October is Anti Bullying Month!

During this school year take a step back and think about ways to STOP BULLYING in our schools, help teach your child about what to do when they are a victim of bullying or witness acts of bullying in their schools.  Give those around you the power to say NO!

Anti Bullying Movie: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/learning--schools/bullying/articles/abilitypath-and-bully-movie.html

Toolkit for Parents to detect bullying: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/learning--schools/bullying/articles/toolkits/abilitypath_parenttoolkit_bullysigns_2011.pdf

Cyber bulling: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/learning--schools/bullying/articles/toolkits/abilitypath_parenttoolkit_cyberbullying_2011.pdf


Check out this fabulous website: http://abilitypath.org/ for more information and resources to support your child with special needs! 

Being Bullied Tied to Anxiety, Depression in Special-Needs Kids

Special-needs youth with chronic medical conditions or developmental disabilities are at risk for anxiety and depression if they're excluded, ignored or bullied by other young people, a new small study says.

It included 109 youngsters, ages 8 to 17, who were recruited during routine visits to a U.S. children's hospital. The patients and their parents completed questionnaires that screen for symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the youngsters also completed a questionnaire that asked them about bullying or exclusion by their peers.

The patients in the study had one or more conditions such as: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (39 percent); cystic fibrosis (22 percent); type 1 or 2 diabetes (19 percent); sickle cell disease (11 percent); obesity (11 percent); learning disability (11 percent); autism (9 percent); and short stature (6 percent).

The researchers found that being bullied and/or excluded by peers were the strongest predictors of increased symptoms of depression or anxiety in the young patients.

Read more of the US News Healthday article HERE

Bullying and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs

Children with disabilities—such as physical, developmental, intellectual, emotional, and sensory disabilities—are at an increased risk of being bullied. Any number of factors— physical vulnerability, social skill challenges, or intolerant environments—may increase the risk. Research suggests that some children with disabilities may bully others as well.

Kids with special health needs, such as epilepsy or food allergies, also may be at higher risk of being bullied. Bullying can include making fun of kids because of their allergies or exposing them to the things they are allergic to. In these cases, bullying is not just serious, it can mean life or death.

Get more information at Stop Bullying.gov

Students With Disabilities, Health Issues Bullied More Often

By Nirvi Shah from On Special Education

Students with disabilities or health problems are more likely to be the target of bullies than their classmates, according to a study published this month in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Researchers found that "children with special health-care needs had lower motivation to do well in school, more disruptive behaviors, and more frequent experiences as a bully victim. They experienced significantly lower academic achievement, as measured by grades, standardized testing, and parental-assessed academic performance."

The study involved 1,457 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in two rural Maryland counties and one rural West Virginia county.

Students with special health care needs were more afraid of other girls and boys than students without a disability, but they were also slightly more likely to have attacked someone else at school or tell someone they would hurt them.

As part of the solution to these issues, the researchers suggested schools use anti-bullying programs—which many do, (and bullying has been the focus of much attention from the federal government lately, too), providing in-school mental health counseling, and referring students to community services if their needs can't be met in school.

And, they said, schools should provide a continuum of mental health care that connects families, primary medical care, communities, and schools.

"Unfortunately," the authors said, "there are few examples of such comprehensive, co-ordinated, and linked school-community initiatives."

However, one small school district in Minnesota said this week it will put mental health counselors in all 15 of its schools, in part because the district found that nonacademic issues, including depression and family upheaval, were affecting how students did in school.

"In addition to specific academic interventions, schools should provide abundant opportunities for children with a (health issue or disability) to develop confidence in their ability to learn and succeed in school, choose educational experiences that they value, and develop positive interpersonal relationships at school," the study authors concluded.

But they said the well-being and academic performance of these students is a joint responsibility of schools and the medical community.

"Health and school professionals will need to work together to identify these children much earlier, ensure that they receive appropriate supports and services, and monitor the effectiveness of services on children's health and school outcomes."

Article HERE.

Bullying and Hate-Motivated Behavior Prevention

Provides resources for parents, administrators, and students on how bullying can be prevented and addressed. Resources include publications, sample policies, and frequently asked questions.

See the California Department of Education document HERE.

Bullying Revisited- Retarded?

In our society of child psychology and guidance counseling, one would be hard pressed to find someone who does not acknowledge the pernicious consequences and prevalence of childhood bullying.

Read more of Tim Shriver Jr. and Soeren Palumbo's Huffington Post article HERE.

Education key to stop the bullies

SCHOOL students should be educated about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to reduce the rate of bullying of children with the developmental disorder, a leading academic says.

Flinders University Associate Professor Verity Bottroff said ASD children who were bullied were at higher risk of developing depression or committing suicide.

Read more of Kym Morgan's article (May '09) HERE

Free Lectures at the Morgan Autism Center

Where: Morgan Autism Center, 2280 Kenwood Ave., San Jose, CA 95128
When: Saturday, February 5, 2011 9:30 - 12:30 pm
Speaker: Irene van der Zande

Title: "Bullying, Violence, & Abuse: Simple Skills to Stop Big Problems."

Saturday, March 12, 2011 9:30 - 12:30 pm
Speaker: David Traver, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Title: "Biomarkers for Conditions Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

More information HERE

New Federal Guidance Addresses Anti-Disability Bullying

by Christina Samuels from On Special Education. Read HERE.