Your child seeks out tight hugs, wraps themselves in blankets during the day, or crashes into furniture repeatedly. Your child's nervous system is looking for proprioceptive input, the deep pressure that helps them feel grounded and calm. Deep pressure therapy uses firm, consistent touch to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the branch of your autonomic nervous system that slows your heart rate, lowers cortisol, and shifts your body out of fight-or-flight mode. When a child with sensory processing differences experiences sensory overload, their nervous system is stuck in high alert. Deep pressure provides a physiological off-ramp. Temple Grandin's research in the 1980s laid the foundation. She designed a squeeze machine to deliver controlled deep pressure, and her work demonstrated measurable reductions in anxiety and increases in calm-alert states. The same mechanism that worked for her has been replicated in children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders. A 2020 randomized controlled trial by Gee and colleagues showed weighted blankets reduced anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder during dental procedures. The evidence for ADHD is less consistent, but anecdotal reports from parents and occupational therapists suggest benefit for children who seek proprioceptive input. How Deep Pressure Works in the Nervous System. Deep pressure activates mechanoreceptors in the skin and muscles. These receptors send signals to the brain that trigger the release of serotonin and dopamine while reducing cortisol. The result is a calming effect that can last 20 to 30 minutes after the pressure is removed. The physiological response...

Evidence-based guide to deep pressure tools: how proprioceptive input calms the nervous system, which tools work, and safety guidelines.

Deep Pressure Therapy and Weighted Blankets: What Parents of Children with Special Needs Should Know

Your child seeks out tight hugs, wraps themselves in blankets during the day, or crashes into furniture repeatedly. Your child's nervous system is looking for proprioceptive input, the deep pressure that helps them feel grounded and calm. Deep pressure therapy uses firm, consistent touch to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the branch of your autonomic nervous system that slows your heart rate, lowers cortisol, and shifts your body out of fight-or-flight mode. When a child with sensory processing differences experiences sensory overload, their nervous system is stuck in high alert. Deep pressure provides a physiological off-ramp. Temple Grandin's research in the 1980s laid the foundation. She designed a squeeze machine to deliver controlled deep pressure, and her work demonstrated measurable reductions in anxiety and increases in calm-alert states. The same mechanism that worked for her has been replicated in children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders. A 2020 randomized controlled trial by Gee and colleagues showed weighted blankets reduced anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder during dental procedures. The evidence for ADHD is less consistent, but anecdotal reports from parents and occupational therapists suggest benefit for children who seek proprioceptive input. How Deep Pressure Works in the Nervous System. Deep pressure activates mechanoreceptors in the skin and muscles. These receptors send signals to the brain that trigger the release of serotonin and dopamine while reducing cortisol. The result is a calming effect that can last 20 to 30 minutes after the pressure is removed. The physiological response...

"Programs like Joanne's Autism Movement Therapy offer opportunities for our kids to develop the necessary and fundamental skills that benefit all our kids. Art saved my life!" – Temple Grandin, PhD The brain is an information processing wonder. We process and store information in either long term or short term areas of the brain. When we need that information again, we retrieve it via a pathway (white brain matter) in the mapping area (gray matter) of the brain. Brain mapping is an interesting process. In a nutshell, it's like this. Say you move into a new home. You don't know where to find the grocery store, the dry cleaner, the gas station or any other neighborhood establishments you need on a daily basis. But within a short period of time you've found these places and you no longer have to think about the specific directions to get to any of these places. You get in your car and drive right to the spot, almost as though you're on "automatic pilot." Daily we map hundreds of pieces of information by placing them in a file in our brain. Without even having to think about it, when we need the information we retrieve the file by going straight to it, via cognitive maps or highway pathways. Individuals with autism have difficulty accessing and retrieving information in both long and/or short...

Autism Movement Therapy aids brain function in autism by enhancing information processing and cognitive mapping through sensory integration.

Autism Movement Therapy "Wakes Up the Brain"

  "Programs like Joanne's Autism Movement Therapy  offer opportunities for our kids to develop the necessary and fundamental skills that benefit all our kids.    Art saved my life!"       – Temple Grandin, PhD         The brain is an information processing wonder. We process and store information in either long term or short term areas of the brain. When we need that information again, we retrieve it via a pathway (white brain matter) in the mapping area (gray matter) of the brain. Brain mapping is an interesting process. In a nutshell, it's like this. Say you move into a new home. You don't know where to find the grocery store, the dry cleaner, the gas station or any other neighborhood establishments you need on a daily basis. But within a short period of time you've found these places and you no longer have to think about the specific directions to get to any of these places. You get in your car and drive right to the spot, almost as though you're on "automatic pilot." Daily we map hundreds of pieces of information by placing them in a file in our brain. Without even having to think about it, when we need the information we retrieve the file by going straight to it, via cognitive maps or highway pathways.   Individuals with autism have difficulty accessing and retrieving information in both long and/or short...

Seventy-five years of the yellow brick road, the munchkins, Toto, witches, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Wizard, and Dorothy have not diminished the charm of this truly classic American film. The Wizard of Oz is part of our lives and the American culture. Quotations from and references to the movie surround us on a daily basis. The Wizard of Oz is the first American Fairy Tale, from the great imagination of L. Frank Baum who penned 14 Oz books. I had them all when I was a kid, and loved every word. The film was mired with problems. The studio wanted Shirley Temple to play Dorothy but Associate Producer Arthur Freed insisted the part go to Judy Garland. Buddy Ebson started out playing The Tin Man, but almost died from breathing the dust from his makeup. Directors came and went. The history of the making this movie is described in detail in a new bonus feature. Did you know W.C. Fields, Ed Wynn, and Wallace Beery were considered for the part of the Wizard? We all know him now as the character brought to life by Frank Morgan. And did you know that the filmmakers were considering using a real lion for the Cowardly Lion? And the iconic song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was slated to be cut. Imagine this movie without that iconic song? It was the foundation of Judy Garland's career. So many interesting facts about this movie are disclosed in this great...

The Wizard of Oz celebrates 75 years with intriguing facts, a making-of documentary, and HD & 3D re-releases for home viewing.

The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary

Seventy-five years of the yellow brick road, the munchkins, Toto, witches, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Wizard, and Dorothy have not diminished the charm of this truly classic American film. The Wizard of Oz is part of our lives and the American culture. Quotations from and references to the movie surround us on a daily basis. The Wizard of Oz is the first American Fairy Tale, from the great imagination of L. Frank Baum who penned 14 Oz books. I had them all when I was a kid, and loved every word.  The film was mired with problems. The studio wanted Shirley Temple to play Dorothy but Associate Producer Arthur Freed insisted the part go to Judy Garland. Buddy Ebson started out playing The Tin Man, but almost died from breathing the dust from his makeup. Directors came and went. The history of the making this movie is described in detail in a new bonus feature. Did you know W.C. Fields, Ed Wynn, and Wallace Beery were considered for the part of the Wizard? We all know him now as the character brought to life by Frank Morgan. And did you know that the filmmakers were considering using a real lion for the Cowardly Lion? And the iconic song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was slated to be cut. Imagine this movie without that iconic song? It was the foundation of Judy Garland's career. So many interesting facts about this movie are disclosed in this great...

I grew up as a child actor and model, from ages two to eighteen. I never did anything fame-worthy, but I did pose for Vogue Bambini and Rolling Stone Magazine, with Fleetwood Mac. I also got to repeatedly stuff my face with cookies in a Pillsbury Cookie Dough commercial. I loved being on set. There was a sense of pride I felt, getting constant attention from directors, makeup artists, and cameramen, and it was addictive, because it gave me a sense of self-esteem. I was the cute curly-haired Shirley Temple-like girl that made enough money to fund my entire college career, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed. When I turned five, I started gaining weight. I never told my mother when she offered me half of a Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream bar after every dinner, that after school, I'd have a whole chocolate ice cream Häagen-Dazs bar to myself, along with some cereal. My cholesterol skyrocketed, and per doctor's orders, I was put on a strict diet. My mother scrutinized my body daily, because my health and "career" were on the line. During one photo shoot for Nordstroms, the cameraman, very publicly, told my mother that I had "VPL" (i.e. visible panty lines). My mother was mortified, and she started to monitor my eating habits even more closely. I never developed an eating disorder, but I had strange habits, like cutting the frizzy parts of my hair, and hiding them under our...

Child actor/model learns to find self-esteem beyond praise after a career and familial issues affected self-worth.

Finding Your Self-Esteem From Within

 I grew up as a child actor and model, from ages two to eighteen. I never did anything fame-worthy, but I did pose for Vogue Bambini and Rolling Stone Magazine, with Fleetwood Mac. I also got to repeatedly stuff my face with cookies in a Pillsbury Cookie Dough commercial. I loved being on set. There was a sense of pride I felt, getting constant attention from directors, makeup artists, and cameramen, and it was addictive, because it gave me a sense of self-esteem. I was the cute curly-haired Shirley Temple-like girl that made enough money to fund my entire college career, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed.   When I turned five, I started gaining weight. I never told my mother when she offered me half of a Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream bar after every dinner, that after school, I'd have a whole chocolate ice cream Häagen-Dazs bar to myself, along with some cereal. My cholesterol skyrocketed, and per doctor's orders, I was put on a strict diet. My mother scrutinized my body daily, because my health and "career" were on the line. During one photo shoot for Nordstroms, the cameraman, very publicly, told my mother that I had "VPL" (i.e. visible panty lines). My mother was mortified, and she started to monitor my eating habits even more closely. I never developed an eating disorder, but I had strange habits, like cutting the frizzy parts of my hair, and hiding them under our...

For young adults with special needs, the transition from high school to adult life brings a new set of opportunities and challenges. Your child must have a transition plan by age 16. Beginning to plan early will increase his opportunity to achieve the greatest independence. As challenging as the day-to-day can be raising a special needs child, planning can't wait. The first step is to form a transition team. The team includes you (the parent or guardian), your child, educators, employers (if your child is employed) and administrators. It incorporates many areas of your child's life–vocational and employment, post-secondary education, life skills, life plan and legal and financial planning. Your child should have the central role in planning, expressing his desires for his future. You, the parent, are the lead advocate in helping your child become independent. As you create your child's transition plan, there are many factors to consider. Consider what experiences your child has had, and create opportunities for new experiences. For example, if your child has not had a job, help him find a part-time job or volunteer opportunity. Engage her in community activities so that she is comfortable in a variety of situations with different people. Keep in mind quality-of-life issues. Does your child have a social network or the skills to build one? Consider a service club at school, or Boy or Girl Scouts, or a youth program at your church or temple. Learn what housing services are available and what will be the best...

Parents must create a transition plan by age 16 for children with special needs, involving a team to support independence and future goals.

Support for the Transition to Adulthood

For young adults with special needs, the transition from high school to adult life brings a new set of opportunities and challenges. Your child must have a transition plan by age 16. Beginning to plan early will increase his opportunity to achieve the greatest independence. As challenging as the day-to-day can be raising a special needs child, planning can't wait. The first step is to form a transition team. The team includes you (the parent or guardian), your child, educators, employers (if your child is employed) and administrators. It incorporates many areas of your child's life–vocational and employment, post-secondary education, life skills, life plan and legal and financial planning. Your child should have the central role in planning, expressing his desires for his future. You, the parent, are the lead advocate in helping your child become independent. As you create your child's transition plan, there are many factors to consider. Consider what experiences your child has had, and create opportunities for new experiences. For example, if your child has not had a job, help him find a part-time job or volunteer opportunity. Engage her in community activities so that she is comfortable in a variety of situations with different people. Keep in mind quality-of-life issues. Does your child have a social network or the skills to build one? Consider a service club at school, or Boy or Girl Scouts, or a youth program at your church or temple. Learn what housing services are available and what will be the best...

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Special Needs
Articles

Deep Pressure Therapy and Weighted Blankets: What Parents of Children with Special Needs Should Know

Autism Movement Therapy "Wakes Up the Brain"

The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary

Finding Your Self-Esteem From Within

Support for the Transition to Adulthood

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Deep Pressure Therapy and Weighted Blankets: What Parents of Children with Special Needs Should Know

Autism Movement Therapy "Wakes Up the Brain"

The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary

Finding Your Self-Esteem From Within

Support for the Transition to Adulthood

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles