How To Help Children And Youth With Communication Challenges: Interpersonal, Emotional, Social

Argues And/Or Withholds; Does Not Know How To Settle Arguments With Words; Cannot Communicate Easily Or Effectively; Withdrawn; Over-Stimulated; Not Aware Of Impact Of Communication Given; Over-Reactive To Communication Received

Without help, these challenges can establish patterns making all social relations very difficult throughout life. They can erode self-esteem. These types of learned unhelpful listening and speaking habits are different from communication challenges due to neurological conditions (see below). Communication challenges can be due to a combination of: a build up of habits the child or youth has developed to cope; nutritional imbalances; exposure to environmental pollutants; lack of training in how to manage anger and fear; prolonged stress; family communication patterns; ineffective role models; perceptual challenges; emotional challenges; low emotional and social intelligence levels; copying media and poor role models; anxiety; depression or other mental illnesses; low self-esteem; much body tension; physical and emotional traumas; abuses of any kind; genetics; stress; impatient adults; body tension; painful physical or psychological disorganization due to accidents, abuses of all kinds and trauma; or difficult birth. Poor communication habits can affect auditory processing (the brain becomes unable to figure out what the sounds mean ) and can contribute to challenges with language and/or speech and/or listening. Further challenges can develop through having to use a second language without help.

First, We Would Investigate	Second, We Would Investigate	For Long Term Support We Would Investigate
Western Medicine Osteopathy Psychiatry Nutrition Consulting Aikido Attitudinal Healing Expressive Arts Therapy Support For Parents Psychotherapy Environmentally Healthy Homes Nonviolent Communication	Craniosacral Chiropractic Wilderness Therapy Aromatherapy Traditional Chinese Medicine Biofeedback Ayurveda Flower Essences Homeopathy Herbology	Aikido Aromatherapy Traditional Chinese Medicine Ayurveda Herbology Homeopathy Massage Environmentally Healthy Homes Flower Essences

On Our Own We Would Try: • Replace sodas, juices, sugars, fats, fast foods with water, veggies, whole grains, nuts, protein, fruit, slow food • Long Walks/Hikes • Bedtime Stories and Chats • Wholesome Pleasures • Back Rubs and Foot Massages • Nature • Pets • Less or No TV, Movies, Video/Computer Games

For Parents: • Get support from other parents. • Encourage your child or youth to replace sodas and juices with lots of water. Replace sugars and processed food with fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat them yourself. • Learn Nonviolent Communication at local classes and teach it to your child or youth. • Be the role model for what you want your child or youth to become. • Listen to your child or youth more than you talk. • Avoid judgments and expressions of frustration. Children & youth can achieve good communication when they feel safe and heard. • Find and express faith that everything will work out well.

Check out: www.MedLinePlus.gov; www.KidsHealth.org; www.traumasoma.com/index.shtml(very technical); www.acestudy.org.

How To Help Children And Youth With Communication Challenges: Physical/Neurological

Cannot Communicate Easily Or Effectively; Has Developmental Delays; Has Physical Conditions Making Communication Difficult; Does Not Appear To Comprehend Communication Received; Cannot Express Self In Ways Understood By Others; Communication Disorders Of Many Labels Including Dysarthria, Aparaxia Of Speech, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism, ADHD

Without help these communication challenges can establish patterns making learning and social relations very difficult in later life. Children & youth with these challenges can be considered to be unintelligent, which further destroys self-esteem and can produce antisocial behavior. A combination of therapies is often needed.

Communication challenges can be due to a combination of: genetics; exposure to environmental pollutants; birth trauma; complications during pregnancy; nutritional imbalances; neurological disorganization; hearing difficulties; perceptual challenges; emotional challenges; much body tension; physical and emotional traumas; abuses of any kind.

First, We Would Investigate	Second, We Would Investigate	For Long Term Support We Would Investigate
Western Medicine Osteopathy Psychiatry Nutrition Consulting Feldenkrais Craniosacral Chiropractic Expressive Arts Therapy Precision Teaching Yoga Support For Parents Massage Biofeedback Nonviolent Communication Flower Essences	Environmentally Healthy Homes Music Lessons Herbology Homeopathy Attitudinal Healing	Aikido Aromatherapy Traditional Chinese Medicine Ayurveda Herbology Massage Support For Parents Aromatherapy Traditional Chinese Medicine Ayurveda Nonviolent Communication Flower Essences

On Our Own We Would Try: • Replace sodas, juices, sugars, fats, fast foods with water, veggies, whole grains, nuts, protein, fruit, slow food • Long Walks/Hikes • Bedtime Stories and Chats • Wholesome Pleasures • Back Rubs and Foot Massages • Nature • Pets • Less or No TV, Movies, Video/Computer Games

For Parents: • Get a medical assessment. • Get into a support group with parents of children & youth with the same challenges. You can help each other help your children & youth. • Read lots of bedtime stories, sing lots of songs, even if you can’t see them being understood. • Remember that your child or youth is very normal and brilliant somewhere inside. • Remember that she/he has gifts for the world. • Keep believing that your communication will be understood by your child or youth someday, and that he/she is going to be able to communicate effectively with the world.

•The pathways into your child’s or youth’s essence need to be opened. The pathways from your child’s or youth’s essence need to be opened. • Remember that behavior is another language, for children and for adults. Watch for amazingly subtle ways of communicating.