By: Megan Fickert, Therapy Aide

What is Sensory Overload?

Simply put, sensory overload is when one’s senses become overwhelmed to the point that a person is negatively impacted. Sensory overload can affect anyone but is particularly common among those with developmental disabilities like ADHD or autism that cause difficulty with filtering external input that other people might find perfectly tolerable.

Sensory overload can be a physically painful experience. As a small child, if I was outside and someone a block away was mowing their lawn, I would crouch low to the ground and clasp my hands over my ears. I used to run out of the bathroom in elementary school because of the automatic toilets, and to this day, I still have to cover my ears whenever I flush!

To an observer, it will often be obvious what is happening to a person experiencing sensory overload, but other times people may simply appear distracted or disengaged from their surroundings or may lash out in frustration instead.

For many disabled people, sensory overload becomes an everyday challenge. Let’s go over some ways of dealing with it.

Prevention

The ideal scenario is preventing instances of overload from happening in the first place. This means being mindful of your surroundings and planning ahead. Know how certain stimuli affect you or others. Have an escape route in mind and a way to communicate your needs. Avoid situations you know will lead to sensory overload if you can.

But of course, life doesn’t work seamlessly and there will always be unexpected scenarios that bring on overload. Here is how you can help yourself or someone else when it arises.

1. Remove Yourself

If possible, one of the quickest ways to handle overload is to remove oneself entirely. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, excuse yourself or ask someone to help you get out of the area. If you are assisting someone else, keep an eye on their reactions and give them chances to escape their environment if it seems like they have become overloaded.

Some adults and children may not have the self-awareness or communication skills to let others know they have become overloaded, so check in with them often when you are in especially stimulating or busy environments, and remember to take breaks even if sensory overload hasn’t occurred yet.

2. Block Incoming Senses

If leaving is not an option, the next best thing is to block stimuli. Wear earplugs or headphones if sound is an issue. Cover your eyes, look to the floor or even hide under a blanket to block visual input. Plug your nose to keep smells away. Have alternative clothes in case you become irritated by tags, seams or textures.

3. Ask for Help

In some cases it may be possible to ask for help. Admittedly this can be a scary task and isn’t always feasible, but some venues may be able to accommodate your needs if you speak up! Ask for the volume to be lowered or lights to be turned down, ask to be seated away from others. This is often best done as part of prevention, but sometimes it’s necessary to ask for help on the spot, too.

4. Override External Input

When it comes to sensory overload, sometimes the most overwhelming part is experiencing excess stimuli that we have no control over. To counter this, it might help to create your own stimuli to focus on instead. (Be mindful that in public scenarios, this might not be possible if it will be disruptive for others). 

Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, is often a natural reaction to sensory overload. If external sound is bothersome, listen to music or make sounds of your own to focus on instead! Draw a picture or focus on a specific object to drown out other visual input. Flap your hands, wiggle your toes, or stomp your feet to express control over how your body feels. Use a weighted blanket to control proprioceptive input.

Basic Sensory Overload Kit

Here is a list of some good items to keep on hand for situations when sensory overload may be expected. Because different things work for different people, make sure to customize your own kit with what works for you based on the situation and circumstances.

• Ear protection (headphones, earplugs)
• Eye protection (sunglasses, hats, eye masks)
• Hand fidgets (tangles, stress balls, marble mazes, etc.)
• Chewable fidgets (handheld or wearable “chewelry”)
• Weight/pressure tools (blankets, vests, compression garments)

Sensory Overload Summary

Ultimately, how one deals with sensory overload will greatly depend on the individual and the situation, but these are the basics on how to help yourself or others when faced with it in daily life.

Remember that instances of overload are inevitable, but being proactive and utilizing tools at your disposal can minimize these unpleasant experiences for yourself or someone you care about.

To learn more about sensory processing disorder and how we can help, visit: https://www.easterseals.com/dfv/our-programs/sensory-processing-disorder.html

By: Natalie Donald, Social Worker

It’s Read Across America Week! This week, led by the National Education Association (NEA) and guided by a committee of educators, is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.

Readers who feel included, recognized, and a part of the world are engaged readers. As we celebrate Read Across America, we invite you to read one of my favorite books, The Rabbit Listened, or our other recommended books to start conversations about disability and inclusion.

The Story

When I first discovered The Rabbit Listened, it moved me to the point of promptly buying 10 copies for friends and family in my life (child and adult alike). At its core, it is a picture book about empathy and kindness, a skill everyone needs, especially when others in your life need support.

Taylor, the main character, is a child who has something unexpected and challenging happen. With that challenge comes confusing feelings that Taylor doesn’t know what to do with. Many animals like the bear, the elephant, and the ostrich come along and try to help Taylor feel better, but nothing seems to help. Eventually, the rabbit comes along and gives Taylor exactly what he needs. It’s a simple yet profound message about choosing to be “with” someone in their pain. It’s a story that resonates with grief and loss, moments of dysregulation, and those days when you feel like nothing is going your way.

The Lesson

The story provides a beautiful lesson on one of the best things we can do for others. Some call it co-regulation, attunement, affect matching, or mirroring. Others call it listening with warmth, care, and calm. It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to fix a problem and instead choose to sit with someone and listen.

This connection is the chief thing that calms down the nervous system. It’s what makes someone feel seen, heard, and understood (and isn’t that what we all want after all?). It makes our bodies and brains feel like we can take a deep breath, that we’re not alone, and that we don’t have to feel bad for the way we feel. Sometimes we just have to stop what we are doing, get to the child’s level, and give them our full, undivided “I’m not going anywhere” attention and choose to ride the wave with them until they feel back to themselves again.

In the book, we see that Taylor’s brain and nervous system weren’t ready yet for laughter, or to try again, or feel better. It’s a reminder to all of us (*hand raise- myself included) that we must try to meet others in their pain before we can help them move on to feeling something new. This is true empathy. And again, this connection is the fastest way to get kids (and adults) back into their “thinking brains.” Once the thinking brain is back online, we can then access coping strategies like the animals in the story offer to Taylor.

But remember, coping strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Today one strategy might work great, and by next week… it might not work at all. Some days, I need a good laugh with my husband to shake off the day. Some days, I need to scream into a pillow or need movement to discharge those stressful feelings in my body. Other days, I need a bubble bath or some alone time to myself to reset. And for all of us, there are just those days when NOTHING seems to work at all and on those days, we have to be gentle with ourselves and others. Maybe those are the days we need our own rabbit.

The Lesson in Practice

So with all of that, my challenge for you is to find someone in your life and BE THEIR RABBIT. Being a human is hard sometimes and one of the best gifts you can give to someone is your presence. RESIST THE URGE TO FIX.

Here are some ways to to increase connection when someone is in a challenging moment: (This works for both adults and children. Sometimes you have to repeat multiple times or in different ways.)

• Sitting with someone
• Mirroring their body language
• Offering a hug

Saying something like the statements below (with genuineness or as much care as you can offer in the moment):

• “I am right here with you”
• “I hear you”
• “I’m not going anywhere”
• “I’m listening”
• “You are not alone”
• “I don’t know what to say, but I’m here”
• “I’m here for you now and I will be here whenever you’re ready to share”
• “Take as much time as you need
• “I have felt that way before too (share example)”
• “I think everyone feels that way sometimes”
• “I haven’t been through what you are going through but I imagine that it’s so hard”

*REMEMBER: Give yourself LOTS of grace with this practice. This is hard, and we are all still learning. And remember, even when you mess up, making a relational repair is just as important and powerful!

Social Services at Easterseals

The Easterseals’ Social Services team strives to provide children and families with the mental health support they need to help in these unexpected and challenging moments. We strive to help caregivers and children experience more joyful interactions through attunement and connection. For more information on our services you can contact us at socialservices@eastersealsdfvr.org.

By: Citlaly Gonzalez Psy.D Clinical Psychologist

Winter brings chillier temperatures, twinkling lights, extra family time and the opportunity for holiday shopping and gift-giving. There are many gift guides out there. Big City Readers put together this one that includes toys to support learning and development, and sensory play and of course books!  There’s this one by Buzzfeed for kids with endless energy. Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley offers something unique- a holiday gift guide carefully curated with the needs of our families in mind and offered through the lens of mental health and wellness for the whole family.

Many of the links included in this guide take you to Amazon, so add Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley as your selected charity through smile.amazon.com and get ready to shop!

Family Time at Home

The old adage your presence is the best present is never truer than during the holidays. This is a great time to think of ways to spend time together during the winter months and look toward ways to create memories throughout the year. Board games bring the family together and there are many great options for even the youngest children. Worried about the meltdowns that happen when a child is still learning to lose graciously? Stick with cooperative games such as those by Peaceable Kingdom. The Race to the Treasure is in heavy rotation in the Social Services department as is Monkey Around, a non-competitive game that includes gross motor play, imitation, vocabulary, and social-emotional skills through a card game that prompts players to do movements together.

There’s no rule that therapy games have to stay in the therapy room. Consider adding some Social Services classics to your own toybox at home and normalize talking about mental health. These Kimochis provide a cute way to talk about feelings and Create a Story cards support sequencing and story-telling. To support calm feelings this card deck introduces mindfulness while this expandable breathing ball brings deep breathing to life.

Winter is long so think of games that keep you moving indoors. Painter’s tape in the multi-color pack is great for creating homemade obstacle courses with little equipment. Add in stepping stones, wobble boards, a figure-eight balance beam, or even tunnels and ball pits to level up the fun indoors.

The Tricky Spots

Not every routine at home brings smiles to children and caregivers. But what if we could provide some tools to support these “tricky spots?” What if we could identify toys that we could integrate into daily routines and incorporate them in ways that help? Think of what part of the day feels challenging and add in some gifts to help make those tasks feel more exciting or run more smoothly.

Bath-time: Put together a Bath bin to make bath time more appealing. “Time for bath” and “Time to choose a bath toy” have a different ring to them. Consider bath crayons, bath paint, bath bombs, bath confetti, color drops, glow-sticks, –any of which would make great stocking stuffers, or you can choose something like this interactive set that lights up and has music parts or a bath-time basketball hoop.

Bedtime: Help create a calm environment and support a healthy bedtime routine with these recommendations that might make your child look forward to bedtime! Create a soothing and distraction-free environment with this bed tent or try a light projector such as this one that creates dinosaur images on the ceiling, this huggable turtle, or this brave bear with his flashlight and book.

Mealtimes: Take some of the struggles out of mealtimes with some of these fun gifts. Which food to try next? Depends on the spinner or the order of this path or these fun plates that are sure to make meals fun.  You can also help promote self-help skills and independence with gifts that help your child participate in cooking –not to mention the gift of time and memories made together in the kitchen. Both of these wooden knife and wooden knife set are safe for most novice chefs whereas this one might be more appropriate for children who are ready to use a real knife that is still child-safe.

The classics

It would be remiss to make a holiday gift guide without mentioning “the classics” –open-ended toys, art supplies, and books. Here are some Easterseals Dupage & Fox Valley favorites:

Must-Have-Toys: Dolls and dollhouses, blocks, and play food are the play trifecta. If you have these, your play kit is complete! Dolls are great for both boys and girls and help foster pretend play, teach routines, and promote caregiving. Melissa & Doug has a beautiful wooden one while Woodzies offers an option at a lower price point. (Hint: Woodzies have a lot of other settings you can add like the school set to help your child share and tell you about their day). There are many options for play food, with Melissa & Doug offering a wide variety of beautiful sets, some that invite “cutting” or with Velcro pieces to assemble. Speaking of building, blocks are always a hit! Whether it’s Legos, wooden blocks, or a fun option like these, blocks are a great open-ended toy that provides endless possibilities for creative play.

Art: Art provides not only the opportunity to create but also to connect and express thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Some favorites include Crayola Slick Sticks which provide rich color with minimal pressure, perfect for toddler hands and those with motor challenges and Sharing journals such as this one provide a great way to connect with your children through art.

Books: Every book has its perks and particular uses and reasons to recommend it. Poke-a-dot books help support pointing and the Indestructible book series is perfect for children still learning to be gentle with books. Two of my all-time favorite books are The Rabbit Listened which reminds us to stop and listen to what children really need and All the Ways to Be Smart which celebrates the many ways kids learn, play, and explore. Remember, books are not just bound paper, they’re the promise of time spent together bonding and reading with your child.

We have a wonderful library at Easterseals and a carefully curated book list. Ask your therapist for recommendations or contact the Social Services Team. Two favorite resources for book recommendations are Miss Beth and her team at Big City Readers and Kido.

Let’s not forget the caregiver

While the focus of the holidays is often on the children, let’s not forget the gift of a healthy, happy, and well-taken care of parent. I recently saw a post of Mothercould (highly recommend for ideas of activities and sensory play!) where Myriam, the blogger, shared the idea of a gift basket she made for herself for self-care following the birth of her youngest daughter. What an amazing idea! So, this last recommendation is to put together some of your own favorites. Your favorite snacks, gift cards for your favorite store (who doesn’t love a solo trip to Target?), and a note to remember to take care of yourself this holiday season and into the new year.

The best gift for your child . . .

Of course, the focus of any gift should be the recipient and what brings them joy. You are the expert on your child and what they like most! Grant yourself the permission to fill their stocking with the Guaranteed Wins! Confession: my child’s stocking includes a bottle of eczema cream because he loves this part of our nightly routine and a wooden McDonalds food set –a Frankenmixture of trendy wooden toys and the food parents don’t always want to admit their kids love. Those items aren’t likely to be found on anyone else’s gift guide, but they are things I know will bring a smile to his face and will be immediately put to use, and that makes them good gifts!

To determine the best gifts for your child, think of the parts of your day where you could use some support and choose a gift that will grant it. Reflect on your favorite routines and memories with your child and consider ways to incorporate these into your gift. Consider how the gifts you select will be used in a way that supports your family’s health and happiness and above all the time you share together.

Amazon Wishlists

While you complete your holiday shopping, don’t forget to checkout at smile.amazon.com with Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley as your selected charity. You can also take a look at our wishlists for therapist and teacher requested items to send to our centers. Both efforts on Amazon can provide year-round support of our services and programs. The featured items make great developmental toys and gift ideas for children of all ages too. Thank you for supporting us this holiday!

• Villa Park Wishlist
  • Features pretend play toys, art supplies, bubbles and baby and toddler toys
• Elgin Wishlist
  • Features books, movement and baby toys for use in therapy
• Naperville Wishlist
  • Features board games and sensory materials to use in therapy
• Lily Garden Wishlist
  • Features kinetic sand, paint and playdoh supplies, fidget toys and more for our infant, toddler, preschool, and pre-k classrooms.

By: Jodi Hoppensteadt MS, RDN, LDN

Why Track Added Sugar?

It’s Kids Eat Right Month this August, and below is the skinny on added sugar. It can be tough to track and understand labels and how much is added into our daily food products. The easiest method is for families to focus on foods and beverages that do not contain added sugars.

Too much sugar in a child’s diet can lead to adverse health conditions, including tooth decay, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, type two diabetes, and high blood pressure. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under two years of age should avoid added sugars. Children two years and older should limit their daily intake of added sugars to less than 25g (approximately six teaspoons) each day.

How to Identify Added Sugar on Food Labels

There are two ways to read a food label. One way is to check the Nutrition Facts Panel and look for the line titled: Includes XXg Added Sugars. Focus on foods that contain less than 5% of the Daily Value for added sugars.

The second way to read a label for added sugars is to read the ingredient labels. Added sugars come in many forms and go by many names, including sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates, fructose, dextrose, honey, molasses, malt, turbinado, and any ingredients ending in -ose.

Tips to Reduce Added Sugars

The following suggestions are other tips on how to avoid added sugars in your child’s diet:

• Limit foods containing added sugars for children over two years of age and avoid beverages with added sugars for children two and under.
• In place of foods with added sugars, try offering foods with natural sugar, which is the sugar naturally found in foods such as fructose found in fruits or lactose found in milk and milk products.
• Limit 100% fruit juice for children and it is a good practice to dilute with water. Do not give fruit juice to children under the age of one.
  • 1-3 years of age up to 4 ounces daily.
  • 4-6 years of age up to 6 ounces daily.
  • 7-14 years of age up to 8 ounces daily.
• Read labels for added sugars in all packaged and/or processed foods and drinks, including crackers, flavored milk (chocolate or strawberry), condiments, cookies, bread/baked goods, and cereals.

Added Sugar Replacements/Substitutes Tips

Here are some food replacements/substitutes to reduce added sugars in specific foods:

• Serve water or milk in place of soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened coffees, or teas. Try naturally flavored water at home by adding berries, lemon, lime, cucumber slices, or mint.
• When looking for something sweet, try fresh fruits, frozen fruits, dried fruits, or canned fruits. Canned fruits should be canned in water or natural fruit juice and drained and rinsed. Read food labels for added sugars in both canned and dried fruits.
• Many cold cereals are high in sugar. Look for low sugar cereals such as Chex (Corn or Rice), Cheerios (unflavored), or Kix (unflavored).
• Applesauce often has added sugar but unsweetened applesauce is available.
• Offer only 100% real juice, fresh-squeezed juice, or homemade juice with no sugar added.
• Cookies/cupcakes/baked goods are often high in added sugars but can be homemade with less sugar by substituting part of the sugar with applesauce or reducing the amount of sugar in a recipe by ¼ to ½ of the amount.
• Popsicles and ice cream can be replaced with 100% real fruit popsicles or dark chocolate-covered frozen bananas. Popsicles can also be made at home using fresh fruit, pureeing, and freezing in popsicle molds.
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can be made with less added sugars by replacing the jam or jelly with fresh fruit such as sliced bananas, apples, or strawberries, or low sugar jelly jams are available. No sugar-added peanut butter is also available.
• Syrup for pancakes and waffles can be replaced with fresh fruit, or frozen blueberries can be heated and pureed to make a “fresh fruit syrup”.
• Read labels for condiments and chose lower sugar varieties or reduce the amount used.
• Granola bars/cereal bars/yogurts look for low added sugar on the nutrition facts panel or ingredient label. There are also many recipes for breakfast cookies online that are low-sugar and easy to make.

Notes on Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners (nonnutritive sweeteners) such as Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Neotame, Saccharin, Sucralose are found in many food and beverages. The AAP recommends that the amount of artificial sweetener be listed on the nutrition facts label to better help parents and researchers understand how much children are consuming and the possible health effects. There is still a lot to learn about the impact of nonnutritive sweeteners on children’s health. Children under the age of 2 should not be consuming artificial sweeteners.

Notes on Milk and Supplemental Diets

There is no need to limit milk as it contains natural sugars, not added sugars, and provides necessary nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D. Supplemental nutritional beverages such as Pediasure, Boost, and Carnation Breakfast Essentials should not be limited when used to supplement diets to provide additional calories or nutrients or when recommended by a doctor and dietitian. Lower added sugar supplemental nutritional beverages can be purchased from companies such as Kate Farms or Else. Ask your doctor or dietitian if a lower added sugar formula is right for your child.

Comprehensive Pediatric Nutrition Services

If you have any questions or any concerns about your child’s nutrition visit our nutrition therapy page or contact us at info@eastersealsdfvr.org. Our nutrition team is comprised of RDN’s (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) who have years of specialty experience working in pediatric nutrition and are ready to help!

By: Yvonne D. Anderson, LCSW, CADC, CODP II

All parents want to protect their children. And all children are vulnerable online, whether they’re using email or chatting on social media sites. When your child has a disability or developmental delay, those protective instincts switch into high gear. Identifying potential threats online is more challenging than, for instance, spotting a danger on the playground. Additionally, many children with disabilities struggle with reading social cues, managing emotions/ behavior, and making judgment calls about others. As a result, they are at a higher risk for cyberbullying and online victimization. As a parent or caregiver, you are your child’s first line of defense. Use the following guidelines to navigate the online world and keep your child safe.

Make your home network safe.

Avoidance is the best policy when it comes to sexual content, violent images, online predators, malware, and cyberbullying on the Internet.

• Increase your security. Use updated virus protection and other safety measures, such as firewalls, to protect your computer from hackers and other cyberattacks.
• Make it public. Keep smart phones, iPads, and computers in shared places where it’s easy for you to monitor online behavior.
• Filter content. Install filters to block unapproved websites and images.
• Set up parental controls. Limits can be set in multiple ways, such as through your internet or mobile service provider, directly on the device itself, and through site-specific services, including YouTube, Netflix, and Facebook.
• Use child-friendly browsers. Some browsers are designed specifically to allow young Internet users to explore and learn without coming across offensive or dangerous content.
• Review the browsing history regularly.
• Disable location-tagging. A GPS-enabled smartphone or computer can reveal your child’s location through online posts and uploaded photos.

Teach your child how to behave online.

Educating your child about appropriate online behavior is vital if you want to keep her safe no matter where she accesses the Internet.

• Establish ground rules. Identify what is OK to do online and what activities are prohibited. When it comes to content, use the same guidelines that you employ for television viewing: if they can’t watch it on TV, they shouldn’t look it up online either.
• Teach your child that information shared on the Internet becomes and stays public forever.
• Review information that should not be shared. Help your child understand what types of information are unsafe to share online, such as their full name, address, phone number, school, or other images/ information that could help someone identify them. To help your child remember, post a “Do Not Share” list by the computer or on the device.
• Explain the limits to online relationships. Emphasize that it is okay to say “No” to requests for personal information, photos, money, and joining social media networks.
• Be smart about emails. Let your child know how dangerous it can be to open an email or attachment from someone they don’t know. Reinforce the importance of checking with you or another trusted adult if they get a message that they’re unsure about.
• Encourage your child not to delete messages. Tell them to save anything that they’re not sure about, doesn’t feel right, or seems hurtful. Set aside time to review the messages together.
• Explain cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and sexting. Although it may feel uncomfortable to talk about, your children can’t protect themselves from what they don’t know about. Rehearse “what to do if…” scenarios.

Provide resources and support.

Children also need to know how to identify when someone else is behaving inappropriately online and what to do about it.

• Use online tools. Websites such as InternetMatters.org or NetSmartz.org provide a wealth of resources for both parents and children. InternetMatters is a resource hub specifically designed for children with additional learning needs and their families. These sites offer tools help children learn about online dangers using role-playing, pictures, and other strategies. NetSmartz resources also include the SymbolStix safety pledge, a visual online safety contract designed with support from the National Autism Association.
• Encourage them to trust their gut. Teach your children to be skeptical and listen to their own instincts. Use role-play to practice recognizing and responding to several different scenarios your child may encounter online.
• Give them a lifeline. Make sure your children know that you and other trusted adults are available for them if they run across something online that makes them uncomfortable. Even if they’ve done something they shouldn’t have, it’s important for them to be able to reach out to adults they can rely on.
• Find safe online spaces. Seek out social networks and peer support that are focused on activities and interactions that match your child’s interests and developmental level.
• Be curious and ask questions. Find out what websites your child likes to visit. Have they ever seen something online that made them feel sad, scared, or confused? What would they do if they saw something online that made them uncomfortable?
• Connect with your child by learning how to use the technology and social media that s/he is using. Ask them to show you how it works and specifically how they use it.

Reach out to Easterseals’ Social Services team for more ideas about how to support your child’s social and emotional development. You can contact us at socialservices@eastersealsdfvr.org.