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The GAPS Diet
A Healing Approach for Learning Disabilities, Psychiatric Disorders, and Physical Issues

The GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who believed that a variety of learning disabilities, psychiatric disorders, and physical health issues stem from poor gut health. The GAPS Diet is specifically designed to heal the gut, promote a healthy balance of bacteria, and improve neurological and psychological functions. It is often used by people with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, and schizophrenia, among others.
The GAPS Diet offers a holistic approach to managing a wide range of conditions by focusing on healing the gut. Its potential benefits extend beyond digestion, impacting brain function, mood, and behavior, which may be particularly helpful for individuals with learning disabilities, psychiatric disorders, and autism. While more research is needed to fully understand its long-term impact, many individuals report significant improvements in their mental, emotional, and physical health through this dietary protocol.
W-Sitting and Sensory Processing
Why It Can Be Concerning

W-sitting is a common sitting posture in which a child sits on the ground with their knees bent, feet pointing outward, and their legs forming a “W” shape. This position is often seen in children because it provides stability, comfort, and requires minimal effort to maintain balance, particularly in situations where they may struggle with core strength or postural control. However, despite the comfort it provides, W-sitting can be problematic for a child's development, particularly when it becomes a habitual sitting position.
How early can Sensory Processing difficulties be seen?

Well as early as in infants. Research suggests that typical characteristics found in infants that may suggest SP difficulties like difficulty in sleeping, colicky babies, infants who seek excessive cuddling, infants who have difficulty in adjusting and responding to different stimuli, difficulty in getting pacified and regulating themselves and so on.
Is it really Sensory Processing Disorder?

Many a time parents notice some difficulties with their child. These may be like being picky, being very distractible, having excessive energy, having a strong dislike for certain textures, not being well organized. These confuse the parents and provide enough stress. Many of such concerns if stand alone may be overlooked and can be overcome with age; but if they keep magnifying and intensifying instead of decreasing or are associated with other difficulties it is better to get it assessed. This would help nip in the bud and integrate the child in his typical development.
Can my child with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have Sensory Processing Difficulties?

Yes. Sensory Processing Difficulties may be present along with pronounced conditions like Autism, ADHD and other Developmental Disorders. If you feel that your child exhibits difficulties that resemble sensory processing difficulties, it is worthwhile to get it assessed by an Occupational Therapist trained in assessing and treating SPD. Although the behaviours may overlap, a child who has sensory processing difficulties would find it easier to cope with his challenges when his sensory processing starts falling in place and functioning.
Can Sensory Processing Disorders be explained in a simple way?

Of course. Sensory Processing difficulties exhibit themselves as a whole array of various behaviours. But it is interesting to know that these are actually group of neurological impairments. Our brain is a master piece of wiring design and can be compared to a traffic hub which has traffic coming in and going out. This traffic coming in is simple all the inputs/ stimuli that we get from/ experience in the environment or our own body. The out bound traffic is the response of the brain to act or store the information from the stimuli. This traffic runs through the beautiful micro-network of nerves and their components called synapses. Sensory Processing difficulties are caused because of the traffic jam in this traffic hub.
Are there different types of Sensory Processing Disorders?

SPD are majorly divided into Modulatory and Discriminatory Difficulties of the sensory systems. In the modulatory type, there is over responsiveness to sensory stimuli which makes the child overwhelm and respond in unexpected ways. Tactile defensiveness, gravitational insecurity are some of the modulatory difficulties. Children usually behave with the "Fight or Flight" response in modulatory difficulties by avoiding activities or having meltdowns when faced with situations. This can be seen during cutting nails, having bath or haircut, trying different clothes, going on swings and slides. Discriminatory difficulties on the other hand are caused due to under responsiveness of the sensory systems to the stimuli. They are exhibited as difficulty in refined used of sensory systems e.g. inability to cut with scissors, exert pressure, appreciate pain and falls, appear clumsy and have frequent falls, not appear to hear sounds etc. A detailed assessment and observation of the responses to different sensory stimuli by expert therapist would make it easy to understand the type of SPD. Many children exhibit presence of both types of difficulties in different sensory systems.
Speech Development and Sensory Processing

Speech depends on the efficient modulation of sensory systems (Stanley Greenspan, Founder of DIR Floortime Approach). It is essential that the child engages with self and with the parent, caregiver to lay foundation of speech. The parent should communicate with the child in their native language so that the child understands the emotional and facial aspect of language. If the child has modulatory problems like over responsiveness to tactile or vestibular sensory system, his attention and engagement towards communication would be markedly affected. Hence adequate processing and integration of all the sensory systems forms the foundation and helps appropriate development of speech and language skills.
Anxiety and Sensory Processing

It is many times observed that children exhibit separation anxiety when they are separated from parent or caregiver. Although it is quite natural to feel insecured or fearful in absence of parent; children can be consoled or distracted and engaged in other purposeful and meaningful behaviours so that they overcome this anxiety over a period of time. In children with Sensory Processing difficulties; especially the modulatory disorders this situation becomes overwhelming each and every time. The experience is perceived as exaggerated danger because of the over responsive sensory systems. These children can be helped with appropriate sensory strategies. While they receive Sensory rehabilitation it is worthwhile that parents help in maintaining a supportive and not anxious approach e.g. when the child starts crying the parent should stay calm and maintain a pleasant affect assuring the child that he is doing his best getting organized. The parent's participation in the play helps the child to adjust and feel secured early.
Sleep difficulties and Sensory Processing

Children with sleep difficulties like disturbed sleep, inability to fall asleep have underlying Sensory processing difficulties. If a child has such complains that are for a considerable period of time and have not been resolved with different interventions, it is worthwhile to get the child assessed for his/her sensory processing skills. Some of concerns shown by these children include difficulties in tolerating different textures, being distractible, having excessive activity levels, sleeping difficulties since infancy. I have treated quite a few children with such difficulties with individual therapy programs based on assessment of Sensory systems. This has helped these children significantly overcome their sleep challenges.
Feeding and Sensory Processing

The oral area i.e. mouth and internal structures like tongue, gums, teeth, digestive system are rich in sensations of touch and feel, muscle movement and taste. Good feeding involves ability to nibble, bite, crunch, move, shift and chew food so that it becomes soft and is in bolus form to be swallowed and digested. this also involves the ability to plan to eat the food once it is seen or felt. Feeding problems can arise when there are difficulties in tolerating different textures of food, using the jaws to chew, the tongue to move and mix food, and plan how to use the mouth structures. This leads to particular preferences in eating like preferring only crushed or pureed food, just nibbling or biting food with front teeth, not chewing but just swallowing food, eating for long periods of time so that food is collected in mouth and swallowed whole when it gets soft etc. Some of the indicators of feeding difficulties associated with underlying Sensory Processing difficulties are weak suck and breast feeding as infant, inability to use straws or sipper cups, difficulty in eating finger foods, difficulties in speech and talking. It is worthwhile getting the child with such difficulties assessed for his/her Sensory Processing skills as early as possible to help resolving these challenges.
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