Teaching Stranger Danger to Children with Special Needs.

Right now in Ireland, our children are tucked up in bed. Many parents are wondering how to react to the news from this weekend, when two little girls were lured away from their lovely little lives.
Child abduction and abuse is not a regular occurrence. Every parent's job is to protect our kids - and the fear of any child being abducted is the ultimate 'unthinkable'.

Most kids know not to get into stranger's cars, go with, or talk to strangers, but children with social and communication difficulties may not be able to comprehend the general 'stranger danger' rules.

Shortly, in all Hometrain Social Skills Groups, we will be issuing our Group Leaders with our new 'Stay Safe' resources, which includes an addition to our Curriculums for all age groups, covering our 'No, Yell, Run, Tell' - along with information for parents.

So how do you protect your child who doesn't understand the stranger danger rules? If they are playing outside, or liable to wander or escape, you can try:





child locator

1. A 'mommy I'm here' alarm - I have one and it's great. The bear attaches to your child's belt and is not easily removed. You have the controller which when pressed, emits a shrill alarm from the bear. This means, if your child goes out of sight, you can quickly find them. Perfect for travelling.

Website link: http://www.mommyimhere.co.uk/prd103ChildLocatorAlarm.shtml




2. Have an outdoors 'buddy' system - where your child is only allowed out to play with a friend or sibling who knows to remain close by and understands the stranger rules. Explain to them that your child does not understand the 'what to do rules'

The 'what to do' rules to remember:  
No! Yell! Run! Tell!

 

Could you work at The Hairy Planet??

Position Vacant: Play Specialist/therapist
Sessional work available - Immediate start. Saturdays
Location: Hometrain's Hairy Planet Salon, Navan, Co. Meath.

The Hairy Planet is our specialist salon for children who find hair cut time difficult. It has a relaxed atmosphere and the key element of it's success is in therapeutic play, combined with behavioural strategies to help children learn how to cope with hair cuts, hair touch, brushing, combing and wetting hair.

We have a wide client base, ranging from 2-30 year olds who experience a wide cross-section of difficulties. This could be fears and phobias, sensory dysfunction, or working to undo a history of negative experiences.

The ideal candidate should have experience of working with special needs, and have experience and knowledge of the following:

• Distraction therapy
• Sensory Dysfunction
• Therapeutic play strategies
• Understanding of child development 2years upwards
• Knowledge of ABA techniques
• Using a range of communication methods, including PECS.
• Knowledge and understanding of working with fears and phobias in children

Although the above is important for this role, the candidate should be fun, open, and able to communicate well with all age groups, abilities and the families of the children attending.

For more information, please contact Claire Whyte:
Tel: 046 9070100 or Mobile: 087 6907663 or e-mail: info@hometrain.ie

This post will be a great opportunity for a Hospital Play Specialist, Play Therapist, OT or other related occupation.
Closing date is Friday, 4th May 2012.


 

New Services - including our Toy and Teaching Resource Library

To celebrate moving into our own premises - we are delighted to announce that as well as the usual Social Skills Groups, The Hairy Planet Salon and our shop - here's details of new Hometrain services:

1) Teaching Resource and Toy Library. Borrow from our range of toys, equipment and educational games for just 20 Euros per year. (See images and more info below, call in to join)
2) Rent fully-equipped Teaching and Therapy rooms - you can now use our rooms for home tuition (Available for July provision also) and therapy. Suitable for 1-1 and small groups (see images below)
3) Demo Desk and shop open 10-5pm Monday-Friday for customers.

Hometrain is now based at:
Number 23 Blackcastle Shopping Centre,
Navan, Co. Meath.
Phone: 046 9070100 and Mobile: 087 6907663

Visit Hometrain’s Teaching Resource and    Join Today!

Join now and you can borrow teaching resources today.

Our Library service includes:

 books, puzzles, games and teaching resources suitable for home tuition and school.

Borrow upto 3 items every 2 weeks.

 

Open 10-4 Monday-Friday

Part of our resource library

Room available Mon-Fri for teaching and therapy sessions

Resource room available for teaching, meetings and small groups.

For Toy and Resource Library - or any of our rooms and services at Hometrain, Call us: 087 6907663

A Parent's Diary of The Hairy Planet

I heard of The Hairy Planet from a lady who saw an article in the newspaper and I decided to go. My child does not like getting her very thick hair brushed and a clump of matted hair had formed at the back of her head as a result. To be honest, we were both at our wits end with it and it had become such a challenge to try to brush it out daily that I had to give up.
I rang Claire one night and told her our dilemma - and she is one of the most approachable women I know. She listened with empathy and recognised the behavioural issues surrounding this without me feeling I had exposed my child too much. This is great as a parent because you can begin to feel all you say regarding your child is negative.
I thought it would be a struggle to get her there, but my child was relieved and we set off.

Situated in the countryside, the environent was enough to create calm and on entering the sunny waiting room, it was our turn. Jenny the hairdresser is young and hip and my child related to her immediately. Claire has such an open face and a practical way about her that my child truly didn't have the opportunity to kick off with refusal.
Claire sat, and together they set out goals in the form of a wish list, non-demading, just wishes.
This really appealed to my child as it was not rule-bound and all her own choices. I was not part of this process which gave my 8 yr old a different freedom. For me it took the position of 'bad guy' away. After the dreamlist was written, Jenny took a look at my child's hair while she played the Playstation (massive incentive!!), and started to make sense of her hair, forming a plan to work on. My child and I left with leave-in conditioner and a plan for the next week. My child actually enjoyed herself.
The following week a reward chart was introduced and a pattern of hair brushing began.

I cannot tell you how this changed the dynamics surrounding her hair in my house. She no longer got frustrated and annoyed at me, she realised it was her hair and we needed to work together. I brought her a new WII game that was only played when it was hair time - on advice from Claire, and together we began to work things out.
Claire rings every Friday to see how it was going and her encouragement, support and validation are priceless. So I didn't feel isolated, and got good advice - REAL advice, and someone I could tell my fears and inadequacies to.
We really looked forward to the Saturday trip and the routine of a comic for the car and crisps for the way home.

Today is our last appointment. The clump was removed last Saturday and today Jenny is going to show my girl different styles. We are happy and we are sad.

You see, when you have a child bound by her anxieties and insecurities and aspergers, it is masively difficult for her to see the positive.

Going to The Hairy Planet, to Claire and Jenny, my child had a special, safe place where one of her 'things' was being managed in a positive, nurturing way. All she heard and experienced there was positive, compliments, and it's not all being 'enforced' by me.

It took all the stress out of the picture and now I have this happy, confident little girl, who will take her hair down and let her friends brush it, who is no longer ashamed of her hair and negative.

I personally feel such a sense of relief not having to try to camoflage the clump every day when tying her hair up. I would highly-recommend The Hairy Planet if your child has ANY hair issues at all - it is worth so much for the priceless result.
Any sensory issues are decreased with Claire's individual plan. I just can't say enough - for my child, the outcome is magnificent and we have a forward-plan and routine for the future which will prevent the clump from ever occuring again.

I hope this is ok - it's hard to put in words how successful this has been and how extremly grateful we are.
xx

My daughter after The Hairy Planet!

http://www.hometrain.ie/hairyplanet/ for bookings an more info.

 

Children's Heads, Hair and Nails - Deep pressure to help tactile defensiveness

Many of the children we see in our Hairy Planet salon have sensory dysfunction and so have tactile defensiveness, finding it very uncomfortable and flinch when their scalp is touched or going to be touched.

This is often coupled with behavioural difficulties developed over years of children resisiting to have their hair touched, and parents understandably avoid touching or brushing, and can tend to keep  their child's hair short (if they are able to attend to hair cuts at all).

There are several ways of helping with this - and families that attend our salon are shown different techniques to help de-sensitize the scalp.

Sometimes, it's a using a different type of brush or comb - and applying deep pressure massage to your child's head regularly (daily where possible).

Avoid light touch as much as possible - it exaggerates the tactile defensiveness further.

Nails:

You can apply the same principals for nail cutting - apply deep pressure and finger exercises before nail cutting. A good time to cut nails is after a bath, when their nails are soft.

As well as using your hands to massage, other ways you can apply deep pressure to heads are:

• Pulling strings of a hooded top
• Using an elastic headband
• Using a stretchy cap or hat
• Ask your OT about a weighted cap or hat - you can get these in thinkingtoys.ie

For further advice, and to book an appointment, you can contact us at the Hairy Planet via Hometrain: info@hometrain.ie

Following a great open clinic day in Cork - we are holding an open clinic day on 11th Feb in Dublin - with resources, advice and a 6-week programme tailored for each family. Not to be missed! Call us to book your appointment: 087 6907663

More about The Hairy Planet here: http://www.hometrain.ie/hairyplanet/

Claire.

Christmas Show Planning for Kids with Special Needs

O.k. it's that time of year again! If you are looking for some ideas on putting on a Christmas show with children who have special needs, or you have a mainstream school and have one or more special needs children - here's my advice for your plan this December!

1) Try to avoid creating an 'all new' series of activites and songs. Include elements of your group's routine, such as your greeting's song, circle time etc. This will help your group feel comfortable and show off the skills you practice every week.

2) Have the children make as many of the decorations as possible. Even if they don't take part in the whole show, their contribution can be made in other ways. For example, paint a huge cardboard Christmas tree together. Write the children's names at the section they painted and add decorations they made.
There are printable decorations on my Christmas colouring page: http://www.hometrain.ie/christmas/

3) Make a card or gift for children to give to each other. We are making cards with our group's photo on the front, and each child makes and decorates one. During our Christmas show, they will give their card to a friend.

4) For children who are non-verbal, make decorated cut-outs of the following shapes. Try the song below.
Get a copy of the instrumental version of 'Partridge in a Pear Tree'. Give each child a shape to hold (attaching the cut-outs to sticks helps) and get them to stand or hold up their shape at the right time.
If this is tricky, be clever with your seating arrangements!
Another bit of advice is to decorate your shapes both sides - this will save you having to remind children to turn them around!!

A STAR FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Tune: “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”

One the first day of Christmas,
My teacher gave to me –
A star for the Christmas tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
My teacher gave to me –
Two strings of lights,
And a star for the Christmas tree.

On the third day of Christmas
My teacher gave to me –
Three silver bells,
Two strings of lights,
And a star for the Christmas tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
My teacher gave to me –
Four candy canes.
Three silver bells,
Two strings of lights
And a star for the Christmas tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas
My teacher gave to me –
Five Christmas bulbs.
Four candy canes,
Three silver bells,
Two strings of lights,
And a star for the Christmas tree.

4) Make a programme for parents. Write a short description of the show and the different songs. Add a note about each child and how they participated. Add a photograph of their child helping with preparations - i.e. painting the tree or making decorations.

5) Make mince pies or biscuits for the families, display the children's work. Decorate the room.

6) Don't stress if the children do not participate. If your group all have special needs, you will not be expecting them all to sit perfectly and not want to go to their parents. Arranging the group in a circle can help with this, with parents in a greater circle around them (so they can see their child).

And that's it - I'm looking forward to our show on 17th - Hope yours goes well, and any more ideas are greatly appreciated!

Our Christmas Ideas page has lots of festive printables: http://www.hometrain.ie/christmas/

Merry Christmas!

Claire x

Preparing Children for a Hospital Visit

'How do I prepare my child for hospital?' This is a question that faces most parents at some time or other.
Closely followed by 'How do I explain it?' and 'Should I prepare them at all?'

The answer to the last question is 'Yes' - preparing your child for hospital is essential - even though it might seem easier at the time to say nothing, a prepared child will cope far better. Not preparing children can also lead to problems regarding trust.

"If your child knows what to expect, they are more likely to be co-operative, cope better and gain a sense of achievement."

The CD-ROM 'Going to Hospital' is an essential guide to explaining hospital to children of all ages.

Choose your child's age category

Dodi covers babies and toddlers                            

                                           Digg is for 4-7 years
                                           Hazel covers 8-12 years
                                           Buck is for 13 - 16 years  

Each character has their own menu - so you select your child's age category. Each character's menu has a selection of topics, such as:
Preparing for a hospital visit, taking medicine, preparing for surgery and waiting areas.

This means for every age group, there are different ways of explaining and preparing - these relate to each age category and contain relevant language and descriptions.
The different characters also have games, quizzes and colouring pages that suit all age groups - such as the word search or picture quiz.
There is a section on relaxation and breathing techniques with a guided relaxation story that your child can download and listen to - or you can print and read to them. This is designed to aid relaxation and teach your child coping techniques. It's a good idea to use this before your admission.

Child-friendly explanations and illustrations.

    As well as a comprehensive guide that covers a visit to hospital, there is an extensive Parent Information section which lists child-friendly decsriptions of hospital procedures and equipment, important information and guide about distraction, information about siblings, a list of 'Do's' and 'Dont's' and steps for preparing your child. 

In the printables section, there are numerous colouring pages, a handy packing checklist, pain scale, reward chart and word search. All designed to help your child become familiar with hospital images, equipment, words and procedures.

'Going to Hospital' is available worldwide - online or by post with our order form, which can be printed from our website.

To find out more:

http://www.hometrain.ie/gth/