Incredible people doing incredible things: Greetings and Kia Ora.
Data base 3165
This is your newsletter and we would love to hear from you. Be it
funny, sad, achievements or venting. We are happy to share your
experiences and challenges. You do not need to use your name. Email
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address does not cope with our newsletter.
Top Shelf Productions: Counselling Filming for
TV Show. (June Newsletter)
Objection to this show:
As adults it is our responsibility to protect children from being
exploited and further shamed or hurt, particularly by adult processes
and greed. No amount of ”free" counselling can be worth
the after effects a project such as this will have on our children
and their families. Our children are taonga; many of these children
have suffered more than they deserve too and have plenty to work
through. Very concerned grandmother
This newsletter is a conduit for information relevant to grandparents
raising grandchildren and other organizations interested or affected
by issues our ‘beneficiaries’ are facing.
The GRG Trust does not support or endorse the programme –
but simply makes available the information to the ‘affected’
or ‘target audience’.
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Exciting GRG Trust News:
• This month the GRG Trust was asked to organise a consultation
with the Families Commission and some of our people on issues relating
to before/after and school holiday care. It was a very worthwhile
meeting. We are positive that the Families Commission has a much
better understanding of our needs and challenges. Thank you to those
of you who attended on a very cold wet day.
• We are very privileged to have been asked to a select forum
with UNCROC (United Nations Commission Rights of Child) in Wellington
in late August. Kate Woodd (Trustee) will attend on the Trust’s
behalf. Issues of particular relevance for us to comment on are:
Assistance after child abuse: Discrimination: Services for mental
health in young adolescents. We have concentrated on these 3 issues
as they affect us in our role as caregivers.
• September will see Trevor Pugh (Trustee) travel to Christchurch
to receive the cheque for funding raised by the Methodist/Presbyterian
Woman’s Fellowship year long project. These funds will then
be used to send selected children to camps over January 2007.
My Goodness:
It has come to our attention that we have grandparents raising grandchildren
who live in retirement villages! Our people are also reporting an
influx of wee children, from new born babies to many 1, 2 &
3 year olds.
Experiences in our Role:
Quote from a single grandmother who has raised 3 boys from young
babies who are now in their ‘teenage’ years.
“I feel if I have been reincarnated many times in my life,
the only trouble was I did not die in between”.
Our Web site:
Have you visited this yet? We are getting excellent feed-back not
only from our people but many other organisations. Our website address
is: www.grg.org.nz
The latest statistics for the website through to the middle of July
show that there are approximately 4000 visits to our website each
month. We have averaged 135 visits a day over the last 9 months.
An average of 289 pages a day are accessed from our website. May
2006 was our busiest with a record of 5856 visits from people using
our website. People are visiting us for several reasons: for information,
to get resources, and to reach out and support each other through
our support groups and to view our Bulletin Board.
We also have just over half (55%) of our visitors coming from New
Zealand, 23% coming from the United States, and 2% coming from Australia.
Most people are coming to us directly from our web address (they
know to enter www.grg.org.nz) but we are finding more and more visitors
coming in through search engines as they enter in the keywords:
– grandchildren and grandparents.
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Most Middle-Aged Patients to get Cheaper Medical
Care:
To take advantage of this you need to fill in a register at the
Doctors surgery and if you have children for whom you are responsible
register them too. Nearly all doctor's practices have signed up
for the new deal that means cheaper treatment for patients aged
between 45 and 64.
It is the latest subsidy rollout in the Government's primary healthcare
strategy and means more than 690,000 people will pay $27 less when
they next visit a doctor. Health Minister Pete Hodgson said the
$27 subsidy would roughly cut the cost of a doctor visit in half,
and prescription costs had dropped to $3 per item. There were difficult
negotiations with doctors over a new fee regime but Mr. Hodgson
said they were concluded in time and on the July 1 start date 750
practices were on board.
Tai Chi:
Now this is interesting! Certain children are displaying amazing
results after starting Tai Chi. This trial has been conducted in
a number of schools. Tai Chi is being taught to children displaying
disruptive/hyperactive behaviours. As a result they are presenting
calmer and in more control of their actions. Worth considering for
some of our children and if not yet happening in your local school
consider joining them in a club.
The Use of Dance Therapy in
ADHD and Depression:
Recently a very interesting pilot study was completed in Sweden.
Researchers investigated the effects of dance
therapy in two very different groups of children, young ADHD boys
and depressed teenage girls. The four year study
was carried out at the Clinic for Child and Youth Psychiatry in
Karlstad and was completed in 2005. The project, which was a collaborative
effort involving the University College of Dance in Stockholm, the
Department of Public Health Science at Karlstad University, and
the Clinic for Child and Youth Psychiatry in Karlstad, involved
children living in the
province of Varmland, Sweden.
The ADHD Study
There were six boys in the ADHD study age 5-7. These children were
considered hyperactive and unruly by their
teachers and parents. The therapy started with the children moving
with all their energy. Then new components were added where the
children needed to listen and mimic, play to music, play roles,
and then perform slower and slower motions.
The results of the study in the ADHD boys were quite striking. The
most dramatic effect of the dance therapy
was that the boys calmed down. Their parents and teachers reported
that they did their schoolwork better. One boy
who could only sit in a classroom for ten minutes previously, after
receiving dance therapy was able to attend an entire
lesson. These six boys also showed improvement in social skills.
The boys were better able to play with other children
without getting into conflict and fights. It may seem surprising
to encourage increased activity and movement for boys whose basic
problem is that they move too much and have difficulty remaining
calm. However, this initial study seems to indicate that dance therapy
works.
The Depression Study
Adolescent depression, particularly bipolar depression is a growing
problem in children. Adolescent bipolar depression
is extremely difficult to treat, and when left untreated can have
very serious consequences.
The depression study involved eleven teenage girls age 13-17, who
suffered from depression and self-destructive tendencies. This type
of child is particularly difficult to treat using normal therapeutic
techniques. Since these teenagers usually prefer to remain silent
and not express what is disturbing them, normal conversation based
therapy does not work well. The dance therapy proved to be a good
way to increase their energy level and enhance their joy of living.
Certain dance styles, flamenco for example, helped give the girls
an increased sense of pride and improved their self-esteem. The
overall effect was that the girls were happier and the depression
was alleviated.
Conclusion
The research team investigating the effects of movement therapy
concluded that dance therapy showed promise in both groups of children
and can be very useful when other more traditional treatments fail
or are insufficient.
However, although these studies are promising, the number of children
in both of these groups was very small. Therefore, no sweeping conclusions
should be drawn at this time. However, the fact that many of the
families wished to continue with dance therapy after the conclusion
of the study indicates that at least in their minds, the treatment
program was a success.
Still much needs to be learned regarding dance as a therapeutic
treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry. First of all, there
is no proven explanation for why it is effective. Certainly, no
one is suggesting that dance movement therapy does anything more
than alleviate the symptoms of ADHD and adolescent depression. The
therapy does not address the root cause of these problems. Also,
it is not clear from the study how long the effects of dance therapy
last. Particularly in the ADHD group, the treatment had to be repeated
often.
The success in this study suggests that movement based therapy may
play a helpful role in treating certain psychiatric illnesses. It
also suggests that other structured physical activity, such as sports
may be an approach to helping ADHD and depressed children. Many
parents of ADHD children report that their children do much better
when they participate in sports.
Still as of yet, no studies have been done evaluating the role of
sports involvement in ADHD children. In fact, this initial pilot
study is the first attempt to investigate any form of physical activity
in ADHD. At present, dance therapy is not used as a form of treatment
in child and youth psychiatry. This project was the first attempt
to try and scientifically assess dance therapy as a form of treatment
for ADHD and Depression.
Anthony Kane, MD
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Power Saving Tips:
• Use cold water when filling the kettle, and only the amount
you need.
• Capture as much natural sunlight as possible to reduce the
need to heat up your home. Keep windows clean and free from overhanging
trees.
• Close curtains just before dark to keep heat in.
• Use cold water cycles for washing and only use dryer in
wet weather.
• Install energy efficient light bulbs - they last longer
and use up to 75% less energy than normal light bulbs.
Caregiver Training for September: Run by NZ Foster
care Federation. Free
To register: please contact Maxine Carroll on 0800 227 305 or fax
04 9132168. One month in advance please.
CYF will reimburse petrol money and child care costs. To book online
visit: http://www.caregivertraining.org.nz
06-09-06 Caregivers Induction Nelson
07-09-06 Older Child Nelson
08-09-06 Managing Behaviour Takapuna
08-09-06 Family Dynamics Alexandra
09-09-06 Legal Issues Hamilton
09-09-06 Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) Paraparaumu
15-09-06 Family Dynamics Dunedin
15-09-06 Older Child Manurewa
16-09-06 Understanding Maltreatment Whangarei
16-09-06 Caregivers Induction Taupo
16-09-06 Caregivers Induction Palmerston North 16-09-06 Caregivers
Induction Invercargill
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NO ONE GIVES YOU CHOCOLATES by Ellen Munro:
* Personal stories of depression and recovery
* Practical steps towards overcoming depression
* How family and friends can help
* A comprehensive list of Support Organisations.
The personal stories are from interviews with people who tell of
childhood and marital trauma, suicide and grief, anorexia, bi-polar
and schizophrenia.
The book can be viewed on www.munrobooks.co.nz
Mail order price for members of support groups, community services
and school and public libraries is $20. (This includes postage).
International Prices available on enquiry.
Order from Munro Books: Email: ellenmunro@xtra.co.nz
Phone 03 4360694 Fax 03 4360696
Address: Munro Books, c/- J McIlraith, Hakataramea R.D.1, Kurow
9498
YouthLaw
Tino Rangatiratanga
Taitamariki Inc
WHEN CAN I: (They)
A guide for children and young people as to their legal rights
and responsibilities at different ages
Free legal service for children and young people nationwide
Ph (09) 3096967 10am & 4pm Mon to Fri (we accept collect calls)
Email: info@youthlaw.co.nz. We acknowledge and thank YouthLaw for
allowing us to use this article.
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EDUCATION
AT ANY AGE - When can I be put in day care?
At any age. (Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998)
AT ANY AGE - What controls are there over the early childhood centre
I attend?
If you are in an Early Childhood Centre the centre must be licensed.
To get a licence the Centre must comply with minimum standards relating
to health & safety, curriculum, management and staffing.
(ss316, 317 Education Act 1989; Education (Early Childhood Centres)
Regulations 1998)
AT ANY AGE - Can a teacher, kindergarten teacher or early childhood
centre worker hit, cane or strap me if I misbehave?
No. Corporal punishment (i.e. any deliberate physical force used
against you by a teacher) is banned. School discipline must be administered
with respect for your personal dignity.
(s59(3) Crimes Act 1961; s139A Education Act 1989; regulations 33
& 34 Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998; regulations
20 & 21Children Young Persons and their Families (Residential
Care) Regulations 1996; Article 28(2) United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child)
AGE 5 - When can I start school?
If your parents enrol you, you can start school on the day of your
5th birthday, but you don’t have to be at school until you
are 6.
(ss 3, 20(1) Education Act 1989)
AGE 6 - When do I have to go to school?
Once you turn 6 you have reached school age and must be enrolled
at school until you are 16. If you don’t go to school between
the ages of 6 and 16 your parents may be taken to court.
(ss20, 24, 29, 31 Education Act 1989; s14(1) Children, Young Persons
and their Families Act 1989)
AGE 6 - Can I be taught at home?
Yes, but once you turn six your parent will need to ask the Ministry
of Education to grant a long-term exemption from enrolment for you.
The Ministry must be satisfied that you will be taught as regularly
and as well as in an ordinary
school. Your parent(s) can receive an allowance from the Ministry
of Education to help them with the cost of educating you. This is
known as “home schooling”.
(s21 Education Act 1989)
AGE 10 - What if the school is too far away?
Your parents can apply for an exemption from schooling if you are
under 10 years old if you have to walk 3km or more to get there.
Once you are over 10 the school must be over 5km walking distance.
(26(1)(b) Education Act 1989)
AGE 15 - When can I get permission to leave school?
At 15 you can leave school as long as your parents get special permission
from the Ministry of Education.
(s22 Education Act 1989)
UNDER 16 - Can I have a job during school hours?
If you are under 16 and enrolled at school you cannot be employed
in school hours. If you are at correspondence school or have been
allowed by the Government not to go to a regular school, you must
not be employed if the work interferes with your learning. If you
go to a regular school you must not be employed if your job prevents
or interferes with your attendance at school. Your parents or employer
could be fined up to $1,000 if you work when you are not allowed
to.
(s30 Education Act 1989)
AGE 16 - When can I leave school?
The day you turn 16 you are allowed to leave school if you want
to.
(s20 Education Act 1989)
AGE 16 - Can I be expelled?
At 16 you can be expelled from school. Under this age you can be
“excluded” which also puts you out of your school. Only
the school Board of Trustees can expel or exclude you and only for
“gross misconduct” (i.e. serious misbehaviour) or “continual
disobedience” that is a harmful or dangerous example to other
students, or if your behaviour is likely to cause serious harm to
you or others. If you are under 16 you must enrol in another school,
or do correspondence lessons. The Principal of the school that has
suspended you must contact other schools to try and find you a new
school. If the principal is unsuccessful the Ministry of Education
must help you to find a new school.
2(ss13-18 Education Act 1989)
AGE 19
How long can I get free secondary education for?
Your right to free education ceases on 1 January after your 19th
birthday. But some schools take older students and students receiving
special education are allowed to remain enrolled until they turn
21.
(ss3, 9 Education Act 1989; Article 28 United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child)
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From John Hopkins Hospital
in USA:
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its Newsletters. This
information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre.
1. No plastic containers in microwave
2. No water bottles in freezer
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins
are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your
plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from
the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager
at Castle Hospital was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that
we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic
containers. This applies to foods that contain fat. He said that
the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin
into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
Instead, he recommends using glass, Corning Ware or ceramic containers
for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin.
So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should
be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper
isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer
to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a
while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the
foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap is just as dangerous when
placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is
nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out
of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper
towel instead.
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What is Separation Anxiety
Disorder? Part 1
What Does Separation Anxiety Disorder look like in children and
adolescents – at home, at school, at the doctor's office?
How is Separation Anxiety Disorder treated? Psychological interventions
(counselling) biological interventions (medicines), interventions
at home, interventions at school, Helpful Resources Sources: At
the Doctors Office:
What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?
Separation anxiety disorder is a medical condition that is characterized
by significant distress when a person is away from parents, another
caregiver, or home. Unlike the occasional, mild worries that children
may feel at times of separation, separation anxiety disorder can
dramatically affect a person's life by limiting the ability to engage
in ordinary activities. Children with the disorder become extremely
upset whenever they separate from their primary caregiver, whether
that person is a parent, relative, nanny, or other caregiver. Unlike
children who are simply shy, children with separation anxiety disorder
may become severely anxious and agitated even when just anticipating
being away from their home or primary caregiver.
Separation anxiety disorder affects approximately two to five percent
of children. These children, who often have additional anxiety disorders,
frequently have other family members with anxiety disorders. The
tendency to develop separation anxiety disorder involves complex
genetic and environmental factors.
What Does Separation Anxiety Disorder Look Like
in Children and Adolescents?
A certain level of separation anxiety is an expected and healthy
part of normal development that occurs in all children to varying
degrees between infancy and age 6. Healthy separation anxiety is
typically first seen around 8-10 months of age, when an infant becomes
anxious when meeting strangers (this is called stranger anxiety).
Children also may become mildly anxious around 18-24 months of age,
when they are increasingly exploring their world but wanting to
return to their caregiver frequently for security.
In contrast, children with separation anxiety disorder have separation
worries that are excessive and much greater than their peers. These
worries can overwhelm a child, even when they involve brief separations,
such as leaving to go to school, going to sleep, or staying behind
at home when a parent runs an errand. The child's fears may appear
to be irrational, such as the fear that the parent may suddenly
die or become ill. Young people with separation anxiety disorder
often go to great extremes to avoid being apart from their home
or caregivers. They may protest against leaving a parent's side,
refuse to play with friends, or complain about physical illness
at the time of separating. Frequently, a child tolerates separation
from one parent more easily than separation from the other parent.
Diagnosing separation anxiety disorder can be challenging because
children with separation anxiety disorder may have more than one
anxiety disorder. Children with separation anxiety disorder frequently
have physical complaints, which also may need to be medically evaluated.
A trained clinician (such as a child psychiatrist, child psychologist
or paediatric neurologist) should integrate information from home,
school, and the clinical visit to make a diagnosis.
At Home:
At home, children with separation anxiety disorder may experience
a combination of the symptoms listed below.
? Consistent and extreme worry and fear when separating from home
or primary caregiver. Children also may be extremely frightened
and worried when they anticipate separation and may be unwilling
to be alone.
? Persistent worry and fear that something bad may happen to their
parent or to themselves. They may worry about a parent becoming
sick or getting hurt. They also may worry about getting lost if
separated.
? Refusal to attend school often develops, due to worries about
separating
? Refusal or reluctance to participate in ordinary outings or activities.
The child may not want to go out to dinner, meet friends to play,
or engage in after-school programs.
? Difficulty sleeping alone. Children may insist that a parent sleep
with them or may insist on sleeping with the parent in the parent's
bed.
? Scary dreams about being separated
? Frequent physical complaints at times of separating. Children
with separation anxiety disorder often complain about stomach aches,
headaches, or other physical discomforts when they know they will
have to separate.
If left untreated, the condition may lead to considerable limitations
in other areas of the child's life. Peer relationships, school functioning,
and family functioning may suffer, or depression may develop. In
some situations, if a child believes there is no way to reduce extreme
anxiety, thoughts of self-harm or not wanting to be alive may develop.
At School:
A child or adolescent with separation anxiety disorder may try to
hide symptoms while at school. As a result, a child may appear to
have more symptoms at home than at school. For other children, the
symptoms are particularly evident at school because of the child's
difficulty leaving a parent and the resulting impact on school attendance.
At school, a child with separation anxiety disorder may have a combination
of the symptoms listed below.
? Difficulty transitioning, from home to school: Children may have
great trouble separating from their parents in the morning. This
may lead to late arrival times, long and tearful morning drop-offs,
or tantrums at school.
? Refusal or reluctance, to attend school: Anxiety associated with
this disorder is powerful and may lead a child to insist on staying
at home.
? Avoidance of activities with peers: Any additional time at school
may be resisted.
? Low self-esteem in social situations and academic activities
? Difficulty concentrating due to persistent worry, which may affect
a variety of school activities, from following directions and completing
assignments to paying attention
? Other conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic
disorder, phobias, or depression, which may also be present, compounding
any learning challenges. Having one mental health condition does
not "inoculate" the child from having other conditions
as well.
? Learning disorders and cognitive problems, which are often overlooked
in this population. A child's difficulties or frustrations in school
should not be presumed to be due entirely to the separation anxiety
disorder. If the child still has academic difficulty after symptoms
are treated, an educational evaluation for learning disabilities
should be considered. A child's repeated reluctance to attend school
may be an indicator of an undiagnosed learning disability.
Behavioural or cognitive effects from medication: If a child is
receiving medication for symptoms, new mood changes or behaviours
should be discussed with parents, as they can reflect medication
side effects.
At the Doctor's Office:
A child's symptoms of separation anxiety disorder may be evident
during an office visit when a child refuses to meet with the clinician
alone. This feature alone does not indicate a child has separation
anxiety disorder, since children routinely are nervous during office
visits. Clinicians may benefit from talking with parents, school
staff, and other important caregivers to evaluate a child's functioning
in each area to determine the underlying cause of the child's symptoms.
Clinicians may have to deal with some of the following challenges
in diagnosing and treating a child or adolescent with separation
anxiety disorder.
? Symptoms vary and their appearance may change as a child grows.
A clinician may need to see a child over time to determine the appropriate
diagnosis.
? Other conditions, particularly other anxiety disorders, may look
like separation anxiety disorder. These conditions include specific
phobias (anxiety triggered repeatedly by the same object or situation,
such as spiders or flying), generalized anxiety disorder (extreme
anxiety throughout the day regarding many matters), social phobia
(anxiety triggered by social situations), and panic disorder (unpredictable
panic attacks). The symptoms of mood disorders can also be similar
to the symptoms of separation anxiety disorder.
? Depression is also often found in these children.
? Frequent physical complaints such as stomach aches, headaches,
nausea, or injury occur in children with separation anxiety disorder.
The clinician must determine whether these complaints warrant further
medical investigation.
? Children may have difficulty talking about the fears around separation.
Phrasing questions with particular sensitivity and compassion may
allow a more complete picture of symptoms to emerge. For example,
to elicit information from a child, clinicians might ask, "What
do you worry about when you go to bed alone?"
? Children may be unaware, or unwilling to admit, that their behaviour
may indicate symptoms of a disorder.
Families may need to be coached about what they can reasonably expect
from their child. Children who suffer from separation anxiety disorder
will benefit if their family understands that therapy and medicines
may reduce, but may not cure, symptoms.
Part 2 of this article will be in next newsletter
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Smile:
One day my young daughter and I were listening to an old tune by
Simon and Garfunkel. When the song finished, she asked me, "Well,
did he?" I replied "Did he what?"
"Did Parsley save Rosemary in time?" she asked. (Are you
singing this song?)
Di
National Convenor and the team.
E te Atua, aroha mai..... O God shower us with love
Ka kite
