Sensitive Santa Event

Sensitive Santa @ Polaris Fashion Place


Sunday, December 2, 9:00 - 11:00 AM


Special Santa time reserved for children with Autism, or who are on the spectrum and needing a sensory friendly area with lower lighting and quieter surroundings. You will also get a free photo and festive giveaways. In addition, there will be a face painter there who is experienced with sensory sensitive children. Keep in mind that this is likely to be a well attended event, as it should, so there will be certainly be some 'crowd noise and bustle' to plan/prepare for if your child is also sensitive to that.

Where: Polaris Fashion Place, Santa Area

Making Lemonade - TWO Meeting Options

Making Lemonade - TWO Meeting Options

Good morning!!  

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday!  We had a wonderful time with family visiting from Oklahoma and North Carolina.  I'm still recovering :-).

Starting this week, Making Lemonade Support Group is offering two meeting times each week.

1 - Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:00 PM at Pediatric Therapy Partners

2 - Wednesdays, 9:30 - 10:30 AM at DCBDD

Hope to see everyone tonight or tomorrow morning!!

GF/CF CHOCOLATE MOLASSES COOKIES

Good morning!!! Thanksgiving is in just two days! We have family coming in from Oklahoma and North Carolina. We are all VERY excited. I wanted to have a a gluten & dairy free dessert for my boys, so I chose GF/CF Chocolate Molasses Cookies. Made the dough last night and baked this morning. This is the best cookie I've had in ages!!  I got the recipe from King Arthur Flour and adjusted the recipe to make it dairy free.

Get ready for the holidays with the festive aroma of ginger-molasses cookies touched with a subtle hint of cocoa.

• 1 3/4 cups Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (I used a diary free, gluten free butter spread)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup molasses

Directions

1) In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and xanthan gum.

2) In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, scraping the bowl between and after additions.

3) Add the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Cover and refrigerate dough for an hour at least, or overnight for optimum results.

4) Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.

5) Scoop tablespoon-sized amounts of dough and roll in sparkling or granulated sugar if desired.

6) Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, or until just set.

Yield: 20 to 24 cookies.

Parents Day Out

Having fun at "Parents Day Out" at PTP in Lewis Center! Opportunity for parents of exceptional children to go on a date or get some shopping done.

Next "Parents Night Out" is Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 6 PM - 9 PM. Call PTP to register 614-433-0134.

Special Diets - Food Allergen Lists

Special Diets - Food Allergen Lists

My children have been eating a special diet since we learned that they had autism.  Actually, we did learn of Davis' dairy allergy before that.  Learning that it was suggested by DAN! doctors  (Defeat Autism Now!) that children with autism be put on a GF/CF diet, we were already half way there.  So, eliminating gluten was certainly worth a try.  It was a surprise and a huge relief when we saw results within a few days.  I will never forget when I was in the kitchen with Davis and walking out to the hallway.  When Davis was almost two years old, he started loosing his ability to have eye contact.  He was always looking somewhere else, even when my face was only inches from his.  This particular day he kept his eyes on me.  He actually looked me in the eyes, more than once.  In that moment I knew that I would have to do whatever it takes to keep gluten and dairy out of his diet.  The next step was taking it out of his brothers diet as well.  The results were more gradual and not nearly as obvious with Jackson.  After about two months of a GF/CF diet it hit me that (forgive me for the graphic detail) both boys had started having solid stools.  What?!  With all that we had going on with learning of their differences and getting their autism diagnoses, having soft stools all of their lives was something that, I'm embarrassed to admit, was overlooked.  So, not only did I feel as if I was getting my Baby Davis back a little bit, their tummy's were clearing up.  Did they feel bad that whole time?  It was becoming apparent to me that there was a connection between the gut and the brain.  I was witnessing it first hand.

Gluten and dairy are the foods that are recommended being taken out of an autistic child's diet.  It makes sense to me that with autism being a neurological disorder, that a child with a different neurological disorder such as Dyslexia or ADHD could also benefit from adjusting their diet.  It makes it an easy decision to make when there is an actual allergy that the child has a reaction to.  Taking that food out of the diet is a no brainer.  It becomes difficult when there is not an apparent reaction to the food.

Consult with your physician or DAN! doctor about which foods may be affecting the abilities of your child.  There could possibly be a multitude of benefits to adjusting your child's diet with the help of a professional.  We saw improvements in their gastrointestinal systems and their cognitive ability as well.  Then, to top it all off, what a blessing to know that my children feel better!!

If your considering making a dietary change, below you will find some helpful websites that contain lists of which foods contain which allergen.

FOOD ALLERGEN LISTS: 

Tips To Being Gluten Free

Diary Ingredient List

Corn Allergen List

Soy-Free Diet

Foods Containing Peanuts

Foods Containing Red Dye 40

High Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Surprising Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup

Egg, Milk or Wheat Allergies: What To Avoid

A Mom's Blog Covering Multiple Food Allergies

GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN DONUT RECIPE

GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN DONUT RECIPE

1 Package     Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Pamela's)

1 15 oz can    100% Pure Pumpkin

Coconut Milk as thinner

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium bowl combine cake mix and pumpkin.  Mixture will be thick.  Add small amounts of coconut milk to thin the mixture just enough that you can stir it.  You can use an electric mini donut maker or mini donut / donut hole non-stick pans.

ICING

2/3 Cup     Powdered Sugar

1 TB           Butter Spread (gluten and dairy free)

1-2 tsp       Coconut Milk

1/4 tsp       Pure Vanilla Extract

For Chocolate Icing Add:

1 tsp           Cocoa

Combine all ingredients in small bowl with a small whisk.  You may have to adjust ingredients to reach desired consistency.

Great News!

Great News!

Making Lemonade will now be having two (2) meetings per week. In addition to the Tuesday evening meetings at Pediatric Therapy Partners, we will be having Wednesday morning meetings!!  

Every Wednesday morning starting November 29, 2012 at 9:00.

Meetings will be held at Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DCBDD):

7991 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH

Looking forward to seeing each of you soon!!  Lee Anne

Parent's Day Out Saturday

Because we know how difficult finding childcare can be when you have exceptional children, the PTP Foundation is offering a low cost series of "Parent's Days Out" where families may bring their children, including siblings, for a four hour "play date" at Pediatric Therapy Partners.   

The cost is $10.00 for four hours with a cap of $25.00 per family.  

Dates are: 

November 17th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

December 11th from 5-9 p.m.  

For more information or to register, call 614-433-0132

Making Lemonade Meeting Tonight

MAKING LEMONADE Support Group Meeting

Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week!  Making Lemonade support group meetings for parents of exceptional children are held each Tuesday evening at Pediatric Therapy Partners in Lewis Center, OH at 7:00 pm.  Take this time to get a break, share with others, learn and just breath.This week, we do not have a speaker.  There will be information provided on Biomedical Treatment and we will have a time to get to know each other.  I hope to see you there!!!

Organic Food Delivery

Green B.E.A.N. DeliveryGreen B.E.A.N. Delivery is a organic produce and natural groceries food delivery service.  They deliver in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky to include the Greater Columbus area.  They offer organic, locally grown produce as well as various products sold nationally.  There are different food groups separated out such as gluten free.

http://www.greenbeandelivery.com

ADD and Neurofeedback

"ADD The 20-Hour Solution" by Mark Steinberg, Ph.D. and Siegfried Othmer, Ph.D.

http://www.eeginfo.com/addsolution/

Attention Deficit Disorder and The Healing Effects of EEG Neurofeedback

"ADD The 20-Hour Solution"

Making Lemonade Meeting Tonight, Tues. 11/6/12

Hope to see everyone at the Making Lemonade support group meeting this evening at Pediatric Therapy Partners at 7:00 PM.  We will be discussing the benefits of biomedical treatment.  Come share your story or hear details of the successes of other parents.

See you tonight!!  

Pediatric Therapy Partners

640 Enterprise Drive Suite C 

Lewis Center, OH 43035 

(614) 433-0132

THANKFULNESS

"Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness even in the midst of trials and heartaches." - Billy Graham

COLUMBUS AREA UPCOMING EVENTS

Movie Day sponsored by Haughland Learning Center:

Movie Days are special screenings of family movies for families with special needs members. Participants enjoy a slightly quieter movie with extra lighting in a special needs friendly environment. Tickets go on sale at Marcus Cinema, Crossroads, located at 200 Hutchinson Avenue, Columbus, beginning at 10 AM on the morning of the event.  Bring the whole family! Friends, too!

Movie begins at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $6.50/person.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Families with Autism Medical Lecture Series: (I plan to attend!)

"GI and Autism" presented by Dr. Kent Williams, November 8, 2012, 6:30-8:30

Must register by going to www.nationwidechildresn.org/autism-treatment-network

DCBDD Holiday Craft Bazaar: 

Saturday, November 10, 2012, DCBDD, 

7991 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center Ohio (Corner of US23 and Orange Rd.)