November 14, 2014
Issue 46, Volume 7
It's All About the Choices!     
          
Greetings and Happy Friday!

It's that calm before the storm.  Next week is ASHA, and then we launch right into the holiday season. Hard to believe the year is coming to a close already!  Please enjoy this week's newsletter.  Next week we will come to you from Orlando.  Hope to see you there.
 
News Items:
  • Irlen Syndrome Through a Different Lens
  • Brain Changes Linked to Prematurity May Explain Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • News for School Nurses: Epinephrine in Schools Saves Lives
  • Study Offers Clues To Soaring Autism Rates
  • 'Darting' Mice May Hold Clues to ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder
  • Can Depression and Guilt in Preschool Years Change the Brain?
Hot Jobs 
  • Hot SLP Job! - Shiprock, New Mexico
  • Hot School Psych Jobs: Pacific Northwest and Alaska
  • New Graduate Job of the Week: CFY for Portland, OR
Therapy Activities, Tips and Resources
  • Activity/Resource of the Week: Make Your Own Comics
  • Resources for School Psychology Awareness Week
  • Sensory Activity of the Week: Foil Painting
  • Indian Corn Mosaic Craft

Articles and Special Features 

  • Career Corner: It's Your Turn - Support for Your First Job
  • SLP Corner: ASHA Call for Feedback to GAO on Paperwork Burden
  • OT/PT Corner: Lost In Space
  • Pediatric Therapy Corner: A Font And A Dictionary That Are Meant To Help
  • Autism Corner: Dealing with Destructive Behavior in Children with Asperger's and HFA
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 Blogtrottr and have our blog posts delivered right to your email.

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 SLP, OT, PT and related assistant jobs, and ALL our Bilingual and School Psychology Jobs. 
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Recent Occupational Therapist and COTA Jobs 

Irlen Syndrome Through a Different Lens  

Editor's Note: Thank you to Shoshana Shamberg of the Pediatric Occupational Therapist group on Facebook for sharing this article.   You are right, OTs should be trained in Irlen screening!
 

[Source:  Chicago Tribune via the Baltimore Sun]

 

Call it mother's intuition, but Maria Hill knew something was up with her son.
 

He was having headaches, struggling academically and missing words when reading. When he read aloud, he would make up words to replace ones he didn't see. He also claimed the words would move.

"He would see one word, and the rest would run off the page," she said.
 

As second grade at Petty Elementary in Antioch, Ill., drew to a close with his grades slipping, Hill wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on with Reino.

 

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog

Brain Changes Linked to Prematurity May Explain Disorders

[Source:  Medical News Today] 
 

Disturbances in the early stages of brain growth, such as preterm birth - when many of the brain's structures have not yet fully developed - appears to affect the brain's neuro-circuitry, which may explain premature babies' higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders including ADHD and autism spectrum disorder. 
 

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

News for School Nurses: Epinephrine in Schools Saves Lives

[Source:  Medical News Today]
 

Millions of children across the country need emergency epinephrine at school because they could suffer a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to food or an insect sting. As schools across the country implement policies to stock emergency epinephrine, some are seeing dramatic results.

According to a new study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)  Annual Scientific Meeting, stock epinephrine was used on 38 children and adults in Chicago 

 

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

Study Offers Clues To Soaring Autism Rates

[Source:  Disability Scoop]
 

The substantial rise in autism in recent years is primarily, but not entirely, due to changes in how the developmental disorder is defined and reported, a new study suggests.
 

In a review of records on every person born in Denmark between 1980 and 1991, researchers found that major changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism in the mid-1990s accounted for a third of the increase in people with the condition, according to findings published this month in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

 

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

'Darting' Mice May Hold Clues to ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorders

[Source:  Science Daily]

 

A darting mouse may hold an important clue in the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism and bipolar disorder, according to a study by a Vanderbilt University-led research team recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
 

The transgenic mouse, into which was inserted a rare human genetic variation in the dopamine transporter (DAT), could lead to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of these all-too-common brain disorders, said Randy Blakely, Ph.D., the report's senior author.

 

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog

Can Depression and Guilt in Preschool Years Change the Brain? 

[Source:  Medical News Today]
 

A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that children who were diagnosed with depression between the ages of 3-6 have a smaller brain region involved in emotion than those who were not depressed.
 

In the latest study, the anterior insula (red) on each side of the brain was smaller in preschool kids diagnosed with depression and those who experienced excessive guilt at early ages.

 

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog

Hot Job:  SLP for Shiprock, New Mexico  

Our Client is a public school system in Northwest New Mexico
We are seeking a full time Speech Language Pathologist for the SY14/15.

We offer excellent hourly rates based on your experience. 

  • Elementary Population
  • Limited driving
  • 7.5 hours per day
  • CFs welcome, Bilingual Spanish Appreciated
  • Apply Now!  This job will fill quickly.

Hot Job:  School Psych Jobs in Oregon, Washington and Alaska  

Are you a School Psychologist with the love of the rugged outdoors?
 

PediaStaff has a number of positions in the Pacific Northwest that are calling to you, in Washington, Oregon and Alaska!
 

Locations in Washington include: Olympia,  Kent, Vancouver and Yakima.  In Oregon, we have excellent opportunities in Portland, Grant's Pass, and The Dalles (on the Columbia River - east of Portland).  We also need School Psychologists in the Whittier, Alaska area!

 

New Grad Job of the Week:  Portland Oregon Area  

Don't let anyone tell you that as a new graduate you can't have it all!
 

Portland is one of the most desirable metro areas to live in.  Our client school district has a great reputation for providing a supportive work environment and strong CF experience.  Plus, as a contractor you'll earn an excellent rate of pay.  This is a full-time contract assignment starting in early December or as soon as possible..    
 

Whether you're a recent graduate looking for a CF, or an experienced SLP looking for a new opportunity, contact us ASAP.


Apply for This Job Now

Activity / Resource of the Week:  Make Your Own Comics  

Thank You to Your Therapy Source for the heads-up on this FREE resource!

MakeBeliefsComix  is a FREE website that has been around for some time now.  I have recommended it before but now they added even more!  There are new characters and clip art.  In addition, they have added a new section on how to use MakeBeliefsComix with children who may have autism, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and more.

 

Learn More Through a Link on our our Blog

School Psychology Resource of the Week:  School Psych Awareness

[Source:  NASP]
 

Happy School Psychology Awareness Week! Use this time to foster personal growth, achievement, and resilience, recognize the outstanding contributions of staff and students, and spread awareness of your role in helping children thrive!

 

Access These Resources Through a Link on our Blog

Sensory Activity of the Week:  Foil Painting  

Source Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails]
 

So I have seen a bit of foil arts and crafts and decided to try it out with the kids.  Why not add a little extra fun to a rainy day.   This day was a light raining day with a few minutes here and there where the rain stopped.  What a great day to paint in the rain.  And why not go all out and make it a, sensory painting on foil in the rain kind of day.  It just all went together this day,lol.  I could not wait to see what the kids thought about this.


When it is not storming over here my boys love to go out and play in the rain.  Since the birth of baby brother our rain days have been limited but this day it worked out great to get out while he was napping. I wished I had photos of last years me 8 months pregnant, 

 

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

Seasonal Activity of the Week:  Indian Corn Mosaic Craft  

Editor's Note:  This is great fine motor and can also work nicely for speech trials!
 

[Source:  No Time for Flash Cards]
 

This craft is fast to set up and fun. It can be easily modified depending of the supplies you have on hand, too. Plus, nothing says fall and Thanksgiving like Indian Corn.
 

You will need a piece of paper (I used construction paper), self adhesive craft foam, scissors, and a marker. You can use non-adhesive craft foam or even construction paper. You will just need to have some glue, too.

 

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

Career Corner: It's Your Turn - Support for Your First Job

Teresa Roberts, MS, CCC-SLP
 

You may have been working for a few days, weeks, or months by now. Please know, that if you are feeling scared or nervous, or even wholly panicked, you are not alone. In some extreme cases, you may feel like a fraud, a person who doesn't even know what to do.  This state is often described as the Imposter Syndrome. You may mistakenly believe that you are not actually qualified for the job. These deep fears and intense feelings are entirely expected - this is actually a relatively normal state for a new job.  In fact, though it may be hard to believe, it is a sign that you are a conscientious and knowledgeable individual. Recognizing what you will need to learn to be a competent service provider is a high level metacognitive skill. Your uncertainty is a mirrored reflection of your intense desire to learn and achieve.


Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog

SLP Corner: ASHA Call for Feedback to GAO on Paperwork Burden

[Source:  The ASHA Leader]
 

ASHA is working with the U.S. General Accountability Office as the GAO investigates the paperwork burden required to comply with the reporting requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.
 

In December 2013, in response to ASHA advocacy, Congress requested that the GAO investigate and report on the paperwork burden: what IDEA provisions cause the most paperwork burden; how the paperwork requirements improve educational outcomes; why paperwork reduction provisions in the 2004 IDEA reauthorization have not been implemented; how the use 


Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog


OT/PT Corner: Lost In Space

by Shelley Manell, PT, C/NDT

So many of our clients seem to have no idea where their bodies are in space. It is clear are many layers as to why this occurs. I'd like to explore some possibilities as to why our clients seem to get lost in space and how we can help them better stay grounded with a better awareness of midline. 

When typically developing babies are born, physiological flexion helps them cope with gravity.  This biomechanical alignment gives their body a sense of being connected and secure.  It also contributes structural support for the beginning of the perceptual reference of "the middle".
 

As soon as the baby begins to move, the Moro reflex comes into play.  This is the first time the baby experiences a quick movement of the arms and the legs away from the secure flexed position and an involuntary return to flexion - further contributing to the development of the concept of midline. 

Read the Rest of this Article on our Blog

Pediatric Therapy Corner: Font & Dictionary That Are Meant To Help

[Source:  NPR.org]

 

A designer who has dyslexia has created a font to help dyslexic readers navigate text, designing letters in a way that avoids confusion and adds clarity. And in England, two researchers are compiling a dictionary that favors meaning over alphabetical order.
 

Roughly 10 percent of the world's population is dyslexic. And as NPR's Nancy Shute reported in 2012, "People with dyslexia are often bright and verbal, but have trouble with the written word.

 


Autism Corner: Destructive Behavior in Kids w/Asperger's & HFA

[Source:  My Aspergers Child]

There are no easy, quick fixes to reduce or eliminate severe behavioral issues in children with Asperger's (AS) or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) (e.g., self-injury, aggressiveness, meltdowns, tantrums, destructiveness, etc.). However, I have a few suggestions that may not require a tremendous amount of time and effort to implement. Let's look at a few...

1. One reason for behavioral issues may be difficulties in receptive language. Kids on the autism spectrum often have poor auditory processing skills. As a result, they often don't understand what others are saying to them; they hear the words, but they don't understand what the words mean. The child's lack of understanding can lead to confusion and frustration, which can escalate into a behavioral issue. Visual communication systems can be useful in teaching and in informing these children of what is planned and what is expected of them.

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