Hitting The Highlights – Our Top Posts

We have shared a lot of information with you here over the years, and we hope it has been helpful to you in some way.

Today I want to share with you some of our top posts, the ones we love and the ones you have loved.  It’s a trip down memory lane but it’s also the building of a set of great resource links all on one page.

Recently our article on Insensitive Questions hit a nerve.  We know that our child is different but we don’t need your sympathy, your questions or your well-meaning but ineffective advice. This post helps you learn how to cope with these situations without blowing your top.

5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Positive About Life really appealed to some of our readers.  In a world that can sometimes suck you down, staying positive will help you help your child to see the good things in life.

When a child enters puberty, life as you know it goes right out the door.  If your child is on the autism spectrum, the time of change may be even more difficult.  In this article we tackled the subject head on with some guidelines to help you and your child.

The View from a Wheelchair talks about the problems that children with mobility aids have to face in society, and discusses the etiquette of interacting with someone in a wheelchair. What should be common sense and courtesy seems to be blinded by the aid, but our post was designed to help people overcome their “I don’t know what to do” feelings.

We’ve shared ideas for sensory play and indoor and outdoor games.  We’ve shared our great finds and discoveries, and we’ve shared stories about our wonderful products.

We hope you have enjoyed reading the blog as much as we have enjoyed writing it. 

Asperger's And The Sensory Funnel

This is a great clip.  A young man with Asperger’s explains why we are approaching Asperger Syndrome (AS) from the wrong end.

Danny, diagnosed with Asperger’s when he was just 12, explains the radically different approach to dealing with the daily issues that people with Asperger’s face.

If you take a "bottom up" approach to dealing with AS issues, starting with the sensory, then working up, the "top stuff" of emotions, social skills, and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) tend to work themselves out.

His explanation of the way people with Asperger’s live in the world, and the way they experience, is very clear. Understanding that, his approach to managing it makes complete sense.  He starts by tackling the sensory issues, allowing the rest of the funnel to take care of itself.

Watch the video and if it makes sense to you, take a look at Danny’s website, Asperger Experts and browse through the blog posts.  There is a wealth of alternative information there that may be useful to you.

Picky Eaters

Children on the autism spectrum are often picky eaters.

They can be very sensitive to the texture and feel of certain foods, which makes it hard to cook a regular family meal each evening.

Instead of driving yourself crazy trying to get your child to eat the food that everyone else in the family is eating, it’s easier to look for alternatives which are nutritious and won’t upset your child.

You may have to look at meals differently. Not everyone likes to eat a meal at dinner time. Some of us prefer to nibble or graze during the day. Your child may be one of them, and that gives you a great opportunity to experiment with finger foods and nibbles.

It’s also a handy way to introduce new flavours, foods and textures without having a full scale food assault happening.

Here are some clever ways to feed your fussy eater that we’ve spotted around the internet.

1. Chopped fresh fruit and vegies in assorted colours. Serve with a dip so your child can explore touch as well as taste.

2. Macaroni And Cheese Muffins taste great and because they are cooked into a cake shape, your child won’t have to experience the slipperiness of loose macaroni slithering out of his or her fingers.

3. Chicken fingers like this Honey-Mustard Chicken Breast are great because they can easily be picked up and dipped or nibbled on while your child is wandering around or doing something else.  It’s food on the go that won’t make a mess.

4. Get some greens into them even if they hate the colour. Hide them in this clever Cherry Strawberry Smoothie – a sneaky way to get your greens into the fussiest child.

Take the pressure off yourself by looking at meals in a different way. You can still give your child healthy, nutritious food even if it isn’t served off a dinner plate and eaten at the dinner table!

Insensitive Questions

We’ve all experienced them, the snide remark, the well meaning but inappropriate advice, or the blatant insult. 

How strong we feel today affects how well we respond when someone gets it wrong.  We are often chronically sleep deprived.  We live with uncertainty, fear and worry about the future, coupled with even more mother guilt than usual.  Catch us on the wrong day and you might get an earful far worse than you expected, possibly deserved, but perhaps not very effective in educating or stopping it from happening again.  Preventing another parent or family member from feeling the same pain, by making the other person consider their words next time, is the best we can take from a poor situation.

So what are our options?

Start by remembering we all have our own battles, especially if the insensitive person is related to you.  They may not be able to express it, or feel like they don’t have the right, but your child’s diagnosis doesn’t only affect you.  Assume that insensitive remarks come from lack of understanding or education, or even fear, or grief, before you jump to conclusions and down their neck.  By acknowledging that those close to you have legitimate and understandable worry and sadness related to your child can make a huge difference to your response and give them an opportunity to open up.  You have your own struggles and the last thing you may want to hear is how sad they are, but if they love you and your child they will be hurting too.

Take the opportunity to educate and inform if you can, if not at the time but at a later date, when you have both stepped back from the situation and most importantly never discuss the incident in front of your child.  If the comments are from a family member and not isolated, it’s important to try to address each incident individually if possible, instead of waiting until you reach boiling point.  If it was a throw away comment or a rude and probing question from someone you are unlikely to meet again, try not to respond at all.  Are they really worth it and do you think you are going to make a difference?  Choose your battles, in all likelihood you have enough already.  Education is a good goal but so is self preservation.

Perhaps the question itself was ok but the terminology or timing was poor.  Not everyone is as educated in the most appropriate words or descriptions as chances are they are not as immersed in the life of your child as you are.  Sadly, as much as we like to assume the best, sometimes the hurt was intended and once again this is just as likely to be someone you know well.  Try not to give them the satisfaction of upsetting you and draining your energy, because this is probably exactly their goal.

As much as taking out your frustration on some ignorant person is tempting, especially if today was harder than usual, it’s really not worth it; you may feel better momentarily but you don’t need the added stress on a tough day and your loved one doesn’t need to see you lose control either.

"Learn to respect all kind of people.  Because everyone is fighting a battle on their own.  We all have our problems, bad sides and bad days.  But there is so much more behind it.  Behind me, behind you, behind everyone."
- Unknown

Wind Up Toys For Fun and Sensory Play

What child is not entertained by a wind-up toy?  They are fun to play with.  I remember the feeling of control which the wind-up toys gives you.  It only goes when you allow it to, by giving it a good wind up and setting it free.

These toys are not just for fun.  They are excellent for developing your child’s motor skills and for sensory play.

Learning to turn the little key the right way with the right amount of strength takes practice but the little toy rewards your child’s efforts by moving or shaking.  The motion is a direct consequence of your child’s action.

Most toys make a little whirring sound as they wind down and, if picked up, your child will still feel the motion of the toy.

We stock a range of wind-up toys and each is priced below $5 so you can afford to keep a variety of different toys in your toy kit.

My favourite are the Wind Up Racing Ducks.  Simply wind up the cute ducks and laugh as they race in your bath or pool.  Which duck will win the race this time?

Another clever toy is the Wind Up Non Fall UFO.  The UFOs with alien driver slide across the table or floor.  They are very clever and will not fall as the UFO changes route whenever it reaches the edge or encounters an obstacle.  You never know which way the toy will go so your child learns to track and follow the little toy as it moves.

You might also like to look at the Wind Up Dinosaurs. I  love the way these ones move!  They are available in 4 styles – Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Diplodocus and T-Rex.

Choose a variety of wind-up toys to keep your child's attention and interest.

Build A Gift Box

There can sometimes be a lot of pressure to find 'the perfect gift', but actually, kids love variety and novelty. Sometimes, 'the perfect gift' can be a selection of  little gifts, that all together add up to a lot of fun!

The Toy Bug has a wide selection of inexpensive gifts just waiting to be added to a toy box or basket, all you have to do is enjoy picking out what combination will work best!

Maybe you are looking for items just right for Easter. What about a Hatching Chick Easter Egg? It is water activated, and absolutely amazes children as the little chick hatches from the egg and continues to grow for over a week! They will also adore a Wind Up Jumping Bunny, a clever little windup toy covered in soft white faux fur.

Is your little giftee a lover of creepy crawlies? They would love a pack of Stretchy Lizards and Stretchy Frogs. These creatures are brightly coloured, heaps of fun to twist and wiggle, and spring back to their original size and shape again and again. You should also check out the Jointed Worm, also great for little hands, and made of brightly painted wood. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Magnetic Game, based on the Eric Carle classic, is another favourite. It is also wooden and a colourful challenge for kids. There are a lot of options, so have a look around. 

Budding geographer in your midst? Set them on the right track with their own Wooden Compass. It has a painted wooden exterior with a loop to hook on their belt or bag, and on the inside, their very own compass that really works! They would also learn a lot and have heaps of fun playing with Around the World Snap Cards. These are filled with great facts about countries, flags, capitals and capitals.

There really is something for everyone. Whether they love butterflies or dinosaurs, music or maths, have a look through The Toy Bug site and pick out a selection that is just right!

Trouble Sleeping - 5 Tips to Help Your Child Sleep

It is not unnatural for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to have trouble sleeping. If your child has been having problems with falling asleep or sleeping calmly lately, you need to know that this can change with some effort on your part. The 5 tips below will acquaint you with practices that, if taken into consideration and practiced regularly, can change your child’s sleeping habits and improve the quality of sleep for both them and you.

Tip 1 – Keep a Sleep Diary

A sleeping diary may help you find a pattern in your child’s problems with sleep. With its help, you can find out if the sleeping problems occur after particular activities and what enforces them. In the sleeping diary, you can keep track of the routine of your child – what they eat and drink at dinner and when dinner is, if they have a snack (when and what), what time they go to bed, when they fall asleep, how much they sleep, when they get up and if they have any naps. You can also note what problem/problems they have every day – if they don’t want to go to bed, if they can’t fall asleep, if they feel afraid or uncomfortable to sleep alone, sleepwalking, bedwetting, waking up in the middle of the night, etc. All this can help you figure out where the problems come from - if the culprit lies in particular drinks, food or activities - and how to avoid them.

Tip 2 – Prepare Your Child

Sleep is a process that can be affected by many factors. If there are any activities or habits that make your child energised or excited, it will obviously be good to avoid them before bed time. This may include drinking energising drinks, eating chocolate or sugar, eating late dinner, watching TV, playing video games and so on. On the other hand, some activities may have the opposite effect. For example, listening to a story before going to bed or quiet talking may be beneficial. Make sure your child has pyjamas that are soft and label-free, and that he or she enjoys the feel of the bed and bedding, too. 

Tip 3 – Introduce Sleeping Rules

When it comes to ASD, routine is the way to make things happen the right way. Routine with specific rules can help with sleeping problems, too. For example, you may need to make it clear that the bedroom is for sleeping only. If your child associates it with playing and activities requiring energy it may be hard for them to relax in the same area. You can also start certain traditions and habits that may help make your child eager to fall asleep – putting the toys to sleep, drawing the curtains - helping put your child’s focus on sleep.

Tip 4 – Take Care of Sleepwalking

Children with ASD often sleepwalk or wander after bed time. In order to maintain their safety and the sleep of other inhabitants of the house, it is worth installing a system that notifies you when the child gets out of bed or tries to get out of the room. Some parents rely on baby monitors to listen in to what happens in the room but others choose a camera based system so they can see the child in his or her bed. Other systems have an alarm that will go off if the child goes out of the door.  When you find out that your child is up and sleepwalking, try to direct them back to bed and sleep without waking them up.

Tip 5 – Try Alternative Medicine

There are many products that help people with sleep disorders, including medicines, therapies, etc. If you are planning to try a medicine, it is advisable that you consult a doctor. The options include Melatonin and Tryptophan. You can also look for foods and drinks that will help your child get to sleep, such as hazelnuts, warm milk or mango. Another option is massage – different techniques may relax your child and make them more prone to falling asleep. In such cases, relaxing music can also be of help.

Remember that these tips may work very well or not work at all depending on the person – every child with ASD is different so you need to find the best way for your child to get over their sleeping problems. However, where there is a will – there is a way, so don’t lose hope. Try out ifferent methods until you find the one that works for you.