Scent Sample Training for Migraines:

 Scent Samples:


  • DON'T take a sample right after eating or drinking (exception for drinking water)

  • DO take a scent sample as soon as you start feeling your migraine if the above terms don't apply. 

  • ONLY use clear unscented dish soap to wash your scent containers. Scented soap can alter the samples. 

  • DO make a sample kit you can carry everywhere with you. I can make you one if needed. 



Sample kit:


  • Containers: You can use anything that is small enough to hold a cotton ball and have holes punctured in the top. You will want 3-4 containers. 


  • Cotton balls: These work best for capturing scent. The feeling can send a lot of people into sensory overload. If you have a hard time tolerating them, then the tips of q tips cut off and placed under your tongue work. I personally find these more sensory-friendly. Have you ever been asked to take those under the tongue drug tests when getting hired for work? You want to soak them thoroughly just like those ones. 


  • Baggies: place all scent samples into baggies as soon as you take them. You don't want them to get contaminated with another smell. They can keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. 



Training:


1.Introduce the smell by presenting it and encourage them to sniff it. 

2. Ask for the action that will be your alert. When said action is performed, reward heavily.   


Repeat this about 120-150 times over the course of a week. 


3. The next step is to add in a “dead” sample. Put an unused cotton ball in one container and a “live” sample in the other. Present them in a random pattern. 

For the dead sample do not give any reward or reaction. If they don't seem to be getting the hang of it, you can turn away from them with it if they alert while ignoring until they stop alerting. 

For the live sample encourage them to give the physical alert. 


Play this game until they can easily decipher between live and dead samples. The final stage is to hide live samples on you randomly throughout the day and reward when they alert to it. The goal is to get this alert in under 3 minutes. 



Live sample- The sample with the scent from your medical episode.

Dead sample- The sample without your scent.




Game:


 lazy susan turntable

 4 containers

 Live scent sample (1)

 Dead scent sample (3)



Use velcro to attach the containers to the turntable. Spin the table to mix them up and have her find the container with the live scent. 


Game:


 Live scent


Play hide and seek with the sample. At random times, get the live sample and go hide. Time how long it takes them to find you and issue an alert. This will work best with two people. You with the scent and another person to hold the dog while you hide in an inconspicuous way.


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