Monthly Archives: February 2017

Special Parents Confidential 48 Colds And The Flu

Colds And The Flu.

It seems like every year the season for colds and the flu gets longer. Whether you’re a parent of a special needs child or not, our kids are coming down with colds and the flu all year round – for that matter, so are we parents. But what exactly are colds and the flu? Did you know that they share some of the same symptoms? How do you tell them apart? What’s the difference between the flu and a 24 hour stomach bug? How do you treat these illnesses and what can you do if you have a special needs child that has sensitivities to medicines or has challenges with standard treatments?

Why Do Colds And The Flu Affect Kids Differently Than Adults?

For this episode of Special Parents Confidential we are joined again by our friend Dr. Patricia Schultz, who has some answers. Including ways that you can help treat kids who have aversions to medicines. She also talks about the warning signs for when your child might have something else going on instead of the cold or the flu, why dehydration is a huge concern for sick kids, and – most importantly – when it’s time to take your child to the hospital.

Always Call Your Doctor First.

You’ll hear great advice about how colds and the flu, as well as Noroviruses and other illnesses can affect babies and infants, toddlers, younger children, teenagers and adults.  As always, though, Dr. Schultz’s advice is merely for informational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your child’s health, be sure to contact your family health provider or pediatrician.

Links Mentioned In This Podcast.

The Oral Rehydration Solution from The World Health Organization

The Common Cold – What Parents Need To Know. From the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Flu – Healthy Children from The American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Surviving The Stomach Bug – American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Kids Health – Vomiting 

Kids Health – Diarrhea

Support Special Parents Confidential

If you have found this episode, or any episode of Special Parents Confidential to be helpful, please consider contributing to help support this podcast. Just click on the Support Special Parents Confidential link at the top right of the page to get to our special Pay Pal account so you can make your contribution easily and safely. Any amount you can contribute will help. Thanks for your support!

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Special Parents Confidential 47 Nurtured Heart Approach

Nurtured Heart Approach.

What is the Nurtured Heart Approach and how can it help? For many kids with special needs the ability to concentrate, even to sit still in class, is challenging. We’ve given lots of names to these issues: Attention Deficit Disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Difficult Kid, Problem Child. The list goes on… and if you think about it, it’s a very negative outlook on these children.

A Paradigm Shift.

Now there is a relatively new process of working with kids who have these issues that tries to do away with all that negativity. It’s called the Nurtured Heart Approach. It consists of a set of strategies that assists children in developing their self-regulation, and transforming the way children perceive themselves and the world around them. And it has created a huge amount of success by concentrating on positive behaviors instead of all the negative behavior.

For this episode we’re joined by Dr. William Rowell, a retired licensed Psychologist with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services of Grand Rapids Michigan who has spent the last  years training parents, educators, foster parents, social workers, and law enforcement personnel in the Nurtured Heart Approach. He explains how the Nurtured Heart Approach works, why it’s more successful than other strategies, and how making a paradigm shift in your thinking will make all the difference for your special needs child.

Links Mentioned In This Episode.

The Children’s Success Foundation The website dedicated to the Nurtured Heart Approach and Howard Glasser, creator of NHA.

Children’s Success Foundation Practitioner’s List – Information on NHA certified trainers in America and around the world.

 Dr. William Rowell’s Page at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. 

Dr. Rowell’s Email:  william . rowell @ pine rest . org.  – be sure to remove the spaces.

Support Special Parents Confidential.

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Thanks for listening.

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MSU Announces Study for Kids with Cerebral Palsy in Michigan.

MSU Announces Study for Kids with Cerebral Palsy in Michigan.

A new Conductive Education Evaluation Project (CEEP) study is being conducted by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics of Michigan State University. They are looking for children in Michigan who have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and are between the ages of 2 and 6.

From the brochure:

“Conductive Education (CE) combines the development of physical, social, and thinking skills in a daily educational program for children with motor disabilities such as CP or spina bifida. It’s goal is to teach children how to make the most use of their muscles and to encourage social interaction and independence. Children learn in a small group setting with attention to individual needs. Many CE activities use rhythm, music, a specially designed exercise equipment.

Conductive Education was developed in Hungary in 1945 and is currently practiced in over 30 countries. Grand Rapids’ private, non-profit Conductive Learning Center was established in 1998. Find more information about CLC’s work at its website: Conductive Learning Center.”

Who Is Eligible To Participate

“We’re recruiting 2-6 year olds who are residents of the State of Michigan, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, offering a free 4-week session at the Grand Rapids, Michigan Conductive Learning Center, whose program we are studying.  Because CEEP is funded by the Michigan Department of Education, children must be state residents to participate.”

What happens when you enroll?

“You and your child will be interviewed by the CLC director for eligibility in the study.

If eligible, your child will be assessed with standardized tests to learn about their movement abilities. These assessments can be enjoyable for children. Assessments will be videotaped with copies available on request.

Parents will be asked to complete several questionnaires about their child’s physical and social skills and activities.

At no cost, your child will receive a four-week Conductive Education session (a total of 60 to 100 hours) at CLC.”

The Conductive Education Evaluation Project (CEEP)

“CEEP is a research project designed at Michigan State University by the Cerbral Palsy Outreach Network (CPON) team. The study will compare the effectiveness of Conductive Education to other cerebral palsy services for children ages 2-6. Families will be asked to participate i a free four week long Conductive Education session that fits their child’s age and abilities.”

How To Enroll:

Download the following CEEP Study Brochure .pdf for more details.

ceep study brochure

Or contact:

Deborah Weiland, MSN,                                                                                                                           CEEP Study Coordinator Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics                                             909 Fee Road, B601                                                                                                                            Michigan State University                                                                                                                        East Lansing, MI 48824                                                                                                                                              Ph: 517-432-7182 / Toll Free 877-417-6824                                                                                       Email: dweiland@epi.msu.edu