Youth Hockey Imaging Study Suggests Marker for Concussion Damage

Simple Strategies Help in 1 Year-Olds at Risk for Autism

[Source:  Medical News Today]
  

A new study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers finds that a collection of simple strategies used by parents can lead to significant improvements in one-year-olds at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
 

In the study, published in Autism Research and Treatment, a group of UNC faculty from the departments of Allied Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychology followed 18 families with a one-year-old child at risk for ASD. They compared the effects of a parent-coaching, home-based intervention called "Adapted Responsive Teaching" (ART) versus referral to early intervention and monitoring.

Movement, Images Facilitate Vocabulary Learning

[Source: Science Daily]

Higher Risk of Depression, ADHD Among Preemies

[Source: Psych Central]
 

A new Canadian study has found that extremely low birth weight babies may have a higher risk of psychiatric problems in adulthood than other infants born at normal birth weights.
 

Low birth weight infants, however, are less likely than others to have alcohol or substance use disorders as adults, say the researchers.
 

McMaster University scientists also found that extremely low birth weight babies - whose mothers received a full course of steroids prior to giving birth - are at even greater risk for psychiatric disorders.

Autism Speaks Alters Position On Vaccines

Amid concerns about measles, the nation's largest autism advocacy group has updated its stance on vaccines and autism, but remains mum on whether it will fund further studies on the issue.

Autism Speaks revised its policy on immunizations in a statement published on its website last week.

"Over the last two decades, extensive research has asked whether there is any link between childhood vaccinations and autism. The results of this research are clear: Vaccines do not cause autism. We urge that all children be fully vaccinated," reads the statement from Rob Ring, the group's chief science officer.

Video Game Technology Helps Measure Upper Extremity Movement

[Source: Medical News Today]

 Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed a way to measure upper extremity movement in patients with muscular dystrophy using interactive video game technology. Their hope is to expand inclusion criteria for clinical trials to incorporate patients using wheelchairs.

In a recent study published online in Muscle and Nerve, researchers found that scores in the game were highly correlated with parent reports of daily activities, mobility and social and cognitive skills. Currently, patients with diseases like muscular dystrophy who have lost mobility and use wheelchairs 

Placement of the Week:  School Based OT - Northwestern IL  

Hot Job: School Based SLP - Baltimore, MD  

Hot Job:  School Pediatric SLP - San Joaquin Valley, CA  

Seasonal Freebie of Week:  6 Free Printables for Valentine's Day  

Thank You to Margaret Rice of Your Therapy Source for these great freebies!!
 

1.  Follow that Monster:   Visual discrimination and visual motor activity

2.  Multisensory Handwriting Activity for Valentine's Day

3.  Sample Pages from Valentine's Day Handwriting Activities

4.  Conversation Heart Clothes Pins

5.  Love Bug Pencil Critters

6.  Valentine's Day Exercises

Your Nominations Needed: The 4th Annual Great Bike Giveaway!

[Source: Friendship Circle] 

For the fourth consecutive year, Friendship Circle is holding the Michaela Noam Kaplan Great Bike Giveaway,  a national contest in which children with special needs can win their very own adaptive bike.  We are partnering with adaptive bike companies from around the United States to provide some of the best adaptive bikes to the children and young adults who need them most.

Providing adaptive bikes to children with special needs gives them more than just a good time and exercise. These bikes enable a child with special needs to feel like they belong. It gives them a sense of confidence, freedom, and pride that is so essential for all children.  

Book Review: Red Hat  

Reviewed by: Meghan Graham

Book by: Lita Judge
 

Book Description:  Similar to Lita Judge's winter story, Red Sled (see review here) a little girl leaves her red hat outside on the clothes line, and many forest animals decide to borrow it for some fun. However, when they return the hat...it isn't the same.

Goals & Objectives:

• Early narrative (simple sequence story)
• Perspective taking
• Early prediction
• Emotion/Facial Expression/Body language
• Vocabulary (forest animals: rabbits, raccoons, bears, porcupine, etc.)
• Social Pragmatics and Problem Solving
• Speech Production

Game Review:  Topple  

[Source: Special-ism]
 

Topple is a three-dimensional board game perfect for a small group activity at home, in the classroom or during group therapy.  Build social skills such as turn-taking and learning how to be a good sport.  Work on fine motor skills, motor planning and more.
 

To play Topple, perch the game board on top of the 7 inch high stand.
 

Choose your color piece, and agree on what score will win.