September 2010 - Issue #12
South Florida Autism Newsletter
FREE e On e k Ta
Pediatrics Development......
In this issue
World’s Largest DNA Scan For Autism Uncovers New Gene Variant Book Review: All I can handle, I am not Mother Teresa
1 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
Inside This Issue... GENERAL ARTICLES The Role of Postural Muscles in Developmental Delays
Page 3
Pediatrics Development
Page 4-5
World’s Largest DNA Scan For Autism Uncovers New Gene Variant Page 6 PECS For All: Free visual supports you can make for your child
Page 7
Go Green Through Consigning
Page 11
Contact Us. To submit an article, send it to: autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com Subject: Article For general information or advertisement opportunities, please call us at (954)584-3198 or email at autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com
Autism Chatter By Rosa Monckton
Page 8
Luciana C Leo (786) 306-4967 Sarah Sweeney (786) 413-8017
Book Review All I Can Handle I’m No Mother Teresa
Page 10
BioMedical Q&A By Debbie Mellen Nurse Practitioner
Page 10
Recipe of the Month Chocolate Birthday Cake by Julie Matthews
Page 11
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By Dr Conde The brain develops from the midline out. That being said, the most significant midline brain structures pertaining to developmental delays include the deep regions of the cerebellum or “little brain” and the lower parts of the brain stem. These areas of the brain dictate the growth of the neurons of the cerebrum or “big brain” and through specific musculoskeletal reflexes the tone of the deep intrinsic muscles of the spine. Therefore with neurological delays we see a more primitive cerebrum without full development and also see postural tone issues. The relationship between the postural muscles and the deep regions of the brain such as the cerebellum can be characterized as what came first the chicken or the egg. We now know that a powerful reflex based relationship exists between the midline parts of the brain and the postural muscles. Movement of these postural muscles activates the brainstem and cerebellum ensuring the neurological health of these areas. Reciprocally, the cerebellum and brain stem send neurological signals down to the postural muscles to ensure the tone and health of the muscles. We note that in children on the autism spectrum there exists an issue with poor postural tone which is displayed as “bad posture”. This intrinsic spinal muscle weakness perpetuates the brain delay due to a lack of midline brain activation. Therefore a weak trunk leads to a weak brain. The slowed brain then in-turn leads to continued postural weakness. This tends to become a vicious cycle in which one leads to the other.
What can be done? Well it is of vital importance to work on both the postural muscles of the trunk and the midline regions of the brain. Interestingly enough, these postural muscles cannot really be worked on by doing traditional back exercises. They are very small muscles that bridge different areas of the vertebral column. They are non-volitional or non-voluntary which means that you cannot tell these muscles to contract voluntarily. They are activated by doing non-volitional proprioceptive exercises like balance boards, balance beams, balance pods, eye tracking exercises, chair/rotary spin exercises, and other vestibular or inner ear exercises. Just as the muscles are exercised so too can the brain be exercised. This takes a bit more expertise in the sense that a physician such as a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist must provide a thorough neurological examination to determine what areas are dysfunctional within the midline of the brain. Then a specific set of therapeutic exercises are established to activate these deficient regions. What occurs with proper activation of the brain is termed neuroplasticity. This means that the actual nerve cells become healthier by producing more proteins, having more energy to utilize, and by growing new synapses or connections to increase processing speed. To learn more about Dr Conde and the services that he provides, check out the Conde Center ad in the back cover page.
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“A Vision for Learning” 4188 S. University Drive. Davie, Fl 33328 Phone: (954)236-2300 www.westlakeacademy.net 3 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
Nutritional, Developmental and Social Milestones Guide Taken from Pediatric Nursing: Caring for Children, fourth edition, by Jane Ball and Ruth Bindler Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first two years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. It is very important to be able to follow your child’s developmental stages in order to choose the right therapies and treatments. Children with autism have their strengths and their weakness, just like everyone else. By detecting which ones are your child’s weaknesses, you are going to be able to prioritize the skills that need to be address first. Below there is a guide that describes the nutrition, developmental and social milestones that children have to reach at particular ages. In this issue we will cover ages 12 months to 10 years old, and in the October issue we will cover ages 11 to 18 years old. 12 Months Nutrition: Triples birth weight. Weight increases by 8oz/month. Height increases by 3.5-5in/year. Weaning from bottles. Elimination: May indicate awareness of elimination. Gross Motor: Twist while sitting without falling, pulls to stand; rights self; cruises around furniture; creeps; stands alone; walks with help; may take steps alone. Fine Motor: Stacks rings on pole; builds 2-blocks tower; bangs 2 objects together; thumb-finger grasp present; puts object into container. Sleep: 1-2 naps/day; sleep awake patterns tend to stabilize; rituals continue, may awaken during night; resist going to bed. Language: May say “mama” and “dada”; may say 2-3 words; uses expressive sounds; understands 5 simple words. Cognitive Development: Interested in environment; displays intentional behavior; associates symbols with events; finds hidden object with systematic search; differentiates means and ends. Self concept: Shows sensitivity to approval and disapproval; demonstrates capacity to trust. Roles and Relationships: Infant identifies role of parent, infant, siblings in family by types of interactions and ability to obtain wants; affection exchanged, separation anxiety continues; responds well to approval; securely attached infants more adept at communications needs. Coping and Resiliency: Active searching for parent; extreme fussiness and resistance to comforting when separated from parents; handles new situations best if parent involved. 15 Months Nutrition: Weight increases by 8oz/month. Height increases by 3.5-5in/year. Appetite is less vigorous than during infancy. Elimination: Some regularity in timing and number of stools; release still involuntary; may indicate awareness of having defecated. Gross Motor: Walks alone well; stoops to recover toys; creeps up stairs; runs; climbs. Fine Motor: Scribbles with pencil or crayon; builds 2-3 blocks tower; removes shoes and socks; turns cardboard type book pages; tosses and rolls ball; matches shapes; stacks rings higher on pole. Sleep: Sustained sleep averages 10hrs/night; 1 nap. Language: Says 5-6 words; uses expressive sounds; shakes head “no”. Cognitive Development: Retains mental images of visible moving object; trial and error learning of object use; quick, precise imitation of unfamiliar sounds and gestures. Self concept: Solicits need satisfaction and indicates wants by pointing; demonstrates trust in the world; relies on others to satisfy needs. Roles and Relationships: Ventures away from parents to explore but returns frequently for reassurance; solicits adults for assistance and attention; affection willingly given; begins to “test” relationship by repeating forbidden behavior and watching for parental response. Coping and Resiliency: Adds temper tantrums and negativism as coping strategies in response to stress; uses novel means to cope and obtain attention. 18 Months Nutrition: Weight increases by 8oz/month. Height increases by 3.55in/year. Elimination: May indicate early readiness for toilet training.
Gross Motor: Runs; climbs; stops and starts easily; rounds corners without difficulty. Fine Motor: Builds 4-5 blocks tower; well controlled grasp and release; manipulates objects with good wrist control. Sleep: Stable sleep-wake patterns; sustained sleep of 11-12 hrs, nap from 1 to 2 hrs long. Language: Skills increase; comprehension better than expression; knows 10 words. Cognitive Development: Actively searches for hidden objects; points to body parts when named; names objects; beginning use of symbols; obtains object using a tool; deferred imitation; begins to pretend. Self concept: Begins to demonstrate independence by wanting to do things without help; personality traits become evident; begins to separate own feelings from others. Sexuality: Initial ability to identify self verbally as girl or boy. Roles and Relationships: Height of separation anxiety and contact-seekingproximity-maintaining behavior; possessive; participates more in family routines. Coping and Resiliency: Minimal tolerance for frustration; active vocal and physical response to tension; uses transitional objects and rituals for comfort and security; uses distraction and pretend play with toys as coping strategies. 2 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 8oz/month. Height increases by 3.55in/year. Elimination: May achieve daytime bowel and bladder control. Gross Motor: Walks backwards; walks stairs; kicks ball; may jump down one step; jumps in place; may pedal tricycle. Fine Motor: Build 6-7 blocks tower; turns book pages; does simple puzzles; string beads; imitates drawing vertical lines while holding pencil with fingers and not fist. Sleep: Afternoon naps decrease; night awakenings may continue; fears may be source of new stress, nightmares Language: Uses 2-3 words sentences; vocabulary increases; follows directions; uses personal pronouns. Cognitive Development: Uses objects and toys symbolically; retains mental image of absent object; infers cause from observing effect; thinking is perception-bound. Self concept: Demonstrates early willingness to delay gratification to please others; asserts autonomy and tests limits of acceptable independence; parent remains important but well-differentiated from self; fears become more pronounced. Sexuality: Explores own body by masturbation. Roles and Relationships: Increased independence; ventures away from parent for longer periods and returns for reassurance are briefer; participates in peer play but unable to take turns unless supervised; most interactions are parallel. Coping and Resiliency: Continues to use transitional objects for comfort; temper tantrums are more frequent if child tired or hungry when frustrated; rituals important; negativism begins to decrease; uses dawdling and imagination. 3 years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year. Elimination: Toilet-trained during day; nighttime training varies; accidents common. Gross Motor: Rides tricycle; balances on 1 foot; jumps; alternates feet going up stairs. Fine Motor: Builds bridge; copies circle; builds 8-10 block tower; dresses and undresses. Sleep: Less protesting at bedtime; may rest but not sleep during afternoon. Language: Uses plurals; talks constantly; tells stories; knows name and age; comprehension of adjectives and adverbs increases. Fine Motor: Builds bridge; copies circle; builds 8-10 block tower; dresses and undresses. Sleep: Sleep needs vary; nigh time sleep ranges from 8-14 hrs; may need occasional afternoon nap or rest; dislikes bedtime.
4 - Autism Insider Newsletter, September 2010 Issue
Cognitive Development: Egocentric; matches 4 colors, knows 2 colors; classifies using 1 characteristic; ask questions about environment; active imagination. Self concept: Demonstrates autonomy in eating, dressing, toileting, and enhances positive self concept and self-esteem; takes pride in new accomplishments; begins to take initiative in selecting toys, games, friends; fears more specific and may include bodily harm. Sexuality: Knows own and others' gender; begins to adopt culturally prescribed behaviors, roles. Roles and Relationships: Tolerates separation from parents, depends less on parents; interacts with other children in associative play; begins to share and play interactive games with peers. Coping and Resiliency: Temper tantrums, negativism, and ritualism decreasing; specific coping behaviors of regression, denial, projection, displacement, attack, rationalization, and sublimation may appear in rudimentary form; active imagination; may have imaginary friend. 4 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year. Elimination: Manages toileting without help; remains dry at night with occasional accidents. Gross Motor: Balances on 1 foot for 5-10 sec; hops; forward heel-to-toe walk; alternates feet going up and down stairs; climbs jungle gym; catches ball with arms. Language: Uses 4 to 5 word sentences; comprehends prepositions; understands analogies. Cognitive Development: Beginning to be less egocentric; repeats 4 digits; recognizes 3 colors; counts 3 objects; classifies objects by 1 characteristic; understands concepts of long and short, light and heavy. Self concept: Fears continue and may include water, animals, thunder, darkness; initiates questions, starts but may not complete projects; separates from family easily. Sexuality: Masturbation may increase; displays sexual curiosity and interest in bodily differences between girls and boys; may have private ideas to explain sexual differences and reproduction. Roles and Relationships: Defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior but may not observe limits; defines family expectations and chores but needs reminders; participates in cooperative play, shares but reminds others of ownership of objects; engages in family games, outings, trips, and special activities. Coping and Resiliency: Begins to verbalize (directly or indirectly); fears about body integrity, animals, the dark; uses play and fantasy as well as projection, denial, sublimation, and displacement; may add repression and reaction formation as coping strategies during middle childhood. 5 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year. Gross Motor: Rides bicycle with training wheels; jumps rope; heel-to-toe walk backwards; runs on toes; arms coordinated with legs when running; skips; proficient climber. Fine Motor: Copies square and triangle; draws person with at least 6 parts; improved cutting with scissors; begins to tie shoelaces. Sleep: Fatigue common at dinnertime from large expenditure of energy in play; dislikes bedtime. Cognition development: Repeats 10 word sentence; identifies 4 colors and geometric shapes; shows more realistic sense of causality; classifies objects according to similarities in relationship. Self concept: Personality qualities begin to be evident and may include friendliness, kindness, caring, sharing, or anger, anxiety, and self-centeredness; willingness to participate in new experiences reflects sense of self. Sexuality: Displays sex-stereotypic behavior; curiosity continues. Roles and Relationships: Conscious of social routine, roles and expectations that differ from own family’s; relates appropriately to adults outside family; cooperative play with peers; may demonstrate sibling rivalry Coping and Resiliency: Verbalizes feelings; may temporarily regress; may display independence through noncompliance or express confusion over inconsistent limits. 6 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year.
Gross Motor: Increased speed in running; increased skill in throwing ball; rides bicycle. Fine Motor: Draws house and person; prints letters and numbers; colors within line. Sleep: Average sleep time is 8-12 hr/day. Language: Oral vocabulary of 2500 words; uses all parts of speech; begins to read. Cognitive Development: Understands number concepts 1-10; learns to add and subtract, reading skills increase; uses trial and error for problem solving; attention span increases. Self-concept: Develops sense of self, aware of individual attributes; wants to perform well and complete projects; starts collections. Sexuality: Play reflects sex-stereotypic roles; process of learning masculine and feminine social roles. Roles and Relationships: Expands social environment with school; sibling rivalry continues; learns basic social manners and way to relate to authority figure. Coping and Resiliency: Easily frustrated if tired or hungry; unable to tolerate criticism; mastery may be gained by exploration (verbal or behavioral) of expectations. 7-8 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year. Gross Motor: Jumps and hops into small squares; climbs trees; roller skates; learns to swim; may do gymnastics, dance, sports. Fine Motor: Ties bows well; copies diamonds, draws a square; printing becomes smaller and more accurate; learns cursive writing; improved hand-eye coordination for board games and musical instruments. Sleep: More stabilized sleep times, less resistant to bed time. Language: Asks questions about purpose of objects; arranges story in correct sequence of events; composes “pretend” stories; defines words according to related action. Cognitive Development: Concrete, logical thinking emerges; operations of conservation, basic class inclusion, reversibility, single seriation, and class hierarchy acquired; knows value of coins, can count money; developing sense of humor, repeats jokes; evidence of long-term memory Sexuality: Concept of gender constancy attained; more realistic understanding of sexuality. Roles and Relationships: Increased importance and frequency of peer group activities; efforts made to win peer favor; able to assume more responsibility for self-care and chores’ yet adjustment to new role may require increased parental attention; develops relationships with siblings. Coping and Resiliency: Can control emotional outbursts better and tolerated delay of gratification; more selective in use of coping behaviors. 9-10 Years Nutrition: Weight increases by 1.5-2.5kg (3-5 lb.)/year. Height increases by 4-6 cm (1 ½ - 2 ½ in.)/year. Gross Motor: Perfection of skills; performs tricks on bike or skateboard; learns to shinny up rope; improves swimming; may participate in organized competition. Fine Motor: cursive writing neater; craft skills more precise. Sleep: Average sleep time is 8-12 hours/day; screen activities may interfere with sleep time. Language: Uses language for socialization, problem solving; uses metaphors and personifications; speech understandable. Cognitive development: Concrete thinker; masters concepts of class inclusion, double seriation, and conservation except for displaced volume; logical thinker in problem solving. Self concept: Earns recognition by mastering skills and tasks that produce things, leading to pride in accomplishment and sense of industry; becomes more self-reliant. Sexuality: Understands human reproduction; sexual awareness and curiosity increases. Roles and Relationships: Expands relationships with family and multiple authority figures outside of family; begins to communicate more with family about thoughts, problems questions; gradual improvement in social manners; peers usually same age and sex; becomes self-reflective about own thoughts, feeling, role. Coping and Resiliency: Controls ad expresses emotions more appropriately; coping strategies reflect past experience and success; behaviors are less overt; coping may be adaptive or maladaptive.
5 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
UCLA scientists, in partnership with 30 research institutions across the country, have identified a new gene variant that is highly common in autistic children. And when researchers scrutinized the activity of the gene, known as CDH10, in the fetal brain, they discovered that it is most active in key regions that support language, speech and interpreting social behavior.
number of intriguing next steps for research, including the possibility of an imaging study to explore whether the gene behaves differently in the autistic brain.
Published April 28 in the advance online edition of the journal Nature, the two findings suggest that CDH10 plays a critical role in shaping the developing brain and may contribute to a prenatal risk of autism.
"When parents like me first formed AGRE, this was our dream, that talented scientists would use our gene bank to collaborate and bring us closer to understanding autism," said Jon Shestack, co-founder of Cure Autism Now and a board member of Autism Speaks. "AGRE has played an important role in almost every major autism genetics paper in the past five years."
A variant is a gene that has undergone subtle changes from the normal DNA yet is shared by a significant portion of the population. "While this gene variant is common in the general population, we discovered that it occurs about 20 percent more often in children with autism," said study author Dr. Daniel Geschwind, director of the UCLA Center for Autism Treatment and Research. "A major change like this in the genetic code is too common to be a simple mutation — it is a risk factor in the origin of the disease." Using the largest population sample to date, the scientists systematically scanned the DNA of 3,100 individuals from 780 families nationwide. Each family had at least two autistic children. The scan connected autism to a specific region of chromosome 5, which previous studies at UCLA and collaborating institutions had pinpointed as a hub for genetic variations linked to higher autism risk. To verify the findings, Dr. Hakon Hakonarson at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia led the team in conducting a second scan on the DNA of 1,200 individuals from families affected by autism, as well as nearly 6,500 healthy controls. All participants shared European ancestry. The scientists evaluated the relationship of more than half of a million gene variants to autism and consistently discovered six changes that occurred more frequently in autistic children than in the control group. These variants sat on chromosome 5 between two genes, CDH9 and CDH10. In the second half of the study, the UCLA team looked at the two genes' presence in the developing human brain. While CDH9's presence appeared minimal, the scientists discovered that CDH10 was most active in the fetal brain's frontal cortex, a region critical to language, social behavior and complex thought processes such as judgment. "This is a landmark finding," Geschwind said. "It's no coincidence that a gene linked to autism has a higher concentration in key brain regions that regulate speech and the ability to interpret social interaction. Our research suggests that CDH10 is switched on at a very early stage and plays an important role in regulating the developing brain. This prenatal activity somehow makes the infant more susceptible to autism." By influencing the development of important brain structures, CDH10 provides a tangible link between genes, brain circuitry and a child's future behavior, Geschwind noted. The discovery also opens up a
The DNA samples and clinical data were provided by families who donated blood to the Los Angeles–based Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), a program created and funded by Cure Autism Now, which merged with Autism Speaks in 2007.
Autism is a complex brain disorder that strikes in early childhood. The condition disrupts a child's ability to communicate and develop social relationships and is often accompanied by acute behavioral challenges. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one in 150 American children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder; the disorder affects four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has expanded tenfold in the last decade. The UCLA portion of the study was supported primarily with funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. Geschwind's UCLA colleagues included Brett Abrahams, Rita Cantor, Hongmei Dong, Edward Herman, Ted Hutman, Ana Alvarez Retuerto, Marian Sigman and Lisa Sonnenblick. Additional co-authors included scientists from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USC, Autism Speaks, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Miami, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the University of Washington, the University of North Carolina, UC Davis, Yale University, the University of Illinois, the University of Utah, Indiana University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Pittsburgh. The UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment provides diagnosis, family counseling and treatment for patients with autism. UCLA is one of eight centers in the National Institutes of Health– funded Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment network and one of 10 original Collaborative Programs for Excellence in Autism. Source: Dr. Daniel Geschwind, director of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=40 3&action=detail&ref=1184 Time: 10:00am Date: Saturday, Sep 4th AMC Aventura 24 - 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 3001, Aventura, Fl 33180 AMC Coral Ridge 10 - 3401 NE 26th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33306 AMC Sunset 24 - 5701 Sunset Dr., Ste. 300, South Miami, Fl 33143
6 - Autism Insider Newsletter, September 2010 Issue
PECS for All Free visual support you can make for your child What is Picto Selector? Picto selector is a Windows application written for easy selection and printing of Pictos. The Pictos comes from the website Sclera.be, Straight-Street.com and ARASAAC and have a Dutch, English, French and Spanish translation. The application itself also supports those languages. With Picto Selector the time consuming cut, paste and editing in Word is over. At the main screen picto sheets can be viewed and added. Each sheet can be printed. Pictos can easily be selected from a list and placed between existing pictos, this makes it extremely easy to alter existing picto sheets. Picto sheet for drying after shower
dry yourself after the shower
head
neck
breast
arms
back
Aspie Heart I know we seem too weird But that doesn’t make us foreigners here Even though its hard to understand your tears We would like to feel accepted and not to be rejected It is hard for us to see you socializing Because we don’t get how to empathize Others seem to think we don’t like this life But the truth is, that we cant express how happy we are I love you mom and I love you dad I wish someday others will understand That having a kid like me isn’t that bad So that you wouldn’t have to take it that hard and be sad Boron Cojuc
Printing
legs
genitals
buttocks
feet
hang wet towel to dry
get dressed
With several options the layout of the print can be changed. The pictos can optionally be centered on each row. Also the number of pictos on each row and column can easily be set for each sheet. Sheets can have titles and pictos can have subscripts. Printing can also be done to a file to print them somewhere else or store them as PDF. Searching Pictos 3500 picto's are available on the Sclera website. There is also a download available with over 5000 pictos. The full version with pictos is a combination of those two lists. The Mulberry symbols (1500) and ASRASAAC symbols (4900) are also included in the download. The application can search for both names and categories. From the list pictos can be dragged to picto sheets and other windows applications. You can also, create your own picto with text. Photo picto's, uses your own digital photo as a picto. This program was written by Martijn van der Kooij. Software developer in Bodegraven and living Stadskanaal.
in
You can download Picto Selecto for FREE at www.pictoselector.eu
7 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
Autism Chatter By Rosa Monckton Rosa Monckton is Dominica’s mother, a beautiful and special girl. She leaves in United Kingdom and even though laws are different in every country, parent of special needs children face similar situations. After reading her story, I realized that Rosa was voicing my concerns. -SarahShould one-in-five of our under-16s really be categorized with educational special needs, as figures released this week by the Office For National Statistics (United Kingdom) show they are? I don't believe they should. Nine times out of ten there will be very little about these children that requires such a label. Maybe little Johnny will never be the brightest button in the box, maybe Sophie will be better off working with horses rather than the Large Hadron Collider. That doesn't make them special needs, it just makes them normal children - some children are bright, some are not; some behave beautifully, some definitely do not.
This is little more than window- dressing, an illusion of inclusion, that often stretches an already very hard-pressed special needs unit to near-breaking point.
Somewhere along the way we have forgotten this basic truth and clutched at an explanation for our children's perceived shortcomings; something we can blame, something we can try to cure. But here is the problem - cures, genuinely required or not, cost money, which in this case comes from those who can afford it least: the 110,000 children in the UK who do have real special educational needs.
The arrival of so many of the sort of special needs children can only make the problem worse. But why are they arriving in such numbers? Parents and schools, as we have seen, must share some of the blame, but so too must some of our primary school teachers, still wedded to the out-dated, mixed ability, pupil-led teaching methods of the Seventies and Eighties.
They are not children who have a bit of trouble spelling or sitting still; they are children whose entire lives are a battle. They are children like my daughter, Domenica, who has Down's syndrome, and the thousands of others facing challenges more serious, such as cerebral palsy and autism. They are the real special needs children in this country and, as their exhausted parents will tell you, securing an appropriate education for them is a fight.
There is growing evidence that many children are being wrongly categorized as special needs at 11 and 12 years old. They just haven't been taught to read properly. Where that problem is successfully addressed - and children are taught to read - there is a reduction in the number being categorized as having special needs. Of course, there are pupils who are genuinely dyslexic and who suffer from other difficulties. But if the number of children being categorized as special needs simply because they haven't been taught to read can be reduced, then money can be diverted back to the children who really need it.
If money is diverted from children with real special needs to the “phantom� special needs children, this most grueling of battles will become even worse.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1298491/Itmakes-blood-boil-normal-children-deemed-specialneeds.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0v7Joc8jD
For the parents of genuine special needs children - already dubbed the angriest group of parents in the country - it will be a disaster. The prospect of such a gross injustice occurring makes my blood boil. But all the signs show this is exactly what is happening. For not only are parents seemingly all too keen to have their child assessed with this syndrome or that - and therefore placed under the special needs umbrella - but the schools are colluding with them. There are two reasons for this and one, inevitably, is money. For each child diagnosed with special needs the school receives additional funding, so it is in the school's financial interest to have as many special needs children as possible - particularly if many of these children won't require much in the way of expensive special needs teaching. But this is exactly what I've come to expect from an education system still crippled by trendy but utterly hopeless teaching methods. Let's take the dated dogma first; which boils down to a wrongheaded, one-size-fits-all belief that all children are equal and that, from the brightest to those with serious disadvantages, they should be educated together. But the majority of these real special needs children aren't taught with the more able pupils, but in specialist units that effectively become a school within a school.
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8 - Autism Insider Newsletter, September 2010 Issue
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9 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
Book Review: All I Can Handle I’m No Mother Teresa How one woman raises three daughters with autism, loses one at Disney World, stays married, has sex, bakes gluten-free, goes broke, and keeps her sense of humor. "Dr. Spock? Check. Penelope Ann Leach (remember her?)? Check. What to Expect When You’re Expecting? Check. I had a seven hundred dollar Bellini crib for God’s sake! I was perfect. And so was Mia when she was born . . ." ...and so begins Kim Stagliano’s electrifying and hilarious memoir of her family’s journey raising three daughters with autism. In these stories, Stagliano has joined the ranks of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs with her amazing ability to lay everything on the table—from family, friends, and enemies to basement floods to birthdays to (possible) heroin addictions—eviscerating and celebrating the absurd. From her love of Howard Stern to her increasing activism in the autism community and exhaustive search for treatments that will help her daughters, she covers it all. Always outspoken, often touching, and sometimes heartbreaking, Kim Stagliano is a powerful new voice in comedic writing—her “Kimoir” (as she calls it) will be a must-read within the autism community and the literary world at large. 24 color photographs Kim Stagliano is a nationally recognized autism advocate and speaker. www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com.
BioMedical Q&A By Debbie Mellen, Biomedical Practitioner What are enzymes? Tiny molecules of energy! All living cells need energy. Enzymes in your body are working right now, behind the scenes, helping our body to digest food so we can benefit from the nutrients. If there is a toxin that we ingested with our food, enzymes will help remove the toxins.
Peptizyde has been available since 2001 and is useful for the breakdown of gluten, casein, soy and other proteins. Particularly an enzyme known as dipeptyl peptidase IV or DPP IV is known to help break down gluten and casein. Another enzyme for gluten and casein is GlutenEase. A company that makes good quality enzymes and combines them to produce the most effective result is Enzymedica. Protease enzymes between meals help clear out waste and toxin in the colon.
Our bodies make our own enzymes for digestion and for our metabolism to run smoothly. Digestive enzymes are active in the digestive tract and are busy breaking down food into nutrients and waste. They are ptyalin, pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease and amylase. The body does not make the enzyme to digest fiber; we can only get it from eating raw foods. When we cook food we destroy the enzymes. Because the American diet does not include eating mostly raw foods, it is recommended that we take enzymes as a supplement.
Please Note: If your child can swallow a capsule and you are giving your child an enzyme with a gelatin capsule, know that the gelatin capsule will melt quickly when it passes into the stomach. If you are using an enzyme with a “veggie” capsule, you will get the best results if you open the capsule and mix the enzyme into the food, or take the enzyme with the “veggie” capsule about 30 minutes before eating. It takes longer for the veggie capsule to melt releasing the enzymes.
Metabolic enzymes perform chemical reactions within our cells and produce energy. They will also assist us with getting bad things out of our body called detoxification. Metabolic enzymes come from the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and other organs. Parents of children on the autism spectrum often give their children enzymes. I support the use of enzymes as it is safe and effective. Enzymes need to be taken daily on a consistent basis to be effective. I am always curious to hear specific details about what happened when you started the enzymes? It is the parent’s stories that I like the best. When you see something work for your child firsthand, it is a moment of celebration. Individuals on the autism spectrum have Gastro-intestinal (GI) issues. Simply put, enzymes can be of some help with this GI issue. When the fuel (food) that we give the body is broken down properly and absorbed adequately, good things happen inside the body. When this process does not work properly, illness develops. Some of the enzymes helpful for individuals on the autism spectrum have been around for quite a while. For example, SerenAid has been around since 1999. Parents have reported that after a month of using SerenAid improvements were seen. Here are some wonderful things that parents have reported after the enzymes have been given. The enzymes have helped improve eye contact and socialization. Some other benefits that have been reported by parents are the following: better attention and mood, improvement in speech/language, less sound sensitivity, better digestion along with less stinky bowel movements, improved sleep, a decrease in ritualistic behavior, less anxiety, less compulsions and less stimming. I have heard of reports of decrease in aggression and behavioral problems with the use of enzymes.
Enzymes are dosed by the quantity and type of food, not by age or weight. Enzymes are inactive until they become wet and come in contact with the food. For best results take enzymes at the beginning of the meal. For children who do not like to sit down and eat three meals a day, but rather like to eat a little something many times a day, try this different strategy. Open the capsule and drop the enzymes in a cool drink and have the child sip the drink when they bite the food. Enzymes aren’t just for children, as enzymes can help a variety of conditions. Some research is pointing to the fact that many cardiovascular problems could be related to not being able to digest fats in the diet very well. Supplemental enzymes that break down proteins, proteases, are being used by children and adults for better health. Proteases have antiinflammatory promoting abilities, and help enhance and regulate the immune system. Enzymes can assist in your body’s ability to restore, repair and strengthen itself. Many obese people have very low levels of lipase in their body. Without sufficient lipase, the fats from food cannot be properly broken down and used. It may be stored instead. Taking lipase enzymes break down these fats. (DeFelice 2008). Sports injuries can be treated with protease enzymes because of their ability to reduce inflammation and speed the healing of bruises, swelling and other injuries. I think we could all use a lesson on enzymes. We all want to be healthy. If you are not currently taking any enzymes, you may want to look into this simple and effective way to look and feel healthy.
10 - Autism Insider Newsletter, September 2010 Issue
Recipe of the Month:
Chocolate Birthday Cake by Julie Matthews
Ingredients:
"Buttercream" Frosting
1 cup sorghum flour ¾ cup potato starch ½ cup tapioca starch ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (non-alkali) 1 ½ cup sugar (or evaporated cane juice) 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup of oil (melted ghee, sunflower oil, melted palm oil, etc) 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ cup non-dairy milk ½ hot water
Ingredients: 4 cups (about 1 pound) of powdered sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup ghee, coconut oil, or palm oil ¼ cup non-dairy milk 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla natural coloring (see below)
Preparation: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine all the wet ingredients except hot water in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix using an electric mixer or stirring by hand. Once dry ingredients are incorporated, add hot water and mix thoroughly. You'll want to work swiftly to get it in the oven so the cake rises properly. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Test cake by poking with a toothpick. Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cake pans on baking rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and continue to cool on racks. Once completely cool, frost cake. (see Buttercream Frosting recipe or use your own).
Preparations: ream ghee or oil in bowl. Add all additional ingredients to bowl and mix until smooth. You are ready to frost cake. If you want to use natural coloring for frosting that is liquid such as juices, hold off on adding milk. First add 1 tablespoon of juice for color, then add 1 tablespoon of milk or what is needed to bring frosting to desired texture.
http://nourishinghope.com/
Go Green Through Consigning by Juliana Ruiz Every parent knows the financial costs associated with having children. The average new parents spend $10,500 in their baby’s first year*. This astounding sum consists of the endless need for clothing, feeding essentials, and baby equipment (think car seats, strollers, cribs, playpens, monitors, walkers, toys, etc.), and the hundreds of other gadgets that are marketed as necessities. Just as quickly as money is spent on all these ‘necessities’, our little ones outgrow them. Their constant development leads to constant spending which only adds more dollar signs to our already strained budget. Most of us are repeat offenders, having dozens of brand new, unused items stuffed in our closets, garages and storage. The few items that we did get to use briefly are now to small, or not appropriate to our child’s developmental stage. As they grow and leave everything behind, we are faced with a dilemma. What to do with all the nearly new items that are now obsolete in our households? Enter the concept of consignment! By definition, consigning is: to hand over or give into the care or charge of another. Which is exactly what you do. Consigning offers the opportunity to leave
outgrown, yet exceptionally well taken care of items at consignment retailers, and receive a hefty percentage of sales prices once they have been sold. The retailers do the selling for us! In today’s day and age, going green and saving (or making) money are some of the most common concepts we encounter. Consigning taps into all of them! By selling or buying consigned goods, you are reusing, reducing and recycling. You’re saving money as a buyer, and making some money back as a seller. Consigning is a Win-Win for everyone! The consignment industry is growing thanks to valueconscious consumers. Next time you clean out your children’s closets and toy chests, keep the concept of consigning in mind. Many a new or veteran parent would appreciate your outgrown items, and would be willing to pay a fair price for them. Juliana Ruiz is mother of 3 small children, and Co-Founder of Lolliposh Consignment Sale & Bazaar; a seasonal children’s sale held every 6 months in Broward County. For more information consigning and buying through Lolliposh, visit www.lolliposh.com
11 - Autism Insider Newsletter, July 2010 Issue
12 - Autism Insider Newsletter, September 2010 Issue