Lilypud Consulting

Boundaries:

These are important as it helps to create clear guidelines and limits of how you would like to be treated.
They let others know what is and what is not okay/acceptable. It honors our needs and wants so we feel respected and safe. Boundaries help us to avoid burnout, stress, and anxiety.

Boundaries can help you express your needs, feelings, and opinions without fear of judgment or rejection.

However, if you are setting new boundaries with people in your circle and this is new to them, they may not like these boundaries. Never forget that you deserve these boundaries to help look after yourself and to ensure your needs are met.

Thyroid:
Hypothyroidism -
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the throat, below the larynx (Adam's apple), and comprises two lobes on either side of the trachea (windpipe).
The thyroid gland secretes hormones to regulate many metabolic processes, including growth, metabolic rate, and energy expenditure.
The main cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency.

Early warning signs of thyroid problems:
• Feeling tired or lacking energy even after getting enough sleep.
• Sudden weight loss or gain that changes in diet or exercise can not explain.
• Mood swings, irritability, anxiety, or depression
• Sleep disturbances, insomnia, or excessive sleepiness.
• Dry/rough skin or hair loss
• Muscle weakness or joint pain
• Increased or decreased heart rate.
• Changes in the menstrual cycle, like lighter or heavier periods or irregular cycles
• Goitre is an enlarged thyroid gland that can cause a visible swelling in the neck.

HYPOTHYROIDISM (Most Common): -

Pathophysiology:
o **Dietary: - Insufficient Iodine intake – (Worldwide greatest cause due to poverty)
o **Autoimmune: ‘HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS’
§ – Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (Anti-TPO-Abs) → ↓T3/T4 Production
§ - or Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibodies → Destroy T3/T4.
§ Classically Women >60yrs
§ Or a failure of the Pituitary to produce enough TSH

- Effects of Hypothyroidism:
o ↓Metabolic Rate
o ↓Body Temperature & Cold Intolerance
o ↓Sympathetic Sensitivity
o If Extreme → “Cretinism” – Severely stunted physical growth & mental development.

- Clinical Features – Affects virtually ALL Systems:
o General:
§ Fatigue
§ Cold Intolerance
§ Apathetic Face
§ Droopy Eyes
§ Hoarseness
§ Menstrual Irregularities
§ Muscle Weakness

o CVS:
§ Bradycardia
§ Pericardial Effusion
§ ↓Cardiac Output

o GI:
§ Weight Gain Despite Poor Appetite
§ Constipation

o Neuro:
§ Paraesthesia
§ Slow Speech
§ Mental Sluggishness

o Skin:
§ Pale, Cool, Dry (Due to ↓Blood Flow)
§ NON-Pitting Oedema (Due to Accumulation of Hyaluronic Acid & Glycosaminoglycans)
• Face & Periorbital Oedema

o Hair:
§ Dry, Coarse, Loss of Lateral 1/3 Eyebrow

o MSK:
§ Muscle Cramps
§ “Hung Reflexes” – Delayed Relaxation in deep tendon reflexes.

o Haem:
§ Macrocytic Anaemia
Treatment of Hypothyroidism:
- Thyroid Hormone Replacement:

o L-Thyroxine (Thyroid Hormone Replacement)
§ *Thyroxine/levothyroxine (T4)

o Note: Thyroxine is the preferred agent as it is the least biologically active – (Longer Half-life), and can be Deiodinated by the body to T3 (Thyronine) when needed.

Today we celebrate the king's birthday. We hope that everyone enjoys the day. Spend time with those you love, and stay safe.

Recharge and refresh for this short week ahead.

Let's talk about mental health. Are you ok?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps to determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices.

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from early childhood, teenage years, adulthood, and old age.

One in five people live with mental illness.

There are several causes of mental illness -
- Adverse childhood events such as trauma or a history of abuse can include child abuse, s*xual/physical abuse, witnessing violence, and having parent or parents with addiction issues (both licit and illicit substances).

Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions such as cancer or diabetes.
Biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain.
Use of alcohol or drugs.
Having feelings of isolation or loneliness.
Experiencing discrimination and stigma
Social disadvantage, poverty & debt.
Bereavement - the loss of someone close to you.
Severe or long-term stress
Long-term physical illness

Signs of mental illness include (but are not limited to):
changes in personality
Changes in emotions
isolation
The sudden absence of self-care
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling hopeless
thoughts of su***de
Thoughts of self-harm
Changes in diet intake - eating more or less than usual.
Changes in sleep habits, sleeping more or less than usual.

Things to improve mental health include:
relax and reduce your stressors,
Find ways to learn and be creative (hobbies)
Spend time in nature
Connect with others
Look after your physical health
Try to get enough sleep
Have a healthy diet
Reduce alcohol and substance intake
Set achievable goals and priorities
Practice gratitude
Focus on positivity
In some cases, medication may help.
Speak to a counselor/Nurse Practitioner or GP.

Catapres (also known as Clonidine)

Specialists may add clonidine to psychostimulants if there is a coexisting tic, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, or insomnia.

Indications:
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
ADHD
Management of opioid withdrawal (with a specialist)
Adjunct analgesia for acute, chronic, and cancer pain (with a specialist)
Premedication in some surgical cases

Mode of action:
Centrally acting agonists at alpha2 adrenoreceptors and imidazoline receptors reduce blood pressure (BP) by reducing sympathetic tone.

Precautions:
Severe bradycardia due to sick sinus syndrome or heart block—contraindicated.

Conditions that may be worsened by bradycardia or hypotension (e.g., coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease)—increased risk of adverse effects (e.g., fainting); use cautiously with close monitoring.

Depression—may be exacerbated by clonidine; avoid use with a history of depression.

Diabetes—clonidine may cause a transient rise in blood glucose concentration in patients with established diabetes.

Adverse Effects:

Common (>1%)
dizziness, drowsiness, sedation, fatigue, sleep disturbance, headache, depression, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, salivary gland pain, orthostatic hypotension, erectile dysfunction

Infrequent (0.1–1%)
bradycardia, itching, rash, fluid retention (transient), disturbed mental state, nightmares

Rare (6 years, oral, initially 25–50 micrograms at bedtime, increase the daily dose by 25–50 micrograms every three days according to response, up to a maximum of 300 micrograms daily in 2 or 3 doses.

Further Information:
This medicine may make you feel drowsy and may increase the effects of alcohol. If you are affected, do not drive or operate machinery.

You may feel dizzy on standing when you first start taking this medicine or when the dose is increased. Get up gradually from sitting or lying to minimize this effect; sit or lie down if you become dizzy.

Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly unless your doctor tells you to.

Headaches:

Types of headaches:
• tension headache
• cluster headache
• migraine headache
• hemicrania continua
• ice pick headache
• thunderclap headache
• allergy or sinus headache
• hormone headache
• caffeine headache
• exertion headache
• hypertension headache
• rebound headache.
• post-traumatic headache
• spinal headache

Symptoms with headaches that require immediate medical attention include:
• Stiff neck
• Rash
• The worst headache you have ever had.
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Temperature 38 degrees or above
• Paralysis to part of your body
• Visual changes

Headaches can occur often (chronic) or occasionally:
Episodic Headaches: may occur every so often but not more than 15 days in one month. They may last from 30 minutes to several hours.

Chronic Headaches: are more regular; they occur for more than 15 days per month. People will often need a pain management plan.

Tension Headache: this may feel like a dull, aching sensation all over your head. It does not throb. You may also have tenderness around your neck, forehead, scalp, or shoulder muscles. Stress if often a trigger for these.

Cluster Headache: these have severe burning and piercing pain. They occur around or behind one eye or on one side of the face at a time. Symptoms include swelling, redness, flushing and sweating on the side affected. It may also include nasal congestion and tears from the eye on the affected side.

These headaches occur in a series, with each one lasting from 15 minutes to 4 hours. During a cluster, people may experience one to four headaches in a day, at around the same time, and as one resolves, another follows soon after.

Migraine is an intense pulsing pain deep within your head that can last for days. Migraines significantly reduce your ability to function throughout the day. Migraine pain is throbbing and often one-sided. People with a migraine are often sensitive to sound and light. They may also develop nausea and vomiting. Approximately 30% of people develop an aura prior to the migraine starting.

Aura symptoms include:
• Flashing lights
• Kaleidoscope vision
• Shimmering lights
• Stars
• Blind spots and/or
• Zigzag lines
• You may also have tingling on one side of your face or in one arm and trouble speaking.
• However, it is important to note that these symptoms may also be a sign of stroke, if these are new symptoms for you, you need to seek immediate medical treatment.

Migraine triggers may include:
• Sleep interruption
• Missed meals.
• Dehydration
• Hormone fluctuation
• Exposure to certain chemicals
• Some foods, including chocolate

Ice Pick Headache: these are stabbing headaches; they have short, intense stabbing pains in your head that last only a few seconds. They may occur a few times a day and occur without warning. Ice pick headaches can feel like a single stab or multiple stabs in quick succession. These may occur in different parts of your head.

Thunderclap Headache: is an extremely severe headache that comes on rapidly, reaching peak intensity in less than a minute. This may be benign, but it may also indicate a more serious condition such as:
• Stroke
• Brain injury
• Blood vessel ruptures or tears
• Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis)
• Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS)
• Pituitary apoplexy (bleeding into or loss of blood from an organ)

The first time you experience this you must seek immediate medical attention.
Other types of headaches include:
• Allergy or sinus headache
• Hormone headache
• Withdrawal headache
• Caffeine headache
• Exertion headache
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) headache
• Rebound headache from the use of some medications.
• Post-traumatic headaches after an injury

Diagnosing headaches:
Document the duration, intensity, location, and some possible triggers.

Tests:
Include blood tests, MRI or CT, and/or lumbar puncture.

Treatment:
Includes medications such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, and aspirin, and working with your medical professional for an ongoing plan.

Prevent headaches:
• Get enough sleep.
• Eat enough.
• Stay hydrated.
• Regular exercise
• Manage stress and engage in self-care.

Why being grounded is important!

If you are grounded, you practice a deep sense of mindfulness and rarely think about the ‘what-ifs’. Being grounded describes being whole, centered, and balanced in our lives. It is a deeper connection to our authentic selves.

When you are grounded, you completely control your mental and emotional self and are not easily influenced by others, their ideas, and/or plans. You allow life’s small mishaps to roll off your shoulders.
For example, if someone cut in line in front of you, or cuts you off in traffic, you may think – ‘well, they must be in a hurry’. If you are grounded, you are less likely to become overwhelmed by or react to the incident.

Even if you are usually a grounded person, there will be times when you feel overwhelmed or stressed. There are different types of exercises that can help you to feel more grounded.
These include:
1. Breathing exercises. There are many types of breathing exercises. One example—To the count of ten, take a deep inhalation through your nose. Hold your breath for the count of ten. Now exhale through your nose for the count of ten. Repeat as often as needed.

2. Walking meditation. This exercise is about using walking as your focus. Try walking slowly, being mindful of each step you take. Feel the ground beneath you. This is best done outside in nature, but you can really do it anywhere. Notice the things around you, the smells and noises.

3. Play music. Play instrumental music and give it all your attention, noticing all the instruments and the mood of the music.

4. Stop and listen carefully. If you’re talking to others, listen carefully to their words. Focus. If you feel inclined, write down the dialogue in your journal.

5. Sip a hot drink from a mug. Cup the mug in both hands, feeling its warmth. Drink the beverage slowly. Take small sips and notice how it feels in your mouth and how it goes down.

6. Tune into your senses. Stop and notice two things that you see, smell, hear, and taste. You should write down your impressions in your journal.

7. Appreciate your pets. If you have pets, stop, and pay full attention to them. Look into their eyes and tell them what you love about them. Stroke them, feel the texture of their fur.

When you are grounded, you feel:
• Centered
• Solid
• Strong
• Balanced
• Less tense
• Less Stressed

The healing benefits of being grounded include:

1. Decreased levels of pain and inflammation

2. Reduced stress levels. Return to normal cortisol levels. Cortisol is connected to your body’s stress response and helps control blood glucose levels, regulates metabolism, reduces inflammation, and assists with memory formulation.

3. Improved circulation.

Some interesting reading for anyone interested includes:

1. Grounding after moderate eccentric contractions reduces muscle damage.
Brown R, Chevalier G, Hill M.
Open Access J Sports Med. 2015 Sep 21;6:305-17. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S87970.

2. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R.J Inflamm Res. 2015 Mar 24;8:83-96. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S69656.

3. The effect of grounding the human body on mood. Chevalier G.Psychol Rep. 2015 Apr;116(2):534-42. doi: 10.2466/06.PR0.116k21w5.

4. Earthing (grounding) the human body reduces blood viscosity-a major factor in cardiovascular disease. Chevalier G, Sinatra ST, Oschman JL, Delany RM.J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Feb;19(2):102-10. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0820.

5. Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth's surface electrons. Chevalier G, Sinatra ST, Oschman JL, Sokal K, Sokal P.J Environ Public Health. 2012;2012:291541. doi: 10.1155/2012/291541. Review.

Space Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday of May. It is an unofficial, educational holiday created in 1997 by Lockheed Martin, Space day promotes STEM - space, technology, engineering, and mathematics, among young people.

The day encourages the public, especially youth, to learn more about space and space exploration.

Space, also known as outer space, refers to the void that exists between the Earth's upper atmosphere and other celestial bodies in the known and unknown universe.

While the term space might make it seem like the expanse of the universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere is empty, it is, in fact, not empty at all.

Space is full of different forms of radiation and lots of debris from the formation of our solar system. Some of the debris is in the form of meteors, comets, and asteroids.

Star Wars Day!

The date originated with the pun "May the Fourth be with you".

Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman, and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977.

Ice Cube Craving:

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One possible cause of this is iron deficiency.
Iron deficiency is when there is not enough iron in the body. Iron is an essential mineral that is needed to produce red blood cells; these are important for a healthy immune system, mental function, muscle strength, and energy; its main role is in red blood cells, where it helps make a protein called haemoglobin. Haemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs to all the cells in the body to ensure they function correctly.

Your body can not make iron, so we need to get it from the food we eat. If you do not eat as much iron as you use each day, you develop iron deficiency.

Symptoms of Iron Deficiency:
If you have iron deficiency, you may not realize it, as you may feel tired and run down.

Low iron symptoms include:
• feeling tired, listless, and weak
• breathlessness
• poor memory and concentration
• poor performance at school or work
• getting infections
• finding it difficult to do aerobic exercise.
• fatigue (feeling very tired)
• behaviour problems in children
• decreased libido (s*x drive)

Causes of Iron Deficiency:

There are three leading causes of iron deficiency.
1. Not eating enough iron-rich foods. Your body can store iron, but it cannot make it. Iron must come from food. Some people need more iron than others. The people who need the most iron are children, teenagers (especially girls), females who have periods, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. Babies need breast milk or iron-fortified formula for the first year. Babies who have cow's milk instead are more likely to get iron deficiency. People who follow vegetarian or vegan diets are also more at risk.

2. Trouble absorbing iron. Iron in food is absorbed through the stomach and bowel. Some health conditions, such as coeliac disease, affect how much iron is absorbed. If you’ve had stomach surgery, that can also affect how much iron you can absorb.

3. Blood loss. If you lose blood through bleeding, you lose iron too. The leading causes of excess blood loss are having heavy periods and bleeding in the stomach or bowel, which may be associated with taking medicines such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medicines, ulcers, bowel polyps, or cancer. Other causes can include giving blood too regularly, losing blood due to surgery, some gut conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, and infection with parasites such as hookworms.

When to see a Health Professional:

• being extremely tired and weak
• being short of breath
• your heart beating fast and irregularly,
• being dizzy and light-headed
• headaches
• cold hands and feet
• sore or inflamed tongue
• brittle nails
• poor appetite
• being irritable
• having cravings for unusual things like ice, dirt, or starch

Diagnosis:
It is easily made with a blood test.

Treatment:
• eat more food high in iron.
• eat more foods containing vitamin C to help you absorb iron better.
• consume fewer foods and drinks that stop you from absorbing iron, like calcium, fiber, tea, coffee, and wine,
• take iron tablets or liquid iron supplements.
• have an intravenous infusion of iron or (in extreme cases) a blood transfusion.

Blue light, which is put out by computers, smartphones, and florescent lighting, stresses your brain and eyes and can cause macular degeneration. Too much of this light can also turn off the production of melatonin, resulting in insomnia and mood disorders in some people.

We can fix this by wearing light-blocking glasses when having screen time.
The use of halogen light bulbs instead of fluorescent lights if possible.
Ensure you rest your eyes, blink often, and use lubricating eye drops if required.

We at Lilypud Consulting are excited to have our website live with regular blog updates.
LilypudConsulting .com .au
Please feel free to have a look at our website and let me know what you think or if you have any questions.
Thank you to Online Lifestyle Co for all your support.

1st May - Labour Day Public Holiday

Labour Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated for eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

It celebrates the economic and social achievements of workers.

Zinc:

Zinc is a mineral that is essential for many of the body's normal functions and systems, including the immune system, wound healing, blood clotting, thyroid function, and the senses of taste and smell. Zinc also supports normal growth and development throughout life.

What does zinc do?

Zinc is found in cells throughout the body. It helps the cells to grow and divide and is necessary for the activity of enzymes, proteins, and DNA. The body cannot make zinc, so it must be obtained from food. It is mainly stored in the muscle and bones.

Zinc is important for many of the body’s functions.
Immune System: The body needs zinc to fight off infection. People who don’t have enough zinc in their bodies may be at greater risk of pneumonia and other infections. Children and the elderly are at greater risk.

Wound Healing:
Zinc supports the skin. If you don’t have enough zinc, it can lead to skin changes that initially look like eczema. Zinc supplements may be used to help people whose leg ulcers won’t heal.

Cold and Flu:
Zinc is sold in some products to help with the common cold. Research shows that taking zinc lozenges or syrup can make cold symptoms less severe and last for less time, especially if you take them in the first 24 hours.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration:
Some research has shown that zinc is important in preventing and slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Taste and smell:
Zinc is crucial for one of the enzymes needed to taste and smell.
Healthy people who don’t have enough zinc in their diet may experience hair loss, diarrhea, impotence, eye and skin problems, and loss of appetite.

How Much Zinc do I need?

Adult men – 14mg/day
Adult women – 8 mg/day
During pregnancy & breastfeeding – 10-12 mg/day
Children – 2-13mg/day (age dependent)

How do I get zinc?

Zinc is found in dairy, meat, fish, poultry, and cereals. The amount of zinc a body can absorb is dependent on the amount of protein in our diet vegetarians, vegans, and those on a restricted diet are more likely to experience zinc deficiency.

Can I have too much zinc?

Too much zinc can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and headaches. It may also interfere with other nutrients, such as copper and iron.

Drink Water:

Avoid soft drinks (soda) as much as possible. Soda leaches calcium from your bones, leaving you at risk of developing osteoporosis.
One can a day increases your risk of diabetes by up to 22%. Diet soda also makes you gain weight and eat more.

The best thing to drink is water.

Infographic credit - Pin on Behaviour (pinterest.com.au)

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD):

ODD is a pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behaviour, and it is one of the most prevalent disorders from preschool age to adulthood. This can include frequent temper tantrums, excessive arguing with adults, refusing to follow rules, purposefully upsetting others, getting easily irked, having an angry attitude, and vindictive acts.

These behavioural and emotional issues cause serious problems with family life, social activities, school, and work. Parents can feel alone and isolated and it can be difficult to explain the gravity of the situation to others, including health professionals.

Symptoms:
It is common for children to show oppositional behaviours at certain stages of their development, and it can be hard to tell the difference between a strong-willed child and one with ODD. Symptoms of ODD generally begin in preschool years but may develop later, but almost always before early teen years. Oppositional and defiant behaviours are frequent and ongoing. They cause severe problems with relationships, social activities, school, and work, for not only the child but the rest of the family.

Angry and irritable mood
• Often and easily loses temper.
• Is frequently touchy and easily annoyed by others.
• Is often angry and resentful.
Argumentative and defiant behaviour
• Often argues with adults or people in authority.
• Often actively defies or refuses to follow adults' requests or rules.
• Often annoys or upsets people on purpose.
• Often blames others for their own mistakes or misbehaviour.
Hurtful and revengeful behaviour
• Says mean and hateful things when upset.
• Tries to hurt the feelings of others and seeks revenge, also called being vindictive.
• Has shown vindictive behaviour at least twice in the past six months.

Severity
ODD can be mild, moderate, or severe:
• Mild. Symptoms occur only in one setting, such as only at home, school, work or with peers.
• Moderate. Some symptoms occur in at least two settings.
• Severe. Some symptoms occur in three or more settings.

Causes:

There's no known clear cause of oppositional defiant disorder. Causes may include a combination of genetic and environmental factors:
• Genetics. A child's natural personality or character — also called temperament — may contribute to developing ODD. Differences in the way nerves and the brain function also may play a role.
• Environment. Problems with parenting that may involve a lack of supervision, inconsistent or harsh discipline, or abuse or neglect may contribute to developing ODD.

Risk factors:
Oppositional defiant disorder is a complex problem. Possible risk factors for ODD include:
• Temperament — a child who has a temperament that includes difficulty managing emotions, such as reacting with strong emotions to situations or having trouble tolerating frustration.
• Parenting issues — a child who experiences abuse or neglect, harsh or inconsistent discipline, or a lack of proper supervision.
• Other family issues — a child who lives with parent or family relationships that are unstable or has a parent with a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
• Environment — problem behaviours that are reinforced through attention from peers and inconsistent discipline from other authority figures, such as teachers.

Complications:
Children and teenagers with oppositional defiant disorder may have trouble at home with parents and siblings, in school with teachers, and at work with supervisors and other authority figures. Children and teens with ODD may struggle to make and keep friends and relationships.

ODD also may lead to other problems, such as:
• Poor school and work performance.
• Antisocial behaviour.
• Legal problems.
• Impulse control problems.
• Substance use disorder.
• Su***de.

Many children and teens with ODD also have other mental health conditions, such as:
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Conduct disorder.
• Depression.
• Anxiety disorders.
• Learning and communication disorders.

Treating these other mental health conditions may help reduce ODD symptoms. It may be difficult to treat ODD if these other conditions are not evaluated and treated appropriately.

Prevention
There's no sure way to prevent oppositional defiant disorder. But positive parenting and early treatment can help improve behaviour and prevent the situation from getting worse. The earlier that ODD can be managed, the better.
Treatment can help restore your child's self-esteem and rebuild a positive relationship between you and your child. Your child's relationships with other important adults in their life — such as teachers and care providers — also will benefit from early treatment.

ANZAC Day:

Today the nation remembers the Australian and New Zealand men and women who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations and the 'contribution and suffering of all those who have served'.

We remember all those who have fought and died for our countries.

We also wish to acknowledge all of the service animals that served.

Thank you.

We are so excited to announce that our new website has gone live today.

https://lilypudconsulting.com.au/

We want to thank Online Lifestyle Co for all their amazing work in helping to get us up and running.

We look forward to working with our new clients in the future.

We are thrilled to share our new website with you :)

Adverse Childhood Events:

Adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic events that take place in childhood before age 17.

They can include physical, s*xual, or emotional abuse, physical or emotional neglect, and family dysfunction such as addiction, incarceration, mental illness, domestic violence, or divorce.

They can have lasting impacts on their mental health, physical health, and general well-being.
Some examples of ACEs include:

• Experiencing physical or emotional abuse
• Abandonment or neglect
• Losing a family member to su***de
• Growing up in a household with substance abuse or alcoholism
• Having a mentally ill parent
• Having an incarcerated parent
• Being a child of divorce or parental separation

Risk Factors For Adverse Childhood Experiences:

Some of the factors that may make a child more likely to experience an ACE:

• Coming from a low-income family
• Coming from a family with a low level of education
• Growing up with high levels of family stress
• Growing up with high levels of economic stress
• Growing in a family that is not close knit and doesn’t speak openly about feelings.
• Having parents who used spanking or corporal punishment.
• Having parents who themselves had been abused or neglected.
• Living in a community with high rates of violence
• Living in an economically disadvantaged community
• Living in a community with high levels of substance abuse
• Living in a community with few resources for youth

In Australia:

Approximately 2.5 million Australian adults (13%) have experienced abuse during their childhood.
This includes 1.6 million adults (8.5%) who experienced childhood physical abuse and 1.4 million adults (7.7%) who experienced childhood s*xual abuse.

• The age at which abuse commenced varied depending on the type of abuse experienced. The average age at which the first incident of abuse occurred was:

• 8.8 years for persons who experienced s*xual abuse only;

• 8.1 years for persons who experienced physical abuse only; and

• 6.8 years for persons who experienced both physical and s*xual abuse.

• Persons who experienced childhood abuse were twice as likely to experience violence as an adult compared to those who did not experience abuse (71% compared to 33%);

• Persons who experienced childhood abuse were three times more likely to experience partner violence as an adult than those who did not experience abuse (28% compared to 8.9%);

• Persons who experienced childhood abuse were more likely to report having a psychological or physical disability at the time of interview, than those who did not experience childhood abuse; and

• As adults, persons who experienced childhood abuse tended to have lower levels of educational attainment, income and life satisfaction, and were more likely to report financial stress and poor health.

How many Australian adults have experienced childhood abuse?

An estimated 2.5 million Australian adults (13%) have experienced childhood abuse (table 41), including:

• 8.5% (1.6 million) who experienced childhood physical abuse; and

• 7.7% (1.4 million) who experienced childhood s*xual abuse.

The majority of persons who experienced childhood abuse experienced one type of abuse only. Of Australian adults:
• 5.8% (1.1 million) experienced childhood physical abuse only;
• 5.0% (913,100) experienced childhood s*xual abuse only; and
• 2.7% (494,600) experienced both childhood physical and s*xual abuse.

Characteristics and outcomes of childhood abuse | Australian Bureau of Statistics

Protective Factors:

Exposure to ACEs does not mean poor outcomes are inevitable. There are known protective factors that, if present and reinforced in a child’s life, can build the child’s resilience, and reduce the impacts of adversity.

One of the most influential protective factors in a child’s life is having a safe, caring and supportive relationship with someone they trust.

Many adults who experienced significant adversity in their childhood have gone on to have successful lives and happy relationships. These adults report that having an adult or other person in their lives who made them feel safe and protected while growing up helped support their resilience including a parent, sibling, relative, teacher, neighbour or coach. The caring relationship gave them:

• an emotionally supportive person in their life
• someone who saw them as unique and interesting; and
• someone who supported their ideas or dreams.

Child abuse and neglect can have a wide range of significant adverse impacts on a child’s development and later outcomes, including but not limited to:
• reduced social skills
• poor school performance
• impaired language ability
• higher likelihood of criminal offending
• negative physical health outcomes
• mental health issues such as eating disorders, substance abuse, depression and su***de.

Australia's children, Child abuse and neglect - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (aihw.gov.au)

Every child deserves love!