You wouldn't think that people who work in schools would try to buy an RV for a homeless mother, but we are. It would be amazing if you click this link and donate $5.
She is a former foster youth from Contra Costa County, CA. She does not use drugs or alcohol and is a loving mother who would do anything to protect and care for her children. Because her children are young, and have special needs (autism) it has been difficult for her to maintain steady employment.
The Mt. Diablo HOPE School Social Workers have unturned every stone, but we can't find shelter or stable housing for a family her size (one baby boy, a girl (6) and two boys 7,9). This is why we are attempting, on our own, to obtain a mobile home / RV for her.
Funding will cover the cost of a used RV. It's not ideal, but it will provide temporary shelter until she's back on her feet. When life is predictable, children have less anxiety and do better in school.
Even a $1 donation will help to raise awareness, and give her hope.
Pay it forward.
Please post this, email, or text your friends to spread the word.
(See the gofundme site to donate HERE)
Yours truly,
Vivica Taylor, MSW
Derek Wang, LCSW
James Wogan, LCSW
(Independently of our work with Mt. Diablo Unified HOPE)
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Top Ten Autism Research Stories of 2014
By Lee Wilkinson from examiner.com
The following are Autism Speaks’ “Top Ten” 2014 stories in autism research based on readership and social media shares.
The following are Autism Speaks’ “Top Ten” 2014 stories in autism research based on readership and social media shares.
#1 New Meta-analysis Affirms No Association Between Vaccines and Autism
A meta-analysis of ten studies involving more than 1.2 million children affirmed that vaccines don’t cause autism. The analysis found that immunization with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine was associated with a slight decrease in risk.
A meta-analysis of ten studies involving more than 1.2 million children affirmed that vaccines don’t cause autism. The analysis found that immunization with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine was associated with a slight decrease in risk.
#2 Physical Evidence that Autism Starts During Prenatal Development
Researchers found a common pattern of disruption in the prenatal brain development of children who had autism. Their study, supported in part by Autism Speaks, analyzed the donated post-mortem brain tissue of 11 children with autism and of 11 unaffected children. In 10 out of the 11 ASD cases, they found recurring patches of abnormal development in layers of the cerebral cortex that form during prenatal development. By contrast, they found these patches in just 1 of the 11 children unaffected by autism. The researchers propose that early intervention may help the brain "rewire" around these disturbed areas.
Researchers found a common pattern of disruption in the prenatal brain development of children who had autism. Their study, supported in part by Autism Speaks, analyzed the donated post-mortem brain tissue of 11 children with autism and of 11 unaffected children. In 10 out of the 11 ASD cases, they found recurring patches of abnormal development in layers of the cerebral cortex that form during prenatal development. By contrast, they found these patches in just 1 of the 11 children unaffected by autism. The researchers propose that early intervention may help the brain "rewire" around these disturbed areas.
#3 MSSNG: Changing the Future of Autism with Open Science
This historic collaboration between Autism Speaks and Google is queueing up 10,000 anonymous autism genomes and making the data freely available for research anywhere, anytime. “We don’t know enough about autism. MSSNG is the search for the missing answers.”
This historic collaboration between Autism Speaks and Google is queueing up 10,000 anonymous autism genomes and making the data freely available for research anywhere, anytime. “We don’t know enough about autism. MSSNG is the search for the missing answers.”
#4 Broccoli-Sprout Extract Shows Promise for Easing Autism Symptoms
In a small placebo-controlled trial, sulforaphane supplements eased autism symptoms in nearly half of 29 participants affected by autism. Experts called the results “promising” but cautioned that larger studies were needed to determine effectiveness and safety.
In a small placebo-controlled trial, sulforaphane supplements eased autism symptoms in nearly half of 29 participants affected by autism. Experts called the results “promising” but cautioned that larger studies were needed to determine effectiveness and safety.
#5 Studies Implicate Early Injury to Cerebellum as Major Cause of Autism
In a review of published studies, Princeton researchers said they found strong evidence that injury to the cerebellum during pregnancy or birth may be the leading nongenetic cause of autism. A small but crucial brain region, the cerebellum sits near the base of the skull and is best known for coordinating movement. During brain development, it plays a crucial role in directing cross wiring to other brain regions.
In a review of published studies, Princeton researchers said they found strong evidence that injury to the cerebellum during pregnancy or birth may be the leading nongenetic cause of autism. A small but crucial brain region, the cerebellum sits near the base of the skull and is best known for coordinating movement. During brain development, it plays a crucial role in directing cross wiring to other brain regions.
#6 Brain Study Suggests that Autism Involves Too Many Synapses
Researchers analyzing donated postmortem tissue from children affected by autism found that their brains had a significant surplus of connections between brain cells. These excess synapses appeared to result from a slowdown in the normal pruning process that occurs during brain development. The investigators then used a mouse model of autism to show that they could restore normal synaptic pruning and reduce autism-like behaviors with an experimental medication. They called for further research that might advance to a clinical trial involving people with autism.
Researchers analyzing donated postmortem tissue from children affected by autism found that their brains had a significant surplus of connections between brain cells. These excess synapses appeared to result from a slowdown in the normal pruning process that occurs during brain development. The investigators then used a mouse model of autism to show that they could restore normal synaptic pruning and reduce autism-like behaviors with an experimental medication. They called for further research that might advance to a clinical trial involving people with autism.
#7 Study Links Specific Gene to Autism Subtype
Researchers linked a specific gene mutation to a newly identified subtype of autism. Experts hailed the finding as a crucial step toward using genomic testing to develop individualized treatments for autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers linked a specific gene mutation to a newly identified subtype of autism. Experts hailed the finding as a crucial step toward using genomic testing to develop individualized treatments for autism spectrum disorder.
#8 Autism's Subtle Early Signs: More Findings from Infant Eye Tracking
Another Autism Speaks “Baby Sibs” study found that even earlier differences in social attention – this time at 6 months – flag high risk for autism. The researchers called for the development and testing of very early interventions that engage at-risk babies in enjoyable activities that involve shared attention.
Another Autism Speaks “Baby Sibs” study found that even earlier differences in social attention – this time at 6 months – flag high risk for autism. The researchers called for the development and testing of very early interventions that engage at-risk babies in enjoyable activities that involve shared attention.
#9 Autism ‘Baby Sibs’ Study Identifies Another Early Red Flag
Researchers with the Autism Speaks Baby Sibling Research Consortium used eye-tracking technology to discover that babies who begin showing decreased interest in facial expressions at 8 months go on to develop more-severe autism symptoms by age 3. The authors expressed hope that this early red flag signaled an important window of opportunity for early intervention that improves outcomes.
Researchers with the Autism Speaks Baby Sibling Research Consortium used eye-tracking technology to discover that babies who begin showing decreased interest in facial expressions at 8 months go on to develop more-severe autism symptoms by age 3. The authors expressed hope that this early red flag signaled an important window of opportunity for early intervention that improves outcomes.
#10 Autism and GI Disorders: Largest-Ever Analysis Confirms Strong Link
The first meta-analysis of all peer-reviewed research on autism and gastrointestinal conditions showed that children with autism have four times the rate of GI problems as do other children. At the forefront of this research, Autism Speaks launched an unprecedented initiative funding major investigations into autism’s gut-brain connect
The first meta-analysis of all peer-reviewed research on autism and gastrointestinal conditions showed that children with autism have four times the rate of GI problems as do other children. At the forefront of this research, Autism Speaks launched an unprecedented initiative funding major investigations into autism’s gut-brain connect
Readers will find autism research news at: http://www.autismspeaks.org/research.
Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, CCBT, NCSP is author of the award-winning book, A Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Schools, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. He is also editor of a recent volume in the APA School Psychology Book Series, Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Evidence-Based Assessment and Intervention in Schools and author of the new book, Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum: A Self-Help Guide Using CBT.
Article HERE.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence Rises in New CDC Data Report
About 1 in 68 children in 10 states monitored by the Centers for Disease Control have been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, the highest prevalence of the diagnosis since the CDC first started monitoring this in 2000.
In 2008, the estimate was that approximately 1 in 88 children in the monitored states had been diagnosed with an ASD. In 2006 the ratio was 1 in 110, and in estimates for 2002 and 2000, it was 1 in 150.
Read more of Christina Samuels On Special Education article HERE.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Self-Management Strategies for Students with Autism
By Lee Wilkinson - examiner.com
The dramatic increase in the number of school-age children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has created an urgent need to design and implement positive behavioral supports in our schools’ classrooms. Only 3% of children with ASD are identified solely by non-school resources. All other children are identified by a combination of school and non-school resources (57%), or by school resources alone (40%). As a result, schools today face the challenge of providing appropriate services to a diverse and increasingly numerous student population diagnosed with ASD. Unfortunately, educators and service providers are often faced with confusing and conflicting information about the numerous treatments and interventions available for autism.
Although there is no "one size fits all" or single effective intervention, evidence-based strategies such as self-management have shown considerable promise in addressing the attention/concentration difficulties and poor behavioral regulation of students with ASD. According to the National Autism Center’s National Standards Report, Self-management is amongst the interventions or treatments identified in the category of “established” or effective treatments. These strategies involve teaching individuals with ASD to evaluate and record the occurrence/nonoccurrence of a target behavior and secure reinforcement. The objective is to be aware of and regulate their own behavior so they will require little or no assistance from adults.
Read more HERE.
The dramatic increase in the number of school-age children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has created an urgent need to design and implement positive behavioral supports in our schools’ classrooms. Only 3% of children with ASD are identified solely by non-school resources. All other children are identified by a combination of school and non-school resources (57%), or by school resources alone (40%). As a result, schools today face the challenge of providing appropriate services to a diverse and increasingly numerous student population diagnosed with ASD. Unfortunately, educators and service providers are often faced with confusing and conflicting information about the numerous treatments and interventions available for autism.
Although there is no "one size fits all" or single effective intervention, evidence-based strategies such as self-management have shown considerable promise in addressing the attention/concentration difficulties and poor behavioral regulation of students with ASD. According to the National Autism Center’s National Standards Report, Self-management is amongst the interventions or treatments identified in the category of “established” or effective treatments. These strategies involve teaching individuals with ASD to evaluate and record the occurrence/nonoccurrence of a target behavior and secure reinforcement. The objective is to be aware of and regulate their own behavior so they will require little or no assistance from adults.
Read more HERE.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Self-Management Strategies for Students with Autism
By Lee Wilkinson from the examiner.com
The dramatic increase in the number of school-age children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has created an urgent need to design and implement positive behavioral supports in our schools’ classrooms. Only 3% of children with ASD are identified solely by non-school resources. All other children are identified by a combination of school and non-school resources (57%), or by school resources alone (40%). As a result, schools today face the challenge of providing appropriate services to a diverse and increasingly numerous student population diagnosed with ASD. Unfortunately, educators and service providers are often faced with confusing and conflicting information about the numerous treatments and interventions available for autism.
Although there is no "one size fits all" or single effective intervention, evidence-based strategies such as self-management have shown considerable promise in addressing the attention/concentration difficulties and poor behavioral regulation of students with ASD. According to the National Autism Center’s National Standards Report, Self-management is amongst the interventions or treatments identified in the category of “established” or effective treatments. These strategies involve teaching individuals with ASD to evaluate and record the occurrence/nonoccurrence of a target behavior and secure reinforcement. The objective is to be aware of and regulate their own behavior so they will require little or no assistance from adults.
Read more HERE.
The dramatic increase in the number of school-age children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has created an urgent need to design and implement positive behavioral supports in our schools’ classrooms. Only 3% of children with ASD are identified solely by non-school resources. All other children are identified by a combination of school and non-school resources (57%), or by school resources alone (40%). As a result, schools today face the challenge of providing appropriate services to a diverse and increasingly numerous student population diagnosed with ASD. Unfortunately, educators and service providers are often faced with confusing and conflicting information about the numerous treatments and interventions available for autism.
Although there is no "one size fits all" or single effective intervention, evidence-based strategies such as self-management have shown considerable promise in addressing the attention/concentration difficulties and poor behavioral regulation of students with ASD. According to the National Autism Center’s National Standards Report, Self-management is amongst the interventions or treatments identified in the category of “established” or effective treatments. These strategies involve teaching individuals with ASD to evaluate and record the occurrence/nonoccurrence of a target behavior and secure reinforcement. The objective is to be aware of and regulate their own behavior so they will require little or no assistance from adults.
Read more HERE.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Students with Autism Create Inspiring Portraits of Celebrities
From Autism Speaks News
Chris Hall is a teacher trying to make a difference in the lives of his students with autism. At Joseph Lee School in Boston, Massachusetts, Chris teaches a class called Sensory Arts, a program comprised of 153 students with autism from the ages of 3-14 years old. The program has received acclaim for the students work creating mosaic’s of famous celebrities. We sat down with Chris to discuss his program in more detail.
Thanks for taking some time out to talk with us Chris. First off, can you tell us how Sensory Arts was founded?
Sensory Arts began three years ago as un-named class for the expanding autism program at the Joseph Lee School in Boston. Our principal, Kimberly Curtis-Crowley searched for a teacher to create a class that would incorporate gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and include art somewhere in the mix. My love of art, as well as my passion for working with students with autism, made me the perfect fit for this position. I named the class Sensory Arts, and it is a mix of art, music, dance, and performing arts.
How did you get your start with teaching? Did you always know you wanted to teach individuals with autism?
I began my educational journey at Massachusetts College of Art and earned a bachelor of fine arts with a concentration in photography. For the next nine years, I worked as a home delivery driver for an online grocer while earning my masters in elementary education. My first teaching job was a long- term substitute position as a sixth grade general education English Language Arts teacher. I was eventually laid-off when the teacher returned, so I ended up taking another long-term substitution position as a one to one paraprofessional with a student with autism in a substantially separate classroom, and it changed my life.
I quickly discovered that my creativity allowed me to find adaptations and modifications to help my student overcome his obstacles, providing me with a huge sense of accomplishment every single day. This was when I realized that I was destined to teach students with autism, and I was going to do whatever it took to realize my goal. Soon I was enrolled in another masters program, but this time, it was for teaching students with severe disabilities.
How did you get your start with teaching? Did you always know you wanted to teach individuals with autism?
I began my educational journey at Massachusetts College of Art and earned a bachelor of fine arts with a concentration in photography. For the next nine years, I worked as a home delivery driver for an online grocer while earning my masters in elementary education. My first teaching job was a long- term substitute position as a sixth grade general education English Language Arts teacher. I was eventually laid-off when the teacher returned, so I ended up taking another long-term substitution position as a one to one paraprofessional with a student with autism in a substantially separate classroom, and it changed my life.
I quickly discovered that my creativity allowed me to find adaptations and modifications to help my student overcome his obstacles, providing me with a huge sense of accomplishment every single day. This was when I realized that I was destined to teach students with autism, and I was going to do whatever it took to realize my goal. Soon I was enrolled in another masters program, but this time, it was for teaching students with severe disabilities.
Read more HERE.
Legal and Appropriate Educational Programs for Children with Autism
By Lee Wilkinson - examiner.com
More children than ever before are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimates that 1 in 88 eight year-old children has an ASD. This dramatic increase in the prevalence of children with ASD over the past decade, together with the clear benefits of early intervention, have created a need for schools to identify children who may have an autism spectrum condition. It is not unusual for children with milder forms of autism to go undiagnosed until well after entering school. In fact, research indicates that only three percent of children with ASD are identified solely by non-school resources. As a result, school professionals are now more likely to be asked to participate in the screening and identification of children with ASD than at any other time in the past.
Read more HERE.
Read more HERE.
Some children with Autism strongly react to noise.
By Shoshana Davis | CBS News
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and CBS News contributor Dr. Holly Phillips joined “CBS This Morning: Saturday” to discuss the major medical stories of the week.
A new study is shedding light on one of the key mysteries of autism – why some children with the disorder have extreme reactions to noise. Researchers have long known that kids with autism struggle with communication, but, for the first time, scientists at Vanderbilt University have shown one reason why.
The research shows that, while most people see others talking in sync, for many kids with autism there’s a delay between what they see and what they hear, causing them to see speech out of sync.
LaPook spoke to one of the researchers at Vanderbilt, who said that more than 90 percent of children with autism have some sort of “auditory processing delay.” He explained that they are coming up with many ways to help these kids cope.
“What they’re doing now is they’ve come up with these video games and other ways of trying to accelerate … the auditory processing so that it gets in sync – it’s not out of sync like a badly dubbed movie,” said LaPook. “I love this because they’re finally getting down to the brain wiring and figuring out how can we actually figure out what’s wrong and how to maybe kind of fix it.”
Read more HERE.
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and CBS News contributor Dr. Holly Phillips joined “CBS This Morning: Saturday” to discuss the major medical stories of the week.
A new study is shedding light on one of the key mysteries of autism – why some children with the disorder have extreme reactions to noise. Researchers have long known that kids with autism struggle with communication, but, for the first time, scientists at Vanderbilt University have shown one reason why.
The research shows that, while most people see others talking in sync, for many kids with autism there’s a delay between what they see and what they hear, causing them to see speech out of sync.
LaPook spoke to one of the researchers at Vanderbilt, who said that more than 90 percent of children with autism have some sort of “auditory processing delay.” He explained that they are coming up with many ways to help these kids cope.
“What they’re doing now is they’ve come up with these video games and other ways of trying to accelerate … the auditory processing so that it gets in sync – it’s not out of sync like a badly dubbed movie,” said LaPook. “I love this because they’re finally getting down to the brain wiring and figuring out how can we actually figure out what’s wrong and how to maybe kind of fix it.”
Read more HERE.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
U.S. Justice Department to fund tracking devices for children with autism
By Pasha Bahsoun for LA Special Education Examiner
It was reported Wednesday that the federal government would provide grant money funding GPS tracking devices for children diagnosed withautism spectrum disorder (ASD). The devices, which are currently available for Alzheimer's patients, would be issued on a voluntary basis and overseen by local law enforcement agencies.
The announcement came on the heels of tragic news revealing that the remains of 14-year old Avonte Oquendo, a non-verbal child with ASD, were found in New York after he had eloped from his school last October. His parents, as well as Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have been pushing for stable federal funding of tracking devices for those diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
Read more HERE.
It was reported Wednesday that the federal government would provide grant money funding GPS tracking devices for children diagnosed withautism spectrum disorder (ASD). The devices, which are currently available for Alzheimer's patients, would be issued on a voluntary basis and overseen by local law enforcement agencies.
The announcement came on the heels of tragic news revealing that the remains of 14-year old Avonte Oquendo, a non-verbal child with ASD, were found in New York after he had eloped from his school last October. His parents, as well as Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have been pushing for stable federal funding of tracking devices for those diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
Read more HERE.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Autism Task Force Website Launch Party, Today, Thursday, 1/23 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
MDUSD Autism Task Force Website Launch Party
Thursday, January 23, 2014
3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Willow Creek
1026 Mohr Ave., Concord, CA 94519
Experience the Autism Task Force Website in the computer lab at Willow Creek. The ATF will be there to answer any questions you may have. Your comments on the site are encouraged.
This site is designed for teachers, administrators and anyone who is interested in autism and helping students with autism.
Refreshments will be provided!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Willow Creek
1026 Mohr Ave., Concord, CA 94519
Experience the Autism Task Force Website in the computer lab at Willow Creek. The ATF will be there to answer any questions you may have. Your comments on the site are encouraged.
This site is designed for teachers, administrators and anyone who is interested in autism and helping students with autism.
Refreshments will be provided!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
All in Need, Family Support - 2013 donations
From All in Need, Family Support (AiN)
Dear Friends and Families,
When you or a family member wants to enjoy an evening out or just would like to run to the grocery store without your child, where do you turn?
If you’re like most in our community, you contact your babysitter or family.
Why?
Because you know they can meet the needs of your child/children.
And you also know that because of your relationship with the sitter they are dedicated, compassionate in your caring for your child.
What if you didn’t have that resource?
Many families who have children with special needs cannot find dedicated sitters who can focus on their child’s needs. Unlike you, they aren’t able to enjoy and evening out or run to the grocery store without bringing their child along with them.
Your contributions have helped make All in Need, Family Support the recognized respite care provider in the Bay area. We are so grateful to you for supporting our committed team of care givers.
Thanks to you, our caregivers have touched the lives of many amazing children who have special needs and their families– whether they are facing Autism, Mitochondrial Disease, Speech and Language, Learning Disabilities, or mood disorders.
More information or to make a donation HERE.
Dear Friends and Families,
When you or a family member wants to enjoy an evening out or just would like to run to the grocery store without your child, where do you turn?
If you’re like most in our community, you contact your babysitter or family.
Why?
Because you know they can meet the needs of your child/children.
And you also know that because of your relationship with the sitter they are dedicated, compassionate in your caring for your child.
What if you didn’t have that resource?
Many families who have children with special needs cannot find dedicated sitters who can focus on their child’s needs. Unlike you, they aren’t able to enjoy and evening out or run to the grocery store without bringing their child along with them.
Your contributions have helped make All in Need, Family Support the recognized respite care provider in the Bay area. We are so grateful to you for supporting our committed team of care givers.
Thanks to you, our caregivers have touched the lives of many amazing children who have special needs and their families– whether they are facing Autism, Mitochondrial Disease, Speech and Language, Learning Disabilities, or mood disorders.
More information or to make a donation HERE.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
In the 'silent prison' of autism, Ido speaks out
By Thomas Curwen from Los Angeles Times
I t-h-i-n-k ...
Ido Kedar sits at the dining room table of his West Hills home. He fidgets in his chair, slouched over an iPad, typing. He hunts down each letter. Seconds pass between the connections.
Read more HERE.
I t-h-i-n-k ...
Ido Kedar sits at the dining room table of his West Hills home. He fidgets in his chair, slouched over an iPad, typing. He hunts down each letter. Seconds pass between the connections.
... A-u-t-i-s-m-l-a-n-d ...
He coined the word, his twist on Alice's Wonderland.
"C'mon," says his mother, Tracy. "Sit up and just finish it, Ido. Let's go."
He touches a few more keys, and then, with a slight robotic twang, the iPad reads the words he cannot speak.
I think Autismland is a surreal place.
For most of his life, Ido has listened to educators and experts explain what's wrong with him. Now he wants to tell them that they had it all wrong.
Last year, at the age of 16, he published "Ido in Autismland." The book — part memoir, part protest — has made him a celebrity in the autism world, a young activist eager to defy popular assumptions about a disorder that is often associated with mental deficiency.
He hopes that the world will one day recognize the intelligence that lies behind the walls of his "silent prison," behind the impulsivity and lack of self-control.
I want people to know that I have an intact mind.
Yet Ido gets nervous easily and likes to retreat to his room or to a cooking program on television. At one point, after answering a few questions, he steps outside to pace beside the family swimming pool.
He plucks a rose and puts its petals into his mouth.
Read more HERE.
Study Finds Autism More Challenging For Caregivers
By Michelle Diament from disabilityscoop.com
Caregivers of kids with autism report more trouble accessing services and a greater impact on their families than do parents of children with other developmental disabilities.
Despite having some similar needs, a new study indicates that the experiences of families living with autism differ significantly from those with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities as well as those with mental health conditions.
For the study, researchers looked at survey data collected through the federal government’s 2009–2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. They focused on responses from more than 18,000 caregivers of children ages 3 to 17 with autism, other developmental disabilities or mental health conditions.
Read more HERE.
Caregivers of kids with autism report more trouble accessing services and a greater impact on their families than do parents of children with other developmental disabilities.
Despite having some similar needs, a new study indicates that the experiences of families living with autism differ significantly from those with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities as well as those with mental health conditions.
For the study, researchers looked at survey data collected through the federal government’s 2009–2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. They focused on responses from more than 18,000 caregivers of children ages 3 to 17 with autism, other developmental disabilities or mental health conditions.
Read more HERE.
After the Diagnosis: Improving Maternal Mental Health
By Lee Wilkinson from Examiner.com
Parents worldwide often experience a range of emotions when their child is first diagnosed with autism, including shock, sadness and grief, anger, and loneliness. Mothers, in particular, appear to face unique challenges that potentially have an impact on their mental health and wellbeing. This includes high levels of psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and social isolation. Almost 40% of mothers report levels of clinically significant parenting stress and between 33% and 59% report significant depressive symptoms following a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prevalence of psychological distress among mothers of children with ASD suggests a need for interventions that address parental mental health during the critical period after the child’s autism diagnosis and when parents are learning to navigate the complex system of autism services.
Read more HERE.
Parents worldwide often experience a range of emotions when their child is first diagnosed with autism, including shock, sadness and grief, anger, and loneliness. Mothers, in particular, appear to face unique challenges that potentially have an impact on their mental health and wellbeing. This includes high levels of psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and social isolation. Almost 40% of mothers report levels of clinically significant parenting stress and between 33% and 59% report significant depressive symptoms following a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prevalence of psychological distress among mothers of children with ASD suggests a need for interventions that address parental mental health during the critical period after the child’s autism diagnosis and when parents are learning to navigate the complex system of autism services.
Read more HERE.
Mt. Diablo Unified School District - Autism Task Force
The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Autism Task Force invites you to the:
Website Launch Open House
Thursday,
January 23, 2014
3:30pm -
5:30pm
Willow Creek
Center, 1026 Mohr Lane, Concord, CA (map)
Join the Mount Diablo Unified School District Autism Task Force for an Open House to launch an informational website designed for school staff, parents, and community members. Stop by for a bit to try out the website with support from the Task Force and enjoy refreshments and networking.
For questions, contact Lorien Quirk
Phone: 925-682-8000 ext. 4196
E-mail: quirkl@mdusd.org
Check out the
website at: www.mdusdautism.weekly.com
See flyer
HERE.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
East Bay Housing Panel: A Discussion about Housing Options for Adults with Autism
Autism Society San Francisco/Bay Area and
Friends of Children with Special Needs
East Bay Housing Panel:
A Discussion about Housing Options for Adults
with Autism
Saturday, December 7, 2013
1:30 p.m.– 3:30 p.m.
at Friends of Children with Special Needs,
2300 Peralta Blvd, Fremont
(optional tour of FCSN housing project at 3:30)
Panel speakers include:
Jim Burton, Executive Director of Regional Center of the East Bay,
Anna Wang, Vice President of Friends of Children with Special Needs,
Susan Houghton, President of Sunflower Hill,
Sarah Burgett, Director of Community Living, Toolworks,
Darin Lounds, Executive Director, Housing Consortium of the East Bay,
Additional speaker on licensed community homes (group homes).
RSVP to Irene at ILNJPLAN@inbox.com and include whether you wish to
go on the FCSN housing tour at 3:30.
Friends of Children with Special Needs
East Bay Housing Panel:
A Discussion about Housing Options for Adults
with Autism
Saturday, December 7, 2013
1:30 p.m.– 3:30 p.m.
at Friends of Children with Special Needs,
2300 Peralta Blvd, Fremont
(optional tour of FCSN housing project at 3:30)
Panel speakers include:
Jim Burton, Executive Director of Regional Center of the East Bay,
Anna Wang, Vice President of Friends of Children with Special Needs,
Susan Houghton, President of Sunflower Hill,
Sarah Burgett, Director of Community Living, Toolworks,
Darin Lounds, Executive Director, Housing Consortium of the East Bay,
Additional speaker on licensed community homes (group homes).
RSVP to Irene at ILNJPLAN@inbox.com and include whether you wish to
go on the FCSN housing tour at 3:30.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Special Needs in the News at Examiner.com
Banning of shirt honoring student who lost life to Leukemia sparks outrage
Senator asks feds to provide tracking devices for children with autism
Confidentiality of information for students under IDEA
How does a parent remove consent for special education services under IDEA?
Facial Expression and Peer Judgment in Autism
Special education investigative report in San Francisco bay area
Part 3: A parent advocates for her ADHD child
Senator asks feds to provide tracking devices for children with autism
Confidentiality of information for students under IDEA
How does a parent remove consent for special education services under IDEA?
Facial Expression and Peer Judgment in Autism
Special education investigative report in San Francisco bay area
Part 3: A parent advocates for her ADHD child
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Training May Help Autism Moms Reduce Stress
Training mothers of children recently diagnosed with autism to problem-solve may go a long way toward reducing stress levels among these parents, researchers say.
With just six sessions of one-on-one training, a new study finds that moms were much less likely to report significant parental stress.
The finding published online Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics is meaningful, researchers say, because several studies have found that mothers of children with autism often experience high levels of stress and depressive symptoms.
For the study, researchers looked at 122 mothers of children who were just diagnosed with autism. Of them, 59 moms were provided six sessions of a training known as problem-solving education or PSE, while the others were only offered traditional assistance which focused on therapies and interventions for their kids.
In cases where training was provided, interventionists worked one-on-one with the mothers during 30- to 45-minute sessions to identify a source of stress and find practical solutions using a series of defined steps.
Read more of Shaun Heasley's Disability Scoop article HERE.
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