Tackling textures and smells – Healthier Eating For The Sensitive Child
Guest Post by Neil Welsh Nutrition.
Tackling Textures And Smells In The Sensitive Child
Feeding kids is difficult at the best of times and can have implications for the physical and mental health of everyone involved. It is stressful for kids who have sensitivities to food and can limit the range of food that are readily available to them from which they can meet their nutritional needs.
As for parents and carers, it impacts us too. The greatest impact on adults tends to be psychological in the form stress and anxiety in feeding a sensitive child. But the impact can also be physical. Kids who have difficulties when it comes to feeding can have a huge impact on the adults in their lives.
Why You Shouldn’t Narrow Down Different Textures And Smells
The narrowing down of a child’s food choices will often narrow down an adult’s food options too with many foods not being served as they are on the “do not like” list, and many of those foods being the healthier options which may be less palatable to a child. In addition to food options being narrowed time is a huge issue.
Sensitive kids will often require more time to eat, or try to eat. Many parents find themselves cooking twice, one meal for their sensitive child and then another for the rest of the family. This additional time in the kitchen adds up to hundreds of hours that could be put to use in other ways.
So what can parents do to help a child who is sensitive to textures and smells and improve everyone’s lives?
Don’t ignore it. The head in the sand approach is not your best option here but many parents do this hoping that it will be a phase which a child will grow out of. It may well be a phase but kids have lots of phases; tantrums, hitting, getting out of bed in the middle of the night and we would not just let them carry on these phases without some intervention. Food aversion is no different. Even if it were just a phase, it may unnecessarily carry on for years. There are ways to approach the problem which can be stress free for all involved and drastically improve the situation.
Talk about it. Many parents are concerned that talking about it with their kids may make it worse and reinforce it. It wont. As long as you are compassionate and empathetic then it should be fine. Let your child know that you understand and that you want to try and help. Tell them that you are on the same team and that you understand that things have been hard but you are going to try some new approaches. Now, let’s not be naïve here. There is a good chance that a child may be less than enthusiastic about this and that is fine. But warning them about a change and letting them feel part of the decision can be empowering and help improve the situation. This conversation is important.
This sounds easy but in reality it is quite difficult. Feeding professionals state that it can take up to 20 exposures for new tastes and textures to be accepted. If you were to serve a child the same problem food once a week that would mean that you would need more than 4 months of serving a food that your child does not like to see a progression from resistance to just licking. It’s a long time but the speed of acceptance does increase over time. Start with tricky foods just on the plate. Encourage a child to taste, they don’t have to eat it. There is a huge difference between eating and tasting to a child. Start with a sniff, go on to a lick, then a chew (followed by a spit) and hope for a swallow.
Get the environment right. Little details can add up to have big impacts. Getting a child ready to eat in plenty of time makes a big difference. Coming straight from playing to sitting down to eat can quickly result in “I don’t like it”, when what they really mean is “I want to go back and play”. Get kids in the kitchen. Get them helping to cook and lay the table… and clearing up afterwards. If they are old enough to operate an ipad then they are old enough to put plates in a dishwasher! Serve food in portions that are age appropriate, cut up tricky foods into bite size pieces, serve food family style so kids can help themselves and don’t always leave it until dinner to try to expose kids to difficult food (kids will be tired at the end of the day and it can make the job more difficult).
Keep calm and carry on. Know that this is a slow process and accept this. Do not stress if you don’t see results this week, or next week but keep going. Keep exposing and keep talking.
Be Patient Challenges Around Textures And Smells Usually Improve
Over time the situation and difficulties around different textures and smells should begin to improve. If there is no improvement then professional assessment may be required but at least you will know that you have taken steps to address the issue before moving on to this step.
For more information about getting kids to eat the healthy food that you want to eat go to www.neilwelshnutrition.com
8 Ways How To Reduce Teenage Exam Stress And Anxiety
Top tips on helping reduce student and teenage study and exam stress, hep your teen feel more calm, confident and relaxed when exam time and study time comes around.
Exam Stress And Anxiety From Exam Performance
Sadly Exam Stress And Anxiety Is A Big Problem For Many Students And Teenagers. Especially with such increase in mental health challenges in young people, especially chronic anxiety and depression.
Exam stress for many is actually stress anxiety, for some it is more anxiety performance. Most students and teenagers are suffering from both exam stress and exam anxiety, so it is important to approach both.Most of us when we hear the word exam get a feeling of panic.
But there is so many simple things your young adult or teenager can do to reduce exam stress and anxiety. With the right approach and the right tools you can help increase calm and confidence.
Top Tips To Reduce Teenage Exam Stress And Anxiety
Create A Suitable Study Space:
Make sure your child or teenager has a suitable comfortable space to study where they wont be disturbed or distracted. A space
that is ideal to encourage more calm and focus. For teenagers who lack focus or suffer from ADHD, the NYR Study Remedies roller ball is ideal to fit in a pocket, purse, or bag. Lemon essential oil improves focus and concentration.
Encourage A Balanced Study Routine:
Help or encourage your teenager to create a healthy and balanced study timetable. It is so important your teenagers prioritise their time effectively.
It can be so easy for them to want to avoid subjects they struggle with or are concerned over.
Reduce External Stressors:
Help take the pressure off your teenager by reducing external stressors as much as you can. If your child normally has a lot of household chores, a job, try reducing the level of those chores temporarily during study and exam time. So they are not overwhelmed, overstressed and over exhausted.
Boost Your Teens Confidence And Self-Worth:
Support your teenage by boosting their confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. Focus on their strengths, praise them, be kind to them reduce criticism and help them understand that their worth does not equate to their exam results.
Teenagers today are put under extreme pressure from all angles, especially peer and educational pressure. It is important to do what you can to encourage a healthier mindset, increased confidence, self-worth and self-esteem.
Encourage Time Out:
Make sure your teenager takes plenty of breaks between study time and exams. It is important they take time to switch off and have fun.
Reduce Technology Overload:
We use technology for so much in our lives that we forget how over-stimulating and energy-depleting it can be. Also, most computers and mobile devices such as iPads emit blu ray technology which can play havoc with our nervous system and sleep patterns. So ensure they spend time off computers, phones, facebook…
Teach Them How To Meditate And Relax:
Meditation and relaxation techniques can be really helpful at helping anxious teenagers switch off. Teenagers love my less than 5 Minute Meditation (included in the Exam Stress Kit) is the most popular tool I have taught for 20 years. Muscle relaxations are great at reducing anxiety, muscle tension and sleep challenges, all in my Exam Stress Toolkit For Teens And Students.
Encourage Deep Quality Sleep:
Good quality sleep can make a huge difference to our concentration, focus, and memory recall. Guided meditations designed to support sleep can be really helpful so can muscle relaxation techniques. Lavender oil is a great essential oil that can encourage a deep restful sleep. One product many clients and friends love is the NYR Organics Night Time aroma ball.
Want to support your child or teenager the right way?
My Exam Stress Toolkit is ideal for young adults, teenagers, student,s and parents who want to learn how to manage exam stress in a more natural and holistic way
NOISE Sensitivity – Why Noise Can Be A Child’s Biggest Stressor
Why Noise Sensitivity Could Be One Of Your Child’s Biggest Cause Of Stress, Anxiety And Depression
So What Is Noise Sensitivity?
Noise sensitivity is reduced tolerance to sound. It is exacberated by fatigue, infection, medications, medical conditions, stress and other stimuli. It causes different changes to brain function . In-fact it is shown that some noise sensitivity shows an increase in grey matter volume
There are different kinds of noise sensitivity.
Hyperascius is an intolerance or even pain to different types of sound, it often occurs with tinnitus. It is extremely common in children, though many children out grow it.
Hypersensitive hearing of specific frequencies is seen in many children with autism. Some frequencies such as those above 70 decibels can be unbearable.
Misophonia is a strong reaction to specific sounds, the individual is triggered by specific sounds. There is often a strong emotional correlation to the specific sounds.Misophonia is viewed as a neurological condition it can be a symptom seen in adhd, aspergers, autism
Phonophobia (also called ligyrophobia or sonophobia) is viewed as a sub-category of misophonia. It is an emotional or anxiety disorder which is triggered by a fear of particularly loud sounds. And is often triggered by the discomfort and environmental conditioning of living with hyperacusius
Recruitment is linked to sensorineural hearing loss, the individual often has extreme hearing loss. But when someone for example shouts they suddenly hear and it can be very uncomfortable.
Many assume noise sensitivity is a psychological condition but it is main causes are a neurological reaction.
Some children do get less sound sensitive, some adults or those with specific medical conditions like untreated chronic lymes can develop increased sound sensitivity.
Some children with autism are oversensitive others are undersensitive.
Causes of noise sensitivity
According to the Brain Injury Society those with noise sensitivity “may have a history of Lyme’s disease, Meniere’s disease, TMJ, serious head injury, frequent migraines, Bell’s Palsy, facial nerve dysfunction, excessive ear irrigation or surgery. Hyperacusis can later develop as a result of damage sustained to the hearing apparatus, or inner ear, or the condition may be acquired as a result of damage to the brain or the neurological system during a head trauma event.”
I have lived with noise sensitivity for at least 28 years. But over the last few years the hyperacusis became very extreme and was accompanied by serious light and sound vibration. It got worse after surviving sepsis and approx 30 years diagnosis of m.e. But I have to say according to a test in germany it may be chronic lymes ( I had strange bites at 14 years old) and I was mercury poisoned.
As somone who has taught stress management to parents and kids for 18 years. I have worked with many children who have hyper sound sensitivity issues. But until recently And I had no ideal how disabling, painful, uncomfortable and exhausting hyperascisus could be.
Many people say it can be torterous and I understand why they decribe it this way. I had to move from my previous home because of how the noise started to affect me. It was changed into a main through road for local traffic. And most people could never imagine how dramatically this impacted my daily life and health. On many occasions I nearly passed out, lost my balance and had violent non-epileptic type seizures all times triggered by noise. Now yes mine would appear to be caused by long-term bacterial and viral infection.
But I would urge you to try and comprehend how uncomfortable or painful noise may be for your child. Particularly if you have a very young child or a child who struggles to communicate what they are experiencing.
I am a stress management expert, with highly extensive and advanced techniques and tools to help me remain calm and relaxed in any situation. And although thank goodness I am lucky to have these tools this does not take away how much this disorder can impact your child’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
So How Can You Support your Sound Sensitive Child?
1.Understand your child’s type of sound sensitivity, their triggers and symptoms.
2. Educate your child’s school and teachers on your child’s specific noise sensitivity challenges, the level of sensitivity and key triggers.
3. Prior warning of alarming and noisey sounds can prepare your child’s central nervous system. So work together with teachers, family and friends to work out cues that prepare your child for noise isssues like alarms.
4. Plan and prepare ahead- when you can choose specific times of day, places and areas of a room where your child will be less exposed to too much or particular noises. I know of a situation where a child’s mental wellbeing became seriously distressed and depressed due to the noise of the internet router next to her in her classroom.
5. Minimise the impact when you can: although it may not be a good ideal to completely eliminate your child from all noises. Noises that are extremely uncomfortable, painful or disabling can be reduced by ear muffs, ear plugs and sound cancellation ear phones.
6. Teach your child how to set healthy boundaries– an important part of growing a strong resilient child is teaching them healthy boundaries. A noise sensitive child has usually a very sensitive central nervous system. Noise is one of modern day living’s biggest stressor. So to keep your child physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It is vital your child can learn how to say NO to noises, games and situations that are di-stressing.
7. White Noise – Some children who are noise sensitive find white noise or fans can soften out the sharp shock of other loud noises.
8. Take Breaks & Rest – regular rest breaks from noisey environments, too many people, parties or events helps keep a child’s nervous system in check.
9. Calm And Patience: It is important that the child and parent learn hows to be calm and patient around sound sensitivity issues. Meditation is an extremely powerful tool that can help the individual cope more resiliently with the challenges. Anything that will calm the central nervous system and help reduce the stress response will help the sound sensitive child.
10. Holistic aids; Deficiencies are sometimes viewed as an issue in sound sensitivity. Many people reduce their sensitivity with supplements of magnesium. Magnesium helps inhibit glutamate which can be a major cause of tinnitus. Magnesium also protects the ears from damage to noise sensitivity. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame often in many children’s foods, sweets, yoghurts and drinks are reputed to be neurotoxic. So elimination may be helpful.
Top tips how to calm down an overstimulated hyperactive child or child with ADHD. Understanding hyperactivity and children and how to deal with in the most calm and effective way.
What is Hyperactivity?
Hyperactivity is a state of mental, emotional and physical over-activity. Kids with Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder can be in a perpetual state of stress due to their hyper-sensitivity. A hyperactive child is more easily triggered by internal and external anxiety and stressors.”While hyperactivity is most commonly associated with ADHD, individuals might also have difficulty with a brain or nervous system disorder, emotional disorder, or hyperthyroidism.” SpecialNeeds.com
Symptoms Of A Hyperactive Child
Behaviours and symptoms of a hyperactive child can be extremely varied. But common symptoms of hyperactivity include fidgeting, poor focus and concentration. As well as impulsiveness, irritability and aggressiveness, emotional outbursts and overwhelm. A hyperactive child maybe something you have to deal with more than just, daily or weekly. Especially with so much technology and information overload, so many kids parties and event.This can be stressful and exhaustion for you the parent, caregiver or educator. So it is important to manage or reduce the risks of hyperactivity and overstimulation as much as possible.
Here is 7 Tips To Calm Down A Hyperactive Child
Be Calm, Firm But Caring
A hyperactive child is a child in a highly over stimulated, emotional or stressed state. So it is important to approach the situation in a calm confident yet firm and caring way.The last thing you want is your anxiety, stress or emotional frustration fuelling the situation.
Most parents and caregivers have anxiety and stress so it is important to mange your own anxiety,stress and triggers in a healthy way.The more relaxed and calm you are, the easier it is set clear caring boundaries with your child. For toddlers a firm and strong stop hand signal can give a clear message.
Especially done at eye to eye level, not hovering down or pointing a finger. Which can trigger more fear or emotional frustration.
Remove Your Hyperactive Child From Their Stressors
Removing your hyperactive child to a more calming environment or activity with is more grounding like a walk in the nature can be extremely helpful.
Or simply removing or distracting them from any sort of stimulant internally or externally will help encourage your child’s mind, body and emotions off the stress response and back into a calm and balanced state.
We are all more easily stressed by noises, lights, smells, other people’s energy and emotions when we are hyper-alert.
Redirect Your Hyperactive Child To Release Excessive Energy
Encouraging a hyperactive child to use their bursts of energy in a far more focused and healthy way can help. That is why short bursts of directed exercise like doing a short sprint can be helpful. Young children can learn to shake their body like a deer does, after it freezes during a stressful event.
Any activity with a certain amount of heavy lifting can also be helpful as it requires a certain amount of focus.
Although because hyperactivity is usually triggered by sensory, stimulus or information overload followed by emotional melt downs and exhaustion. It is important not to push a hyperactive child into too much physical activity that is going to burn them out. The main reason no 4 and 7 are so important.
When a child can manage their own emotions and stress they feel more calm, confident and in control. They are less frustrated and overwhelmed. Children can learn how to relax properly with breathing or relaxation techniques. Many younger kids find blowing bubbles deeply calming. A child’s ability to switch off and relax is vital to get deep restful sleep.
Teach a child the right type of meditation skill and you give them a friend for life. Meditation gives your child an empowering self-help tool for life. My meditation and mindfulness program for kids teaches both parent and child how to meditate in a fun and practical manner for the whole family.
Lavender essential oil is a really safe and effective oil for most ages of children when used the right way. Making up a lavender aroma ball like these by NYR Remedies To Roll can be deeply calming, soothing and relaxing.
Lavender bath salts or Pure Lavender oil can be added to the bath to be used as a sleep aid especially when deep quality sleep is so important for the hyperactive or ADDHD child. Make sure you don’t use products with synthetic fragrances or perfumes, pure essentials especially organic essential oils are natural and toxin free.
Eliminate Stimulants i.e. sugar, artificial sweeteners, colourings especially energy drinks seriously over-stimulate the mind, body and emotions. Even foods your child is slightly intolerant to, can be too stimulating.
The reality is most foods in our supermarkets are full of refined sugars or man made ingredients, pesticides or preservatives which play havoc with our body our sugar levels and nervous system. When possible a fresh raw organic diet as much as possible can help nurture your child’s mind, body and emotions.
How To Create A Calm Bedtime Routine For Your Child.
Simple ways to create a happy healthy and calm bedtime routine for your kids and teenagers. For so many parents a calm bedtime routine seems impossible. So many families are so stressed out and exhausted that bedtime can feel like a nightmare or the last straw. But the reality is children’s bedtime don’t have to be as stressful as you think. Some simple changes can make a huge difference to a family’s bedtime routine.
The Benefits Of A Calm Bedtime Routine
As a stress therapist for over 20 years, I know how effective a healthy calm bedtime routine can reduce family stress.
A calm bedtime routine is important not just for the kids but the whole family. Believe me a calm bedtime routine into your evening routine. Can make every family member feels far more happier, healthier and stress resilient to all sorts of stressful life challenges.
5 Ways to Create A Calm Bedtime Routine For Children And Teenagers
Create A Healthy Bedtime Routine
It is important to have set times when your kids must be in bed, must have the lights out. Even times when kids should stop eating, drinking and watching tv. So set specific times when they have to switch off their phone.5
or seriously reduced from early afternoon as stimulants stay in the body for many hours. For example let your child have their favourite treat or sweet early in the day. Encourage teenagers to stay away from caffeine stimulants. As sadly energy drinks are highly addictive and bad for your child’s health. In-fact the withdrawal and side effects can be quite serious.
Encourage relaxing hobbies
like drawing, painting, colouring in, listening to relaxing music. As most children and teenagers today struggle to switch off, relax and fall off to sleep. Kids are so mentally busy and overwhelmed. They have forgotten how to really relax. If you look at most new born babies they naturally know how to just be, how to switch off, be calm and content.
Switch off and unplug.
It is important children and teenagers have rest and quality sleep away from electric devices and technology. Because the electro magnetic frequencies and blu ray from ipads, iphones can play havoc with your child’s nervous system. Examples of healthier night time activities are a relaxing bath, a foot massage or baby massage for toddler or hobbies as mentioned above.
meditation helps your child feel more relaxed, more calm. Guided meditations which are actually guided relaxations can help your child drift off into a deep sleep. So they can be particularly useful for sensory challenged children, more easily stimulated. Your Guardian Angel mp3 is one of my oldest and most popular relaxation tracks for children it is aimed at about 3- 8 years old. but even a little older children have enjoyed it.
Teach Your Child How To Relax
if they suffer from chronic anxiety, chronic overstimulation or stress. Relaxation Techniques can be very helpful for all ages, especially children and teens 5 years up. Learn More
children are so over stimulated today, so ungrounded and disconnected from what is truly natural. It is so important to help support them to feel more grounded, make sure they get out to play in nature daily. Take them out for walks to the park, countryside, encourage them to be bare feet on the ground, the sand, the sea when they can.
Soothing Essential Oils.
There are a variety of soothing essential oils that can be helpful for children and teens, that can help them relax, feel more grounded, safe and secure. Chamomile and Mandarin can be extremely soothing for children, lavender is suitable for children over 2 years of age.
Encourage A Calm Bedtime Routine today
If your child likes learning and reading I have published the Bedtime Tips With Astral- cartoon video into a little cartoon e-book. So it will encourage your child to get off to bed when they are supposed to. And will remind them how important it is to get a good healthy sleep.
5 Ways To Empower Your Child With Life Long Skills
How to empower your child in the most healthy way, how to give them powerful life skills that will support your child for life?
How To Empower Your Child To Be The Best Version Of Themself
We all know how much a lack of self-esteem and self-confidence can seriously impact the way we approach and live our life.
So how do we help our child who may be sensitive, sensory challenged, shy, struggling, ill or disabled step into their power? Here is a five simple but powerful ways you can begin to empower your child today!
5 Simple, Powerful Ways That Can Empower Your Child For Life
They Are Enough:We live in a society and culture that in many ways has everyone believing they are lacking, they need to have or be more to be loved, accepted, valued, respected, successful. When this is so not true.
This is such a huge distortion. We can help a child open up and live their greatest potential. But helping them recognise they are enough right now, at this moment is the most powerful thing you can do to increase their confidence, raise their vibration.
Celebrate Your Child’s Uniqueness:Helping your child celebrate those quirky, unique and challenging traits they may have is about helping them recognise they are so much more than enough. And that they are here with their own unique traits, for a particular purpose.
There are somethings a child grows out of but it is so important to love and accept them just as they unique special being they are.
Open Up Your Child’s Potential:Help your child see out of the box, look past limitations even your own. Open them up to the rich tapestry of life, other ideas, other skills, let them try things. Often parents who are unaware, but well meaningly can limit their child’s dreams, they can squash down their ” Joie de vivre” Joy of Living. Or they do the opposite and fill in all sorts of activities into their child’s schedule without enough downtime.
Sadly over 20 years as a Stress Therapist I have saw too many children with depression and anxiety. And some children who developed suicidal tendencies exacerbated by this sort of pressure from parents.
Empower Yourself:When you empower yourself, you empower your child, children are energetic sponges, so they can easily take on other’s anxiety, stress and depression. Especially children who are extremely sensitive who find it difficult to identify what is their energy and emotions and others.
Teach Your Child How To Meditate: When you teach your child the right type of meditation, your child can access calm and peace whenever they want. Now I am not talking about guided meditations, they can help your child to relax and help build self-worth, confidence …
I am talking about meditation skills that with daily practise will eventually let them access instant stillness. So whatever life challenges or stress come along, your child will have the tools to deal with them more effectively. The right meditation and mindful skills can also help your child become more accepting, compassionate about themself and those around them. Their less likley to have chronic anxiety, depression or chronic stress because they are not as lost in negative thinking.
So what can parents do to help a child who is sensitive to textures and smells and improve everyone’s lives?
Switch off and unplug.
