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| Lessons for parents may change autism's trajectory |
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Autism can be reliably diagnosed by 2 years of age, but roughly half of children with the condition do not receive a diagnosis until age 6 or later. Being female or from an ethnic minority group, among other factors, may contribute to a delayed diagnosis of autism.
The lack of universal screening for autism among toddlers contributes to the disparities in access to early diagnosis. Pediatricians relying solely on clinical judgement disproportionately fail to detect and refer certain children. This means that many children with autism miss out on early intervention during the years when the brain is rapidly developing and most responsive to treatment.
If we could detect autism early enough, in infancy, and coach parents to provide extra social stimulation to their babies, we could improve the outcome for children with autism - and perhaps even prevent some from developing the disabling features that define the condition. Read on... |
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| Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs in a Way That Promotes Self-Advocacy |
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As the mom of a now-adult special-needs kid, I've been thinking a lot about what we did that helped, what I wish we hadn't wasted time and money on (there will always be a lot in that category, so don't beat yourself up!), and what I think was most important. That last category, in particular, has changed since I was actually "in the trenches."
From this vantage point, I now realize that one of the most important things, a quality without which nothing moves forward, is emotional resilience. By that, I mean the ability to take in struggles and failures, wrestle with them, get back up, and move on. I mean the incredible strength of spirit it takes to be acutely, constantly aware your own inadequacies, or what the world sees as such, and still believe that you are worthy and capable of reaching for your dreams.
I recently asked my son CJ what he thought had helped the most with this, and his answers surprised me. In my last blog post, I discussed the importance of getting into your child's world as much as possible. Today, I'd like to talk about advocacy. Read on... |
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| Multiple Meds and Kids: What to Know |
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And warning signs that you should be concerned about the care your child is getting
Making decisions about medication for a child with emotional or behavioral problems can be daunting and fraught with worry, especially when more than one medication is involved. Studies show that the number of children taking several psychoactive medications is soaring. Here are some guidelines to help you understand why your doctor might recommend multiple medications for your child, and whether you should have concerns about this treatment.
There are several reasons why a psychiatrist or pediatrician might prescribe more than one medication for a child's emotional or behavioral issues. Read on... |
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| Three types of ADHD: What are the differences? |
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ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is also sometimes referred to as ADD, generally when the person with the disorder does not display symptoms of hyperactivity.
Although there are several different predominant clusters of symptoms that people can experience, the diagnosis is still ADHD.
ADHD is one of the most common health disorders affecting children. It is estimated that around 11 percent of children aged between 4 and 17 in the United States have ADHD, which equates to around 6.4 million children. However, adults can also have ADHD. Read on... |
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| Parents and Others Looking for Help!!! |
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We're looking to teach our 6 year old boy to swim. He has receptive and expressive delays, as well as sensory and motor delays. We're looking for someone who could teach him in his swimming pool, as our community's one is very small and usually overcrowded. If you can help, please contact us at [email protected]
I have 6 different GeoTrax train sets that we would like to sell. We know many kiddos on the spectrum enjoy trains very much.
Please give our email to have people contact us if interested in buying them. They are in very good condition. We have had them stored in plastic containers inside. They are the older style, but they all fit together. Laura [email protected]
Looking for SIERRA ACADEMY & SPRINGALL ACADEMY families!
My son attends Sierra Academy/Springall Academy and we recently started a Facebook group to better connect with other families from the school. We are new to the school and want to meet/talk to others. Their students come from all over San Diego County so I thought it would be nice to have a way to connect.
If you have a child at either school and would like to be a part of this Facebook group please email me. I will send you a friend request, once you accept, I will invite you to the group. Please feel free to reach out to other families you may know at the school too.
Looking forward to meeting other families, [email protected]
My son is a high functioning middle schooler with significant behavioral challenges including explosive aggressive outbursts. We are looking for any insights/experience into the San Diego Children's Center or Rileys? Also, any other non-public school options that can provide academic support in a safe environment with expert staff to address explosive outbursts? If so, please reach out to [email protected]. Thanks so much!
Looking for credentialed teacher, graduate student in education, or ABA trained individual to assist with supervising school work for 4-8 hours per week during 2017/2018 school year. Location in North County San Diego. Student is HFA boy in 8th grade and mostly independent in completing all school work. No learning disabilities but needs some help with focus and organization. All curriculum and assignments are provided - he just need some supervision and guidance while he completes his work. Pay is completive based upon experience. Please contact [email protected] if interested. Thank you!
Hello! I will be moving to the San Diego (South Bay/Chula Vista) area and I'm looking for the best private school for my 3 year old son who is on the spectrum. His therapist recommended that he attend general education classes with typical peers assisted by a therapist. Helen [email protected]
Seeking IHSS caregiver for my female teen in SDSU neighborhood for weekday mornings. Please call Lisa 619-890-2652 or email [email protected].
I have a very gently used Kaufman Praxis Treatment Kit 2 (Advanced Level) for sale as my son is no longer in need of them. New they cost $199 but would like to see them for $90 plus cost of shipping. Kaufman Kit 2 refines intelligibility for children who have mastered sounds in Kaufman Kit 1 (p, b, m, t, d, n, h, w). Advanced level Kit 2 then works to refine articulation and build higher motor-speech coordination. Kit 2 uses familiar two and three-syllable words to target more complicated motor-speech movements and synthesis into initial and final word positions. Kit 2 targets synthesis of /f, g, k, l, s, sh/ and blends /s, r, l/ plus ber and ter.Kit 2 includes 285 visual referent cards and employs the same successive "word shell" approximation approach as found in Kaufman Kit 1. Email me at [email protected] if you are interested.
I am an adoptive parent on an extremely limited budget. I'm hoping to find free activities for my two children 9 and 12 years old.
My children are both special needs and I'm looking for places that give reduced or free entrance.
Please email [email protected]. Thanks so much!
I have recently removed my daughter from the San Diego Center for Children. As a parent in a crisis the treatment I received from both staff and management was unbearable.
I am looking for other parents who have had experience with the Center either positive or negative.
I greatly appreciate it. Please email: [email protected]
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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| San Diego Special Needs Law Center |
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If you have a family member with a disability, you want to assure they have the best possible care and quality of life, both now and later when you are no longer able to be the advocate you are today. If you are a person with a disability, you want to be able to qualify for the benefits and programs you need to achieve as much independence as possible. At San Diego Special Needs Law Center, it is our mission to make sure you have all the support and tools in place to achieve these goals.
We have over 30 years experience in Special Needs Law and our community, working in the following practice areas:
- Special Needs Trusts and Estate Planning for Families Developmental Disablilities
- Conservatorships and Limited Conservatorships for those with Developmental Disablilities
- Public Benefits Planning
- Care Advocacy
- Preservation of Benefits Eligibility in Litigation Settlement or Inheritance Scenarios
- Life Care Planning
We also enjoy our relationships with various advocacy groups and the disability community. It is through the interaction with our clients and these groups that we continue to learn and grow, and better serve our client's needs.
Our Senior attorney, Phil Lindsley, is both a Certified Special Needs Law Attorney and a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization). He has been serving families and individuals with disabilities for over 30 years.
To learn more about us, click HERE |
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| SUMMER FAMILY ACTIVITY! |
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SAT. JULY 15th at 9-11 AM
Join us at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park for a morning of Fun!
Register in advance at NFAR for $10 per person (Regular admission is $20 adult and $17 child).
Autism Assessibility Mornings at the Fleet allow families and their children with autism time to enjoy the exhibits in a quieter setting before regular hours and with access to a special cool-off space. Participants are welcome to enjoy the museum all day. Admission includes a special IMAX film screening at 10 a.m. with the house lights on and a lower soundtrack volume. Register HERE. |
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| Summer Workshops at Positive Action Community Theatre |
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Since 2008 our Saturday theatre, dance, and group singing workshops in Encinitas have been a port of entry for teens and young adults who have been isolated by autism. In our relaxed and fun atmosphere they can enjoy the arts with their peers and develop some friendships. Our goal is to teach them life skills that will enable them to reach their goals in all areas of their lives. New people join us, and many stay with us for years. We have developed a supportive community that is very important to its members. I continue to be inspired by the quality and potential of these individuals, and by the love their parents have for them.
Although our workshops are inclusive and include neuro-typical teens and adults, some of our long-term participants with autism have developed into our best peer mentors. We have all watched them grow as actors and as leaders, and PACT has hired several of them as employees of our organization. For the past year and a half some of them have met under the leadership of PACT's artistic director to develop a 'Beyond Bullying' theatre event, which they are now performing for young teens in our community. We have received great feedback from their audiences, who say that the event has inspired them to respect their peers.
Our newest project is an on-the-job training program at our local Boys and Girls Club, where we are mentoring young adults with autism as theatre workshop directors. The long range goal of this and all our programs is to empower those with autism to lead self-determined lives and maintain meaningful employment.
If you would like to bring your teen/young adults to visit our Saturday workshops in Encinitas to see if it is a good fit for them, or if you'd like more information about scheduling a 'Beyond Bullying' theatre event for your young teens, contact PACT at [email protected], or 760-815-8512. www.pacthouse.org |
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| 9 Board Games to Get Kids Thinking, Moving, and Working Together |
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Could your family use a few new games? If you've had it with standard-issue board games like Candyland and Monopoly, consider these games that are favorites of the kids I work with as a pediatric occupational therapist. They're not only lots of fun, they also sneakily address developmental issues your child may need to work on.
1. Zingo Read on... |
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| Face Your Fears! For Children 9-12 with ASD |
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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
[email protected] http://www.drsherrycasper.com |
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| Get To Know Dr. Lisa Loegering-An Integrative Pediatric Approach |
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Tuesday, June 27
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
RBCPC
17010 Pomerado Rd, San Diego, California 92128
Del Mar Integrative Pediatrician Dr. Loegering will be discussing her approach to the treatment of patients with autism or asperger's syndrome. She will talk about how she will first test for nutrient deficiencies and genetic weaknesses and then design an individualized nutrient plan based on the results. In addition, she will let us know how she looks at the gastrointestinal tract through blood, urine, and stool testing to make sure that nutrients are being absorbed and that infections are not present. We will learn about how she moves all of her patients to a more nutrient dense diet while working on other health problems such as allergies, asthma, eczema, frequent infections, sleep problems, and constipation. She will discuss how she wants parents to be well informed and to be partners in the treatment plan. Dr. Loegering will discuss how her training with the Institute for Functional Medicine, the Walsh Research Institute and Integrative Medicine for Mental Health have helped shape her treatment approach.
Dr. Loegering is a board certified pediatrician with a specialty in child development and behavior. She also has additional training through the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Walsh Research Institute. She received her medical degree from UCLA School of Medicine and she also completed her residency in pediatrics and fellowship in child development at UCLA.
Dr. Loegering was previously in practice at Scripps Clinic where she ran a clinic for children with Attention Deficit Disorder and learning disabilities. She also had a general pediatric practice and was involved in quality of care activities. More recently she has been active in giving medical care to orphans in Tijuana, raising her two daughters, and caring for her elderly parents. https://www.lisaloegeringmd.com/ |
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| Meet a Neuroscientist Day at the New Children's Museum San Diego |
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JOIN US for this fun and interactive day at the museum! The museum will be open to ATPF families to explore 7 interactive exhibits throughout the museum and meet the Neuroscience lab of Dr. Alysson Muotri from Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. This event is FREE to attend and open for kids ages 3-13. All siblings welcome to attend!
You must RSVP to attend with [email protected] or 619-222-4465. This event has limited space available. |
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| Spotlight: 10 Colleges with Programs for ASD Students |
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10 Colleges with Programs for ASD Students You've probably heard of schools like the University of Michigan, NYU, and UCLA. They are some of the largest in the country in terms of enrollment. However, individuals with special needs may require additional assistance in and/or out of the classroom, which these schools cannot always provide due to the sheer size of the student body. Here are ten schools that provide programs for students with ASD that may fly under the radar for parents.
1. Michigan Career and Technical Institute (MCTI) Read on... |
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| Autism Kids Night Out!!! |
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FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017
5:30PM 8:30PM
From $35
Kids Night Out! This date night is dedicated to children with special needs. Parents, drop off your children for a fun night of sensory art, crafting and dinner at Mint Studio. Kids will love the Mint Studio team members who are trained and experienced in working with kids with special needs. Suggested age range is 5-10 years but we are flexible. Sibling discount available. Includes all crafting and dinner!
MINT STUDIO
5965 VILLAGE WAY UNIT 105
SAN DIEGO, CA, 92130 858.348.1778 |
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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:
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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| 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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| 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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| Special Needs Law Center: Insights 2017 Directory |
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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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