed, screens are so alluring that it's difficult for the child to turn to something else. In short, he becomes distracted by the screen and addicted. The screen also isolates the child from human interactions which are necessary to communication skills and language development. Even worse, the noise and light from screens-even cartoons-can generate painful emotions that the child can barely cope with. These feelings can lead to violent and aggressive behavior in a young child.

What is striking about the explosion in diagnoses of autistic spectrum disorder is that it correlates with the increased use of television since 1975 and the digital revolution. In 1975, a typical family had one television screen in their home. Today, with the digital revolution, families often have 10-15 screens. Besides ever-larger TV screens we have desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones and video game players. Tablets are advertised in toy catalogues for babies as young as six months old.

Young children are exposed to screens far more than what is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Academy recommends that children under the age of two not be exposed to screens at all and that older children be limited to two hours a day.

Interestingly, the exploding rise in autism affects children in all rich countries-and only in rich countries. From the perspective of Virtual Autism, it makes sense that countries that have not experienced the digital revolution have not experienced exponential increases in autism diagnoses because their young children are not spending time in front of screens. Dr. Ducanda noticed that after her "autistic" patients spent a month in Africa, without screens, they came back with no symptoms.

If screens are removed from some children with an autism diagnosis, the child's brain development can return to normal. He begins to play like never before. He returns to normal development. Based on the small studies, we cannot conclude that this is true for every child. But based on mounting numbers of clinical case studies, it is certainly true for some children. Although scientists have not found a genetic link for autism, some children may be predisposed to develop symptoms of autism.

In one French case study, a father who displayed Asperger-like symptoms in his own childhood "treated" his severely autistic 2 1/2 year old by removing screens (which he was watching four to six hours a day). The father also began intensive play sessions with his son. The young boy fully recovered.

Clearly, removing screens from the life of a young child is not an easy task for parents. The child will have tantrums. The rest of the family will be inconvenienced with the television turned off. In my own practice, I've had parents object to keeping the TV set turned off in the evening because they like to watch their favorite programs to relax after they come home from work. I've suggested to these parents that they record the shows they like and watch them after the children are asleep.

Parents may need support for this change of lifestyle. In some cases they might need support from a therapist or social worker knowledgeable in child development. But when parents do make the necessary changes, and spend more time with their child in interactive play, the effects can be amazingly beneficial. This is true for any child. And if a child is at risk for autism or has already been diagnosed, there's even more motivation for parents to try screen removal for a month or so to see if the absence of screen time produces results.

* * * * *

Editor's note: On September 12th, Marilyn Wedge and psychologist Gretchen LeFever Watson will present a MIA Continuing Education webinar on non-drug interventions for youth diagnosed with ADHD. Register here.

Marilyn Wedge, PhD is a family therapist with decades of experience helping children and families. She is the author of three books on child therapy. Her most recent book is A Disease called Childhood: Why ADHD became an American Epidemic (Penguin/Random House Group).

[email protected]

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"Virtual Autism" May Explain Explosive Rise in ASD Diagnoses - Mad In America

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Some children who have been diagnosed with autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) could dramatically benefit from not being exposed to electronic screens. New clinical case studies have found that many young children who spend too much screen time-on TV's, video games, tablets and computers-have symptoms labeled as "autism."

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Social Stories for Issues facing Children 

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Social Stories for Issues facing Children 

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Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents

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Is your child or client with autism addicted to a pacifier? Today I'm covering 6 easy steps for pacifier weaning.

Many children, especially those with behavioral issues frequently use pacifiers well past infancy. Their parents struggle with what to do about it so to keep them quiet and happy, they usually give in and "plug the child up" with a pacifier.

Older children can also be addicted in the same way to a bottle. Both bottles and pacifiers are both really bad for toddlers and older children because they hamper talking, increase problem behaviors for items, and can be detrimental to normal teeth development (both baby and adult teeth).

These steps should help with weaning your child from a pacifier or bottle if you are not willing or able to go the "cold turkey" route.

Assess (rate of use, times of day when your child most needs it and when you most need it-ie nighttime, car rides, church, etc.)

Make a plan with boundaries to wean based on your assessment (I will only feed via a bottle 4 times/day, she will only have a pacifier at nap/night time in the car and at church, I will only give one bottle at night when I'm at home sitting in a certain rocking chair).

If your child likes/has more than one bottle/pacifier, hide or dispose of all others (so they can't stash them or accidentally find one during non-pacifier times). If you want to keep one pacifier in the bedroom and one in the glove compartment of the car, that is fine....you just need to have one or two and maintain control of them.

If you are going to wean to just using the pacifier at nap/night time, for instance, create a "Binky Box" to be stored on the high shelf in the closet that the child puts it in the morning or naptime after waking. Don't take the pacifier and hide it or make it disappear. Instead, have the child put it in the "Binky Box" or "Paci Box."

Give a strongly preferred edible or toy for giving up the pacifier and putting it into the box.

For bottles give the least preferred drink in the bottle and the most preferred drink in a cup. Also, pair cup with highly reinforcing videos during non-bottle times.

While your child or client probably will not understand your complex plan, even infants will respond to reinforcement and other behavioral procedures.

If your child is ever crying while trying to access these items, do not give it to them.

Also if they are crying or having problem behaviors while accessing any reinforcement (including blankets, pacifier or bottles) take the item away for at least a few seconds to show her/him that crying will not work!

At the very minimum, children should not have access to pacifiers, blankets, or bottles on demand at any time of the day or night. They need you to help them with boundaries!

Assessing, planning and taking action may be emotionally taxing to you and your child so it's OK to pick a less stressful time to implement all of this such as after the holidays, when the other siblings go back to school, after a vacation is over, etc.The important thing to remember is that with these 6 steps you can tackle the pacifier problem and help your child.

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Pacifier Weaning for Children with Autism in 6 Easy Steps - Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents

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Is your child or client with autism addicted to a pacifier? Today I'm covering 6 easy steps for pacifier weaning. Many children, especially those with behavioral issues frequently use pacifiers well past infancy. Their parents struggle with what to do about it so to keep them quiet and happy, they usually give in and "plug the child up" with a pacifier.

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Here is a sound bank for parents to use to help their child or youth and get used to a sound, situation, or unfamiliar or upsetting environment before entering into this environment or situation.

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CLICK on the GRAY below.....

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30 Reasons to Use and Keep using a visual schedule 

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30 Reasons to Use and Keep using a visual schedule 

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Anxiety in Children

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As children grow and develop, they experience a number of emotional reactions that they know are different or even negative feelings, but they haven't the experience to understand what they are dealing with. However, they will let us know when something is wrong even when they aren't entirely sure of what it is.

While children may look at things differently than we do, giving them a deeper insight into another outlook on any given situation- they aren't as educated or self-aware as an adult. To them, their feelings that are constantly changing and evolving can be confusing, and putting a definite prognosis on their health isn't likely. Instead, they will tell us their symptoms, awaiting our experience and wisdom for help.

However, up until recently, most adults were completely unaware of the prominence of childhood mental disorders, other than ADHD and the other run of the mill behavioral issues experienced by children. And even in adulthood, it seems that anxiety isn't taken as seriously as it should be, because most people think that anxiety is simply the occurrence of a normal fear taking hold of us.

But anxiety is much more than that and can be quite consuming for the person dealing with it.

What child doesn't have a moment in which they cower behind their parents because it is dark outside, or because they heard a loud noise? In these situations, the child is anxious, but rightfully so, leaving no cause for concern. But, in some cases, children can develop an anxiety disorder which will affect their relationships, their education, and their overall quality of life.

Recent statistics have shown us that at least 1 out of every 8 children develops an anxiety disorder. If left untreated, the initial anxiety disorder can transpire into difficulty maintaining and developing connections with their peers, severe sleep disturbance, and substance dependency.

Sadly, untreated anxiety can leave your child feeling as though they are worthless, and in turn they may not excel academically, leaving them short of reaching their full potential. Depression is often a result of an untreated childhood anxiety disorder as well. So, how can we make a difference in the outcome of this often tragic scenario?

Learn to pay attention to your child's cry for help. Sometimes, their expression of anxiety will be much different than you would expect, so it helps to stay in tune with their triggers.

-Constant stomach aches during stressful situations

- Agitation

- Restless behavior

- Avoiding people/situations that could even slightly stress them out

- Meltdowns over slight issues

- Difficulty transitioning

- Extreme perfectionism

- Strange coping mechanisms that could be considered as self-harm (biting, scratching, pinching or even the pulling of their own hair)

If you notice your child is constantly stressing, to the point of it intervening in their day to day activities, seek the help of a trusted therapist. Catching the symptoms early can mean a better probability for therapeutic intervention, meaning medicine may not even be necessary. Above all- listen to your child, within reason. Use your better judgment and stay tuned into your child's normal behaviors and habits. Doing these simple things can make all the difference in the world.

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Children Won't Say They Have Anxiety, They Say 'My Stomach Hurts!'

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As children grow and develop, they experience a number of emotional reactions that they know are different or even negative feelings, but they haven't the experience to understand what they are dealing with. However, they will let us know when something is wrong even when they aren't entirely sure of what it is.

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CSEFEL: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

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The National Center for Effective Mental Health Consultation (CEMHC) addresses the needs of Early Head Start/Head Start (E/HS) staff and families for practical guidance on effective ways to promote young childrenís social and emotional development and reduce challenging behaviors.

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Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses.

Formerly referred to as sensory integration dysfunction, it is not currently recognized as a distinct medical diagnosis.

Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming. The light touch of a shirt may chafe the skin.

Others with sensory processing disorder may:

Be uncoordinated

Bump into things

Be unable to tell where their limbs are in space

Be hard to engage in conversation or play

Sensory processing problems are usually identified in children. But they can also affect adults. Sensory processing problems are commonly seen in developmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder.

Sensory processing disorder is not recognized as a stand-alone disorder. But many experts think that should change.

Symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory processing disorder may affect one sense, like hearing, touch, or taste. Or it may affect multiple senses. And people can be over- or under-responsive to the things they have difficulties with.

Like many illnesses, the symptoms of sensory processing disorder exist on a spectrum.

In some children, for example, the sound of a leaf blower outside the window may cause them to vomit or dive under the table. They may scream when touched. They may recoil from the textures of certain foods.

But others seem unresponsive to anything around them. They may fail to respond to extreme heat or cold or even pain.

Many children with sensory processing disorder start out as fussy babies who become anxious as they grow older. These kids often don't handle change well. They may frequently throw tantrums or have meltdowns.

Many children have symptoms like these from time to time. But therapists consider a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder when the symptoms become severe enough to affect normal functioning and disrupt everyday life.

Continued

Causes of Sensory Processing Disorder

The exact cause of sensory processing problems has not been identified. But a 2006 study of twins found that hypersensitivity to light and sound may have a strong genetic component.

Other experiments have shown that children with sensory processing problems have abnormal brain activity when they are simultaneously exposed to light and sound.

Still other experiments have shown that children with sensory processing problems will continue to respond strongly to a stroke on the hand or a loud sound, while other children quickly get used to the sensations.

Treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder

Many families with an affected child find that it is hard to get help. That's because sensory processing disorder isn't a recognized medical diagnosis at this time.

Despite the lack of widely accepted diagnostic criteria, occupational therapists commonly see and treat children and adults with sensory processing problems.

Treatment depends on a child's individual needs. But in general, it involves helping children do better at activities they're normally not good at and helping them get used to things they can't tolerate.

Treatment for sensory processing problems is called sensory integration. The goal of sensory integration is to challenge a child in a fun, playful way so he or she can learn to respond appropriately and function more normally.

One type of therapy is called the Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR) model. The therapy was developed by Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Serena Wieder, PhD.

A major part of this therapy is the "floor-time" method. The method involves multiple sessions of play with the child and parent. The play sessions last about 20 minutes.

During the sessions, parents are first asked to follow the child's lead, even if the playtime behavior isn't typical. For example, if a child is rubbing the same spot on the floor over and over, the parent does the same. These actions allow the parent to "enter" into the child's world.

This is followed by a second phase, where parents use the play sessions to create challenges for the child. The challenges help pull the child into what Greenspan calls a "shared" world with the parent. And the challenges create opportunities for the child to master important skills in areas such as:

Continued

The sessions are tailored to the child's needs. For instance, if the child tends to under-react to touch and sound, the parent needs to be very energetic during the second phase of the play sessions. If the child tends to overreact to touch and sound, the parent will need to be more soothing.

These interactions will help the child move forward and, DIR therapists believe, help with sensory issues as well.

Sources

SOURCES:

Van Hulle, C.A. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, January 2012.

Schaaf, R.C. Frontal Integration Neuroscience, March 2012.

Gavin, W.J. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, July-August 2011.

SPD Foundation web site: "About SPD."

DIR Floortime web site: "Floortime: What It Really Is, and What It Isn't."

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Sensory Processing Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. Formerly referred to as sensory integration dysfunction, it is not currently recognized as a distinct medical diagnosis. Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment.

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Jodi and Matt were mystified. At 2, their son, Paul, was behaving in ways no parenting book had described: knocking into walls, hugging them to the point of hurting, and screaming inexplicably in restaurants. He was strangely tentative when climbing or balancing on the playground equipment. Instead, he always rushed for the swings, which he loved pushing as much as he loved being pushed in.

The couple didn't know how different their only child's behaviors were until Paul started preschool and they got to know more children and their parents. While their pediatrician dismissed their concerns, saying that kids outgrew these things, their preschool director did not: She suggested an evaluator, who said that their little boy had sensory processing disorder or, as she called it, SPD.

She explained that SPD includes being too sensitive to some stimuli, which made loud, crowded restaurants so overwhelming they triggered meltdowns, and not sensitive enough to other input and therefore craving it, which would explain the hugging and crashing into walls, as well as his love of both swinging and pushing the swings. And he had trouble with the senses that help him "know where his body is in space," which would account for the clumsiness and fear while climbing. She recommended occupational therapy (OT).

It's difficult when parents receive conflicting messages from professionals involved with their children. Jodi and Matt were confused, but their son was in distress and, at best, OT sounded benign. They decided to give it a try. The occupational therapist invited them to come see what Paul was doing in therapy-"crashing" into beanbags, swinging in a stretchy hammock, and being smooshed into a "Paul sandwich," with pillows subbing in for other fillings and bread, all to give him the input he sought and help calm him.

She urged them to try these ideas at home as part of what's called a "sensory diet" and also suggested that they read The Out-of-Sync Child, Carol Stock Kranowitz's seminal book on sensory processing problems. They recognized Paul's behaviors in the book and it all started to make sense to them. Most important, they felt they were able to do something to help their son-and that he seemed to be improving.

This family's story is a common one, says Lindsey Biel, an occupational therapist and coauthor of Raising a Sensory Smart Child. When a child is identified as having developmental delays, not speaking or walking as well as other children his age, the first thing parents often hear is SPD. "On top of confirmation of these delays, parents are given this unheard-of diagnosis of sensory processing disorder," she says.

One of the reasons it's often "unheard of" is that SPD is not included among the conditions spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the guide used by psychiatrists and many other clinicians-including pediatricians, psychologists, and social workers-in diagnosis. It is occupational therapists who first theorized that sensory processing issues are a source of distress for many children, and an explanation for a lot of otherwise puzzling behaviors. And it is often OTs who identify these challenges, typically in preschool children, and who specialize in treating them. Despite an intense campaign-waged in part so that costly private treatments could be covered by insurance -it was not added as a new diagnosis in the latest edition of the diagnostic manual, the DSM-5.

What is accepted in the wider clinical community is that many children do have unusual and sometimes problematic sensory responses, including most of those kids who are eventually diagnosed with autism. Indeed, Paul was later found to be on the autism spectrum. In the latest edition of the diagnostic manual, the DSM-5, sensory problems like the ones Paul experienced are now listed as one of the criteria for an autism diagnosis. But lots of other children who are identified as having sensory issues as preschoolers are later diagnosed with ADHD-Paul's secondary diagnosis-and others with anxiety. And some are never diagnosed with any disorder in the DSM.

So while there is general agreement that some children do have serious sensory challenges, the disagreement is over whether SPD should be considered an independent disorder, how far sensory issues go in explaining behaviors, and whether the treatment occupational therapists offer for sensory issues has any effect on a child's functioning over time.

Michael Rosenthal, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist and the son of an occupational therapist, explains the landscape this way: On the one hand, it's clear that identifying sensory issues and working with an OT help many children become calmer and better regulated. By tuning in to a child's particular sensory profile, they can find ways to help kids cope and bring them more balance. "I've known many OTs who are really creative and 'get' kids very well," he says.

On the other hand, it's not clear how much benefit children get from the techniques and whether it's possible to generalize enough from the behavior of individual kids to consider it a coherent disorder. "The thing we don't really understand is how and if this approach works for every kid who has sensory issues," Dr. Rosenthal adds, "and where the science is in creating a specific sensory diet for a specific kid."

Catherine Lord, PhD, a leading autism expert and the director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, argues that sensory issues are an important concern, but not a diagnosis in themselves. "I do think there's a value in attending to how a child is perceiving sensations, thinking about whether he could be uncomfortable. Where I get concerned is labeling that as a separate disorder."

From a parent's point of view, it's hard to understand why it matters whether SPD is considered a legitimate diagnosis by clinicians who go by the DSM. But from a clinical point of view, diagnoses are essential. They drive treatment, by helping clinicians understand the symptoms they are seeing and how best to respond to them. The mental health establishment doesn't acknowledge SPD as a distinct disorder because it isn't convinced that SPD is the best possible way to understand, and approach, those symptoms. And it's dissatisfied with evidence that the treatment gets real, measurable results.

"The debate is not about the importance and quality of work that OTs are involved in-we know that OTs help many children," says Matthew Cruger, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Child Mind Institute's Learning and Development Center. "It is about whether we have acquired sufficient scientific evidence to conclude two things: Are kids who show these behaviors consistently and meaningfully different from typical kids, and are there specific treatments for this problem?"

"In the sensory integration world, I think there are too many assumptions about cause and effect," adds Dominick Auciello, PsyD, also a neuropsychologist. "The explanations seem logical," he says, "but they are not based in careful study about whether that logic is actually true." Dr. Auciello offers an example: Consider the OTs' claim that kids hug other kids excessively because they are seeking deep pressure. It's an interesting theory, he says, but "there are other equally feasible hypotheses, such as if a child is impulsive, has autism, is inattentive to social cues, has trouble internalizing verbal social rules, has seen modeling of inappropriate behavior, or lacks a sense of social boundaries."

Dr. Rosenthal adds that identifying what's causing a particular behavior can be especially difficult in children who have complex issues, as many children with sensory challenges do. Take a child with autism who is averse to the feeling of water on his face. "We don't know where these things came from," he says. "There may be certain kids who come out sensory reactive from the womb and some who develop it from experience. A child could have a very early encounter that's negative-a mini trauma-that sticks in his mind, and he generalizes and avoids those things in the future. If an experience is powerful and reinforced, it can become just as powerful as an organic issue." Is it a sensory issue, then, or is it anxiety?

So while there are anecdotal accounts that kids respond to sensory work, skeptics point to a lack of research that clarifies how and how much they work to improve a child's functioning. "Any studies are poorly constructed, too small of a sample size, or show that the treatment actually did not work," Dr. Auciello says. He also worries that the interventions may actually reinforce the symptoms: "For example," he says, "if a child has a meltdown and is then allowed to go to the sensory gym to help him 'regulate,' you may actually be rewarding the meltdown."

The research outlook may be brightening, however. In 2007, a team led by Lucy Jane Miller, director of the STAR (Sensory Therapies and Research) Center, released a randomized controlled pilot study of the effects of sensory integration treatment. Though the sample was tiny-24 children, just 8 of whom received the treatment-and it showed significant improvement in functioning only in three of six measures, its authors concluded that the study did validate a model for how researchers can identify homogenous groups of subjects. This is an important step for enhancing the reliability of a future study. Indeed, in a paper from the University of California, San Francisco, researchers claim to have done just that-identify a group of kids with pure SPD-and found that their brains are in fact different from controls in key sensory areas.

Of course, researching the brain biology of a disorder without a codified diagnosis-and that so often overlaps with other neurodevelopmental conditions-isn't a risk-free proposition; investigators screened out kids with ADHD diagnoses, but many had high scores on scales for ADHD symptoms, so the study could be interpreted to show more about ADHD than SPD. But investigations like this can shed light on the sensory symptomology that all clinicians and researchers agree, at minimum, is present in many kids on the autism spectrum or with ADHD, as well as others, and help lay groundwork for future efforts.

But studies like UCSF's may do nothing to dull the disagreement, precisely because of the ambiguity in symptoms that can characterize several diagnoses. Some believers in SPD claim that common symptoms that are attributed to other disorders that are in the DSM-5, including autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders, may actually stem from sensory challenges.

Marcus Jarrow, an OT and clinical director of the SMILE Center, which offers a sensory gym and other therapies, posits that autism is essentially an extreme case of SPD. He quotes the late Stanley Greenspan, MD, a child psychiatrist who did seminal work on developmental disorders. "Dr. Greenspan once said something along the lines of 'every child on the spectrum has sensory processing dysfunction, but not every child with SPD is on the spectrum. When the sensory processing issues become severe enough to impact relatedness, engagement and the child's ability to interact with the world around them, then the child is on the spectrum,' " Jarrow says.

Jarrow argues that sensory-based work is the key to getting children on the spectrum engaged socially. "In my experience, it is often in response to appropriately applied sensory-based strategies that children on the spectrum demonstrate their initial, or most consistent and meaningful, engagement," he says. "If a child cannot appropriately register and interpret the sensory information from their worlds, they will tune it out. Try making sense of an especially long foreign film with no subtitles while bombs are going off outside your window."

But he doesn't just work with kids on the spectrum. "I see sensory processing issues as the root of much of the 'hyperactivity' and 'attention' difficulties we observe these days. If a child has somatosensory issues and can't get comfortable in their seat for more than a few seconds, that child will clearly present with increased activity levels and certainly have a difficult time paying attention," he says, adding, "I firmly believe that a lot of children diagnosed with ADHD and treated with meds could otherwise respond very well to sensory integration treatment."

As an example, he cites a 6-year-old boy who came to his clinic, after his mother said she had been pressured by his school to have him evaluated -and medicated-for ADHD. "After a summer of pretty intensive sensory integration treatment with great home carryover," Jarrow said, "he went back to school in September and meds were never brought up again. I'm not trying to imply in any way that SI can prevent every kid out there from going on medication, but it certainly can help."

"To say any child has a disorder," responds Dr. Cruger, "you have to answer if the condition exists to scientific standards. And if you can meet that threshold of empirical evidence, then you begin to see how effective the treatments are for alleviating that condition. Therefore, it is worth noting that there are not scientific studies that support Jarrow's claim that a child with ADHD could be better treated by OT than medication, but there have been hundreds of studies examining the diagnosis of ADHD and the use of medication to treat the symptoms of ADHD in these children-generally showing medication to be a safe and effective treatment of the symptoms of this disorder, though not a cure for the condition."

"In addition," Dr. Cruger says, "neuroscientific studies, including CT scans and MRI studies, have seen volumetric differences between typically developing youngsters and children diagnosed with ADHD-not in those somatosensory regions, but in frontal lobe regions noted to be essential for the inhibition of impulses."

One of the most hot-button aspects of the SPD debate is this claim, of Jarrow and others, that sensory-based protocols, used correctly, can actually "rewire" the brain, allowing for more optimal regulation. Skeptics agree that kids can change, but argue that what's being called sensory rewiring may really just be behavioral training.

Dr. Rosenthal gives an example: "Take a kid who's behaviorally out of control. Let's say he spends several days a week working with an OT in a sensory gym, and he gets himself under control. And the effect seems to improve his self-regulation over time. Something's happening in the brain, maybe some neuronal patterns or some axons wiring together, creating better regulation in brain. Is it sensory rewiring of some kind or learning a new calming method? "

The challenge, he adds, is to isolate the component of therapy that's actually helping the child.

The SPD Foundation, which campaigned unsuccessfully to have the disorder listed as a separate diagnosis on the DSM-5, is doing its own ongoing research through its SPD Scientific Working Group. Two researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are now testing the short-term effects of sensory-based therapy in improving attention and functional performance in children ages 6 to 10 with typical development, ADHD, and autism.

As research struggles to catch up with practice, more OTs and clinicians are open to working together to benefit kids. In fact, Biel just completed a book, Sensory Processing Challenges: Effective Clinical Work with Kids & Teens, that's intended for mental health clinicians so that they can become more knowledgeable about how sensory challenges affect their clients. She also teamed up in 2009 with Fernette Eide, MD, a neurologist, and husband Brock Eide, MD, a primary care physician, to present the Sensory Processing Master Class webinar to teach parents and professionals how to help children with "attention, learning, motor skills and social/emotional issues."

Dr. Eide says the continuing controversy over SPD is unfortunate because kids with sensory processing problems would benefit most from a "team approach with close coordination among psychiatrists, psychologists, and other professionals."

While the American Academy of Pediatrics stated in 2012 that there is not support for SPD as a diagnosable condition, the group did acknowledge the existence of sensory-based challenges and the fact that a lot of children are receiving therapies related to them, although they cautioned that there was limited data on the use of these therapies or their effectiveness. Because of this, the AAP recommends that pediatricians help parents find ways of measuring therapy outcomes by creating pre-and post-behavior rating scales as well as explicit treatment goals, such as the ability to focus, tolerate foods, and be in a loud room.

Four years after Paul began OT, he's still at it, along with physical and speech therapy and a social skills group. Given all that, plus the fact that her son has matured and can express himself more verbally, it's hard for Jodi to say with any certainty that the sensory diet has "rewired his brain." All she knows is that when he gets "the sillies" and can't sit still, she will pull out one of her sensory techniques such as jumping on the bed to provide him with the input he craves. She, and many other parents like her, aren't waiting for a study to try to help their kids.

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The Debate Over Sensory Processing - Child Mind Institute

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Jodi and Matt were mystified. At 2, their son, Paul, was behaving in ways no parenting book had described: knocking into walls, hugging them to the point of hurting, and screaming inexplicably in restaurants. He was strangely tentative when climbing or balancing on the playground equipment.

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Sensory processing disorder (SPD) has long been associated with autism, and its external manifestations are often what lead a parent to getting a diagnosis. For a many years SPD was seen as a "symptom" of autism, but a breakthrough study in 2013 found that this disorder had a biological basis that separated it from many other neurological disorders. More recently it was found that SPD is actually a stand-alone disorder, and that children can have SPD and not autism, and vice versa.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

SPD (formerly called Sensory Integration Disorder) is a condition where the brain and nervous system have trouble processing or integrating stimulus. SPD is a neurophysiological condition in which sensory input - either from the environment or from one's body- is poorly detected, or interpreted and (or) to which atypical responses are observed. For a child with SPD, processing the feelings of hot or cold, tired, hungry, lights and sound can be challenging and overwhelming. SPD can even evoke irregular responses that can cause health issues like not registering temperature in a typical way that allows the individual to dress appropriately for health and safety's sake. Like with autism, SPD exists on a spectrum and can affect only one sense like hearing, or taste, or all of them. As a parent, the real challenges of SPD are figuring out if your child is hurt, cold, hungry etc...and then helping them get to the point where they can regulate themselves.

Signs that your child might have Sensory Processing Disorder

1. SPD can show up as over OR under responsive to stimulation from sight, sound, touch etc...Things that should cause discomfort like being too hot or too cold prompt little response, and other things like a dog barking can cause a response akin to physical distress and extreme anxiety.

2. Intolerance to textures and certain clothing: some children with SPD cannot stand the way certain clothing feels on their bodies. They need simple styles with very few seams, and have to have to labels taken out. They may not be able to wear certain fabrics like wool.

3. Intolerance to certain noises or loud noises: some children with SPD hate the sound of vacuums, sirens, or crying babies. These noises can cause what feels like physical pain to those with SPD, and make it difficult to concentrate or function.

4. Food textures and colours causing extreme responses. Many of us with kids on the spectrum have to help our children navigate this issue.

5. Difficulty using fine motor skills like using crayons or pens, putting small clothing on dolls, or using buttons on clothing for themselves.

6. Difficulty with change or transitions. While all young children need transition time, a child with SPD can have real problems with switching from one activity to another, moving rooms or houses, changing classrooms, or even if you change curtains in your home. Change can cause meltdowns or total withdrawal depending on the child.

7. Clumsiness: bumping into things or people. Those with SPD sometimes have difficulty knowing where their own bodies are in space. They can also be overwhelmed by their environment causing them to "not see" furniture or people around them.

There is quite a thorough SPD checklist here that can be helpful if you suspect your child might be struggling with this disorder. A doctor can then refer your child to a specialist for further testing. There is also a great article by occupational therapist Paula Aquilla that describes what SPD can feel like, and different ways it can manifest here.

Is there any way to treat Sensory Processing Disorder?

Yes, there are many ways to treat SPD, and the trick is to find the right one - or combination of different ones - to help your child. Occupational therapists who are skilled at sensory issues can be very helpful. Some things might just need to be left out of the diet, or in the closet until your child is old enough to develop coping mechanisms on their own. The most important thing to remember is that every person with SPD is different and will experience the world in ways that you might not understand. Developing a mutual "language" around what they are feeling and experiencing ( even if that language is non-verbal) will be one of the best tools you can help develop. As Paula Aquilla said:

The key to understanding a person's response to sensation or their need to seek out sensation is to observe with an open mind and without judgement. We can all become detectives to determine possible underlying reasons for a child's response to the sensation we present when we want to interact.

About the author:
Maureen Bennie

Maureen Bennie created the Autism Awareness Centre in 2003 to address what she saw as a gap in support and advocacy for those struggling with autism and autism spectrum disorders. For Maureen, education brings positive change to the lives of those affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders.

Click to Read Maureen's Full Biography

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Does my child have sensory processing disorder? - Autism Awareness

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Sensory processing disorder (SPD) has long been associated with autism, and its external manifestations are often what lead a parent to getting a diagnosis. For a many years SPD was seen as a "symptom" of autism, but a breakthrough study in 2013 found that this disorder had a biological basis that separated it from many other neurological disorders.

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GCA offer free workshops for parents to learn the skills and strategies to implement these visuals. For more information, please contact Geneva Centre for Autism at info@autism.net.

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Using a communication board to get your child talking 

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Using a communication board to get your child talking 

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How to Use a Communication Board to Get your Child Talking

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3 Strategies to getting kids talking faster

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3 Strategies to getting kids talking faster

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3 Strategies to Get Your Child Talking Faster

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When children are chronically anxious, even the most well-meaning parents, not wanting a child to suffer, can actually make the youngster's anxiety worse. It happens when parents try to protect kids from their fears. Here are pointers for helping children escape the cycle of anxiety.

None of us wants to see a child unhappy, but the best way to help kids overcome anxiety isn't to try to remove stressors that trigger it. It's to help them learn to tolerate their anxiety and function as well as they can, even when they're anxious. And as a byproduct of that, the anxiety will decrease over time.

Helping children avoid the things they are afraid of will make them feel better in the short term, but it reinforces the anxiety over the long run. Let's say a child in an uncomfortable situation gets upset and starts to cry - not to be manipulative, but just because that's how they feel. If their parents whisk them out of there, or remove the thing they're afraid of, the child has learned that coping mechanism. And that cycle has the potential to repeat itself.

You can't promise a child that their fears are unrealistic-that they won't fail a test, that they'll have fun ice skating, or that another child won't laugh at them during show & tell. But you can express confidence that they're going to be okay, that they will be able to manage it. And you can let them know that as they face those fears, the anxiety level will drop over time. This gives them confidence that your expectations are realistic, and that you're not going to ask them to do something they can't handle.

It's important to understand that validation doesn't always mean agreement. So if a child is terrified about going to the doctor because they're due for a shot, you don't want to belittle those fears, but you also don't want to amplify them. You want to listen and be empathetic, help them understand what they're anxious about, and encourage them to feel that they can face their fears. The message you want to send is, "I know you're scared, and that's okay, and I'm here, and I'm going to help you get through this."

Encourage your child to talk about their feelings, but try not to ask leading questions- "Are you anxious about the big test? Are you worried about the science fair?" To avoid feeding the cycle of anxiety, just ask open-ended questions: "How are you feeling about the science fair?"

What you don't want to do is be saying, with your tone of voice or body language: "Maybe this is something that you should be afraid of." Let's say a child has had a negative experience with a dog. Next time they're around a dog, you might be anxious about how they will respond, and you might unintentionally send a message that they should, indeed, be worried.

Let your child know that you appreciate the work it takes to tolerate anxiety in order to do what they want or need to do. It's really encouraging them to engage in life and to let the anxiety take its natural curve. We call it the "habituation curve." That means that it will drop over time as he continues to have contact with the stressor. It might not drop to zero, it might not drop as quickly as you would like, but that's how we get over our fears.

When we're afraid of something, the hardest time is really before we do it. So another rule of thumb for parents is to really try to eliminate or reduce the anticipatory period. If a child is nervous about going to a doctor's appointment, you don't want to launch into a discussion about it two hours before you go; that's likely to get your child more keyed up. So just try to shorten that period to a minimum.

Sometimes it helps to talk through what would happen if a child's fear came true-how would they handle it? A child who's anxious about separating from their parents might worry about what would happen if a parent didn't come to pick them up. So we talk about that. If your mom doesn't come at the end of soccer practice, what would you do? "Well I would tell the coach my mom's not here." And what do you think the coach would do? "Well he would call my mom. Or he would wait with me." A child who's afraid that a stranger might be sent to pick them up can have a code word from their parents that anyone they sent would know. For some kids, having a plan can reduce the uncertainty in a healthy, effective way.

There are multiple ways you can help kids handle anxiety by letting them see how you cope with anxiety yourself. Kids are perceptive, and they're going to take it in if you keep complaining on the phone to a friend that you can't handle the stress or the anxiety. I'm not saying to pretend that you don't have stress and anxiety, but let kids hear or see you managing it calmly, tolerating it, feeling good about getting through it.

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What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious - Child Mind Institute

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How to help a child with anxiety? We bring expert parenting advice on assisting children to escape the cycle of anxiety. Learn what to do and not to do, anxiety treatments, and behavioral modification techniques.

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I don't know about you, but when I sit through a faculty meeting or professional development session of any sort, I start getting antsy by the 30-minute mark. If you can relate, just imagine how your students must feel when they've been sitting for too long. Educational brain breaks are the perfect way to help your students redirect their energy and focus when they start to fade.

I find it super-beneficial to incorporate quick mindful, physical, and mental check-ins with my students as a regular part of my classroom routine. These breaks include all types of movement, yoga and breathing exercises, as well as jokes, quick videos, and more. The activities I use have helped me throughout my lifetime, so I love sharing them with my students. Here are my favorite educational brain breaks that are sure to increase productivity and give your kids a much-needed way to unwind before the next lesson.

Mindful Educational Brain Breaks

1. Use transition times for mental check-ins

Transitions are a big part of the elementary school day. When I first started teaching 19 years ago, I was surprised by just how much time it takes to get ready for specials or to bring students back from centers. It's hard not to feel like that's lost time. That's why using transition time for mental health check-ins is such a game changer. Mental health check-ins can help students get in touch with their emotions, refresh and recharge, acknowledge and cope with negative thoughts and overwhelming feelings, and be more focused throughout the day.

2. Pretend to breathe like an animal

Source: Stephanie Sanders

This video shows students how to pretend to breath like some of their favorite animals. The snake breath involves hissing while slithering from side to side, while the whale breath has students pretend to breathe out through a blowhole! Tap into creativity by picking other interesting animals and acting them out through breath.

3. Do a 10-minute guided meditation

These guided meditations are educational and are perfect to use as brain breaks whenever you and your students just need to breathe. Catch your breath with any of these 20 guided video meditations.

4. Practice "focus ball" breathing

Walk your kids through the following exercise: Stand or sit with legs and feet together. Bring your palms together in front of your chest. Keep your fingertips touching as you pull your palms apart, forming a ball with your fingers. Press your fingertips together until you feel the muscles in your hands and arms activating. See if you feel your core tighten too. Now close your eyes and as you breathe in, inflate your ball, and as you breathe out, flatten the ball by pushing your palms together. (Repeat these instructions for 60 seconds).

Learn more: Mindful.org

5. Try the old ear-nose switcheroo

This is a quick and easy challenge to reset the brain. Instruct kids to touch their left ear with their right hand and at the same time touch their nose with their left hand. Then have them switch their hands and touch their right ear with their left hand and their nose with their right hand. Switch back and forth a few times. Then have them close their eyes, take a deep breath, and blow it all out.

Learn more: YouTube: Ear-Nose Switch

6. Take a yoga break

Source: The Pyjama Foundation

Inspire kids to move, stretch, and practice mindfulness with yoga. These printable yoga cards make it easy to incorporate yoga into your educational brain breaks. Each page includes a picture and description of the pose, and each page includes poses of increasing difficulty from level 1 to level 5. And don't worry, it's not a huge time commitment. The sequence on each card is designed to take only a few minutes.

7. Stretch it out

It's never a good idea to spend too much time sitting in one position. Allow kids to take a break and bring some flexibility back into their spines. Have them stand with their feet shoulder-distance apart. Put their left hand on their hip and raise their right hand overhead. Lean to the left and stretch their arm as far as they can to the left. Repeat on the right side. Then stand tall and slowly roll down one vertebra at a time until their hands reach the floor (or at least their shins). Have them take a deep breath then slowly roll back up. Repeat as necessary.

Learn more: Mom Junction

8. Focus on sound

Have kids sit quietly with their eyes closed. Ring a chime or gong. Have them listen carefully to the chime, feeling the vibration in their body as the sound reverberates and then slowly fades. Tell them to breathe slowly and deeply as they focus on the sound.

9. Do a quick mindfulness activity

Mindfulness activity cards provide great educational brain breaks. Stash a pack in your desk and pull them out whenever you need them. Each card will give a prompt for kids to try that will let them refocus and recharge. Perfect for moments when you need to bring down the energy in the room.

Buy it: Mindfulness Cards for Kids at Amazon

10. Chill out with this cross-body exercise

Have kids stand tall and cross one leg in front of the other while pressing the outsides of their feet together. Now have them cross their arms over each other at the wrists. Clasp their hands and curl their arms into their chest. Take a few breaths, and uncross and cross the opposite way for a few more breaths.

11. Float with jellyfish

When you really need to take the energy in your room down a notch, turn off the lights, set a timer, and put on a calming video. For example, Cat Trumpet put together a jellyfish aquarium video where kids will find themselves under the brilliant blue sea in the middle of a swarm of jellyfish. They'll be mesmerized by the slow, fluid motions and lulled into calmness by the soothing music.

12. Break out the hot hands

This is a good break when you sense a weariness in the air. Have kids rub their hands together vigorously until they warm up. Tell them to close their eyes and place their hands over their eyes. Instruct them to breathe deeply as they clear their minds and refocus.

13. Try cat and cow poses

Source: Flow and Grow Kids Yoga

Have kids start on all fours and then give them the following instructions to complete the cat and cow yoga poses: Place your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Arch your back to the sky and tuck in the tailbone (cat pose). Let your head fall between your arms. From there, sink the belly towards the ground, and lift the chest and chin (cow pose). Gently alternate between the two poses while breathing deeply.

14. Do nothing for two minutes

Never underestimate the power of stillness. When the energy gets a little ramped up, and it's time for the entire class to take a pause, have them drop everything and glue their eyes to the screen as you show this countdown. The gentle lulling of the waves and the sight of the sun sparkling off the water will reset their nervous system in a jiffy.

Learn More: Calm

15. Spread your wings (in slow motion)

Walk your kids through this winged movement: Sit cross-legged on the floor. Stretch your arms down by your sides with your palms facing inward toward your body. Slowly raise both arms while rotating hands forward. When your arms reach shoulder level, your hands should be facing forward. Continue raising arms, slowly rotating palms so that by the time hands are overhead, palms are facing each other. Slowly lower arms, repeating the rotation (palms facing each other, palms facing forward, palms facing sides) until they are once again resting at your sides. As you raise and lower your arms, stretch them as long as you can, as if you are scraping the sides of the room and the ceiling. Repeat slowly three times, breathing deeply.

Physical Education Brain Breaks

16. Play Silent Ball when you have downtime

You can play a quick game of Silent Ball anytime, anywhere. Play a quick three-minute game right before dismissal or before transitioning to a new activity. All you need is a small squishy ball. The rules are simple: 1) stay quiet and 2) don't drop the ball when passing it around. This activity is one of those educational brain breaks that builds a positive classroom community, fosters friendly competition, and boosts nonverbal communication. Enjoy the silence.

17. Line up in unique ways

Kids are very social and curious beings. Most of them love to chat with one another at any chance they can get. Lining up to leave the room for anything is the perfect chance for them to mix and mingle. Make a more productive use of this time by having students line up in special ways. Some fun ideas include lining up in alphabetical order by name, by birth date, or by height order.

18. Just jump!

Sometimes kids just need to bounce their energy out. Have them pretend they are bouncing on a mini-trampoline (this will keep their movement on a vertical plane instead of all over the room), and give them a couple of minutes to let loose!

19. Take a cue from the stadium

Here's one for a group of kids-start the wave! Beginning at one end of the room, kids stand up and throw their arms overhead, bringing them back down as they return to their seats. Each row follows until you reach the other end of the room. Amp it up by encouraging your kids to tap their feet or tap their hands on their legs so that they are in constant motion. This activity works great on Zoom too!

20. Stir the pot

Have kids visualize they are standing in front of an enormous cauldron. Inside the cauldron is an ooey-gooey pot of caramel. Take hold of a large stirrer and plunge it to the bottom of the pot. Slowly begin to stir in a clockwise direction. Have them use their whole body to help get a full range of motion in their wrists and shoulders. Instruct them to throw their hips into the action. After a minute or two, reverse the direction.

21. Make it rain

Conjure up a rainstorm! Sitting or standing at a desk or table, have kids tap one finger on the desk, then two, then three, then four, then their whole hand until you all feel like you're in the middle of a deluge. Work your way backward from five down to one as the storm ebbs away.

22. Energize with these

First, instruct kids to touch their left elbow to their right knee, then touch their right elbow to their left knee. Switch back and forth, going slowly at first, building speed until they are going at a vigorous pace. Next, do some windmills by standing tall with their feet shoulder-width apart and their arms stretched out. Bend at the waist and touch their right hand to their left toes, then their left hand to their right toes. Switch back and forth.

23. Make X's and O's

Walk kids through the following exercise: Sitting in a chair with your feet on the ground and legs together, curl your body into your lap, folding yourself into a tiny O shape. Next, open your arms and legs wide, forming an X shape with your body. Pull back into an O shape, then back out to an X shape. Repeat three times.

24. Energize in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Get hearts pumping with a quick sequence of exercises. Call out five actions for your students to do as quickly as they can. For instance, five jumping jacks, four push-ups, three sit-ups, two squat jumps, and one tree pose.

25. Take a cruise on an imaginary skateboard

Have your kids line up next to a wall and place one hand on the wall. Tell them to plant the foot closest to the wall and swing the other leg, as if pushing off the ground on a skateboard. Start slowly, with tiny swings, moving up to power pushes. Repeat on the other side.

26. Take a break to groove

Music is a great way to reset the mood in a room and raise the energy level. Put on a fun song and have a 30-second freestyle dance party. Here's a big list of school-appropriate songs for kids.

27. Or take it to the next level

Teach your kids the steps to popular dances such as the Cha-Cha Slide, the Macarena, or the Kidz Bop Shuffle.

28. Ramp up with a round of cherry pickers

This easy activity will get your students' hearts pumping and give their brains a boost. Have them jump up off the ground, then down to the floor into a push-up position. From there, instruct them to hop their feet up into a frog position, then pop up to a standing position.

29. Clap on, clap off

When you say "clap on," kids clap their hands vigorously together. When you say "clap off," they stop as quickly as they can and freeze. Or follow along with this a fun video.

30. Skip it out

When the energy is fading and kids need to get their blood flowing, put on a peppy song and pull out the imaginary jump ropes. Have kids skip or jump rope in place until the song ends.

31. Make like a blender

Tell kids it's time to make fruit smoothies. Ask them to pretend they are in a blender and they are strawberries (or blueberries or bananas, etc.). Dramatically pour orange juice or yogurt into the air in front of you. Tell kids when you flip the switch that they need to wiggle and jiggle (separately, not together) until they are each individually blended up. Start with a slow speed, moving up to medium speed, fast speed, and finally turbo speed. And then reverse it! Start at turbo speed and go back to slow speed.

32. Celebrate with a silent cheer

This activity is perfect for the end of an activity or a sustained amount of work time-especially for kids who are learning remotely. Let kids stand up and silently cheer and gesture in celebration. How animated can they get?!

33. Do a full-body workout

This kid-friendly exercise video is great for your body and brain! Kids can follow along through a set of workout moves that will get their blood pumping.

34. Play popcorn

Students will all be sitting in their chairs, and at any time, a student can jump up and say, "Pop!" Once they do, that student remains standing. If two students pop up at the same time, everyone takes their seats, and the game starts over. How quickly can the entire class pop without having to start over?

35. Hit the wall

Pushing against a solid object is a good way to displace extra energy from your body. Have kids stand facing a wall with their arms stretched out in front of them, palms on the surface of the wall. Push the wall away with all their strength for a count of ten. Relax for five seconds, then push again. Other activities they can do at the wall include calf stretches and wall push-ups.

36. 3, 2, 1 blastoff!

Instruct kids to stand and then squat down with their hands on the ground in front of them. All together, count down 3, 2, 1. When you get to zero, they should push up like a rocket, jumping as high as they can-letting all of their energy burst from their center.

37. Quick as a snap, wink

This is a quick and easy refocusing activity. Tell kids to snap their left fingers while they wink their right eye. Switch to snapping their right fingers while winking their left eye. This activity is particularly effective for younger learners who may find both activities challenging.

38. Balance break

A great way to get kids out of their chairs is to practice balance. Have them hop on one foot. Then up the ante by having them stand on one foot and bend their other knee out in front of them.

39. Tabletop push-ups

Kids can use their desk, a chair, the side of their couch-anything really. Have them place their hands on the table and focus their eyes in the center, moving down slowly and pushing back up.

40. Try some facial gymnastics

Have kids get their silly on for 30 seconds. Tell them to wiggle their eyebrows up and down as fast as they can. Then try to raise one eyebrow at a time.

Mental Brain Breaks That Are Educational

41. Take a comedy break

Comedy is a great release when the atmosphere is feeling a little intense. Show a funny video clip or have kids volunteer to tell a joke or pose a few silly riddles. We have compiled a number of jokes by theme on WeAreTeachers for kids of all ages for guaranteed laughs. For example, your students will love one of our most recent additions, 34 Cat Jokes for Kids. From there, you can find dog jokes, seasonal jokes, food jokes, and much more.

42. Share fun facts

In addition to joke compilations, we have plenty of fun fact lists on our site with themes that will thrill your students. Plus they're an educational way to teach your students new information during brain breaks. Get started with these fun feline facts to accompany the jokes above. Meow!

43. Practice another language

Source: startasl.com

Teach your kids the alphabet in sign language. Use brain breaks to practice by singing the ABCs while signing the letters. Then practice vocabulary words by spelling them out loud while signing the letters.

44. Find out how it's made

Remember that classic Sesame Street video about how crayons are made? We watched in awe as crayons rolled off the assembly line, wrapped in paper, and then slipped into those familiar cardboard boxes. Kids today are just as fascinated by how things are made! Here are our favorite videos about how things are made-from fireworks to LEGO.

45. Take a doodle break

According to researcher Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, downtime is essential for brain health. Kids need time for their growing brains to integrate and process the vast amount of information they receive each day. In other words, it is actually beneficial to give our kids time to allow their minds to wander. Try this: Set a timer for three to five minutes and let kids silently doodle with pencil and paper or a dry-erase board and marker while soft, calming music plays in the background.

Learn more: Sage Journals

46. Try a directed-drawing activity

Directed drawing activities walk your students through the process step-by-step so anyone can create their very own masterpiece. Teachers can lead the session by drawing on the whiteboard or chart paper while students follow along. Even better, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that lead the lesson, giving you a little break too. We have done the work and gathered some our favorite free directed-drawing activities for kids. Grab your favorite art supplies and get creative!

47. Gather your favorite GIFs

Make a slideshow of your favorite GIFs and have your kids act them out. Funny animals are a good place to start!

48. Find the object

Kids don't even have to get out of their seats for this one, but they can! Have one student start by finding an object and saying, "I see something beginning with the letter [fill in the blank]." The first person to guess the item correctly gets to choose the next object. This can be a fun one to play on Zoom too! You can have kids add in additional clues to help.

49. Clap for a little call-and-response

Pep things up with a little call-and-response clapping. It's simple to do and is often used in the classroom to get students' attention. Simply clap out a pattern that your kids will repeat back to you. Switch out the pattern a few times until everyone is focused and engaged. Alternatively, try a vocal call-and-response. Sing out a few riffs and have kids echo the tune back to you.

50. Color yourself mellow

Even grown-ups have picked up on the coloring craze as an excellent way to calm down and zone out. Put on some nice mellow background music, set a timer, and pass out some of these free mandala coloring pages.

51. Try a brain-break spinner

One way to make sure educational brain breaks are effective is to change up activities. Check out these online movement spinners for Wheel of Fortune-type games that help you add variety to brain breaks!

53. Would You Rather?

Students of all ages love participating in Would You Rather? videos, which can be found all over YouTube these days. Each video is approximately 8 minutes long, and students are given two scenarios where they choose which one they would rather participate in. Topics range from food items to activity choices to places to visit and more. As students choose the scenario, they move to either the right or left side of the room. Students then perform 30-second rounds of a specified exercise before repeating the process with another choice. Some of our favorite Would You Rather? channels include PE with Mr. G, Phonics Man, and Fix and Play. Students love when their teacher participates with them in the fun!

Learn more: PE With Mr. G

52. Write it out

Don't underestimate the power of journaling or creative writing. Give your kids a 5- or 10-minute break to open up a page of their notebook and write about anything they'd like. They don't have to share it with the class or do anything else with it; just use the quiet time to focus on something they love and want to write about.

Educational Video Brain Breaks by Grade Level

54. Brain-break compilations by grade level

If you are looking for a sample of brain breaks suitable for your students by grade level, look no further. We have created separate links of 25 videos each for individual grades at the elementary level. Go down the list and find your favorite!
Kindergarten Brain Breaks First Grade Brain Breaks Second Grade Brain Breaks Third Grade Brain Breaks Fourth Grade Brain Breaks Fifth Grade Brain Breaks
What educational brain breaks do you love? Share them in the comments!

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Quick, easy educational brain breaks that will help students re-energize, refocus, and give their brains a much-needed boost.

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Teach Kids to Manage Big Feelings Through Effective Social Emotional Learning

Over 80% of U.S. public schools reported in 2022 on the negative impact of the pandemic on child well-being and self-regulation. Kids are:

Struggling to manage their feelings and mental health

More disruptive in the classroom

Needing additional social, emotional, and behavioral support

(source: National Center for Education Statistics)

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The Zones of Regulation is a complete social-emotional learning curriculum, created to teach children self-regulation and emotional control.

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Many kids and young adults struggle with executive functioning challenges. Some are easy to spot, such as when a student can't focus on a lesson or comes to class without their entire binder. Other EF challenges are less obvious, though. A learner might take two times as long on homework because they don't understand strategies to help them complete it quicker. Another student might look like they are paying attention, but may not be absorbing the content. For more of an in-depth explanation on these skills, be sure to check out my post on executive functioning skills explained.

Kids and young adults only have so much mental energy they can use at one time (we all do, right?). For kids who struggle with basic EF skills, like organization, planning, and time management, we want to reduce any wasted mental energy. This can help our learners focus on the more important things, including learning the content and practicing the skills.
Here are some simple steps that every educator can take to help all learners develop executive functioning success in the classroom:

#1 Develop, teach, and practice routines. Consistency is a huge key to student success. That's true for all learners, but especially kids and young adults with EF deficits. Make everything a routine. Turning in homework each morning? Routine. Writing homework down at the end of class? Routine. Cleaning out notebooks for a new unit? Routine! It's important to note that just coming up with a routine for these tasks isn't really enough. The routines need to be practice and re-practiced throughout the year.

#2 Keep a daily schedule posted. Not only does a daily plan for the day keep educators on track, but it keeps students organized, too. A daily schedule or plan doesn't need to be "perfect." It's okay if it is a rough outline of what you plan to do during the class. A daily schedule or plan keeps students more organized and gives a sneak peak of what is to come. This can help everyone mentally prepare for class and preview expectations.

#3 Write homework in the same spot. Having a designated homework spot means kids and young adults use less mental energy figuring out where their assignment is listed each day. It's a small step that can make a big difference.

#4 Embed executive functioning instruction in your content. One of the easiest ways to teach EF skills is by discussing them through your content and curriculum. For example, when working on a long-term project, you might talk about organization and time management. Before working on a challenging test, you might highlight strategies to help all learners use flexibility and perseverance. There are so many opportunities. Every teacher can and should be a teacher of executive functioning skills.

#5 Give organization time at the end of class. Kids and young adults with executive functioning challenges are notoriously disorganized. They can certainly learn skills to improve, but they need the time to get there. Dedicate the last few minutes of each class to tidying up, putting papers in the right spots, and making sure homework is written down. While not all kids will need this time, many really do.

#6 Teach skills explicitly. When kids struggle with math or reading, we teach them. The same should be true for skills like organization, self-control, and time management. You don't need to be an executive function expert to talk about and teach these skills. I have developed a number of EF materials for educators, including executive functioning task cards and an executive functioning workbook. If you're looking for even more, grab the whole yearlong executive functioning set to get started right away. Even if you are just discussing one skill each week or so, you are moving kids in the right direction.

#7 Give mini-deadlines on long-term projects. Any educator knows that long-term projects can be a major challenge for some students. Mini-deadlines are a simple solution to the problem. If a report is due in two weeks, work to break up the project into sections. Make a date for students to find their sources, create an outline, and write a first draft. Over time, you can train students to create their own mini-deadlines to build independence.

#8 Reduce distractions. It's important to note that reducing distractions will look different in every classroom. Still, it's important to be reflective. Art projects hanging from the ceiling might look beautiful, but they may actually be doing more harm than good if they are distracting your learners. Take time to re-assess the visuals and materials in your classroom and reduce any distractions that might be about.

#9 Give time checks. Kids and young adults who struggle with time management often don't have a strong understanding of time itself. During working sessions, use a chime or just your voice to give time checks for how much longer is left. For example, you might say, "This is a time check. You have about 10 more minutes before we need to clean up the lab stations." This simple no-prep support is helpful to all kids, but especially to kids with EF challenges.

#10 Keep extra papers stored in a bin. Of course, we want all students to stay organized and keep all of their papers where they need to be. However, kids with EF challenges are likely to lose papers. Give them a way to find an extra paper without having to ask an adult every single time by setting up a bin with extra pages.

#11 Explicitly state when important information is being shared. It would be great if every student perfectly paid attention during all lectures and lessons, but we all know that's not exactly the case. With this, it's critical to be very explicit when sharing information that matters the most. You might say, "I'm about to say something really important. Pencils down and eyes on me," as a cue.

#12 Give breaks. No one can be 100% all of the time. This is especially true for our learners with executive functioning challenges. Their brains are working extra hard to pay attention, stay organized, manage their time, problem-solve, and work through challenges. It's important to give brain breaks during class, when needed. Individual students may also benefit from breaks, such as getting a drink at the water fountain or having them deliver something to another classroom for you.

#13 Preview changes. For kids and young adults who struggle with flexibility, change can be a huge obstacle. If there is a change of schedule coming up, give students a heads up. Explain what the change is and how the day will proceed. This doesn't need to take much time, but can help take some of the stress away from the changes coming up.

#14 Stock a classroom office. For some kids, organization comes easy! For others, it is a lifelong struggle. While working on these skills, give the kids the tools they need to be successful in the classroom. Stock a classroom office with pencils, pens, extra paper, and other supplies for kids who need them. It's important to see this as an intervention and a support, not a way to enable kids. Of course, the goal is to have learners bring their own pencils and come prepared each day. However, an executive functioning deficit shouldn't impact a child's ability to learn the math or reading content for the day. While working on EF skills, stock a classroom office so all kids have the tools they need.

#15 Let kids work through challenges. Kids and young adults need the experiences of doing tasks on their own, whether it is struggling through a math problem or learning how to cut out a craft. It's okay if things aren't perfect. It's much more important that kids and young adults develop the confidence that they can do things independently. This also allows for problem-solving, flexibility, and perseverance. Sometimes, they will need help, and it's important to give that support! But it's also okay to let them learn through their struggles so they can persevere and succeed.

#16 Play executive functioning skills games during downtime. Sometimes, it is difficult to integrate EF skills into the day with all the content and curriculum that needs to be covered. This is when downtime can be extremely valuable. Use the last few minutes of class to play fun games that actually strengthen EF skills, like Simon Says and Freeze. Some games, like Guard Duty, can even be played while your students are in line on the way to another class. The idea is to have them act like a guard to the palace and use self-control to not react to anything. Read up on more ways you can use play activities to practice executive functioning skills.

#17 Allow for movement in the classroom. Many kids and young adults learn best when they are moving. This can be especially true for kids who struggle with attention and focus. Use center work, stations, and even movement games to allow for extra movement throughout the day while kids are learning the content you need them to.

#18 Be concise. Say what matters the most and keep it short! Kids and young adults who struggle with attention and focus will get lost when directions or information is too wordy. It may also help to have both visual and verbal reminds for the directions for those who need.

If you are interested in teaching executive functioning skills explicitly, I have developed an entire yearlong set of activities for executive functioning skills. It includes everything from workbooks to lessons and crafts to task cards. It is ideal for advisory or the resource room, but I've even had general education teachers use it in the first few minutes of class to help teach the skills kids need most.

Also, here are a few more blog posts you might be interested in:

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Many kids and young adults struggle with executive functioning challenges. Some are easy to spot, such as when a student can't focus on a lesson or comes to class without their entire binder. Other EF challenges are less obvious, though.

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren't born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice.

This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.

Each chapter of this guide contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers. The guide may be read in its entirety (which includes the introduction and references) or in discrete sections geared to specific age groups.

Suggested citation: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Download PDF

Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

An activities guide for building executive function

Download PDF

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Activities Guide: Enhancing & Practicing Executive Function Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download free guides of executive functioning activities to support and strengthen skills, available for children ages six months through adolescence.

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On a recent morning, Wilmington, Del., school nurse Donna O'Connor was reading the local news online "and saw that one of our fathers had been shot the night before." She knew it would mean a bad day-week, month, year-for his children, and a new challenge for their educators. And, unfortunately, that kind of trauma isn't unusual in their community, she says. "What does normal mean? What we consider normal [may not be] normal for them. How many of our students sleep in a bed?"

Scientists tell us that a child's brain changes when they witness violence at home or in their communities, or experience poverty, eviction, and hunger. It adapts, altering its structure in a way that can be observed in brain scans. As a result, educators of these children will notice frequent "fight, flight, or freeze" responses to stress.

But what educators need to know is that they can adapt too, says Deb Stevens, director of instructional advocacy for the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA).

With professional training, they can reduce the impact of traumatic experiences and help all children learn. "You must believe you can make a difference," she tells educators.

In 2017, DSEA won a $253,683, three-year NEA Great Public Schools grant for a collaborative project supporting educators at five Wilmington and Newark, Del., schools through frequent after-school and summer trainings, book studies, and more. "This is not another program," says Stevens. It is a promise by the union, rooted in compassion and science, to change everything.

Dim The Lights!

Heather Harrison's second-grade classroom at Highlands Elementary in Newark, Del., is an oasis of tranquility. The ceiling fluorescent lights are off. Natural light filters through sheer, handmade shades, while floor lamps glow in the corners. Wall posters say: "Relax" and "Just Breathe."

Against the back wall, dozens of yoga mats and bolsters are stacked. "That classroom is a happy place for me!" says Principal Barbara Land. It's also a trauma-informed space with flexible seating that allows for small movements by students, and a cool-down corner for students who need a break. During a recent math lesson, when a student yawns loudly, Harrison points to her own head and whispers to him: "Mindful! Be mindful of our actions!" Down the hall, in Sabra Lyons' first-grade classroom, another math lesson is going on: "Last week, our brains were warming up," she tells her students. "This week our brains are building on."

Inside the Cool-Down Corner

Predictability and consistency help. But educators can't always know what might spark fear or anger in a traumatized student. A "cool-down" or quiet corner can help stressed-out students avoid eruptions by taking a break, and almost every trauma-informed classroom has one. These places can be equipped with audio headphones, children's books ( Grumpy Bird is a favorite), or calm-down kits with stress-relieving putty, magic sand, stress balls, etc. "These are not toys," says Stevens. They're sensory tools that help students regulate their emotions. Recently Harrison had every one of her second graders visit her cool-down corner to practice their self-soothing skills. When they feel the need, they should be able to freely relocate there-and know what to do to take care of themselves.

At Shortlidge Academy in Wilmington, first grader Taralyn explains it like this: "You play there if you're mad."

Social and Emotional Learning

"Good morning, Henrietta!" say Highlands Elementary kindergartners to their hedgehog puppet mascot. But it is not a good morning! Henrietta, a character from Highland's social and emotional learning curriculum, is feeling frustrated and losing her cool. "Boys and girls, what should Henrietta do to calm down to think about her choices?" asks teacher Shayna Moon.

Says kindergartner Serenity: "Do turtle." Sitting with crossed legs, Moon's kindergartners demonstrate by tucking their heads against their chests, and getting "in their shells." They breath deeply, and then "say the problem and how you feel." These kinds of lessons will help their students in all aspects of their lives, educators believe. Meanwhile, at Shortlidge Academy in Wilmington, kindergartners learn about their brains as engines-if you're revving too fast, it's not a safe time to drive! "We teach the same thing,the same language, to our families," says O'Connor.

It's a Good Thing She Loves Her Job...

From early Monday classroom visits to all-day trainings on Saturdays, the trauma project means DSEA's Stevens is always on the go with bags full of handouts, books, and other resources.

Her recommended reading? Disrupting Poverty: Five Powerful Classroom Practices by Kathleen Budge and William Parrett; Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom by Kirstin Souers and Peter Hall (who came to Delaware this summer to work with DSEA members); and Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Children in the Classroom by Heather Forbes.

Recently, Forbes visited a book study group that Stevens coordinated with interested teachers, where they talked about the importance of making kids feel safe and building community in classrooms.

In the first year of the NEA GPS grant, Stevens focused on steering committee members at each school-doing poverty simulations and brain-architecture maps, and exploring school strategies that can counteract those effects. This past year, compassionate- schools training unfolded to all staff members.

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Inside a Trauma-Informed Classroom | NEA

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On a recent morning, Wilmington, Del., school nurse Donna O'Connor was reading the local news online "and saw that one of our fathers had been shot the night before." She knew it would mean a bad day-week, month, year-for his children, and a new challenge for their educators.

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren't born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice.

This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.

Each chapter of this guide contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers. The guide may be read in its entirety (which includes the introduction and references) or in discrete sections geared to specific age groups.

Suggested citation: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Download PDF

Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

An activities guide for building executive function

Download PDF

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Activities Guide: Enhancing & Practicing Executive Function Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download free guides of executive functioning activities to support and strengthen skills, available for children ages six months through adolescence.

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Support groups for Battered women and children 

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Support groups for Battered women and children 

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We offer quality and affordable counseling for the treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, family issues, divorce, addictions, and many more issues. Services are available for women, men, adolescents, and children. We also offer couples and family counseling.

Fees are low cost or free, depending on the situation. Free services are available for victims of sexual assault, incest, child abuse, domestic violence and other client cries. Insurance is also accepted.
Visit our website for more information about our Counseling services.

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women's health youth programs counseling victim advocacy summer camp

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We offer quality and affordable counseling for the treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, family issues, divorce, addictions, and many more issues. Services are available for women, men, adolescents, and children. We also offer couples and family counseling. Fees are low cost or free, depending on the situation.

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The following support groups meet weekly, and are free and open to provide information and understanding to women and children who have experienced emotional and/or physical abuse at the hands of someone they love.

Women's groups

Mondays, 6 to 7:30 pm
Sponsored by the Women's Center
Location: Parrish Hospital Titusville
3rd Floor Women's Center Conference Room
Telephone: 607-6811

Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8 pm
Sponsored by the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program
Location: Salvation Army Fellowship Hall
919 Peachtree Street, Cocoa
Telephone: 631-2764
Child care available

Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7 pm
Sponsored by Serene Harbor & Palm Bay Police Victim Services Unit
Location: First Baptist Church
702 E New Haven Ave., Melbourne
(Enter through double doors on Livingston)
Telephone: 726-8282
Child care available

Children's groups

February 2000

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Brevard Florida - Domestic Violence Support Groups

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The following support groups meet weekly, and are free and open to provide information and understanding to women and children who have experienced emotional and/or physical abuse at the hands of someone they love.

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Listening is Cool I Can Use My Words Eye Contact or Staring (from Watson Institute) Being a good friend Noticing Friends How to Talk to My Friends (from Watson Institute) Playing with Friends (from headstartinclusion.org) Airports Bowling MiniatureGolf Movies Farm Airplane Trip Museum Disney Going to the Dentist (from iroqsea.org) Going to Wendy's (from speakingofspeech.com) Picking My Fingers (from speakingofspeech.com) What Can I Lick?

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To borrow a phrase: love works in mysterious ways. We are born to love and, as it turns out, love and affection are necessary for both optimal positive emotional and physical development. And to be honest, nothing feels better than giving your loved one a warm embrace -or being on the receiving end.

Role of Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter the hypothalamus produces and the pituitary gland secretes. Scientists first identified and observed it in 1906. ( 1) Oxytocin is essential in the process of childbirth in mammals, stimulating uterine contractions and lactation. Later studies found its role a much deeper and far-reaching one that affects social interaction and bonding between people. Scientists call it "the love hormone".

As Psychology Today explains "...As a facilitator of bonding among those who share similar characteristics, the hormone fosters distinctions between in-group and out-group members, and sets in motion favoritism toward in-group members and prejudice against those in out-groups. Ongoing research on the hormone is a potent reminder of the complexity of biological and psychological systems." ( 2)

This special hormone is present in both sexes, stimulating all aspects of the reproductive process, beginning with trust and sexual arousal. ( 3, 4) Oxytocin stimulates pleasure and reward centers and is the neurological basis for social bonding, especially with the people closest to you.

The brain rewards us for living with others. ( 5) Oxytocin increases feelings of trust, which are intrinsic to all close personal relationships. ( 6)

Humans are Social Animals

Some animals are solitary but humans are not. Social inclusion and interaction are necessary for our survival. This becomes evident when we become socially isolated, starting with depression and often culminating in disease.

The neurobiological mechanisms of love and attachment are a wonderful circle: we fall in love, have a baby, raise the child with love and affection, and the child continues the process.

The attraction and bonding between us are the physiological and emotional manifestations of our need to reproduce to perpetuate the species.

What's more, oxytocin is essential for embryonic brain development ( 7). More specifically, it plays a role in blood vessel formation in the pituitary gland, which controls several physiological processes such as stress, growth, and reproduction ( 8).

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New Study: The More you Hug your Kids, the More Their Brains Develop

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To borrow a phrase: love works in mysterious ways. We are born to love and, as it turns out, love and affection are necessary for both optimal positive emotional and physical development. And to be honest, nothing feels better than giving your loved one a warm embrace -or being on the receiving end.