Back to School

kimcotta — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:15:44 +0000

Well, the time has finally come. It’s back to school time! This first week (actually it was 2 days) has gone well for all of the kids. A combination of excitement and anxiety was in the air. They love wearing the new clothes, carrying a new backpack, and seeing their old friends. But they were also worried about the increased workload and new schedules. I was probably more anxious then them. I was constantly reminding them what to do, where to go, etc. It’s so hard not to worry during this transition. Hopefully next week will be more excitement less anxiety, for them and me.

Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Bright Ideas to Brighten the First Day of School

kimcotta — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:38:34 +0000

Here are a few tips that are sure the ease the back-to-school jitters.

*Have kids decorate their lunch bags with stickers or drawings the night before

*Include a special note, wacky riddle, or a joke of the day in their lunch box or notebook

*For younger kids, put a small family picture in their backpack for extra comfort

*Let them decide the dinner menu to celebrate “Back to School” (my kids always choose chocolate chip pancakes)

Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Splish Splash Water Activities

kimcotta — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:43:13 +0000

There is nothing better than cooling off on a hot summer day than with some water fun. Playing with water is a cool way to receive sensory input. The temperature and texture provide tactile input and the resistance of water can provide proprioceptive input for the muscles and joints.

Soak sponges with water and see who can squeeze them out into a bucket the fastest

Water balloon toss

Use water guns filled with colored water to create a picture

Make your own water slide by using a tarp and a running hose

Play Twister with continuous running water on the game mat

Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

The Aftermath

kimcotta — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:55:54 +0000

My mother’s tragic accident has been extremely difficult for our family. The kids and I are still on summer break from school/work. We would usually go on “field trips” to museums, zoos, parks, etc during our breaks. But this summer, we are just trying to get though the day around here. Rob and I are trying to maintain some sort of structure and routine. He has been a great support for me. There are days when I just get out of bed. And Rob is there to take over my roles and responsibilities with the kids, dogs, housework, etc. I mostly feel anger and emptiness inside. My motivation to do anything varies on my mood. It appears that Anthony (ASD, age 13) and Jasmine (age 9) are taking their grandma’s passing the hardest. They are very quiet and sad most of the days. We cry together and comfort each other. Destiny (ASD, age11) and Derrick (age 5) were crying and sad during the funeral services. I don’t think either of them fully understand what has happened. People say it will get easier and that time will heal all wounds. Right now, the only phrase I can agree with is One Day at a Time.

Kimberly Wragge    http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

A Tragedy

kimcotta — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:25:21 +0000

Last Friday, my mom was involved in a car accident and lost her life. We are all devastated. Our hearts are very heavy with sorrow and grief. She was taken from us too soon. My mom was a dedicated, strong, and compassionate person. For the past two years, we have been designing and selling autism awareness merchandise. I always gave my mom the credit because she was the creator of all of the designs. She was so creative and talented. We loved going out into the community and promoting awareness. The best part was always talking with other families. My mom and I have a special relationship. She is my best friend. She will never leave my heart. They say that the pain will lessen and it will get easier. But right now, all I feel is pain and emptiness. Every minute that goes by, I think about how much I miss her. She was my everything!!

Don’t Fret Over Failures

kimcotta — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:11:47 +0000

Encourage your children for their efforts even if those efforts don’t achieve the desired results.Winning isn’t everything.

Kimberly Wragge     http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Marijuana a possible treatment for autism

kimcotta — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:35:53 +0000

I guess it was bound to happen. I have been hearing of stories like this recently. Parents who are giving their children marijuana to treat aggressive and self abusive behaviors. This interesting topic got me to research more on medical marijuana. According to my findings, the patient must pay a fee to obtain an eligibility card. They are considered eligible if they are a resident of that state and have an approved medical condition such as cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis. Medical marijuana is legal in 14 states. In New Mexico, they are currently considering making autism an approved medical condition. From what I read, marijuana decreases anxiety and increases “good mood”. The aggression and self abuse often occurs from anxiety and anger. Many parents don’t feel comfortable with treating autistic behaviors with psychotropic drugs, they try and find alternative methods. Very often, homeopathic treatments are used. I’m not sure about this though. What about the long term effects of marijuana? Such as dependency, weight gain, cardiovascular problems, etc. Well, I guess there are side effects for psychotropic drugs as well.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AutismNews/mother-son-marijuana-treat-autism/story?id=9153881

Kimberly Wragge             http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Oral motor stimulation used to help focus and organize

kimcotta — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:31:09 +0000

The need for oral motor stimulation goes beyond newborns and infants and continues into adulthood. How many times have you found yourself chewing on a pen or pencil while sitting in a boring meeting or popped a piece of hard candy or gum in your mouth when you are trying to stay alert. The oral motor area (the mouth) can be used very effectively to help a child with autism regulate their level of arousal. It can help organize their central nervous system to either calm or alert them.

Oral motor stimulation can be eating certain tastes of food such as sweet, salty, spicy, or sour. These food tastes are usually alerting. The texture of food is also important. Foods can be crunchy, crispy, smooth, or thick. It is beneficial to experiment with a variety of food textures and tastes to see if there is a difference in behavior. While doing homework, I will often give my son, Anthony, a crunchy, salty snack like pretzels to help him stay alert and focused.

As most of us know, there is usually a “no gum chewing in school” rule. They are now finding that that benefits the custodians more than the student. (Gum is very difficult to scrap off the bottom of desks and chairs) There is compelling research that states that chewing gum actually improves a person’s ability to concentrate and focus as well as relieve tension and stress. Chewing gum stimulates certain areas of the brain which releases neurotransmitters like serotonin. Serotonin is said to increase our self confidence and provide a sense of security. I think we should allow our children to chew gum when needed. The sugarless kind, of course.

Kimberly Wragge       http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Freedom

kimcotta — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:01:06 +0000

Two weeks ago, a local animal shelter rescued 120 beagles from a research lab that was going bankrupt. The story on the news was heart-breaking. So at dinner that night, we talked about it and decided to adopt one from the shelter. The very next day, we all went to the shelter to meet the dogs. The kids were excited to get a new pet. It was so hard to just pick one. They were all so cute. But we decided on “Freedom”. Freedom is a smaller size beagle but has a lot of love to give. He needs a lot of training on how to be a pet. He wasn’t exposed to very much from the inside of his crate for 2 years. Freedom never even walked on grass until we took him for his first walk. But considering he had limited human contact in his previous environment, he is very affectionate towards us. Freedom snuggles up to the kids while they are watching TV and enjoys being pet by them. He is adjusting better than what I would of thought. We are so lucky to have the opportunity to give him a loving home.

Kimberly Wragge    http:www.kimsautismawareness.com

Hazy, Hot, and Humid

kimcotta — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:28:28 +0000

I’m sure like everyone on the east coast, we are trying to stay cool in this heatwave. This is also the first week of summer rec programs, soccer camp, and art classes. So unfortunatley, we are constantly on the move. If we could just stay home and enjoy the air conditioner, it would be great. But life doesn’t stop for a heatwave. All of the kids are exhausted throughout the day. They have low energy levels and want to go to bed as early as possible. We are all looking forward to the cooler temperatures next week.

hank goodness.

Kimberly Wragge     http:www.kimsautismawareness.com