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San Diego Friendship Walk, May 21st!
 On Sunday, May 21st join nearly 1,000 people from across San Diego and Walk With Your Heart! The Friendship Walk is an awesome community event that raises crucial funds for Friendship Circle and awareness for children, teens and young adults with special needs. Please join us in walking, donating and fundraising to help us reach our goal of $100,000. Register online at www.FriendshipWalkSD.org or call the office at (858) 487-4879.
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VALERIESLIST SPONSORS
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| Common variants, rare mutations combine to shape autism risk |
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Children with autism inherit a greater burden of common genetic variants associated with autism than would be expected by chance. These variants combine with rare, spontaneous autism mutations to boost autism risk. The unpublished results were presented today at the 2017 International Meeting for Autism Research in San Francisco, California.
Researchers have identified several rare, de novo mutations that may cause autism. But these mutations account for less than 10 percent of autism cases and do not account for why the condition runs in families. Common variants, although harder to find, are thought to contribute to a much larger proportion of autism cases.
The new study, which was posted on the preprint server biorXiv in November, shows that these two types of variants work together to shape autism risk. Read on... |
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| How Training of Special Education Teachers Has Changed to Prepare Them for Inclusion |
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Among the many things required to make inclusion work in today's schools are teachers who are trained to do it right. Friendship Circle asked Dr. Dusty Columbia Embury and Dr. Laura Clarke, associate professors of special education at Eastern Kentucky University, to answer some questions about how teacher training has changed to accommodate diverse learners in a single classroom. This month, they'll give some insight into the current state of training; next month, they'll consider how things could improve.
How has the training of special education teachers changed with the increase of inclusive classrooms?
Dusty: To respond to this, we need a little background. There have been changes that have come about from the outside in. What I mean by that is that the changes that have occurred have really been prompted by legislation. That legislation changed what happened in districts and schools, and as a result of changes happening at the school level, universities needed to make changes in how they prepared teachers to be successful. Read on... |
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| Help Your Child Improve Self-Control and Practice Self-Modulation |
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To modulate, according to Dictionary.com, is "to regulate or adjust, soften, tone down, to alter or adapt." Applying that, self-modulation means being self-aware enough to regulate/adjust/alter/adapt one's behavior choices to better fit a situation. This is a valuable lifelong skill-and one that many children with disabilities struggle with.
Self-modulation feeds independence. To encourage it, let your child practice decision-making. I encourage you to offer this opportunity to your child in spite of possible risks and fears. Your child gets to (and needs to) practice responsibility using intrinsic motivation to feel empowered.
The following are some ways I've worked on this with my son. You may be able to use these same ideas, or adapt them to the particular situations and interests of your child. Read on... |
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| Choosing Camps for Children with Special Needs |
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As the school year comes to an end, we are looking for camps that serve both of our boys, one with 22q11.2 Deletion. In years past, we've learned a lot by trial and error. Here are key factors to ease summertime stress and help find the right camps for children with special needs.
Consider groups that are already serving your child.
Groups that serve your child at school and in therapy will be the most successful at finding ways to keep him interested and engaged, so start with them. Our child's therapy group offers a summertime program that allows us to include therapy sessions with camp. This is an added benefit because we have fewer trips to the therapist and more family fun time. Other things to consider: Read on... |
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| Parents and Others Looking for Help!!! |
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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. [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 - [email protected] 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 [email protected]. 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
[email protected]
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 [email protected]
I am seeking in-home and field-based social therapy for my 7 year old with high-functioning ASD, ADHD and significant behavior/attitude challenges. We are struggling with the social behavior and emotional relationship blockades and need real-time help. Any suggestions in the Del Mar and Carmel Valley area would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks,
Annie Brown
773-320-9605
Residential supportive living opportunity in families home in Encinitas. Room and board in exchange for part time (after school and some weekends shifts) support and companion for our healthy, 17 yr old, high functioning ASD son who attends LCC High school. Support with meal prep, self-help skills, independence building, home work, IEP goals social outings and companionship. Son will have a newly remodeled 2nd floor studio space in our home. Private bedroom/bath suite provided with balcony for IHSL person in our beautiful, spacious home.
References and autism experience required as well as back ground check. Ideal candidate between 20-30 years, single and on a special education career path, with positive, outgoing nature and flexibility to possibly travel with family or be companion for son 24/7 for paid income when parents travel occasionally for business. Legal drivers license, proof of current insurance, good driving record, and must own reliable car. Available to begin in June or July, 2017. Contact Kalli for more info and send resume to: [email protected]
Job Coach
Life Works has a career opportunity for you! We are looking for an outgoing, dependable full-time job coach working with a young, Autistic male who lives in the SDSU area. The job coach primary role is to assist the individual in performing his work duties at 3 different places of employment. Other tasks include: administering medication, assistance with morning routine, daily note documentation, and behavioral support. Experience working with people with Autism is required. Behavioral support experience is preferred. The hours are Monday thru Friday 8-3p.m. To review more about our agency, please visit us at www.lifeworks-sls.com. For all serious inquiries, please submit a cover page, resume, and three professional references.
If you have a question or request for this newsletter group, please send your email request to [email protected]. People who can help you will email you directly with their responses. |
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| AEFCT Expeditions! Now Enrolling!!! |
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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 |
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| Vocal T.R.A.C.K. Speech & Language Therapy Center |
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Our center provides Mono and Bilingual Speech, Language, and Multi-Disciplinary Therapy to individuals of all ages with Special Needs. Other services include Evaluations, ABA, Occupational Therapy, Reading Circles, Seminars and more.
A unique feature of Vocal T.R.A.C.K. is that it's the only therapy center, worldwide, with an adapted Slot Car Race Track (a/k/a V.T. Raceway) used as an optional therapy tool to reinforce Activities of Daily Living, Behavior Management, Functional Life Skills, Receptive and Expressive Language and Social Skills.
V.T. Raceway is also available to San Diego County for Camps, Field Trips, Fundraisers, Parties, Playdates, etc.
For detailed information about Vocal T.R.A.C.K. (including V.T. Raceway) and a Google 360 Virtual Tour, please go to:
Vocal T.R.A.C.K. Speech & Language Therapy Center, Inc.
16466 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 116
San Diego, CA 92128
(858) 521-8446 |
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| ABA Therapy: What is it? Why does it work? How do you get it? |
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Research shows that Applied Behavior Analysis is a highly effective treatment for people with developmental disabilities. In this presentation, caregivers will learn to define and describe ABA therapy, learn how to obtain ABA and understand how insurance companies fund ABA.
The seminar will cover:
- How to Identify a High Quality ABA Program
- Approaches to ABA
- How to Obtain ABA Services that Best Fit Your Child and Family's Needs
- How ABA is Funded Through Insurance
About Gateway Learning Group: Gateway is a leading provider of autism and behavior intervention services in Northern and Southern California. Gateway Learning Group's direct therapy programs are organized on behalf of children and their families, often in collaboration with school districts, regional centers, and health insurance providers.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 from 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
San Diego Office
6540 Lusk Blvd., Suite C 256
San Diego CA 92121
COST: Parking is FREE! Childcare is not available.
RSVP: Please email [email protected] to reserve your space.
(Our event space is limited, so please RSVP soon)
Speakers:
Liberty O'Mahony, M.A., BCBA
Gateway Learning Group |
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| NFAR: San Diego Mom's Group |
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Wednesday, May 17, 2017
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Dinner: Pizza, Salad, Soda
Dinner is provided
May Topic: The IEP: Classroom Placements, IEP Accommodations and Setting Goals
Jenna and Heather will discuss and answer questions regarding the IEP. Please email me your questions - so that we can address these.
Guest Speaker: Jenna Sleichter BCBA and Heather Green
Jenna Sleichter is a board certified Behavior Analyst, an Autism Specialist for Poway Unified School District , and supervises students getting their master' s degree in special education and BCBA certification. Prior to this, Jenna was a Special Education Teacher for seven years. She also specializes in private consultation in the U S. and the Philippines. Jenna has presented at numerous autism conferences on tools and strategies for managing behaviors and helping children with autism to learn. She is the mother of twins girls.
Heather Green has been an Integrated ASD Preschool Classroom Teacher in Poway Unified for 4 years. Prior to teaching she worked in college administration. She presents workshops for both parents and teachers on self-regulation interventions, social thinking, and behavior intervention techniques.
To RSVP |
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| NFAR: North County Mom's Group |
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Thursday, May 18, 2017
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Tio Leo Mexican Restaurant
3510 Valley Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92130
Dinner: Mexican Food, Gluten Free options available.
May Topic: "Facilitating Engagement through Activities"
Learn how to help facilitate engagement at home, school, and during social activities. Topics of discussion include:
- Understanding the importance of motivation and how to promote it.
- Redefining regulation
- Understanding the relationship between sensory processing difficulties and behavior, learning and motivation.
- Understanding how success can lead to growth in all areas.
Guest Speaker: Chris Vinceneux, OTR/L, Therapeutic Approach to Growth
Chris uses a holistic approach and strives to think outside the box to design interventions that can minimize or eliminate the impact of sensory processing challenges to help his clients achieve the best possible quality of life.
To RSVP |
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| 2017 Neighborhood Law School (NLS) - FREE Legal Seminars |
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It's that time of year for the 2017 Neighborhood Law School (NLS) - FREE Legal Seminars, sponsored by Earl B Gilliam Bar Association in partnership with Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc.
The NLS will held EVERY Wednesday from May 24, 2017 to June 28, 2017, at the Malcolm X Library (Market Creek, San Diego, CA), from 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm.
Please plan to register and plan to attend. The attached Flyer will provide you with detailed information on the interesting topics being offered this year.
We are so pleased you chose to take advantage of this great opportunity offered to the community last year, and hope you will join us again this year.
Register Via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-neighborhood-law-school-tickets-34150744797 |
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| Autism Accessibility Morning at the Fleet! |
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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
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| SIBSHOP 2016-2017 Schedule |
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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:
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 [email protected] 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.
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| Participate in Research: Survey About Access to Services |
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| Developmental Factors Survey |
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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
[email protected] or 212-203-6550. Thank you.
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| Autism Effects on Attentional Blink |
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For more information, please contact Sofia Schugar at the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab: 858-353-4929 (feel free to leave voicemail) or via email at
[email protected]
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| Seeking Research Participants for Autistic Sibling Study |
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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:
[email protected]
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| 2017 Edition of Flourishing Families |
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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!
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| San Diego Regional Center's Recreation Resource Page |
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Recreation is important in promoting inclusion and quality of life. Studies have shown that it increases self-esteem and confidence, leads to improved communication, social interaction, and friendship skills.
The San Diego Regional Center supports clients having time to recreate and believes it is essential to a healthy and well-balanced life. Below are links to some popular recreation activities in the San Diego and Imperial Counties. However, SDRC does not endorse, nor provide funding for any recreation activity. SDRC is not liable for anything occurring while participating in any of the recreational activities.
Click here for all the info!!!
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| Special Needs Law Center: Insights 2017 Directory |
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