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We hope your service year is off to a great start whether your child is meeting with one of our specialists at home or at school. Did you have a chance to attend one of our Fall Kick-Off events during the past week? We had lots of fun visiting with families at Washington Park, Emerald Park, Brattain Early Learning Center, and our Delight Valley site.
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Children enjoyed dancing, sensory tubs, bubbles and more at our Washington Park event.
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Ask a Specialist: What is Sensory Overload?
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Sensory overload can be thought of as sensory overstimulation. It occurs when sensory information coming in from the environment is too much for a person’s nervous system to process or make meaning of. All people have an amount of sensory information they can handle, and a point where the information may be too much. Too much sensory information can cause many distressing feelings, such as becoming anxious, fearful, angry, or agitated. Some people may withdraw from sensory input and want to be quiet, alone or unable to participate in activities, play or everyday self-care activities.
An example may be at an amusement park where there are loud noises such as children screaming, rides, car noises, bright lights from rides, animal smells, all coming in at once. For some people, sensory overload can occur very frequently and the environment may not seem to be overstimulating, such as in the example above. The symptoms of sensory overload vary greatly in each person, and the amount of sensory input required to cause sensory overload varies as well.
Solutions to sensory overload vary from person to person, but here are three tips to keep in mind if your child struggles with sensory overload:
- Find activities that are calming to your child's nervous system.
- Anticipate your child's triggers. Are there certain experiences, such as visiting an amusement park, that have created issues in the past?
- Create daily routines. Sticking to a routine helps your child anticipate what to expect next.
- Cheryl Kurchin Chapman, MA, Occupational Therapist.
For more info on sensory overload, come to our October 22 Parent Chat from 10:30-12 in the UO's Clinical Services Building. RSVP to [email protected] to register for this free event.
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Join us October 22 for tips on avoiding sensory overload during the holiday season. Click the logo for more details.
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ARC Families Connected is hosting two Family Fun days this month, including a visit to the Lone Pine pumpkin patch on October 14.
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The IFSP meeting can be a slam dunk if you plan ahead.
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Preparing for the IFSP Meeting
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All children receiving education from Early Childhood CARES have an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). This is the education plan that guides your child’s services for a year. It is an essential opportunity to identify the skills you would like your child to learn in the coming year.
How can you prepare for the IFSP meeting? Think about the goals you would like your child to meet in the coming year and think about your child’s strengths and interests. What are the priorities you have as a family in supporting your child? You can also check out our
website to see suggested goals for preschool-age children and younger children.
If you have any questions about your child’s IFSP, just ask your child’s service coordinator or teacher. Your voice is important!
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More Fall Kick Off fun at Brattain Early Learning Center and Washington Park.
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Want to earn $10 and support new research?
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You can earn a $10 gift card by taking part in a doctoral study on stress and support for caregivers of children with special health care needs or developmental disabilities. Participating only takes 15-20 minutes. Click
here to participate, and enter password DSST2016.
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Want to improve your relationship with your children? Feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns? Feel like your emotions get the best of you? You are NOT alone! The Child and Family Center is offering a low-cost opportunity for parents and caregivers with children ages 2-8 to learn practical skills for handling behavioral challenges and refocusing on big picture values when you feel overwhelmed. This mindfulness-based parenting group will take place on Tuesdays from 6-7:30 beginning on October 18th. Dinner and free childcare will be provided! The group will be facilitated by two master’s level therapists, Ellen Rau (812) 343-5148 and Douglas Gomez (714) 981-5076. Please call either Ellen or Doug to learn more and get started on the track to stress relief!
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Early Childhood CARES Resource Guide 2016-2017
If you would like an updated copy of the 2016-2017 Resource Guide for resources available in our community, visit our website
to download it. If you need a paper copy, contact your service coordinator or Carla at [email protected].
FACTOregon
offers several online training opportunities for parents. Check out their
Great Start! Parent Empowerment Training Series
: An interactive four part training kit intended for families with children receiving early intervention/early childhood special education.
Free Screening for Siblings
Parents of children receiving services from Early Childhood CARES may request a free developmental screening for younger siblings. Simply call 541-346-2578. Spanish speaking families can call 541-346-0742.
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Early Childhood CARES provides early intervention and early childhood special education to infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children in Lane County. Services are individually designed to address the needs of the young child with developmental delays or disabilities. All services are free of charge to eligible children.
Early Childhood CARES
541-346-2578
800-925-8694
299 E 18th Ave Eugene OR 97401
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