“Take a Chill” – Smartphone App for Teens

“Smart technology” has come to serve as a valuable resource to the Child Life community when working with children and families in health care and related settings in accordance to best practice guidelines.

Today, teens and smartphones (in some of the most glitter-ific cool cases I’ve ever seen) seem to go hand in hand – literally! While many caution the use of smartphones, citing them as “addictive,” they also can be very useful to the adolescent population when you consider the therapeutic value of certain* apps like – Take a Chill. Take a Chill is full of tools to help reduce adolescent stress and the physical and psychosocial problems that could result.

Take a Chill is described as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction tool for Teens (MBSR-T). It is full of short mindfulness exercises, reflective activities and affirmation phrases that help adolescence manage stress, and bring mindfulness practices into their daily routines, whether it is studying for a test or preventing and overcoming negative thought patterns that can develop.



This application features:

• Short Exercises: Illustrated activities for relief in “in-the-moment” situations. 

• Daily Dose: Daily activities to help reinforce concepts and increase mindfulness practice.

• Audio: Music to accompany exercises.

• Progress Tracker: The ability to see your progress overtime.

• Reminders: To keep motivated.

Stress Assessment: Quick self-assessment to gauge stress levels.

• Notes: A notepad to jot any thoughts or insights that come to mind.

• Motivational Quotes: Motivational quote appear after each use.

[?] What is MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is about grounding consciousness in the present. Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your present life. It is described as a way of “taking charge of your life” or making a conscious effort to cope with personal stress, pain, illness or other challenges and demands of everyday life.

In contrast, we have probably all experienced moments of “mindlessness” or a loss of awareness resulting in forgetfulness or the inability to remember experiences; feeling separate from one’s own self; or a sense of living mechanically – all of which can greatly diminish a sense of well-being.

Restoring a sense of well-being requires increased awareness or mindfulness. An increased awareness of our own thinking, feeling and experiences allows us to cultivate a sense of control because we can choose to consciously respond or react in more productive ways rather than on the basis of habit. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is intended to ignite this inner capacity and infuse your own life with awareness.

Mindfulness or MBSR have proven to be reliably effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression (Ramel, Goldin, Carmona, & McQuaid, 2004; Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) and increasing self-regulated behaviour and positive emotional states (Brown & Ryan, 2003).


[!] Mindfulness in ADOLESCENCE

Adolescence often have difficulty with developing social skills, emotional regulation, confidence, multi-tasking, impulsivity and attention.

Learning Mindfulness Can:

• Bring adolescence into the present moment through a reduction of focus on the past or future and more attention on the here and now. Being present may add clarity and vividness to experience and bring about quality or optimal moment-to-moment experiences.

• Reduce - thought-fixation, “distorted” thinking, worries and negative self-talk or other experiences/experiences that can diminish a sense of well-being.

• Increase - empathy, patience, “letting-go” and kindness toward self and others.

• Bring Focus to - self-regulation (attention, thoughts and emotions). An increased awareness of our own thinking and feeling, allows us to consciously respond or react in more productive ways rather than on the basis of habit.

What I like about “Take a Chill” – A CHILD LIFE PERSPECTIVE

As a Child Life Specialist, I advocate for developmentally appropriate practice or altering approaches to anxiety-reduction and coping to the development (also, the physical, emotional states) of the child or adolescent that I am working with. What I like most about Take a Chill is that it seems to have applied the principles of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) to suit the adolescent population specifically. For example, it accommodates for attention span with shorter in duration exercises and activities. Also, Take a Chill seems to aims to ‘meet’ adolescence where they are developmentally and use language, references and stories that are relevant to their social world. It is very user-friendly and……. Fun!

** Take a Chill is available through the itunes store currently for $1.99 (USD) at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/take-a-chill-stressed-teens/id496802813.

** If you would like more information about Take a Chill, please visit http://www.stressedteens.com.



Thanks so much for reading!

<3.



Okay – I admit it, my smartphone is very sparkly!

“Pain is inevitable in life; stress is optional.”

 - Stressedteens.com

Image Source
Take a Chill Logos
All Take a Chill Screenshots

Biodots - Kid-Friendly Stress and Tension Monitors

Biofeedback

As a Child Life Specialist, I am familiar with biofeedback as a therapy or a way to gain “feedback” from your body in response to stress and learn how to actively induce a more relaxed state. There are a variety of biofeedback devices that function to monitor the various involuntary systems in the body (i.e., heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, skin temperature, muscle tension ect.), and because information from these devices are ‘fed back’ immediately, you can measure how tense your body is and importantly, learn how to lower your stress response in that instance.

[?] How is information from our bodies useful?

Oftentimes, we are unaware of how stress affects our physiology. However, once someone becomes aware of how stress affects their body and what stress “feels” like, they can actively implement simple techniques to positive affect their body systems…. or combat the effects of stress to help restore the body systems to a state of relaxation. The ultimate goal of biofeedback being, to learn how to control physical responses that are normally automatic.



Biodots

As a Child Life Specialist, I use Biodots as a more kid-friendly alternative to what can be very costly and complex biofeedback device. These little dots are not only fun to use but are a super effective visual tool to help children (a) become aware of experiences that cause them to become stressed (b) learn about their own stress response (c) keep track of their stress levels and, (d)* learn what relaxation techniques are most effective in lower their stress responses.

Biodots are small self-adhesive, temperature sensitive discs that are intended to be placed on the skin to monitor changes in temperature. The ideal placement is on the back of the hand, in the little spot between the thumb and index finger. Biodots change in colour to reflect changes in skin temperature to alert a child (in this example) to when his or her body is reacting to stress or is in a state of relaxation. They remind me of the ever so popular…. Mood ring! True to a mood ring, they also come with a colour interpretation chart which is used to relate the colour of the Biodot to the body’s level of relaxation or tension.






**Child Life Ideas for Use:

[NOTE:] This is one suggested example of how I was able to use Biodots successfully. Please alter in accordance to your assessment of the child or teen you are working with.

1. Introduce the Biodot as a way to learn about “what’s going on inside your body,” and explain how it works.
2. Ask the child to “track” colour changes in a journal for a few days - Keep a log entry of (a) colour of the dot (b) what they were doing/what was happening during that time and, (c) reflect on how they were feeling. (TIP: I find it useful to allow the child to personalize the journal, attach a colour interpretation chart, and help them fill out their first entry.)
3. Evaluate the journal logs, noting times of stress and relaxation - Focus on times of relaxation, discussing what activities they were engaged in. Continue this conversation to a discussion of NEW* ways to help your body relax (i.e., deep breathing, thought stopping, meditation, listening to music ect.). (TIP: I always enjoy creating a visual tool or chart listing their most effective relaxation strategies which they can decorate and attach to their journal.)
4. Ask the child to continue to keep logs of color changes but NOW, implement a relaxation technique each time their Biodot colour signifies that they are stressed. Direct them to observe the colour change in the dot after the use of a relaxation technique.

Keeping a log of colour changes observed in the Biodot allows children to gain a deeper understand of their body’s response to stress and the benefits of active relaxation as they become conscious of the physiological sensations that are happening as they feel stressed or tense. This also aids in enhancing body and mind awareness and the idea that we can learn to control our physical response to stress to bring about a more relaxed body state.

For more information or to purchase Biodots, please visit: http://www.stressstop.com/microsites/freebiodots.com where you can receive 25 biodots for free (with no shipping cost to U.S. customers).



<3.


Thanks for reading!


Forever aiming for a Purple Biodot kinda mood!

References:

Images
Biodot Upclose
Biodot Chart
Biology in a Box Graphic: Copyright © 2013 childsplayccls. (This is an original image, please clearly reference image to http://childsplayccls.blogspot.ca if you would like to use it.)

Barbie’s New Friend.





Admittedly, I am a Barbie girl (with more than plastic in my little head – thank you kindly!). Still giving recognition to the fact that each child will play differently with whatever toy holds their attention, I love the notion of dolls for children which become their comfort toy, best buddy, little version of themselves, make-over BFF ect. As a Child Life Specialist, we use personalized hospital dolls (soft cloth dolls) for a variety of purposes – to establish a rapport with a child, to engage in a process-oriented activity (distraction, relaxation), to gain valuable assessment information, for dramatic play, and to teach or prepare a child for situations they will encounter. Beyond that, “baby dolls” encourage nurturing play and can inspire pretend play memories that children will cherish – as an adult, I know this to be true (kudos to Susie – my childhood doll). As children get older, dolls begin to symbolize an identity they want to aspire to or an identity that is like to their own. Children often look to identify with something or someone. This can become SO important for children facing illness who already away from normal routines of school and friendships, peer-group activities and who often spend periods of time alone in healthcare environments.

Up until recently, there has been very few and limited (hard to acquire) dolls that are “alternatively” designed to better reflect children with medical or special needs.

TA-DA! It’s here! Mattel, the maker of Barbie has now produced a bald fashion doll for children who have lost their hair because of illness or cancer.

Ella - The bald Barbie

Her name is Ella and she is Barbie’s new friend! Ella is bald (her hair is detachable – it’s a wig, and also interchangeable with other hair pieces). The doll comes with variety of frills such as hats, scarves and cute accessories like a handbag and a headband to allow children a traditional fashion play experience.

“These dolls will be distributed exclusively to children’s hospitals and other hospitals treating children with cancer throughout the U.S. and Canada, directly reaching girls who are most affected by hair loss."

         - Mattel Company spokesman, Alan Hilowitz.

Yes, Canada! Although I have no yet gotten a hold of one, it is so great to know they are out there and available to the right child.






Background HISTORY:

Beautiful and Bald Barbie Facebook Movement

For those unaware, the doll came about as a result of a Facebook movement “Beautiful and Bald Barbie – Let’s see if we can get it made” which begun nearly two years ago, with the goal of appealing to Mattel to produce a bald version of Barbie.
 
Despite the Facebook page generating an overwhelming amount of support and “likes,” it was not successful in convincing Mattel to mass produce and sell a bald version of Barbie. However, Ella will be distributed directly to children through their relationships with the Children’s Hospital Association, CureSearch and the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

BRATZ Dolls

True Hope Moxie Girlz

While Mattel resisted the idea of a bald Barbie, it should be commendably noted that MGA Entertainment and producer of the controversial, Bratz Dolls, stepped up to the challenge and created the “True Hope” line of bald Bratz and Moxie Girlz dolls.

True Hope Childhood Cancer Awareness Poster

Even more, for every ”True Hope” doll sold, MGA is donating $1 to City of Hope, which is a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. How wonderful!


Regardless..….

These both these dolls are truly amazing. Not only will they serve as inspiration and fun to children facing health challenges, they will also serve to raise awareness for children with cancer, others who have lost their hair due to illness (i.e., alopecia and trichotillomania) and to anyone who sees them in a poster or on a toy shelf.


[?] How do you feel about Mattel’s decision to limit distribution and make "Ella" unavailable to the commercial market?

[?] The Bratz Dolls have long been considered “inappropriate,” for children by many. However, does the fact that MGA Entertainment were the first to acknowledge the need for alternative dolls and manufacture a bald doll, change your opinion about the Bratz and Moxie Dolls?


<3.

Thank you so much for reading!


Forever Dolled Up!

References:
*For additional information about Ella, please see CBC News @ Bald Barbie Doll

Image Source:
Ella in a box
Beautiful and Bald Barbie (page no longer available*)
True Hope Bratz Doll in a box
True Hope Bratz Poster

Child’s Play – It’s FUN-damental!

Child Life and those working with children in various other settings know that play is about more than just fun and games. Decades of research clearly demonstrate that play boots healthy development across a broad spectrum of critical areas: intellectual, social, emotional and physical.


“Play is a child’s work”
           - Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980)


Jean Piaget, founder of some of the most influential theories in cognitive development, was really the first of many who widened the perspective of professionals working with children to the power and importance of the play. Play is a natural and essential part of childhoods and is a child’s form of LEARNING. The benefits are so plentiful that “every day of childhood should be a day for play” as advocated by the Alliance for Childhood.

Indeed, Child Life Specialists function from the principle that every child, regardless of ability or circumstance needs child-directed play periods built into their day. Of course, the length and type of play will dependent on the child’s age as well as their physical and emotional state.

Child Life programs in hospitals have become the primary means of systematically providing developmental and therapeutic experiences for children through unique application of play as a:
          

a)      Healing modality (Play allows children to process an unfamiliar experiences their own pace. It allows children to gain control of their thoughts, feelings and actions and helps them achieve a sense of mastery) and….

b)       A teaching tool (i.e., Medical Play - which is a type of child-directed play used to help hospitalized children to learn about their condition, the treatment plan - test, procedures, surgeries; and rehearse ways to cope effectively).

Playrooms in healthcare environments serve some important functions. Most fundamentally, they provide children away from home and normal routines with a with a safe environment, free from medical procedures ect. to just be kids and engage in “normal” activities. Play is fun and familiar to all children and can encourage normal development in a new or stressful environment or during challenging circumstances.

There are many Types of Play that child life specialists can use to promote learning, development, coping and to just have plain old fun: 



Child Life: Types of Play


 

Become PRO-PLAY!

• Educate others about the FUNdamentals of play: Share research-based evidence about the importance and therpuetic value of imaginative, child-initiated, free play for children of all ages, abilities and environments.
• Advocate: Lobby for safe, well-maintained, developmentally-appropriate and stimulating play spaces in your community, hospital (waiting rooms, emergency departments), clinics, or in your respective education/treatment environment for children ect.
• Start an annual local “PLAY DAY” in your setting. For tips on how to accomplish this visit the International Play Association @ www.ipausa.org or www.ipacanada.org.

<3

Thanks for reading!


Team PRO-Play
J


References:
The Child Life Council @ www.clc.org
Alliance for Childhood @ http://www.allianceforchildhood.org
 
Image Source:
**Types of Play Graphic: Copyright © 2013 childsplayccls. (This is an original image, please clearly reference image to http://childsplayccls.blogspot.ca if you would like to use it.)