LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2004--Earthworks Entertainment (OTCBB:EWKE) announced today that the Nine Dog Christmas family Special is positioned to become one of this Holiday Season's "must see" events on everyone's Christmas entertainment hit list with a nationwide home video release and multiple plays on Cartoon Network.
The Nine Dog Christmas stars nine extraordinary stray dogs who must overcome tremendous odds, and discover it's "all for one and one for all" to help Santa bring joy to the world when the reindeer flu threatens to cancel Christmas. James Earl Jones narrates this captivating, all-family musical adventure story, which resounds with the magic of Christmas. The Nine Dog Christmas home video has just recently been released and is being distributed by Warner Home Video. It is currently available at leading retail stores throughout the country. Earthworks President and CEO, Peter Keefe, who produced the Nine Dog Christmas Special and developed the property's marketing strategy, stated that the TV feature will also premiere on Cartoon Network this Christmas and encourages everyone to check out the show's TV broadcast schedule on the Cartoon Network's website at http://www.cartoonnetwork.com. A fun, spooky Nine Dog http://www.ezsantaletters.com/products/Santa_Letter_Child_with_Loved_One_Deployed-37-1.html Night of Fright sequel is now in pre-production and is planned to be introduced as a Halloween Special. The Nine Dog Night of Fright is being set to http://www.ezsantaletters.com/products/Santa_Letter_For_an_Older_Child-31-1.html become a powerful video, television and merchandise licensing performer all year round, dramatically growing the new Nine Dog brand franchise. International television market sales for the Nine Dog Christmas property is being handled by UK based Indigo Film & Television. JRS Properties LLC is the Nine Dog rights holder. Earthworks Entertainment creates, produces, markets and distributes high quality children's and family oriented entertainment properties. The Company identifies entertainment properties that it believes have the greatest success potential in the global marketplace. It then develops and markets these properties in exchange for management, production and distribution fees and for a substantial percentage of the worldwide merchandise licensing profits. These entertainment properties are marketed in all areas of commercial licensing including: TV & Home Video, Toys, Video Games, Music, Books, Leisure & Play Items, Gifts & Novelties, Theme Parks, Food & Drink Promotions, and Apparel. Please visit our website at: http://www.EarthworksEntertainment.com where you can view a clip of the Nine Dog Christmas. This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Due to the http://www.ezsantaletters.com/products/Santa_Letter_Child_with_a_New_Baby_in_Home-35-1.html fact that Earthworks faces competition from other creators, producers, sellers, marketers, distributors and licensors, and due to the uncertainty of the public's response to Earthwork's children's and family entertainment properties, actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Earthworks, Los Angeles Tom Derby, 877/381-5720 or Peter Keefe, 310/589-3985 When 11-year-old Bobbie-Mae Chalk thought about what she wanted for Christmas this year, her request was atypical-- she asked Santa to cure her mother's debilitating illness.
The Metro reported that her mom, 31-year-old Debby Chalk, has Crohn's disease, a painful form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn's disease causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, mouth sores and reduced appetite, among other symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Bobbie-Mae, of Southampton, England, voiced her wishes to Santa in a letter that has started to go viral after Crohn's and Colitis UK shared it on Facebook. The letter reads: "Dear Santa, Please if you can make my mums (sic) life better and make her not feel ill all the time, I would really appreciate it. Just PLEASE!! Make her life more and more better, it hurts to watch her suffer, so please make it better. If I had one wish in the whole world it would be to help." As of Tuesday afternoon, the post had been liked more than 7,000 times and shared over 700 times. The post has also prompted an outpouring of support in nearly 400 comments. Metro.co.uk reported that Debby was emotional when she learned of her daughter's letter. "I welled up and couldn't believe it," Debby told the news site. "Makes me so proud to be her mum." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IBD affects an estimated 1 to 1.3 million people in Letters from Santa the United Letter from Santa States. Data suggest upwards of 201 per 100,000 adults have Crohn's disease. Scientists haven't yet identified preventative measures to protect against the condition, nor have they found a cure. Santa faces the dilemma every year -- what to get the kids that will make them happy but also be "good" for them -- fun, engaging toys that also engage them creatively, intellectually or physically. "Good Morning America" parenting contributor Anne Pleshette Murphy took a look at this season's best bets for kids.
Imagination/Creativity Dora's Talking Kitchen This kitchen set with sink, refrigerator, oven, food and life-sized Dora doll is based on the top-rated Nickelodeon show "Dora the Explorer." Interactive recipe cards encourage kids to identify foods in English and Spanish. It's a traditional creative toy, and the electronic features add to learning. For ages 2 and up. Needs 3 AA batteries, included. From Fisher Price. Cost $79.99 V Cam Now For your future filmmaker, a digital video camera designed for 'tweens that can capture sound video or still images, which can be uploaded to a home computer or shown on TV. It has enough memory for hundreds of photos and several minutes of video. For ages 8 and up. Needs 2 AA batteries. From Hasbro. Costs $79.99. Fly Pentop Computer Using the pen, a special notebook and the appropriate application cartridge, a child can play music, translate written words into spoken words, practice spelling and math, and translate words into Spanish. It gives real-time audio feedback as kids write and draw. For kids ages 8 to 13. From Leap Frog. Costs $99.99; applications cost between $4.99 and $34.99. Love of Learning Alpha-Bug Step 'n' Spell This toy is like the floor piano from the movie "Big," except Letter from Santa it's for spelling. It's an interactive, talking floor mat that helps teach the alphabet, letter sounds, vowel recognition and short words with music. For ages 3 and up. Needs 3 AA batteries, not included. From Learning Resources. Costs $39.99. Explorer Smart Globe Using the included "smart pen," kids can tap on a state, country or continent and hear information, including capital, size, population, flying time between two points, national anthems and more. A good gift for the geographically challenged adult as well. For ages 8 and up. Takes 2 AAA batteries for pen and 4 AA batteries for globe, not included. From Oregon Scientific. Costs $129.99. Digital Microscope For your future "CSI" detective, this microscope can magnify and display tiny objects onto a computer. There's a detachable digital microscope/camera that allows kids to view things up close. Also has six prepared slides. For ages 10 and up. From Museum Tour. Costs $89.95. Fitness/Physcial Activity Xavix Interactive Sports It's an interactive PlayStation-like game that uses human interface sensors to allow TV to respond directly to a user's actions. Games include baseball, tennis, bowling and golf. Kids can practice on their own or play a two-person game. For ages 8 and up. From Xavix. System costs $79.99; games cost between $49.99 and $79.99. Musical Dress A musical recording is hidden within an interior pocket of the skirt, and the music is activiated by motion. Kids can dance and sing along to "The Nutcracker," "Swan Lake" or Hawaiian music. An "on/off" switch allows for quiet play. For ages 3 to 6. Batteries included. From Acting Out. Costs $30. Chicken Limbo Kids limbo under a bar, where a chicken sits and Santa Letters plays music. If you hit the chicken while going under the bar, it squawks "gotcha," and you're out. A fun, interactive party game. For ages 8 and up. Takes 3 AAA batteries, not included. From Hasbro. Costs $19.99. Create Video Games to Give as Gifts to Family and Friends for Free with Jumala This Holiday Season.11/12/2017 Join in Jumala's 12 Days of Santa letters Gaming to Create Your Own Holiday
and Winter Themed PC Games - Visit Jumala.com/advent Today SEATTLE -- Blown your budget and out of ideas for your game-loving friends this holiday season? Make them a PC game, for free. At Jumala, you can create visually stunning games to give as gifts to family and friends, no programming skills required. Jumala enables anyone with a keyboard and mouse to build and play 3D games on their PC and share their creations with friends and family. Whether teleporting to the North Pole, building a giant maze from Christmas gifts or populating your version of Christmastown with zombies and molotov cocktail-throwing skeletons, Jumala makes game design fun and simple. Once a game is created, a holiday message can be added and friends and family can be invited to play. In the true spirit of giving, friends can make a copy of your game, change it and regift it to anyone. Gaming community maven, Trixie360, said, "I love the idea of handmade gifts, but am more comfortable with a computer than knitting needles. I'm giving everyone in my family personalized Jumala video games for the holidays and I'm having a ton of fun doing it. Who knew I could customized Santa letters be a game designer?" And now, during Jumala's 12 Days of Gaming, players can create holiday and winter themed games using new game templates and game content including Melvin the Christmas Gnome, reindeer, sleighs, ice skulls and, of course, Santa himself. Jumala is offering free holiday game content on each of the 12 Days of Gaming, and players can be entered to win Spark - Jumala's in game virtual currency - for completing the collection. "Holiday cards are so 90s," added Jumala CTO Frank Savage. "With Jumala, I can make a crazy Christmas game, send it to all of my Facebook friends and watch them try to outplay each other. Far more interesting, and cheaper, than sending a fruitcake." Visit Jumala.com to design unique worlds for friends and family to explore this holiday season. And participate in Jumala's 12 Days of Gaming to start building holiday collections now at Jumala.com/advent. For additional assets and information, please visit: www.jumala.com/press. About Blade Games World Blade Games World develops and publishes Jumala, a free gaming destination that brings game creation to everyone - no experience or programming skills required. Whether enjoying games made by others or playing the "game" of creating your own, Jumala blends game play, game creation and an interactive community into Santa Claus letters a single, immersive and fun experience. Jumala unleashes creative possibilities as vast and unique as your imagination. Blade Games is led by an experienced team of game development professionals and is based in Bellevue, WA. For more information, please visit www.jumala.com. Christmas time means celebration; meeting and greeting loved ones and making long lists of gifts to pamper friends and family. People around the world wait for this very special day and begin decorating their homes weeks in advance. Christmas isn't complete without gifts, and to find the appropriate gift takes planning and preparation. Here is a collection of the top ten Christmas gift ideas for men, women and kids. It will help you choose the right gifts for your dear ones this festive season.
1. Gadgets For a gadget freak, you can choose any piece of technology. A brand new mobile phone, a netbook, an iPod if he's fond of music or an ebook reader if he loves to read, are some of the gadgets that make good Christmas gifts for men. 2. Outfits For fashion-loving men, outfits make best Christmas gifts. You can choose formal shirts, ties or tuxedos. You can buy him a t-shirt and personalize it if you want. Add his photograph or a personal message on the t-shirt. Or paint it yourself if you are good at that! Christmas is the best time to gift him a winter jacket. Or get him a blazer of the brand and color of his choice. In case you do not know his choice of clothing, it is best to use gift vouchers. 3. Accessories Gift him a branded watch, a leather belt, a pair of gloves, a wallet or sunglasses. Men love accessories. Team these up or choose any one of these gift items. If you are gifting these to your husband, boyfriend or dad, personalize it. To give a personal touch to your Christmas gift, attach a message to each gift. Add a tag saying "for all those 'times' we have spent together", to the watch or a "for the warmth we share..." tag to the gloves. He'll like it. 4. Digital Camera A digital camera is perhaps a great choice for anyone who is interested in photography. Gift him the latest digital camera to let him treasure precious memories. If you are choosing this as a Christmas gift for your boyfriend, how about secretly loading the camera with a photograph of the two of you, clicked a while ago, transferred to the new camera! 5. Cologne Buy him a musky-smelling Tom Ford Azure Lime or Calvin Klein's Eternity, a very masculine fragrance. Or gift him the very popular Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani. Expensive; yes they could be, but colognes have made it to the list of top ten Christmas gifts for men! 6. Leather Well, leather has something masculine about it. Leather goods and accessories make best Christmas gifts for men. Did you think of just leather belts and wallets? No, there's more on the list. You can gift men, leather bags - you can choose from laptop bags or haversacks. Or choose a duffel bag, a commander bag or a mobile phone cover in leather. You may like to gift him a combo pack of leather articles; like two belts and a wallet, or a pair of bags (one big, one mid-sized). 7. Shaving Kit That makes a perfect Christmas gift for men. It typically includes a pre-shave oil, shaving cream, razors and brushes. It might come with an after shave lotion or balm and men's cosmetics. You can choose to add men's skincare products to the kit or even a men's cologne. Gillette, The Art of Shaving and Clinique are some of the good brands to go for. 8. Tickets/Passes Gift him tickets or passes to a concert he had always wanted to attend. If he's a sports addict like most men are, gift him tickets to a sports event he would like to be a part of. Consider gifting him movie tickets to any new movie he would love watching. Passes to his favorite adventure sports park, also make a good Christmas gift for men. 9. Movie DVDs If he's a real movie buff, gift him DVDs of his favorite movies and add to his collection. Since it's holiday season, he is likely to find time to watch them. So, Christmas is the right time to gift men, movie DVDs. Choose the genre depending on what he would like. Classics, sci-fi, comedies, love stories or recent releases. Asking him (well, indirectly) or asking someone who knows him well, before buying the DVDs is always better than making a wrong guess of his choice of movies. 10. Gift Basket A gift basket for men should have things that men love. You can combine any of the Christmas gift ideas we just saw and make a gift basket for him. Don't forget to add chocolates and a jar of Christmas cookies in the basket. Team it up with a bottle of wine. He'll love it! You can add keepsakes to the gift basket. A photo frame, a mug, a perfume/cologne, cufflinks, a tie, a pair of gloves and socks for winter, a little diary (if he writes one) are some of the articles that can go into a Christmas gift basket for men. 1. Spa Products Every woman loves to pamper herself. Give her a chance to do just that by gifting her spa and beauty products this Christmas. A body wash, a body spray, a bath soap, body oils, lotions, among other bodycare products, neatly packed, make one of the best Christmas gifts for women. Manicure and pedicure kits are definitely among the top 10 Christmas gifts for them. 2. Cosmetics You would hardly find a woman who doesn't like cosmetics. Who wouldn't want them as gifts? Every woman would die for them. Gift her a makeup kit this Christmas, or buy her cosmetics she uses everyday. How about a lipstick coupled with a lip gloss or lip balm; or a set of eyeliners and eye shadows in her favorite shades? Or buy her an Avon or Revlon nail polish bottle, the shade she always wanted to have. 3. Outfits Designer clothes are an excellent choice of Christmas gifts for women. You can pick knee-length dresses or gowns, or trendy tops and skirts. Buy her a winter jacket or a pair of gloves and a sweater this winter. If you are choosing clothing Letter from Santa for your girlfriend or wife, you can buy her nightwear or personalized attire. Gift her a cashmere shawl if she would like it. This one's among the top Christmas gifts for mom. 4. Jewelry Works wonders with any woman. Every woman loves to adorn exquisite pieces of jewelry. Gift her a necklace, a silver chain, a pendant or a bracelet. Birthstone necklaces or pendant and earring sets are among the top Christmas gifts for women. You can buy her jewelry in precious stones, gold, silver, diamond (that every woman loves) or murano glass. You can team it up with a jewelry box, an earring stand or a jewelry tree to help her hold those beautiful pieces of jewelry together. 5. Perfumes An enticing fragrance is an ideal Christmas gift for women. Pick one of the best-selling women's perfumes like Chance by Chanel and Burberry by Burberry or a celebrity perfume like Curious by Britney Spears or Live by Jenniefer Lopez. If it's going to be your Christmas gift for your wife or girlfriend, you can add a personal touch by sliding a cute message along the bottle neck. The perfume will remind her of your fragrant moments together. 6. Hats, Scarves Hats in different styles make good Christmas gifts for women who love wearing them. Winter caps can be another good pick this Christmas. Cashmere scarves for the winter season and fancy silk scarves for other occasions are also among the top 10 Letters from Santa Christmas gifts for women. Gift your mom a winter cap, a cashmere scarf or fur earmuffs to keep her warm during the chilly winter. 7. Bag/Purse You won't deny that women are in love with bags. Whatever number they have, they want more; a different bag for every dress, different ones for different occasions. They want variety in colors, sizes and shapes. So bags and purses are always among the top 10 Christmas presents for women of all ages. Check out the latest winter collection of bags and gift one to that woman you love. Gift her a handbag, totebag, a designer bag or a trendy purse. 8. Kitchen Gear Now this includes everything from a culinary knife set to personalized aprons for her. You can gift these to your wife or mom. A personalized cutting board and cutting knives make good gifts for a homemaker wife or mom. Salt and pepper sets, cutlery, glasses or mugs are some other good Christmas gift ideas for women. 9. Coffee Maker She loves coffee? Gift her a coffee maker this Christmas. Team it with one or two coffees of flavors she likes. Gift her a coffee jar and a mug to go with the theme. Yes, you can personalize the mug by getting her picture and a Christmas wish printed on it. If you are choosing this Christmas gift for your girlfriend or wife, you can get a picture of the two of you printed and attach a message saying something like, "Miss me when you have it alone...", to the coffee mug or jar. On a personalized mug for your mom, it's a great idea to get your childhood photograph printed, as a reminiscence of your years spent with her. 10. Gift Basket Load the basket with plenty of chocolates (women love them) and some keepsakes that women cherish having. You can add a photo frame or a tree picture frame, refrigerator magnets, a mobile phone holder, a flip flap, cookie jar, maybe a brooch and a spa voucher to let her pamper herself. Add to it, a bottle of champagne or wine and your gift basket is complete. A Santa Letters perfect Christmas present for any woman that is. 1. Goodies Now, that's a favorite among kids and tops the list of Christmas gifts for children. Buy them marshmallow pops, sweets, a gingerbread house, cupcakes and chocolates. Bake them a chocolate cake and Christmas cookies and gift them these goodies. You can add stocking stuffers too. 2. Video Games Video games are a favorite among kids of all ages. Think of what they would like, buy something that will entertain but avoid buying violent games. Look for educational video games. Buy them a Nintendo or PSP console or Xbox 360 games like Kung Fu Panda and Spider Man: Friend or Foe. You will see them smile their way into the virtual world that video games create. 3. Clothes Skirts and tops, jeans and tanks for girls and jeans and t-shirts for boys are among the different outfits you can gift to kids. Sweaters make great gifts for Christmas. For younger kids, you can buy Christmas and angel costumes and socks and booties. Christmas hats or nightwear for both girls and boys and hair accessories for girls are among the top 10 Christmas gift ideas for kids. 4. Toys Well, toys are a popular Christmas gift for little boys and girls. Buy toy cars for boys and dolls and plush toys for girls. Pretend-n-play games make great gifts for girls. You can gift them doll houses. Boys like the masculine stuff like toy cars, airplanes or bow and arrow sets. Christmas trees, a stuffed Santa and Christmas chimes are among other top Christmas gifts for kids. You can gift these kids board games like monopoly and scrabble, mind and math games and puzzles. 5. Books Books are a treat to any child who loves to read. If you know about the kid's love for books, gift something that will add to his/her collection. Famous Five, Secret Seven, the ever-so-popular Harry Potter Series, Sherlock Holmes, Chicken Soup are just a few examples of books to buy as Christmas gifts for children. For younger kids, get books of fairytales, bedtime stories, poetry books or other children's books. If you know a particular interest of the child, get him books of that genre. Comics, coloring books and quiz books are among other good books to choose from. 6. Travel Packages Travel tickets to their favorite destination are among the top 10 Christmas gifts for kids. Passes to Disneyland are a great pick. Tickets to an amusement park or adventure sports park are among other top Christmas gifts for children. Take them on a vacation long-awaited and hear them chirp with joy! 7. Sports Gear If the kid's a sports freak, gift him gear for his favorite sport. Baseball or soccer gear, swimwear or camping gear are some of the best presents for Christmas. You can choose training kits of these sports too. Your son wanted a bike? Gift it to him this Christmas. Your little girl had asked you for skates? Get them as a Christmas gift for her. 8. Pet A cute pet in a basket is just so adorable! Imagine gifting it to your kid. A great Christmas gift idea that is. Gift your kids a pet they always wanted to have. Buy a pup, place it in a nice basket, decorate the basket and surprise your kids by gifting it to them. A bird with its cage, a little hamster or a cat are other options you have. You can consider buying an aquarium for your house. The little fish will amuse the kids, making these good Christmas gifts for them. 9. Piggy Bank Piggy banks come in different shapes and sizes. You can buy one for the kids or gift them a hand-painted one. They come in the shape of a teddy, a frog, a dolphin, an airplane or even a soccer ball. Get them in the shape they will like most. Personalized coin banks are also among the top Christmas gifts for children. 10. Gift Basket What goes into a Christmas gift basket for kids? Christmas ornaments for their tree decorations, candy, little Disney toys, a stuffed Santa, a little Christmas tree, books on Christmas trivia, art books, story books, an art and science kit, coins and other keepsakes are some of the gift articles that can go into your Christmas gift basket. To personalize it more, add a letter or a scrap book with messages for them and things about them; something like their photographs with you or your message for them. Or prepare a new year resolution sheet or booklet for them and add it to the basket! You can choose any of these gifts to brighten up your Christmas celebrations. American author Burton Hillis rightly says that the best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. Special pants used by astronauts in space can help people with a painful leg condition, according to researchers in Indiana. Under their spacesuits, astronauts typically wear a layer of clothing with tubing that circulates cool water white yoga pants around their bodies to regulate their core body temperature. The research team at Purdue University found that if they use warm water instead of cold, the 'space pants' can help patients with peripheral artery disease or PAD -- a painful condition that can cause patients' legs to hurt and cramp while walking. They found a single 90-minute session wearing the pants gave significant benefits to patients with symptomatic PAD. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRUNO ROSEGUINI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN HEALTH AND KINESIOLOGY AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, SAYING: "We saw reductions in blood pressure that lasted for more than an hour after the treatment was applied. We saw substantial changes in blood flow to their most symptomatic leg, which is one of the primary goals of this therapy, to restore blood flow to the affected limbs." Based on those initial findings, Roseguini is leading a clinical trial to see if the 'space pants' can provide long-term relief. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRUNO ROSEGUINI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN HEALTH AND KINESIOLOGY AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, SAYING: "So the idea is if you do these repeated bouts of heating, exposures to heat therapy, that those (blood) vessels will become more able to vasodilate during a situation such as exercise. What that means is that there would be more blood flow, more oxygen being delivered to those working muscles and we anticipate that this would prolong the time that they could walk before they feel pain, which would be obviously a major benefit from them in terms of quality of life. They can do more of their regular activities without experiencing pain in their calf muscles." Eventually, the goal is to fit the pants with a small, battery-operated pump, offering PAD patients the hope they could improve their quality of life by using the 'space pants' in their own homes. Learn How to Work With Your Child's Sensitivities, Not Against ThemCredit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/waponigirl/5703325415/
Sensory processing disorder is common among autistic children. It affects everyday activities, behavior, and especially life skills such as bathing and dressing. When the mind cannot interpret incoming data from your basic senses correctly - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - the jumbled information can result in odd or strange behaviors. It's through your central nervous system that the body gathers information about the world and relays it to the brain, so the brain can organize the information. Once organized, the brain then decides on the best way to handle the experience or threat. Seven Sensory Systems Can Malfunction Although we have seven sensory systems that can malfunction (the basic senses plus the vestibular system and the proprioceptive system), the most common sensory problem among autistic children is the sense of touch. That can make finding clothes that your child will wear somewhat difficult. When they insist on wearing the same clothes almost every day and avoid wearing denim jeans in preference for baggie sweats, jogging clothes, stretch pants, or silky shorts, the problem is most likely touch sensitivity. Touch sensitive children react defensively when something touches their skin. What they feel when you touch them, or when material touches their skin, can range from a slight annoyance to severe pain. These reactions often result in stimming, temper tantrums, throwing toys, or meltdowns. While an occupational therapist can work with autistic children to improve or overcome their sensory defects, there are also things that parents can do to make their child more comfortable. Touch Sensitive Children Need Soft Clothing Autistic children with sensory issues don't just fight against jeans. They often show sensitivity to socks, shoes, shirts, and even dresses. Switching from clothing associated with one particular season such as summer shorts to winter jeans and sweats can also be problematic. Basically, anything that feels stiff, scratchy, bumpy, or itchy causes the nervous system to overreact in someone who has difficulty with sensory integration. It doesn't have to feel extremely rough or scratchy to you. In fact, it probably won't. That's why it can be difficult for those who don't have sensory issues to understand what's going on. To those with touch sensitivity, it feels like sandpaper is being rubbed on their skin. It can also feel like a rug burn, or like someone is sticking them with sharp needles or straight pins. Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uscpsc/8361555186/ Decorative Jeans Jeans with a button or metal-snapped waist can also cause problems because unlike those who crave additional sensory experiences, most of the kids who have touch sensitivity hate tight or snug clothing. In addition, they can react negatively to seams, zippers, and clothing tags. Even the printed face on a tee shirt, an appliqu, or decorative trim can cause discomfort and pain if accidentally touched. In general, denim jeans easily set off touch sensitivities because denim is rarely soft. In fact, most jeans come highly starched. Although washing helps, the fibers themselves are extremely rough. When fancied up with topstitching, embroidery, sequins, beads, and decals, denim jeans contain everything a touch sensitive individual should avoid. The answer for most kids with touch sensitivity is seamless, extremely soft clothing. What Does Your Child on the Autism Spectrum Like to Wear? Sensory processing disorder comes with a spectrum of different manifestations. To zero in on your child's sensitivity level, take a few minutes to consider what they like to wear. While some children fight against all types of jeans, another might prefer light, thin denim, or something with Spandex so that it easily stretches. Comfort dictates the extent you need to go, so listen to your child's preferences. It's not just in their head. For nonverbal, autistic children, or when touch defensiveness interferes with their quality of life, it's best to avoid denim jeans altogether. But if your child communicates and it's frustrating you, try to find out what they don't like about jeans. Check out the characteristics of clothing that they do prefer, and think about any additional sensory issues involved. Chemicals in clothing materials, the way a detergent smells, and perfumed and/or gluten-laden fabric softeners can all contribute to your child's negative experience. Although being sensitive to touch might be your child's major problem, these additional issues can magnify their sensitivity. Home Brushing Helps Your Autistic Child Become Less Sensitive to Touch Many parents of autistic children find it helpful to rub their child's skin, in the same way that you would rub a sore muscle to ease the ache. Hypersensitive children can perceive touch as quite painful, so start slowly. Begin with a soft washcloth, and gently move it over your child's arm or leg. Initially, they might only be able to withstand the feel of the washcloth for a moment or two, but keep trying. The idea is to get them used to the way the roughness of the washcloth feels. Once they become used to the feeling, they might be able to tolerate this rubbing exercise for longer periods. If sensitivity improves, you can also attempt different, stronger textures. How to Get Your Child to Wear Denim Jeans Credit: Public Domain If your child falls somewhere in the mid-range of sensitivity, try helping them to adjust by: buying flannel-lined jeans paying a seamstress to line the jeans with a super soft material your child finds comfortable letting your child wear soft thermals or leggings underneath their jeans If your child's skin is getting less sensitive, you might also try making denim jeans more tolerable by doing one or more of the following: Try washing brand new jeans several times before having your child attempt to wear them. If you have hard water, add a sprinkle of baking soda or washing soda when you wash the jeans. When laundry soap doesn't rinse clean, material stiffens. Try adding 1/2-cup of standard, white vinegar to the rinse water to help the soap rinse out better. Shampoo works by stripping your hair of oils and debris. You can do the same thing by working cheap shampoo into yoga leggings the fabric of the jeans. Allow them to sit overnight, and then wash them as usual. The shampoo will break down the fibers so they feel old, worn, and more comfortable. In fact, you might want to do this a couple of times. Dryer sheets are not fabric softeners. They add fragrance and help with static cling. If your child is not gluten sensitive, soak the jeans overnight in a mixture of scent-free liquid fabric softener and water. Alternately, you can wash them in fabric softener rather than detergent. Freezing also breaks down fabric fibers. Wet the jeans, roll them up like a sleeping bag, then freeze the bundle overnight. The next day, simply thaw them out completely, and then wash as usual. However, don't try to unroll them before they thaw. Jeans get softer and smoother as the fibers flatten. You can twist them, beat them, or stretch them, roll them up and bang them against the wall, or put them in the dryer with a few tennis balls. You might even try scraping the jeans with sandpaper or the blade of a pair of scissors. Accept Your Child's Preferences Touch defensive behavior causes children with autism to hate wearing jeans and other types of clothing. That can bring a lot of conflict to the home, and inner turmoil for the child. Sometimes it's easier and less stressful on everyone to just accept what your child will or will not wear. Boys don't have to wear jeans. You can simply buy several pairs of whatever pants or shorts your child will wear in different colors. But you can also just concede and let them wear the same colored pants or shorts everyday if they desire. It doesn't matter what other people think. All that matters is the comfort of your child. While there are many companies who specialize in soft clothing for autistic children that can make the task of dressing them easier, always work around your child's sensory issues. Never fight against them. |
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