Anri-Louise Oosthuizen Occupational Therapist

27/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19fhcPEjHS/

27/08/2025

Emotional & Relational Development as a Rubber Band

Flexibility: Just like a rubber band stretches to accommodate pressure, children need emotional and relational flexibility to adapt to new situations, challenges, and social dynamics.

Tension: Environmental demands (noise, expectations, health challenges, interactions with peers or adults) naturally create stress or "stretch." A certain amount of tension helps growth—it’s how children build problem-solving, self-regulation, and resilience.

Limits: Every rubber band has a point where too much stress causes it to break. For children, this is when overwhelming stress exceeds their coping capacity. Breakdowns can appear as meltdowns, withdrawal, aggression, or shutdowns.

Factors That Create Tension

Sensory Inputs – Noise, lights, textures, and unpredictable environments can heighten stress.

Activity Demands – Expectations at school, home, or social settings stretch children beyond comfort zones.

Health State – Illness, fatigue, hunger, or neurodevelopmental differences affect how much tension they can bear.

Relational Environment – Supportive relationships provide “elasticity,” while conflict, criticism, or neglect accelerate strain.

Building Resilience (Strengthening the Rubber Band)

Supportive Relationships: Trusting, safe adults act like reinforcements—helping children return to equilibrium.

Predictability & Routine: Reduces unnecessary tension by giving children anchors.

Self-Regulation Tools: Breathing strategies, movement breaks, or sensory supports add flexibility.

Rest & Recovery: Sleep, nutrition, and downtime restore elasticity.

18/08/2025

Good read!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17VdAwzspq/

07/06/2025

YES! 🌱🌞🌻

01/06/2025

A Recipe--To Keep Your High-Strung Child (and you), From Getting Burned Out
______________________________

1) PRACTICE YOUR RECIPE

Practice de-escalation techniques and regulation skills, when everything is going WELL.

Practice during calm moments, things like:

stomping feet,
deep breathing,
sipping at a cold drink,
swaying side to side,
sitting on the ground,
closing or covering eyes,
tapping under the eyes
blowing invisible "bubbles"
squeezing a plush toy....

Consider getting a Self-Regulation Skills workbook, or an Interoception Workbook

but expect to CO-regulate with them, too.

That means YOU need to use a steady voice, and SHOW them what calm looks like (even if you are faking it to help them feel SAFE).

Don't wait until things fall apart.

Kids learn new skills, best, when they are already calm.
_________________________

2) WATCH FOR SIGNS OF BURNING

When they are encountering triggers, try to get AHEAD of the meltdown.

Intervene! Accomodate them! Help them feel safe!

That means removing or reducing sensory triggers.

It means staying aware of how your child perceives things, so you can adapt yourself to their needs.

If possible, let them opt out of activities that make them feel UNsafe.

And encourage them to use self-regulation techniques, WITH you.

Try to let go of "what others think."
Masking is not the priority. Safety is.

You are trying to keep them from getting BURNED.
______________________________

3) PREPARE TO IMPROVISE

Be prepared with tools to help distract them, and enable them to move forward.

Fidgets
Cold beverages
Weighted stuffed animals
Snacks
A change of clothes
A screen/media device
Crayons/paper
A portable camp stool
Pipecleaners
Silly Putty
A tennis ball to bounce
A book

Sometimes, getting a child to shift to feeling SAFE,

means giving them something they can feel in control of.

Or at least offering their brain a distraction to focus on.
_______________________________

4) REDUCE and SIMMER

Reduce demands on them.

Speak less. Judge less. Be a force for CALM.

No matter how hyped up they get,
how anxious,
how angry
how much they yell...

YOU need to keep your responses low and slow.

You need to MODEL how to bring their "boiling-over psyche," down to a low simmer.

And that means distancing yourself emotionally from their meltdown...

because even if they take it OUT on you, it's not actually ABOUT you.

Remember, babies cry more for their moms than for anyone else.

It isn't because they hate their moms. It's the opposite.

Mom gets the brunt of the drama because baby feels safe falling apart, with mom.

And your child is counting on YOU to keep them safe when they are falling apart.... because with you, they can unmask their fears.

The insults aren't real. They don't hate you.

Their Executive Functioning just ISN'T working, and so confused emotions are boiling over and spilling out of the pan.
______________________________

5) CHILL

Don't choose this moment for a life lesson or a new skill.

De-escalate and distract. Get SAFE.

All life lessons, in depth discussions, and natural consequences you carry out to prevent future harm,

can come LATER,

when everyone has been calm for at LEAST a couple of hours,

and is in a PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY SAFE space.

Chill out. Let THEM chill out.

Remember you are on the same team.... The COOL team.
____________________________

6) PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Once everyone has chilled, talk about the event, calmly.

Help your child label their feelings--
PHYSICAL as well as emotional.

(Remember, developing those Interoception skills helps kids get ahead of anger and anxiety. They need to know what anger FEELS like in their BODY)

Review what worked and what didn't.

Let your child be honest about what upset them, and try not to get offended.

Thank them for spending time, chatting with you about big feelings.

Keep them feeling safe. Resist the urge to make it too much, about you.

It is okay to express how their anger impacts you, but if an apology isn't offered, that needs to be okay.

They are likely feeling embarrassed, and keeping them open to communication, means NOT guilting them.

They aren't trying to cause trouble.
....And maybe DON'T announce what the natural consequences are going to be for their unsafe behaviors...

because consequences are different from punishments.

The goal of a consequence is to teach them how to be SAFE, not to make them feel bad--

So, if you plan on making them always hold your hand while walking through parking lots, because otherwise they run into traffic,

JUST DO IT WHEN IT COMES UP

Don't announce that they broke your trust,

Or tell them there is a "new rule" because they can't control themselves.

Keep explanations minimal, non emotional, and free of guilt/provocation.
______________________________

7) FILL YOUR CUP

Caring for a kid with frequent meltdowns, is exhausting.

Make sure you are
eating well,
getting sleep,
connecting with friends,
venting to someone who gets it,
and doing thingsthat make you happy.

You can't pour from an empty cup.

Fill your cup!
_______________________________

8) ENJOY

Take pride in the fact that you are healing from generational trauma and preventing future trauma.

You are amazing!!
______________________________

Which one of these steps,
are you going to work on,
this month?

Remember--all practice is valuable.

Baby steps COUNT! And nobody is expecting perfection.

01/06/2025

Why Kids Should Work on a Vertical Surface

"Learn more about the benefits of working on a vertical surface and find some creative ways for kids to work in this position!"

Read more here > https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/motor-skills-and-more-working-on-a-vertical-surface/?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

27/05/2025

How to Spot a Live Stream Deepfake: Practical Tips for Teens and Adults

With the rapid advancement of live-stream deepfake technology, online criminals are now using AI-generated video manipulation not only for fraud but increasingly for sextortion, romance scams, and social engineering attacks. What’s especially alarming is that these live virtual forgeries are no longer static, AI deepfake technology now allows people to appear in real-time video chats using a completely fabricated face or digitally altered version of themselves. Although you think you are talking to a young female, it could be a 55 year old male trying to con you.

Whether you’re a teen connecting with someone new on a video chat, or an adult engaging in a professional or personal call, it’s crucial to verify that the person on the other side of the screen is real, and that what you’re seeing is not being manipulated using deepfake technology.

Here are three primary techniques, that we have tested, that can help identify if someone is faking their appearance on a live stream, depending on the device they're using:

1. If They Are Using a Desktop or Laptop Web Camera
Whether the we**am is built into the PC/laptop or connected externally, try the following checks once the stream begins:

A. The Side-Profile Check

Ask the person to turn their head 90 degrees to one side. If you notice any visual distortion, such as flickering, melting, or awkward blending of features, this could indicate the use of AI deepfake software. Earlier versions of this technology often struggle with realistic side-profile rendering.

B. The Hand-Wave Test

Next, ask the person to wave their hand side to side in front of their face with their fingers spread wide. Watch closely: if the fingers or face warp, disappear briefly, or show flickering around the edges, this could signal a deepfake overlay struggling to maintain consistency.

C. Have Them Stick Their Tongue Out Test

Most real-time deepfakes struggle or outright fail to convincingly replicate someone sticking out their tongue and moving it side to side, especially on command during a live interaction.

In the above noted tests watch closely for:

- Flickering or unstable lighting on the face.

- Unnatural skin texture, especially around the eyes, lips, and hairline.

- Irregular blinking or lack of blinking.

- Slight facial "warping" during movement or when expressing emotion.

- Look for mismatched lip sync, especially with fast speech or laughter.

Important Note: These two checks are more effective against older deepfake models. Newer AI versions have improved and may not reveal distortions as easily, but it’s still worth testing.

D. The Phone Mirror Test

Ask the person to hold their cellphone up beside their face with the screen facing their we**am, so you can see the phone display through the video chat, and the front-facing phone camera pointing at their face. If the face you see on their phone screen does not match the one you see on your computer screen, that’s a red flag. This is one of the strongest current indicators of deepfake use.

2. If They Are Using a Smartphone to Live Stream

When video chatting with someone who is using a mobile device:

A. Repeat the side-profile test, hand-wave tests, stick tongue out test mentioned above

Even on a phone, these visual verification steps can help identify manipulation. Deepfake apps on smartphones may still struggle with these movements.

B. The Motion Test

Ask the person to gently but rapidly shake their phone while continuing to look at the camera. Normal shaking will cause some blur due to camera movement, but if you notice more extreme glitches, like facial warping, disconnection between the head and body, or strange pixel behaviour, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a synthetic image.

If They Refuse the Test: Take It as a Warning

If the person becomes defensive, avoids these simple verification steps, or gives excuses about why they can’t participate, that’s a red flag. While there may be the occasional genuine reason, most people with nothing to hide will gladly cooperate.

While deepfake technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, critical thinking and real-time verification techniques remain some of the most effective tools we have for personal protection. If something doesn’t feel right, listen to your instincts and disengage.

Keep in mind that the methods outlined above aren’t foolproof, but they can offer valuable cues to help guide your decision-making. As AI becomes more sophisticated, some of these countermeasures may lose their effectiveness over time. That’s why we’re committed to staying informed and keeping our community updated as new threats, and new solutions, emerge.

Deepfake scams don’t just target celebrities or politicians. Everyday people, especially teens and young adults, are increasingly being targeted in sextortion and impersonation scams that rely on live AI video deception.

Educating yourself and others about how to test for deepfakes in real-time video chats is a vital step in protecting your privacy, your identity, and your personal safety. Share these techniques, practice them, and don’t be afraid to speak up if something doesn’t look, or feel, right.

*** NOTE *** We have now followed up with a part 2 of this article that looks specifically at deepfake Audio that you can find here

https://www.facebook.com/whitehatterteam/posts/pfbid0oafRTsqcXVoP75mAJaasDMqZQG2xRPrv6E6wUv6St8Ro7EvREryhTYJAVk2ZSeQvl

Digital Food For Thought

The White Hatter

Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech

25/05/2025

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