SENSORY NEWS

                               Rayan Stanislaus                   When you think of yoga, what comes to your mind?       Calm, Slow, Sensual…?       Now place a high-energy child into the mix...it’s hard to imagine things going smoothly.       Believe it or not, yoga can be a fun and engaging exercise for children of all ages.       Research shows that many children enjoy yoga and may experience an improvement in their overall balance, motion and self-esteem when practised over time.       I wanted to try yoga with my three boys who are all under the age of five.       Yes, you read that right...       When the days were sunny, I placed a yoga mat into our garden and demonstrated the poses to my boys.       ‘Oh! This is crazy!’ said my four year old.       Crazy, indeed.           My boys absolutely love to move. They are highly energetic and thrill-seeking. Standing still was like a ‘dare’ to them.       In this blog, I’ll explain how I got my boys to slow down, centre themselves and breathe…. for a tiny bit.       First, what exactly is Yoga?       The meaning of Yoga     Yoga is an ancient mind and body practise that originated in India, the word ‘yoga’ translates to ‘unite’ or ‘connect’. The art of yoga comprises of body movement, breathing techniques and meditation.   These components all work together to promote overall well-being.       Yoga has been established within the occupational therapy community as an effective and therapeutic component in sensory diets.       Sensory Integration and   Dysfunction     Sensory integration is the innate neurobiological process by which the brain interprets and integrates environmental stimuli. For example, if you place your hand onto a hot object, the heat (stimulus) triggers your nerves.       This then sends signals to your brain.       Your brain correctly arranges these signals into an order that they can be interpreted. Once the signal is interpreted, the brain responds by triggering the nervous system to react to the stimulus.       In this case, you will quickly move your hand.       Sensory dysfunction occurs when signals are not correctly organized in the brain. This results in poor information processing, development and responses.       It is common for children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to experience difficulty with sensory integration.       In the field of neuroscience, Dr A. Jean Ayres has developed a theory on sensory integration and treatment. The three basic sensory systems within sensory integration are:   Tactile (Touch) Vestibular (Movement) Proprioception (Body awareness)       Tactile   This system consist of the nerves on our skin which reacts to stimuli such as temperate, pressure and pain. According to the Autism Research Institute, children with sensory integration issues may manifest tactile dysfunction in the following ways:     Withdraws from being touched Refuses types of clothing/ fabrics Avoids eating certain textured foods Dislikes getting one’s hands dirty Dislikes hair on face or having face washed     Vestibular   This involves the semi-circular canals within the inner ear and they detect movement and changes in your head position. If you close your eyes and tilt your head upwards, the vestibular system tells your brain of this change.       In other words, the vestibular system helps the body to balance. Children with a hypersensitivity to the vestibular system may experience:   Fear of ordinary movements such as swinging and sliding Problems with climbing and descending on stairs Fear of moving on unstable surfaces Clumsiness   In contrast, a child with a hypo-reactive vestibular system may try to seek continuous sensory experiences. Signs of this can be seen from excessive whirling, jumping and spinning.       Proprioceptive:   This system is made up of muscles, joints and tendons which work together to provide you with a sense of body position. It helps you adjust yourself while sitting.       It also helps us control small objects like holding a spoon and writing with a pen. Signs of proprioceptive dysfunction includes:   A lack of awareness of body position Tendency to fall easily Clumsiness Strange body posture Eating in a messy manner Problems with fine motor skills such as controlling small objects     Yoga improves the three systems   Yoga strengthen these three sensory systems by allowing the body to synchronize in order to complete the poses. The practice enhances all three systems by increasing sensory input to the brain through muscle stretching and strengthening.       With continuous practice, children may become more aware of their body position in space. More benefits of incorporating yoga into a sensory diet includes:   Improves balance, bilateral coordination and eye movement Stimulates serotonin (calming hormone) Builds self-esteem and confidence     Yoga techniques for children:     Ok, this was when my three boys came in.       I demonstrated the flow of movements and invited them to imitate me.       In summary, no one actually paid attention to me and they ended up doing their own thing…       Though, I noticed that their balance improved over time and also their attention span.       At the end of two weeks, the older two were able to do at least one pose without out falling over.       Here are some poses that you can try with your little one. They are both simple yet effective.       Everyone can relax and have a laugh while doing them!       Downward Dog   Children can receive proprioception input by having pressure placed in their arms while vestibular input by having their having their heads inverted.   Place hands shoulder-width apart and spread your fingers Place your knees on the floor. Woof! Now you’re a dog! Press your hands into the mat and inhale Keep pressing your hands down onto the mat while gently lifting your knees off of the ground. Straighten your legs as much as you can. Exhale.     Tree Pose   Ok, my boys struggled with this pose because it involves the body working hard to achieve balance. Balance is a ‘no-way’ for my boys at the moment, they are so wiggly and playful.   Practising this pose over a period of time, however, improves equilibrium.   First stand straight and elongate your back. Place your feet side-by-side, touching each other. Place your arms at your side Slowly shift your weight on to your right leg then slowly raise your left foot off of the floor. Align the raised left foot to touch the inner part of your right thigh. Inhale and exhale deeply Raise your arms to the ceiling with palms pressed together to make an inverted V     My four-year old barely managed to get his right foot to touch his left inner thigh. He did, however, had loads of fun trying.           Breathing in..   One important component of yoga is breathing and relaxation exercises.     There are numerous neurophysiological benefits in controlled, deep breathing such as:   Improves the parasympathetic function (calm and digest system) Reduces anxiety Increases oxygen which helps in alertness Decreases fatigue Promotes healthy sleep patterns Facilitates a healthy mental state       Deep relax breathing for Children:       Pretend Balloon   Let the child sit comfortably on a chair Place their hands around their mouth to create a fake balloon Demonstrate to the child how to breath deeply through the nose Teach the child to exhale deeply, with each exhale, expand the hands as if it was a balloon being pumped.   Blowing bubbles   Fetch a straw and a bowl of water mixed with dish liquid Ensure your child does not drink the liquid! Show your little one how you breathe out to create the bubbles See who can make the highest tower!     Worth a try     Overall, my boys had loads of fun trying out these techniques. Yoga can be a fun, stimulating and engaging exercise for your little ones.       Start slowly at first and don’t worry about getting things right straight away. Keep the exercise light and playful so that your kids would enjoy the experience.       My boys enjoy yoga so I will keep it in their exercise schedule. The messiness and wobbling definitely adds laughter into the mix!    

There has been an increase in sleeping disorders due to the pandemic. BAME groups, mothers and essential workers make up a large percentage of those who are being affected. Weighted blankets are proven to improve sleep.

 written by Rayan Stanislaus   Mental health has been hit hard during this pandemic.   What is interesting is how this has triggered a wave of strange coping mechanisms. I remember reading an article about how hot-tubs have become a hot-seller due to a phenomenon called ‘stress-shopping.’   No, it wasn’t just toilet paper, so many people were buying hot-tubs that suppliers could not keep up! Everyone is now looking for that ‘happiness in a can’ that they can release whenever they feel overwhelmed.   I’m guilty of some weird coping mechanisms and I am sure you are too.That teeth-grinding thing that I do? It’s stress!   Your need to organise every spice bottle in your cupboard?    Also stress.       When I think about stress-relief, one non-weird thing that comes to mind is a relaxing Thai massage...something that I’ll have to wait a few months for.     Why are massages so relaxing, anyway?   It’s the same reason why some babies love being wrapped up tightly in their cuddly blankets.   That ‘feel good’ sensation is called Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS) or Deep Touch Pressure (DTP); terms that I came across often when I started learning about Autism and ADHD.   What exactly is deep pressure therapy?   Simply put, deep pressure therapy involves applying pressure equally across the body. You can think of it as being bear-hugged from head to toe.   Deep pressure therapy triggers a calming response similar to one that you may feel when you are hugged tightly by a loved one. There is definitely science at play when it comes to ‘feeling good.’   In this blog, I’ll explain the benefits of deep pressure therapy and explain why products such as weighted blankets are ‘must-haves’ in your home self-care basket.   How exactly Does Deep Pressure therapy work?   Firstly, we need to understand the biology of how our body reacts to our environment.   The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a component of the body’s central nervous system which controls other systems such as the circulatory system, endocrine system, digestive system, excretory system and reproductive system.   The ANS works by responding to stimuli without a person’s conscious effort. In layman’s terms, this system does all the work without your permission. This is all great stuff! imagine placing a reminder on your schedule to digest your broccoli...   The ANS consist of two systems that work together; the Sympathetic system and the Parasympathetic system.     The Sympathetic system  This system is responsible for your ‘fight or flight’ response.   When your brain senses danger, the sympathetic system responds by causing your body to react and get away from that danger.  This system stimulates your body to increase your heart rate, force heart contractions, widen your pupils and slow down digestion.   No time to digest that broccoli when your body is trying to save you from basically dying.   Think about a time when you swerved away to avoid a car accident or when you quickly moved your hand away from that hot pan on the stove. You did not have time to actually think about how to respond to these threats; your body reacted automatically to avoid them.    This system is obviously extremely vital to our survival..though, it comes at a price.   The sympathetic system works by releasing ‘stress hormones’, such as adrenaline, into the bloodstream, When this is done too frequently, our bodies can become very stressed and exhausted.     It can eventually put a strain on our organs, disrupt our sleep patterns and cause damage to our overall mental health.   Mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression and dementia are all linked to the over-activity of the sympathetic system.   Some diseases such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension could cause the sympathetic system to become overactive. This further leads to more medical complications when left untreated.   Luckily for us, the second component of the ANS keeps the sympathetic system in check; the Parasympathetic system.   Parasympathetic system  The parasympathetic system tells the body how to react in normal, non-threatening situations, like when the body is at rest.    This system reverses the responses that were triggered by the sympathetic system by slowing the heart rate and decreasing blood pressure. Therefore, circulation is improved throughout the body.    Processes like digestion are also improved and overall, the body starts functioning more efficiently. In other words, this system restores and conserves our body’s resources.    So, what does all of this have to do with deep pressure therapy?  So in a nutshell, we’ve learned that the sympathetic system releases stress hormones that are needed for us to get away from danger. On the other hand, the parasympathetic system releases ‘calming’ hormones to facilitate restoration to our bodies.    When Deep Pressure Therapy is applied to the body regularly, it brings balance between these two systems. DPT stimulates the parasympathetic system to release ‘happy’ hormones more steadily while the body’s need to ‘fight or flight’ decreases.   Because this therapy gives the same sensation of a hug or a massage, ‘happy hormones’ such as Oxytocin are released into the bloodstream, causing the body to de-stress and relax.     The ‘Hug-box’    Dr. Temple Grandin is regarded as the pioneer of deep pressure therapy. Her work even led to her building her own ‘hug-box’ to reduce illnesses such as anxiety. Diagnosed with autism herself, her life’s work is centred on the understanding of the illness and advocating for its awareness.    Her work has proven that the use of sensory modulation techniques such as deep pressure therapy can help individuals with an overactive sympathetic system and sensory processing disorders.   Benefits of Deep Pressure therapy  The benefits DPT are vast. Evidence shows that it aids in reducing stress and improves overall health.   Even animals can benefit from this form of therapy, remember to give your dog a big hug next time when he/she is feeling anxious! Though, not everyone will experience every benefit, regular practice of deep pressure therapy may: Reduce anxiety and stress Facilitate a sense of calmness Improve sleep patterns Encourages a happy mood Aid in reducing some chronic pains Decreases hypersensitivity to touch Lowers the occurrences of seizures Improves overall communicativeness Enhances focus   How do you practice Deep Pressure therapy? You can practice DPT using simple deep massages, wrapping yourself in a blanket and even by being tightly hugged.   If you’re more of an ‘on-the-go’ person who requires your relaxation to be more ‘portable,’ there are products such as weighted blankets, weighted vests, weighted lap pillows, weighted collars and even weighted toys available.       ‘Portable Happiness?’ Weighted blankets are very popular and work by applying pressure to the whole body (remember when I mentioned being bear-hugged?)    On the other hand, if you’re looking for pressure to be applied to specific parts of your body then weighted vests, or weighted wrist and ankle weights may be best for you.   Before you go browsing online for weighted products however, you should understand the risks of using them incorrectly.   Weighted blankets are not recommended for children under the age of three and under 50 pounds, as it increases the risk of suffocation.   Also, weighted products can be ineffective if they are too light and harmful if they are too heavy for the person who is using them.   When buying weighted blankets, your best bet is to purchase products that are ‘made-to-measure.’ This allows you to:   Use your specific body ratio to design the optimum weight and length for effectiveness Choose your favourite fabric and textures Customize your blanket by picking your favourite colours and design   Your new best friend No wonder why so many young children refer to their blankets as their best friend. A weighted blanket can become your best friend, too.   From understanding how applying pressure to the body can make you feel good, it makes sense why so many people are now adding weighted products to their self-care plan.   Deep pressure therapy can be extremely beneficial to people with sensory processing disorders such as ADHD and Autism but also to people who are experiencing stress, anxiety, insomnia and chronic pains.   A Thai massage is definitely something that I am looking forward to, though having the option of feeling that sensation while snuggling up to a fire place sounds like an awesome deal.   It may very well come close to your ‘happiness in a can’.