Hayden Consultation Services

Taking care of yourself while caring for a child with special needs. . .

HCSI — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:22:42 +0000

Having a child with special needs may tax all of your inner resources as you navigate the multiple systems to get the best care for your child. At the same time you likely have other obligations, such as spouse, other children, work, other family and friends all competing for your time and attention. You may be experiencing a variety of feelings depending on where you are in your personal journey. For parents with a new diagnosis, you likely feel shocked and scared. You wonder if anyone else can possibly understand what you are going through. For families that have been dealing with the unique challenges of their child, you may feel exhausted and isolated.

You likely find yourself putting yourself last, not getting enough sleep, social time and time with your spouse. You feel guilty, tired and sometimes downright cranky! Carers often sacrifice taking care of themselves in order to put others first. The downside to this is that caring requires stamina, and not taking care of yourself increases your stress level. Increased stress can lead to a variety of negative emotional and physical health outcomes. The old adage is true; you have to “take the oxygen first” so that you can have the strength and wherewithal to care for your loved one.

Of course, taking care of yourself is easy to say but how are you going to add anything else to your plate you wonder?

Think small steps. What is just one thing you could do for yourself? This could be a ten minute break where you listen to music and close your eyes.
Identify the who, what, where and when of what you want to do. Making a firm plan, aka a commitment increases the likelihood you will follow though. For example, I will meet my friend Mary at Coffee Bean on Monday morning at ten for a half an hour.
How confident are you that you will be able to do what you intend? If you give yourself less than a seven out of a scale of ten, it may mean that you should find something else that you can be successful at doing.
My husband has a saying at our house, “if mama is happy, everyone is happy”. There is truth in this in that as a parent our attitude can really set the tone in our homes. Taking care of you is a gift to everyone, including your child who depends on you.

Remember that good self care is selfless, not selfish! Take care of yourself! You are a very important person. Best, Dr. Lisa

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HOORAY for Jennifer!!!

HCSI — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:31:23 +0000

Our own Jennifer Forbes got accepted to graduate programs at UCSB and San Francisco State and has selected the offer from San Francisco State. The only way we agreed to let her go is after she PROMISED to continue her fantastic work in the bay area! Hmmm . . . having two of our rock Continue Reading

Childhood Adversities Increase the Risk of Psychosis

HCSI — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:13:52 +0000

Childhood Trauma Increases Risk for Psychosis. Research published in the journal Schizophrenia Research finds adversities experienced in childhood increases the risk for the development of psychosis later in life. The research looked at a variety of other published investigations (i.e., meta-analysis) that used various methodologies, including cross-sectional and retrospective studies, and found that experiencing adversity in childhood, regardless of type, increases the risk for developing psychosis. The authors suggest that if adversities could be removed from the population, the number of individuals experiencing psychosis might be reduced by as much as 33%. Understanding this link potentially could lead to interventions that may prevent the development of psychotic illnesses.

To read the article in its entirety, follow the link: http://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/03/28/schbul.sbs050.full.pdf+html

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HOORAY for Kirsten!!!

HCSI — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Our own Kirsten Bitter recently found out she has been accepted to graduate school!!! Next fall Kirsten will be attending CSU East Bay in its combined MFT/School Psychology Program. Though we will hate to see her go, we’re all very proud of her accomplishment!!! Hmmm . . . HCSI East Bay . . ? :}

Reading Acquisition Linked to Visual Attention More Than Language . . .

HCSI — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:14:32 +0000

A study published in the journal Current Biology finds that future reading acquisition skills are more linked to visual attention than to auditory or speech sound processing. These findings upset the current theories regarding the development reading disorders, such as dyslexia. Visual attention can be assessed prior to the development of reading skills. Thus, the findings of this study suggest possible methods of assessing and treating visual attention deficits, which in turn may prevent future reading difficulties.

To read a summary of the article, follow the link: http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2812%2900270-9

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Autism Symptom Improvement Variable . . .

HCSI — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:22:53 +0000

A report published on MedlinePlus indicated the symptoms associated with autism improved unevenly based on various factors, including ethnicity, education of parents, and levels of intellectual disability. Researchers in a study published in the journal Pediatrics also found that ten percent of those diagnosed with autism improved “dramatically” during the course of their review period.

Do read the article in its entirety, follow the link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123650.html

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Martial Arts for Special Kids

HCSI — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:19:51 +0000

Sensei Shawn Danaher, BCaBA candidate and close friend of Hayden, is exploring local interests in starting up a martial arts class for those with special needs. Ideally, the class will include not only those with special needs but also individuals without disabilities.

Sensei Danaher is a 4th degree (4th Dan) black belt in Shotokan Karate and has many years of experience in teaching karate to a wide range of age groups, as well as his work as a behavior therapists working with children with special needs.

Interested individuals and families should contact Shawn at: senseishawn@gmail.com

OOOOPPPSSS!!! My Mistake!

HCSI — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:27:11 +0000

Amber Bharoocha no longer works for us. HOWEVER, Amber WALZ does!!! I am happy to announce Amber’s and Jess’ wedding of two weeks ago (I just got approval from the newlywed to announce!). As you can see, the rain stopped and the clouds cleared for the blessed event! We all wish them both a happy Continue Reading

Autism Diagnoses increase to 1 in 88

HCSI — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:23:56 +0000

In the most recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on autism, the CDC estimates that 1 in 88 children “has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).” This represents a 23% increase from the CDC’s 2009 report and a 78% increase from their 2007 report. Children of color had the largest increases over time. Diagnoses of children without intellectual disabilities increased disproportionally and there was also a relative increase in diagnoses of children a younger ages.

To see the CDC report, follow the link: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/CountingAutism

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY ! ! !

HCSI — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:13:39 +0000

Our own Amber Bharoocha is seeking families to participate in her dissertation research, which focuses on “examining the effects of culture on disability services” with particular attention being paid to “looking at how families of Asian Indian descent experience intervention and disability-related services.” Please distribute this information widely. To participate or to obtain more information, Continue Reading