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August 24, 2012
Weekly Edition
Issue 27, Volume 5
It's All About the Choices!     
          
Greetings!  

Greetings and Happy Friday! Here is our newsletter offering for you this week.

News Items:
  • Early Anesthesia Tied to Language Problems in Kids
  • Savvy Tots to Grown-Ups: 'Don't Be Such a Crybaby'
  • PBS Airs Documentary About ADD
  • Inspiration To Share with Your Kiddos with Visual Impairment: Jordan Mouton, 23-Year-Old Blind Judo Champion
  • New Study Uncovers Brain's Code for Pronouncing Vowels
  • A Little Music Training Goes a Long Way: Practicing Music for Only Few Years in Childhood Helps Improve Adult Brain
  • Study: Father's Age a Likely Factor in Autism
  • Study Finds ADHD Traits in Children who Stutter
  • How Baby-Driven Robots Could Help Children with Disabilities
Therapy Activities, Tips and Resources
  • Pinterest Pin of the Week: Easy Apple Crafts for Kids
  • App Review of the Week:StoryPals
  • Adorable Gross Motor and Sensory Idea - Sensory Car Wash

Articles and Special Features

  • SLP Corner: Targeting Language Through Play
  • OT Corner:Stencils for Prewriting Strokes
  • Pediatric Therapy Corner Preventing Meltdowns: Outsmarting the Explosive Behavior of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Worth Repeating: XXX Syndrome: Early Learning and Sensory Developmental Implications
  • Also Worth Repeating: Why Should We Care About Concussions When NFL Players Don't?
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Have a great weekend and Take Care!

Heidi Kay and The PediaStaff Team

 





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Language Development in the News: Early Anesthesia Tied to Language Problems in Kids

[Source:  Reuters Health via Yahoo News]

 

Babies and toddlers who went under anesthesia during surgery ended up having slightly worse scores on language and reasoning tests as 10-year-olds, in a new study.

 

That doesn't prove the anesthesia is to blame, researchers pointed out.

 

"At this point, we're still unsure if these differences are due to anesthesia, surgery or some other factor, like the underlying diagnosis that caused kids to need surgery in the first place," said lead researcher Dr. Caleb Ing, an anesthesiologist from the Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

 

Emotional Intelligence in the NewsSavvy Tots to Grown-Ups: 'Don't Be Such a Crybaby'

[Source: Science Daily]

 

Children as young as 3 apparently can tell the difference between whining and when someone has good reason to be upset, and they will respond with sympathy usually only when it is truly deserved, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

 

"The study provides the first evidence that 3-year-olds can evaluate just how reasonable another person's distressed reaction is to a particular incident or situation, and this influences whether they are concerned enough to try to do something to help," said the study's lead author, Robert Hepach, MRes, of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. The study was published online in the APA journal Developmental Psychology.  

 

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

ADD in the Media: PBS Airs Documentary About ADD

Editor's Note:  While this program is not strictly for kids, the first program that PBS aired, 'ADD and Loving It', was very family friendly and accessible for everyone.  Check your local listings for this program on PBS in your city.

 

[Source: Special Ed Post]

 

The PBS documentary "ADD & Mastering It!" premiered at 7am on Aug. 19, 2012 on PBS.  The program is the sequel to the extremely popular documentary, "ADD & Loving It?!," which aired on PBS last year. The new program offers advice from 24 of the top experts in the field, who have worked with tens of thousands of ADHD patients, both children and adults.  

 

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

Inspiration to Share:  23-Year-Old Blind Judo Champion  

[Source:  Takepart.com via Yahoo News]

 

For a blind athlete, judo champion Jordan Mouton sure has no problem envisioning her future. Down the road, she'd love nothing more than to teach the sport she excels in, paying forward her hand-to-hand wherewithal to the sight-impaired martial artists of tomorrow.

 

First things first, though: The 23-year-old is laser-focused on the Summer Paralympics, which begin in London on August 29.


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

Speech Sounds Development in the News: New Study Uncovers Brain's Code for Pronouncing Vowels

[Source:  Medical Xpress]

 

Scientists have unraveled how our brain cells encode the pronunciation of individual vowels in speech. The discovery could lead to new technology that verbalizes the unspoken words of people paralyzed by injury or disease.

 

Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease at 21, British physicist Stephen Hawking, now 70, relies on a computerized device to speak. Engineers are investigating the use of brainwaves to create a new form of communication for Hawking and other people suffering from paralysis. -Daily Mail Scientists at UCLA and the Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology, have unraveled how our brain cells encode the pronunciation of individual vowels in speech. Published in the Aug. 21 edition of Nature Communications, the discovery could lead to new technology that verbalizes the unspoken words of


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

Brain Development in the News:   Practicing Music for Only Few Years in Childhood Helps Improve Adult Brain

[Source: Science Daily] 

 

A little music training in childhood goes a long way in improving how the brain functions in adulthood when it comes to listening and the complex processing of sound, according to a new Northwestern University study.

 

The impact of music on the brain has been a hot topic in science in the past decade. Now Northwestern researchers for the first time have directly examined what happens after children stop playing a musical instrument after only a few years - a common childhood experience. 

 

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

Autism in the News:  Study: Father's Age a Likely Factor in Autism 

Editor's Note:  Although we post many studies alleging risk factors for autism, this study seems to be significant.

 

[Source: CBS News]

 

The cause of autism is one of the great mysteries of medicine, but we found out something new and important Wednesday.

 

A report in the medical journal "Nature" says it is the age of the father at the time of conception, not the age of the mother that can raise the risk of autism in a child.

 

With more men becoming fathers later in life, it could help explain the rise in autism.   

 

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

Stuttering in the News:  Study Finds ADHD Traits in Children who Stutter  

[Source:  News-Medical.net via Special Ed Post.com]

 

Over half of school-age children who stutter (CWS) have sufficient attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to warrant referral for clinical evaluation, the results of a US study of parental reports indicates.

 

"From a clinical perspective, the identification of coexisting ADHD traits in CWS is vitally important because these subgroups of children will require a different type of intervention from those children who present with stuttering alone," explain Joseph Donaher, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and co-authors.

 

 Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog

Technology in the News:  How Baby-Driven Robots Could Help Children with Disabilities  

[Source: MSNBC.com]

 

A typical five-month-old infant has hardly figured out how to sit up yet - even crawling may be months away - but there are a few babies who already know how to drive. They're steering their very own mobile robots.

The robots are designed to allow babies with disabilities to move around independently, at the same age their peers might learn to crawl. Whether they use robots or their own limbs, starting to move may be an important part of baby brain development, some childhood specialists think. Researchers don't want kids with cerebral palsy or other movement disorders to miss out.

 

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog

Pinterest Pin of the WeekEasy Apple Craft for Kids 

Once again,'No Time for Flash Cards'wins the "Pin of the Week" with over 250 repins.

There are some outstanding ideas on this post for motor, sensory and more!

 

Crafts include:

Cereal Box Apples, Simple Apple Craft For Toddlers, Apple a Letter Craft, Paper Bag Apple, Treat Bags, Wormy Apple Craft, Pom Pom Apple Tree, Basket of Apples, Apple Printed Hearts, Apple Sensory Tub, Toilet Paper Roll Apple, Apple Print Wreath, Fine Motor Apples, Apple Orchard Craft, Apple Lacing Craft, Apple Sun Catcher

 

Visit this Excellent Collection of Activities Through a Link on our Blog  

App Review of the WeekStory Pals 

by Jessica Chase, M.A., CCC-SLP  

 

"Whimsical. Enjoyable. Data-driven." These are the three words that Eric Sailers used to describe his new application, StoryPals. I could not find a better way to start off a review of the application than to use these same words, because I completely agree.

 

To be honest, I have followed Eric Sailers for a while online. He has created/collaborated on many resources for speech-language pathologists, in particular related to technology. One of his most famous creations is the list of applications for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch for (Special) Education that he collaborated with others on. It is 36 pages long and was my  

 

Read the More of this App Review on our Website 

Therapy Idea of the Week:   Sensory Car Wash

 

We saw this first on Pinterest.  It is a (pricey) product for sale by Abilitations but it is certainly something you can easily and inexpensively recreate as a D-I-Y!    Not sure exactly what all is hanging from each "station" but are all different with a variety of textures to crawl under.

What would YOU hang on each station for the ultimate sensory experience?

Visit a Picture of this Activity on our Blog

SLP Corner: Targeting Language Through Play

by:  Tej Sohan, M.A., CCC-SLP TSSLD

 

My summer vacation took a bit of a turn. I had every intention of relaxing and using my free time to get organized for the upcoming school year and perhaps even plan my wedding (July 26, 2013!!!). However, an opportunity to work with the preschool population arose that I could not pass up. After spending a year with my middle schoolers I definitely needed to jog my memory and re-familiarize myself with functional and multipurpose toys to use in order to support and develop language. This post is a compilation of some of the things I've have found useful in the past, as well as toys I used this summer.

 

Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog

OT Corner: Stencils for Prewriting Strokes

by Anne Zachry OTR/L

 

Do you have a student or child working on prewriting strokes? I recently started seeing a student for therapy who was already using these stencils, and they are so clever, I had to share them with you!

 

Basically, all you need are several file folders (colored file folders are nice), a black marker, a laminating machine, and sticky back Velcro.

  

Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog

Pediatric Therapy Corner: Preventing Meltdowns: Outsmarting the Explosive Behavior of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

[Source:  Special Education Advisor.com]

 

By Judy Endow, MSW

 

Meltdown behavior is quite common for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. And, indeed, the most frequently asked question by parents and educators is: "What do I do when my child has meltdowns?"

When the meltdown is occurring, the best reaction is to ensure the safety of all concerned. Know that explosive behavior is not planned but instead is most often caused by subtle and perplexing triggers. When the behavior happens, everyone in its path feels pain, especially the child.

 

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

Worth Repeating - XXX Syndrome: Early Learning and Sensory Developmental Implications
[Source: Special Education Advisor]

By Susan N. Schriber Orloff, OTR/L

 

This rare but potentially devastating condition affects girls born to older mothers.  And as we as OT's working in schools and preschools have already observed, many of our "first time moms" are often in their late thirties and early forties.

 

It is not a given that all older moms give birth to children with issues.  But in the case of XXX Syndrome that is one of the prominent factors.  XXX Syndrome is characterized by the presence of an additional X chromosome in each cell of female children/fetus.  If the extra X chromosome occurs only in some of the cells it is called a mosaic, and has less developmental impact.  It is not an inherited condition and usually occurs during conception and is related to a delayed or incomplete splitting of the egg during fertilization.  Occurrence is about 1 in 1,000.

 

Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog
Also Worth Repeating - Why Should We Care About Concussions When NFL Players Don't?
[Source:  Deadspin.com]
 

At a June roundtable event in New York City hosted by PACE>, an education program sponsored by Dick's Sporting Goods, former New York Giants linebacker Carl Banks told a haunting story about the culture of the NFL in the 1980s.

 

"One of my teammates had taken a shot to the head in the first half and he was pretty dazed on the sidelines," Banks said. "But he kept wanting to go back in. You know - 'I'm fine, I'm fine.' Then when we got to the locker room [at halftime], the guy sits down in the middle of the floor in front of everybody and starts crying like a baby. Sobbing. It was like his mind had reverted back to childhood. He was calling out for his mother and pounding the floor."

 

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

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