It’s that time of year again: the Minnesota State Fair! For many Minnesotans, that means tasting the new fair foods, visiting the baby animals, checking out the art exhibits, playing carnival games and rocking out to their favorite bands. But for people with sensory processing differences, the fair can be an overwhelming experience. Here are 8 sensory tools that people can easily take with them when they attend events like the Minnesota State Fair.
Have you ever heard someone say, ‘dance it out?’ The phrase probably conjures an image of a sweaty pair, pressed close on a crowded dance floor. However, there are many kinds of dancing, and moving your body to music can be beneficial to your wellbeing. Here are 6 reasons dance is good for your mind and body.
Most parents of young children are familiar with games like Roblox, Minecraft and Among Us. Your kids may have favorite YouTubers. You may be worried that your kid spends too much time on their phone or in front of their computer or TV. But kids also use tablets and computers for school. It’s hard to know where to draw the line and how much screen time is too much. Here is what you need to know about your child’s screen time and how to manage it.
The pandemic has changed many of our social interactions. Chatting with coworkers often happens over Zoom rather than around the coffee pot. You can see a band live on your computer screen. You might have stopped visiting friends and family who are a plane ride away or halted all your long-distance travel plans. But even before the pandemic, our social interactions had changed.According to the New York Times, “[T]he United States surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said the country was experiencing an ‘epidemic of loneliness,’ driven by the accelerated pace of life and the spread of technology into all of our social interactions."
Support from family is so important to a child’s development. Siblings stand up for each other and teach each other about sharing. Parents teach children right from wrong, how to behave in social settings and help them grow healthy and strong. But sometimes, families hit roadblocks and may want to pursue therapy. Here’s how to know if family therapy is right for your family.
Across the country, mental health issues are soaring, exacerbated by the pandemic, racial injustice, income equality, political tensions and global warming. In Minnesota, the need for mental health resources is just as serious. To meet the increasing need and make getting help easier, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline rolled out a new national number for people experiencing a mental health crisis: 988.
Summer is a great time for get-togethers. Maybe your kid has a birthday coming up, or you want to have some family and friends over while the weather is nice. But parties can be challenging for children with sensory processing difficulties. Here are 7 ideas to help you host a sensory-friendly birthday party or another type of get-together.
Many workplaces have recently focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring practices. While these efforts are admirable, too often, inclusive hiring practices haven’t included people with neurodiversity and disabilities. And yet, we know there are many benefits to hiring a diverse staff. But a diverse workforce is about more than just hiring. Workers need support throughout their careers.
One in five adults in Minnesota has a disability: that’s a significant part of the population. Of this population, the U.S. Department of Labor reports, “In 2021, 19.1 percent of persons with a disability were employed.” That means about 4 out of 5 people with disabilities aren’t working. But that doesn’t mean that disabled people can’t find work or shouldn’t seek employment. As more employers are committed to hiring inclusivity, they should recognize that people with disabilities can be valuable members of their workplace. Here are 7 tips to help people with disabilities find success in their next job search.
Braille, bathroom grab bars and wheelchair ramps. Most people have encountered some design modifications that make spaces more accessible for people with disabilities. But design modifications aren’t just for people with disabilities. In recent years, universal design has become a more far-reaching concept focused not just on accessibility but also on equity.