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The children are excited. It’s summer time. They will be on the go, in and out of the home, gone to the park or to a friend’s place to play. With the hustle and bustle of summer comes eating and what to feed these fast-paced children who are always on the go. It’s easier to have several small nutritious snacks for the children to eat during the day and then have a family sit down meal at supper than to try and have three sit down meals during sunny days filled with excitement. Here are a few suggestions for snacks on the go:

• With all of the following suggestions, children can help and be your assistants. One child can prepare and take out the plates, while another prepares the glasses and napkins. Creating fun platters is the key. Getting the children to decorate the platter with fresh wild flowers is one idea. When serving platters, you can create shapes and faces.
• A favorite, easy to serve and clean up is a combination of breads (buns or pitas) or crackers with hummus. Today you can find several types of hummus with various flavours. This is a very nutritious and tasty snack and children love it.
• Always have fruits ready washed, cut up and ready to serve. Apples, oranges, watermelon (a favorite), kiwis, mango, bananas, grapefruits, peaches, pears, strawberries or any berries and grapes. These are easy to handle, eat and clean up.
• Vegetables are also an easy to serve and clean up food. Celery, carrots, peppers: green, red, yellow and orange add color to a platter for children to enjoy. Broccoli and cauliflower can also be fun foods to eat with a dip such as hummus or a vegetable dip.
• Cut up cheese cubs are very tasty. Cut the cheese in various cube sizes or shapes is BIG entertainment for children. You can add some parsley on the side of the platter as decoration. You can also take softer cheeses such as camembert and cut a cube and melt it on a cracker.
• Sandwiches are easy and can be creative. Tomatoes and cucumbers can be great sandwiches and can be seasoned with various salad dressings for tastes.
• Mini sandwiches can be playful and nutritious. The sandwiches can be with hummus, various cold cuts (meats without nitrates are now available in grocery stores everywhere), add some lettuce, peppers and create a great colorful mini submarine.
• Children also like trail mix and have fun making and mixing their own. Depending on whether or not the children have allergies, you can buy cranberries, nuts, dried fruit, etc and get the children to mix to their own to carry with them while they play outside or go to the park.
• For fish lovers, cutting crab into small cubes on a cracker or pita with some garnishes is very nutritious and easy to eat.
• Salads can be another easy snack or meal to offer children on the go. Tuna, egg, vegetable and fruit salads are all easy to prepare and children really enjoy. 
• Platter of cold cuts, cheese and crackers are easy to pick and eat.

There are endless ideas to facilitate your summer menu for children. To make summer fun, try to enlist the children in creating their own designs, and add a little something special like wild flowers. With the heat, we have included snacks that do not require cooking and that do not require much clean up. Be mindful of any allergies. Being flexible is just as important as simplicity. Adding atmosphere with special theme music or creating a theme meal can also be fun. The children can dress up for the occasion or another idea is have a tea party.

 Enjoy the children and the summer from Wildberry Productions Inc.

Summer is finally here and for some parents, summer means fun in the sun with the children. For other parents, summer can be challenging. To help families ease into “summer mode” Wildberry Productions Inc. has chosen to dedicate this article to ideas for a fun summer with the children.

1. Crafts are always a great idea. The best aspect of doing crafts is that creative ideas can stretch for several days. For example, one day can be dedicated to picking different kinds of leaves from trees and plants. The next day, the children can take time to place the leaves in between book pages. A few days later, the children can head to their local library to identify the leaves or if you have a botanical garden you can take your leaves and show them to your local botanist. The children can keep their book of leaves and later during the summer, collect different ones to compare them to fall leaves.
2. Every summer has a number of hot days. A great idea for heat relief is water. Children love to play with water. Filling balloons with water and trying to juggle them or throw them to each other without breaking them is a lot of fun. The activity can end with the children trying to break the balloons themselves.
3. Make a kite. A home-made kite is a good self-esteem booster and is easy to make, can be individually decorated with relatively low cost.
4. Creating your own garden is another idea that children enjoy immensely. The easiest seeds to plant are sunflowers. Sunflower seeds are available everywhere and weather the various conditions very well. Their bloom is amazing. The plants often grow taller than the children, which can also be an interesting aspect for the children to compare their growth to the plants.
5. Children love to be photographed. Buying an inexpensive camera creates a simple project for the children. Choose a theme such as flowers, trees, people, animals, etc. The best photo album is one in which children can show off their different grimaces. It’s hilarious and makes a great keepsake.
6. A project to follow would be to create a photo album and frames for those special pictures. These projects can take a few days to create.
7. Getting everyone to wear their clothes inside out for the day is another fun idea. This works well when the parents also participate. This can be extended to other themes such as a “PJ” day or a “bad hair” day, “red” day where everyone wears something red. A variance can be a “hat” day, where the children take one day to make their own special hat to wear on another day. They can decorate it and make it even more special.
8. Simple bird houses can be made easily with everyday items that we recycle such as juice and milk containers. These can be placed in trees or on rocks, etc.
9. Taking the lids from frozen concentrate juices and tying them together and at different lengths can make beautiful wind chimes.
10. Children have always been attracted to stones. Take the children on a rock venture, where the children get to collect stones which they find attractive. Create a stone garden at home where the children can show off their collection.
11. Another pet project is to collect stones with the intention of painting them. Painted stones can be very decorative placed outside the home. Painted stones can also be used in the home with a theme such as blue stones in the washroom or orange stones in the kitchen on a window ledge. This is also another self-esteem booster for the children.
12. Creating your own story book is a project that children can enjoy and can take several days to make. The book does not need to be made all in one day.  Children can create a series with a theme for their books. Children can use all kind of things to create their stories such as leaves, flowers, feathers, etc. They can colour their story or draw their stories. These make great keepsakes for their own children later on.
13. Board game day is always interesting for children. Board games can be borrowed from your local library or children’s agencies in many communities. Choosing the board game can be challenging. Make sure the games you choose reflect the age of the children and are not competitive. Providing a platter of fruit and vegetables with humus is a nice partner.
14. Taking a walk outside can be challenging for children and parents. But if the walk has a theme to it, the walk is transformed into something fun and exciting. Walking with the intention of looking for red flowers or brown homes keeps the children stimulated and interested in walking. Looking for blue cars can also be a theme for younger children learning their colors. Attaching themes is a great way to stimulate interest in any activity.
15. Exchanging play days with others parents can provide an adventure for your children and provide you with a break. Keep in touch with other parents and book a few days during the summer to exchange one day a week or one day every two weeks for play days.
16. Have a camp-out day inside your home. Gather old bed sheets and chairs and create a great tent in one of the rooms in your home. Plan a snack for the children to eat in their tent. Allow the children to bring their pillows and blankets into their tent along with their toys. Perhaps consider letting the children even sleep in their tent.
17. Children love to create things. Allow their creativity to spread to the kitchen. Give the children one day a week to make a meal, any meal. Provide boundaries and limits and give them ideas. But remember the children may want to be creative with their meals and add smarties to their meal or decorate it with raisins. This project requires parents to step out of the box and allow their children to venture in the kitchen with enthusiasm.
18. Have a dress-up day, where the children choose their special attire and have a formal dinner with relaxed protocol.
19. Paint a face day. Face painting is a child’s favorite activity, especially if the children have activities later in the day so they can show off their faces. Children can paint each other’s faces or can have an adult pain their faces. Your local library may have face painting books to provide you with ideas and outlines to guide your creativity.
20. Spending a day at the library can provide children with a day filled with reading.
21. Here are a few day themes:

Botanical gardens

Movie day

Library day (usually libraries have summer activities planned for children)

Cookie day: baking different kinds of cookies

A day at the market

A picnic (can also be done in the house on a rainy day)

A day at the museum

A day at the park

A day at the pool or the sprinkler

A day to stay in PJ and lounge

A tea party day

A Kennex or Lego day

Whatever the activity you choose for your children, try to remember that the summer is your child’s idea of a break from programmed activities and restraints. Cultivating a sense of humor is essential for a fun summer. The concept of time in the summer is an urban myth! Be flexible and laugh a lot.                                                       

What is Dyslexia? Dyslexia simply means an individual has difficulty with reading, writing and/or spelling. Children with Dyslexia are generally of normal or above normal intelligence. Research has demonstrated that Dyslexia is genetic/ hereditary and approximately 23% of our population is touched by Dyslexia. Dyslexia is not something you grow out of. Dyslexia can be diagnosed as early as kindergarten by trained experienced professionals.

Dyslexia is more than just letter reversal. There are three fundamental types of dyslexia: motor, auditory and visual. The three types of Dyslexia include: Motor (dysnemkinesia), auditory (dysphonesia) and visual (dyseidesia). Letter reversal, the most commonly observed aspect of dyslexia, which may actually be a form of motor dyslexia, is when the child can’t remember how to do the movements needed in writing the letters. Auditory dyslexia is when the child has difficulty sounding off or pronouncing letters or words. The child may also have difficulty syllabicating (syllables). The child may read “saw” instead of “was”, or write “Drake” instead of “brake”. Visual Dyslexia affects the way a child recognizes the whole word. A child may read “tell” instead of “tall” and may write “cul” instead of “cool”.  Expressing ideas, difficulties with right and left or telling time and dates are all potential signs of Dyslexia. Math symbols are another area for concern, where a child with Dyslexia may have difficulty with the symbols or sequential memory.

If your child is spending too much time on their homework, is inconsistent in their performance at school, is feeling stressed about their academic performance, is lacking in their organizational skills and study habits, you may want to consider having your child assessed by your local Children’s Treatment Centre. An amazing coping skill children use is the strategy of avoidance. Children with difficulties find ways, not always the most positive ones, to avoid what they feel they are unable to accomplish or understand. If your child is avoiding work or tasks, you may want to take a closer look at the root reason for their avoidance. Remember that avoidance may manifest itself in different ways including behaviorally.

For the most part, young children do experience some of these difficulties. However, a child with Dyslexia will not “grow out” of these difficulties and there in lies the difference between children who do and do not have dyslexia. Most children by the end of kindergarten can recognize, name and sound the letters of the alphabet, as well as know their proper sequence. A child with dyslexia will continue to have difficulty recognizing, naming, sounding and sequencing the letters of the alphabet. A child touched by Dyslexia may not understand why they are unable to perform such simple tasks at the same level as their classmates. Over time, the child touched with Dyslexia may learn to simply avoid tasks that require the skills that they are unable to perform. Avoidance is by far the strategy most often used by children to circumvent embarrassment.

A child left undiagnosed with Dyslexia will have many aspects of their life affected. That is why having your child assessed as early as possible is important. A child who is having difficulty with any of the above should be assessed by a Children’s Treatment Center. Children may also be assessed for recognition, retention, decoding, as well as comprehension problems. Motor skills and other aspects of the child’s growth should also be taken into consideration for assessments.

Children’s Treatment Centres offer tests, tools and an assortment of experience to evaluate and assist your child. Often, we are blinded by the obvious, while a trained professional is more objective and may observe signs and symptoms that are not so obvious to the untrained eye. In the end, a child may have been found to have a different diagnosis altogether, with associated co-morbidities that require specific strategies to support your child and facilitate their learning. An assessment is the easiest and most reliable way to support your child during their growing years. A family physician can refer your child to your local Children’s Treatment Centre for an assessment. 

Dyslexia can affect a child’s ability to succeed in most subjects at school if left undetected. A child diagnosed with Dyslexia who is receiving help from their local Children’s Treatment Center or trained professional is given support and knowledge on how to succeed with their Dyslexia. Strategies are developed that are formulated specifically for the child and assist the child in school as well as at home to live with Dyslexia successfully. It is a simple option that may change your child’s world and make it an easier and happier place to learn and live in.

Children’s mental health is in dire need of immediate attention. One in five children in Canada are affected by a diagnosable mental disorder (one in four adults). Mental disorders range from mild to severe and include anxiety, depression, conduct disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, tourette syndrome, to name but a few. A child’s mental health depends to a great extent on their social, emotional and physical well-being. A strong foundation for a happy life begins in childhood with good parenting, lots of love and a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately in spite of all this, some children develop mental disorders at a very young age and for some, it may continue into adulthood. Mental disorders can be very debilitating and interfere with an individual’s everyday life.Mental disorder is generally an uncomfortable topic of discussion for many and it’s even less appealing when we talk about children’s mental health issues. Shame, stigma and a general level of misunderstanding prevent us from having helpful, healthy conversations. Mental disorders tend to evoke a negative connation, emotions and a universal sense of malaise. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has made limited recommendations to children’s mental health services. Senator Michael Kirby even referred to children’s mental disorders in Canada as “the orphan of the orphan”. There’s a shortage of community-based resources and health practitioners and unfortunately, it’s the children who are left to suffer. There’s a 2-year waiting list for some of the resource services here in Ottawa alone. By the time a child receives the necessary help, they may have transitioned into a more difficult, even unreachable stage in their mental disorder.Anxiety (6.4%) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (4.8%) are the most prevalent mental disorders in children, followed closely by conduct disorders (4.2%) and depression (3.5%). Mental disorders can have severe and debilitating effects for the child both at home and at school. The educational system is limited to support the needs of the general population. Although the educational system has integrated the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) and the Individual Education Plan (IEP), there remain numerous gaps left unaddressed. The needs of the children with mental health issues are left unsupported. Many of these children are “gifted” in ways that we do not understand or acknowledge. Teachers are left with little assistance or training and information to support these children. Increased frustration in teachers, parents and children is evident within most schools. And again, there are limited resources for parents. The parenting tools and skills required to help a child with a mental disorder are not always easily understood and can be difficult to implement. There are very few alternatives available to parents.And to compound the situation, our medical model is based on the theory that if there’s brain pathology involved, the way to treat mental illness is primarily with brain altering drugs. The medical model is less receptive to differences in how the brain works.  Not all parents are willing to use medication to alter a child’s behavior or mental state, especially given the sensitive nature of the brain and its developmental stages and the limited research with regards to long-term studies (more than two years) on children’s mind-altering medications.We need to have a paradigm shift in our thinking about mental disorders. And a change in our thinking can only result from a better understanding of what mental disorder really encompasses. Children affected by mental disorders need a voice. It’s our responsibility to care and provide resources to children in need. The World Health Organization states that the biggest obstacle to overcome mental health is stigma. And stigma begins with you and me, how we think and behave toward mental disorders. How can we make a difference? Read as much as you can about mental disorders. Talk about it with your family and friends. If you know or suspect your child has a mental disorder, become your child’s greatest advocate. Don’t let anyone else tell you what’s right for your child unless you feel intuitively it’s right for your child and family.  And when confronted with issues, problems, and challenges, find the courage and strength your child needs you to possess to bridge the gap between ignorance and awareness. Talk about disorders, talk about learning disabilities in a very positive way. Tell your children about challenges you may have faced as a child. Whether or not you do have children, become involved in an organization associated with mental health. Talk it up with your co-workers. If you’re in an office with more than 3 people, the likelihood that someone has a mental disorder is very high. As Senator Kirby succinctly puts it when referring to society’s responsibility to take care of our children “it’s absolutely damn well the right thing to do.”October 2007 is Mental Health Awareness Month. For more information on mental health issues, visit ementalhealth.ca. This is an excellent website for mental health resource and events information. 

When I was a young girl, I remember going to sleep when the sun was still high in the summer sky. I made a promise to myself that when I had children, I would let them go to bed long after the sun went down. Today I have two children (ages 6 & and I realize there was wisdom in my parent’s decision to put me to bed early. As a parent, I can now appreciate how sleep can be a pivotal factor in my children’s happiness and health. Having a good or bad day hinges on the quality and quantity of sleep a child gets. Putting the children to bed early isn’t always an easy feat. For starters, if both parents work, there are very few hours left at the end of the day for family time. Some parents put their children to bed later so that they can spend more time together. And who can resist when the little ones plead “just one more show” before bed. Finally, the transition between the end of summer and beginning of school can be a difficult one for some. It’s normal to let children stay up later during the summer.  However, there needs to be a transition period where children get re-accustomed to their school bedtime routine.  A child’s ability to function well socially, emotionally and intellectually is severely impaired by lack of sleep. Children suffer the same effects of sleep-deprivation as adults. They become lethargic, impatient, are unable to focus or concentrate, their judgment and coordination is impaired, they become sick more often, they may experience depression, anxiety, and finally, children have less impulse control and may become more hyperactive than usual.  So what is sleep good for? Sleep helps with memory and learning (absorbing new information as well as retaining and retrieving memories or learning something new), mood enhancements and social behaviors. Sleep also helps repair any damage to the nervous system, strengthens the immune system and is essential to the physical and mental development of your child. Research shows over and over again that children perform better at school and at home when they have a good night’s sleep.  They are more alert, they absorb information better, they maintain focus a lot longer, they’re happier, less moody and they engage in more socially acceptable behaviors. Did your child have a bad day at school? Are they hyperactive and unable to stop fighting or teasing their sister or brother? As a parent, you might consider taking a good look at your child’s sleep ritual. There are a number of factors, which can affect your child’s sleep including their age, the quality of the child’s existing sleep, how much exercise they get during the day and the family’s genetic make-up. The following provides some guidelines on the number of sleep hours a child requires. Please keep in mind that each child is unique and the number of sleeping hours required for a happy, healthy child may differ: Infants need approximately 16 hours per day of sleep.Babies and toddlers (6 months to 3 years) need between 10-14 hours.Children (3 – 6 yrs) require 10-12 hours, (6-9 yrs) require 10 hours, (9-12 yrs) require 9 hours.Teenagers are biologically programmed to stay up and wake up late but generally, 9 hours is the minimum number of sleep hours required. It’s important to remember that the quality of sleep is as important as the quantity. An uninterrupted night of sleep allows the child to move through the different phases of sleep required to be rested and alert the following day. Here are a few tips on how to help your child have a good night’s sleep: Maintain the same bedtime every night;Eliminate (at least 1 hour before bed) any stimulating activities including loud music, television, computer- and video-related activities. Engage in relaxing activities such as reading or listening to calm music;Keep exercise or vigorous activities for the daytime;Eliminate caffeine or sugar drinks and foods in the evenings and before bedtime;Enjoy a nice warm bath. As a parent, we might sometimes think we’re being too strict in implementing a consistent nighttime ritual. But just remember, your child’s welfare, health and happiness depends to a large extent on a good night’s sleep.    

Yes, it is time to start thinking about the new school year. Summer is steadily moving away, while September approaches with speed. Many of us have already started buying school supplies. Others will wait and find themselves in the midst of chaos: parents and children frantically looking and searching around malls for school supplies.In preparation for this upcoming school year, we want to provide you with details on the process which identifies students who require special attention and services. If you feel your child requires extra help or assistance, the Ministry of Education has developed a process to address the needs of such students. The process is referred to as Identification, Placement and Review Committee or IPRC. A child designated “exceptional” via the IPRC process will have an Iindividual Education Plan (IEP) written by an educator. In order to be eligible for an IEP, a child needs to be identified and assessed first and foremost by the IPRC. The IPRC can provide the student with “special education programs” and “special education services” either wise not provided.The IPRC consists of a number of individuals including the principle of the school or school board representative, the student’s teacher, a resource teacher, a psychologist, an educational assistant or any other educator who has knowledge of the educational process or is involved with the student from an educational point.
When a parent is interested in having their child identified as requiring special services or if the school staff (teacher or principle) has approached the parents to have the child identified, the process begins with the school providing the parents with information about the IPRC. A meeting is organized with the above-mentioned people including the student’s parents. Parents are given 10 days written notice of the meeting.  Parents need to be present at this meeting to ensure their rights, as well as those of their child are represented. This meeting will also provide parents with a better understand of the educational process and the educational plan for their child.  Parents may also want to invite a representative to the IPRC meeting. Sometimes these meetings can be emotionally taxing and this additional party may lend some objectivity and support.Generally, the principle provides the details of the IPRC to the parents, how the child is performing in school, review the results of any testing or assessments done and provide recommendations to assist and support the child. The parents can at this point provide the IPRC with their own recommendations and ideas, including medical recommendations or psychological assessments in support of special needs. Discussions of placement options and programs will then ensue. It is important to note that the parents have the right to any and all assessment and testing results as soon as they are received by the school. In fact, the school requires the permission of the parent or legal guardian to perform any and all assessments and testing of the child.After reviewing the information provided by parents and educators, a decision is rendered by the Chair of the committee. Often the decision is made with recommendations at the IPRC meeting itself. If everyone is in agreement, the statement is signed at the IPRC meeting and the parents receive a copy. The following need to be included in the decision:
1.      The IPRC has identified the student as exceptional;
2.      Identification of the student’s strengths and needs;
3.      Definitions of exceptionalities identified as well as the categories;
4.      The IPRC’s placement decision;
5.      The IPRC’s recommendations for special programs or/and services.
The parent may or may not agree with the IPRC statement and recommendations. If a parent does not agree with the statements and recommendations, they should not sign any document. A parent has the right to request in writing a further meeting with the IPRC within 15 days of the parents receiving the IPRC decision. A parent may also want to appeal the IPRC decision right away. An appeal can be file via the school board secretary within 30 days of the original IPRC decision. The person appealing must make their reasons known for the appeal.

This is the last in our series dealing with accurate behavioral diagnosis for your child. As I mentioned in my last article, detailed observations at various times of the day for a 1 ½ to 2 month period will provide sufficient information to help you begin to see distinct patterns in your child’s behavior.For example, you may find that when your child has 8 hours or less of sleep, his mood the following day is much more erratic and unpredictable. Or perhaps after watching a few hours of television or playing on the computer, you find your child has difficulty focusing and being attentive. These are the types of patterns you would have noticed over time.With the observations now documented and sorted, you are now prepared to determine whether or not there are simple and obvious changes you, as a parent can make in your child’s immediate environment. This might include such things as ensuring your child gets enough sleep, eats healthy, non-processed foods, has minimal amount of exposure to television, video and computer games (or at least eliminate violent and aggressive shows and games), has plenty of exercise outdoors, and is not exposed to toxins within and outside of the home. There may also more subtle changes you can make such as eliminating trips to the grocery store with your hungry or tired child just before supper- or bedtime, or bringing healthy snacks and water on long car rides to eliminate low blood sugar levels and consequently, grumpy, moody children.You may also decide that the information you gathered about your child’s behavior merits seeing a health professional – and there are many to choose from. I would recommend your first visit to be to your family physician who generally knows your child’s history. They may be able to provide you with advice on how to change the behavior or they may recommend other health practitioners who specialize in a particular field. Aside from your family physician, there are other health professionals you might want to consider meeting with as well. There are a variety of paths you can take. My suggestion is to begin with the less invasive, more natural approaches. These might include:A food allergist who will determine if your child demonstrates food sensitivities.
A dietitian has an undergraduate degree in food and nutrition and will be able to provide sound advice on healthy and nutritious foods.
A nutritionist may not have as much academic education as a dietician however, they still focus on optimal nutritional matters.
A homeopath uses very diluted substances (natural sources) to create balance in the body. These substances are devoid of chemical toxicity.
A naturopath focuses on the body’s innate ability to heal itself. A naturopath might use different types of healing including herbalism, environmental medecine, acupuncture, aromatherapy, just to name a few.

For the most part I believe we can agree that the educational institution needs major revamping. Most of our classes are oversized with students, teachers need more aids and time for preparations, the needs of students are more diverse than ever before and the support network for the teachers as well as the students is lacking.Given all the above, it’s inevitable for conflict among the different parties to arise from time to time. When disagreements or differences do arise at school, it’s important for all parties to ensure information from ALL sources (students, parents and teachers) is discussed openly and with respect. Miscommunications are commonplace and the short-, as well as the long-term effects can be quite disastrous.Parents, students and teachers all have rights. Parents and teachers are in a much better position at the beginning of the situation if they’re mindset is to better understand how to create positive changes for the students rather than make it a battle of wills. Before any action, I again underline the importance of gathering all the information from all the sources, which includes the student, teacher, other students (if deemed appropriate), principle, teacher’s aid, and any other relevant sources. Sometimes simple clarifications clear up potentially disastrous situations.However, as conciliatory and respectful as the encounters between parties should be, it’s important for parents to know what their rights are within the educational system. For this reason, I have briefly listed 8 parental rights.

Parents and teachers should try to create a positive working relationship for the students. It is never a question of winning or losing. The health and wellness of the students is the real priority. Raising issues should not be a forum for confrontation, but rather an opportunity to create a better learning environment for all students.

Raising children with learning disabilities or disorders and syndromes can present interesting experiences and challenges. In our series, we have already presented the importance of an accurate diagnosis and the steps parents can take to ensure a precise diagnosis. This article deals specifically with what to do with the observations you’ve collected over the past few months. To help diagnose a child who exhibits unusual behavior, detailed observations of the child’s behavior and his or her surroundings is critical. Documenting a child’s unusual behavior can be difficult and time-consuming. However, once this information has been documented over a one- to two- month period, parents begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is then time to put some order together. To make sense of the information you’ve gathered, begin by categorizing the information by time of day. In other words, put all the behavioral observations (parents, teachers and/or caregivers) of your child into 5 categories: 1) morning, 2) midday, 3) afternoon, 4) evening and 5) nighttime. Within each category, try to determine obvious patterns, inappropriate behaviors which appear to happen consistently at the same time. For example, many children have difficulty falling asleep after watching television just before bedtime. They’re more excited and apprehensive. By eliminating television, computer and video games (anything with an electric magnetic field) after 6 pm, parents might start noticing how much more relaxed the children are and how much quicker they are to fall asleep. As you place the behaviors in each time category, you may start to notice some potential triggers: Events or circumstances which precede the child’s reaction.  This is very important because in many instances, it just may well be the source of your child’s reaction. Sometimes the trigger is obvious and other times it’s not so easily detected. Care needs to be taken when looking for triggers because it’s also possible your child may be reacting to something that happened at an earlier time, perhaps a disagreement with a friend or sibling earlier in the day or Mom and Dad’s terrible week at work. Children do react for a reason. They feel the good vibes as much as the bad ones. The key is finding the right trigger and this is no easy feat. The feedback you obtain from your child’s educator/teacher or caregiver is essential. They spend the longest consecutive alert hours with the child and are in a fantastic position to be able to provide parents with a lot of detailed information. If you find the information given to you to be out of character with the knowledge you have of your child, feel free to ask the teacher or caregiver for clarification. You know your child best and by asking for an explanation, you may be able to understand your child’s behavior more than others.Food and drinks can play a significant part in a child’s behavior. Food plays a major role in how a child behaves: Food additives, preservatives, colouring (especially Red dye), flavouring (especially MSG or monosodium glutamate) and any other word a parent cannot pronounce on the label. Moreover, the effects of food are not always immediate. In some cases, the effects can be seen and experienced days afterwards. Take cow’s milk for example. Cow’s milk is very difficult for the body to digest. Many children experience irritability and bloating after ingesting cow’s milk. Some children even demonstrate aggressive behavior and sleepless nights after ingesting cow’s milk. These reactions are not unlike adults’ experiences with cow’s milk.There is a huge increase in food sensitivities as well as allergies for children. Children react in different ways but some of the most common symptoms would include irritability, hyperactivity, mood swings, inability to sleep, and distractibility. Therefore, when reviewing the behavioral information on your child, be sensitive to what your child ate and its effects. Also on the rise are children’s reactions to various forms of toxins. These may be environmental or chemical. Items as simple as soap, shampoo, cleaning products, carpets, and furniture are laced with toxins.  For example certain fresheners exacerbate asthma and other cleaners have antifreeze imbedded in their products. Dr. Gideon Koren, a pediatrician, pharmacist and toxicologist from Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto has been studying the effects of toxins on children for a number of years. He can attest to the damage toxins have on the brain, most particularly growing brains.  For more information on toxins, see http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/cleaners/index2.html.In a notebook, write down the patterns you detect, identify the various triggers, make note of consistencies in your child’s behavior.  All this information will become invaluable in a parents search for the proper diagnosis.Next month, we’ll discuss what to do with the information once it’s been organized.

As parents or legal guardians, we often have to make daunting decisions about the health of our children. And because some of these decisions can have a very serious impact, we often seek information from family, friends, health practitioners and educators to help us make the right decision . Sometimes however, confusion quickly sets in at which point we may further our search to the internet, the library, the journals and the magazines in hopes of finding the ultimate source that no one can object to.One such decision we are quickly introduced to as new parents has to do with whether or not we immunize our children. We’re faced with this decision when our children are very young. For many, this is considered the most important decision, for others it is a very controversial one. Moreover, because of the long-standing research and general acceptability of immunizations some parents feel the decision is one made with ease.All immunizations have potential side effects though. This doesn’t necessarily mean each child will react to immunization. Most children experience minor to no side effect. There are however, documented cases of children who have become very sick as a result of the immunizations and this is where the decision becomes complex and more difficult for some parents. Immunizations were initiated to eliminate childhood diseases such as measles, diphtheria, rubella, polio, influenzae, tetanus, mumps, hepatitis B and whooping cough. Immunizations occur at 2-, 4-, 6-, 12-, 18 months, 4-6 years, with boosters at 14 to 16 years. There are two new immunizations for teenagers: Hepatitis and meningitis, both given in high school. In the last little while, the government has actively pursued high school students with a goal to immunize them against hepatitis and meningitis. A team of nurses is sent to the high schools to immunize the students. Unfortunately, it has recently come to light that some nurses have misled and even threatened students with suspension should they chose not to be immunized. Nurses are telling students immunizations are mandatory and have demanded students to write their names on a consent form – all this without the consent of the student’s parents. Some students requested information on the side effects of the immunization only to be told by some nurses that there is nothing for them to be concerned about. When students brought to the nurses’ attention the fact that their parents did not consent to their immunization, the nurses stated that the students did not require parental consent. In light of these recent and very serious events, I decided to write the facts about immunizations:1. Immunizations for children (under the age of 18 years) require the parents’ or legal guardian’s consent. This includes immunizations for teenagers.2. Immunizations are mandatory except for hepatitis and meningitis, however, there are exceptions for the mandatory immunizations (see bottom for exert from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health web sites).  3. A parent can refuse to immunize their child without jeopardizing their education. A child cannot be suspended from school for not being immunized. The only time a child can be requested to not attend school is when there is an active outbreak of disease for which the child has not been immunized (see exert from the Ministry of Education web site and the Ministry of Health web site). 4. Immunizations have potential side-effects and are controversially linked to disorders and syndromes including autism.The following is an exert from the Ministry of Health:“Is immunization required for attendance at school or day care in Ontario?For children attending school in Ontario, a written immunization record or proof of immunization is required, by law, for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella unless there is a valid written exemption. Parents/guardians are required to provide this information to their local public health unit, and to update the information as necessary. There are specific vaccines required for children attending licensed daycare centers. You should contact your local public health unit or check with your daycare centre, for the specific immunization requirements.You may decide because of medical, religious or philosophical reasons not to immunize your child. In this case, you will need to provide a valid written exemption to your local public health unit. If the disease appears in your child’s school or daycare, your child may have to stay out of school/daycare until the disease is no longer present.” If you would like to immunize your child check with your family physician and ask what the side effects are or surf the internet. If you choose not to have your child immunized, a written document from you as a parent or legal guardian should state that you do not consent to having your child immunized because…(state your reasons which do not have to be scientifically based. They can be a philosophical choice or a religious- or medical-based decision.) Submit this to the principal, to the school board and the health unit. This is all that’s required in the document.http://www.healthyontario.com/Page339.aspxhttp://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/links.html