Source Kids Spring 2020

RACE RUNNING

CIATION

W

H

GROUPS AND SERVICES FOR TEENS

O SS

IT

Te en s

A

Sensory Processing Disorder

WHEELCHAIR REVIEW

IN

The ultimate guide

NDIS DURING TIMES OF TRANSITION FEATURING RILEY SABAN

G U T H E A LT H A N D PRE/PROBIOTICS

PARENTING TEENS

Botox Where there’s a

WILL + CRICKET

What you need to know!

ISSUE 24 / SPRING 2020

So everyone can thrive We want to help every Australian build a connected future, including those who have difficulty using a standard home phone.

Telstra’s Disability Equipment Program offers a range of solutions to support customers who are older or have a disability.

Visit telstra.com/disability, or call our Hotline 1800 068 424 (Voice), 133 677 (TTY).

Free roaming Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + prebiotic.

WITH ADDED PREBIOTICS to feed good gut bugs.* *

As part of a balanced diet.

46

8

16

28

contents 5 + 7 We Love

33

Treating Sensory Processing Disorder Sensory shopping at your fingertips!

6 Welcome

37

8 The guts of it – supporting your

38 Botox – the ins and outs and what

child’s gut health

parents need to know 42 Let’s Play Cricket - the iconic Aussie

10

10 Groups and services your teen will love

10

TE EN SPE CIA L

12 NDIS tips: Transition planning as your child ages

15

accessible for everyone.

44

16 The life of Riley – Source Kids Ambassador Riley Saban is

50 Wheelchair review – the ones to know about, the favourites and new to the market chairs.

56 Wheelchair accessories – from functional to fun, we’ve found some

a teenager on a mission to

great accessories!

improve lives.

22 Parenting through the

58 Assisting children with special needs to achieve a level of continence

teen years 28 Race Running – The innovative

62 Quick, simple & nutritious breakfast ideas for your child

sport providing freedom, fun and competition for kids and adults with

30 Sensory Processing Disorder – the ultimate guide

Where there’s a Will…

46 At home activities for your child

Top stuff for teens

physical disabilities.

4 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

past-time is becoming increasing

TEEN SPECIAL:

64

Watches & Reads

65

Apps to help gross motor skills

FUN STUFF

BARBIE ON WHEELS! This little beauty has been on the shelves Inclusive books for the hearing impaired and non-verbal family members

for a little while now! The range of diverse Barbies now includes Barbie in her wheelchair, differing body shapes and cultures. We love that diversity is growing in children’s toys; just as it should be! www.kmart.com.au

AUSLAN BOOK BUNDLE A fantastic introduction to the world of Auslan for both the hearing and deaf communities.

Each page includes the written story as well as the associated Auslan signs, meaning you can choose to read or sign your way from start to finish. thetherapystore.com.au

DA I LY A N D W E E K LY S C H E D U L E S FOR SUPER LEARNERS! These fabulous daily and weekly schedules have been put together by the team at Cerebral Palsy Alliance. These are great to use whilst maintaining a certain routine during the COVID restrictions and beyond!

There is a “drag-and-drop” version, whilst

We love

BIKE FUN WITH THE DCP MINI The DCP Mini, designed for children between 18 months and 5 years old, is a great way to gain therapeutic advantages from an activity that your rider will love. This bike features all of the traditional Discovery features, and even has a cool squeaky animal horn.

Multiple quick release mechanisms make this bike ideal for a group setting, where therapists need to make quick adjustments on the fly to fit different riders. dejay.com.au

the PDF version is “cut-and-stick” for those who like visuals. cerebralpalsy.org.au

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 5

WELCOME

H e ll o S p r in g . . .

I

think half the country is shouting hallelujah that we have finally made it to SPRING! 2020 has brought so many new and unusual experiences for all Australians, the one thing that I know makes me smile a little, is that first hint of spring. The warmer days, the scent of spring flowers and that feeling like you’ve left something behind – winter!

And while (as we go to print) Victorians are still in lockdown, state borders are closed, clusters of COVID-19 keep rearing their ugly head, and uncertainty seems to be a constant in our lives, that little hint of the new season will hopefully uplift the country’s spirits and put a little spring in our step as we continue our fight to return to normal.

This is our first print mag since Autumn.

With COVID making it near-on impossible to distribute our mag through outlets like schools, therapy centres, clinics and hospitals etc., we flipped to digital and rolled out a 3-part digi series that went OFF! The series followed the COVID pathway from iso-days, to returning to life, to the road to recovery, and then a few steps back again, and we were amazed by the response and feedback received from our amazing SK community.

So, in returning to print, we wanted to cover something we’ve had on our radar for a while and something loads of you have been asking for – TEENS! In this issue we outline some fab groups and services just for teens, how NDIS can help and support teens through times of transition, some cool teen products, plus we hear from our cover star and brand ambassador, Riley Saban as he shares his journey in taking on the world.

And there is loads more too – an ultimate guide to Sensory Processing Disorder, sensory shopping, Botox, and on the sports front we profile Race Running, cricket for individuals with disability and we get the lowdown about Will Clarke and his incredible achievements in ‘Where There’s a Will’.

I hope everyone is staying safe, well and positive – enjoy our Spring issue!

Emma x 6 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

magazine SOURCE KIDS LIMITED PO Box 690, Noosaville QLD 4566 ABN: 36 614 552 171 sourcekids.com.au Send all letters and submissions to: editor@sourcekids.com.au WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS Nicole Davis, Rachel Williams, Emma Price, Katherine Granich, Leap In!, Kelly Wilton, Riley Saban, Fiona Lawton, Growing Early Minds and Emily Hayles.

PARTNERSHIPS Carmen Smith Head of Partnerships & Strategy carmen@sourcekids.com.au 0438 847 969 ADVERTISING Matthew Rainsford Head of Sales & Business Development matthew@sourcekids.com.au 0499 017 354 Naomi Sirianni Business Development Manager naomi@sourcekids.com.au 0447 755 043 DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Nicole Davis nicole@sourcekids.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Emma Henderson PUBLISHER/CEO Emma Price Editorial and advertising in Source Kids is based on material, written and verbal, provided by contributors and advertisers.

No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions, and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

All material in Source Kids is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission by the publisher.

FUN STUFF

We love

CONNETIX FOR LITTLE BUILDERS Have a tonne of fun building with these Connetix Tiles 100 piece set. There are 8 different geomagnetic shapes in this set – build original constructions, animals or anything you can imagine! rainbowfun.com.au

G RO S S M OT O R A N D A C T I V I T Y C A R D S We love these gross motor and activity cards suitable for

BOULDER SLIDE

children of all ages and abilities, especially at the moment

The HART Boulder Slide is perfect for your little adventurers

with COVID restrictions. They are the perfect resource

to climb up and slide down! The Boulder Slide helps to develop

for parents, teachers and therapists to help motivate and

kid’s strength, flexibility, problem-solving skills and work on

develop children’s gross motor skills, strength, balance,

hand, feet and eye coordination skills. hartsport.com.au

coordination, motor planning, body awareness and flexibility! It’s all about being active and having fun, which we love here at Source Kids! kidspt.com.au

F O U N D M E A P PA R E L

SUPER CLEVER

Hands up if you ever worry that your child could become lost when out in public? Found Me Apparel has been designed to give us peace of mind that you would be reunited quickly if your child runs off or becomes separated from you. Found Me Apparel is a simple, stylish and discrete way for your child to always have emergency contact numbers through the unique QR code format. With a great range of popular designs and a ‘Design Your Own’ option, there is sure to be something to suit every child’s interests! foundmeapparel.com.au

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 7

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

H

ow often do you think about your child’s gut health?

As a parent of a child with unique needs, diet and nutrition are likely to be on your mind anyway. But often, because we’re focussed on caloric intake, expanding our child’s repertoire of foods, or developing oral and feeding skills, the details of what can help (and hinder) our child’s gut health may seem like just one more thing on the list.

But gut health is an important consideration for children, particularly if your child is taking medication or supplements, is tube-fed, or fall into the “picky eater” category (which we know isn’t as simple as it sounds, and can be caused by a number of things, like oral aversion, chronic reflux, developmental delays, and more). And research is starting to show that gut health may impact other areas of overall health and wellbeing.

What is “gut health”?

When we talk about gut health, what we’re really referring to is the health of your microbiome – the home where your microbiota (community of microbes) lives, and is located primarily in your large intestine. These microbes, which are mainly bacteria or “gut bugs”, can be helpful or unhelpful, and what we eat can have a big impact on whether we have a healthy gut microbiome.

Research is starting to show that

8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

The guts

OF IT

Supporting your child’s gut health by incorporating prebiotic-rich foods in their diet may help their overall health. the health of your microbiome can be linked to a number of medical conditions and illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome, type two diabetes, and depression. Some of the collections of microbes in your body may play a role in how you respond to medication, how well your body absorbs vitamin supplements, and even how efficiently your body extracts nutrients from the food you eat.

Welcome to the neighbourhood Like your local community, the gut bugs that make up your microbiome can be helpful or unhelpful – good neighbours or bad neighbours. The good gut bugs, like good neighbours, have a beneficial effect on the microbiome, and therefore on your

FACT

Your gut can contain up to 1000 different species of bacteria.

overall health. The good bugs in your gut feed on prebiotics, and they get these from the food you ingest.

There are many types of prebiotics, and the major prebiotic-rich foods that feed good gut bugs are fructans, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and candidate prebiotics (resistant starch). Some foods, which fall into one or more of these categories, and are therefore probioticrich, are: • Al-dente pasta • Artichokes • Asparagus • Baked beans • Beetroot • Black beans • Brussel sprouts • Butternut pumpkin • Cashews • Chickpeas • Cooked and cooled rice, pasta, and potatoes • Couscous • Custard apple

SPONSORED

DID YOU KNOW?

• Freekeh • Garlic • Green banana flour • Green peas • Hummus dip • Milk fortified with prebiotic • Muesli • Oat milk • Pearl barley • Pistachios • Pumpkin seeds • Red kidney beans • Red onion • Rolled oats • Silken tofu • Split peas • The bulbs of leeks • Unripe bananas • Wholebran To feed those good gut bugs, it’s important to eat at least 30 different plant foods per week, including fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, legumes, and seeds. It’s also important to include prebiotic-rich foods such as those from the list above.

Prebiotics and your child’s diet Let’s be honest – did you read that list of prebiotic-rich foods and think to yourself, “My child will never eat any of those things!” It’s a bit overwhelming to consider. What’s important is that you assess where your child’s diet is at, what your capabilities are to make changes to the food they’re eating, and how you can implement prebiotic-rich foods without causing yourself or your child any undue stress. Also, keep in mind that you will be working with smaller, child-sized portions, not adult-sized portions.

First, check in with your child’s

The microbiome functions like another organ in your body, and weighs 1-2kg _ similar to the weight of your brain. dietitian, nutritionist or, if they don’t have one, their GP, particularly if they are tube-feeding. Ask for their advice about how to ensure your child is getting a good amount of prebiotics in their diet.

If your child is being tube-fed a medicalgrade formula, this may already have prebiotics and/or probiotics in it. If your child is tube-fed a blended diet or a real food diet, your dietitian may have ideas on how to add a balance of prebiotic-rich foods to their intake.

If your child eats table foods, and doesn’t have any restrictions on what they can eat – that is, they don’t have any medical or physical reasons (such as choking or aspiration risk) why they cannot eat certain foods – you can think about getting creative with including prebiotic-rich foods in their “regular” diet, such as using ground cashews to thicken sauces, blending silken tofu with berries and milk and freezing into ice blocks, or making pikelets with green banana flour.

If your child can tolerate dairy, another relatively easy way to incorporate prebiotics is to ensure the milk they are drinking is fortified with prebiotics.

Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + Prebiotic contains GOS which are naturally derived from milk. GOS has been shown to increase the number of good bugs (particularly bifidobacterium and lactobacillus sp, if you’re curious) in your gut. Use it for smoothies, shakes, or in hot drinks, pour it over breakfast cereal or muesli, or drink in a cup alongside a sandwich at lunch.

Coping with challenging eaters If your child is on a restricted diet, either for medical reasons or due to sensory issues or other neurodivergent challenges, getting them to change what they eat – or try new things – can be incredibly stressful. With a narrow list of foods on the menu, quality over quantity becomes the important factor. Look for potentially easy “swaps” that they might not notice or mind, such as prebiotic milk for regular milk, or silken tofu blended into creamy soups. If your child eats chicken nuggets and only chicken nuggets, perhaps consider adding ground cashews or chopped garlic to the tomato sauce they dip them in. If pasta is their go-to, then by all means, stick with pasta.

Remember, it’s also okay to challenge them with new foods, in a managed way – offering a new food that is similar alongside a food that you know your child will eat is one way to start getting them used to the idea of new foods, but this needs to be a positive and non-stressful experience. Talk to your GP or dietitian about whether a prebiotic or probiotic supplement might be a good idea.

By Katherine Granich Source Kids Health Contributor

Proudly brought to you by Source Kids and Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + prebiotic milk a super easy way to get prebiotics into your kids’ diet is through the milk they drink.

With milk containing only the A2 protein plus added prebiotics, Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness is goodness from free roaming, pasture raised cows.

Dairy Farmers. Here’s to good.

Free roaming Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + PREBIOTIC. with added prebiotics to feed good gut bugs.* *

As part of a balanced diet.

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 9

d id y o u k n o w :

s e c i v r e s d n Groups a your teen will love J

n meet new Places your developing teen ca friends and learn new skills.

ust like typically developing

E M B R A C E G I R L S G RO U P

F O R S P O RT S N U T S

teenagers, teens with a disability

Active Eight (A8) in Brisbane offers a

Disability Sports Australia is a great resource for

need to grow their independence

wide range of inclusive extra-curricular

sports activities for teenagers with a disability,

and socialise with others their age. Hanging

activities, group programs and individual

on the website you’ll find information on rowing,

around with mum and/or dad all the time

therapies for children and young people

sailing, swimming, volleyball and heaps more.

just isn’t a look, right?! It’s also important

of all abilities and we love the sound of their

our young people develop their self-esteem

new Embrace Girls Group, a program that

and build on other skills necessary to ease

supports teenage girls (12-16 years)

TEEN CLUB

their transition to adulthood. There are

in building their self-esteem, confidence

Teen club is the weekly evening meet up for

loads of fantastic groups and services out

and resilience. Facilitated by OTs, the goal

11-16 year old’s run by Montrose in Slacks

there to suit a wide range of teen interests

of the sessions is to see each girl emerge

Creek, QLD, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

and needs; here are just a few we think

with the skills required to positively

This is a teen led group so anything could be

sound pretty *cool* (insert the latest teen

embrace and navigate social situations.

on the agenda from board games to sports

‘slang’ word here – we’re so not down with the kids!).

10 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

activeeight.com.au/embrace-girls-group

www.sports.org.au

and movies. montrose.org.au/lifestyle/teen-club/

TEE N SPE CIA L

SKILLS FOR LIFE

A S T E E N S O C I A L G RO U P

The Salvation Army’s YouthLink service in

ASteen is a Sydney-based parent-

Blacktown, NSW runs after school programs

coordinated social group for teenagers

for young people aged 13-18 who have

aged 13 and over, with autism. ASteen

a disability. These programs have been

aims to provide a safe, family-friendly

designed to help young people with life

environment for teens who can

skills and assist those who are preparing to

communicate and interact with others and

complete school. Activities included in the

are seeking friendship and development

sessions may include self-care, cooking,

of social skills. There is no cost to join

gardening, travel training, computer skills

the group; just the cost of the outings

and more.

themselves. Outings range from picnics,

salvationarmy.org.au/youthlink/skills-4life/day-programs/

museum trips and movies through to puttputt golf, ghost tours, and theatre visits.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY PA RT I C I PAT I O N O P P O RT U N I T I E S F RO M R I V E R L I N K

asteen.info@gmail.com

C H A L L E N G E A C C E P T E D W I T H C PA CPA in NSW have a whole set of programs tailored specifically for young people aged 13-30. With the aim of helping your

This disability organisation in Castle Hill,

young person soar, their accredited

NSW runs some really fun group activities

professionals have expertise across

providing community access for teens

individual coaching and group experiences,

who are living with disability and are aged

everyday living, supported employment,

10 to 18 years. Activities take place each

health and wellbeing, therapy, and short

Saturday during the school term and just

term and supported accommodation.

FUTURE LEADERS

some of the things the groups get up to

On their website you’ll find info about

include trampolining, movies, picnics, mini-

Youth Coaching, Youth Labs, Masterclass

Do you have a budding future leader in your

golf, museum visits, festivals and hanging

sessions, camps and getaways and more.

family? Take a look Victoria’s Disability

out at cafes.

Sport and Recreation Future Leaders

cerebralpalsy.org.au/cpa-youth

riverlink.org.au

program! The program is for 18-25 year old’s with disability, consisting of a 3-day

It’s worth noting that at the time of writing, Covid restrictions still apply in many places

personal development camp, followed by

around the country and not all services may be up and running. Please check with

12 months of individual mentoring towards

individual groups etc. and fingers crossed everything will be back to ‘normal’ soon!

leadership goals. The camp uses sport and recreation as a medium to identify and grow leadership skills and camp graduates become ambassadors for improving health through participation in sport and recreation. dsr.org.au/dsr-kids/#leadership-camp

S C R E E C H A RT S For teens with stars in their eyes, look no further than Screech Arts in South East Queensland – a bold, innovative and inclusive program for teens and young adults of all abilities to discover

other options to explore...

For opportunities for your teen to hang out with neurotypical and typically developing peers, some options to explore could be: • after school or community-based clubs such as chess, coding, maths, soccer, dance, gym etc.

• creative writing groups

themselves through performing arts. On

• fan groups (sci-fi, anime etc.)

offer are unique and innovative workshops

• outdoor activities such as bowls,

and performance groups that spark imagination, and encourage participants

geo-caching, hiking • groups and programs at the local library

to express themselves, in a safe yet playful environment. screecharts.org.au/

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 11

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

NDIS ti ps:

Transition planning as your child ages

A

s your child ages, their changing goals and needs will need to be reflected in their NDIS plan. This is especially true at times of transition such as moving into further education, leaving school, starting work etc. The NDIS experts at LeapIn have some invaluable advice about things to consider when your child experiences these milestone moments…

Moving through the teen years into adulthood can be a challenging time for young people, as well as parents or carers. It can be hard to know when to offer support and when to step back.

You’re not alone if you’re concerned or anxious about: • Talking to children and teenagers about their bodies, boundaries and sexuality • Risky activities and behaviour • Extreme emotions or emotional swings • Self-esteem and social interactions • Social media, bullying and societal pressures • Future education or work The transition to adulthood can be particularly difficult for people with a disability and their families as they navigate a changing landscape of emotions, relationships, decisions and desire for independence.

Early transition planning and clear communication are valuable strategies for managing this rite of passage and supporting your teen to become more responsible and independent.

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS School to further education

With many courses now available online, there are more options for further education than ever before. However, there are often additional barriers for people with a disability to overcome, which is why prior planning is important.

Barriers may include the availability of suitable courses, accessible course structures and financial constraints.

The good news is that more people with a disability than ever are attending university. Most universities and TAFE colleges have Equity and Diversity offices that promote inclusion and accessibility as well as provide student support.

Government funding is available to educational institutions for disabilityrelated supports such as sign language interpreters, notetakers and screen reading software.

Tips for further education planning

• What steps can be taken to improve the chances of securing a place? For example, grades, prior study, recognition of prior learning, industry experience.

• Research courses available and how they are delivered.

• Check out campus facilities and access – it helps to visit in person.

• Is online study a more flexible, accessible option?

• Get in touch with the Equity and Diversity Office and see what supports will be available.

• Explore financial assistance options including equity scholarships, bursaries and HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loans.

.

Th e 6 st ep s in tr an si ti on pl an ni ng

A transition plan can be

Step 3: Write down the

Step 5: Talk with people

a simple document that

skills/qualifications,

who might be able to

sets out the steps that

practical requirements

provide advice or support

support a transition.

and/or support needs

such as teachers, support

associated with

workers, allied health

Step 1: Write down your

achieving those

professionals, doctors,

child’s strengths, skills,

goals.

government agencies,

interest and abilities.

family and friends.

Step 4: Identify which

Step 2: Work together to

skills your child needs

Step 6: Review the plan

develop some short and

to develop or practice to

regularly and adjust as

long-term goals.

reach their goals.

goals and aspirations change.

12 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

TEE N SPE CIA L

How can the NDIS support further education?

While the NDIS generally doesn’t cover course fees, it can fund reasonable and necessary supports that help participants achieve their education-related goals. For example, the NDIS might: • Fund a support person to help with transitions or personal care.

• Specialised training of teachers and other staff about the specific personal support needs as a student with a disability.

• Specialist transport required.

• Transportable equipment such as a wheelchair or communication devices.

The NDIS generally doesn’t cover:

• Compulsory textbooks. However, if there is an increased cost in accessing compulsory course materials due to your disability (for example, an audio book), the NDIS may fund the additional cost.

• Tuition fees or student membership fees.

• Phone calls, photocopying, stationery and meals.

Transitioning from school or further education to work

Working can help build confidence, skills, independence and social networks. But finding a job if you have a disability can be tough and requires dedication and patience.

As a parent or carer, it can be challenging to watch a person you love go through setbacks but it’s important to encourage them to talk to someone they trust and ensure emotional support is in place throughout their journey to employment.

Adequate research and transition planning during high school years can help you both be more prepared for the next step into employment.

Leap in! has developed a range of handy resources to help on our website, leapin.com.au .

Additionally, it’s worth knowing that the NDIS can fund job-related support like: • Building skills and capacity to find and maintain a job.

• Personal care or assistance with. transport where you need it to work • Assistive technology devices such as wheelchairs, personal communication devices or a hearing aid.

• Supported employment, such as services offered by a range of Australian Disability Enterprises.

Independent living

Transitioning your child or adult with a disability to independent living can be an emotional time. For parents, families and carers, there can often be mixed feelings about the shift to greater independence.

It is natural to feel concern for the person’s welfare and whether they will be able to manage a new situation.

Capacity building and independence are closely linked. The Capacity Building budget category is all about developing and improving the skills needed for living more independently.

This may include support to: • Find and maintain an appropriate place to live.

• Improve skills to participate in social and recreational activities.

• Access training or therapy to increase skills such as learning how to cook or

improving communication skills.

• Find employment-related support, training and assessments to find and keep a job.

• Improve relationships through positive behaviours and interactions with others.

• Obtain training, advice and help for transitioning from school to further education.

Social or community participation

Being involved in the community can be fulfilling, build confidence, develop skills and contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing.

The NDIS can assist in two ways: 1. Increased Social and Community Participation – Capacity Building budget category covers development and training to increase skills to participate in community, social and recreational activities.

2. Assistance with Social and Community Participation – Core supports budget category may fund a support worker to assist an NDIS participant to take part in social and community activities.

Leap In! can help you understand your NDIS Plan, effectively utilise your allocated funding and connect you with relevant providers.

You can call us on 1300 05 78 78 to speak to a plan manager for advice or email us at crew@leapin.com.au.

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 13

TEE N SPE CIA L

Top stuff for teens

Is TikTok a constant feature at your house?!

Don’t let that stop you from finding some great products for your teens and young people with a disability. Check out this range of products...

RO U T I N E C H A RT S F O R T E E N S - C PA C H A L L E N G E R These great routine charts for teens can be found at CPA - Challenger Routine Planner.

Visual and interactive to help keep teens on track! RRP Free, cerebralpalsy.org.au

THE SECRET BUSINESS Puberty and Special Girls and Puberty and Special Boys provide practical information about growing up, which will help girls and boys understand the changes experienced during puberty.

With simple text and colourful, fun illustrations, they are all presented in a

W E A R A B L E G A M I N G C O N T RO L L E R

WORLD’S FIRST!

This is all kinds of awesome. LusioMATE’s unique

friendly, inclusive manner which is ideal for girls and boys with special needs.

RRP $40 each, secretgb.com

wearable controller and gaming platform combines the everyday need for physical therapy with fun, engaging

The Secret Business of Relationships,

game play. Motivating all movement goals, exercise

Love and Sex is a valuable sexuality

routines can also be monitored remotely by clinicians,

educational resource that prepares

bridging the gap between in clinic appointments and

young people for the physical, emotional

making therapy at home an enjoyable routine. There’s no

and social aspects of their emerging

slacking off with LusioMATE! POA. lusiorehab.com

sexuality. RRP $20, secretgb.com

S H O RT S F O R D RY N I G H T S

PUBERTY CLUES APP

For our teenagers, products that

is a safe, fun way for

being discreet is what it’s all about!

teens to learn about

Pjama bedwetting shorts and pants

the changes that

make life easier for those who

puberty brings. With

deal with bedwetting. Pjama takes

RED FOR TEENS

the anxiety and stress out of any

The team at ModiBodi is

changing bed linen, as the Pjama

behind the design of RED which aims to help young women starting their periods.

The Puberty Clues app

promote independence whilst

night away from home. No need for keeps your teen confident and dry!

RRP from $108 pjama.com.au

X B O X A DA P T I V E C O N T RO L L E R – ACCESSIBLE GAMING Do you have a gamer? The Xbox

The products use all the

Adaptive Controller features

same incredible patented

large programmable buttons and

technology which is used in

connects to external switches,

the Modibodi underwear.

buttons, mounts and joysticks

RED has more patterns,

to help make gaming more

prints and their sizing is

accessible. It’s sure to meet

designed for the younger

the needs of your savvy gamer!

woman and teens. RRP

Also works on the PS4. RRP from

from $23.50, modibodi.com

$129.99, microsoft.com

interactive exercises illustrating the physical and emotional changes they experience and the impact it has on their personal development. RRP Free, apps.apple.com

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 15

y e l i R

t h e l if e o f

Saban is Source Kids Ambassador Riley prove lives. a teenager on a mission to im

T

he 17-year-old from the Coffs coast in northern NSW uses a wheelchair after being born with quadriplegia cerebral palsy.

But, with the help of technology, the self-confessed “tech head” has taken control of his own destiny and will quite possibly change the future for many other people living with similar conditions.

“During my life I have had to overcome many obstacles due to my physical disability,” explains Riley, with the help of his computerised speaking device.

“I am lucky enough to be surrounded by an amazing support network of family and friends who always found a way for inclusion.

“I consider myself to be a tech head and love nothing more than spending time on my computers and phone.

“For someone living with a disability, your life can somewhat revolve around technology. Without my equipment and my devices I wouldn’t and couldn’t be doing the things I do today.”

Riley is the eldest of four children. He has a brother, Chase, 16, a sister Paige, 11, and his baby sister, Nyah, 4 months.

His dad, Clint, and mum, Casey, have always supported him to take part in everyday activities with the family.

“Ever since he was young, we’ve always gone through the process of making and altering equipment for Riley to make activities accessible,”

16 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

Clint recalls.

“We found that if Riley wasn’t able to do it, most often our family wouldn’t take part in that activity. We always wanted to do it as a family and I think that’s really important.”

Riley believes in and promotes the message that “with the right tools you can achieve anything” and he is acutely aware of the latest innovative products available.

“For me personally, I am always waiting for the next ‘big thing’. That piece of equipment, which will simply enable or compliment the skills I already possess,” Riley says.

“I am in awe of the brilliant minds which design and create meaningful technology and those who think outside the box. The likes of Elon Musk, who seem to problem solve from all angles and the entrepreneurs creating technology

“We have big plan s for Poly Spi ne and are curr entl y in the proc ess of deve lopi ng a wide rang e of atta chm ents whic h will allo w som e indi vidu als to try new expe rien ces for the very firs t time .” with the aim of improving lives.

“During recent years I have been extremely fortunate to experience first-hand the process of technology development. In 2016 I was lucky enough to feature in a two-part series on ABC

Catalyst called Becoming Superhuman, where I drove a buggy through an obstacle course using nothing but my eye movements.”

Riley is literally making waves nationally with his latest project named

y

PolySpine – a back brace invention that attaches to a vest to reinforce and support the spine, torso and neck. The product allows the user to sit upright and be securely attached to various recreational and exercise equipment, including paddle boards, floor seats and trikes.

The concept was so successful for Riley personally that he and his dad have created a business to promote their PolySpine product.

“The concept of PolySpine was born from our desire for a single piece of equipment that could be used to provide head and core body support in all types of inclusive activities,” Riley explains.

“The result is a modular trunk and head support brace which can be customised to follow the front to back curve of the spine. It is also adjustable in both length and width which allows for growth.

“In 2019 we both took part in a 16-week disability accelerator program called Remarkable. PolySpine was one of seven start-ups in Australia chosen to participate and receive mentoring and master classes on how to bring their product to market.

“We have big plans for PolySpine and are currently in the process of developing a wide range of attachments which will allow some individuals to try new experiences for the very first time.

“Some of my personal favourites include paddle boarding, independent swimming and a beach wheelchair attachment, which featured on ABC 7:30 Report last year.”

Riley and his team are working closely with the University of Technology Sydney and an independent design company to test and fine-tune the product.

“With the use of this system, we wish

TEE N SPE CIA L

to empower and encourage people like myself from all over the world, to be more active outside of their wheelchairs,” Riley says.

Clint and Riley have taken out a global patent on the design and while they’re excited about its future prospects, they say the start-up business journey has been a challenge.

“The medical technology industry can be difficult at times to navigate, when it comes to regulations and standards that need to be met,” Clint says.

This is not the first foray into the world of business for Riley, who still attends mainstream school as a year 11 student at Woolgoolga High School.

He has been a technology researcher for Psykinetic – a social business that creates inclusive and empowering technologies for people with disability.

“I have been involved in creating and presenting numerous presentations about the accessibility features available on Window and Apple devices with my copartner Gai Cross,” Riley says.

“These small workshops have led to us being involved with Department of Education and presenting to a room of hundreds of special Ed teachers from all over the state. Here we focused on the importance of knowing your device and

the accessibility features available.”

Riley was last year named the ‘Young Leader of the Year’ at the Third Sector awards, an annual occasion for celebrating and recognising best NFP practice around Australia. Third Sector partners with the Centre for Social Impact and a team of judges to score hundreds of entries from across the country. Judges were impressed with Riley’s desire to lead people with disabilities to an inclusive society, so they can achieve all their dreams and goals successfully.

Riley enjoys spending time with his new baby sister, travelling and sightseeing in big cities, loves playing pool and going to the cinema with friends. But technology will always be his greatest passion.

“I look forward to seeing how the future of advanced technology improves the lives of people living with a disability,” Riley says.

Clint says he never doubted his son’s ability to change the world for the better.

“I couldn’t be prouder for all his achievements to date, his selfmotivation and the person he has become.”

By Rachel Williams

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 17

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Parenting

through the teen years P

arenting a child is like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly, only for it to metamorphosise again into something more miraculous with each new stage of life.

We watch as our newborns become toddlers, then pre-schoolers. Then with excitement we march them off to school for those heady and glorious primary school years where teachers foster their blossoming personalities while also needing to deal with their challenges in learning and maintaining attention. And then comes puberty and those high school years, where most parents batten down the hatches, seeking to survive the middle teens of hormone changes, grumpiness, social tensions, social media obsessions, introspection and introversion. And after that, the birthing of a new human form, the young adult who transitions out of school and then out of home, keen to spread their wings and explore the world around them.

I’ve lived this experience twice before, watching Ms First Born finish university and become a fully qualified paediatric nurse, and Mr Middle Child Syndrome chase his music passions through a degree and set his sights on production and entertainment, albeit now adjusted

22 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

by the COVID pandemic.

But my third child is on a different pathway. At 16 years of age we have been learning about parenting the teenage years through the intellectual disability lens. And yes, it is different, but still has echoes of familiarity and a sense that we can do this.

And the common factor?

Well, it is us – the parents.

Let me be really clear - no one is born ready to parent teenagers! You have to grow through the years of toddler tantrums, constant negotiation with pre-schoolers, and endless parent/ teacher interviews where your child is the ‘delightful but disruptive’ influence.

And parents of kids with disabilities are no different. By the time our loved ones become teenagers, we have survived the shock of diagnosis, and moved through the fog of grief, to generally come out the other side with a determination and drive to make the world a better place for our kids.

And yes we’ve gone through cycles

of getting tired and worn out again, juggling the constant early intervention and therapy sessions, while finding that medical appointments are more about how we can contribute to the ‘body of knowledge’ about our child’s rare disease or disability rather than easing our journey and solving our issues.

We’ve learned to navigate the social awkwardness of playgrounds, holiday parks, and family gatherings, and have come to terms with the fact that our children will not be spending their weekends flitting from one birthday party or playdate to the next.

We’ve grieved and cried and mourned a different life, and have come to rest in some sense of peace of what our life is. And we have grown through the process – in problem solving, planning, juggling, advocacy and – in resilience.

And when life changes again, and it does, we are that bit more ready, more worldly, wiser. We are a little less phased, but also still cautious, and occasionally anxious for what the future holds.

I was in my comfortable place when puberty came knocking at our door for our Number 3 – our special needs child.

“Strap in and hang on for the ride,” said one of my son’s medical specialists when I’d asked what to expect from this next period of life.

And puberty did not arrive quietly

TEE N SPE CIA L – instead it came with spurts of break-through seizures that appeared to come out of nowhere. It brought with it disturbed sleep patterns, reminiscent of those harrowing toddler years that I recall with numbness attributed to the sleep deprived memory loss. Puberty shook our world in ways that we weren’t ready for because, unlike our other kids, it was different.

The combination of puberty against a backdrop of complex medical needs, intellectual disability and rare disease meant that we couldn’t decipher what was part of the syndrome, and what was part of our son’s metamorphosis. And his complex communication needs meant that we weren’t able to explore with him what he was feeling as you would a typical child – instead we actively modelled ‘feelings’ and ‘somethings wrong’ pages on his communication device, trying to give him the language to help him express how his changing body felt to him.

So, the day that he woke one morning unable to walk without support and unable to explain what was happening was a shock. Literally over one night he experienced a massive loss of function – gross motor was degrading quickly, and his hand tremors came back. As did the migraines or ’sore heads’ that he had been complaining of when he was 12 years old – and following an MRI and ECG, we had put down to the onset of puberty.

But here they were again, and our old friend anxiety – the anxiety that we had worked so hard on over the past few years to reduce – came back with a vengeance. It was hard to watch and even harder to navigate as challenging and anxious behaviours began to impact on family, school and his social inclusion.

A typical teenager going through puberty doesn’t just stop walking one day.

A typical teenager doesn’t experience profound fear in public places to cause a complete meltdown and acute distress.

With all of the problem solving, planning, juggling, and advocacy skills

that we had developed, and resilience that had become a reliable friend, we began the quest to work out what was happening and whether hormones were playing a role in the major change we

had seen in our son.

We met with many specialists, including neurology, developmental and general paediatricians and his GP. We had his eyes and ears checked for the balance issues, and his musculoskeletal system investigated for possible pain sources associated with growth spurts.

The results of numerous tests revealed nothing except for an iron deficiency. The medical consensus – impacts of puberty.

So, we changed anti-epileptic medication and increased his exercise regime, engaged closely with a speech therapist and Positive Behaviour Support specialist, and commenced maintenance massage therapy. All geared to improve his proprioceptive response – that is, to improve the coordination between his neurological inputs and his physiological response – and reduce his anxiety.

Essentially, we need to help him start to feel better in his new, blossoming body.

Our boy was transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly. And it was painful, scary, and filled him with new sensations and emotions that he needed to learn how to navigate.

And slowly – ever so slowly, he started to improve. He learned to walk again on his own without support (most of the time). He started going out in public, and was less anxious in unfamiliar settings, even finding going to live music events and outings enjoyable. He improved his self-regulation, and his expressive communication entered the next level.

The seizures stopped.

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 23

TEE N SPE CIA L From page 23

And he slept. After years of a severe sleep disorder, my son finally discovered he loved sleeping! In classic teenager style, he would begrudge getting up on a school morning and was often late for the school bus. And on weekends he would sleep until almost midday and then complain he was starving, demanding French pastries and pancakes for what was now clearly ‘brunch hour’.

And it wasn’t the new medication.

Our next daunting phase is the transition from school into the wider world.

No, it was clear – as hair was sprouting in various places, and as his voice started to crack and break, our son was going through the various stages of puberty, albeit a slower onset that his typical peers.

And then came the fun stuff (all puns intended) as we started to need to talk about sexuality, privacy, personal space and appropriate boundaries with other people. And I realised, not for the first time on this journey, that this was a

different conversation than I’d had with my older children. In fact, it is safe to say that we’d never discussed ‘masturbation in public spaces’ as a family before, but it was priceless seeing the looks on the sibling faces when we did.

Often in life we fear the unknown, the life that is just around the corner that we just can’t see yet. Parents of people with a disability are often haunted by this hungry ghost who lurks in the shadows and plants doubt into our minds. What if this next phase breaks me? What if I am not able to cope?

Having survived the transition through puberty, I know that for us, it was a roller coaster. Our next daunting phase is the transition from school into the wider world. However, right now, I am basking again in that comfortable place, where I see my son living his life as the talented, delightful, and incredibly impressive ‘man-child’ he has become.

By Fiona Lawton

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Race

RUNNING The innovative sport providing freedom, fun and competition for kids and adults with physical disabilities.

W

hy walk when you can run? That’s the attitude one seven-year-old is embracing as she steers a course to one day represent the country in the sport.

Sydney’s Emily Hayes is a race running protege who is passionate about the pursuit.

Race running involves a custom-built tricycle without pedals that allows people with impaired balance the ability to move by themselves.

The freedom and flexibility it has given Emily, who has cerebral palsy, can’t be underestimated.

“I love that I can run very fast and run with my friends,” Emily says.

“I can use it at Little Athletics, at the park and at school. Everyone should try

2 8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

race running, it is so much fun!”

Seeing her daughter shine in the sporting arena is a joy for her mum Kylie, dad Brett and brother Henry, 3, after she had such a challenging start to life.

“When Emily was born she didn't take her first breath for 47mins, suffered four seizures and her heart beat wasn't heard for six minutes,” Kylie recalls.

“Once she was stabilised, Emily was transferred by air ambulance to The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne.

They cooled her to 33.5 degrees to help reduce the swelling to her brain and give her the best chance of recovery. This happened for 72 hours, then she was slowly warmed again and didn't have any more seizures.

“An MRI showed damage to an area of her brain which would compromise movement, at this stage we didn't know in what ways it would affect her but the doctors mentioned cerebral palsy.

“Each day Emily showed improvements and after three weeks in hospital we were able to take our baby girl home. Physiotherapy started when Emily was one month old with speech therapy not long after.”

She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy before her first birthday. She uses a walker at school and outside but does sometimes walk on her own – the most

steps she's taken is 290. Emily also uses a wheelchair to avoid fatigue on long journeys.

Kylie says that she’s always amazed at her daughter’s tenacity and courage.

“Emily has always had so much determination; we saw it from a very early age. Her never-give-up attitude has seen her complete 12 blocks of intensive therapy in addition to her weekly therapy,“ Kylie explains.

“These traits have been a big part of her progress and what make us so proud of her.

“Emily is always willing to give things a go and understands that sometimes she just needs to do things a little differently to other people. She almost always has a huge smile on her face too.

“Recently the biggest challenge is the emotional side. 99% of the time she is a very positive person and doesn’t let her cerebral palsy get in her way, but occasionally she expresses how she wants to walk like everyone else. As a parent it’s a hard thing to hear. If her confidence is off it makes everything harder too.”

Emily is at her most confident when she is running, having started Little Athletics when she was 6.

“It was a bit hard in my walker,” Emily admits.

“I had trialled the RaceRunner with

RUN LIKE THE WIND

“Dad ran beside me but I was too fast for him!

I won a real medal,” Dejay Medical at my school and I loved it. They came to Little Athletics one weekend and I used a RaceRunner for the whole day. It made things easier and I was able to run faster,” she says.

“It was a special moment when I got my own RaceRunner. My wonderful school principal applied for one and the Blaxland Local Schools Community Fund funded it. It was a very exciting day when I got it. They didn’t tell me it had arrived and surprised me in the office.”

Since then, Emily hasn’t looked back.

“In February I got to run in a race. It was called the BBB Run and I ran 500m in my RaceRunner. Dad ran beside me but I was too fast for him! I won a real medal,” she proudly recalls.

"Little Athletics will be starting again soon so I am looking forward to that. I hope I can run in another race soon. One day I would like to run for Australia.”

Emily is a strong advocate for the

sport and encourages people to access “come and try” days, which can be booked through www.racerunning.org or via Dejay Medical, an Australian-owned family business, now managed by the second generation of the Mason family.

The family has been helping families in need of equipment for over 30 years, to improve their quality of life and achieve their goals.

Dejay has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and more than 30 partners throughout Australia and New Zealand, and RaceRunners form part of the business’s selected rehabilitation and mobility equipment range.

“We are the only stockist of the RaceRunner in Australia and after we launched in late 2018 we have sold hundreds, which is a lot considering it is a new sport so it is great to see lots of clubs getting involved with it which is very exciting,” Dejay spokesman Steve Andrew says.

Steve says Dejay is proud to be a founding partner of Race Running Australia and says it’s a great sport to be involved with.

“We are working together to grow the sport in Australia, and we are also working with partners in New Zealand to kick off the sport there,” Steve says.

“We offer a free trial service with you and your therapist where we measure and fit a RaceRunner to suit your needs.

“Our team has been trained by Connie Hansen herself (see breakout) when she visited Australia in 2018.

“We will visit your therapist, school or home to trial a range of sizes and supports to ensure you can get the most out your bike.”

th e fa ct s • Race Running is an international disability athletics sport started in Denmark in 1991 for age groups from 3-73. It is a CPISRA and WPA sport with events ranging from 40m to 3000m and even marathons.

• A RaceRunner is a custom built three-wheeled frame where the runner is fully supported by a saddle and leans against a chest support, propelling themselves forward by the feet (one or both), while using the hands and/or arms to steer.

• A RaceRunner frame is a very effective way of improving overall fitness, strength and well-being.

The first RaceRunner was constructed in Denmark in 1991 by Connie Hansen, a Danish Paralympian who competed in 1984, 1988 and 1992, and won a total of nine gold medals, four silvers, and one bronze. She was inducted to the Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2008.

• RaceRunning will be showcased as a Paralympic sport for the first time at the 2024 Para Olympic Games in Paris.

By Rachel Williams

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 2 9

Sensory Processing Disorder

th e Ult ima te G uid e

Everything you need to know to understand SPD

C

an you imagine how it would feel if every sight, sound and touch were unbearably intense? Or if those senses were greatly diminished?

The sensory systems are vital for knowing what’s happening in our bodies and interacting with each other and our environment.

Many people take their senses for granted. But some children (and adults) have a disorder affecting the nervous system that impacts the normal processing of sensory information.

THERE ARE E I G H T S E N S O RY SYSTEMS:

If you’re reading this guide, it’s likely you have a child with a sensory processing issue (or perhaps have sensory concerns yourself ). If so, you’re not alone.

Be assured that sensory disorders are relatively common, and help is available.

What is sensory processing?

Sensory processing is a term describing how we interpret (or ‘process’) information we receive through our senses. The ability to receive and organise this information is vital for

ears receive

– what we feel with

(joint position

sound waves

our skin, such as

sense) – the

and we process

whether things are

sensation of

them as different

rough, smooth, cold

joint and muscle

1. Visual (sight) –

frequencies and

or hot

movements and

received through

volumes

6. Vestibular

postural control

our eyes, and

3. Olfactory (smell)

(balance) – the

8. Interoception

interpreted as

– the odours sensed

sense of where our

(internal sensing) –

things like colour,

through the nose

heads and bodies

the feelings inside

brightness, shape

4. Gustatory (taste)

are in space and

our bodies, such as

and movement

– such as sweet,

control of eye

hunger, thirst, and

2. Auditory

savoury and salty

movements

butterflies in the

(hearing) – our

5. Tactile (touch)

7. Proprioceptive

stomach

3 0 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

healthy function of the mind and body.

Each sensory system sends information to the central nervous system (the spinal cord and brain), enabling us to function effectively and safely.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a condition affecting the brain’s ability to receive and respond to sensory information. This causes a misinterpretation of sensory input that leads to altered function.

Under normal circumstances, the nervous system smoothly receives and interprets signals from within the body and from the outside world. The nervous system uses this information to send out other signals. For example, if you receive a signal that you’re touching something extremely hot, it triggers a signal to remove your hand. These signals are important for learning, memory, behaviour, emotions, movement and coordination. A breakdown within the system affects your ability to function.

SPD

To make sure your child gets the right diagnosis and support, it’s important they’re assessed by a qualified health professional.

How is sensory processing disorder diagnosed?

Signs and symptoms of sensory processing disorder in children

People with SPD fall into one of two categories: 1. Hypersensitive (over-reactive): these people will be unusually sensitive to sensory input. For example, lights may seem unbearably bright, common sounds may be painful, or clothing labels cause extreme irritation on the skin.

2. Hyposensitive (under-reactive): these people are less sensitive to sensory inputs. They may seem to have a high tolerance to temperature or pain or seek out sensory experiences. For example, they might repeatedly sniff their food, rub things against their skin, or perform certain movements.

If your child seems either excessively sensitive to sensory inputs, or seeks out sensory experiences, it could indicate they have sensory processing disorder.

Like most disorders, sensory processing disorder symptoms occur on a spectrum.

Other signs your child could have a sensory processing issue include: • L ack of coordination or bumping into things • Slow development of fine and/or gross motor skills • S eeming lethargic or disinterested

• Having difficulty knowing where they are in space • Strong emotional reactions to “normal” stimuli • D ifficulty regulating their emotions or behaviour • Having “meltdowns” or temper tantrums • D ifficulty communicating or engaging in play • Difficulty handling change • Poor attention or concentration, being easily distracted • Fussy eating or distress while feeding • S eeking constant movement e.g. spinning, jumping, running • D isliking/avoiding moving play equipment e.g. swings • D ifficulty following instructions at home or school • Poor planning, sequencing or organisational skills The symptoms of sensory processing disorder overlap with those of other disorders. For example, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may display similar behaviours to children seeking sensory stimuli.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental conditions often have sensory processing difficulties.

While many children have sensory issues sometimes, sensory processing disorder might be suspected when symptoms are affecting normal function or causing difficulties with everyday life.

An assessment will usually involve taking a history about your child’s development, such as how things went with pregnancy, birth and reaching developmental milestones like crawling, walking and talking. They’ll want to know when you first noticed your child’s issues and how they impact daily life.

The occupational therapist will also assess your child’s function. They might check how your child reacts to certain sensory stimuli or watch how your child plays and interacts with their surroundings. They may use assessments such as the Sensory Profile or the Sensory Processing Measure.

After the assessment, they’ll discuss their findings with you and suggest a management strategy.

Signs that could indicate it’s time to seek professional help for your child include: • when behaviours are interrupting everyday life, • if symptoms suddenly become worse, or • when their reactions to sensory inputs are too hard to manage at home or school.

This guide is brought to you by Growing Early Minds. For more info on how they can support your child and family visit growingearlyminds.org.au or call 02 9622 8500 I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 31

32 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

TREATING SPD

tr eat ing Sen sory

Pro ce ssing Disorder

Helping a child with SPD

Occupational therapists commonly treat children (and adults)

In addition to

with sensory processing difficulties. Treatment will depend

therapies, there are

How occupational therapy helps children with sensory issues

on what’s found during an assessment and your child’s needs.

several ways you

Usually, it involves helping children to function better by working

can support your

on activities they are struggling with. It might also include helping

child with sensory

Most occupational therapy approaches

children become more aware of what’s happening in their bodies

issues, including:

to managing sensory processing disorder

and learning to tolerate sensory inputs.

• Having a regular

come under the umbrella of sensory

routine and

integration therapy (SI). The goal of sensory

providing advance

controlled, stimulating environment to help

Sensory program

them learn to respond appropriately to

Often, what’s

sensory inputs and function more normally.

known as a sensory

Sensory feeding therapy

(such as hand

program (also

Unlike the sensory diet, this type of therapy

signals) to support

SI uses fun, playful activities that allow your

sometimes called

for children with processing issues is

routines and

child to experience sensory stimuli without

a ‘sensory diet’)

related to real food! Children with SPD may

introduce new or

feeling overwhelmed.

will be used as

be more sensitive to the tastes, smells,

Some occupational therapy approaches for

part of therapy.

sights and textures of certain foods.

supporting children with SPD include:

A sensory diet is

• Physical skills development – helping your

a list of sensory

Sensory feeding therapy involves

environmental

child develop strength and coordination so

activities for use at

introducing new foods in a way that helps

changes (e.g. a

they can function better and participate in

home and school.

your child become gradually desensitised

noisy truck going

social and educational opportunities.

The activities are

to them. It starts with foods your child is

past or flashing

designed to provide

comfortable with and builds from there.

lights on TV)

integration is to challenge the child in a

• Education – teaching you about

notice of any expected changes • sing visual cues

different tasks • B eing aware of how

appropriate management strategies and

sensory feedback

helping your child to cope more effectively

to help your child

For example, first you have your child

with sensory inputs.

stay organised and

explore new foods using familiar cutlery,

focused throughout

and introduce new foods that are similar to

child’s strengths,

the day.

those they are already comfortable with.

challenges and

Your child’s

The goals of feeding therapy include

• The Alert (Engine) program – this teaches children about self-regulation

may impact your child’s behaviour

using sensory and cognitive (thinking) strategies.

• The M.O.R.E program – this uses

• K nowing your

areas of interest • A llowing extra

sensory diet will

identifying appropriate feeding milestones

time to complete

motor (movement) components, oral

be tailored to suit

and developing your child’s feeding skills

challenging tasks

organisation, respiratory demands,

their challenges

and their behaviours around new and

and eye contact to assist with sensory

and needs. It might

different foods.

regulation.

include things such

• Recognising triggers – teaching parents,

if necessary • Considering extra support at school if

as scheduling a

Feeding therapy can help children with

carers and teachers about ways to manage

time every hour to

sensory issues to manage new and

the environment.

go for a short walk,

different foods.

• Functional skills development – this is

needed Your therapists

access to fidget

can provide advice

about helping your child develop practical

toys during class, or

about specific

skills such as sitting upright in a chair,

use of headphones

strategies to

handwriting and self-care skills like

so your child can

support your child

feeding and dressing.

listen to music while

with a sensory

they’re working.

disorder.

• Managing behaviour – the occupational therapist may suggest strategies to help you develop a consistent and appropriate response to behavioural issues.

This guide is brought to you by Growing Early Minds. For more information on how they can support your child and family visit growingearlyminds.org.au/ or call 02 9622 8500 I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 33

ADVERTORIAL

|

IRABINA AUTISM SERVICES

Creating a

Sensory Lifestyle

WITH BESSIE LOO AND REBECCA KARO

Our sensory system is crucial to how we learn and engage with the world around us. But did you know that you can help support the development of your child’s sensory system through a range of everyday tasks and games? You don’t even need to leave the house!

We spoke to two of our amazing clinicians here at Irabina Autism Services, Bessie Loo and Rebecca Karo, to learn more about sensory processing in children and how you can create a sensory lifestyle for your child.

What is a Sensory Lifestyle? Is that like a Sensory Diet?

As you may be aware, a sensory diet is where a therapist will construct a set group of activities that are specifically targeted at supporting your child with their sensory challenges.

A Sensory Lifestyle is where you build on the individual skills to incorporate sensory activities into your child’s everyday life. The key is to relate it to a function and make it meaningful to the child – whether it’s a skill to help with self-care, or a game they want to win.

By using all of our sensory systems, we can help bring them into balance and integrate them together.

What are some activities we can do each day that support a Sensory Lifestyle?

Does your child help you wipe down the bench? How about cracking the eggs to make a cake? There are a range of simple activities we do each day that your child is probably imitating and can help to improve their sensory processing.

The three key sensory areas that can help regulate our sensory system are our tactile, proprioceptive (sensation in our muscle and joints) and vestibular (balance and head/body position in space) sensory areas.

These senses are most likely to be stimulated when we are involved in regular household chores and activities.

So, to help your child’s regulation, you could encourage your child to help with day-to-day cleaning. They can feel the difference in texture between clean and soapy water and a dry or slippery benchtop, engaging their tactile senses. Squeezing the trigger on a spray bottle and then practicing bigger motions as they push and pull a cloth will support their proprioception and practice their fine and gross motor skills. As they move around cleaning under chairs or into corners, shifting objects and carrying cleaning materials their vestibular system will come into play, helping them move in space and negotiate a path.

There are a variety of activities that can similarly engage your child’s sensory system as well as challenge their organisation skills. For 3 4 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

instance, you could have them put away the dishes – putting bowls with bowls, plates with plates and so-on. Get their help to put away clean clothes and toys, using labels on drawers and cupboards to provide a visual cue and help identify what goes where. Include them in meal preparation, from gathering ingredients (feeling the different textures, learning how colour and firmness can indicate ripeness) to practicing their mixing skills as they combine everything in a bowl.

Children learn by watching what’s happening around them and imitating their parents. Leverage this and make the activities meaningful to ensure their active participation and help create positive routines that will support their development. Day-to-day, purposeful chores are proven to be regulating and calming.

Is it all chores? What about playing?

Play is key to ensuring your child is motivated and driven to keep engaging and learning. We want the child to have that inner drive. By actively participating in what they’re learning, kids will be more engaged and the therapy will be more meaningful and have a greater impact.

All of the different sensory areas can be included in playtime. Play games that engage your child’s sense of sight, taste and smell; that involve hearing and responding to sounds; and that explore different textures. Proprioception and the vestibular system are also a big part of playing, as your child gains more control of their own body and practices moving in a variety of different ways. Engage the whole body with pushing, pulling and lifting motions, or tilting the head slowly in different directions.

Play can be challenging, but it should also be achievable. Speak to your OT for game suggestions that will be within your child’s abilities but also supporting their sensory experience. Remember as well to use what they love – if your child has a passion for Minecraft and unicorns then incorporate these ideas into the games you play to keep it fun and engaging.

What is a Sensory Environment?

It’s important to feed that sensory appetite and provide a diverse range of opportunities for your child to stretch all of their senses.

Our house and garden can provide a really rich sensory environment for children. Ensure that your child has a range of sensory opportunities available to them – things they can look at, that they can hear, that they can smell and taste, that they can touch, and a place where they can move in a variety of ways.

Allowing them to experience all of these different sensations can improve their processing ability and will help you to recognise if there are specific sensory triggers that they are struggling with.

X XSLUGX X

How common is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Does it only affect children with autism?

While it’s estimated that 85% of children with autism have a difficulty with sensory processing, the truth is any of us can be affected by a sensory processing disorder.

Sensory processing is the foundation for human growth and development. Everyone is at risk of a sensory dysfunction unless we’re able to adapt and regulate ourselves in an appropriate manner without intervention.

Another big advantage to telehealth is it helps us get to know your home environment. Children can act and behave differently at home, being able to see that helps facilitate a more tailored OT program.

Our clinicians can observe your child in their home environment and recommend different day-to-day activities (whether those are chores or games) that will help to create a sensory lifestyle.

With telehealth we can also answer your questions as they come up and assist you to feel more confident supporting your child’s sensory needs.

Occupational Therapy incorporates sensory processing as an area of consideration when assessing and developing a therapy plan, as it impacts all children, regardless of whether they’re on the autism spectrum.

How can I learn more about Sensory Processing?

Do I need to see an Occupational Therapist in-person to get help with sensory processing?

If you’re interested in learning more, please join Bec for her workshop “Sensory Processing in Sensational Children” where she will walk you through Sensory Processing, give you an insight into your child’s sensory needs and provide techniques you can implement at home.

This interview is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding sensory processing and how you can create a sensory lifestyle for your child.

Not at all. At Irabina we regularly run Occupational Therapy sessions online using our telehealth platform, which allows you and your child to talk to a therapist online from the convenience of your home.

Using telehealth, we can work directly with the child doing activities on screen or over the camera, or simply observe them playing at home while we chat to you. This can actually be really beneficial, as it helps us to come up with strategies unique to your home and situation, that you can start to implement immediately.

This workshop can be bought on demand so you can watch it at your convenience, and access it as many times as necessary. All our online workshops will be available until 31 December 2020.

Visit: www.irabina.com/sensory-processing-workshop

Speak to an Occupational Therapist today At Irabina Autism Services our Occupational Therapists support children and their families to understand the sensory processing system and develop strategies to help improve their daily lives.

Family-centric approach with wrap-around support

World-leading programs backed by research

Customised to meet the individual’s goals

We have Occupational Therapists available right now on Telehealth.

Find out more at www.irabina.com/occupational-therapy I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 35

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I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 37

Botox

-the ins and outs and what parents need to know ‘What is it, when is it used and who is it suitable for?’

What is Botox?

Botox is a highly purified version of the Botulinum toxin Type A, a chemical toxin produced by the bacteria that causes Botulism. Botulinum toxin Type A can be injected into muscles to cause muscle weakness.

Specifically speaking, ‘Botox’ is actually the name of the most common brand of Botulinum toxin, although there are other brands used in Australia such as Dysport. For the purposes of this article (and to save us from confusing everyone!), we will just use the word Botox to mean any of these different versions.

What is Botox used for?

In the general media, Botox is most commonly known for its cosmetic use for treating wrinkles. However, Botox is also commonly used to help manage muscle spasticity in adults and children with neurological conditions. For the children we work with at Move and Play, Botox is sometimes used to improve or manage spasticity for children with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or other neurological conditions.

Muscle spasticity can cause overactive and tight muscles, which can cause 3 8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

children to have difficulties with their ability to move well, do the things they need or want to do in life, and also sometimes with their care and comfort.

Common difficulties or situations in which Botox might be recommended for a child include: • D ifficulties with movements. This will include gross movements such as crawling, standing, or walking, and fine or hand movements such as using our hands to play, point, dress or write with a pencil. These difficulties occur as a result of the spasticity interfering with their muscle coordination and control.

• Abnormalities in joints or posture.

This might include abnormalities in your child’s overall body posture, or abnormalities in a specific body part such as a wrist or ankle. These abnormalities of posture occur as a result of the spasticity pulling a body part into an unusual position.

• D ifficulties with tolerating braces or orthotics, such as AFO’s, due to pain or rubbing. This occurs as a result of the muscle spasticity pulling the body part within the brace, causing it not to fit well or pressure marks.

• D ifficulties with hygiene. This

BOTOX INS AND OUTS

Which children will benefit from Botox?

might include being able to open your child’s legs for nappy changes, or if your child’s hand and fist is tightly closed making it difficult to clean their hand and fingers.

• D ifficulties with pain and comfort levels. Sometimes the muscle spasticity causes really tight muscles and that strongly pull on the tendons and joints, which can cause pain or discomfort.

B ot ox is on ly ap pr ov ed to be us ed in ch ild re n wh o ar e at le as t 2 ye ar s ol d.

How does Botox work?

Botox injections work by stopping the communication between the nerves and the muscles. When Botox is injected into the muscle, it blocks off the channels between the nerves and the muscles so that messages from the nerve have more difficulty getting through to the muscle.

The effect is that the muscle cannot activate as well and therefore becomes weaker.

However, Botox injections do not last forever. Over a period of approximately 3 months following the Botox injections, the nerve and muscle form new connections, which eventually restore the ability for the muscle to activate, and the

muscle can become strong and overactive again.

As a result, the purpose of the Botox injection is to give your child a ‘window of opportunity’ – an approximate 3 month window – when your child can stretch their tight muscles, gain movement in their previously tight muscles, and learn to move in a different way that they previously were unable to as a result of their spastic muscles. It is these gains in range of movement, muscle length, muscle strength and movement control that provide ongoing effects after the Botox has worn off.

Botox might be useful for your child if they meet the following criteria: • O ver 2 years of age: Botox is only approved to be used in children who are at least 2 years old.

• Your child has spasticity or overactivity of some muscles: The spasticity present in your child’s muscles can be assessed by their treating doctor or therapist, but functionally can look like muscles that are stiff or tight, and are impacting on their ability to do things.

• Your child’s muscle spasticity is impacting on their ability to do things in their life: Botox will only be used if there is a functional purpose, or it will give a specific gain such as improved movement abilities, improved self-care, or improved posture (as described above).

• T he spasticity is only causing difficulties in a few muscles: For example, your child’s hamstrings and calves might be causing them some difficulties with walking, or their wrist and thumb muscles might be impacting on their ability to open their hand up to hold things. Botox can only be injected in small doses, so if your child has spasticity affecting numerous body parts, Botox may not be appropriate for them (instead your rehab paediatrician might recommend a medicine to help decrease your child’s tone throughout their body).

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 39

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4 0 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

X XSLUGX X

• H ave not had Botox in the previous 4 months. There can also be other precautions to receiving Botox, which your child’s rehab paediatrician will screen for before considering Botox to ensure it is appropriate and safe for your child.

When might Botox not be suitable for my child?

• Your child does not have spasticity or muscle overactivity: Botox is designed to work on muscles that are too active. If your child’s muscles are floppy, underactive, or weak, then Botox is not likely to be suitable for your child.

• Your child uses their spasticity to help them to do things in their daily life: The most common example of this is when children use the spasticity in their legs to stand to transfer. If we take that spasticity away, then your child might lose the ability to stand up to transfer. In this instance, Botox might not be beneficial for your child.

• W hen spasticity is NOT the biggest contributor to your child’s movement difficulties: Many things can contribute to your child’s movement difficulties, and in a number of cases your child’s muscle weakness and lack of motor control are impacting on your child’s functional progress, rather spasticity.

• W hen the weakness caused by the Botox will NEGATIVELY impact on your child’s functional abilities: Your child might want to learn to do things like jump, run, and hop. All of these tasks require your child to be strong and powerful – however, Botox will weaken their muscles, so may not be suitable for your child.

Final, but most important point…

Making sure your child does the required follow-up therapy or treatments can have a significant impact on the success of your child’s Botox injections.

Botox injections are not designed to be used on their own – they should always be combined with some sort of follow-up therapy, or serial casting, or stretching, or activity program. As mentioned above, Botox simply provides a ‘window of opportunity’ and the Botox wears off after 3 months. It is the rest of the therapy your child does while the Botox is working that creates lasting change. So please, always make sure you do your best to ensure your child attends the therapy or casting appointments following their Botox injections.

Feeling fully informed about whether Botox could be beneficial for your child will help you to feel confident in deciding whether you would like to go ahead with the injections or not.

By Emily Hayles

B ot ox is de si gn ed to wo rk on m us cl es th at ar e to o ac ti ve .

Emily is a Physiotherapist and Owner of Move and Play Paediatric Therapy in Mackay, QLD – moveplaypaed.com.au | 07 4942 9343. She is also the author of ‘Braver than you think: How to help your child with a disability live their best life’ I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 41

L et’s play

CRICKET

The iconic Aussie past-time is becoming increasing accessible for everyone.

O

ne of Australia’s muchloved summer sports is gaining a huge traction with special needs children as understanding grows for the need to activate inclusive programs.

Western Australia is certainly on the front foot with its offering for people with autism.

Autism WA Director of Therapy and Clinical Services, Tasha Alach, says its Autism in Cricket Program is providing great opportunities that are being embraced by hundreds of children.

That situation wasn’t so as little as a year ago before the program was launched.

“Often the parents were worried that if they did get involved, their child would not be accepted into the cricket community and would be excluded from their peers, so they did not want to risk trying,” Tasha explains.

“Simultaneously, we had cricket clubs contacting us to know how to support children with autism to be a part of their club. There was also a lack of understanding of why a certain behaviour was happening and how they could help teach them the skills required for cricket in a way that resonated with them in comparison to children with a physical disability.

“We also had a number of families who had taken the step to enrol their child in their local club, and because of the stigma that is still present in our community, these children and their families were excluded. This resulted

4 2 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

in these families leaving their clubs devastated and even more isolated from their community.”

As a result, Autism WA collaborated with clubs to establish a program to better break down barriers.

In its first season 12 months ago, 45 clubs, 316 people and 19 schools signed up and it is hoped the program will be expanded into other states and other sports soon.

“Being part of a club is really special – feeling part of something and having a chance to play your part in your club’s success. Contributions to the success of a club come in many different forms – batting, bowling, fielding, scoring, helping out at training and organising the equipment – just to name a few,” Tasha says.

“Each role is like a link in a chain – every link is important! This initiative is designed to give every boy and girl a chance to make a contribution, to experience what it means to be

a club member.”

Tasha says that cricket is the perfect sport for children and adults with autism, as many of the skills required to play the game match the strengths of autistic people.

“It has routine, is predictable, is a team sport and the club culture of cricket has a good value base for creating change,” she explains.

“The Autism Association is passionate about creating inclusion for people with autism and we searched for a grant to launch our program with the aim of supporting more autistic children to get off the side-lines and able to participate in their local community cricket clubs.”

The program was funded initially with a state government grant and has since received support from Margie Oldfield, president of the Wembley Cricket Club.

“She was a huge driving force for the program. Margie helped us to create our connections with the WA Cricket Community and grow the program

CRICKET

to what it is today. Through Margie (former Australian Test star), Adam Gilchrist jumped on board as our ambassador and then the team from the Western Australian Cricket Association (W.A.C.A) came on board and supported us to integrate our training and resources across community cricket clubs in Western Australia.

“We know that if we can support these children and families be part of their community, they can have a better life and feel included and supported by their local community.

“We all have a responsibility for supporting children with disability in our local community, we need to create the opportunities for inclusion for the child with autism and their family.

Simultaneously, we need to build the knowledge of children who do not have disabilities, to learn more about disabilities and develop skills to help their peers with Autism.”

“We have a long way to go, but already in this short period we have made huge achievements and are breaking down barriers and creating new opportunities. We have a wonderful cricket community around us and together we will continue to dream big and create sustainable change.”

One organisation that already has a nation-wide reach is Taverners Australia, which has 12 branches around Australia that are operated by around 100 direct volunteers acting as committee members.

National Chairman John Jeffreys,

from Melbourne, has been a Taverner for 25 years and in his current leadership role since 2014.

“This is my time to give back. I have been very lucky throughout my life as a businessman and actively playing sport for many years. I now have the time to help those less fortunate than ourselves and by leading the Taverners,” he said.

“It is very simple – when I meet youngsters as they first come in contact with the Taverners, they are more often than not lost, depressed and have no selfconfidence. Years later when I meet them again, they have grown dramatically. We are not the only reason for this growth but we are a substantial part. It is this that spurs me on to do more.”

Groups supported into the sport by the Taverners include the deaf,

branches tend to raise funds locally and distribute locally,” John explains.

“Nationally, we support larger programs such as the National Cricket Inclusion Championships (NCIC) where deaf, blind and intellectually impaired girl and boy cricketers play in a national competition, covering all states and some territory teams in these 3 divisions each January.

“The NCIC is our flagship program and we have donated $100,000 in each of the last 2 years and a total of $340,000 over 4 years.”

The Tavs Foundation Ltd is a registered charity with donations over $2 tax deductible and often raises funds through sports nights, golf days, wine and cheese functions and raffles.

“The Tavs foundation distributes

We need to build the knowledge of children who do not have disabilities, to learn more about disabilities and develop skills to help their peers with Autism. blind, intellectually impaired as well as indigenous Australians and young girls.

“Our key focus is the deaf, blind and intellectually impaired. These individuals all have financial constraints as most if not all are on some form of pension or support,” John says.

“We see wonderful outcomes for our support with individuals growing as people and members of the community through being supported to play sport, particularly cricket. These individuals become more confident, assured and able to be more connected members of the community.”

Each year the organisation distributes about $500,000 across Australia and has distributed more than $14 million since inception.

“We love supporting grass roots individuals, groups and causes. Our

100% of funds raised and the Taverners around Australia distributes more than 90% of funds received. This is unique in the charity world of today and we can do it because of our volunteer base, including all executives.”

COVID-19 has unfortunately forced the cancellation of numerous events, which will affect fundraising this year.

“Sadly, there is more support needed than we can provide. The bushfires have generated another cohort of needy in the fire ravaged regions. Individuals, clubs, grounds and players are now in significant financial pain.

“I think the virus will cause havoc for all charities and sadly many needy individuals.”

By Rachel Williams I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 4 3

CRICKET

W here there’s

A WILL...

The saying – where there’s a will, there’s a way – could not be truer for Ange Clarke.

H

er tenacity to fight for her son, Will, has allowed her to forge a more inclusive and supportive path for him.

Will, 24, has autism, which prevents him from reading, writing and communicating effectively.

In order for him to participate in school and sport, Ange has had to fight.

“When he was young there was nothing for him that catered for his delays. Our family had to create the opportunities for him,” she says But those battles are paying dividends, with Ange helping Will turn his passion for cricket into a business venture that is helping to hit intellectual disability stigmas for six.

The pair established Where There’s a Will – also known as Willo – a charitable organisation that builds awareness and understanding about the lack of choice and opportunities for people living with intellectual disabilities.

Hundreds of well-known artists, sports people, celebrities and politicians have contributed to the organisation by painting or decorating re-furbished cricket bats, turning them into artistic masterpieces to sell.

The latest projects funded through Willo include the seed funding for the Rainbow Innovation Centre for All Abilities at Rainbow, in central Victoria.

It will provide mentoring and learning for people living with disabilities by using art, gardening and creative pursuits.

“It will offer a place for belonging, choice and opportunity,” Ange explains.

4 4 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

She says its humbling to see Will receive the support he now gets.

“It is very humbling especially when you experience the genuine respectful interest in Will and his journey,” she says.

“Will is so easy to love when you stop and take the time to see him and feel his heart and I feel when we visit the communities and they meet Will… it’s actually life changing.”

Cricket has been the catalyst for the change in Will’s life and, in turn, that of others.

Will first got a glimpse of the sport when he was 7 at none other than Bradman Oval and everyone soon realised his love of the game.

“Like many sports-loving people, Will simply loves being part of a team,” she says.

“He loves the camaraderie and sense of belonging. What people don’t realise is that with our children they have exactly the same needs and desires as we do.”

But, with little opportunity for her son’s inclusion, Ange established a Special Olympics program for the Southern Highlands.

“We organised the CityCountry Cricket Match on Bradman Oval that

brought together the best cricketers in NSW and this formed part of the National event program for Special Olympics Australia,” she recalls.

“Will played for 2 years with Country.

He then went on to play for u/16s local cricket and has played third grade for the past five years.”

Ange says she still gets frustrated that inclusion is not universal and she’s hoping Willo will go a long way to changing the status quo.

“His choices are extremely limited as a human being. Because of his intellectual delays it is assumed he does not want for the same opportunities, so sports clubs, art groups etc do not commonly cater,” she says.

“It takes more time and patience to work with those who live with intellectual disabilities and, as a society, patience is not a skill that is normal and that is why our programs are consistently run in isolation to the normal community programs.

“Unfortunately, programs at a local level of cricket, from our experience, have not improved. It is due to Will’s tenacity over the years that he was included.

“We have no clubs in our area with a disability program. Both the Bowral and Robertson Cricket Clubs have embraced Will and have included him in teams to allow him the chance to play but he is still not selected officially.

“It has come to be that at the end of every game both teams come back on and play for Will. He bowls the last over of every game.

“It unites the teams and reminds everyone that the game is meant to be inclusive and to be enjoyed.”

By Rachel Williams

Occupational Therapy

for children

Occupational therapy can help children understand and work with their bodies so they can complete daily activities and foster independence. An occupational therapist can help build foundation skills such as handwriting, cutting, tying shoelaces, self-care (dressing, feeding and toileting), attention, coordination, balance, movement and more. Our occupational therapists are experienced in working with children who have complex needs, developmental delay or with disability.

Fine motor — synchronisation of hands and fingers with the eyes Gross motor — balance, coordination, posture, strength and endurance

TELEHEALTH SESSIONS AVAILABLE Telehealth is an alternate and flexible way of delivering therapy services. Instead of driving to a clinic, your face-to-face appointment is virtual, using a phone, tablet or computer.

No wait times, no travel costs, and ensuring the continuation of support during difficult times are just some of the benefits.

Self-care — daily skills such as dressing, feeding, cleaning teeth and toileting Sensory processing — the way children receive, interpret and behave to senses Visual perception and visual motor integration — processing visual information and matching with appropriate action Self-awareness and body awareness — understanding where our bodies are and how our bodies move

For more information call 1800 436 436 or visit growingearlyminds.org.au Servicing North West and Western Sydney regions, or from anywhere in Australia via telehealth services

At hom e

s e i t i v i Act ld i h c r u o y for

Even without the ever-changing COVID situation making therapy appointments move all over the place or get cancelled at the last minute, it’s always good to have a few fun and effective activity ideas up your sleeve that you can work on with your child. Why not give these a try‌

4 6 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

AT HOME ACTIVITIES

Speech and language PICTURE SCAVENGER HUNT

Your child picks a letter, and then takes as many pictures as they can of objects beginning with that letter (or sound) around your home or yard. After the pictures have been taken, go through them and say the words, make letter sounds or use an AAC device.

PLAYDOH

Introduce a sensory element to speech and sounds by making words or letters with playdoh.

B AT A N D B A L L G A M E S

A game of cricket is a wonderful way to play a game as a family and get in masses of incidental exercise and therapy.

Throwing, catching, running: it’s all going on. If you’re not cricket players, try baseball, or rounders. They are all easily adapted to anyone’s needs or capabilities and you can support your child so they can participate.

A C C E N T U AT E T H E S Y L L A B L E S

Syllable activities are heaps of noisy fun. Google a list of 2, 3 and 4 syllable words, then get out your pots, pans and wooden spoons and bang out the beats as you sound out each syllable. When the weather is on your side you could draw a hopscotch in your driveway with chalk and see how many words it takes to get to the end (1 syllable = 1 hop etc).

MAKE THE MOST OF BEING OUTSIDE With the weather warming up for Spring change things up with these developmental activities you can do in the yard…

L A U N D RY H E L P E R

Kids love to be household helpers and laundry folding as you take things off the line is a great way to practice fine motor skills and bilateral coordination skills that involve using the left and right hands together.

INSIDE OUT

Just taking your regular ‘inside’ toys into the yard can breathe new life into things.

Cars, dolls that are looking a bit grubby provide another great opportunity for fine motor skills practice by giving them a good scrub in a bucket of soapy water.

Messy arts and crafts are perfect for backyard fun too.

Move to music THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Use your bodies as a percussion instrument. Clapping hands, clicking fingers, tapping on tummies. Or use your mouth to create different sounds – a great one for oral awareness.

SING AND SIGN

Practice signing along to your favourite song or nursery rhyme! There are some great videos on YouTube to help you.

MAKE YOUR OWN MARACAS

Grab a toilet paper roll and decorate it with crayons, paint or stickers (or all three!). Secure one end with a bottle top from a milk container using strong tape and fill with dried rice. Secure the other end with tape and a bottle top and you’re ready to shake, shake, shake!

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AT HOME ACTIVITIES

STEPS

These stair activities are great for building strength

STEP UPS

Combine cardio and strength with step ups. Ask your child to step up with the right foot, up with the left and then down with the right and down with the left. Repeat 5 to ten times and then start again, leading with the left leg. You could spell out words with each step instead of counting to add in a bit of literacy work!

BOXES

Boxes are another cheap and cheerful piece of ‘therapy’ equipment.

GET DECORATING

Build hand strength PA P E R C R U M P L I N G

Have your child crumple up sheets of newspaper or scrap paper into the smallest, tightest ball possible. Increase the challenge by only letting them use one hand to crumple the paper. Once you have small crumpled balls, try to flick them at a target.

TA P E R A C E S

Get your child to tear off lots of pieces of masking tape and place them down on a flat surface (e.g. a table or the floor). Then have a race to see how many they can peel off in one minute! You could also use the strips of tape to make artwork.

Pens, paint, chalks, biodegradable glitter, coloured paper, fabric – the sky's the limit when it comes to how a box can be decorated and it can be a great sensory experience with the right materials. Set your child up indoors or outside and let their imagination run riot.

GET PHYSICAL

Use boxes as the basis of some gross motor fun: jump in, out and over them, play jack in a box, set up a number of large boxes as tunnels to crawl through, stomp on a bunch of small boxes – the list goes on and on.

TAKE AIM

Work on balance, strength and coordination with a fun, simple throwing game. Place boxes up the staircase and then throw items (rolled up socks, bean bags, lightweight balls and crumpled paper all work) into the boxes. Count the balls in the box at the end and see who has the best aim!

PUSH-UPS

This targets core strength and upper body strength. Ask your child to place their hands on the bottom step and stretch their legs out. If they’re strong enough to try a push up, have them do a few repetitions, otherwise they can maintain a plank position (arms straight) for a count of 10.

CREATE A CUBBY

This one is great if you have an extra large box laying around; simply cut a window and a door into the 'walls' to create an instant house. Add cushions inside to give your child a cosy space to play and invite their toys in for a party.

PINCHING WITH PEGS

Have your child use pegs to pick up pom poms and move them into a bucket or sort them into groups by colour or size. Have a race to see who can do it the quickest!

4 8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

d upper body Target core strength, fitness an tivities strength with fun and easy ac

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Wheelchairs

There is a huge selection of wheelchairs out there on the market - the search alone can be overwhelming! We’ve put together the ones to know about, favourites and even ones that have just hit the market!

NEW

1

360 MAGIC MOBILITY magicmobility.com.au

SPECS 140kg | 175kg • Electric KEY FEATURES Compact body responds to adventures - off-road challenges to indoor obstacles • Compact mid wheel drive with off-road capability • Three easy change drive wheel options – Urban, Crossover and Off-road • Highly customised for each individual

4

HIPPOCAMPE mogowheelchairs.com.au

SPECS Manual • Approx. 14kg

NEW

2

COGY timmermansmethod.com.au cogy.com.au – website coming soon!

SPECS Manual KEY FEATURES • The Cogy fills the gap in mobility assistance giving people more independence • A wheelchair that does not require arms to push, steers with one hand, and allows movement and exercise without having to balance

5

HELIO KIDS WHEELCHAIR activerehab.net.au

3

WIZZYBUG cptech.com.au

SPECS Electric • Front wheel drive KEY FEATURES • Designed for toddlers; with postural seating supports, trays • Powered by a lightweight, rechargeable battery • Has the capacity for five kilometres of travel between charges • Puncture proof tyres mean parks and playgrounds can be explored

6

LITTLE WAVE FLIP WHEELCHAIR activerehab.net.au

SPECS Manual • Approx. 4.8kg

SPECS Manual tilt in space • Approx. 9.52kg

KEY FEATURES • Practical and lightweight

KEY FEATURES • Lightest folding manual

KEY FEATURES • Easy to use wheelchair

• Compact all-terrain beach wheelchair has

wheelchair for kids • Growth adjustment

that acts like a stroller • Folds extremely

a fold-down seat back, removable push bar

• Strong and tough for kids, made of carbon

small • Seat height, seat depth, and seat

and detachable wheels • Easy to steer, can

fibre • This chair was designed to keep up

width • The Little Wave Flip integrates

be assembled in under a minute

with active children

design elements from strollers into the functionality of a wheelchair

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WHEELCHAIR REVIEW

SPECS Manual • 17kgs

9

KEY FEATURES • Large growth range in

KEY FEATURES • Light weight design and

KEY FEATURES • Folding Frame • Tilt In

width and depth • Designed so kids can use

compact size (base frame is only 21.75”

Space – 45 Degrees • Growth Adjustable

all of their strength and leverage to their

long) • Simple adjustments makes it easy

• A hybrid “by design,” the NXT is strong

advantage. • Extremely light, simple to

to push, turn, tilt and un-tilt • A wheelchair

and durable – lightweight, compact, and

use and easy to transport • Ability to move

designed for virtually any everyday

easy to use

easily within its environment

experience

10

SPECS Manual

11

KEY FEATURES • Hand made in Australia

SPECS Manual • 20 to 31cm

KEY FEATURES • Folds like an umbrella

to suit each child’s needs • Crash tested,

KEY FEATURES • Hand made in Australia

stroller • 30º fixed tilt • 5 years of growth

ready to transport and lightweight

• Easy to transport and lightweight •

capability • Sleek silver frame and stylish

• Adjustable tilt angle +10 degrees to -50

Wide range of custom options • Although

new upholstery, one-piece angle adjustable

degrees • Unprecedented amount of tilt

a compact wheelchair, it’s constructed

push handle provides easy manoeuvring of

range and frame adjustment

to withstand the rigours of a child’s

the wheelchair by the caregiver

7

LITTLE WAVE XP WHEELCHAIR activerehab.net.au

SPECS Manual • Approx. 4.9 -7.26kg

SMIK PHOENIX dejay.com.au

8

PRO TILT CG astris-pme.com.au

SMIK BUZZ dejay.com.au

FREEDOM NXT www.astris-pme.com.au

SPECS Manual • Frame weight 10kgs

12

CONVAID CRUISER dejay.com.au

SPECS Manual • 25.5 to 45.5cm width

investigation and adventure

13

QUICKIE 2 dejay.com.au SPECS Manual • Up to 136kgs KEY FEATURES • Versatile and modular and is manufactured out of 7000 Series Aerospace Aluminium • The crossbrace is more rigid and reduces the overall chair weight by up to 1kg • Increased weight capacity of 136kgs

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 51

14

16

SPECS Manual • 32 to 52cm width

15

SPECS Manual

SPECS Electric

KEY FEATURES • The Ottobock Avantgarde

KEY FEATURES • Includes the True Fit

KEY FEATURES • A powered mobility

4 folding wheelchair for active users

Program, a complete growth package

solution that facilitates self-initiated

has once again been optimised without

for free. • Offering a combination of

movement and exploration for children

giving up proven advantages. With its

positioning, manoeuvrability, and increased

12 – 36 months of age with mobility

numerous individual adjustment options,

portability with the XLOCK® folding

impairment • Multiple weight bearing

it provides optimum support for your

crossbrace option, this tilting wheelchair

surfaces help promote safe, stable upright

active day-to-day life

uses patented rotation-in-space

postures • Provides opportunities to

technology to rotate the seat frame around

improve strength, endurance and

the user’s centre of gravity

postural control

SPECS Manual • Up to 54kg

18

SPECS Manual • Up to 75kg

19

SPECS Manual with tilt

KEY FEATURES • Built-in forward growth

KEY FEATURES • The TWIST encourages

KEY FEATURES • Available in 4 sizes

adjustment to grow with your child • Ultra-

exploration and independence • No parts or

• Combines form and function for the user

lightweight design and carbon fibre frame

growth kits to buy - TWIST grows with you

to provide the right fit and support for a

panels • Clean frame design for easy access

• TWIST Center-Mounted Push Handle option

comfortable posture

to the adjustment bolts • Is light-weight, easy

• The handle is height-adjustable and easily

to adjust, and adjusts with your child growth

removable

17

OTTOBOCK AVANTGARD 4 dejay.com.au

TILITE PILOT permobil.com.au

20

ZIPPIE IRIS wdejay.com.au

TILITE TWIST permobil.com.au

EXPLORER MINI permobil.com.au

KUDU r82.com.au

RGK TIGA sunrisemedical.com.au SPECS : Individually Customisable • 7.5kg KEY FEATURES • Specifically designed to your child’s individual measurements, and can be personalised through a choice of colours and embroidery. • Designed for power and efficiency and can grow with your child. Includes a range of functional and frame options

52 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

A place where different abilities are celebrated!

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WHEELCHAIR REVIEW

21

ZIPPIE IRIS sunrisemedical.com.au

22

ZIPPIE ZONE sunrisemedical.com.au

23

SPEX WONDERSEAT wmedifab.com.au

SPECS Folding: 16kgs Rigid: 14.5kgs • Manual

SPECS Manual • Total Weight: 6.5kg

SPECS 63cm | 29kg • 68cm | 30kg

KEY FEATURES • Available with 40° or 55°

KEY FEATURES • Designed for the unique

KEY FEATURES • Smart and classy! With

rotation ranges that can be set to achieve

needs of kids, the Zone offers numerous

a matte black frame, black wheels, and

up to 45° or 60° of posterior rotation.

growth options and provides the greatest

choice of 9 fabric colours for the seating.

The rotation arm helps children remain

wheel access for independent mobility. •

• A world-renowned seating system • One

comfortable and secure while tilting.

An innovative, ultra-lightweight and option-

seat. Two base options – For children with

• The IRIS is designed to maintain proper

rich rigid wheelchair that is perfect for

positioning needs where a stroller is the

support for your child as they grow

active kids and teens. • Free growth kit

preferred option

24

25

26

CARONY & TURNY MANUAL mobilityengineering.com.au

MOGO JOEY mogowheelchairs.com.au

ELITE mobilityplus.com.au

SPECS Manual

SPECS Manual

SPECS Manual • approx 5.5kg

KEY FEATURES • Adaptable, postural

KEY FEATURES • Totally custom made

KEY FEATURES • Lightweight, robust frame

support tailored to the occupant’s

• Comes in any colour combination •

– titanium or alloy, with built in growth

requirements • Suitable for children and

Australian made • No standard sizes, the

• Any footplate style with option for weight

adults, one system that grows with you

Joey can grow with your child and can be

bearing • Compatible with many power

• The Carony combined with the Turny

painted in favourite colours to show off

assist options - perfect for use with TriRide

swivel system makes travelling easy • Safe

your sports team or fav super hero

& Freewheel • Custom made in Melbourne

and comfortable transition from the vehicle seat to the wheelchair

27

EQUALISER mobilityplus.com.au SPECS Manual • approx. 6kg KEY FEATURES • Folding frame available in titanium or alloy with built in growth • Folding, swing away or lift out footplate • Compatible with many power assist options • Custom made in Melbourne

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 5 5

O F F - RO A D F RO N T WHEELING If you like spending a lot of time outdoors, this off-road front wheel is ideal as it is attached to the frame of your manual wheelchair and enables greater stability and speed on pavement, sand, grass and even mud! POA. emedical.com.au

T H E M AT R X C U S H I O N This cushion is designed to provide superior positioning, stability and comfort. The design features an anatomically contoured shape together with a high resilient foam base to provide optimal positioning and skin protection.

POA, mogowheelchairs.com.au

Wheelchair

Accessories From functional to FUN – we’ve found some great accessories that will be the perfect addition for your child’s wheelchair.

WHEEL COVERS Individualise and personalise your wheelchair, just like you!

Choose or create your own spoke guards with whatever style your heart desires. POA. wheelchairsandstuff.com.au

ACTIV LIFE 2 TIRE PA C K L E D L I G H T S FOR WHEELS To brighten up your ride – these super cool LED rim lights will get you noticed!

Originally designed for bicycle wheels, they are very popular and accessible for wheelchair

S M A RT PHONE CASE

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The Quokka Smart Phone Case features an easy to open ring pull and a hard case to protect your phone – easy to install and access, it is made from high quality materials for durability and safety. RRP $65. activemobility.com.au

V E RT I C A L B A G The Quokka Vertical Bag features a quick release clamp system that

BACKREST – WHEELCHAIR CUSHION The JAY J3 HV Back’s is designed to help with

both fastens and secures onto

regulating body temperature. Evaporative

mobility aids such as walkers,

cooling helps to dissipate moisture, while

scooters and wheelchairs. RRP

the heating system warms throughout the back!

$163.activemobility.com.au

From $1444, sunrisemedical.com.au

5 6 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

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Assisting children to achieve

A level of continence lping your Tips from an expert on he child with toilet training.

T

oilet training in children with special needs can be a challenge. Often the child will not display the usual signs of ‘being ready’ to toilet and communication barriers, mobility and cognitive issues all make achieving this goal difficult. Added to this, as parents, we often have other competing goals for our child that take priority, as well as the usual challenges of a busy family life and a lack of time.

So before we know it our child is past the age range for toilet training, they are wearing pull ups and we are not sure when, how or if it is even possible to achieve any level of continence. It becomes a normal routine for us and for them and we struggle to change them in dirty community toilets and get used to going out with an ever growing contents in their ‘change bag’.

So how do we start?? (and is it worth all the effort??)

If you would like to try toilet training your child, I would encourage you to start with a goal of teaching your child to do a poo on the toilet. This may be too

complicated to teach all at once so you might break this down into smaller more manageable segments.

Your first segment might be to encourage your child to sit on the toilet after each meal of the day.

The reason for doing this is that the bowel starts to move a stool along its length most strongly about 20 minutes after food has been eaten. This is called the gastric-colic reflex and it is strongest first thing in the morning after breakfast.

But of course getting your child to sit on the toilet for a period of 10 minutes is not necessarily easy.

So for segment number 1 you may have to start by building up the length of time they will sit for.

Choosing a foot stool is essential to get them sitting in the correct toileting position (see pic 1), and if you purchase something like the Ikea footstool in pic 2 you will have space to sit on the end of it and entertain them!

Pic 1: Knees above the hips straightens the bowel making it easier for the stool to travel to the rectum for evacuation.

Pic 2 www.ikea.com: Choose a stool high enough to raise the knees above the hips to an angle of at least 35 degrees.

5 8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

l to get m 4-6 weeks for the bowe It can take anything fro al ready to empty after a me into the rhy thm of being e. But as g for 10 minutes at a tim once your child is sittin ng child to ‘perform’ accordi long as 5-15 weeks for the Relate all bladder and to research in this area.

Other strategies to maximise success

P L A N T O S TA RT AT T H E R I G H T T I M E Trying to fit in an extra 10 minute activity during your morning routine may seem like a massive effort so make sure you do as much as possible to achieve success.

• Consider starting the new routine during the long summer holidays so that you have time to get a routine up and running.

• Consider getting a carer to assist with the toileting.

• Make sure you have all the equipment you need prior to starting – footstool, books, ipad, pictures on the wall, visual aids, toilet seat cover.

The perfect inclusion chair

Rifton Compass Chair offering solid frame, contoured seat and sturdy armrests.

Available in 5 sizes, height adjustable legs, lateral thigh supports and optional seat belt and stability feet.

Visit www.medix21.com.au to find your closest distributor.

6 0 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

bowel activities back to the toilet

This is about making a connection for your child that what happens in the pull up needs to happen on the toilet.

• Try and change your child in the bathroom if possible. If not, when you have finished the change then encourage them to accompany you to the toilet to watch the poo being emptied into the toilet and flushed away.

• Get them involved by explaining what is happening (even if you are not sure they understand) and encourage them to flush the toilet, hand over hand if necessary.

• Tell them when you are going to the toilet. When you have finished tell them where you have been and what you have been doing!

CONTINENCE

toilet

iPad

finished

R E - E N F O R C E T H E C O M M U N I C AT I O N • Use verbal prompts, pictures or hand signs to maximise your child’s understanding.

• Make sure that whatever you use, it is not too complicated. So if you are just aiming for a 10 minute sit at first then the strip below may be all you need.

• Keep the language the same. If you decide to refer to doing a poo as a ‘number 2’ then make sure that everyone including family, carers, teachers etc. use the same words. The same applies to pictures and hand signs.

BE CONSISTENT • Keep the routine the same across all environments as much as possible.

P R A I S E A N D R E WA R D • Studies that showed success in the toileting of children and adults with special needs found that the participants were more likely to succeed if they were praised and/or rewarded for their efforts.

GIVE YOUR CHILD SOME LEVEL OF C O N T RO L • Let them choose the colour of the sticker if you are using a reward chart.

• After you have praised them you might give them the choice between two different snacks or books to read as a reward. Rewards don’t need to be fancy but they do need to happen immediately after the action you are praising.

I hope this article will encourage you to give toilet training a go with your child. Intellectual and physical disability are not necessarily barriers to achieving a level of continence and there are positive

AurelkaORTO is a leading manufacturer of professional orthopaedic footwear for children. Many models available with fastening options of laces, velcro and BOA. Sizes from first steps to teenagers (EU 15-43).

gains to be made in ensuring your child’s dignity and encouraging their own self care. Be prepared and plan for a start date so that you can have NDIS funding for a Continence Advisor (which comes from Core funding) to assist you with meeting your child’s goals and prescribe an individual plan for your child that is practical and realistic.

Nicola Mitchell is a Continence Nurse Consultant. For more information on how she can assist you and your child you can contact her at continenceadvisor@gmail.com or call 0411 200 783

Shower time can now be fun and safe for everyone!

Nearly 3 children every day are treated in Australian hospitals for burns as a results of scalds, mostly caused by hot water.

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Wheelchair Raincoat

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I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 61

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

Qu ic k, sim pl e & nu tr iti ou s BREAKFAST IDEAS FOR YOUR CHILD

D

airy is a vitally important food group for all children, with Australian Dietary Guidelines recommending one and a half serves per day of milk, yoghurt, cheese or alternative for children up to 8 years old and 2½-3½ serves a day for older children and adolescents. But, as many parents know, it can be challenging to get our children to eat anything at all at times, let alone anything remotely nutritious and healthy.

Therefore, we need to pack as much nutrition as possible into the things our children do eat; and making the most of milk is a great way to do this, with milk naturally containing 8 essential nutrients including:

Starting your child’s day the right way can make a big difference • P rotein – contributes to muscle growth, development and repair •C alcium and phosphorus – for maintaining strong bones and teeth • Iodine – contributes to healthy cognitive function • Vitamin B5 – contributes to healthy mental performance • Potassium – contributes to normal muscle function and to help with hydration • Vitamin B2 and B12 – to reduce tiredness and fatigue

And now Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + Prebiotic Milk comes with added prebiotics to maintain your child’s every day gut health, by increasing the good bugs in your gut, as part of a balanced diet.

Try these simple ideas to start your child’s day (and yours because who doesn’t want to start their day stress free!) in the right direction.

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Powered by prebiotics Here are 7 ways prebiotics can have a positive impact on your child’s health: 1. Replenish and restore the good gut bugs that help keep their microbiome healthy.

2. Increase good gut bugs in the bowels, keeping your child’s bowels moving and regular, and stools soft and easy to pass.

3. Support the immune system, as the majority of your immune cells live in

Egg Muffins

Kids Bircher Muesli

your gut, to defend against unhealthy

We love egg muffins because you can make

Make this one up the night before and

and destructive bacteria.

up a batch in advance, freeze and just whip

you’re ready to go in the morning. Bircher

4. May help with gastrointestinal

them out of the freezer as needed. This

Muesli is a simple and easy breakfast

issues like loose bowel movements,

recipe uses ham, cheese and capsicum

packed with nutrient-rich milk, oats, seeds

diarrhoea, constipation, and

but you can add in whatever you want

and fruit.

digestion-related gut discomfort pain.

INGREDIENTS

for overall health so may increase

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups of rolled oats

the body’s resilience to stress and

• 12 eggs

• ½ a cup of plain yoghurt

anxiety.

• ¾ cup of Dairy Farmers A2

• 1 cup of Dairy Farmers A2

6. Help to create a strong lining for

5. We know gut health is important

according to your child’s tastes.

Goodness + Prebiotic milk

Goodness + Prebiotic milk

the colon, which protects the body

• Chopped ham

• 1 tablespoon of honey

from invading pathogens.

• Shredded cheese

• 1 Grated apple

7. There is some very new research

• Chopped capsicum

• 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds

that suggests prebiotics may promote

• Salt

or slivers of toasted almonds

• Pepper

better and more quality sleep.

• Strawberries or raspberries to garnish (or both!)

TO MAKE: Whisk together the eggs with milk, salt and pepper.

TO MAKE: Mix together the oats, yoghurt

Add in your ham, cheese or other

milk and honey in a bowl, cover and place in

ingredients of choice.

the fridge for at least an hour but preferably

Divide mixture into greased muffin tin or

overnight. The next morning serve with

lined with silicon liners.

the grated apple and nut or seeds on top

Cook in 190c oven for around 20-25

garnished with the strawberries and/or

minutes.

raspberries. So simple and good!

Proudly brought to you by Source Kids and Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness + prebiotic milk a super easy way to get prebiotics into your kids’ diet is through the milk they drink.

With milk containing only the A2 protein plus added prebiotics, Dairy Farmers A2 Goodness is goodness from free roaming, pasture raised cows.

Dairy Farmers. Here’s to good.

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A N E W C O U R S E : A M OT H E R ’ S J O U R N E Y N A V I G AT I N G D O W N S Y N D RO M E A N D A U T I S M Shortly after Teresa gave birth to her second son, Nick, he was

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diagnosed with Down syndrome and then in third grade he

N O D I S T I N G U I S H I N G F E AT U R E S

received an additional diagnosis of Autism.

This book takes a deep dive into the complexities that families face

‘No Distinguishing

raising a child with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism

Features’ is available

(DS-ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

to rent online now!

| Available at Amazon, Booktopia and Book Depository

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A C C I D E N T S O F N AT U R E

wonderful Fin, is

This is an unforgettable coming-of-age novel about what it’s

one of the stories

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It’s the summer of 1970. Seventeen-year-old Jean has cerebral

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palsy, but she’s always believed she’s just the same as everyone

showcases six people

else. She’s never really known another disabled person before she

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with disabilities from across Australia and

arrives at Camp Courage. As Jean joins a community unlike any

New Zealand. Six people who were given

she has ever imagined, she comes to question her old beliefs and

a strict roadmap to their life from the

look at the world in a new light.

moment they were born. Six people who

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went on to tear those roadmaps to shreds. | Available to rent at: vimeo.com/ondemand/ nodistinguishingfeatures

RISING PHOENIX Did you know that the Para in Paralympics stands for “parallel” not “paralysed”? In this very well received new Netflix documentary, elite athletes and insiders reflect on the Paralympic Games and examine how they impact a global understanding of disability, diversity and excellence. | Available on Netflix worldwide

THE SPEED CUBERS You’ll love the twists and turns of this Netflix short which focuses on the lives of speedcubing (an ultra competitive, ultra fast solving of Rubik’s cubes!) champions Max Park, who has autism, and Feliks Zemdegs. Some of the footage was shot at the World Cube Association's World Championships held in Melbourne last year.

The documentary's main focus is the rivalry and friendship between two of the fastest speedcubers in the world. | Available on Netflix worldwide

Skillbuilders have provided quality therapy services to thousands of children and their families for over 25 years. Individual therapy support led to trying to find the right equipment, and so began what is now Australia’s leading and largest therapy resource shop.

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Apps to help Gross Motor skills front be just about sit ting in IPad apps don’t have to ads nlo pick of some dow of screen. Check out our ctice ent and a chance to pra that encourage movem some key motor skills:

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Within the popular Sworkit workout app there

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storytelling, animation and video examples,

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development specialists, and researchers.

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We specialise in fun and functional equipment for special needs children across Australia. » More than 150 products available for trial. » A fully-qualified team passionate about helping children live, laugh and play.

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I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 6 5

Victoria | Tasmania

VIC / TAS

Getting it Right Matters We fully understand that when we engage with a client to supply an assistive technology solution, we are providing them with much more than just a piece of equipment; it is an extension of their being and the gateway to a more independent and fulfilling life. Having a clear understanding of the physical and emotional needs of the client and those caring for them is paramount in view of determining the optimum specification and configuration of their equipment. Every user is different, and vast benefits can stem from individualising and innovating with otherwise ‘generic’ components. We know that getting the details right can make a world of difference to quality of life.

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OFFICIAL RETAILER We are proud to announce Urgoform is now a retailer of Rifton products. Rifton special needs equipment is renowned for its exceptional quality, ease of use and clinical effectiveness; furthermore, our consultants are fully trained in trialling and scripting with over 10 years’ experience.

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6 6 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

Including a full range from:

New South Wales | Australian Capital Territory

NSW / ACT

The very first NDIS certified paediatric Occupational Therapy clinic operating on the Central Coast of NSW! Services include: • Individual Occupational Therapy in naturalistic environments including the clinic, school, community or home.

• Group Occupational Therapy intervention • Sensory processing issues • Equipment prescription • Handwriting intervention • School readiness groups • Social skills

• Food School • Gross and fine motor skills • Development of motor planning, bi-manual skills and bi-lateral integration.

• SENSEational Soccer - a supported soccer program to enable children with special needs to learn the foundational skills of soccer in a supported, sensory aware environment to support them to feel like part of a team!

Set your child up for success with the support and guidance of our amazing team of therapists With NO waitlist call or email the clinic today!

P: 0467 009 953

E: info@centralcoastot.com.au Find us on facebook!

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I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 67

New South Wales | Australian Capital Territory

NSW / ACT

THERAPY AT ALLOWAH Allowah Disability Support Services is an NDIS accredited disability support provider. We provide a huge range of supports, so that your child gets the care they need...all in one place.

Psychology Services & Behaviour Support Allowah offers quality psychological supports, services and assessments, delivered by our suitably qualified clinicians. We work with families to find out how we can best help.

We provide: • Mental health services and counselling support for the management of anxiety, depression, grief, stress, emotional regulation difficulties, PTSD and more.

• Evidence-based assessment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disabilities, learning difficulties or disorders, ADHD and a variety of mental health conditions.

• Personality assessments • Comprehensive assessment including Functional Behaviour Assessments • Development of interim and comprehensive behaviour support plans

Occupational Therapy Our Occupational Therapists operate as part of our therapy team, working to promote participation and enjoyment in the activities of everyday life.

We provide: • Therapy intervention for development of hand skills.

• Therapy intervention to increase a child’s participation in leisure activities, improving play skills and developing social and emotional capacities.

• Assistance to choose aids and equipment (including transfer equipment, seating and wheelchairs, bathing and showering equipment, beds and mattresses) • A range of assessments including: Occupational Therapy Assessment, Sensory Assessments, Functional Living Skills Assessment, Developmental Assessment (fine and gross motor), assessment and trial for wheelchairs and other equipment, and Complex Wheelchair and Seating Assessment.

Physiotherapy

Dietetics

Physiotherapy at Allowah offers a range of services, with a particular strength in supporting children with very complex needs.

Our Dietitian is qualified and skilled in paediatric nutrition and dietetics, with a wealth of experience working with children with complex disabilities. Offering expertise in both oral and enteral nutrition, our Dietetic services include:

Our skilled physiotherapists provide expert support with: • • • • • • •

Early Intervention – gross motor development Prescription of walking aids and standing frames Body garment recommendation Bike riding training and recommendation Manual handling education and training Serial casting (to help foot positioning), Prescription and recommendation of AFOs and other foot splints • And more!

• individual assessment and advice: in person, home and school visits, and/or teleconference • detailed nutritional analysis for oral and enteral intake • comprehensive anthropometric assessments • tube feeds and nutritional supplements at special prices using the Home Enteral Nutrition scheme • collaborative nutritional management and care with the dietitians of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.

Telehealth Available!

Contact us to find out how these services can be funded through NDIS or alternate payment options.

6 8 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

Support Coordination Allowah offers Support Coordination to assist children, families and carers with the planning and management of the range of services you receive. This is offered for all levels of complexity, from basic help to high level coordination for very complex situations.

Our experienced Support Coordinator offers: • Assistance in the transitioning of young people with disabilities from paediatric to adult care services.

• Personalised support to empower families with the skills and information to make their own decisions about the kind of services they receive.

• Help to understand your plan and build the skills that you need to implement and utilise NDIS funding efficiently and cost-effectively.

• Coordination and review of a wide range of your chosen services to increase your capacity to maintain a good quality of life.

• Guidance in exploring potential resources and external services when needed

Speech Pathology Our Speech Pathologist diagnoses, manages and treats children who are unable to communicate effectively or who have difficulty with feeding and swallowing.

At Allowah, we provide our services with a child and family-centred approach. While delivering care and support, we also seek to provide emotional and social support to each child, their families, and carers.

MyTime Parent Support Group Sometimes you just need to talk to people who ‘get it’. That’s one reason our MyTime support group continues to grow. We currently meet online each week and welcome anyone who cares for a child with a disability to come and chat.

Holiday & Weekend Program Allowah’s Holiday Programs are a great way for kids to spend time doing a range of fun activities in a safe and caring environment. We have adapted our program to run in a way that allows the fun to continue whilst following the latest COVID-safe health advice.

Respite If your child has complex medical needs and you are looking for respite, talk to us. We have a number of options available and are highly skilled in looking after children with complex disabilities and medical needs.

Post surgery care

WE’RE HERE

FOR YOU Find out how we can help

Lots of children with complex disabilities need surgery and care for the first few weeks after surgery can be daunting. We are here to help with private hospital admission or respite care provided by our clinical nursing team.

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Contact us: 02 8877 3400 | admin@allowah.org.au

I SSU E 24 | S P R I N G 2020 6 9

Queensland

QLD

Enabling families of children with health and disability needs

• • • • • •

70 SO U RCEKI DS .CO M . AU

QLD

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