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Special Needs Parenting

Let’s Talk Childhood Mental Illness

By Sharla Kostelyk

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Childhood mental illness is on the rise. A 2010 study by The National Institute on Mental Health found that one in five youth are affected by at least one type of mental disorder. There is a lot of speculation about why that is. Is it the rise in technology, the decrease in time spent outdoors, reduced face to face interactions, environmental toxins, social media, sleep, or economic downturn? Or is it just that there is more awareness and therefore an increase in diagnosis?girl sits on floor with head down and teddy bear beside her. Text reads "Let's Talk Childhood Mental Illness"

I am not an expert in psychiatry, science, or medicine. Therefore, I am not going to attempt to tackle those questions.

What I am is a parent. A parent whose life has been deeply affected by childhood mental illness.

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article entitled Admitting Your Child to a Mental Health Hospital. The words and experience resonated with other parents. Some even used the article to reach out to their circles for sometimes the first time to share with them what they had been going through.

That article was shared tens of thousands of times.

Since then, the flood of emails and private messages has been overwhelming. I’m honoured that people chose to share their personal stories and emotions with me and I carry them close to my heart. It is for those people and others like them that I am writing this follow-up article.

Some of the stories were so heavy that they were hard to carry. I had to step away from my computer for two days that first week as the weight of it became too much.

Children with anxiety so debilitating they no longer attend school, teens lost to addiction or suicide, parents signing over their rights as the only way to keep their child safe, families torn apart.

I tell you this because I need you to understand that there are so many families walking this road. Their stories are all different and yet, there are choruses that ring the same.

  • They all love their children fiercely.
  • They are weary.
  • Worry keeps them up at night.
  • They fear for how this is affecting their other children.
  • They worry that they are not enough.
  • Their whole family is suffering.
  • They don’t know where to turn or what steps they should take to help their child. This sometimes paralyzes them.
  • There are not enough supports or programs available in their area.
  • Parents carry with them the additional burdens of guilt and shame as they keep the secret of what is really going on in their homes.

Can we rise up and make our voices heard? Mental illness in children is becoming an epidemic.

The demand for qualified professionals and effective treatments is rising faster than it seems the nation can keep up with it. While I can’t solve that, I know that silence is what perpetuates this.

Join me in erasing the stigma of mental illness by sharing your story.

Know that you are not alone. There are so many who are also walking this road.

Let’s talk about childhood mental illness and the effect it’s having on our society, our schools, our young people, and our homes. Just as we would share with friends and family if our child were suffering from a cold or the flu or had been diagnosed with a more serious physical disease such as asthma, we need to be sharing about how our kids are doing from a mental health perspective.

What if you didn’t have to carry this burden alone?

The magical thing about when we share our truth is that it allows others to share theirs.

Last week, when I shared about our decision to admit our daughter to a mental health treatment facility, it gave others the courage to tell their stories too. I’m not suggesting that you need to do as I did and announce it to the world. I’m not even saying that you have to announce it on Facebook.

But what if instead of being isolated and feeling like no one understands, you chose one or two trusted people to share with?

When I was debating whether or not I should write our experience, my friend said to me “Feeling alone is the cancer that fuels this. We worry about judgement, blame, and carry so much guilt. Which isolates us more. Are we perpetuating the stigma against mental health issues by being quiet about it?” So I put my thoughts to paper in the hopes that I could help others share their stories and feel less alone.

I’ll share with you the power of choosing the share your story. In my article about our daughter going to a mental health hospital, I shared this:

This kind of life can be so isolating. There are things that have happened in our home that unless you are also walking this path of mental health disease in your children would shock you. My husband and I have literally said to each other, “who could we ever tell this to?”

Last Sunday night, my husband and I sat around our friends’ kitchen table. We found the answer to the question “who could we ever tell this to?”. Because they had walked this road too. They understood. By the end of the evening, we were even laughing about the fact that none of us would ever have thought we could share our calling 9-1-1 experiences with others!

It felt so good to be around others who “get it”. To be able to be real and not worry about judgment. I want that for you too.

But for us to be able to get to that place, we first had to take a deep breath and say “my child struggles with mental health issues”.

Help me end the stigma. Not just for our kids who are suffering. But for us. I want you to be able to sit around your friend’s kitchen table and be real and raw and still know that you are loved.

Join me for a free 5 part email series, Little Hearts, Big Worries offering resources and hope for parents.

You might also be interested in reading:

Admitting Your Child to a Mental Health Hospital

Childhood Anxiety

What I Wish You Knew About Parenting a Child with Reactive Attachment DisorderWhat I Wish You Knew About being a parent to a child who has RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder)

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Filed Under: Special Needs Parenting

Admitting Your Child to a Mental Health Hospital

By Sharla Kostelyk

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Last week, we quietly admitted our daughter to a mental health treatment facility. I say “quietly” because we told very few people at the time. There was no Facebook announcement, no sendoff.

My friend Michelle sat beside me at intake where I shakily signed form after form. I was there for 5 hours learning more about the program and answering questions to help them better care for our daughter and then I walked out alone. I felt empty and scared.empty hospital hallway with text that reads "admitting your child to a mental health hospital"The decision to admit our daughter was not one we had arrived at lightly. In fact, the wait list for this particular program was about a year long, so we had had a lot of time to think and rethink our decision. No matter how conflicted we felt though, the bottom line remained the same: we had to give it a try. We were out of other options. We had tried medication, therapy, and outpatient treatment programs. She was suffering. Our family was hurting. We were all living in fear as she continued to decline. It was time.

Our daughter has 3 mental health diagnoses. I’m choosing not to name them in this story because I don’t want this to just be about her and about us. My hope is that you see other stories in ours, to help you better understand and support families you may know who are facing this decision. Or perhaps you’ll see your own story in ours and feel less alone.

There is still such a stigma surrounding mental health. If our daughter had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and she had to be hospitalized for a prolonged period until they could stabilize the disease and if during that time, we had to attend clinics on nutrition and lifestyle changes and information pertaining to her disease and treatment, no one would bat an eye.

We would have announced it on Facebook and put it in the prayer chain at church. There would have been an outpouring of casseroles and prayers and offers to help with our other kids.

But this isn’t the kind of thing that you announce on Facebook or tell people you run into. There is that protective feeling of wanting to shield her from judgment and scrutiny but a knowing that doing that also creates more shame around her disease.

We wrestled with our own feelings of embarrassment, guilt, and shame. We questioned “what could we have done differently?”.

We worry constantly that while almost all of our attention has been focused on the two of our kids with mental health issues, that a crisis could be building in one of our other kids and we may be missing it.

We feel like we are just doing triage, going from one literal crisis to another. It’s hard to even catch our breath.

This kind of life can be so isolating. There are things that have happened in our home that unless you are also walking this path of mental health disease in your children would shock you. My husband and I have literally said to each other, “who could we ever tell this to?”

Do you have any idea how isolating it is to live through “who could we ever tell this to?”? Who would be able to understand (and not judge) things that we can hardly even believe really happen?

Isolation can lead to feelings of hopelessness.

You need a village.

Just 4 days after our daughter’s admission, I found myself at a woman’s event at our church. In line at the buffet table, I answered “fine” to “how are you?” and “good” to “how are all the kids doing?” even though the truth was far from that.

The lie stung in my throat, making it hard to swallow.

Later that morning after the speaker had gone and the room cleared out, I was once again faced with “how are you?”

This time, there was no one else within earshot. I also knew the woman asking had gone through her own trials in life which made it feel safer to share mine.

As the story tumbled out, her eyes filled first with compassion and then with tears. She hugged me and we cried together. And then a magical thing happened. She pulled out her phone and pulled up her calendar and typed in our family’s name on her Wednesday afternoon and evening.

You see, I had shared that one of the many challenges we are now facing is that this program is super intensive and mandates that both parents attend parent sessions and family therapies and on Wednesdays, the time commitment works out to be 6 hours. Wednesday also just happens to be the hardest day for us to find child care for the other kids.

Here was this woman who was not just saying that she would pray for our family or would be “thinking of us”, but actually meeting a need, saying “my husband and I will be there this Wednesday and we will bring supper so you don’t have to worry about that”. What a gift.

You need a village. (worth repeating)

It’s only been a week, and already, we’ve needed to lean on our village.

That first admission day when my friend Michelle sat beside me? She did so much more than that. When I picked her up that morning, she presented our daughter with a gift and a card and these words: “Congratulations! I hear you got into an awesome school that’s super hard to get into and has a long waiting list. You are so lucky!” (all true)

She held us both up in that moment. Later, she took notes in the meetings. My brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders that morning due to the stress and I was sure I would forget important details. She took notes and remembered to ask things that had slipped my mind.

That same morning, one of our other daughters had woken up throwing up (from the stress) and my mom had come to our house to care for her. She also did laundry and changed our sheets. Do you know what a gift it was to crawl into fresh sheets that night after a long and emotional day?!

The night before the admission, we had a crisis here at home with our daughter. During that crisis, my neighbour offered to keep the other kids, to shield them from the worst of it, and to drive kids to and from piano and tutoring. Knowing that my other kids would be safe was also a gift.

Other friends took us out for supper the night of the intake. Honestly, we didn’t feel like going. We both just wanted to crawl into that bed with the fresh sheets and sleep for years. But we had committed and so we went and we ate good food and we were held up by people who loved us and after awhile, we even found ourselves laughing and almost forgetting. Another gift in the midst of such pain.

Is a mental health hospital the right place for your child?

Mental health hospital admissions are all different. For some, it may be an emergency safety admission that lasts for one or two days until the imminent threat has passed. For others, it may be a 30 or 90 day stay.

Our daughter’s program is 4-5 months where she stays at the hospital Monday to Friday and attends school, art therapy, music therapy, group therapy, animal therapy, and family therapy on site and is home on weekends with specific goals to work on at that time. Her program requires an intense commitment from both parents both in time and energy and an even more intense commitment from her.

And when her program ends, that is really only the beginning of the journey for us. We still have a long ways to go.

Perhaps you have come to a place where you find yourself at what feels like the end of the road in your child’s mental health journey. You don’t know what more can be done at home to keep them safe and healthy. Your family is fraying.

You walk around on eggshells every day, worried about what may set your child off. Or perhaps you hardly sleep at night worried that they may harm themselves or others.

I am not a professional and this advice is not meant to replace medical advice. You should always consult with a qualified mental health professional before making these decisions.

When to consider admitting your child to a mental health hospital:

  • they are unsafe at home
  • they are a risk to themselves or others
  • they are under the care of a psychiatrist and/or therapist but are still not stabilizing
  • the family is not able to manage their symptoms at home
  • even working with professionals, you still cannot find the right medications or dosing
  • you or other family members are living in fear
  • your child expresses thoughts of or plans for suicide or attempts suicide
  • addiction
  • upon recommendation of your child’s doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist

Some of the symptoms/diagnoses that MAY require treatment at a mental health facility:

  • suicidal ideation, suicide attempts
  • self harm
  • violent rages
  • inability to cope with life
  • eating disorders
  • severe mood swings
  • depression
  • debilitating anxiety
  • reactive attachment disorder
  • post traumatic stress disorder or developmental trauma disorder
  • obsessive compulsive disorder
  • bipolar disorder
  • schizophrenia
  • substance abuse or addiction
  • Tourette’s
  • autism
  • oppositional defiance disorder
  • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • conduct disorder

Remember that a stay at a mental health facility is one tool that patients and their families can use. It does not create a cure, but it can be the beginning of more stability in the mood disorder or mental illness.

How to be the village:

  • Act the same way you would if their child had had to go into the hospital for a serious physical illness.
  • Show up. Just sit there. Be present.
  • Affirm that this decision must be so hard but that you know they love their child and that this is what their child needs right now. Parents carry so much guilt. They need to be reminded that they are good parents, willing to do hard things like sending their child to get the right help, even when all their instincts as a parent scream at them to keep their child close.
  • Take their other children for play dates, outings, or activities so that the parents can rest. They will typically crash physically and emotionally for at least a few weeks, possibly even months depending on what led up to the hospital admission. Having time to be alone and rest will help them to heal faster.
  • Do something kind for the other kids. Bring a small gift, especially something like a craft or activity they can do. Spend time listening to them or playing a board game or Lego with them. They have likely been getting less than their share of attention in recent months as their parents have had to put the sick sibling at the top of the time and attention list. Siblings can carry their own worry and feelings of guilt.
  • Bring healthy food. Snacks, meals, or gift cards for restaurants or take-out. And remind them to eat.
  • If they are married, help them protect their marriage in the crisis by watching the other kids for them to have date nights, by encouraging their relationship, and by giving them opportunities to spend time with other couples.
  • Sit and have tea or coffee with them. Let them cry and express all kinds of feelings. Regret, sorrow, relief at the new peace in their home, fear because the peace is temporary, dread about the future.
  • Or just watch TV with them or take them to a movie or invite them to dinner. Sometimes it’s also nice not to talk about it.
  • Offer to attend important appointments to take notes or hold their hand and debrief afterwards.
  • Pray for them.
  • Help them research. It is beyond exhausting to try to find programs and services and funding and these families are having a hard enough time just getting through each day. Help them research or make calls or fill out forms. There are so many forms.
  • Serve them in practical ways. Laundry, housework, errands, house repairs. Dishes still pile up even when it feels like the world is crumbling down.
  • Drop off comfort items. Chocolate or coffee or wine or whatever their comfort thing is.
  • Send gas or grocery gift cards or cash. Having a family member in the hospital often means time off work, parking fees, extra driving, and additional expenses. There can also be a high cost for the treatment program and medications.
  • Remind them that you are thinking of them and that what they are doing to fight for their child’s health does not go unnoticed.

If you are walking this road yourself, I’m thinking of you. It’s sure not an easy one. It’s likely not one you ever imagined when you began your parenthood journey. I know I didn’t! Please know that you are not alone.

Join me for a free 5 part email series, Little Hearts, Big Worries offering resources and hope for parents.

You may also want to read:

Let’s Talk Childhood Mental Illness

The Waves of Grief in Special Needs Parenting

What I Wish You Knew About Parenting a Child with Reactive Attachment DisorderWhat I Wish You Knew About being a parent to a child who has RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder)

50 Awesomely Simple Calm Down Strategies for Kids

Parenting Myth: You’re Only as Happy as Your Saddest Child

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Filed Under: Special Needs Parenting

Sensory Beds for Kids

By Sharla Kostelyk

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It is common for children who have sensory issues to have trouble with sleep. For some, it’s trouble falling asleep (this is more common) while for others, it’s trouble staying asleep. Making changes in your child’s bedroom can make a big change. Sometimes, they may need a special sensory bed to help them sleep.

As a mom of kids with sensory challenges myself, I can tell you that improving their sleep has made a HUGE difference. Healthy sleep patterns lead to improved concentration and cognition, better moods, reduced stress, and better overall mental and physical health. Over the years, we’ve discovered some sleep solutions for sensory needs that truly work.

boy holding a white teddy bear with text that reads "Sensory Beds for Kids"There are changes that can be made to bedtime routine, the sensory environment, and diet that positively impact a child’s ability to sleep even with sensory issues. You can read those suggestions here. If you have made those changes to your child’s room and nighttime routine and are still not seeing improvements, it may be time to resort to more drastic measures such as changing your child’s bed.

Begin by taking a look at their room and seeing if there are simpler changes you can make. Declutter, minimize visual and auditory distractions, and ensure that there isn’t anything bothering them in their room from a sensory standpoint.

Look for things such as:

  • shadows or lights
  • areas of clutter
  • unusual textures
  • smells
  • sounds
  • cold drafts or heat coming up through a vent

I like the suggestion here of playing a version of I-Spy with your child in their room so that you can better understand what they see and what may be affecting their ability to sleep.

When it comes to bedding, avoid busy patterns, rough or scratchy fabric, or tags.

Some children are very sensitive to any light whereas others need some light. There are some soothing night light options or you can string coloured LED lights along their ceiling (two of our kids have opted for this option and LOVE it). For kids who usually prefer the dark but are sometimes afraid, use glow sticks. They are inexpensive and give off a soft light.

Sensory Beds:

Once you’ve made the room as conducive as you can to sleep, if your child is still struggling at night, consider if making a change to their bed may be helpful. Start with the minimum which is the sheets and blankets before switching out the actual bed.

Bed Sheets:

Many kids respond well to the feeling of pressure (proprioception) that a Lycra sheet provides. You can purchase one or make your own. These stretchy sensory sheets help kids feel more secure and enable them to get their proprioceptive needs met. For many kids, this means a better night sleep.

Blankets:

In much the same way as the Lycra sheet provides proprioceptive feedback, weighted blankets can help children (and adults for that matter!) to get a better night’s sleep. I suggest trying the sheet first as weighted blankets can be expensive and are not recommended for use with very young children.

Before investing in an “official” weighted blanket, you may want to have your child try sleeping under heavier blankets that you have or borrow from friends.

My aunt made my boys thick quilts out of old jeans with another fabric on the back. Between the denim, quilting batting, and the other thick fabric, they are very heavy blankets. These worked well for us to test out which kids would benefit from having a weighted blanket.

Generally, experts recommend that a weighted blanket be 10 percent of a child’s body weight plus one pound. Always consult with your child’s doctor before using a weighted blanket. They should NEVER be used with babies or toddlers under the age of 2.

Privacy Tents:

There are many types of privacy bed tents. Some are designed for fun or play, but many are designed with sensory struggles in mind. When a child is inside a bed tent, they are able to shut out other distractions. It provides a feeling of security as well as eliminating a lot of the extraneous sensory input in the room.

If presented as a fun “campout at home” option, kids are usually excited to give the bed tent a try. Even for those who don’t like confined spaces they can work as there are some types that offer the option of keeping one side open.

Hammock or Swing:

While the thought of swinging or swaying while I sleep makes me feel nauseous, for sensory seekers, it can be just what is needed. Be sure to consult your child paediatrician before allowing your child to sleep in a swing nest or hammock.

Privacy Pop Bed Tent (Twin)Privacy Pop Bed Tent (Twin)Privacy Pop Bed Tent (Twin)Privacy Pop Up Warm Breathable PitchBlackPrivacy Pop Up Warm Breathable PitchBlackPrivacy Pop Up Warm Breathable PitchBlackKids Dream Bed Tent Space AdventureKids Dream Bed Tent Space AdventureKids Dream Bed Tent Space AdventureBed CanopyBed CanopyBed CanopyHanging Swing Nest with PillowHanging Swing Nest with PillowHanging Swing Nest with PillowCotton HammockCotton HammockCotton HammockSensory Bed Sheet for KidsSensory Bed Sheet for KidsSensory Bed Sheet for KidsWeighted BlanketWeighted BlanketWeighted Blanket

If you’re looking for more practical strategies that work for your child’s everyday sensory needs for things like picky eating, clothing issues, difficulty regulating emotions, meltdowns, and challenging behaviours, you’ll want to read Sensory Processing Explained. 
Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities (just pop your email into the box below) and get a printable list of 175 Great Sensory Ideas.

You may also be interested in reading:

Sleep Solutions for Kids with Sensory Needsweighted blanket for sleep

Does my Child have Sensory Processing Disorder?

Hair Care: Tips for Kids with Sensory Struggles

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Filed Under: Sensory, Special Needs Parenting

The Sandwich Structure Theory

By Sharla Kostelyk

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What if I told you that there is one change you could make to your parenting that could potentially make everything easier for your child? I’m guessing that you might be willing to give it a try even if it didn’t sound like all that much fun or if it went outside of your comfort zone.Sometimes the way we want to do things may not be what’s best for our child. That’s a hard realization to come to. When it first hit me that part of my parenting style was not what my child needed, it was hard to accept. Yes, it was hard because I felt guilty for not having met my child’s needs, but I’m going to be honest here and admit that that wasn’t the hardest part. The real hard part was that it meant that I was going to have to change. And change is hard.

You see, I was this fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of gal when it came to our days. I find schedules confining. While I’m a planner in most things, when it came to doing things with the kids, I was super flexible and we just kind of did whatever we felt like when we felt like it.

I was pretty strict with the whole bedtime thing because I coveted those nice, quiet evenings, but during the day, there was no set routine. We were homeschooling, so we got up when we wanted to get up, went on whatever field trips sounded interesting, ate lunch when it worked best that particular day, went to the park if it was nice outside, stayed in if it wasn’t, made crafts if the fancy struck us, read, watched TV, ran errands, sometimes threw some learning time in there. Essentially, we did what we wanted to when we wanted to.

(Of course, I’m only talking about our time. I don’t mean that our kids didn’t have rules and chores and all that good stuff. I’m just trying to paint the picture that no two days looked alike and I had no real plan. And that’s the way I liked it.)

We were basically unschoolers and while there is certainly nothing wrong with that, there came a point where that stopped working for us because…we had more kids. It wasn’t the “more” that was the issue. It was that with our older two kids, having no structure worked. They could function within that. Our subsequent kids needed structure.

It became more and more evident to me that this whole unstructured non-routine-routine was not what they needed. It may partially have been due to their personalities, but it was for sure mostly to do with their special needs and how important routine and predictability are for kids on the autism spectrum or who have FASD or ADHD or SPD etc.

I needed to take an honest look at their needs and realize that I was falling short on meeting them. Gulp. I was unintentionally hurting my kids by my lack of structure. I resisted change at first. I hoped there was another solution. But the more I watched my kids’ reactions, the more I realized what I had to do.

My kids needed routine. Maybe you’re at a point where you realize that your child does too.

Studies have proven that kids with family routines are more advanced socially and emotionally. They also help with executive functioning which is so important for success.

One of the things that reportedly causes children the most anxiety is the fear of the unknown. By creating a predictably routine to give them a solid foundation in their day, they can better handle the changes that come their way.

Even if you aren’t excited by the thought of having things more scheduled, it doesn’t have to be constricting.

I knew that it wouldn’t work to put ourselves on a strict schedule. It’s just not who we are. But we needed to find a solution. That’s how I came up with the Sandwich Structure Theory. If you’re not a planner, organizer, in the box person, you can still meet your child’s need for predictability using this method. Think of it like a triple layer sandwich. You need the bread (structure) on top, in the middle, and on the bottom. That’s what holds the sandwich together. But the beautiful thing about doing it this way is that you can fill the sandwich with whatever you want in between the layers.

That means that if you have a strong morning routine (the top bread), a plan for after school to prevent those after school meltdowns (the middle bread), and a consistent bedtime routine (the bottom bread), you change up the in betweens (sandwich fillings) and your child will be better able to cope with those changes.

By creating consistency, you create a feeling of safety for your child so that they can thrive. Being able to predict what’s coming reduces anxiety. They can function better in those unpredictable moments if they know that the main structure is solid. So if there’s a change in their school day, knowing that when they get home, that first half hour is always the same allows them to accept those other changes more easily.

Of course, some children, particularly those with special needs, require more routine than just the “bread”. For those kids, I suggest using tools such as a visual schedule. I think of those types of tools as like the mayo of a sandwich. Some people just have to have mayo on every sandwich no matter what!

And if your child needs another “piece of bread” such as always having lunchtime or naptime (for younger kids) at exactly the same time, it’s easy to add that in.

So that’s basically it. My Sandwich Structure Theory is that you create some predictable parameters in the day that never change which then allows you and your child more freedom because other things in between those times can be more loosy-goosy and the structure will still create that felt safety.

You might also be interested in reading:

Tips for Establishing an Effective Morning Routine

Ways to Use a Visual Schedule

The After School Meltdown Strategy

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Filed Under: Parenting in the Chaos, Special Needs Parenting

How to Help Your Special Needs Child Emotionally

By Sharla Kostelyk

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When it comes to having a special needs child, there is one thing you are guaranteed to deal with and that is emotions. It can be hard to read emotions, hard to understand emotions, and hard to deal with emotions. If you have a special needs child and need help handling their emotions, then you may need these tips in your life.

a mother and son both in white shirt and jeans sit back to back on a yellow couch with text that reads "How to Help Your Special Needs Child Emotionally"In some ways, we think too hard about what our kids may need in the emotions department and can forget about using the simplest tools. I’m hoping these tips help remind you of all the tools you have available in helping your special needs kids emotionally.

Here are tips for how to help your special needs child emotionally:

Listen to What They Are Saying

Your special needs child needs you to listen to them. More than ever, they need someone to sit down and listen to what they have to say. This may not look the same for every family. If your child is non-verbal, help validate their emotions by giving voice to what they may be feeling.

Spend Time With Your Child

Helping your special needs kids emotionally can be so tough. One way I have found that helps a lot is by spending time with your child. It can be something as simple as sitting on the couch together. Being together allows them to know that they are important to you.

Schedule a Date Night With Your Child

One on one time with each of your kids is so important. I know that it is hard to do, especially when parenting a child with special needs, but it is worth the investment. Regular date nights will help your child more than you know even if only once or twice a year. Have this night scheduled, so your child knows that it’s going to happen. This is a great time for you and your child to get on the same level emotionally.

Teach Your Child to Express Their Emotions

Trust me, this isn’t something that happens overnight, however, it’s critical. Special needs children need to learn how to express their emotions. The first thing you need to do for this is to give them an emotional vocabulary. You can also teach your children how to express their emotions by being a good role model for them. Show them how to find a healthy outlet for expressing emotions such as listening to music, singing, talking to someone, exercising, watching a movie, and practising good self-care.

Get Outside Help

If your child is showing signs of struggling with anxiety or depression, it may be time to seek outside help. You may need to seek a counsellor, psychiatrist, or therapist to help you in this journey. Seek out someone who has experience with the type of special needs that your child has been diagnosed with.

Acknowledge Their Emotions

Our kids have BIG emotions, small emotions, and some that we can’t even understand. Don’t forget to take the time and acknowledge all of these emotions. You’d be amazed at how a little acknowledgment can help a special needs child. Let them know that their emotions matter. Validate them by validating their feelings.

Your Child Needs a Safe Environment

When it comes to our special needs kids and their emotions, they need a safe environment to release those emotions into. Any child should have an environment in which they can safely release those emotions without feeling judged. In this safe environment, they can also release these emotions without repercussions. Your home should be an emotionally safe space for them, but you can go a step further and create a calm down space or special area for them to go to when they are upset. We have a calm down corner in our sensory room that our kids can go to.

Helping our special needs kids emotionally also comes down to emotional encouragement. Your special needs child needs access to people, places, and things that encourage healthy emotions. As a special needs parent, you witness first-hand what your child is going through. Offering encouragement is the emotional equivalent of holding their hand.

If you’re looking for more tips and encouragement, join me for a free 5 part email series, Little Hearts, Big Worries offering resources and hope for parents.

You may also be interested in reading:

Activities to Teach Kids About Emotions

How Special Needs Parents Can Best Support Each Other

Spider Emotions Matching Game

14 Things Your Special Needs Teen Needs to Hear You Say

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Filed Under: Special Needs Parenting

Spider Emotions Matching Game

By Sharla Kostelyk

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I truly believe that children learn best through play. Learning about emotions can be especially difficult for kids, so I find it best to take the scariness out of it by making it as easy and light as possible. That’s why I’ve created games and activities to help kids learn these concepts like this Spider Emotions Matching Game.

cards laid out on the floor and two cards held by a small hand. The text reads "Spider Emotions Matching Game"Just like in some of the other emotions learning activities I’ve created to help kids such as our Feelings Jenga, Pirate Emotions Playdough Mats, Unicorn Emotions Kit, this was designed with the same purpose in mind.

Spider Emotions Matching Game:

Materials needed: 

  • scissors
  • printed spider emotions pages (download them here)

Instructions:

  1. Print off the pages and cut them into cards.
  2. Set the cards out on a flat surface face down.
  3. Each player takes a turn flipping over two cards. If the description card matches the emotion card, the player keeps both cards. If not, they place them down in the same place face down again.
  4. The player who matches the most pairs wins.

For younger kids or kids who struggle more with identifying emotions, you can keep all the cards face up. It then becomes all about matching without the memory portion of the game being involved.  The game requires kids to predict what a certain circumstance or action would cause a spider to feel, so it’s best used to reinforce the concepts in children who already have an emotional vocabulary. These spiders are adorable. This is a cute activity for Hallowe’en at home or in a classroom. It’s a nice one to have set out in a quiet corner for kids who need a calm down area or for students who have completed their other work.

Get the free printable pages for this activity be entering your email below.

You may also be interested in:

Birthday Party Emotions Playdough Mats

Jenga Feelings Game

Spider Web Slime

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Filed Under: Crafts and Activities, Printables, Special Needs Parenting

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