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March 4, 2011
Issue 7, Volume 5
It's All About the Choices!     
          
Greetings from Houston!

We are at the Texas Speech Hearing Conference this week.  It's really great to meet so many of you face to face that we talk to on the phone and online! 

Three things stand out this week that are worth bringing to your attention: 

As you may have heard, there has been a significant grass roots effort to get Oprah to do a segment on Sensory Processing Disorder on her show before she packs up her daily program and heads over to her new network full time.  Read below a letter from Dr. Lucy Miller about a media blitz they are coordinating at the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation to draw Oprah's accurate attention to this important childhood issue.  

NBC's weekly drama, 'Parenthood' has been in the news lately for its portrayal of a boy with Aspergers Syndrome.   This past week, the characters who play the parents in the show sat their son down and discussed with him his diagnosis.   The episode is being hailed by health care professionals as exceptionally well done.   Enjoy (and pleases share) our link to the full episode 'Qualities and Difficulties.'

And last but not least, we are very excited to announce that Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman, co-authors of 'Growing an In-Sync Child,' will be holding a book signing as guests of PediaStaff at next month's 2011 AOTA Confererence in Philadelphia.  Grab your copies from home (or buy one from the exhibit hall) of 'Growing an InSync Child' or any of their books, and come on over to PediaStaff's booth #413 to meet these two women in person!
 
News Items: 
  • Advocacy/Awareness Alert:  Letter Writing Campaign to Oprah - Your Help Needed
  • NBC's Parenthood' Tackles Sharing Aspergers Diagnosis with Kids - Watch Episode  
  • Stuttering Reigns King at the Oscars
  • New Insights into ADHD Mood Swings 
  • Stem Cells May Provide New Treatment for Children with Severe Brain Injuries  
  • Youngsters With ADHD Adversely Affected By Even Moderate Sleep Loss  
  • Video of the Week:: Batten Disease in the News  
  • Scientists Link 'Sets' of Genetic Abnormalities to Autism Risk  
Therapy Activities, Tips and Resources
  • 10 Activities to Help Develop Pre-Scissor Skills
  • Book Excerpt from 'Here's How to Treat Childhood Apraxia of Speech'  
  • Do You Hear What I Hear? Sensory and Mindfulness Activity 

Upcoming Events

  • Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman Join PediaStaff at AOTA! 

 

Articles and Blogs 

  • Guest Blog: How to Reduce Anxiety: Yours and Your Child's Part II  
  • Guest Blog: Managing Circle Time 
  • Pediatric Therapy Corner:  Help for Problem Sleepers 
  • Worth Repeating: On the Trail of Lionel Logue: One SLP's Excellent Adventure  
  • Also Worth Repeating:  Pediatric Brain Injury Facts                                                                                                        
Feel free to contact us with any questions about our openings or items in these pages. Have you discovered our RSS feed? Click on the orange button below to subscribe to all our openings and have them delivered to your Feed Reader!  Don't have an RSS Feed Reader set up? Sign up at
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Have a great weekend and Take Care!

Heidi Kay and the PediaStaff Team






The Career Center

The links to the right are "live" and reflect the most recent jobs with PediaStaff.  To further narrow your search by state use the drop down menus on the search page to select a specific state.   If a particular search is returning no hits it is Girlpossible that we do not currently have new openings
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To see ALL our openings click HERE
and select the checkbox for your discipline.
Recent Speech Language Pathologist and SLPA Jobs
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Hot School-Based Jobs of the Week
School Based Speech-Language Pathologists, Northern New Mexico

We have a client in Northern New Mexico who is looking to hire some contractors! Fact is that New Mexico is rich in Native American history and culture and some of the prettiest sunsets in the country. Our client has opportunities starting now through the end of the school year with the option to renew for the upcoming 2011/2012 School Year. We are seeking school-experienced SLPs that would enjoy joining the Pediastaff team as well as joining a great team of educators in providing quality services to kiddos in this region of the U.S. There a couple of openings from pre-K through high school.

Respond now and I will be happy to tell you more about this great location and all that we have to offer you.

Qualifications: Must hold a Masters degree in Communication Sciences; a current state license (or eligible). School Experience is required.

Pediatric therapy is our specialty - and our expertise is backed by excellent hourly rates and per diem offered based upon IRS eligibility. Additional benefits include: nationally recognized medical insurance, 401K, generous relocation and continuing education assistance, optional paid leave, optional summer pay program, reimbursement for state licensure and/or teacher certifications, and completion bonuses.

Our management team provides 24/7-telephone support to our therapists - you are not alone when you are on assignment with us. In addition, we provide Clinical Coordinators to assist our therapists in managing their caseloads effectively. Our Clinical Coordinators are experienced therapists who have excelled within their profession and are able to help you succeed. Respond now and learn how YOU can be a part of our team! There is never a charge to applicants and new graduates are always encouraged to apply.


Interested in this job?  Contact PediaStaff today!..

...IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHOICES! 

Hot Mixed Setting Job of the Week

Clinic/School-Based Speech Language Pathologist - Meriden, CT  


Our client is a private pediatric practice located in the Meriden, CT area. They offer speech, occupational, and physical therapy to children and adolescents ages birth to 21 in clinic and school settings. We are searching for a Speech Therapist to work with children in a private school setting. This school specializes in treating/teaching students ages 5 - 15 who are on the Autism Spectrum. The therapist will also have the opportunity to work in an outpatient clinic treating pediatric clients with a variety of diagnoses. This is a full time, direct hire position. The salary is very competitive and includes a comprehensive benefits program.

Located between the cities of New Haven, Hartford, and Waterbury, this area offers close proximity to vibrant cities known for advanced technology capabilities, historic architecture and facades and most importantly, strong communities and neighborhoods. These are beautiful areas that are easily accessible for day trips into New York City or Boston. Enjoy the four season climate with winter and summertime activities as varied as snow skiing in the New Hampshire and Vermont mountains and sailing in Long Island Sound.

Qualifications: Musthold a Master's Degree in Speech and Language Communication and have graduated from an accredited university. CFY supervision is available. Must have a current Connecticut state license (or eligible).

Interested in this job?  Contact PediaStaff today!..

...IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHOICES! 

Advocacy Alert - Your Help Needed: Letter Writing Campaign to Oprah for SPD
[Source: Lucy Jane Miller and SPDF]

On February 24, the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation started a letter writing campaign to the Oprah Show regarding an episode titled, "The 7-Year-Old Who Tried to Kill His Mother." This episode featured a little boy who had violent rages and unfortunately the only diagnosis mentioned on the Oprah Show was Sensory Integration Disorder. This led to the incorrect idea that SPD can cause violent rages in children.

 

We asked that comments be posted on Oprah's website, urging Oprah to do a follow-up show with a thorough explanation of Sensory Processing Disorder. There are currently over 1,000 related comments posted on Oprah's website. We are sending this reminder to request you post a comment if you have not already done so.

 

We are now moving one step further and are asking you to reach out to your local media outlets, i.e., newspapers, radio shows, news stations, etc., to share the story. Please feel free to use or modify the letter we drafted to send to the media. You can download the media letter here or access it on the Oprah page on our website.

 

We hope that through the large out-pouring of grassroots efforts, Oprah will see the importance of presenting the facts about Sensory Processing Disorder and run a follow-up show.

 

We thank you and know these efforts will produce sensational results.

 


Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR
Founder and Executive Director

Aspergers in the Media:  NBC's Parenthood' Tackles Sharing Aspergers Diagnosis with Kids - Watch Episode Online 
[Source: Child Mind Institute]

Whether your child has ADHD, depression, anxiety, or any other psychiatric or learning disorder, you as a parent are on a challenging path. First, you see your child struggling. It may take years of research and consulting specialists before you get the proper diagnosis. Then you become a tireless advocate for your child, to secure the help she needs. And in the midst of all your efforts you must decide if, when, and how to tell your child about her diagnosis.

This stressful scenario was played out beautifully on this week's Parenthood, an NBC show that is doing an excellent job of portraying a boy with Asperger's and how it affects his family. Last week, 8-year-old Max first learned of his autism spectrum disorder when he overheard a heated exchange between his father, Adam, and his Uncle Crosby as his mother, Kristina, stood by. "Get it through your thick skull," Adam yelled, "your nephew has Asperger's!" A puzzled-looking Max, looking down on the scene from the stairs, said, "I have Asperger's? What is...Asperger's?" The stunned adults were speechless.

Read the Rest of this Article and the Entire Parenthood Episode Through a Link on our Blog

Stuttering in the News:  Stuttering Reigns King at the Oscars
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Jane Fraser, president, The Stuttering Foundation (http://www.stutteringhelp.org), issued the following reaction to the Oscar awards:

"It is an eloquently golden night for people who stutter. The King's Speech has been a godsend for the entire stuttering community.

"Tom Hooper gave us an inspirational hero, David Seidler gave us an impassioned voice, Helena Bonham Carter gave us a forceful yet supportive spouse, and Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush portrayed the perfect relationship between therapist and patient, an alliance built upon unbreakable trust, mutual respect and lifelong friendship.

Read the Rest of this Article and a Video Statement from Jane Fraser Through a Link on our Blog

ADHD in the News: New Insight into ADHD Mood Swings  
Thanks in part to a Norwegian research biobank, researchers have generated important new insight into ADHD and how the condition manifests itself. Among other things, they have found that there is some overlap between ADHD and bipolar disorders with regard to rapid mood swings.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) occurs on a worldwide basis and appears to affect two to five per cent of the population, depending on the method of measurement used and the population groups examined. Although the condition has been recognized for over 100 years, insight into its causes, prevention and treatment remains limited.

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog
Pediatric TBI in the News:  Stem Cells May Provide New Treatment for Children with Severe Brain Injuries
[Source: Newswise]

For children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), transplantation of stem cells derived from the patients' own bone marrow is a "logistically feasible and safe" treatment procedure, reports the March issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

The study paves the way for further research to evaluate whether treatment with autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) can enhance brain recovery after TBI in children. The lead author was Dr. Charles S. Cox, Jr., professor of pediatric neurosurgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) Medical School.

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog
More ADHD in the News: Youngsters With ADHD Adversely Affected By Even Moderate Sleep Loss
Editor's Note: Although this is a small study, this one we can pass on to the parents of the kiddos we treat.

[Source: Medical News Today]

A new study in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP indicates that the ability of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to remain vigilant and attentive deteriorated significantly after losing less than one hour of nightly sleep for a week. The study suggests that even moderate reductions in sleep duration can affect neurobehavioral functioning, which may have a negative impact on the academic performance of children with ADHD.

Read the Rest of This Article Through a Link on our Blog
Video of the Week: Batten Disease in the News
[Source: News4Jax.com]

Hear from the family of Jake Medley, a local 6-year-old battling Batten Disease, a rare genetic disease that attacks the brain cells.

Watch this Story Through a Link on our Blog
Autism Research in the News: Scientists Link 'Sets' of Genetic Abnormalities to Autism Risk
[Source: US News and World Report/HealthDay]

While the genetic underpinnings of autism are enormously complex, new DNA research is honing in on sets of abnormal genes that may play a role in the disorder.

Researchers from the Center for Biomedical Informatics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) said that, while other scientists have theorized about a connection between gene mutations, impaired brain development, and the onset of autism, their work is the first to establish the link.

The medical problem, the CHOP researchers said, has to do with genetically driven disturbances in the way nerve cells communicate (via synapses) as well as the manner in which these communications are handled by key neural "messengers," or neurotransmitters.

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog
Therapy Activities of the Week: 10 Activities to Help Develop Pre-Scissor Skills
Thank You to our friends at Your Therapy Source for this week's activity of the week.  

Learning to cut with scissors is a very complex task. Think of all the control required to actually open and close scissors. You many think just the wrist, hand and fingers does the job but in reality it is almost your entire body working to cut the paper. You need to have appropriate posture (back stable, feet on floor and hips in neutral). Shoulders and arms need to be stable to allow the hands to work. The muscles in the fingers need to work in isolation.

The eyes need to look at what the hands are doing. The brain has to process what the hands are doing on both sides of the body (one cutting and one holding the paper). Have I left any body parts out? Alright, maybe a few but in general it is a full body task just to get the hands and fingers to work with precision.

Get and Learn More About These Activities on our Blog 
Therapy Resource of the WeekBook Excerpt from 'Here's How to Treat Childhood Apraxia of Speech'
Last month, we featured a book review for Dee Fish's new book, Here's How to Treat Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

We were just made aware of an excerpt of this fine book on the Plural Publishing Website. The excerpt includes the forward, table of contents, and selected pages from the book on the Characteristics of CAS, the Foundations of Effective Treatment for CAS (P.R.I.S.M.) and a segment of her chapter on Multisensory Cueing and Feedback.  Check it out!

Download Excerpt Through a Link on our Blog
Therapy Activity of the Week: Do You Hear What I Hear? 

Special Thanks to Donna Freeman of Yoga in My School for this week's Activity of the Week.

 

This game helps attune individuals to all the sounds in their environment. It is wonderfully versatile and can be played with one other person, a group, or all alone. In addition it builds concentration and memory. This game encourages open attention as it requires continual scanning of the environment. It is also a sensory game helping to focus on one sense at a time which is helpful when working with children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and other sensory challenges.

 

Do You Hear What I Hear

Before you leave to walk somewhere, especially if you are going on a route you've taken many times and want to engage the participants attention, ask the children to help you guess the number of different sounds you'll hear along the way. Then while walking, say "I can hear a _____________" and wait until the others hear that sound too. Keep walking and let everyone have a turn identifying sounds. Keep a running tally of all the sounds. Can you recall each one? In order?

 

Read About the Rest of This and a Similar Activity HERE
Upcoming EventCarol Kranowitz and Joye Newman Join PediaStaff at 2011 AOTA National Convention 

PediaStaff is very excited to announce that Carol Kranowitz, and Joye Newman, will be signing copies of their new book, Growing an In-Sync Child, on Friday, April 15th, from 11:00 - 5:30 at PediaStaff's booth #413 at the AOTA Convention in Philadelphia.

Copies of Growing an In-Sync Child will be available in the exhibition hall for purchase.  Carol will also be happy to sign your copies of her classic book, the Out of Sync Child or her other books as well, so don't forget to pack your copies!

Amazon seems to be having a great sale on this book right now, so get your copy right away!

Read the Official Press Release on This Event 

Buy Your Copy from Amazon.com Now

Sign up for or Learn More about the Conference

Read the PediaStaff Book Review on 'Growing an In-Sync Child'

Guest Blogs This Week: Reading 2008, PediatricOT  
How to Reduce Anxiety: Yours and Your Child's Part II - Gary G. Brannigan, Ph.D. and Howard Margolis, Ed.D

Reprinted with the express permission of the authors as originally published on the Reading 2008 Blog.

Because excessive anxiety is so harmful to children and their parents, this post will describe two relaxation strategies, offer guidance, and discuss how parents of children in special education can request relaxation training as a related service.

Relaxation Strategies

Because they work, Visual Imagery and Count Your Breath have withstood the test of time. But like all relaxation strategies, they work better for some people. If one of these works for you, and you enjoy it, stick with it. Don't complicate your life by adding another strategy. The same is true for your child: Let him use the one that works for him, the one he enjoys.

 Read the Rest of this Guest  Article Through a Link on our Blog
Managing Circle Time - By: Loren Shlaes, OTR/L

NB: This is part TWO of a two part article. Read Part one HERE Although this article was written for parents, we think this is a great one worth sharing!
 Circle time can be extra challenging for children who have a hard time in school. Sitting on the floor with backs unsupported is very difficult for low tone kids.

There should be a variety of sitting options for circle time. Since no one wants to be singled out, I suggest that there be a few chairs around the perimeter of the circle at the beginning of the school year. The teacher can invite the children to try both sitting in them and sitting on the floor, and then deciding which they prefer. Eventually, the children who need them will go on using the chairs, and the rest of the children will choose the floor, and no one will notice or care who sits where because they have all tried all of the options and made their choices. If this is truly not possible, then having the child sit with his back against a solid surface, like the wall, is the best choice. Or perhaps a few floor chairs could be kept in a cubby and made available.


 Read the Rest of this Guest Post Through a Link on our Blog

Pediatric Therapy Corner: - Help for Problem Sleepers
By: Lindsey Biel, OTR/L

 

Sensory issues can have a huge impact on sleep. An auditory sensitive child may have trouble filtering out sounds, whether it's traffic outside, the TV down the hall, or even the sound of a sibling breathing in the next bed or next room. A tactile defensive child may be disturbed by the pajamas, sheets, pillow, blanket, or the firmness of the mattress. The room may be too warm, too cool, too bright, too dark for your child to relax and sleep. Happily, fairly simple changes can make a big difference!

 

Establish predictable bedtime routines

Have your child go to bed and wake up at the same time every morning, seven days a week. It's tempting to let kids stay up late and sleep late on weekends and vacations, but this confuses the body's internal time clocks and can disrupt sleep well beyond the weekend or holiday.

 

For kids who struggle with transitions and have a hard time going to bed, start your bedtime routine up to an hour in advance. Develop a sequence for getting ready for bed such as brushing teeth and washing face, talking about the day's events, reading a book,and then lights out. Build in some variety so your child doesn't get too rigid about bedtime rituals. You may always read a book, but you can read different books throughout the week from the library. It may be very comforting for kids to have a social story about the bedtime routine and, for some, to have a picture schedule for each step.

 

Read the Rest of this Article on our Blog

Worth Repeating: On the Trail of Lionel Logue: One SLP's Excellent Adventure
[Source: The ASHA Leader, 2011, by Caroline Bowen]

The author aided in the surprise discovery by the film producers of the Logue Family Archive just weeks before film production began. She introduced the film's researcher to Mark Logue, Lionel's grandson and custodian of the archive.

When Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died in February 2002 at the age of 101, tributes and personal recollections filled the print media. With them came detailed accounts of her role as the consort of George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II. Almost every one of these histories mentioned the King's stutter and his wife's unvarying support, with passing references to an Australian speech therapist or "voice specialist" named Lionel Logue.

Read the Rest of This Article Through a Link on our Blog

Also Worth RepeatingPediatric Brain Injury
[Source: Brain Injury Association of America]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the two age groups at greatest risk for TBI are age 0-4 and 15-19.

This article from Brain Injury Association of America covers the following:
  • Incidence
  • Symptoms
  • Recovery
  • Returning to School
  • College and Brain Injury
  • Concussion in Children
  • Prevention

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog 

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Please Note:  The views and advice expressed in articles, videos and other pieces published in this newsletter are not necessarily the views and advice of PediaStaff or its employees but rather that of the author.  PediaStaff is not endorsing or implying agreement with the views or advice contained therein, rather presenting them for the independent analysis and information of its readers.