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www.DSFFlorida.org
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Calling all t21 Social Network (18+) members!
ο»Ώ Ready to party with your favorite group of friends? Click on the link below to register for our next outing!
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ARE YOU READY TO WIN THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE? |
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Tickets are $21 and the drawing will be on 6/28.
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Meet Adam! An Orlando Health employee since 2021.
Adam completed his 12-week internship at Orlando Health. At the end of the internship Orlando Health extended a job offer to Adam! Adam is still working at Orlando Health and making more than minimum wage.
When asked why he likes his job Adam stated:
"My job makes me happy! I love my boss, everyone is nice to me and I am meeting other people. I also love making money!"
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Work close to home! Orlando Health has many locations to choose from! |
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Interested in our iCan! Work program but have questions?
Here's your chance to get your answers!
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Happy Mother's Day to all our MARVELOUS MOTHERS!
Know you are the absolute PERFECT mom for each one of your children!
ο»ΏJoin our celebratory tea party as we celebrate YOU!
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Ready for some fun in the sun?!
Join our Lucky Littles crew (ages birth to eight)
for splish-splash fun at the Dr. Philips splash pad!
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Parent Informational Meeting
Executive Functioning: Why it Matters?
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Do you know what executive functioning is? Executive functioning is a set of cognitive skills that help us:
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- get things done
- control impulses
- make decisions
- focus attention
- process information
- plan and remember instructions
- filter out distractions
- regulate emotions
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Executive functioning is also called the brain's management system because it allows us to set and execute goals. This is a topic important for every age and stage of development. It is never too early or too late to improve how your brain works.
Traci LaHue, founder of Brain Connections, will share strategies to improve executive function for anyone, specifically our members with Down syndrome. The goal is for you to walk away with tips to facilitate new neural pathways for success through various techniques that can improve executive functions.
Research confirms the brain's neural plasticity and genesis, which means the brain can change and build new pathways. By doing primitive reflex exercises, working memory games, and other skills, we can tell the brain what to do and improve many aspects of life.
What other parents have to say about Traci and Brain Connections:
"My son, who has Down syndrome, has been working with Traci and Brain Connections and we are so pleased with the results. He is beginning to talk in sentences, he has better word flow, and he is following directions much better. My son meets Ms. Traci at the door with a smile and is ready to play. "
Annie V.
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Cowabonga dudes and dudettes!
Join our surfing crew by clicking on the links below!
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Calling all middle and high schoolers!
Love to paint while hanging out with friends? Join our upcoming Club 321 outing!
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Ready...set...it's time for martial arts!
Join our 1st to 6th-grade members for an afternoon of fun!
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Down Syndrome Regression Disorder (DSRD) is a loss of thinking skills, socializing, and daily activities in people with Down syndrome (DS), usually in adolescence or early adulthood. It can also be called Down Syndrome Disintegrative Disorder (DSDD) or Unexplained Regression in Down Syndrome (URDS). It can have symptoms like mood changes, insomnia, social withdrawal, mutism, and catatonia. It is a rare condition that affects less than 1 percent of the DS population.
ο»ΏAs recent as 2019, this condition did not have an official name or diagnosis and was often diagnosed as Autism. Over the past four years, the new diagnosis has gained the attention of the medical community allowing for more studies and information to be gathered and shared with medical providers and families. Join us for a virtual call with parents/caregivers of family members who have been diagnosed (and misdiagnosed) with regression.
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This call will NOT provide medical interventions or recommendations, however, parents will discuss what led to the diagnosis and how they have sought treatment.
ο»ΏWe will be gauging the level of interest in having a speaker on the topic as we work with families to have a better network in place in our community/state for diagnosing and caring for our members who may experience regression.
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Ready to see the IMPOSSIBLE turn into the POSSIBLE? Register today for our 2023 iCan! Bike Camp! |
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Click here to see why our iCan! Bike Camp is a life-changing journey!
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Oral Motor Placement Evaluations |
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Renee and Whitney will be back in Orlando in July!
Please register now if you'd like your son/daughter to have an evaluation.
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Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) uses a hierarchical-based approach to improve speech clarity and feeding skills in individuals of all ages and across diagnoses. These innovative techniques focus on motor movement activities used to improve phonation, resonation, and speech clarity. Combined with a tactile-sensory approach, OPT provides a comprehensive solution to a variety of speech and feeding issues. OPT involves the use of therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for speech production. Our techniques, applied in combination with the tools, make a difference in clientβs lives.
Click here for more information.
Parents are required to view the second video on the page - "Parents' Guide to Talk Tools" to be eligible for an Oral Motor Therapy Scholarship.
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Neurodevelopmental Approach
with Kay Ness
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Kay Ness will return to Orlando on July 10-July 15.
For over 60 years, the neurodevelopmental approach to working with learning, mobility, speech, language, processing, and attention problems, has been offering hope to parents of children who have received a variety of labels.
This program has helped many children with various learning abilities make advancements in academic gains, sensory issues, behavior modification, and other areas through the innovative and personalized programs by Kay Ness.
People trained in the neurodevelopmental approach look at the causes, train the parents to work with their child at home to address the problems, and also accelerate academics to help the child catch up. By addressing the root causes of learning and developmental challenges, Kay has guided many families to help their loved ones reach levels of achievement that were thought impossible.
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Club 321 and T21 Social Network
ο»Ώ Open House
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Stay tuned!
The registration link is coming soon!
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THANK YOU for celebrating The Night of Inclusion with us!
What does INCLUSION mean to YOU?
Be sure to watch until the end to meet our INCLUSION CHAMPION OF THE YEAR, Mrs. Horning!
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Listen to what our Champion of Inclusion has to say about
INCLUSION in the classroom!
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Join Our Virtual Social Groups! |
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ALL AGES ARE WELCOME!
Virtual Zumba with Elyse
When: Every Tuesday
Time: 4 pm-5pm
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Elyse Mundelein will be teaching a virtual Zumba class! No experience needed, just get ready to dance and have fun!
Upcoming dates:
- Tuesday, May 2
- Tuesday, May 9
- Tuesday, May 16
- Tuesday, May 23
- Tuesday, May 30
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Club for middle and high-schoolers.
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Virtual Club 321
When: Every Wednesday
Time: 4 pm-5 pm
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This is a great opportunity to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
Upcoming dates:
- May 3: Play bingo and learn positive problem-solving steps!
- May 10: Make an emotions chart to help you recognize your emotions
- May 17: Learn Fun Breathing techniques!
- May 24: Encanto Yoga Adventure!
- May 31: Summertime Karaoke! What is a song that makes you happy?
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Young adults 18+
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T21 Social Network (18+)
When: Every Thursday
Time: 4 pm-5 pm
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This is a great opportunity for our adult group to socialize, engage, and connect with each other. We'll have something new and different each week!
Upcoming dates:
- May 4: Play βWhat would you doβ and practice conflict resolution
- May 11: Learn How to Recognize Your emotions!
- May 18: Learn Calming techniques and practice meditation!
- May 25: Exercise with Morganne!
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Looking forward to seeing YOU! |
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For more information about our online programming:
follow our private Facebook page, Meetup, or email
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Advocacy is important in the classroom, the workplace, and even at home or with friends and family.
ο»ΏThe FOUNDATION provides our Summer Advocacy Camp to help our members develop their voice by working on skills that will benefit them for life.
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Want to learn more about this amazing camp?
Check out the video below!
We are offering opportunities for members aged 14 and up!
Self Advocacy Camp for ages 18 and up:
June 19 -June 23 (12 pm - 6 pm)
Self Advocacy Camp for ages 14-17
June 26 - June 30 (12 pm - 6 pm)
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The Down syndrome community had a prominent presence in D.C., with 100 self-advocates and 250 parent/sibling advocates from across the country at the NDSS Advocacy Conference. Florida had a fantastic showing, with almost 20 advocates in attendance. Next year we hope to have even more. Participants met with elected officials to bring awareness to issues that face people with Down syndrome across the United States. While The FOUNDATION can do a lot to impact the community locally, there are specific topics that limit the progress of our members and programs and require more than what we can accomplish on our own at a state level. Some of the topics addressed on this visit include:
- Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act (although a bill exists in Florida, there are federal implications/limitations)
- Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (S. 533/H.R. 1263) (eliminating 14c Certificates that allow subminimum wages)
- Inclusion of the Down Syndrome Community in Alzheimer's Initiatives
- Increased funding for the INCLUDE project at NIH (increased funding for research related to Down syndrome)
- Increased membership on the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome (requesting Florida officials to join the Task Force)
If you want to participate on an Advocacy Committee, please get in touch with us at info@DSFFlorida.org. We would love more people to get involved with local, state, and national advocacy.
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Let's get social!
Follow us on social media for more information and to stay up-to-date on our upcoming events.
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