Clothing Suggestions from Disability Online

Again, Soft is in high gear with prototypes and production, but while you wait for the first line of inclusive clothing to launch this December, here are some suggestions for your sensitive dresser from a trusted source:

Clothes
Many children with autism tend to take their clothes off whenever they can. Suggestions include:

• Ask your child why they want to take their clothes off. They may be able to tell you what’s irritating them.
• Your child may be overly sensitive to the feeling of clothes against their skin. Consult with your occupational therapist for help to develop a ‘desensitisation’ program.
• Choose soft fabrics, preferably cotton.
• Avoid clothing with tight waistbands, collars or cuffs.
• Remove clothing tags that may rub against their skin.
• Try dressing them in clothes that are difficult to remove, such as overalls or jumpsuits.
• Choose shirts, dresses and pants that button at the back.
• Replace zippers, velcro, buttons and other easily opened fasteners with more complicated options.
• If your child constantly removes their nappy, check that it’s comfortable. Try switching brands.

Help is on the way!

Love,
Soft

A Federal Study for Chelation?

FRINGE AUTISM TREATMENT COULD GET FEDERAL STUDY
Associated Press - July 08, 2008

CHICAGO - Pressured by desperate parents, government researchers are
pushing to test an unproven treatment on autistic children, a move
some scientists see as an unethical experiment in voodoo medicine.

The treatment removes heavy metals from the body and is based on the
fringe theory that mercury in vaccines triggers autism - a theory
never proved and rejected by mainstream science. Mercury hasn't been
in childhood vaccines since 2001, except for certain flu shots.

But many parents of autistic children are believers, and the head of
the National Institute of Mental Health supports testing it on
children provided the tests are safe.

"So many moms have said, `It's saved my kids,'" institute director
Dr. Thomas Insel said.

For now, the proposed study, not widely known outside the community
of autism research and advocacy groups, has been put on hold because
of safety concerns, Insel told The Associated Press.

The process, called chelation, is used to treat lead poisoning.
Studies of adults have shown it to be ineffective unless there are
high levels of metals in the blood. Any study in children would have
to exclude those with high levels of lead or mercury, which would
require treatment and preclude using a placebo.

. . .Read the rest at . . . http://snipurl.com/2vtqq