vallistnewbanner
Empowering Through Information and the Fostering of Connections
Acceptance. Intervention. Civil Rights. April 18, 2017

In This Issue

Cocoon-Like Bed Aims To Keep Kids With Special Needs Safe

Parent-mediated therapy may help babies at risk of developing autism

Children with autism may forego behavioral therapy for meds

FDA approves first drug to treat tardive dyskinesia

Parents and Others Looking for Help!!!

AutFest International Film Festival on April 22-23 in Orange, CA

A Free Seminar Providing Information and Answers About IEPs and 504 Plans, Sponsored by CHADD

Summer Camp at Social Communication Specialists!

Special Needs Law Center: Insights 2017 Directory

AEFCT Expeditions!

Banding Together April Newsletter

No Wait for RDI!!!

AAC: Past Requesting

Face Your Fears!

FREE! Review of Your Child's IEP, Saturday May 6th!

Special Olympics San Diego County

Autism Summer Camp Guide

TERI: Healthy Breakfast Options Class

Parenting An Explosive Child Series


 




Want to learn more about Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) for your child on the spectrum?

Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) is a unique treatment approach that empowers parents to guide their child to succeed in a truly dynamic world. Children who learn to actively engage with the support of their parents in safe but challenging learning opportunities (problems and situations that are just beyond their level of competence), develop a strong motivation to explore and expand their world, as well as develop competence and trust in themselves and their Guides. The program has no defined length. It is designed to accommodate parents and children with a wide range of obstacles and handicapping conditions. Therefore participation may range anywhere from one to several years. Have specific questions? See the RDI FAQs for answers!





thomas nelson


  • Cocoon-Like Bed Aims To Keep Kids With Special Needs Safe
  • Rose Morris just wanted a safe place for her son Abram to sleep; she ended up building a specialty bed business that's just earned national recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

    The idea for her enterprise, Abram's Bed, LLC, came nearly a decade ago, one afternoon after her two youngest had gone down for naps. She describes it as "divine" inspiration.

    Rose and Jeff Morris' son Abram had been diagnosed with autism at age 2 and, like half the children along the autism spectrum, he had trouble sleeping. On any given night, the exhausted parents might hear him up at 1 or 2 in the morning, out of bed and playing with his toys. Family vacations were particularly worrisome as Abram, who was nonverbal, would wander out of his room. Read on...

  • Parent-mediated therapy may help babies at risk of developing autism
  • The earliest autism intervention study in the world that uses video to provide feedback to parents of babies at family risk of autism, has indicated a reduction in the severity of emerging signs of autism. This study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, is the first of its kind to work with babies in their first year of life who have a sibling with autism and are therefore at higher risk of developing the condition.

    Previous research has found that the earliest markers of autism; such as reduced social interest or difficulties with attention and disengagement may be present around the end of a child's first year of life. This latest study led by Professor Jonathan Green at The University of Manchester in collaboration with Professor Mark Johnson's MRC-funded team at Birkbeck, and teams at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Evelina London Children's Hospital, aimed to reduce these early symptoms and lower the likelihood of the child developing difficulties associated with autism later on in childhood. Read on...

  • Children with autism may forego behavioral therapy for meds
  • Many children with autism who take antipsychotic medications do not receive behavioral therapy, according to a new study1. The findings suggest that these children start taking the drugs, many of which have harsh side effects, without first trying safer options.

    "That's a red flag," says lead investigator Evdokia Anagnostou, senior clinician scientist at the Bloorview Research Institute in Toronto, Canada. "We should be using medications only when our behavioral approaches fail."

    Medications are not good long-term options because their benefits disappear when an individual stops taking them, the researchers say. Read on...

  • FDA approves first drug to treat tardive dyskinesia
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Ingrezza (valbenazine) capsules to treat adults with tardive dyskinesia. This is the first drug approved by the FDA for this condition.

    Tardive dyskinesia is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive involuntary movements, usually of the jaw, lips and tongue, such as grimacing, sticking out the tongue and smacking the lips. Some affected people also experience involuntary movement of the extremities or difficulty breathing. Read on...

  • Parents and Others Looking for Help!!!


  • We are moving to San Diego area and are wondering if anyone can offer recommendations about elementary schools in Poway area that may be suitable for our child who is 6 yr old with high functioning autism/aspergers and ADHD.

    No behavioral issues but needs speech/OT/Executive functioning skills at school which are in his current IEP.

    Any advice on elementary schools in poway area would be greatly appreciated.
    Rishi rkst38@yahoo.com



    We are looking for a reliable respite care provider. We are located in Oceanside.
    Please email highly recommended provider info to vargas768@yahoo.com



    My 21 year old daughter with high functioning autism is looking for a female roommate starting in the fall of 2017. Apartment is located in the 5025 Collwood Blvd student oriented community near SDSU. She is hoping to find a like minded girl who likes anime, cosplay, gaming and who does not smoke/drink/drugs. The apartment complex is student oriented but you are not required to be a student. The apartment is a 2 bedroom/2 bath and the roommate must be willing to share a bedroom and bath. There will 4 residents (2 in each bedroom). Each tenant has an individual lease and all utilities are included. Rent is approx. $660 each. There is a pool, gym and free shuttle to SDSU, Grossmont and Mesa. Please contact Debra at (619) 672-8893 or debraberl@gmail.com and leave a message.



    Parent of child with Dyscalculia (math disability) seeking to find other parents having this experience. It is very commonly undiagnosed yet has a serious impact on a child's learning and life. As with many things it can be very difficult to receive an appropriate response from the school district tasked to make the necessary accommodations.
    Please email me if you share this or a similar experience. Pdmsea@gmail.com. Thanks so much.



    Seeking parent experiences in the Poway Unified School District IEP process.
    As a parent of two special needs adopted children I have had some seriously difficult experiences with Poway Unified School District. Having been inexperienced in raising children, much less special needs children, I was very naive in the process. I am hoping to learn more through hearing about other special needs parent experiences, good and bad. I will not share any personal stories.
    Please email me at pdmsea@gmail.com. Thanks so much.



    Hi! We have two energetic boys. I'm looking for a reliable respite worker who is fun loving and understands Aspie kids. Boys are 11 and 13.
    Legoland, parks, bike riding, basketball, Yugio, board games, and Minecraft are in your future.
    Please contact me for more info. Ideally, after school 2-3x a week with younger kiddo and a weekend afternoon/early evening 2x a month. Summer schedule will shift a bit.
    Please Contact me if you are interested - suzans@yahoo.com Carmel Valley area-thank you!



    I am looking for a half day kindergarten program in San Diego county. Currently my daughter is in preschool in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. CVESD does not have any half day programs or EAK programs for the 2017-2018 school year. My daughter turns five in July, is autistic and epileptic, and has an IEP. We feel she would be better served in a half day program for one additional year. If anyone has any information they can share with me I can be reached at jenrichardson05@yahoo.com. Thank you!



    Our son is 12, about to turn 13. He was diagnosed with high functioning autism, apraxia, and academic disabilities (cannot read or write independently). However, he is very artistic, loves to draw, loves movies of all kinds (comedies: Lego Batman, Boss Baby, anything by Pixar/Dreamworks and adventure movies: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc). He also loves nerf guns, zombies, video games, building legos (so so soooo many legos), watching Youtube about building Legos, and also likes to create Lego brick films. Most recently he has been talking about wanting to create his own movies with friends.

    The problem is, we have struggled with finding friends similar to our son's abilities. His one best friend moved away and the other few friends he does have don't share the same interests. We thought by posting here we might be able to reach a few families with children who are either typical developing or with special needs that have similar interests. I know other parents have to struggle with the same problem for their kids!?

    Are there any families with kids out there looking to find a friend with similar interests like our son? If so, we would love to meet you!

    We have also started looking into group therapy sessions through ABA companies and also speech to see if we can make new friendships. Does anyone have any recommendations for groups they participate in?
    Jennifer & Derek Thomas
    jenderekandryland@att.net



    We need some serious Psychiatry help for our son. He is 18 and mild/moderate autistic. But now we believe he is dealing with a secondary mental health issue. Where can we get help?
    Thanks Laura jrschley@att.net



    If you have a question or request for this newsletter group, please send your email request to ValeriesList@aol.com. People who can help you will email you directly with their responses.

  • AutFest International Film Festival on April 22-23 in Orange, CA
  • Please join us, Ben Affleck, Ed Asner and the "Inside Out" filmmakers Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera at the first annual AutFest International Film Festival on April 22-23 in Orange, CA.

    This two-day film festival, presented by Autism Society, will honor Affleck, Docter and Rivera, as well as screen films that that promote autism awareness and/or are made by filmmakers with autism.

    Here are some exciting events scheduled for Sunday, April 23:

    * 12:20 pm - "Inside Out" screening and Q&A with director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera
    * 5:00 pm - "The Accountant" screening and Q&A with Ben Affleck hosted by ABC7's George Pennacchio
    * 8:00 pm - Festival VIP Closing Reception at Café Tu Tu Tango (adjacent to the theater). Awards will be presented to Affleck and filmmakers by George Pennacchio and Ed Asner.

    Of course you are welcome to attend any of the nine feature-length and six shorts being screened on Saturday and Sunday. Full list can be viewed here: http://www.autfestasa.com/

    AutFest was founded by Matt Asner and is supported by Ed Asner, Kristen Bell, Dax Shepards, Sarah Silverman, Matthew Modine, Gary Cole, Autism Speaks co-founder Bob Wright, The Suzanne Wright Foundation president Liz Feld and Warner Bros. president and CCO Peter Roth.

  • A Free Seminar Providing Information and Answers About IEPs and 504 Plans, Sponsored by CHADD
  • Thursday, April 20, 2017 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
    Park Village Elementary School
    7930 Park Village Road
    San Diego, CA 92129

    RSVP Required: 858-945-6621 or appropriateeducation@gmail.com
    http://www.appropriateeducation.com

  • Summer Camp at Social Communication Specialists!
  • The SCS approach to social learning has options for all ages from preschoolers to teens! Below are descriptions of our programs, dates and registration details. Have questions? Email us at janet@socialcommunicationspecialists.com or call 858-558-9552. Click here for all the info!!!

  • Special Needs Law Center: Insights 2017 Directory
  • The San Diego Special Needs Law Center has put together a great magazine for the special needs community here in San Diego. Great articles and a resource guide. Available in a print edition and also on their website. Click here to view the magazine!!!

  • AEFCT Expeditions!
  • Our mission is to provide young adults on the autism spectrum the opportunity to travel and experience recreational activities with peers and friends. Our goal is to build memorable lifetime experiences while enriching the lives of the participants.

    AEFCT
    3954 Murphy Canyon Rd., Suite D105
    San Diego, CA 92123
    858-569-0056

  • Banding Together April Newsletter
  • Click here to read their latest newsletter for all the upcoming events and news!!!

  • No Wait for RDI!!!
  • Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®)
    Our primary approach for treatment of autism spectrum is a developmental program called Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®). RDI® is a unique treatment approach that empowers parents to guide their child to succeed in our dynamic world. Children who learn to actively engage with the support of their parents in safe but challenging learning opportunities develop a strong motivation to explore and expand their world, as well as develop competence and trust in themselves and their guides.

    Why RDI®?
    Foundations of the adult mind are developed in the first years of life through the "Guiding Relationship". From the middle of the first year of life, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, in every culture on earth, children interact with parents and other important adults in deceptively simple encounters, with a very serious underlying agenda; constructing the architecture of the child's mind and brain. Click here for all the info!!!

    The Family Guidance and Therapy Center of Southern California
    3575 Kenyon Street, Suite 102 San Diego, CA 92110
    10731 Treena Street, Suite 105 San Diego, CA 92131
    619-600-0683
    http://familyguidanceandtherapy.com

  • AAC: Past Requesting
  • Crimson by the Sea
    2210 Encinitas Blvd. Suite I Encinitas, CA
    Email INFO@CRIMSONBYTHESEA.COM to register
    Cost: $10 ($5 for a student)
    www.crimsonbythesea.org

  • Face Your Fears!
  • The "Face Your Fears" program provides your child the skills to more effectively manage their behavior in anxious situations and enhances your child's ability to cope with anxiety that negatively affect their daily lives. Face Your Fears is provided to kids in a small safe group and at the same time, parents participate in a separate group, so they can support what their child learns. Face Your Fears is a cognitive-behavioral evidence-based intervention with over a decade of funded research support.

    Center for Thoughtful Lasting Change, Inc.
    9606 Tierra Grande St, Suite 203
    San Diego, CA 92126
    619-807-7410
    kristinazctlc@gmail.com
    http://www.drsherrycasper.com

  • FREE! Review of Your Child's IEP, Saturday May 6th!
  • RSVP Required: 858-945-6621 or appropriateeducation@gmail.com

    The Special Education Advocacy & Law Firm of Thomas S. Nelson
    16466 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 106
    San Diego, California 92128

    Tel: (858) 945-6621
    www.specialedlaw.us

  • Special Olympics San Diego County
  • The mission of Special Olympics Southern California is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Click here for all the info!!!

  • Autism Summer Camp Guide
  • NFAR's Summer Camp Guide is out!

    We have updated a lot of the camps and are continuing to add and update as information comes in - so check back often.

    Don't miss out!
    Registration for many of the popular camps are already open and filling up quickly.

  • TERI: Healthy Breakfast Options Class
  • To register or speak to someone about the Kilmer College Cooking School, please contact Kilmer College Admin at kilmercollege@teriinc.org
    Click here for more info!

  • Parenting An Explosive Child Series
  • The Parenting an Explosive Child series has resonated with so many other mothers and fathers trying to help their kids with behavioral dysregulation. What continued to grieve me is how alone and how ashamed so many of us feel when our children are explosive.

    It is my urgent wish to help, as much as I possibly can.

    Below you will find the entire Parenting An Explosive Child Series.

    Parenting An Explosive Child

    Why Is My Child So Explosive?

    Calming An Explosive Child

    My Explosive Child Has Lost Control - What Do I do?

    Homeschooling An Explosive Child

    The Best Thing You Can Do To Help An Explosive Child

  • ASD Mornings at theNAT


  • Please visit http://www.sdnhm.org/visit/accessibility/asd-mornings/ for more information.

  • Autism Accessibility Morning at the Fleet!


  • In February we began our, Autism Accessibility Mornings at the Fleet (http://rhfleet.org/events/autism-accessibility-mornings), program. This morning is dedicated to the ASD community to come and enjoy the Fleet in a quieter setting and catch an IMAX film! Our film showings are presented with raised house lights and a lowered soundtrack volume, to provide a more comforting environment. Our goal is to provide an enriching experience for the ASD community

  • SIBSHOP 2016-2017 Schedule


  • October 2016 - August 2017

    WANTED: Siblings who have a brother/sister with special needs
    AGES: 7 - 12 years old
    Older siblings are welcome to attend as "Junior Leaders"

    WHAT: A fun-filled opportunity geared to the specific needs of siblings with brothers/sisters with special needs. Join us for games, crafts, hikes, cooking, and art. Meet other sibs - lunch provided

    TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

    DATES:
    April 30: Mission Trails Regional Park

    May 21: Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center

    July 9: Day at Mission Bay, family picnic **

    August 13: Santee Lakes, 9310 Fanita Pkwy, Santee, CA 92071**

    DONATION: $5.00 - $10.00 per meeting per family for craft materials, supplies & lunch for the kids

    REGISTRATION: Pre-registration requested (if possible) the Thursday before the event.
    CONTACT: Email patmoulton@cox.net for a registration form and / or additional information.

    Sibshop Leaders: Jody BonDurant-Strong, Administrator Gina Clifton, ECSE Medically-Fragile Teacher, Special Education
    Pat Moulton, Retired

    **Information for family / community locations will be emailed.

  • Children with autism and their mothers need for student research!


  • My name is Ariane Myers-Turnbull and I am a doctoral student at Alliant International University. I am currently recruiting participants for a project that is examining why children with autism are injured more often than children without autism. To participate you must be a mother of a child who is between the ages of 3 and 7 years old and who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (i.e. autism, Asperger's, pervasive developmental disorder).

    If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to come into a lab at Alliant International University to complete consent forms and questionnaires about you and your child. You will then be asked to observe your child in a room with simulated common household hazards from a live video. Your child will also be asked to complete simple tasks such as working with blocks. Overall, your participation in this study should take about 90 minutes.

    After you and your child complete these tasks you will receive $20, be entered into a drawing for $400, and your child will receive a prize in appreciation for your participation. You will also receive a video of your child in the room and safety proofing materials. For further information please contact Ariane Myers-Turnbull at amyers-turnbull@alliant.edu or (858) 414-1076. Thank you for your time.

  • Participate in Research: Survey About Access to Services
  • Participate in a Study!!!


  • We are currently recruiting for the Parenting on the Spectrum Study, a brief study with mothers of children between the ages of 3 and 7 who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study is completed online, with the option (for participants living in the Greater Los Angeles Area) of conducting additional sessions in the home. We will ask parents about their experiences of parenthood.

    https://pomona.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3mxyR3CkuXFV6ip

  • Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Driving Anxiety - FREE 10 week program for teens and adults with ASD in San Diego!


  • This is a FREE group-format intervention for teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders who are interested in driving, but are dealing with driving fear/anxiety.

    Please share this flyer with anyone in the community that may qualify. We are only asking that our participants are minimum 15-16 years of age (i.e. of potential driving age) and have a formal diagnosis of ASD. There is no upper limit for age. The groups will be held in the Kearny Mesa area (zip code 92123).

    858-966-7703 x3682
    rtrefas@rchsd.org

  • Do you know someone with Autism??


  • Call (619)594-0176 or email bdil@mail.sdsu.edu

  • Participate in Research!!!


  • Contact 619-594-2500 or email toddlerMRIstudy@mail.sdsu.edu

  • Research Study Recruitment


  • My name is Sarah Hacker and I'm the staff research associate for UCSD's Research on Autism and Development Lab ( http://radlab.ucsd.edu). We are currently recruiting participants for a study to measure the effects of training visual attention using video games. I was wondering if it were possible to put an ad on your website or in your newsletter for the purposes of reaching out to members of the autism community who might be interested in participating. I've attached a flyer for the study which outlines what happens, inclusion criteria, and compensation. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

    Thank you,
    Sarah D. Hacker
    Staff Research Associate - RADLab
    shacker@ucsd.edu
    radlab@ucsd.edu 858-246-1932

  • Autism Effects on Attentional Blink
  • For more information, please contact Sofia Schugar at the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab: 858-353-4929 (feel free to leave voicemail) or via email at sofiaschugar@gmail.com

  • UCSD TEAM-UP Weight Loss Program for Children with ASD


  • TEAM UP (Transforming Eating, Activity, and Motivation Utilizing Parents) is a 16-week, parent-only group program focused on weight-loss, increasing physical activity, and promoting fruits and vegetables, designed specifically for parents of children with ASD. This research study is free of charge, and families will be compensated for participating. Interested families should call 855-UCSD-4W8 to get started.

  • Seeking Research Participants for Autistic Sibling Study
  • business_finance_research.jpg

    Seeking individuals over the age of 18 who grew up with an autistic sibling to participate in a study exploring the experiences of growing up in a family with an autistic brother or sister.

    Participation will involve an in-depth interview, lasting between 1 to 1.5 hours about your autistic sibling experiences and a brief follow-up meeting about six weeks later.

    The purpose of the study is to provide an in-depth retrospective exploration of the experiences of adults who grew up with an autistic sibling.

    Eligibility requirements for participation in the study include:
    • Must have lived with autistic sibling for at least 8 years
    • Sibling must have been diagnosed with autism during childhood
    • Interested participant must be at least 18 years of age
    Participants will be provided a $100 Amazon gift card following the interview.

    Interested participants can email Barbara Tierney at: autisticsiblingstudy@gmail.com

  • 2017 Edition of Flourishing Families


  • The Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego is excited to present the 2017 edition of Flourishing Families, San Diego's resource guide for parents of children with special needs.

    This year's issue contains more than 950 resources including service providers, research institutes, specialized doctors, resource providers, camps, therapists, advocates, associations and so much more.

    Visit https://issuu.com/sandiegofamilymagazine/docs/flourishing_families_2017-digital_i to see the digital issue now!

  • Developmental Factors Survey
  • business_finance_research.jpg


    Do you live in the USA and have a biological child between 3 and 12 years old? If so, we would be grateful if you would take a short research survey.

    The goal of this research is to examine whether certain factors are associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders. If none of your children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, we still would be very grateful if you participate as it is important to have results for all groups.

    Participants may also choose to be entered into a raffle for a $50 Amazon gift card.

    http://www.devsurvey.org

    After completing the survey, if you want to help us more, and if you have previously shared the developmental status of your children with your friends, please share this link with your friends and consider asking a friend or friends whose children do not appear to have Autism Spectrum Disorders to take this survey as well as we anticipate needing more participants from this group.

    If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact Seth Bittker, the principal consultant, at devsurvey@yahoo.com or 212-203-6550. Thank you.

     
    -
    -
    Disclaimer

    I never endorse anyone or anything. Opinions expressed in what I send out, may not be shared by me. Everything is for informational purposes only.
    People who "advertise" through this newsletter have never been checked out by me. Same goes for the "Sponsors". This includes professionals and even people who are interested in babysitting, etc. So, please take the time to thoroughly check out anyone and everyone who will be working with or caring for your child/adult. We are all sadly aware, through news stories and word of mouth, of people who prey upon special needs children and adults because of their extra vulnerability.

    Valerie Dodd-Saraf
    President, Foggy Coast Ventures, Inc.
    Owner/Editor ValeriesList.com

    -
    -