Please pass this information on!! here it the official link for the center...THANK YOU! autismsolutioncenter.com APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH How can you make a difference in the autism community? JOIN AUTISM'S CASUAL FOR A CAUSE CAMPAIGN Greetings! Autism Solution Center Foundation, Inc. (ASCF) is launching our annual Autism's Casual For A Cause Campaign. Our goal is to promote educational awareness within the community about early identification and intervention, as well as the treatability of autism spectrum disorders. This campaign also raises funding to provide NO COST autism treatment and assistance to families in need. Please help ASCF in our mission by asking your employer to participate in our Autism's Casual For A Cause Campaign and please pass this information along to others who might be interested. Any organization can participate, regardless of size! During the month of April, we are encouraging organizations to allow their employees to pick one day during each work week in April where they can pay $5 to dress casual. Participation can begin at any time and can also continue past April! Many are choosing to make this an ongoing event, as autism is an ongoing issue that requires long-term support. You can make a significant difference TODAY in the life of a child with autism by participating in our Autism's Casual For A Cause Campaign! We supply all the educational materials, tracking materials, receipts, and more, to make this an easy campaign for your organization to participate in. We've done all the work ahead of time, to make this a campaign that will be enjoyed by all! Whether you are an employer or an employee, visit our website at http://www.casual4autism.com for more information on how to get involved. Complete an organization registration form, or read more info below. GENERAL INFORMATION What does it mean to go "Casual For A Cause"? Casual days provide an opportunity for employees to dress down and be comfortable while they work in a corporate environment. Casual days are also a fantastic way to boost morale within an organization and allow employees to get away from the everyday corporate attire. Many organizations have already adopted casual days, and ASCF offers a great opportunity for employees to use their casual days to raise money to fight for NO COST autism spectrum disorder treatment and assistance for families in need. For most families struggling with autism spectrum disorders, help is not readily available because of financial restraints and the limited number of specialists in the field. When do we participate in "Autism's Casual For A Cause"? April is Autism Awareness Month, so we encourage organizations to take part to heighten education and awareness in this important month. However, Autism's Casual For A Cause can be implemented at any time of the year, or throughout the year for that matter. Why should we participate in "Autism's Casual For A Cause"? With all of the publicity surrounding the current autism epidemic, most of us know someone or have heard of someone affected by an autism spectrum disorder. With the current rates of 1 in every 150 individuals being affected, this has an impact on all of our lives. This is an incredible way to do something fun, that also allows employees to feel like they are making a difference in the life of a child, who might not otherwise have access the assistance needed. What does "Autism's Casual For A Cause" provide? Casual days provide educational awareness about the benefits of early diagnosis and treatability of autism spectrum disorders, as well as access to NO COST autism treatment and assistance for families in need. Company/Employee Benefits: · Increase conpany's cause marketing efforts · Increase company's brand awareness Tax deductible fundraising program: · Employer is responsible for ensuring their employees receive a receipt for their tax deductible contribution for the fundraiser · ASCF strongly encourages a matching program by the employer. If the employer chooses to match the employees contribution, the portion that the employer contributes is a tax deductible donation. · If the employer chooses to make a direct contribution, rather than matching, that contribution will be tax deductible for the employer as a donation. Casual Director's Documents: The casual director for the employer will be provided with all the related and necessary materials including: · Donation Forms - to be completed and returned with your donation check to Autism Solution Center Foundation, Inc. · Contribution Receipts - To be given to employees who make contributions. · Goal Cards - A fantastic tool for keeping participants motivated during the campaign. Aim high, set a goal, and work together to benefit the families of autism spectrum disorders. · Certificates of Appreciation - That can be used to thank those who participate in the event. · Autism Awareness Fact Posters - Printable posters stating many unknown facts about autism spectrum disorders. · Benefits Document - Allowing employers to see the many benefits of participating in Autism's Casual For A Cause fundraiser. · Autism's Casual For A Cause Tracker - Excel workbook to help you track contributions. · Website Logos and Banners - For company websites, newsletters, or other employer media. · Idea Sheet - Some additional ideas to help you make this the most successful event possible! HOW DO WE START THE CAMPAIGN? How do we start the "Autism's Casual For A Cause" project? 1. Select an "Autism's Casual For A Cause" chairperson from your organization. 2. Visit the website and complete the campaign registration form and fax to Autism Solution Center Foundation, Inc. at (901) 758-1806. 3. Members should begin asking the entire staff in your organization to support ASCF by donating a minimum of $5 for each Friday they would like to dress casual. Members could also organize a community drive by doing the same. Again, this could be any time during the month of April for Autism Awareness Month, or this could be an ongoing campaign. 4. Careful record keeping is essential. · Money should be collected and a receipt given showing the name of the donor, the amount of the contribution and the date the donation was made. (Receipts Provided) · Record all names and donation amounts on the "Autism's Casual For A Cause" Tracker. (Tracker Provided). · When your campaign is complete (this could be the end of the April Autism Awareness Campaign, or the end of each month for ongoing campaigns), send the Donation Form along with your check made payable to Autism Solution Center Foundation, Inc. to: Autism Solution Center Foundation, Inc. Attn: Autism's Casual For A Cause Campaign 9282 Cordova Park Road Cordova, TN 38018 (901) 758-8288 * (901) 758-1806 Fax On behalf of the families we serve, THANK YOU for your willingness to participate in this campaign. We look forward to continuing to serve families in need for many years to come! Sincerely, Laura Corby, Founder/CEO Autism Solution Center, Inc.

Well, we also started a type of reward system in school for him now. It is called Island Time. After he completes a learning center with no problems or behaves well for a pre-determined amount of time he gets to go to island time for 6 minutes. During those 6 minutes he gets to listen to music on an mp3 player we bought for him to use, read books only for him or just chill out in a chair only he is allowed to sit in. Talk about remarkable progress in a short amount of time. He has not gotten less than 7 tallies any day since we started it on March 17th. His teacher reports much better behavior and greater cooperation and effort on his behalf. The whole idea for island time came from the school's principal when we spoke to her about his teacher. Even though she is good in many areas she had not worked much with autistic children, so we did not feel she had all the patience necessary and was having a hard time coming up with motivational ideas for him. We talked to his principal on a Thursday and she asked that we give the weekend to come up with something. On Monday she told us the idea, and it was implemented the following day. It is by far one of the most successful techniques we have used to help curve his behavior at school and keep him focused on assigned and requested tasks and assignments.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Surprising Benefits of Biofeedback The 1970s are forever associated with bizarre fads and funky ideas like the Pet Rock. Those disappeared quickly but at least one idea that seemed weird then not only had staying power, but in retrospect proved visionary. Mood rings, made with liquid crystal that changes color based on body temperature, were marketed as a tool to gauge state of mind -- but actually, these were an early form of biofeedback. Biofeedback was being studied in the 1970s, with research continuing even now, and it has become a highly sophisticated therapy for a host of different health challenges. In fact, even the American Cancer Society acknowledges biofeedback can help improve cancer patients' quality of life and certain associated health conditions. I spoke with Celeste De Bease, PhD, the former chair of the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America, who has taught biofeedback therapy for many years and practices it in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. ARE YOU "OVER-REACTIVE?" Dr. De Bease explains that ideally the alarm or arousal levels people experience should be appropriate to the situations they encounter, but that's often not what happens. Many people chronically over-respond to stress and others go through daily life on "high alert" even when nothing particularly stressful is happening -- Dr. De Bease calls this having a "hyperactive idling speed." Though they may have no clue that this is happening, they pay a high price in stress-related fatigue and illnesses. Through biofeedback, says Dr. De Bease, such people can learn to "uncouple the primitive and physically taxing survival response of fight or flight from situations that do not call for it." Biofeedback is used for a wide swath of disorders, many associated with some degree of stress, including Raynaud's disease, urinary incontinence, ADHD, fibromyalgia, anxiety, epilepsy, high blood pressure, migraine and other headaches, sleep disorders, IBS and tinnitus. Treatment usually starts with a psycho-physiological stress test in which people are exposed to stress-inducing situations, such as recounting a stressful experience or hearing a sudden loud noise. They are hooked up to equipment that measures the physical responses to determine their individual levels of reactivity and how long it takes them to recover afterward. Machines used in biofeedback therapy measure muscle tension, blood flow, heart rate and skin temperature, as well as sweat gland activity -- all are extremely sensitive to thoughts and feelings. Additional equipment identifies brain activity (neurofeedback), which includes alpha waves (calm relaxation), beta (alert), theta (meditation and light sleep) and delta waves (deep sleep). LEARNING A BETTER WAY THROUGH BIOFEEDBACK Once problems are identified, the therapist uses various techniques to retrain clients to improve their physiological responses. One area of change centers on releasing muscle tension. This is the easiest biofeedback goal to achieve, says Dr. De Bease, because we control many of our muscles voluntarily. Then the work moves on to learning control of the autonomic nervous system, which affects vasoconstriction. For example, people who have Raynaud's disease often have cold hands, caused by constriction in the blood vessels leading to them. Biofeedback teaches them to focus on learning how to uncouple this subconscious response and pay attention to what triggered it. Another key diagnostic area centers on heart rate. To explain: Normally the heart beats faster on inhalation and slows with exhalation (variability), but that pattern can be disrupted in people who are chronically stressed and whose hearts remain at a fast-paced "ready" rate. People can learn to normalize this heartbeat with breathing exercises, which Dr. De Bease explains is "a great bridge for helping people to balance the influences from the two components of autonomic nervous system function -- sympathetic (preparing for attack) and parasympathetic (calm and relaxation)." Eventually people learn to consciously make changes that can affect their autonomic responses, including heart rate and perspiration. Rather than becoming inappropriately stressed yet again, you can learn to modify your response to fit the situation. THE BODY-MIND LINK Dr. De Bease observes that using the body to calm the mind is exactly the opposite of the usual path in the Western world, where many believe that if you "think it, you can make it so." Biofeedback works in reverse, she says: "Change your body and it will change your mind." It's a tactic that reminds me of being told to smile when upset or angry -- however silly you feel with a grin on your angry face, it does seem impossible to stay mad. Much of the stress in our culture comes from time constraints and attempts to multitask, thinking about several things at once, says Dr. De Bease. When you find yourself overstressing because of commitments or distractions or fear of not getting everything done, slow down and regulate your breathing. Breathing slowly in and out will help balance the function of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, allowing for a more appropriate autonomic response to external stressful stimuli. Biofeedback can help all sorts of health problems -- and is generally considered safe. You can find a practitioner near you by going to the Web site of the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (www.bcia.org). Most biofeedback sessions run about 45 minutes and cost in the same range as psychotherapy. Insurance generally pays at least part of the cost -- sometimes all, depending on your health condition. Don't expect to solve your problems in one visit, however. Most people require a session a week for 20 weeks or so and some may continue even longer. Source(s): Celeste De Bease, PhD, former chair of the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America, is a biofeedback therapy teacher and therapist in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, www.bioneurofeedback.com. She is associate clinical professor at Widener University's Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology.

March 17, 2009, 8:28 AM One of my greatest fears is that in the end I will have done everything wrong and my child will suffer as a result. That I took a wrong turn here, didn’t fully do an action there and as a result each of my child could have had a better result. Since their birth, I’ve always tried to make preemptive decisions. Choices that I hoped would bring about the most optimum results. Preemptive moves that would, in hopes, provide the most positive and prevent any negatives. Unfortunately, despite trying to be preemptive, I contiuously ran up against roadblocks, education administrations, funding, logistic resources, and as a result nothing was gained. Should I have tried a different path? Pushed harder? I see success stories all around. With Autism, Special Needs, Multiples. Jenny McCarthy reports her son is now cured. I read accounts all the time of families who are successfully dealing with the same issues that we are. As much as dealing with ASD can be successful. What am I not doing that they have found success with their children? We tried the Biomedical route, but did not have the funding, or it seems the right doctor to go this route. We pushed through the educational route and after 11 years now, are still in search of a consistent programs for Solomon. We pushed for ABA and got it added to his school program only to find it was not being implemented correctly, thus no generalization. We started John at an early age with Botox shots for his CP. We did EI, therapies, followed medical advice (best we could without outside respite care), and are we any further along than had we not taken on the debt we have today? We are at risk of losing our house, and credit companies taking our income due to biomedical, medical & therapy debts we took on years ago. I’ve always said, God only gives me as much as I can handle. But what if I’ve just messed it all up? What if, had I pushed the Dr. or School Dist harder (which would have just meant full due process as we sunk last of our savings into a lawyer only to be told to hold him back in preK and it would be worked out…so naïve of us!), if I only pushed harder and made the choice to take a different path that Solomon would now be eating a better diet, or be more able to be included, or that John would have friends, or Katherine would be able to overcome her extreme social anxiety? My favorite poem is Frost’s The Road Less Traveled, and I feel that all the options should be looked at to find the most appropriate, even individualistic option. Did I let school limitations, finances alter those decisions or paths? And will, ultimately my children suffer as a result? For many years, we put all our energy & focus on advocating for Solomon. He was the most intensive child, the most in need of supports & a specialized program. Fighting the school district, making constant calls to the Insurance for denied claims, hearing Medical professionals tell me I’m the mom, I should be able to get him to eat and, oh yeah, dealing with life at home without outside supports. As a result of that focus, did I forego the other children?? Should I have pushed to get Katherine art lessons more?? Gotten Will into more appropriate sports to encourage his self-esteem, like Karate instead of team sports where he has difficulties and gets angry? Should I have pursued finding sibling groups for Katherine & Will to deal with their brothers issues as well as their own? Or pushed harder to find social groups for John to better adjust his perceptions & TOM issues? This past year I consented and home schooled Katherine & Will, knowing their difficulties in the B&M classroom that weren’t being addressed. Was this a help or did I just give in only to ultimately fail them? I’ve always said I wanted my children to grow up differently that I did. I didn’t want them to feel self-conscious about everything, that they would be told it was their fault. But because of who I am and how I was raised is this inevitable?? I don’t want my children to become grown-ups only to be nowhere near where we had envisioned them to be or rather, where they could have been. And because of a path that I did or did not choose to take.

More on My Son March 16, 2009 It has been quite a while since my last post, but I will still try to keep it short for the most part. My son has a new Lead ABA home therapist, and she seems very pro-active, and communicative with things she observes and wants to try and explains them very well to his Line Therapist as well as my wife and I. He is still very fond of his lead therapist and usually looks forward to her sessions with him. We tackled the whole hitting thing over again and we seem to be struggling off and on with this battle. Sometimes a week at a time with no problem then BAM! 2-3 days in a row with this problem. He had a bout with fifth disease and the flu recently, but came through pretty good, I think he enjoyed getting to spend extra at home with dad. Even though he was sick and we stayed at the house we had fun. We are working with this home therapist to stretch his rewards out over a whole week. IE if he does his work good at each session, he gets a special sticker on a special chart with a picture of the reward. If he gets 4 special stickers (he has four home sessions a week) he gets his reward. We have only been on this for 3 weeks now, one of which therapy was cancelled due to him having the flu. This week he will be working for the Pinocchio video. He seems to really want to be socialable all of a sudden not sure if it is because he spent a week couped up in the house with just mom & dad or not. I believe not. This weekend we went to the food court at the mall for lunch and he seemed to play well with other children in the play area, with no problems. At home when his cousin comes over he seems to play better when we check on them frequently, every 10 mins or less, and he knows we are keeping an eye on him. This is more of a preventativer thing becuase like all children at some point if another child gets a toy he wants he has been known to try to retrieve that toy by pushing, hitting, etc... Overall, we have seen remarkable improvements in his speech, math, & communications (conversational ability) with us and others. He asks as well as explains things to us now with good clarity. Handwritting has also improved, but is still difficult for him. Recently, we decided to discuss trying more ABA therapy in his class environment and working on an "in-school" reward system as well. My wife discussed with the school principal some things we thought could be improved on and/or implemented with little impact on the rest of the class, she readily agreed and offered some great ideas of her own. We hope to start these new things this week. Hop everyone is doing well.

Speech & Language Materials on Sale! OVERSTOCK OF SPEECH & LANGUAGE MATERIALS BIG CLEARANCE SALE - Items are $13 or less We must clear our shelves to make room for new stock. Therefore, we have LOTS of items on CLEARANCE! Limited quantities are available and this offer is on a first come, first served basis. Since you are a VIP Member, you get a head start and have 24 hours to purchase before our regular subscribers are notified. NO rain checks are allowed and the sale ends when the supplies are gone! If you need new materials, this is the time to buy! Go to http://www.nlconcepts.com to view the selection now. Warm regards, Your friends at Natural Learning Concepts http://www.nlconcepts.com Toll free: (800) 823-3430 Main (631) 858-0188

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=288482&lis=0&kntae288482=23BC7605DC284A3D9EE894DFC4F19157 Saturday, April 18, 2009 Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, PA HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!! IF YOU CAN PLEASE JOIN OUR TEAM!!!! Having to hear your child is on the Autism Spectrum is a shock to a persons system. For anyone who doesn't know Silas was diagnosed with PDD-NOS which is on the Autism Spectrum.(Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified, or PDD-NOS, for short, is a condition on the spectrum that has those with it exhibiting some, but not all, of the symptoms associated with classic autism. That can include difficulty socializing with others, repetitive behaviors, and heightened sensitivities to certain stimuli.) We feel that by doing something to help in the research for this disorder we can help Silas and so many other children. Unfortunately, every 20 minutes a new family will hear those words, "Your child has autism." Let's help...any way we can. Please help support us as we walk on April 18, 2009 to raise funds and awareness for this disorder that has not only affected our family, but millions of others throughout the world. Technically Walk Now for Autism is a 5K, family friendly event. Our family may not actually make it the entire 3.2 miles but that is okay because this event is not about the physical miles walked – it is about accelerating the pace and progress of autism research. When I participate in this event, the sense of hope and determinedness is palatable. With this many people gathered around me, I know that we are making progress. That things will not remain the same. That we, by the sheer force of our combined passion, commitment, and numbers will move this field forward to find effective treatments and a cure for this devastating neurological disorder called autism. With your participation and support, we can get there even faster. “Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people could change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead Please support us in our efforts

Children of Destiny is pleased to announce the second annual Turning the Tide! A Prayer Thrust for Autism Awareness Month April, 2009 Join us and thousands from around the world as we come together in a unified concert of prayer to see the tide of autism turned! Since the early '90s, autism, which was once considered to be a rare disease, exploded within the human population. With each passing year greater numbers of innocent children are diagnosed. The epidemic has grown to a staggering 1 in every 150 births. Today, as you read this, it is conservatively estimated that over 100 children will be diagnosed with autism worldwide Medical establishments, educational systems, and governmental structures have been overwhelmed as wave after wave of autism diagnoses keep pounding the shores of many nations. But no one is as completely engulfed as the family whose precious child -- or children -- are swept away by autism. They deal not only with the devastating behavioral and social dysfunction, but also with financial, medical, educational, spiritual, and relational issues affecting the whole family. We at Children of Destiny believe that now is the time to join together in corporate prayer to see the relentless tide of autism turned back once and for all! The Bible says that God "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Ps. 147:3). Another passage promises that, "the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results" (James 5:16). We believe that the power of our prayers are greatly increased as we join corporately to beseech the Lord. We have put together a calendar giving each day's topic, Scripture references, and a prayer focus for everyone joining us in this thrust. We encourage those who are praying to use this calendar and to check back to our web site each day in April for a more complete list of Scriptures and detailed prayer points. For more information, or to view and download the April prayer calendar, please visit www.childrenofdestiny.org/turning_the_tide.asp.. We welcome responses to this email! Please join us as we come together in prayer to turn the tide! With blessings, Jack and Rebecca Sytsema P.S. We welcome distribution of this information and of the prayer calendar to email lists, churches, autism awareness/parents' meetings or wherever there may be those who are interested in praying to see the tide of autism turned! JOIN THE NEW UNLOCKING AUTISM MAILING LIST BY GOING TO: www.unlockingautism.org

If you have not picked up a copy of Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo, I strongly recommend you take a peek inside this amazing book. Creator and Founder of Brain Balance, Dr. Melillo has put his knowledge in an easy to follow book form that uses many of the techniques found at Brain Balance Centers. If this idea is new to you...in a nut shell the brain has two halves. It takes both halves working in harmony and proper neuron growth to make his happen. When the wiring is not working, as we all know, you have issues. Brain balance looks at 200 left-right brain characteristics allowing you to better understand where issues are for your child, and which side of the brain is dominate. It also test hand, eye, ear, and foot dominance. Sadly, many of the traditional therapies we see that deal with working the brain and body, strengthen the already dominate side of the brain, making issues worse not better! Brain balance allows you to map the weak side, and start to strengthen the weak side...creating a better balance in the brain resolving many of the issues we see in our children. I had fun mapping my son's and wouldn't you know it, one is right brain dominate, one is left. No wonder they are totally different in temperament, and ability. I am currently talking to a neuro chiropractor and watching his success with spectrum kids. He was a student under Dr. Melillo...and has truly taken the ideas we learned from Glenn Dolman into the 21st century.

From Wrightslaw: We're excited about the progress on our new series of FAQ books! The first book is in the works. All About IEPs Our first FAQ book will feature everything you ever wanted to know about IEPs. OK…maybe not everything, but close. (More Details) We need a great, descriptive title for this series so we decided to ask our subscribers for help. The winner of the "Name that Book Contest" will receive a Wrightslaw Advocate's Deluxe Super Pack (Suggested Retail Value $299). (Details below) We Need Your Help Our faithful readers have been asking for an FAQ series. You asked, we listened. Who better to name the book than our subscribers. You ask the questions and you will read our new book for answers.. We thank you for helping us name the book. When suggesting a name, remember, you will be naming the first book in a series.. Our first topic is IEPs. Subsequent books will answer questions about Evaluations, Eligibility, Procedural Safeguards, etc. You are always creative, so we know you’ll have suggestions that will grab attention and tell people about what is so important in this book. The title should stimulate interest, engage readers, and surface in online and library searches. back to the top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Book Wrightslaw receives hundreds of questions daily. For over 10 years we’ve been collecting questions from parents, advocates, attorneys, teachers, administrators. What is…? How do I…? What do I do when….? Suppose this happens…what then? What are my rights when…? Do I really need to…? Who is responsible for…? Does my child need…? You’ll not only get answers to your frequently asked questions about the IEP process, but an explanation of what the statute and regulations require, practical examples, useful advocacy strategies and tips from expert advocates, plus resource listings for more information. Need real, understandable solutions for IEP problems and information that will enable you to implement your solutions? Check the preliminary outline of the Table of Contents for a sneak peek of topics. back to the top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contest Rules 1. Type your proposed Book Title in the Subject line only of your email - nothing more or less. Type nothing in the body of your email. Emails will not be opened, only the subject line will be considered. 2. Send each Book Title by separate email to title@wrightslaw.com. Note: two or more titles in one email will be discarded. 3. The winner of the "Name that Book Contest" will receive the newly created Wrightslaw Advocate's Deluxe Super Pack. The winner will be announced in The Special Ed Advocate newsletter and on the Wrightslaw Way Blog. 4. In the event of identical titles, the first submission received by Harbor House Law Press will win. 5. The "Name that Book Contest" ends Thursday, March 12 at Midnight (Eastern Time). Our target publication date is Spring 2009 Book Outline http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/09/iep.toc.outline.pdf

In the last couple of weeks there has been two times where I have taken my son to school (not dropped him off) and he didn't want me to leave. I give the some information before I leave the car..."I need to talk to your teacher today before school starts and then I will be going to work". I talk to his teacher all is good, visit with him, have him show me things and remind him I am leaving when the bell rings, but when the bell rings he didn't want me to leave.

He is seven (2nd grade) and this has not happened in a very long time, but he wouldn't go to his desk, he wouldn't leave my side. He stood in front of me to not allow me to leave. He followed me outside the classroom. Still wouldn't go to his desk. I tried to get him to go to his desk for 15 min and finally said he had two choices. To go to his classroom or the principles office. I didn't know what to do. I had a meeting in 10 min and a 20 min drive. I was lucky that his school psychologist was in the office and she took over. I felt like crap, but his teacher (great at email) said that the rest of his day was fine. My husband said he was great when he got home.

Go figure. I don't understand it. I wrote him a short note with face pictures about how I felt when he wouldn't go to class. I read it to him that night and asked that we could work on this so I can visit his room before class. We will see what happens next time.

www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/Lapbooks/ I found this site by chance today, I found it to be fun. There are so many ways we can make these lapbooks to visually teach our children. I can't wait to start making these for Julian and Dante' check them out and have fun.

For Immediate Release Thursday, March 5, 2009 E-mail this page Subscribe Contact: NIMH Press Office 301-443-4536 Advisory Panel Releases First Federal Strategic Plan for Autism Research The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), a federal government advisory panel, has released its first blueprint for autism research. The IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research will advise federal agencies and Congress on needs and opportunities for research investigating autism, a complex developmental disorder that affects 1 in 150 children. "This plan will help fill the gaps between what we know about autism and what we need to do to help affected families and communities," said Thomas Insel, M.D., chair of the IACC and director of the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health. "This document marks a significant achievement in that it is the product of a truly collaborative effort involving the IACC, scientists, advocacy groups and the public." In establishing the IACC, the Combating Autism Act of 2006 mandated that the body develop and annually update a strategic plan for autism research. The IACC, composed of both federal and public members, developed the plan through an extensive process engaging a wide range of federal agencies and public stakeholders. The IACC convened four scientific workshops to identify research opportunities as well as expert workgroups to recommend research objectives. The committee also sought extensive public input on ASD research priorities through means such as town hall meetings and Requests for Information. The resulting plan reflects a diversity of views and the breadth of research that will be required to address the needs of people with ASD and their families. Autism is a complex developmental disorder characterized by repetitive behavior and pervasive impairments in language and the ability to relate to others. It is often grouped with related disorders, such as Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, all of which may be referred to collectively as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The underlying causes of ASD are unclear and currently, there is no cure for the disorders. Prevalence of ASDs has increased more than ten-fold over the past two decades, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2007. The IACC strategic plan is organized around six critically important questions for people with ASD and their families regarding diagnosis, the biology of autism, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services and supports and questions about issues faced by adolescents, adults and seniors with autism and their families. Each question is followed by a brief discussion of what is currently known and what more is needed through research. The plan then states an aspirational goal and describes research opportunities and objectives in each area. Each objective includes a professional judgment budget estimate, provided by programmatic and agency experts. Recommendations in the strategic plan include objectives to: develop new diagnostic tools; complete longitudinal and comprehensive studies of the biological, clinical and developmental profiles of children; identify genetic and environmental risk factors; conduct clinical trials of interventions; and assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of evidence-based services for people with ASD of all ages in community settings. Over the next year, the IACC will monitor the implementation of the strategic plan and update the document for its annual release. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research is available on the IACC Web site at www.iacc.hhs.gov The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website, http://www.nimh.nih.gov. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

If It Looks Like Autism and It Acts Like Autism... Friday February 27, 2009 Three guys walk into their houses and complain to their wives "I've got a headache!" Like all good partners, their wives reply "Then take an aspirin (or tylenol or advil)!" All three men take their wives' excellent advice. Half an hour later, all three headaches are gone. Over the next three days, each man has an occasional headache, which he treats effectively with aspirin. At the end of the three days, all three men are just fine. By digging deeper, you might find that guy A was stressed out; guy B was suffering from a sinus cold; and guy C had whacked his head against a door. All three shared only the symptom - and not the cause. But all three had something describable, recognizable and treatable as "headache." Right now, in the world of autism, we are living with a similar situation. People with autism spectrum disorder diagnoses of PDD-NOS, Asperger syndrome or autistic disorder (and even, arguably, non-verbal learning disorder and several other disorders) share symptoms. For all we know, there are a hundred different causes of "autism-like symptoms," just as there are a hundred different causes of "headache-like symptoms." Some may be the result of immune deficiencies. Others may be caused by food intolerances, brain injuries, unique brain structures, genetic anomalies or airborne toxins. But according to the diagnostic manual, unless the symptoms can be better explained by Retts disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder or Schizophrenia - people with autism-like symptoms have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In the past few months, the Vaccine Court has made a number of decisions regarding the claims of parents claiming that vaccines injured their children who now have the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. From what I've read so far, it seems to me that the court is actually attempting to distinguish, in its decisions, between "autism spectrum disorders" and "autism-like symptoms." The distinction is based on what the court determines to be the underlying cause of the symptoms. Hannah Poling, for example, had an underlying mitochondrial condition and received too many vaccines in one day. The court acknowledged a causal connection between the vaccines and "autism-like symptoms," but did not call Hannah's condition an "autism spectrum disorder." But if there really is no distinction in the diagnostic criteria between, say, "autism-like symptoms caused by genetic mutation" and "autism-like symptoms caused by a combination of pre-existing mitochondrial disorder and fever brought about by over-exposure to vaccines," I'm not sure that the court can reasonably say that one is "an autism spectrum disorder" while the other is "a set of autism-like symptoms." In fact, at least at this point in history (and hopefully all this will change over time!) - if it looks like autism and it acts like autism (and it isn't Rett syndrome, CDD or Schizophrenia) - then by golly, so far as I understand the medical and legal literature, it's autism.

Hi all, I would like to start a monthly parent support group in my area (at no charge). We live in a rural area, and the closest ones are a pretty far drive. I would see myself as a facilitator, not necessarily as an "expert". I was thinking evenings, 7-9, at a local public venue. Do you attend a support group? What do you like, what don't you like, what would you wish for? I would appreciate any suggestions. Many thanks - and if you live in a warm climate - send good spring juju our way please. :)r.

I was just wondering what causes red cheeks like this. I thought it was an allergic reaction to something but I gave him allergy medicine and it didn't go away. It has been there for a day now. This is the longest time period in which it has stayed on his cheek. It's only on the right cheek.

Autism Society of America has just introduced their new website that helps individuals start their own fundraising event. They help you find the resources for autism events like an Autism Walk, and Autism Run, and Autism Bike Event, a Bounce for Autism etc....They will also supply flyers and marketing pieces. Or, through the site, you can find other events in your area that you can participate in or support. http://asa.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=1Power_LandingPage Have you ever participated in an autism fundraiser? Have you ever organized one. What was your experience? Did you find the event to be effective? If you could participate or start an event, what would it be?

I just learned about this on tv talking about twins with autism that also are savant. I read further online about it and I believe it may explain why I can remember songs, artists, albums, lyrics, etc. so well. People were always amazed how I could remember that and they couldn't. I always said it was like I was a human jukebox. I always knew what the song was within the first few seconds. I just think this is rather interesting. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Autistic_savant?open