Monday, August 27, 2012

A New Site and a Contest!!!

I've just launched a new website to help those with disabilities and their families. Check out LDS disAbilities Help here for resources, personal stories, tips, and more.

What can you win?

  • One of three autographed copies of my book, "(dis)Abilities and the Gospel"
  • A $25 gift card to Amazon.com
  • One of 2 half hour phone consultations
  • One of 10 copies of my social skills game, "Who Do You Tell"
How do you enter?
  • Posting on Facebook or Twitter gets you one entry each.
  • Blogging gets you three entries per post. 
  • Submitting an article or blog post gets you five entries each.
  • Sending in a tip to use at church gets you two entries each.
Entries are counted as you post comments about what you did. Be sure to mention which prize you'd like to win. Contest ends September 15, 2012. Winners will be chosen by Random.org.

What are you waiting for? Get started on those entries!




Saturday, August 18, 2012

Coming Attractions! New Disability Website

I'm launching a new website soon with resources, forums, and information to help those with disabilities more fully participate in their church communities. Here's a preview:

  • A contest with prizes including a free copy of "(dis)Abilities and the Gospel: How to Bring People with Special Needs Closer to Christ", a free consultation to problem solve, and other swag!
  • A blog where you can "ask the professional" questions about a specific disability. 
  • Resources for help.
  • Information on specific disabilities in layman's terms that can be shared with others.
  • Disability news and the latest research.
  • Guest bloggers who can share their experiences.
  • "What Works" with specific ideas that have been successfully used by others. 
  • Teaching tips for working with those with disabilities. 
  • More content as we grow!
Please leave a comment and mention what you'd like to see on the site.


Monday, August 13, 2012

Toddler Snoring

When you check on your toddler, do you see a sweet sleeping baby? Or does the scene sound more like a dog growling or an old man snoring?

My youngest daughter snored when she was little. A lot. Her older sister frequently came into our room at night proclaiming, "She's snoring. AGAIN!"

Because my husband suffers from sleep apnea, we took her to an ear, nose, and throat doctor. She needed ear tubes and a tonsillectomy. This formerly noisy three-year-old is now a silently sleeping college sophomore.

A new study from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center indicates that loud persistent snoring in preschoolers may be more than allergies. It could be sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which can be a sign of behavior problems later on.

The children in the study who had SDB had a significantly higher chance of hyperactivity, depression, and attentional problems than those who snored little or not at all. This is concerning because these kinds of problems at this age are strong indicators of more serious behavioral problems in older children and teens.

What to do? If your child's snoring is only occasional, track it. If it gets to be 2-3 times per week or more, alert your pediatrician.

Need more information? http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/13/snoring-toddlers-may-have-more-behavior-problems

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Honestly!

Honesty is the best policy. Not only morally best, but also best for our health and relationships. Think about how you feel when you tell a lie--no matter how small. Try to remember how hurt you were when finding out someone had lied to you. Do you tend to avoid those who lie on a regular basis? I do.

 A new study from the University of Notre Dame revealed that the average American lies 11 times each week. Think about that. It's an average, meaning some tell fewer, and others more . . . possibly many more. If you were to track your lies, where would you fall? Would the answer make you feel uncomfortable? How many lies each week would be acceptable to you?

The researchers had adults and college students track their weekly lies, and discovered that telling fewer lies can improve our health.

Those who reduced their "white" lies by 3 per week had better physical and mental health. This was also true for "major" lies. This puts to rest the saying that "white" lies are harmless.

Study participants who told fewer lies also reported better personal relationships and smoother interactions with others. These improved connections may account for the enhanced relationships.

The good news is that we can all do this. Those in the study made conscious decisions not to exaggerate or make false excuses for incomplete tasks. Others responded to awkward questions by asking another question as a distraction.

Whether you're motivated by better health or doing it for your friends and family, it's the right thing to do. Let's all give it a shot. I'm going to start right now.