Our children are always a hot topic for moms.
There are a couple of us moms at my church who talk together about our children, what we're doing that works, what new food or health issue that affects us, or just how much sleep we did or didn't get as a result!
Up to this point I don't think I have formally constructed my advice regarding autism or other behavioral issues, but now I'm going to write some things down.
Please keep in mind that this is not medical advice and in no way should be construed as such. This is simply my opinion based on my own experience and reading.
My top 3 areas to address are:
1. What are the child's bowel movements like? I know for my son, constipation or holding back affects him. We have learned to watch frequency, and if he goes more than three days without a significant bowel movement and he no longer sleeps through the night, we give him something that makes him go! When that stuff just sits inside the intestines, it backs up and can become toxic, affecting mood and behavior and sleep. Usually not for the better!
2. What proper nutrition is the child missing? Again, if we run out of something that my son gets on a regular basis (for instance, cod liver oil), it shows up in his behavior.
3. Are there any toxins or allergens affecting the child's system? I know that gently detoxing my son's body through clay footbaths made a difference in his behavior and comprehension. We also did an elimination diet and have ended up following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for him. Cutting out grains and sugar in my son's diet made a huge difference!
There is a verse in the Bible that says people perish for lack of knowledge. So perhaps my biggest piece of advice would be, start researching. Start reading. Study the issues. Sift through what you find out. Don't stop.
Till next time,
Jeanette
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Dawn of Communication
Five minutes ago I was ecstatic and just had to tell someone...
Our son (age 5) was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum at age 2 1/2 and has been nonverbal this whole time. BUT, that is changing! He has been saying approximations of words that are starting to make sense to us. Just two days ago he touched a door and said "door." Today I was pouring milk for my daughter and he said "milk." And just this evening, five minutes ago, it dawned on me that he was saying a sentence. What I heard was, "I...bee...peevee." After a few minutes of interaction, I got it. "Oh! You want the computer. 'I want computer,' is what you are saying!" He said a sentence!!
And now he is playing a new program I put on the computer today just for him. A great reward.
Even though it is 9:30 p.m. and he should be asleep.
Oh well.
I'm happy that we are beginning to understand some communication!
So I just had to tell someone.
Praise God! Thank You!
Till next time,
Jeanette
Our son (age 5) was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum at age 2 1/2 and has been nonverbal this whole time. BUT, that is changing! He has been saying approximations of words that are starting to make sense to us. Just two days ago he touched a door and said "door." Today I was pouring milk for my daughter and he said "milk." And just this evening, five minutes ago, it dawned on me that he was saying a sentence. What I heard was, "I...bee...peevee." After a few minutes of interaction, I got it. "Oh! You want the computer. 'I want computer,' is what you are saying!" He said a sentence!!
And now he is playing a new program I put on the computer today just for him. A great reward.
Even though it is 9:30 p.m. and he should be asleep.
Oh well.
I'm happy that we are beginning to understand some communication!
So I just had to tell someone.
Praise God! Thank You!
Till next time,
Jeanette
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Rising Above Fuel Costs
I have been thinking too much about fuel oil lately.
When an issue like the rising cost of fuel is on the news, in the paper, and on everyone's lips, it's hard to look on the bright side.
But turning around my perspective is a must.
Instead of focusing on rising costs, I need to think about how many resources are available. Rather than be afraid of not having enough, I need to be thankful for much. From worrying about winter, I need to enjoy summer!
Fuel oil costs are double already; God has enough to cover that (and then some). Prices are going up at the grocery store; God knows where the sales are at. Even stamps rose again; God is bigger than a stamp!
You'd think by now we would know enough to focus on God's ability and power rather than ours. After all, God walks on gold; it's what heaven's streets are paved with!
Whew! I feel better.
Till next time,
Jeanette
When an issue like the rising cost of fuel is on the news, in the paper, and on everyone's lips, it's hard to look on the bright side.
But turning around my perspective is a must.
Instead of focusing on rising costs, I need to think about how many resources are available. Rather than be afraid of not having enough, I need to be thankful for much. From worrying about winter, I need to enjoy summer!
Fuel oil costs are double already; God has enough to cover that (and then some). Prices are going up at the grocery store; God knows where the sales are at. Even stamps rose again; God is bigger than a stamp!
You'd think by now we would know enough to focus on God's ability and power rather than ours. After all, God walks on gold; it's what heaven's streets are paved with!
Whew! I feel better.
Till next time,
Jeanette
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tickled Pink at The Rose Garden
The best part of our mini-vacation getaway was...(drum roll, please)...The Rose Garden.
We just arrived back today from our one-night stay in Gettysburg, sans children. (For the first time in 5 years!) The kids did fine with their grandparents. And we confess that we did miss them. On the other hand, it was nice to eat a meal without jumping up to take care of spills or dropped food, etc.
So what did we do on our one-night vacation? We ate, slept, and watched TV in the hotel room! It was great! Other than a little shopping at the outlets, we stayed in the hotel and didn't go anywhere.
The peaceful solitude was refreshing. But that wasn't the best part, at least for me.
No, I was tickled pink to walk into a health food store I had heard about by word of mouth a year or so ago, and find out that they had cold storage bulk organic grains! Yippee!
You may be wondering, "What in the world?"
After our son was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, I started doing research, particularly on diet. (He currently is on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is another story.) One of the things I learned about is the proper way to store grains...in the cold. It seems that whole grains can go rancid rather quickly if not stored at or below a certain temperature.
Previously the closest place that did cold storage bulk grains was over an hour away from my home. But The Rose Garden health food store is a mere 40-minute drive. I was tickled pink! My plan is to go once a month and stock up on oats and barley and almonds and all sorts of goodies. What a find!
What a blessing!
I told my husband, "Isn't that just like God? The provision was there all the time; I just had to know about it." You see, God's provision for our needs is there; we just have to know it.
What a great mini-vacation!
Till next time,
Jeanette
We just arrived back today from our one-night stay in Gettysburg, sans children. (For the first time in 5 years!) The kids did fine with their grandparents. And we confess that we did miss them. On the other hand, it was nice to eat a meal without jumping up to take care of spills or dropped food, etc.
So what did we do on our one-night vacation? We ate, slept, and watched TV in the hotel room! It was great! Other than a little shopping at the outlets, we stayed in the hotel and didn't go anywhere.
The peaceful solitude was refreshing. But that wasn't the best part, at least for me.
No, I was tickled pink to walk into a health food store I had heard about by word of mouth a year or so ago, and find out that they had cold storage bulk organic grains! Yippee!
You may be wondering, "What in the world?"
After our son was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, I started doing research, particularly on diet. (He currently is on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is another story.) One of the things I learned about is the proper way to store grains...in the cold. It seems that whole grains can go rancid rather quickly if not stored at or below a certain temperature.
Previously the closest place that did cold storage bulk grains was over an hour away from my home. But The Rose Garden health food store is a mere 40-minute drive. I was tickled pink! My plan is to go once a month and stock up on oats and barley and almonds and all sorts of goodies. What a find!
What a blessing!
I told my husband, "Isn't that just like God? The provision was there all the time; I just had to know about it." You see, God's provision for our needs is there; we just have to know it.
What a great mini-vacation!
Till next time,
Jeanette
Friday, June 27, 2008
Reaching That Weight Goal
It's not been easy, but victory is mine!
For the past seven weeks my husband and I have been following Michael Thurmond's Six-Week Body Makeover eating plan. We both ended up being the types who can eat lean meat, some carbs, and lots of vegetables. Today, I reached my first goal! Yippee!
And that was without doing the cardio exercise.
When you've got two kids whom you must take with you wherever you go, walking for an hour a day is not feasible!
But good-bye 15 pounds anyway! (Boy, was that celebratory small dish of dark chocolate ice cream really good!)
Now for my next weight goal...three more pounds.
Back on the wagon, Sprecher!
Cutting out grains and sugar really did a lot for me. Not only did I lose weight, but eczema disappeared, and dry skin on joints started clearing up. Isn't that interesting?
A few months ago I had the impression from the Holy Spirit that I should cut out grains and sugar. So when we started this eating change in May, I definitely was curious as to what changes in my body might take place.
After a few days, my body started getting rid of some stuff because I had a major headache for about two to three days. I'm guessing it was a sugar withdrawal. It was not fun. But today, it has been well worth it.
Now I don't have to go buy the next size up of clothes. In fact, I need to go try on my "skinny" pants to see if I can fit back in them. I keep these pants to help me stay focused!
On to the next goal...
Jeanette
For the past seven weeks my husband and I have been following Michael Thurmond's Six-Week Body Makeover eating plan. We both ended up being the types who can eat lean meat, some carbs, and lots of vegetables. Today, I reached my first goal! Yippee!
And that was without doing the cardio exercise.
When you've got two kids whom you must take with you wherever you go, walking for an hour a day is not feasible!
But good-bye 15 pounds anyway! (Boy, was that celebratory small dish of dark chocolate ice cream really good!)
Now for my next weight goal...three more pounds.
Back on the wagon, Sprecher!
Cutting out grains and sugar really did a lot for me. Not only did I lose weight, but eczema disappeared, and dry skin on joints started clearing up. Isn't that interesting?
A few months ago I had the impression from the Holy Spirit that I should cut out grains and sugar. So when we started this eating change in May, I definitely was curious as to what changes in my body might take place.
After a few days, my body started getting rid of some stuff because I had a major headache for about two to three days. I'm guessing it was a sugar withdrawal. It was not fun. But today, it has been well worth it.
Now I don't have to go buy the next size up of clothes. In fact, I need to go try on my "skinny" pants to see if I can fit back in them. I keep these pants to help me stay focused!
On to the next goal...
Jeanette
Saturday, June 21, 2008
What to Do With a Busy Toddler?
What to do with an almost-three-year-old?
In child rearing, everyone talks about the terrible twos. We've managed to navigate the twosome years, but as we approach my daughter's third birthday, I'm beginning to wonder, "What about the busy three-year-old?"
Sometimes I don't feel very creative. And I scratch my head and wonder, "What shall I do with my children today, God?" I think I'm going to the library again and look up books on activities for toddlers. And I think I'm going to re-visit a website I had found a couple of weeks ago that I found very helpful! If you google "raising godly tomatoes" you'll find it.
That's a great website for mothers with young children. This website was created by a lady who got lots of questions about raising children, as she had quite a number of them and they all turned out okay! I find advice and ideas from experienced parents to be more helpful, sometimes, than the advice and ideas from "experts." I know what I'm supposed to be doing; I just need to get ideas on how to do it!
The ultimate in child-rearing, though, is to listen for answers when I pray, "What shall I do with my children today, God?" Whenever I do, things turn out well.
I need to listen to my own advice!
Can anyone tell I've had a long day today?
Till next time,
Jeanette
In child rearing, everyone talks about the terrible twos. We've managed to navigate the twosome years, but as we approach my daughter's third birthday, I'm beginning to wonder, "What about the busy three-year-old?"
Sometimes I don't feel very creative. And I scratch my head and wonder, "What shall I do with my children today, God?" I think I'm going to the library again and look up books on activities for toddlers. And I think I'm going to re-visit a website I had found a couple of weeks ago that I found very helpful! If you google "raising godly tomatoes" you'll find it.
That's a great website for mothers with young children. This website was created by a lady who got lots of questions about raising children, as she had quite a number of them and they all turned out okay! I find advice and ideas from experienced parents to be more helpful, sometimes, than the advice and ideas from "experts." I know what I'm supposed to be doing; I just need to get ideas on how to do it!
The ultimate in child-rearing, though, is to listen for answers when I pray, "What shall I do with my children today, God?" Whenever I do, things turn out well.
I need to listen to my own advice!
Can anyone tell I've had a long day today?
Till next time,
Jeanette
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Neurodevelopmental Physical Therapy
Carolyn Heil is an incredible physical therapist.
My son was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum when he was 2 1/2 years old. Like most parents, I started researching. One thing I came across was the idea of neurodevelopmental physical therapy. In other words, by using specific moves and muscles, you can retrain the brain. I live in Pennsylvania, and all the information I found was from California! That was clear across the country.
Then I heard about Carolyn Heil, a physical therapist in my backyard, so to speak, whose work was similar. I was amazed--it was like an answer to a prayer I hadn't even prayed!
My son has been seeing Carolyn for almost a year and half now. He has made tremendous progress. (This is not the only intervention we are doing, but it certainly has been significant.)
For those of you who are interested and are in the local area, Carolyn Heil will be speaking on the connection between neuromuscular development and learning on Monday, June 30, in Shippensburg at Living Faith Chapel.
Here is the address to get directions from the Internet:
Living Faith Chapel
8770 Possum Hollow Road
Shippensburg, PA 17257
The presentation is from 7 to 9 p.m. and includes a question and answer time. It is for adults only, please. No child care provided.
I highly recommend it!
My son was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum when he was 2 1/2 years old. Like most parents, I started researching. One thing I came across was the idea of neurodevelopmental physical therapy. In other words, by using specific moves and muscles, you can retrain the brain. I live in Pennsylvania, and all the information I found was from California! That was clear across the country.
Then I heard about Carolyn Heil, a physical therapist in my backyard, so to speak, whose work was similar. I was amazed--it was like an answer to a prayer I hadn't even prayed!
My son has been seeing Carolyn for almost a year and half now. He has made tremendous progress. (This is not the only intervention we are doing, but it certainly has been significant.)
For those of you who are interested and are in the local area, Carolyn Heil will be speaking on the connection between neuromuscular development and learning on Monday, June 30, in Shippensburg at Living Faith Chapel.
Here is the address to get directions from the Internet:
Living Faith Chapel
8770 Possum Hollow Road
Shippensburg, PA 17257
The presentation is from 7 to 9 p.m. and includes a question and answer time. It is for adults only, please. No child care provided.
I highly recommend it!
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