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2012年10月10日 星期三

Panic Attacks and Anxiety - Treatment of Balance Issues in Childhood


In a previous article I discussed the importance of including balance issues in any discussion of the contributors to panic attacks and anxiety. Amazingly, this connection hasn't received much attention, but it appears as though that's changing. Yes, children with balance issues are being assessed for signs and symptoms of anxiety, and intervention strategies and techniques are being developed and implemented. This is great news, as it holds the potential to save millions from life-long suffering.

As you may know, in addition to our sense of hearing the inner ear is the headquarters of balance and equilibrium. Within the membranous labyrinth, a fluid-filled structure deep within the inner ear, is a relatively large area known as the vestibule. And it's the "vestibular system" that monitors and manages balance and equilibrium by receiving and integrating input from the eyes, ears, and muscles of the trunk, neck, and limbs. Of course, the vestibular system gets a little help from its friends, one of which is the brain's cerebellum. I guess it would make sense that the cerebellum is a major player in the integration of sensory perception, as well as motor control.

Now then, disorders of the vestibular system can cause all sorts of mental, emotional, and physical problems, including panic and anxiety. The panic and anxiety generated by vestibular system dysfunction is most often triggered by the misinterpretation of, and overreaction to, the troubling symptoms it produces. I mean, we're talking dizziness, loss of balance, headache, attention and focus issues, tinnitus, trouble focusing and tracking with the eyes, distorted hearing, confusion, and loss of memory. Think those would make you anxious and panicky? I'm thinking so.

Just recently I assessed a young man who was having a very tough time with panic and anxiety. As he told me about his wealth of physical symptoms he included feeling very unsteady on his feet and sensing something was wrong with his balance. Heck, forget about being a clinician, as a recovered panic sufferer I immediately knew what he was describing and why it was upsetting him. Listen, in spite of its lack of marquee status, this is an incredibly common issue for millions of panic and anxiety sufferers.

Again, the outstanding news is the balance/panic/anxiety phenomenon is now being assessed and treated in children. The treatment formula is a very simple balance-focused physical regimen using a variety of equipment in assisting the child in managing his/her environmental experience and movement within space. And, of course, the more progress made by the child, the greater the decline in the potential for panic and anxiety issues.

So it looks as though this is a "win, win, win" situation here. A traditionally ignored contributor to panic and anxiety is getting some major attention. A contributor to panic and anxiety is being addressed in childhood. The potential for lifelong pain and suffering is being greatly reduced.

What's not to like?




I've worked hard in helping others with creative and effective relief strategies for depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. And it's all based in my own emotional and mental health history and recovery; as well as my clinical training and experience in counseling. I'm inviting you to visit my blog at http://chipur.com. It's a haven of sharing, learning, and relief for those enduring depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Come on, stop on by and participate, won't you?





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午5:59 0 意見
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2012年9月10日 星期一

Confused About Early Childhood Development Milestones?


Early childhood development is the foundation to everyone's life. Nevertheless, each child has their own personalities and ways about them as well as similarities such as meeting developmental milestones in a relatively similar time in their lives from talking to walking.

Doctors tell parents not to compare their child with other children according to their early childhood development. One child might start walking at nine months and one might be 14 months. Both could be healthy yet have their own time schedule. Often children are around a year old when they are walking or at least starting to walk.

Taking notice of early childhood development is important though. If a child continues to miss milestones and aren't meeting early childhood development there could be a problem. This is why doctors are parents observe these things. Talking, crawling and other important elements are important parts of development. Doctors will monitor a child. It could be the child is not sitting up on schedule, but they are doing other things related to gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling over. It could be a sign of something or it could be the child is just skipping that part of development then it will come in eventually. Otherwise a child continues to be monitored and eventually tested to ensure they don't have a disorder or condition that needs treatment.

Another part of early childhood development is fine motor skills. This includes the movements of their fingers, toes, lips, tongue and hands as well as their feet. Sometimes it might be something small that a parent doesn't even notice could mean anything. An example is walking on their tiptoes. Doing this a little is normal, but constant tiptoe walking could indicate an issue. Giving complete answers to every question presented by the doctor and the nurse will help determine if there are any early childhood development disorders that need immediate attention.

Any child with a neurological disorder or sensory integration dysfunction can hear properly but process the information differently leading to confusion. Such children are hypersensitive or insensitive to any of the five senses or with all of the senses. Most of the early childhood development disorders are diagnosed by an occupational therapist, especially sensory processing disorder.

Speech skills and articulation are also parts of early childhood development. Your baby won't be able to answer questions with words as they are still learning about speech. Parents are suggested to talk to their baby. They will learn to answer you even if it is only in babbles now then it will continue to actually words when getting older. A baby can articulate, even if they are not making words they are starting to make clear sounds, which leads to speech. Once they understand the proper sounds by listening they will be learning the correct pronunciation of every word. However, each child is different and may reach the required milestones within a flexible range of 3-4 months and sometimes that is what makes the diagnosis about late development so difficult.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com .





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午3:27 0 意見
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2012年9月3日 星期一

Early Warning Signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech


Childhood Apraxia of Speech (often abbreviated as CAS) is a somewhat rare speech disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 1,000 children will be diagnosed with apraxia. In comparison, 1 in 150 will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many parents, and indeed doctors, are not aware of what apraxia is, and thus the early warning signs may go unnoticed. Like many other neurological disorders, early treatment is the key to helping your child overcome the difficulties this speech disorder can present.

In medical terms, Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor-planning disorder that is characterized by difficulty sequencing the speech movements necessary for volitional speech. In layman's terms, the messages sent by the brain to the muscles and nerves that control voluntary speech get scrambled and the muscles and nerves can't decode them to understand what to do. This is not a speech delay, but a true neurological disorder. It is unclear what causes apraxia, but it appears to be related to immature neurological development, rather than caused by an injury to the brain, such as is seen in stroke patients with apraxia. Though it has been named "childhood" apraxia of speech, it is not strictly a childhood disease. A child diagnosed with apraxia will struggle their entire lives with their speech, though it will probably get easier to speak as they get older.

Many children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy have been diagnosed with CAS, though apraxia does appear in children who have no other disabilities. Common co-morbid conditions include hypotonia (low muscle tone), sensory integrations problems, and language delay. Many older children with apraxia have trouble with reading, writing, and spelling. Because of this, early intervention with speech therapy and occupational therapy is very important for a child's future at school.

While there are some warning signs that are commonly seen in apraxic children, many parents are told by well meaning friends, family, and even pediatricians to "just wait and see." If your child shows several of the warning signs listed below, don't take the wait it out approach. As your pediatrician to refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Early detection and intervention is key for a bright future for your apraxia child. If your child is older and has speech problems, it's never too late to get them evaluated.

Early warning signs:


little or no babbling during infancy
difficulty with nursing or feeding during infancy
few consonants
slow, effortful or halting speech
poor speech intelligibility
difficulty imitating sounds or words
late onset of first words (or "losing" words)
inconsistent or unpredictable speech errors
groping during speech attempts
high frequency of vowel and voicing errors
high receptive language, but low or no expressive language (child understand everything being said, but can't say anything back)
"soft" neurological signs, such as sensory problems, sensitivity to touch, fine motor problems
slow or no progress with traditional speech therapy (apraxic kids benefit from specialized, intensive therapy that isn't necessarily know by all speech-language pathologists)

As the mother of a severely apraxic child, I understand the fear that hearing such a diagnosis can bring. My son is not on the spectrum, nor does he have any other disability (well, he does have minor sensory issues and minor hypotonia). Unless you hear him talk, you would never know that he can't talk. My first thought upon hearing the diagnosis was "Will he ever speak?" You are probably wondering the same thing about your recently diagnosed child. The answer is yes, more than likely your child will speak, especially with early intervention. You child may not speak "normally," he may need to use ASL (as mine does) or a communication device, but he will be able to communicate and lead a pretty typical life. The most important thing a parent can do is recognize the early warnings signs, push your pediatrician or other professional for help, and get involved in your child's treatment. With hard work, and possibly years of therapy, most people will never even know that your child has childhood apraxia of speech.




When my son was diagnosed with Apraxia, he was also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. I found that having a variety of fidget toys on hand helps his attention and focus tremendously. I've reviewed a variety of sensory toys to help others pick the best fidgets for their kids.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午2:09 0 意見
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2012年7月22日 星期日

Early Warning Signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech


Childhood Apraxia of Speech (often abbreviated as CAS) is a somewhat rare speech disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 1,000 children will be diagnosed with apraxia. In comparison, 1 in 150 will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many parents, and indeed doctors, are not aware of what apraxia is, and thus the early warning signs may go unnoticed. Like many other neurological disorders, early treatment is the key to helping your child overcome the difficulties this speech disorder can present.

In medical terms, Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor-planning disorder that is characterized by difficulty sequencing the speech movements necessary for volitional speech. In layman's terms, the messages sent by the brain to the muscles and nerves that control voluntary speech get scrambled and the muscles and nerves can't decode them to understand what to do. This is not a speech delay, but a true neurological disorder. It is unclear what causes apraxia, but it appears to be related to immature neurological development, rather than caused by an injury to the brain, such as is seen in stroke patients with apraxia. Though it has been named "childhood" apraxia of speech, it is not strictly a childhood disease. A child diagnosed with apraxia will struggle their entire lives with their speech, though it will probably get easier to speak as they get older.

Many children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy have been diagnosed with CAS, though apraxia does appear in children who have no other disabilities. Common co-morbid conditions include hypotonia (low muscle tone), sensory integrations problems, and language delay. Many older children with apraxia have trouble with reading, writing, and spelling. Because of this, early intervention with speech therapy and occupational therapy is very important for a child's future at school.

While there are some warning signs that are commonly seen in apraxic children, many parents are told by well meaning friends, family, and even pediatricians to "just wait and see." If your child shows several of the warning signs listed below, don't take the wait it out approach. As your pediatrician to refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Early detection and intervention is key for a bright future for your apraxia child. If your child is older and has speech problems, it's never too late to get them evaluated.

Early warning signs:


little or no babbling during infancy
difficulty with nursing or feeding during infancy
few consonants
slow, effortful or halting speech
poor speech intelligibility
difficulty imitating sounds or words
late onset of first words (or "losing" words)
inconsistent or unpredictable speech errors
groping during speech attempts
high frequency of vowel and voicing errors
high receptive language, but low or no expressive language (child understand everything being said, but can't say anything back)
"soft" neurological signs, such as sensory problems, sensitivity to touch, fine motor problems
slow or no progress with traditional speech therapy (apraxic kids benefit from specialized, intensive therapy that isn't necessarily know by all speech-language pathologists)

As the mother of a severely apraxic child, I understand the fear that hearing such a diagnosis can bring. My son is not on the spectrum, nor does he have any other disability (well, he does have minor sensory issues and minor hypotonia). Unless you hear him talk, you would never know that he can't talk. My first thought upon hearing the diagnosis was "Will he ever speak?" You are probably wondering the same thing about your recently diagnosed child. The answer is yes, more than likely your child will speak, especially with early intervention. You child may not speak "normally," he may need to use ASL (as mine does) or a communication device, but he will be able to communicate and lead a pretty typical life. The most important thing a parent can do is recognize the early warnings signs, push your pediatrician or other professional for help, and get involved in your child's treatment. With hard work, and possibly years of therapy, most people will never even know that your child has childhood apraxia of speech.




When my son was diagnosed with Apraxia, he was also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. I found that having a variety of fidget toys on hand helps his attention and focus tremendously. I've reviewed a variety of sensory toys to help others pick the best fidgets for their kids.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 清晨5:17 0 意見
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2012年7月21日 星期六

Confused About Early Childhood Development Milestones?


Early childhood development is the foundation to everyone's life. Nevertheless, each child has their own personalities and ways about them as well as similarities such as meeting developmental milestones in a relatively similar time in their lives from talking to walking.

Doctors tell parents not to compare their child with other children according to their early childhood development. One child might start walking at nine months and one might be 14 months. Both could be healthy yet have their own time schedule. Often children are around a year old when they are walking or at least starting to walk.

Taking notice of early childhood development is important though. If a child continues to miss milestones and aren't meeting early childhood development there could be a problem. This is why doctors are parents observe these things. Talking, crawling and other important elements are important parts of development. Doctors will monitor a child. It could be the child is not sitting up on schedule, but they are doing other things related to gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling over. It could be a sign of something or it could be the child is just skipping that part of development then it will come in eventually. Otherwise a child continues to be monitored and eventually tested to ensure they don't have a disorder or condition that needs treatment.

Another part of early childhood development is fine motor skills. This includes the movements of their fingers, toes, lips, tongue and hands as well as their feet. Sometimes it might be something small that a parent doesn't even notice could mean anything. An example is walking on their tiptoes. Doing this a little is normal, but constant tiptoe walking could indicate an issue. Giving complete answers to every question presented by the doctor and the nurse will help determine if there are any early childhood development disorders that need immediate attention.

Any child with a neurological disorder or sensory integration dysfunction can hear properly but process the information differently leading to confusion. Such children are hypersensitive or insensitive to any of the five senses or with all of the senses. Most of the early childhood development disorders are diagnosed by an occupational therapist, especially sensory processing disorder.

Speech skills and articulation are also parts of early childhood development. Your baby won't be able to answer questions with words as they are still learning about speech. Parents are suggested to talk to their baby. They will learn to answer you even if it is only in babbles now then it will continue to actually words when getting older. A baby can articulate, even if they are not making words they are starting to make clear sounds, which leads to speech. Once they understand the proper sounds by listening they will be learning the correct pronunciation of every word. However, each child is different and may reach the required milestones within a flexible range of 3-4 months and sometimes that is what makes the diagnosis about late development so difficult.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com .





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午5:21 0 意見
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2012年1月5日 星期四

Panic Attacks and Anxiety - Treatment of Balance Issues in Childhood


In a previous article I discussed the importance of including balance issues in any discussion of the contributors to panic attacks and anxiety. Amazingly, this connection hasn't received much attention, but it appears as though that's changing. Yes, children with balance issues are being assessed for signs and symptoms of anxiety, and intervention strategies and techniques are being developed and implemented. This is great news, as it holds the potential to save millions from life-long suffering.

As you may know, in addition to our sense of hearing the inner ear is the headquarters of balance and equilibrium. Within the membranous labyrinth, a fluid-filled structure deep within the inner ear, is a relatively large area known as the vestibule. And it's the "vestibular system" that monitors and manages balance and equilibrium by receiving and integrating input from the eyes, ears, and muscles of the trunk, neck, and limbs. Of course, the vestibular system gets a little help from its friends, one of which is the brain's cerebellum. I guess it would make sense that the cerebellum is a major player in the integration of sensory perception, as well as motor control.

Now then, disorders of the vestibular system can cause all sorts of mental, emotional, and physical problems, including panic and anxiety. The panic and anxiety generated by vestibular system dysfunction is most often triggered by the misinterpretation of, and overreaction to, the troubling symptoms it produces. I mean, we're talking dizziness, loss of balance, headache, attention and focus issues, tinnitus, trouble focusing and tracking with the eyes, distorted hearing, confusion, and loss of memory. Think those would make you anxious and panicky? I'm thinking so.

Just recently I assessed a young man who was having a very tough time with panic and anxiety. As he told me about his wealth of physical symptoms he included feeling very unsteady on his feet and sensing something was wrong with his balance. Heck, forget about being a clinician, as a recovered panic sufferer I immediately knew what he was describing and why it was upsetting him. Listen, in spite of its lack of marquee status, this is an incredibly common issue for millions of panic and anxiety sufferers.

Again, the outstanding news is the balance/panic/anxiety phenomenon is now being assessed and treated in children. The treatment formula is a very simple balance-focused physical regimen using a variety of equipment in assisting the child in managing his/her environmental experience and movement within space. And, of course, the more progress made by the child, the greater the decline in the potential for panic and anxiety issues.

So it looks as though this is a "win, win, win" situation here. A traditionally ignored contributor to panic and anxiety is getting some major attention. A contributor to panic and anxiety is being addressed in childhood. The potential for lifelong pain and suffering is being greatly reduced.

What's not to like?




I've worked hard in helping others with creative and effective relief strategies for depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. And it's all based in my own emotional and mental health history and recovery; as well as my clinical training and experience in counseling. I'm inviting you to visit my blog at http://chipur.com. It's a haven of sharing, learning, and relief for those enduring depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Come on, stop on by and participate, won't you?





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 清晨6:00 0 意見
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2011年12月26日 星期一

Confused About Early Childhood Development Milestones?


Early childhood development is the foundation to everyone's life. Nevertheless, each child has their own personalities and ways about them as well as similarities such as meeting developmental milestones in a relatively similar time in their lives from talking to walking.

Doctors tell parents not to compare their child with other children according to their early childhood development. One child might start walking at nine months and one might be 14 months. Both could be healthy yet have their own time schedule. Often children are around a year old when they are walking or at least starting to walk.

Taking notice of early childhood development is important though. If a child continues to miss milestones and aren't meeting early childhood development there could be a problem. This is why doctors are parents observe these things. Talking, crawling and other important elements are important parts of development. Doctors will monitor a child. It could be the child is not sitting up on schedule, but they are doing other things related to gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling over. It could be a sign of something or it could be the child is just skipping that part of development then it will come in eventually. Otherwise a child continues to be monitored and eventually tested to ensure they don't have a disorder or condition that needs treatment.

Another part of early childhood development is fine motor skills. This includes the movements of their fingers, toes, lips, tongue and hands as well as their feet. Sometimes it might be something small that a parent doesn't even notice could mean anything. An example is walking on their tiptoes. Doing this a little is normal, but constant tiptoe walking could indicate an issue. Giving complete answers to every question presented by the doctor and the nurse will help determine if there are any early childhood development disorders that need immediate attention.

Any child with a neurological disorder or sensory integration dysfunction can hear properly but process the information differently leading to confusion. Such children are hypersensitive or insensitive to any of the five senses or with all of the senses. Most of the early childhood development disorders are diagnosed by an occupational therapist, especially sensory processing disorder.

Speech skills and articulation are also parts of early childhood development. Your baby won't be able to answer questions with words as they are still learning about speech. Parents are suggested to talk to their baby. They will learn to answer you even if it is only in babbles now then it will continue to actually words when getting older. A baby can articulate, even if they are not making words they are starting to make clear sounds, which leads to speech. Once they understand the proper sounds by listening they will be learning the correct pronunciation of every word. However, each child is different and may reach the required milestones within a flexible range of 3-4 months and sometimes that is what makes the diagnosis about late development so difficult.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com .





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午2:34 0 意見
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2011年12月22日 星期四

Early Warning Signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech


Childhood Apraxia of Speech (often abbreviated as CAS) is a somewhat rare speech disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 1,000 children will be diagnosed with apraxia. In comparison, 1 in 150 will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many parents, and indeed doctors, are not aware of what apraxia is, and thus the early warning signs may go unnoticed. Like many other neurological disorders, early treatment is the key to helping your child overcome the difficulties this speech disorder can present.

In medical terms, Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor-planning disorder that is characterized by difficulty sequencing the speech movements necessary for volitional speech. In layman's terms, the messages sent by the brain to the muscles and nerves that control voluntary speech get scrambled and the muscles and nerves can't decode them to understand what to do. This is not a speech delay, but a true neurological disorder. It is unclear what causes apraxia, but it appears to be related to immature neurological development, rather than caused by an injury to the brain, such as is seen in stroke patients with apraxia. Though it has been named "childhood" apraxia of speech, it is not strictly a childhood disease. A child diagnosed with apraxia will struggle their entire lives with their speech, though it will probably get easier to speak as they get older.

Many children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy have been diagnosed with CAS, though apraxia does appear in children who have no other disabilities. Common co-morbid conditions include hypotonia (low muscle tone), sensory integrations problems, and language delay. Many older children with apraxia have trouble with reading, writing, and spelling. Because of this, early intervention with speech therapy and occupational therapy is very important for a child's future at school.

While there are some warning signs that are commonly seen in apraxic children, many parents are told by well meaning friends, family, and even pediatricians to "just wait and see." If your child shows several of the warning signs listed below, don't take the wait it out approach. As your pediatrician to refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Early detection and intervention is key for a bright future for your apraxia child. If your child is older and has speech problems, it's never too late to get them evaluated.

Early warning signs:


little or no babbling during infancy
difficulty with nursing or feeding during infancy
few consonants
slow, effortful or halting speech
poor speech intelligibility
difficulty imitating sounds or words
late onset of first words (or "losing" words)
inconsistent or unpredictable speech errors
groping during speech attempts
high frequency of vowel and voicing errors
high receptive language, but low or no expressive language (child understand everything being said, but can't say anything back)
"soft" neurological signs, such as sensory problems, sensitivity to touch, fine motor problems
slow or no progress with traditional speech therapy (apraxic kids benefit from specialized, intensive therapy that isn't necessarily know by all speech-language pathologists)

As the mother of a severely apraxic child, I understand the fear that hearing such a diagnosis can bring. My son is not on the spectrum, nor does he have any other disability (well, he does have minor sensory issues and minor hypotonia). Unless you hear him talk, you would never know that he can't talk. My first thought upon hearing the diagnosis was "Will he ever speak?" You are probably wondering the same thing about your recently diagnosed child. The answer is yes, more than likely your child will speak, especially with early intervention. You child may not speak "normally," he may need to use ASL (as mine does) or a communication device, but he will be able to communicate and lead a pretty typical life. The most important thing a parent can do is recognize the early warnings signs, push your pediatrician or other professional for help, and get involved in your child's treatment. With hard work, and possibly years of therapy, most people will never even know that your child has childhood apraxia of speech.




When my son was diagnosed with Apraxia, he was also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. I found that having a variety of fidget toys on hand helps his attention and focus tremendously. I've reviewed a variety of sensory toys to help others pick the best fidgets for their kids.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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