Asperger’s Syndrome Sensory Overload

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Thought:

Wherever you choose to go, go there with all your heart.

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Like so many families, ours is touched by Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, Aspergers Syndrome.  My daughter was diagnosed in 2009 and while this was a challenging piece of information to initially digest, it answered so many questions about her general “quirkiness.”  So many of the traits she had now made sense and I had a way to categorize and help her. Autism Spectrum Disorder / Asperger’s Syndrome became my new topic of research. 

Being on the Autism Spectrum Disorder / Aspergers Syndrome, her life was filled with overwhelming and painful sensory stimuli, and the answers on some of these overstimulating situations were easier than others (sensory integration disorder).   

 

Before her diagnosis, a less than loving family member learned of her terror at any sound that was mechanical in nature – vacuum, blender, hair dryer, etc. caused her to cry.  Her advice was to place her into a small room with all of the offending noises, turn the appliances on, leave her alone, and shut the door.  The very thought of doing this to a three year old, even without knowing that she was on the Autism Spectrum Disorder or not offended every fiber of my mothering soul.  I didn’t do it, but used these appliances sparingly, even to the point of leaving the house with her and taking her to her Grammie so that I could run the vacuum.  

Sensory Overload in Autism

I learned that her sensory stimuli, resulting from her sensory integration disorder, was something she was always trying to avoid.  Her reaction to her stimulus at home was not her being naughty, but truly caused her pain;   Knowing the reason for her pain, associated with her Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are many things we now do to help her.  I I keep a set of earplugs in my purse (her school backpack, my church bag, and in the car) for her when the noise around her is overwhelming and making her life challenging.  She doesn’t react to light, but a busy mall, Target Store (Target sets her off – too many overhead signs), airport, and other busy public places are very distracting for her.  She also has sensory sensitivities to touch as well, associated with her Asperger’s Syndrome .  These are manifested in things like; her clothing must be very soft and she doesn’t like to be touched by someone walking up from behind, she has issues in having her hair brushed, and shower water is uncomfortable to her skin. 

As a result of her need for super soft clothing, she needed allergy free detergents and fabric softener.  I was using several times the recommended amounts and not getting the result that I needed for her to feel good in her clothes.  Nothing was working and she would pull at her clothes and had problems focusing.    With the help of my mother, we developed our own recipes to use in our laundry room.  I found that by removing chemicals contained in the retail laundry products my daughter did much better with her clothing softness issues. 

I quickly realized just how much I had been spending to try to resolve her sensory integration disorder challenges and in the process found I also received substantial savings.   I don’t know if it will work for you and your famliy, but i I can say that it worked for mine.

Learn how by replacing retail cleaning products you can help bring relief for sensory overload in individuals with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Isopropyl Alcohol: Top Five Uses

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Share your cleaning tips using isopropyl / rubbing alcohol

Thought:

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.

~James Allen~

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Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is a flammable chemical which we certainly associate the smell with hospitals and doctors’ offices.  It is used for its antibacterial and disinfectant properties as a first aid cleanser.  It also has numerous household uses. 

The children brought home a nasty intestinal bug from school!  Isopropyl alcohol was the first line of defense to kill the germs that could be lurking everywhere the children have touched!

1.  Spray and wipe down all door handles:  Use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to spray and wipe on all areas your sick ones might touch.  A few of the areas we might forget about where many germs can be spread:  door handles and doorknobs, kitchen cabinet handles, refrigerator, kitchen counters, dishwasher handle, toys, and all areas with items that are constantly used.

2.  Sanitize Cell Phones:  For a quick and easy way to disinfect your cell phone at home or the office, simply wipe down with isopropyl alcohol.  Simply pour a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth and wipe off all dirt, grime, and germs

3.  Disinfect Bathroom Fixtures:  Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol kills germs around your house but it is also a fantastic simple cleaner. Alcohol removes grime from household fixtures, give your door knobs a quick antiseptic clean with a cloth dampened with alcohol.  Pour some rubbing alcohol straight from the bottle onto a soft, absorbent cloth and wipe down the fixtures. There is no need to rinse. The alcohol evaporates, leaving chrome sparkling and free of germs.

 4.  Clean CDs and DVDs:  Cleaning the CDs and DVDs is so easy.  Those grimy fingerprints are so easy to clean with a soft cloth and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).  You will be amazed how simple and shiny clean the discs will be.  Another added benefit, they will play great!

5.  Clean Computer Mouse and Keyboard:  Computer equipment is another place where one would find lingering germs.  Not only will isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) kill the germs, it will actually make your mouse work better.  The alcohol will remove any residue, crumbs or dirt that has collected on the bottom.  Use a cotton tipped q-tip to clean the keys and the roller ball in your mouse.  I also use a soft cotton cloth, spray it with alcohol and wipe the area and the outside of the computer.  

There are many more uses for cleaning with isopropyl alcohol, explore the wonderful world of effective, inexpensive, convenient cleaning right at your fingertips.  If you have a sensitivity to alcohol, or would prefer not to use it, white vinegar is a great substitute.

For more information on isopropyl alcohol and homemade cleaners, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.

Portraits by Picture People for my daughter with Autism

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Child with Asperger's Syndrome portrait from Picture People - captures her passionApril is Autism Awareness Month, my daughter’s birthday, and time for portraits again.

I have spent a lot of time reflecting on what it means to have a child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder  with Aspergers Syndrome and the day to day challenges that we have.  Events which are normally celebrated and pass with little to no recognition, can bring about major turmoil in our home.

I have a wall of portraits in my home, some professionally done, and most done by me.  I am not a professional, by any stroke, but I have always marveled at the difference between the portraits taken professionally and mine.  (Indeed, she is more comfortable with those when she feels safe and secure.  Once when my daughter was just a year old, I picked her up from the table and removed her from the studio because her pictures were turning out horribly and the woman taking the portraits was losing patience with her. If only I would have known she was on the Autism Spectrum Disorder  with Aspergers Syndrome!)

Once, when my daughter was older,  we were discussing having portraits taken, she expressed to me that the large lights scared her and she had felt that they were going to explode.  (That would explain the worried look on her face for several years’ portraits! With her now on the Autism Spectrum Disorder answered many whys for us.)

Child has portraits taken at Picture People capturing her personality

A few years back, I wanted to do a portrait with my daughters and me to illustrate their individual personalities.  I had a coupon for the Picture People studio, and had heard good things about their work.  I called the studio and explained what I was looking for in portraits, and that I had a child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder with Aspergers Syndrome and Sensory Integration Disorder.  The manager, Patty M., spoke to me, and we made an appointment.

When we arrived at the studio, Patty made my daughters very comfortable and captured each of my daughters’ personalities.  I have never felt so pleased with a portrait experience as I did from Picture People and will be back there many times.

I highly recommend talking to and “vetting” anyone taking portraits of your family, especially of a child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Please feel free to post your portraits on our facebook wall.

Baking Soda Uses: Top 5 Favorite Beauty Tricks

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Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a cleaning staple in my home, now I have discovered even more ways to use baking soda and I would like to share with you my top five uses:

1. Shampoo Enhancer:  I love to use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to wash my hair!  I keep a small plastic container (frosting tub) with my shampoo.  I place a very small bead of shampoo in the palm of my hand and then add a hand scoop of baking soda to the mixture.  I mix the shampoo and the baking soda and apply to my hair.  Wash as you normally do.  When you rinse you will really feel how soft and clean your hair will feel.

Sodium Bicarbonate removes residue from all of the hair products you might be using.  This is a great clarifying shampoo at a small price!  With summer right around the corner, after a dip in the pool, rinse your hair with a mild mixture of a half teaspoon of baking soda in 16 oz. of water.  This will condition your hair to remove the dull, harsh, and brittle feeling caused from the chlorinated water.

2.  Facial and Body Exfoliating:  While showering, I put soap on my bath puff and dip a small amount of baking soda onto it.  I wash my face and body with the soap and baking soda mixture.  My skin feels soft and smooth, I just love this!

3.  Pre-Shaving Treatment for Sensitive Skin:  I suffer from razor burn something terrible.  I use my baking soda that I keep in my shower to ease and precondition my skin before shaving.  I use about one tablespoon to a cup of water.  This is hit or miss on the exactness since I do this in the shower.  I wash my legs with the solution and then shave.

My husband finds that this mixture helps his sensitive skin before he shaves and if he forgets he uses it as a soothing aftershave rinse.  Presto, razor burn greatly reduced.

4.  Tooth Powder:  Use 1 cup sodium bicarbonate with 1/3 cup salt.  (Ratio 3 baking soda to 1 part salt)

Toothpaste: Use three (3) parts baking soda to one (1) part salt; add one (1) tablespoon glycerin.  For the flavor use 15 drops of essential oils of your choice.  You might enjoy, anise, cinnamon, peppermint, vanilla or wintergreen,   we like the vanilla wintergreen.  Use small amounts of water to make a paste. Fill a small squeeze bottle (the refillable kind) with your new tooth paste.

For the less adventurous:  place a small amount of baking soda in the palm of your hand and dip your toothpaste in the baking soda and brush your teeth.  Whatever your method of use, you will love the clean fresh feeling of your teeth.

5.  Mouthwash:  For a refreshing breath use a quick and easy homemade mouthwash using sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water.  Wash out your old mouthwash bottle.  For every four ounces of water use 1teaspoon baking soda.  If your bottle is a 32 ounce bottle use eight teaspoons baking soda.  To add your favorite flavor use 10 to 20 drops of essential oils (food grade quality).  Our favorites are:  cinnamon, peppermint, or vanilla mint.

To learn more about baking soda and homemade cleaners, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.


 

 

Eye Contact and Aspergers Syndrome Children

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Eyes of Aspergers SyndromeParenting or helping children with Aspergers Syndrome can bring its own challenges, and one area that provides many differences between parenting a child with Aspergers Syndrome and the Neurotypical child is eye contact.  The neurotypical paradigm on eye contact is that when we listen to someone, in order to show our interest, we use good visual communication.  For an individual with Autism or Aspergers Syndrome, direct eye contact is often fleeting and even non-existent.  My daughter has recently been able to find a way to describe how she feels about non verbal communication.  She stated that she feels afraid, threatened, and intimidated when she holds eye contact with a person.

Certainly, as a parent, these are the last emotions I want to invoke in my child, or anyone, for that matter!  I know that when she is not looking at me directly, that she is aware and very often listening to me.  (In fact, with her sensory sensitivities, she is hearing EVERYTHING around her, from the buzz of a light, the spinning of a DVD in the player, others breathing, and my voice.)  She is taking everything in, nothing is leaving.

So, how to balance the need of neurotypical individuals and “social convention” (using the words of “Dr. Sheldon Cooper,” from the CBS show, “The Big Bang Theory”) of appropriate eye contact with the needs of the person with Aspergers Syndrome to maintain a safe sensory input level and in their world, safety?

According to our society, direct eye contact is required when conversing with someone, or receiving instructions.  Hence the much used phrase we as parents always say, “Look at me when I am talking to you.”  For children with Asperger’s Syndrome, demanding direct eye contact could bring about the exact opposite result.  Your Asperger’s Syndrome child does not need direct  visual communication.  Their sensory sensitivities seemed to be always fine tuned to all that is around them.

I found the following information written for parents working with non verbal communication and their child with Aspergers Syndrome. This information is written with the parent in mind, but applies to spending time around all persons with Aspergers Syndrome.

  • Seeking opportunities to make direct eye contact attractive or appealing, such as holding some favored item up near your face, while requesting eye contact.
  • Accepting your child’s need to make fleeting visual communication, look away, and then look back.
  • Accepting your child’s “ballpark” approximation of non verbal communication if he stares at your ears, mouth, or some area of your face other than your eyes while you are talking.
  • Accepting your child’s need to look away from your eyes in order to formulate a thoughtful, articulate response.

It is simple to replace retail cleaning products and it can help bring relief for sensory overload in individuals with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Advertising Slogans Repeating in My Head

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Busy Supermarket filled with frenzied shoppersThought:

 ”Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don’t have on something that they don’t need.”

~ Will Rogers~

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 Why can’t I get that crazy advertising slogans out of my head?  These advertising slogans and   little jingles are designed to do just that, promote emotional sales!  While they can be quite catchy, funny slogans, and entertaining,  they have absolutely nothing to do with the performance, convenience, quality, benefits, or cost.  The  advertising slogans used by the advertising agency use the funny slogans and  jingles to promote their products; entice us to  make an impulsive purchase based on the funny slogans or jingles.

A perfect example of having the advertising agency and advertising slogans persuade my purchasing  reminds me of a time when I was a young mother crazily going up and down each grocery aisle searching for “Poopon.”  Dena was two years old and adamant that she needed “Poopon!”  Everything I presented was wrong she continued to repeat she wanted “Poopon.” I could not find what she wanted anywhere in the store. We left the store, Dena was tearful and I was very puzzled as to what “Poopon” was and where had she come up with the idea.  I would have certainly fallen victim to impulsive buying if I could have only found the darn “POOPON!”

A few days later Dena started screaming “POOPON, POOPON, Mommy it’s POOPON!” running to the television I found a commercial playing, “Everything’s better with Blue BonnetTM on it!” The mystery solved, Blue Bonnet MargarineTM was her much need “POOPON.”  Yes, I bought the “POOPON, guilty of the purchase their brands based upon a cute or easy recognizable little tune.  The advertising agency won me over, I bought their product based upon the funny slogans.  They count on us to make an emotional purchase!”  

1971 Blue Bonnet Margarine Commerical

The advertising agency giants have their clients spend enormous amounts of money to entice us to choose their products for our purchases which increases their profit margin.  Their profits generate great dividends for their stockholders as well as wonderful bonuses for the executives.  The funny slogans and jingles are not written for artistic expression’s sake,  just to aid in influencing your decision to buy their product, known as branding, now you know why!

For more information on homemade cleaners, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.

 

 


Carpets: I Do or I Don’t Shampoo?

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Family After WeddingThought:

 ”There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.”  Unknown

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Do we use the carpet shampooer or don’t we, that was the question a dear friend of ours asked as they helped decorate for Dena’s wedding and reception.  While we were working, she asked me to come see the dirty stains on the carpets.  She felt it was really noticeable and wondered if I wanted her to go get her high powered spot remover and carpet shampooer.    The shampoo would contain harsh chemicals.and I was concerned with those chemicals that would be used in her carpet shampooer.  If we used  the spot remover on the carpet we could remove the stain using harsh or toxic  chemicals that could bring about additional problems.

Our family has health challenges from chemicals in cleaning products, I first thought of the Bride, Groom, Flower Girl and Junior Bridesmaid.  Exposure to these harsh and toxic chemicals could bring on migraine headaches, allergic asthma, or sensory overload.  

The last thing any of us wanted was to make this stressful event any more so.  Our Junior Bridesmaid, Dena’s daughter has Aspergers Syndrome, she is uncomfortable when any attention is placed upon her.  Any additional triggers needed to be eliminated.  Being sure this could be more than she could handle we needed another solution.   White vinegar was a must here to to use as our spot remover.

We didn’t have the time to shampoo and have the entire carpet dry,    Thinking quickly, we just dabbed on a little  white vinegar into the carpet and just like magic, spot gone, problem solved.  We didn’t need to clean the entire room and the spot was gone from the very place they would be standing to exchanging their vows.  No need to take the time for the carpet shampooer.  A quick inspection of the carpets brought the need for the addition use of our “spot remover.”

Much to the amazement of my friend and her husband, they saw just how quick and easy it was to use white vinegar  as a spot remover for the carpet.  When I explained that you can just use white vinegar and water in any carpet shampooer, they were astonished that cleaning your carpets could be this easy.

I shared this tip; one of the advantages of using white vinegar over chemicals  in carpet shampoos is it will pull out the remaining shampoo residue and clean your carpets at the same time.  It might take a few cleanings to remove the residue depending on the amount still left in your carpets.  Your carpets will be clean, soft and refreshed. The vinegar smell dissipates as it dries.  Also keep in mind that hot water activates soap. Always rinse with cold water and vinegar.  You will love your results!

The wedding was a success, no migraines, allergic asthma, or sensory overload and no vinegar smell.  Great day!

Recently my friend called to let me know she shampooed her own carpets instead of having them professionally cleaned.   She saved over $275.00 by doing it herself and replaced the retail shampoo costing $49.00 by using white vinegar instead of buying the bottled shampoo.  Her carpets have never been cleaner she said.  She was thrilled!  And no vinegar smell!

For more information on homemade cleaners and replacing harsh retail cleaning products, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.

Home Cleaning of Your Clothes Dryer from Fabric Softener Residue

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Fabric Softener Sheets can cause allergic skin rashes in many peopleI have had many instances of skin irritations which became much less frequent after I removed retail cleaning products from our home, especially the ones in the laundry.

A few weeks ago, I found that my skin began that annoying tingle and demanded to be scratched.  It drives me nuts!!  I rotated the laundry soap recipe, and re-washed all my clothes.  This did not help at all, to my dismay!  I was disheartened and tried another recipe.  Again, still itchy.  After about a month of persistent itching (which always seemed to worsen after dinner for some reason), I was getting very frustrated.  I visited the allergist to see if he could determine another cause for my skin allergy, itchiness.  Nothing to be found and I left even more concerned.

When I got home, I found a dryer sheet on the floor between the washer and dryer.  I was, to say the least puzzled, since I don’t use these at all in our home, but the evidence suggested that it had been used.  I had a neighbor that had asked to use my dryer a while back, could she have brought it?  Anything was possible, and I went to her house to ask her.  She was surprised by my query, but replied in the affirmative.

I returned home, grabbed my favorite microfiber cloth, and poured a little bit of rubbing alcohol onto the cloth, wiping out every nook and cranny of the dryer.  I repeated this a few times, and after the alcohol disappeared, I did the same with white distilled vinegar.  Back to washing all my clothes again.  Amazingly, this worked.  I guess the dryer sheets left a residue in my dryer that I was sensitive to.

I am not advocating that anyone try to replicate this experience at home, but it might be worth wiping out your washer/dryer if you are having issues of the sort.  It takes a few minutes to do, and could provide excellent results.

Do you have skin irritations and rashes of unknown origin?  Get potential relief from skin allergies with: Cheaper,  Greener, Cleaner: Helping You to Protect Your Family’s Health.

Rubbing Alcohol For Frostfree Windows

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Car windows covered in frost and ice can be easily cleaned using this simple tip


Would you believe rubbing alcohol is now a standard winter staple for my car. In the wintertime, I was constantly plagued by the inside of the windows in my van frosting over. Of course, I would grab the first thing I could reach and swipe the window until it was clean. This often was a hand-knitted scarf or some gloves. This works well, but is also problematic in that it leaves nasty streaks on the windows that become quite annoying, especially when I am driving at night.

I ran across a tip that I was skeptical to try, but thought it would be worthwhile to do so, after all, what would it hurt? Wash your windows as normally, ands when you are done, simply combine 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts water.  Spray this onto your windows and wipe clean. You can use a paper towel, micro-fiber cloth, or newspaper to wipe down the windows.  Newspaper works very well and it is environmentally friendly.  The regular newsprint works better than the colored circulars.  At a local McDonald’s I saw the early morning crew washing the windows using a solution containing rubbing alcohol and shining them with the newspaper.  

Another simple and great use of rubbing alcohol in cold weather is to spray full strength rubbing alcohol onto the car window to melt the ice on the window. You can just wipe the ice away!  This won’t take the sting out of winter weather, but it will make it more tolerable in the meantime.  Now, if I could get a robot chauffeur to drive in the slick and nasty roads for me!

 

For more tips, tricks, and homemade cleaners, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.


Microwave Oven Lemon Fresh Clean

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Food mess in microwave can be easily cleanedExploded food inside of a microwave is one of the worst messes to clean up.  Not a problem when you use white, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice!  There is little space to clean, that is the problem, there is little space to see and clean at the same time.

My husband has personally experienced the difficulty and frustration of cleaning a microwave.  We volunteered to help clean our church building after an event on a Saturday night.  We needed to have the building ready for Sunday morning.  He chose to clean the kitchen,  the floor needed mopping, this appeared the hardest room to clean.  All the volunteers went to their various locations.

As each volunteer completed their task, we would join together to help someone else with theirs.  We continued to have a large gathering to finish straightening the building.  No sign of my husband.  I became worried about him and went searching.  He was still in the kitchen and the floor had yet to be mopped.  When I asked if everything was alright, he explained he had been scrubbing all this time to clean the microwave because it was so dirty.  There was so much food splattered all over the door, top and sides, he had never seen anything like it before.  ”There isn’t any room to see while I clean.”   This took him what seemed like hours to clean.  I felt so bad, I had never taught, told, or shown him just how simple it was to clean a microwave. Lemon is a great all natural cleaner

To clean a microwave quickly, easily, and with little effort, add one to two cups water in a bowl.  Add 1/4 cup lemon juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar to the water.  I prefer lemon juice for the lemony fresh scent.  The apple cider vinegar works very well, and is less expensive.  Place in the microwave and boil the solution.  As the water evaporates it rehydrates the caked on dried on food particles making them easy to simply wipe clean.  I follow up by using white, apple cider vinegar or a lemon juice rinse to wipe down the inside with a clean cloth for the final rinse. 

The lemon juice,  white or apple cider vinegar will deodorize the microwave as well as kill bacteria, mold germs.  Quick, easy and very inexpensive!  It isn’t much easier than this!

For more tips and tricks like this one and information on homemade cleaners, visit Amazon.com to get your copy of Cheaper, Greener, Cleaner: Ceiling to Floor Savings.  Paperback or Kindle versions available.