Sleep Tips For Your Child With Autism Or Adhd
Over half of children with autism and possibly as many as four in five have one or more chronic sleep problems.
A large majority of children with ASD and ADHD have trouble sleeping . Autism Speaks reports that over half of children with autism and possibly as many as four in five have one or more chronic sleep problems .These may include difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, sleeping only a few hours per night, or a combination of the three. Studies show that losing sleep can cause poor daytime behaviors, increase core symptoms of ASD and ADHD , cause adverse effects on social interaction and academic achievement, as well as impact the well-being of the care-givers .
While the root cause of sleep issues in Autism are not always easy to uncover, a few common issues include Sensory Processing Disorder and gastrointestinal issues. Per one study, children with ASD and GI symptoms have been found to have a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances compared with typically developing peers who do not have GI symptoms .
Below youll find 10 ideas to naturally help regulate sleep for your child with sleeping issues, and help you get some sleep as well!
Lack Of Specific Research
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Magnesium absorption through the skin is not well documented. Although Epsom salt baths are a common practice, and many parents have seen benefits, there is no guarantee that a specific amount of magnesium will be absorbed through the water.
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Sulfate absorption is also not well documented. Researchers studying nutritional interventions for autism claim to have recorded increased plasma sulfate levels after their patients took Epsom salt baths, but the findings were not published.
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A study found increased levels of magnesium and sulfate in the blood after bathing in Epsom salt solution but was never officially published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The final conclusion of that study was that bathing in Epsom salts is a safe and easy way to increase sulfate and magnesium levels in the body.
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While there is limited research, using magnesium sulfate at bathtime is a low-risk, potentially high-benefit therapy that some children with autism may benefit from.
How Epsom Salt Bath Benefits Autism
The detoxifying aspect found in Epsom salt soaks can also benefit children with autism. According to most mothers, it is good for autism children by removing the toxins in the gut of these children. As a result, their minds are cleared off stress making it easier for them to not only sleep better but also absorb learning faster.
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What Are Epsom Salt Bath Benefits For Eczema
Epsom salts are minerals comprising of Magnesium sulfate. This is 1 molecule of magnesium sulfate, which is surrounded by 7 molecules of water. These salts are named after a bitter saline spring in Epsom in Surrey England. If you have eczema, you may find relief from bathing in water with these salts.
These are the Epsom salt bath benefits for eczema. For starters, they have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Fungal and bacterial germs are responsible for causing eczema. The salts destroy these microorganisms by drawing water from them. Similarly, the magnesium in the salts has anti-inflammatory properties. This relieves any itching on your skin. Consequently, the inflamed lesions will be reduced.
The Magnesium in the salts is also alkaline therefore making the decrease in acidity levels. High acidity levels contribute greatly to eczema. This element further removes toxins causing eczema in the blood. Other benefits for eczema are found in the sulfates compounds, which remove heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium that cause eczema.
Detox Bath Side Effects:
Detox baths made of Epsom salt and Baking Soda are generally safe for babies and toddlers. Some kids may have minor side effects. Detox baths can leave your kids feeling light headed and dizzy. They may also feel thirsty as detox baths are dehydrating. To avoid this, give your kids enough water before and after the bath.
Some kids may be sensitive to Epsom salts. In such cases, you can skip Epsom salts and add Dead Sea salts instead.
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Things To Consider While Using Epsom Salt During A Bath
Here are a few things to consider when giving an Epsom salt bath to your toddler:
- Ensure the salt is fully dissolved before letting your child in the bath.
- Dont use more than 2 cups of Epsom salt per bath.
- Give your child an Epsom salt bath only 2-3 times a week.
- Consult with your doctor to ensure your child is not allergic to this type of bath.
- Never leave your child in the bath unattended.
- Ensure that you test the temperature of the bath before letting your child in.
Please consult your doctor if your child has any kind of reaction to her first Epsom salt bath. It is also recommended you seek their guidance before you start giving your child this type of bath and that you ease your child into a routine of Epsom salt baths slowly. Start with once a week and slowly build it to three times a week. Its best not to go beyond 3 times a week. Also, remember that Epsom salt should never be ingested and it can be extremely dangerous if the child consumes it.
Let Them Splash In An Epsom Salt Bath
Speaking of minerals, most of us are deficient in magnesium, yet magnesium is essential in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including muscle and nerve function, keeping the heart beating regularly, building strong bones and boosting the immune system. A great way to get magnesium into the body is through an epsom salt bath. Whats more, baths are soothing. You can add good quality lavender or chamomile roman essential oils to the bath to maximize the relaxation effect.
To make an epsom salt bath: Mix 1 cup epsom salt with 1/4 cup of baking soda into a warm bath have your child play in there for 20 minutes. If you would like to add essential oils to the bath, add 1-2 drops to the epsom salt before dumping it into the bath. Wondering about all the benefits of an epsom salt bath? Check out more here.
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Epsom Salt Bath Side Effects
When used as a soak, Epsom salt is generally considered safe.
If youve never had an Epsom salt bath, consider testing a patch of skin with magnesium sulfate and water first.
Avoid submerging broken skin in an Epsom salt bath.
Stop use if you experience:
- itchy skin
- treat muscle spasms and seizures caused by magnesium deficiency
Its used orally to treat:
- constipation
- low magnesium levels in blood
Theres that magnesium taken orally has a positive effect for several conditions, including:
- stroke
- diabetes
It is, however, also possible to take too much magnesium by mouth.
Always check with your doctor before using Epsom salt by mouth. Follow the package instructions exactly. Too much magnesium can cause an irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure.
Epsom Salt Baths Vs Traditional Supplementation
Why not just take a magnesium supplement? Or a sulfate supplement?
It is believed that the combination of both magnesium and sulfate works together to stimulate detoxification pathways. Soaking in a warm bath helps to facilitate the absorption of these minerals. Since most children take baths anyway, it is an easy addition to the nighttime routine that could potentially benefit your child. However, if your child has a major magnesium deficiency, it is unlikely that a magnesium sulfate bath is the most efficient way to correct it. The specific level of magnesium absorption into the bloodstream is not well-documented, so a supplement may be considered if your child has a magnesium deficiency. See the ANL note on magnesium for more information.
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Methylation Cycle & Transsulfuration Pathways
In autism, we find that both methylation and transsulfuration pathways are often impaired. These are phase 2 liver processes that remove toxins from the body and produce the bodys #1 antioxidant, glutathione. However, toxins interfere with this pathway and thereby reduce the production of glutathione. In fact, blood tests are being studied that can diagnose kids with autism simply by measuring methylation and sulfation metabolites in their blood. These blood tests are amazingly accurate but not yet on the market.
To begin with, there are chemical reactions that take place within each cell. These provide energy for vital processes. Among thousands of metabolic reactions in the body, the methylation reaction is one of the most important and universal. It has numerous functions, including controlling inflammation, repairing genetic DNA and RNA, controlling neurotransmitters, and energy production. Methylation works to recycle glutathione, the bodys biggest antioxidant, which is needed to help the body detoxify.
For these reasons, measures to enhance methylation and transsulfuration detoxication processes may help kids with autism.
General Guidelines For Kids
Read the instructions on your package of Epsom salt before adding any to the bath. Typically, the dosage indicated for an adult or a child over the age of 6 is about two cups in a full bathtub, for soaks of up to 30 minutes at a time. In most cases, Epsom salt is not recommended for children under 6. While the salt solution is not necessarily harmful in and of itself, accidental ingestion may cause sudden diarrhea or more serious side effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult with your doctor before using the salt in your child’s bath.
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What Is Detoxification
Detoxification is the metabolic process of changing toxins into less toxic or more readily available excretable substances. Detoxification interventions are aimed at supporting the bodys ability to restore balance.
First, the detoxification process begins in the cell, goes to the liver, and finally, to an organ for excretion. Fat-soluble toxins enter the liver, go through two different phases of the liver, and exit the liver as water-soluble waste products. From here, they are eliminated from the body via the gall bladder to the bile to the stool. Similarly, toxins may be sent to the kidneys to be excreted in the urine.
Epsom Salt Detox Bath
Magnesium sulfate, the chemical compound that makes up Epsom salt is a very versatile tool — not only can it help you with your skin care routine, some say it can also help you detoxify your body. Proponents claim that Epsom salt baths are a great way to get out lots of harmful and unnatural substances that you don’t want in your system.
Imagine your body as a party with lots of people — both those who were invited and those who weren’t. When the party’s over, usually at least some of those uninvited partygoers are still sticking around. It’s late, and you’re trying to figure out how to politely send them on their way. When you take an Epsom salt bath, those “uninvited” pollutants are told to leave your body. That message is delivered by none other than magnesium sulfate.
Magnesium helps keep your bodily functions running smoothly, including some of the pathways that lead toxins right out of your body. Sulfate helps to strengthen the walls of your digestive tract so that it’s easier to release toxins. As a compound, magnesium sulfate also raises the amount of digestive enzymes in the pancreas. The compound also helps in purifying and detoxifying your body of heavy metals . All of these functions help to aid the body in getting rid of toxins. However, there’s not a lot of medical research documenting how much of a detoxifying effect Epsom salt may really have.
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Epsom Salt Baths For Wrinkles
If you’re like most people with wrinkles, you’re probably always on the lookout for fast and inexpensive ways to wipe out and prevent those little lines. Many factors — such as genetics, sun exposure and smoking — can help cause wrinkles on your skin . Consistent facial expressions such as squinting or smiling will also contribute to them over time. The reason that wrinkles are a common sign of aging is that as your skin ages, it loses some of its elasticity and supporting fat, and it becomes dry more easily. Sebaceous glands in older skin don’t produce oil as much as they do in younger skin, leading to a dryness that makes wrinkles more pronounced.
This is where Epsom salt baths come in. Bathing in mineral-rich Epsom salt water may help to hydrate and soften your skin, and you can maintain that effect if you follow up with a good moisturizer shortly after your bath. Locking in that moisture can keep your skin from getting too dry and, as a result, may help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your skin.
Other ways of hiding wrinkles range from topical retinoid creams to face lifts, so taking baths with Epsom salt and following up with a moisturizer is a quicker, more inexpensive method, although you probably won’t get results as drastic as you might by using the other methods.
Epsom salt baths can be great for your skin, but they can do other things for your body, too. Read on to learn how they can help remove toxins from your body.
A Great Nights Sleep 5 Tips For Your Child With Cerebral Palsy
A child with cerebral palsy may struggle to get the hours of sleep they so desperately need. It may take hours for them to fall asleep, or your child may be waking multiple times a night. They could be up for long stretches, or cant calm down without needing you there.
For many parents, it can be difficult to know what’s causing these sleepless nights — sore muscles, digestion, too tired, not tired enough? You feel like you have to put your detective hat on every single night.
And, I know that it often feels like you’re grasping at straws when trying to solve the problem. I know that for many kids I work with, the first few months of their life were very touch and go. Your child may have had constant monitoring, or needed many other interventions before coming home. Any mother or father would keep their child close after that experience, but now your child is older things are hopefully more stable. However, they still may have difficulties with sleep.
To get your child resting better, it’s always best to start simple. So, here are my simplest tips to help your child with cerebral palsy get a better night’s rest.
These tips are fairly easy to implement, whether you just do one or implement all of them. With consistency, many parents have made great headway with helping their child with special needs to get a better nights rest.
Thu 4 Nov 2021
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Potential Risks For The Use Of Epsom Salts
Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is a laxative. If a child swallows the bath water, it could lead to increased bowel movements. Of course, children should never be left unsupervised to take a bath, and they should be monitored to prevent drinking the bath water with the Epsom salt.
Otherwise, Epsom salt baths should be relatively safe, although parents who have children with medical conditions could check with their doctors before regularly using Epsom salt baths.
Things To Consider During Using Epsom Salt
Here are some things to consider when you give your baby an Epsom salt bath:
- Before putting your child in the tub, make sure that the salt is completely dissolved.
- Do not use more than 2 cups per bath of Epsom salt.
- Give just 2-3 times a week for your child an Epsom salt bath
- To ensure that your child is not allergic to this sort of water, check with your doctor.
- Never leave unattended your child in the tub.
- Make sure youre checking the bath temperature before you let your child in.
If your child has any reaction to her first Epsom salt bath please consult with your doctor. It is also recommended that you seek guidance before you begin to give this form of a bath to your child and that you gradually ease your child into an Epsom salt bath routine.
Start with it once a week and build it up to three times a week gradually. Not going over 3 days a week is great. Note also that Epsom salt should never be swallowed, and if the child drinks it, it can be extremely dangerous.
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How Epsom Salt Bath Benefits Running Athletes
Athletes train hard to keep fit and they work hard on the tracks to win. The effect of these is tired body and muscles. To top it all up, the muscles are left in a lot of pain. There is no better relief that soaking in a bathtub with Epsom salts after a relaxing body massage. If you do not get the massage, you can still enjoy the bath and get the same benefits after running.
This is how a salt bath is good for running athletes after a hard day:
- They normalize the activity of more than 325 enzymes
- The salt relieves muscle aches and pains and incase of any migraine headaches they are relieved as well
- You get to relax and be free from stress
- Your blood circulation improves and your blood vessels become elastic
- You cleanse and exfoliate your skin after all the sweat after running
- Any inflammation you may have will also be relieved after the soaking in Epsom salts.
These Epsom salt bath benefits running athletes should embrace for continued good performance on the tracks. It is impossible to perform well with aches and pains.