See Rogue One Sensory Friendly Tomorrow at AMC

New sensory friendly logoAMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new films in a safe and accepting environment.

The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.

Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.

Families affected by autism or other special needs can view a sensory friendly screening of Rogue One: A Start Wars Story on Saturday, December 31st at 10am (local time). Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).

Coming in January: Hidden Figures (Tues, 1/10), Sing (Sat, 1/14), xXx The Return of Xander Cage (Tues, 1/24) and Monster Trucks (Sat, 1/28)

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Editor’s note: Although Rogue One has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.

December 30, 2016 | Filed Under Awareness | Leave a Comment 

A New Perspective on Our Kids’ Attention & Movement Crisis

Our kids' movement crisisIf you have a youngster at home, you probably notice they like to move…A LOT! I have two young boys and in recent months I have especially begun to notice how much they like to fidget and move. My older son is seven years old and I was beginning to worry about his ability to focus in class. Then I came across this great article that has been floating all over the internet entitled, Why Children Fidget: And What We Can Do About It. Given that it was written by a pediatric occupational therapist, I felt pretty good about the validity of its content.

The author makes the point that many children today have a very difficult time sitting still in classrooms. They are constantly fidgeting. Some teachers or parents start to think many of these children may have ADHD due to their inability to sit still. According to this article, there may be something much more basic and simple going on in these situations—the children need to move much more in order to adequately develop balance and strength. This movement, as the author describes, helps “turn on their brains” so they can focus on academic topics.

Here’s how the author describes it:

“Children are going to class with bodies that are less prepared to learn than ever before. With sensory systems not quite working right, they are asked to sit and pay attention. Children naturally start fidgeting in order to get the movement their body so desperately needs and is not getting enough of to “turn their brain on.” What happens when the children start fidgeting? We ask them to sit still and pay attention; therefore, their brain goes back to “sleep.”

Wow, what an eye-opener. I had a sense of this issue before but I never thought of it in these terms before. Have you ever noticed how much better your child sits still or focuses on school work (or similar task) after they have played really hard? I certainly have noticed this with my son and this makes think this issue is really at work for many children.

We have known for years that there is a “movement crisis” in the United States. Rising child obesity rates is some evidence of this (although multiple factors may be at work), but now it seems that rising rates of ADHD diagnosis may be related to a lack of movement and open-ended play time. Of course, there are children who have clearly-defined and diagnosed ADHD, but this article makes me wonder if some kids may just need much more exercise and movement in their lives to help them focus better.

This recognized need for more movement for our children is not new. At least one recent pediatric study showed the benefit of recess time (even 20 minutes) for improved classroom behavior.

Recently a study from Finland showed similar results, particularly for boys. This research showed that, among boys, lower levels of activity and greater time in a sedentary situation was related to poorer reading skills in first grade. Interestingly, this relationship between movement and academic skills was not as strong for girls.

Hopefully, as more research of this type comes to the forefront, more schools will maintain or perhaps expand recess or break times to allow children more time to move.

 

December 30, 2016 | Filed Under Community | Leave a Comment 

Which Complementary Therapies are Proven Effective for Asthma?

Most complementary therapies for asthma haven’t been shown to work. The exception is some types of breathing exercises, which do seem to improve symptoms and quality of life.

complementary therapy for asthmaResearch by Asthma UK shows that almost 1 in 10 people living with asthma use complementary medicine, and many would consider using it in the future.

According to Dr Mike Thomas from Asthma UK, there’s little evidence that complementary therapies in general improve asthma symptoms.

Specific remedies that are sometimes tried include homeopathy, acupuncture, air ionisers, the Alexander technique and Chinese herbal medicine, but the results have been disappointing. Read more about asthma treatment.

Breathing Exercises for Asthma

The exception is certain types of breathing exercises, which can help some people with asthma. These include breathing exercises taught by a lung (respiratory) physiotherapist, some types of yoga breathing exercises, and the Buteyko method of breathing.

People with asthma are taught slow, steady “diaphragmatic” breathing through the nose. This type of breathing is done by contracting the diaphragm, which is located between the chest and the stomach. This can result in fewer asthma symptoms and better quality of life. However, these exercises are not a cure, and people with asthma still need to use their regular inhalers.

The Buteyko Method

The Buteyko method, a system developed in Russia, teaches similar exercises and may improve asthma symptoms for some people. However, some find that the breathing exercises used during yoga also help their symptoms.

According to Leanne Male, Asthma UK’s assistant director of research, people with asthma who gain some relief from Buteyko and other types of breathing exercise should not rely on it so much that they stop their conventional medication.

“We know that some people with asthma use breathing techniques such as Buteyko but, while they may reduce symptoms, they will not reduce the sensitivity of the airway, and should not replace regular asthma medicine. Also, we don’t know what the long-term benefits are.”

Chinese and Other Herbal Medicines for Asthma

There isn’t enough clinical evidence to recommend the use of Chinese medicine, other herbal medicines, acupuncture, hypnosis and other complementary therapies.





December 28, 2016 | Filed Under Community | Leave a Comment 

Child Health & Safety News: Wk 51 “Zika in Brownsville, TX”

twitter thumbIn this week’s Children’s Safety News: Children’s Headphones May Carry Risk of Hearing Loss https://t.co/UpzFuGnmTT

Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world. Each day we use social media to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we miss something, but overall we think we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for friends and colleagues not on Twitter or FB (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of this past week’s top 20 events & stories.

PedSafe Child Health & Safety Headline of the Week:
Pregnant Women Warned to Avoid Brownsville, Tex., Because of Zika https://t.co/kYRYFICgeE

December 27, 2016 | Filed Under Awareness | Leave a Comment 

Harmful Drug Risks: What Your Teen Needs to Know

Drug abuse can be very harmful to health. We look at some of the most commonly taken illegal drugs, what they are, and how they can affect you or your teen.

CANNABIS (hash, weed, grass, skunk, marijuana)

What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a calming drug that also alters perceptions. It is seen as “natural” because it is made from the cannabis plant, but that doesn’t mean it is safe. It can be smoked, either with tobacco in a “joint” or “spliff”, or without tobacco in a “bong”. It can also be drunk as a “tea”, or eaten when mixed into biscuits or cakes.

How does cannabis make you feel?

Cannabis can make you feel relaxed and happy, but sometimes makes people feel lethargic, very anxious and paranoid, and even psychotic.

Teens and Drug RisksHow does cannabis affect your health?

Cannabis has been linked to mental health problems such as schizophrenia, and, when smoked, to lung diseases including asthma. Cannabis affects how your brain works, so regular use can make concentration and learning very difficult. Frequent use can have a negative effect on your fertility. It is also dangerous to drive after taking cannabis. Mixing it with tobacco is likely to increase the risk of heart disease and lung cancer.

Can cannabis be addictive?

Yes, it is possible to become psychologically dependent on cannabis. And some people do experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it. For information about coming off drugs, go to Drugs: getting help. You can also get help cutting down from the FRANK website.

COCAINE (powder cocaine, coke, crack)

What is cocaine?

Powder cocaine (coke), freebase and crack are all types of cocaine, and all are powerful stimulants. Freebase and crack can be smoked, and powder cocaine can be snorted in lines. Both cocaine powder and crack can also be prepared for injecting.

How does cocaine make you feel?

Cocaine gives the user energy, a feeling of happiness and being wide awake, and an over-confidence that can lead to taking risks. The effects are short-lived, so more drug is taken, which is often followed by a nasty “comedown” that makes you feel depressed and unwell, sometimes for several days.

How does cocaine affect your health?

If you take cocaine, it is possible to die of an overdose from overstimulating the heart and nervous system, which can lead to a heart attack. Taking cocaine is particularly risky if you have high blood pressure or already have a heart condition. If you’re pregnant, cocaine can harm your baby and even cause miscarriage. If you’ve had previous mental health problems, it can increase the chance of these returning. If you snort cocaine, it can damage the cartilage of your nose over time. If you inject it, you are at higher risk of dying due to an overdose, and your veins and body tissues can be seriously damaged. If you share needles, you put yourself at risk of catching HIV or viral hepatitis.

Can cocaine be addictive?

Yes, cocaine is highly addictive and can cause a very strong psychological dependence. For advice on getting help for a cocaine addiction, go to Cocaine: get help. The Cocaine Anonymous website also offers further advice.

MEPHEDRONE (meow meow, miaow miaow, meph)

What is mephedrone?

Mephedrone is a strong amphetamine-like stimulant with some effects that are similar to ecstasy. It was once available to buy on the internet as a “legal” alternative to drugs such as speed or ecstasy. Mephedrone, and other cathinones like it, are now Class B drugs that are illegal to possess or supply to others. Mephedrone is a fine white or off-white powder that is usually snorted or swallowed wrapped in paper. It is also sometimes injected.

How does mephedrone make you feel?

It can make you feel awake, confident and happy. But it can also make you feel paranoid and anxious. It causes vomiting and headaches in some users.

How does mephedrone affect your health?

Mephedrone can overstimulate your heart and nervous system. It can cause periods of insomnia, and its use can lead to fits and to agitated and hallucinatory states. It has been identified as the cause of a number of deaths.

ECSTASY (MDMA, pills, crystal, E)

What is ecstasy?

Ecstasy is a “psychedelic” stimulant drug usually sold in tablet form, but is sometimes dabbed on to gums or snorted in its powder form. It is also known as MDMA or “crystal”.

How does ecstasy make you feel?

Ecstasy can make you feel alert, affectionate and chatty, and it can make music and colours seem more intense. Taking ecstasy can also cause anxiety, confusion, paranoia and even psychosis.

How does ecstasy affect your health?

Long-term use has been linked with memory problems, depression and anxiety. Ecstasy use affects the body’s temperature control and can lead to dangerous overheating and dehydration. But a balance is important as drinking too much fluid can also be very dangerous for the brain, particularly because ecstasy tends to stop your body producing enough urine, so your body retains the fluid. For more information see the FRANK website.

Is ecstasy addictive?

Ecstasy can be addictive, as users can develop a psychological dependence on this drug. It is also possible to build up a tolerance to the drug and a need to take more and more in order to get the same effect.

SPEED (amphetamine, billy, whizz)

What is speed?

Speed is the street name for drugs based on amphetamine, and is a stimulant drug. It is usually an off-white or pink powder that is dabbed onto gums, snorted or swallowed in paper.

How does speed make you feel?

Speed can make you feel alert, confident and full of energy, and can reduce appetite. But it can make you agitated and aggressive, and can cause confusion, paranoia and even psychosis. You can also become very depressed and lethargic for hours or days after a period of heavy use.

How does speed affect your health?

Taking speed can be dangerous for the heart, as it can can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks. It can be more risky if mixed with alcohol, or if used by people with blood pressure or heart problems. Injecting speed is particularly dangerous, as death can occur from overdose. Speed is usually very impure and injecting it can cause damage to veins and tissues, which can also lead to serious infections in the body and bloodstream. Any sharing of injecting equipment adds the risk of catching hepatitis C and HIV.

Is speed addictive?

Regular use of amphetamines can become highly addictive.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The following articles provide help and advice if you’re concerned about your own or someone else’s drug misuse:





December 21, 2016 | Filed Under Community | Leave a Comment 

Child Health & Safety News: Wk 50 “Bednest Crib Safety Concerns”

twitter thumbIn this week’s Children’s Safety News: Your Child’s Car Seat May Have Hazardous Chemicals https://t.co/TxdIF768li

Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world. Each day we use Twitter and Facebook to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues not on Twitter or FB (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 15 events & stories.

PedSafe Child Health & Safety Headline of the Week:
Bednests and safety: What you need to know about these co-sleeping cribs
https://t.co/S50aq4wAId

December 20, 2016 | Filed Under Awareness | Leave a Comment