Study of Brain Networks Shows Differences in Children with OCD

New Look at Language Delay in Children with Autism

[Source:  Science Daily]
  

A new study by a linguistics professor and an alumnus from The University of Texas at Austin sheds light on a well-known linguistic characteristic of autistic children - their reluctance to use pronouns - paving the way for more accurate diagnostics.

 Pronouns - words such as "you" and "me" in English - are difficult for children with autism, who sometimes reverse them (for example, using "you" to refer to oneself) or avoid them in favor of names. Richard P. Meier, a linguistics professor in the College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin, and Aaron Shield and Helen Tager-Flusberg from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston 

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How Decreased Neural Activity May Help You Learn Faster

[Source:  Science Daily]

Why are some people able to master a new skill quickly while others require extra time or practice? That was the question posed by UC Santa Barbara's Scott Grafton and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University.
 

Microsoft Recruiting Employees With Autism

[Source: Disability Scoop]

The launch of a new pilot program positions Microsoft as the latest corporate giant looking to tap the employment potential of those on the spectrum.
 

The company says plans are underway to hire individuals with autism for full-time positions at its Redmond, Wash. headquarters.
 

Microsoft said it will work with Specialisterne, a nonprofit that focuses on helping people with the developmental disorder apply their talents to work in the technology field, to facilitate the hiring effort.

Initially, the program is expected to include about 10 people with autism, a Microsoft spokeswoman told Disability Scoop.

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Physical Activity, Executive Function and ADHD

[Source:  Your Therapy Source]
 

Research in Developmental Disabilities published research on 43 children with ADHD between 7-12 years old to determine if there are effects of different types of physical activity on executive functioning.  A 12 week training program included two different groups: experimental group 1 (EG1) included 13 children who participated in ball handling, balance and manual dexterity and experimental group 2 (EG2) included 14 children who participated in sports without a specific focus.  There was also a control group (CG) who received no intervention.  Each participant was evaluated for working memory and motor performance before, immediately after the first training week and one week after the last session.
 

The results indicated the following:
 

1.  after the 12-week intervention period, several measures of the EG1 and EG2s significantly improved over time.

Genetics May Prevail in Kids Unmotivated to Learn

[Source:  Psych Central]
 

Genes may play a large role in why some kids feel unmotivated to learn at school, according to new findings from more than 13,000 twins in six countries.
 

The findings surprised researcher Stephen Petrill, Ph.D., who believed that the twins' shared environment, such as the family and teachers that they had in common, would have more impact than 

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Gross Motor Activity for a Rainy Day: Walking on Pillows  

[Source:  Hands On As We Grow]|
 

I'm almost embarrassed to post this gross motor activity.... it seems too simple to warrant a post. But with that said, it was super duper fun and had George moving all morning long! And its perfect for those days you're stuck indoors, when its cold or rainy. (Hey, its Iowa here and spring has taken a long time to really show itself!)

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SLP Game Review: Pass the Pigs (No, For Real)  

Editor's Note:  Jenn Alcorn is one of my favorite SLPs (and people - but that is not relevant here) EVER.  She is creative, crazy and fun (like her blog's namesake).  If she says this is a great game for speech, then you need to try it!!  

[Source: Crazy Speech World]

People who come up with dumb stuff that entertains kids should be given more than my money.  There should be awards.  Really awesome awards.  And this one just might take the cake... 

Pinboard of the Week: Earth Day Therapy Activities & Treats  

Fine Motor Freebie of the Week:  Lines, Lines and More Lines