Calming Breathing Strategies for Children

Both O and L struggle with emotional regulation and over the last few years, we've tried many different strategies. The one that they both keep going back to, is calming breathing techniques.

Calming breathing techniques have to be one of the best tools that we can equip our children with to use when they need to manage their own emotions. Both O and L have a sensory tool kit that generally goes everywhere with them. But at times, it just isn't possible to send the tool kit. Their breath on the other hand, they will always have that.

Teaching children different calming breathing techniques gives them a simple yet very effective strategy for slowing down, physically, emotionally and mentally. Calming breathing techniques can assist children to take notice of how they are emotionally and physically feeling and can also help them to relax and calm when they feel overwhelmed.

I've used calming breathing techniques for my own two little superheroes as well as with other children that have been in my care. A few years ago I found a book titled "Little Monkey Calms Down," which I used to introduce calming breathing techniques to O and L. I then went onto use the book in an early learning setting to explain mindfulness to children as young as two years of age. And you what? It actually worked.

I've found that if I model to a child how to use calming breathing techniques when they are experiencing BIG emotions, they are more likely to want to start using the breathing techniques themselves.

Now there are many, many sites on which you can find different breathing techniques and visuals, but unfortunately we've never been able to find visuals that both O and L liked. So over this past week, I sat down with O and L and they helped to make visuals using images that they liked.

We will print these out, laminate them and put them onto a small key ring so that they're handy for when O and L need to use them.

Dragon Breathing

O ... I like to do dragon breathing when I am angry or frustrated.

L ... Me too. It very noisy and good for when I angry.

O ... You can make lots of noise when you roar like a dragon which helps to get the anger and frustration out.

L ... Yeah, cos dragons can be very angry.

O ... Some dragons are friendly but they can be very noisy. To do dragon breathing you take a deep breath in through your nose. When you breathe out through your mouth, you roar like a dragon and all of your frustration and anger comes out with the roar.

L ... Yeah, like, ROARRRRRRR!

Snake Breathing

O ... Snake breathing is something that I like to do when I am sad because it's a sad sounding noise.

L ... This one too hard for me.

O ... It's okay L, we just need to practise it more, we can practise together. To do snake breathing, you take a deep breath in through your nose. Then when you breathe out through your mouth, you hiss very quietly like a sad snake. It sounds like a long sssss sound.

L ... Oh okay.

O ... I really like this one when I'm sad because it helps me to control my breathing too.

Honey Bee Breathing
O ... Some people call this Bumble Bee breathing but I like Honey Bee breathing better because I've never seen a bumble bee but I've seen lots of honey bees.
L .... You can buzzzz like a bee.
O ... You can! Or you can hum like a bee. I like honey bee breathing when I am worried as it calms me down and helps me to think a little clearer. To do this one, you take a deep breath in through your nose. Then when you breathe out through your mouth, you hum quietly. I like to do this one with my eyes closed so that I don't become distracted by what is happening around me.

Candle Breathing
O ... Candle breathing is another one that is good for when I am sad because it helps to slow down my breathing when I am sad or upset. I use this when I am hurt as well because it sometimes takes my mind away from whatever it hurting.
L ... Like when you broked your arm sissy?
O ... Good remembering L. To do candle breathing, you take a deep breath in through your nose. When you breathe out through your mouth, you have to imagine that you are blowing out a candle.
L ... A birthday candle!
O ... Just like a birthday candle but with one long slow breath.

Balloon Breathing

O ... Mummy, what is this one good for?

Me ... This one is sometimes called belly breathing,

L ... Belly breathing, that funny!

Me .... Belly breathing or balloon breathing helps to teach your body how to take deep slow breaths.

O ... So it would be good to help to calm you down if you're feeling sad or worried?

Me ... It sure would, but it takes practise because as you breathe in, you need to imagine that there is a balloon in your tummy that is expanding.

O ... We could use the expanding ball for this one!

L ... Oh I like that ball.

Me ... The expanding ball is great to use when practising this breathing. As you breathe in, you can expand the ball. And as you breathe out, you can make the ball smaller.

O ... You could pretend that your hands are the balloon too. When you breathe in, your hands could move apart like a balloon being blown up. And when you breathe, your hands could move together like the balloon is getting smaller.

Me ... Thank you for helping to explain all of these breathing techniques.
O ... You're welcome Mummy.
L ... You welcome Mummy.

Sensory Souls Train Day 2019

Over the past few years we've attended a few sensory friendly events that were organised and conducted by an organisation called Sensory Souls. We've been to numerous Sensory Santa sessions, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and a train event last year.

Sensory Souls is a Queensland based organisation that organises, coordinates and conducts sensory friendly events for individuals who have additional needs both in Queensland and in other states of Australia. They recently won the Disability and Inclusion category in the National Awards for Local Government in conjunction with the Moreton Bay Regional Council for the Backstage Pass Program. The Backstage Pass allows families and individuals access to Council Libraries after hours in a low sensory environment.

Sensory Souls was originally developed to support families, children and individuals to have fun in a range of positive experiences and activities in a safe an judgement free environment. Initially Sensory Souls organised Sensory Santa sessions and they've now evolved into offering other activities and experiences.

For those not in the know, a sensory friendly event typically looks like a pretty ordinary outing. It differs in that the number of participants are limited so that the activity is not too overcrowded, the noise or music may be kept to a minimum so as not to overwhelm the participants and the lights may be dimmed if the event is at an indoor venue. Most of the events are activities that the majority of society would take for granted but for children and adults who have sensory processing difficulties, keeping all the above factors at a minimum, means that the likelihood of the child or adult having a meltdown because they are in sensory overload is less likely.

During the last school holidays, Sensory Souls ran their very popular Train Day. We went along to this for last year and the little superheroes had a ball. So off we went again, this time we took two of their friends.

The Train Day is conducted at the Pine Valley Railway by the Queensland Society of Model and Experimental Engineers - a huge group of individuals from all walks of life who share a common interest ... making engineering models of trains. Lots of trains. In other words, they're just big kids who love the trains!

The Pine Valley Railway is open to the public by invitation only and once a year the members of the organisation join forces with Sensory Souls to conduct a train day for children and adults who have additional needs.

The Pine Valley Railway truly is spectacular. It's situated on a piece of landscaped land that is five acres in size and has over 2000 metres of ground level track and approximately 180 metres of elevated track. There are tunnels, bridges, round houses, signal boxes, train crossings and all of the other things that you'd expect to see on a real life train line. There are also areas for children to run around and play, picnic tables and a small canteen.

In terms of the trains there are steam trains and replicas of diesel locomotives. There was even a replica of the Pacific National, a HUGE LOONG freight train!

 

The steam trains when under full steam were truly spectacular.

This Mama spotted the little red caboose and was in love. One of my all time favourite Golden Books as a child was the story about the little red Caboose. By the end of the day, there were lots of photos of the little red caboose on my camera!!

On the Train day, the members of QSMEE had numerous trains running for the families to ride on. Trains were leaving the main train station every ten minutes or so, so everyone was able to have numerous train rides. O, L and their two friends were very impressed that each time they rode a train, they went around the circuit three times! And when on the steam train, they were quick to remind each other "close your eyes and mouth in the tunnel!" Otherwise you might get a mouth full of smoke and steam!

 

O and her fiend G, were fascinated by the scribbly lines on one of the old gum trees so I took the opportunity to give them a little nature lesson. Scribbly Gums are spectacular Australian Eucalyptus species that get their name from the scibbly lines that are left on their smooth bark. The tracks are tunnels that are made by the larvae of the Scribbly Gum Moth!

If you are interested in visiting the Pine Valley Railway, you'll need to visit their website and send off an expression to visit the site. As I previously mentioned, the site is invitation only so make sure you get in early as I'm told their open days are very popular and they are book out very early.

Sensory Souls is a not for profit organisation and they do rely heavily on their volunteer base to run these events as well as their sponsors. So from our family to Leah and Chanelle and all at Sensory Souls, thank you for everything that you do. We truly do appreciate these events.

Top 50 Autism Blogs, Websites and Newsletters to follow in 2019

When I first began this blog in 2016, I honestly did not think that people would want to read my ramblings on my piece of the Internet. But it turns out that people did want to read my ramblings and are still reading them almost three years on.

So imagine my surprise when I opened my emails this morning and found this from Anuj Agarwal, the founder of Feedspot....

My little blog, this one here, Raising My Little Superheroes, the one that you are currently reading, has made it into the Top 50 Autism Blogs, Websites and Newsletters to follow in 2019. Wow, what a huge honour.

As I went through the list, I was even more surprised to find that my blog was listed at number 17! I near fell over. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that my little blog would make a top 50 list! And yet here I am at number 17 on the list. Wow, I don't think I am going to stop saying that for a while.

The blogs that are on the Top 50 list are ranked based on several criteria, namely their Google reputation and Google search ranking, their influence and popularity on the various social media sites, their quality and consistency of posts and are chosen by Feedspot's editorial team and expert review.

There are loads of brilliant blogs and websites on the Top 50 Autism list - the list is so very comprehensive and there are a range of Autism blogs and websites. But the one that really stood out for me came in at number 16, yes just one spot above mine. And that blog is Autism with a side of fries. Prior to beginning our Autism journey, one of the first blogs that I came across was Autism with a side of fries, so to be on the same list as that amazing blog, is an even bigger honour.

So to the founder of Feedspot, Anuj Agarwal, and to Feedspot's editorial team, thank you so very much for this honour.

And to all of you who have joined us on this Autism journey, thank you so very much for coming along for the ride. Thank you for reading my ramblings and for supporting us on our journey. To those who have recently joined us, welcome to the family and enjoy the ride!

04/07/2021 So a little update on this piece, my blog may not be in the top 50 but I'm still in the top 80 Autism Blogs and Websites for 2021! I've dropped down the list a few spots but reading some of the names of other blogs and websites on the list, I'm in really top company!!

Anxious Kids - Book Review

**** Please note that I do not receive commissions of any kind for this review, it is simply a book that we have found to be very useful. ****

About a month ago I was browsing the book section of one of local department stores and I came across a book titled "Anxious Kids. How children can turn their anxiety into resilience."


O has always struggled with anxiety from a very young age and we are always on the lookout for new strategies to use to assist her to self manage her anxiety, so I just had to buy the book.

Anxious Kids is written by best selling parent author Michael Grose and well being expert Dr Jodi Richardson.

Now usually when I read books, I really don't like when the pages are dog eared to mark the spot, however on this occasion, I've made dog ears and little connotations all through the book.

Anxious Kids is sectioned into specific topics, all relating to anxiety of course, but each provides different details are the aspects of anxiety and strategies that can be used to manage anxiety. 

Anxious Kids explains just how common anxiety in children (and adults) really is. One of the common themes throughout the book that I loved was that the authors regularly remind the reader that to be anxious, is to be human. Everyone at some point in time has experienced anxiety. Anxiety is so common that 1 in 4 adults will experience an anxiety disorder and of those, half will experience their first symptom of anxiety by the time that they are fifteen years old.

The authors also reassure the reader that they're not alone on this journey with their children. Many parents around the world are dealing with anxious children. In Australia, 1 in 7 children are diagnosed with a mental illness and of those, half are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. That's a big number.

Throughout Anxious Kids there are stories about the authors as well as about children that the authors have assisted through their work.

The book goes into detail about what anxiety is, what part of the brain causes it, why anxiety occurs and how anxiety can be recognised in children. Throughout the book, the authors explain just why anxiety in children is, at times, incredibly difficult to recognise. From experience with O's anxiety, I know that anxiety can manifest in many different ways. Because anxiety is an internal feeling (our sense of interoception) it can be difficult for children to describe how they are feeling, for parents to recognise and for medial professionals to diagnose. And as such, anxiety can be mistaken for a tummy bug or a respiratory illness or just a feeling of being unwell.

Another common theme throughout Anxious Kids is that anxiety is contagious. Not contagious in the sense that we can catch it if someone sneezes but contagious in a sense that if a child senses that their parents are anxious, this feeling will rub off on the child. And this is so very true. The authors also mention numerous times, that if we consciously practise calming strategies either in front of our children or with our children, our children are more likely to want to participate. Likewise if we remain calm when our children are anxious, we can bring a sense of calm to the situation.

The authors provide strategies that we as parents can use when talking with our children about anxiety - how to explain what anxiety is, questions that we can weave into conversations with our children and ways in which we can reassure that anxiety is perfectly normal.

The book lists the the common types of anxiety and provides extensive details about these can look like as well as what anxiety can look like at school.

Part Four of Anxious Kids provides various tools and strategies for managing anxiety as well as how to check in emotionally with how we and our children are travelling. The authors talk about mindfulness and the benefits it plays in managing anxious feelings, calming deep breathing techniques, how exercise can assist our children when anxious. The great thing about all of the strategies that the authors discuss is that they can also be used by adults who have anxiety.

Part Five goes into detail about life style factors that can reduce anxiety and Part six provides greater detail for managing significant anxiety issues. Part six also contains a chapter on how schools can assist students with anxiety. This is a section that all teachers should read.

All in all Anxious Kids is a great read and it is one that I will not only be referring to in future but also recommending to other parents. Anxious Kids offers its readers a new perspective on anxiety in children. It encourages the reader to view their child's anxiety as an opportunity to empower their children with the skills needed to not only manage their anxiety but also to thrive, despite their anxiety.