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4muskateers - Faith-MT 17:20

City: Madera
State: CA
Country: USA
Member since: Jan 06, 2008
Last logged in: Nov 30, 2008

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Parent, ABA, Auditory Integration Therapy, Assistive Technology, Occupational Therapy

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4muskateers's Bio

Hi,

My name is Diana, I have one daughter (27) and four boys (22) (14) (13) and (9). I have 1 grand-daughter in heaven and four grand-sons (7) (4) (1) and (2). I have been happily married for 14 years and 12 of them have been with the challenges of autism, and year 15 is this May. I used to hold support meetings for parents here in Madera, I did this for 4 1/2 years...But do to the lack of parental interest in recovering these children, In July of 2007, I stopped the support group...I still provide resources when the local agencies ask for them. Now we try and do as many family outings as possible. I homeschool Julian, and I am his teacher, doctor, nurse, one on one aide, and therapist for everything.

As long as God gives be breath, I will continue to keep looking under every stone, and move as many mountains as possible to help Julian recover, and be all GOD intended him to be. May GOD's glory shine through Julian for the world to see. amen y amen.

Favorite Blogs (5)

BLESSED.

Blessed

My son is disabled I am blessed.
That makes no sense, is what you ...Read more

By 4muskateers on 04.07.08
Comments(0)

Blood Brain Barrier in New Borns

Blood/Brain Barrier in Infants: Letter to FEAT News

On Autoimmunity and the B...Read more

By 4muskateers on 04.15.08
Comments(1)

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4muskateers's Blogs

Two Choices

by 4muskateers on 06/28/2008

Two Choices

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have ma...

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Two Choices

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

You now have two choices:
1. Delete
2. Forward

May your day, be a Shay Day.

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Cruel punishment

by 4muskateers on 06/24/2008

Mentally challenged children are being subjected to shock treatments for punishment.

see:www.naturalnews.com/023494.html...

I sent to all three 2008 Presidential Candidates asking

by 4muskateers on 05/05/2008

Dear Parent Advocate:

On May 3rd, 2008, I released a videotaped request that I sent to all three 2008 Presidential Candidates asking them if they w...

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Dear Parent Advocate:

On May 3rd, 2008, I released a videotaped request that I sent to all three 2008 Presidential Candidates asking them if they would issue two Executive Orders should they be elected to office to begin to improve the safety of vaccines that are currently on the market.  My name is Becky Estepp and I am both the mother of a child with autism and the wife of an actively deployed US Marine. You can view the video on YouTube on the links below.

I have asked all three of the campaigns to rsvp by Mother's Day to let me know if they will provide a videotaped response by Memorial Day this year. My husband won't be home for Mother's Day but will by Memorial Day and I can't tell you how much this would mean to him to have responses to these questions when he sets foot back on American soil!

My husband and I strongly believe that children should be both protected from diseases that could hurt them AND receive products that are as safe as possible that don't contain harmful ingredients and have been thoroughly tested before they are marketed.  They are very simple, no-nonsense, fiscally responsible requests.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP ME GET THESE ANSWERS?

1. FORWARD THIS EMAIL with these 3 links your ENTIRE address book. FOR MOTHER'S DAY: START LISTENING TO MOMS.STOP BLAMING THEM. http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html VACCINE SAFETY REQUESTS FOR THE NEXT COMMANDER IN CHIEF YouTube: 2 minute edited version of video sent to each of the Presidential Candidates http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc&feature=related YouTube: Full 6 minute video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo

2. ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO HELP by emailing these links to each campaign, once per day.
Please ALWAYS contact the campaigns POLITELY. These are requests. I want to maintain
a constructive relationship with the campaigns. To help them out, please keep the subject line
uniform. Subject: "Vaccine Safety Requests for Our Next Commander in Chief" CAMPAIGN GENERAL EMAIL BOXES:
info@votehillary.org, info@mccain08hq.com, info@barackobama.com

Please cc: me at milmom2008@gmail.com so I can see how this is working and be
able to send you an update and thank you!

3. PLEASE FORWARD AND POST ON EVERY BLOG AND YAHOO GROUP
TO SPREAD THE WORD!

Sincerely,
Rebecca Estepp

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Byonetics is a CD listening program,

by 4muskateers on 04/27/2008

Byonetics

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In a nutshell, Byonetics is a CD listening program, ...

Autism on the Seas.

by 4muskateers on 04/27/2008

Upcoming Cruises

Go to: autismontheseas.com

for more information.

June 2008, departing Port Canaveral, FL to the Bahamas and...

Autism surrounded by misunderstanding-experts

by 4muskateers on 04/23/2008

Autism surrounded by misunderstanding-experts

Sunday, February 19, 2006
Autistics score big in St. Louis
Autism surrounded by misunderstandi...

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Autism surrounded by misunderstanding-experts

Sunday, February 19, 2006
Autistics score big in St. Louis 
Autism surrounded by misunderstanding-experts

It would seem that the title of this article is indicating that autism is surrounded by misunderstanding, according to experts. But sometimes it looks like autism is surrounded by experts ( as well as by misunderstanding) as in, "We got you surrounded, autism. Come out with your hands up!" Besides that, it seems that up until now the "experts" have done much to contribute to the misunderstanding of autism. Maybe the title should be read like this, "Autism is surrounded by misunderstanding 'experts'." This weekend in St. Louis, though, these experts got it right.

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - People with autism are more intelligent and able to function better than previously believed, but mistrust of doctors, biased tests and the Internet have bred myths about the condition, experts said on Sunday.

At a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, researchers presented reports showing that even autistics who do not speak can have above-average intelligence. They also offered additional studies disputing claims that vaccines can cause autism.

"The current figures are that 75 percent of autistic people are mentally retarded, with the mute the most ... impaired," said Dr. Laurent Mottron, an autism researcher at Montreal's Hopital Riviere des Prairies.

But Mottron believes the wrong intelligence tests are used to assess autistic children. Many are tested using the Wechsler scale, a common IQ test that includes questions about words and concepts learned in school.

The Raven's Progressive Matrices test measures abstract reasoning and consistently gives autistic children higher scores, Mottron said.

The average boost in score is 30 points, Mottron said, enough to put someone previously considered mentally retarded into the normal range and the average to gifted status.

Mottron was so impressed by the abilities of one autistic student, Michelle Dawson, that he made her a co-author of some of his papers.

Autism is a term used to describe a broad range of symptoms, from an inability to use language normally, to exhibiting deeply disturbed and repetitive behaviors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it affects anywhere between one in 500 and one in 166 children.

Morton Gernsbacher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison questioned a common idea among autism researchers that autistic people lack a "theory of mind," which, among other things, gives an ability to empathize with others.

Again, she said, the wrong tests are used to assess this ability.

NO AUTISM EPIDEMIC?

Dr. Judith Grether, a California epidemiologist, said she questions the idea that there is a new autism epidemic.

She said it is impossible to find out how many cases of autism there were in the past, because many people with autism were often diagnosed as retarded, or never diagnosed. Without that information, it is impossible to say if the number of cases has grown, she said.

"We have to do the studies to find the answers," she said.

Grether said researchers in California have begun taking prenatal blood samples from pregnant women and will look for clues when and if some of their children are diagnosed with autism. They are examining hormones, heavy metals, immune system proteins and other factors.

The studies found no link with vaccines, said Dr. Irving Gottesman, a psychiatrist at the University of Minnesota, but said the CDC has initiated four new studies "to tie up the loose ends."

New studies are focusing on genetic susceptibilities.

Gottesman said the studies may help ease the fears of parents that a vaccine-autism link has been covered up.

But he said scientists are battling a plethora of Internet Web sites devoted to the idea that mercury causes autism like [...] safeminds.org.

Gernsbacher, the mother of a child with autism, said some parents may join these lobbying groups over the advice of doctors because they get "pat answers" to initial concerns about their children. Many may have been told that boys develop later than girls, for instance.

"The mistrust (of government-funded studies and of their pediatricians) may have arisen from those kind of experiences," she said.

This is not a real figure from the Raven's Progressive Matrices referred to by Mottron in the article, but is vaguely similar. The RPM are always solvable in the horizontal as well as vertical direction, this one seems to be a set of 3 sort of related problems that are solvable only in horizontal rows. The RPM gives 8 choices to choose from. Thank you, Michelle for telling us that in one of the comment sections of the Diva Blog.

Referring to Michelle Dawson as "one autistic student" is kind of misleading. As far as Autism Diva knows Mottron brought Michelle Dawson on board his research group as a colleague and researcher, but Dawson wasn't strictly a "student" as in university or college student. Perhaps Michelle Dawson will correct that if Autism Diva has it wrong. Michelle Dawson was the second name on the paper presented by Mottron at that meeting in St. Louis.

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Hidden Smarts: Abstract thought trumps IQ scores in autism

by 4muskateers on 04/23/2008

Hidden Smarts: Abstract thought trumps IQ scores in autism
Bruce Bower

There's more to the intelligence of autistic people than meets the IQ. Unli...

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Hidden Smarts: Abstract thought trumps IQ scores in autism
Bruce Bower

There's more to the intelligence of autistic people than meets the IQ. Unlike most individuals, children and adults diagnosed as autistic often score much higher on a challenging, nonverbal test of abstract reasoning than they do on a standard IQ test, say psychologist Laurent Mottron of Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies in Montreal and his colleagues.

The same autistic individuals who score near or below the IQ cutoff for "low functioning" or "mental retardation" achieve average or even superior scores on a test that taps a person's ability to infer rules and to think abstractly about geometric patterns, Mottron's team reports in the August Psychological Science.

"Intelligence has been underestimated in autistics," Mottron says. Autistic people solve problems and deploy neural resources in unusual ways, which are poorly understood and might contribute to problems with IQ tests, he asserts.

Mottron regards autism as a variant of healthy neural development. For that reason, his group—including study coauthor Michelle Dawson, herself diagnosed as autistic—prefers the term "autistic" to "person with autism."

The researchers studied 38 autistic children, ages 7 to 16; 13 autistic adults, ages 16 to 43; 24 nonautistic children, ages 6 to 16; and 19 nonautistic adults, ages 19 to 32.

Volunteers completed an age-appropriate IQ test and a Raven's Progressive Matrices test. The latter test includes 60 items, each consisting of a series of related geometric designs and a choice of six or eight alternative designs, one of which completes the series.

The nonautistic children and adults scored slightly above the population average on both tests.

In contrast, autistic kids and adults scored far higher on the Raven's test than they did on the IQ tests. These youngsters' average IQ was substantially below the population average, but their average score on the Raven's test was in the normal range.

One-third of autistic children qualified as "low functioning" by IQ, but only 5 percent did so by Raven's scores. Moreover, another third of the autistic children achieved "high intelligence" on the Raven's test.

As in previous research, autistic volunteers performed well on an IQ task that required them to reproduce geometric designs using colored blocks.

The new findings confirm prior indications that autistics score poorly on IQ tests despite processing perceptual information well, comments psychologist Uta Frith of University College London. In a 2000 study, Frith's team noted that autistic and nonautistic children made equally rapid and accurate visual judgments, such as discerning which of two lines was longer.

In people with autism, a lack of social insight derails the ability to acquire skills and information from others, a key to IQ success, Frith theorizes. Autistics thus succeed only on self-explanatory tasks, such as the Raven's test.

The Raven's test may measure autistic intelligence better than an IQ test does, adds psychologist Helen Tager-Flusberg of Boston University. Nonetheless, many autistic children are extremely impaired intellectually, she says.

Researchers generally sell short the unique features of autistic intelligence, Dawson responds. For example, autistics shift flexibly back and forth between focusing on details of a scene or its overall configuration, whereas nonautistics single-mindedly concentrate on the big picture, she says.

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Letters:

The article didn't mention that traditional IQ tests are in one sense "language" tests. The Ravens test doesn't involve language processing in a typical manner. A person with a language disorder, as an autistic person is assumed to be, would do better on a nonverbal test. That the intelligence of autistic people can be underestimated is really due to the fact that our culture assumes that language skill equals intelligence.

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IQ Testing for Nonverbal Abilities

by 4muskateers on 04/23/2008

February 21, 2006
IQ Testing for Nonverbal Abilities Yields Dramatically Improved Scores for Children with Autism
One of the single greatest factor...

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February 21, 2006
IQ Testing for Nonverbal Abilities Yields Dramatically Improved Scores for Children with Autism 
One of the single greatest factors in determining the direction of educational planning for children with special needs is their IQ.  The profound tragedy for many children is that accurate and reliable testing for IQ is either not readily available or it is misapplied.

The testing focuses on what are the learning deficits--memory, processing, or  "intelligence" in a variety of forms; goals, accommodations/modifications, and curriculum all should be designed in consideration of these factors.   IQ  testing also tends to set the bar of expectation and tracking. Is the child achieving to his or her "level" is an implicit and pervasive issue at IEP meetings.  However, if the compass needle of the IQ testing points in the wrong direction the whole IEP proceeds down the wrong road.

At the recent conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science it was reported that "people with autism are more intelligent and able to function better than previously believed." The problem is that incorrect testing such as the WISC has been applied. The results of tests like the WISC  is that as many as 75% of children with autism have been labelled mentally retarded which may be an overstated number.  The problem with the WISC is that it is a verbally based test, and most children with autism have severe verbal deficits.  While the WISC is a valid instrument which is widely used, it may not be useful for children with autism, according to this report.

This report recommends the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices ("SPM"). This test has been found to be valid and reliable over a period of years. The Coloured Progressive Matrices are for younger children and the Stanford Progressive Matrix is for children 6-16 years of age. The advantage of this test is that is nonverbal in nature.  According to the report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, improvement of 30 standard points have been demonstrated which could move a child's designation from the range of mental retardation to the range of average intelligence.

The point of testing is to properly identify a child's needs and strengths and to create an individualized IEP. In the event the testing is wrong, the  plan that is built around that testing will tend to miss the mark.  Parents need to carefully examine the testing that has been applied to their child, and determine if new or additional testing may be required.  The SPM may be applicable or another IQ test that evaluates nonverbal abilities such as the Leiter-R or the CTONI. These are critical questions that must be examined. This recent report puts a much needed spotlight on this issue not only for children with autism, but for all children who have special needs.

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Golden Gate Regional Center's Definition of Developmental Delays

by 4muskateers on 04/23/2008

Golden Gate Regional Center

Whom Do We Serve?

What Is A Developmental Disability?

What Is A Developmental Delay?

Who I...

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Golden Gate Regional Center

Whom Do We Serve?
 
 What Is A Developmental Disability?
 
 What Is A Developmental Delay?
 
 Who Is Considered "At Risk" For Having A Child With A Developmental Disability?
 
 How Do I Apply For Services?
 
 Can I Lose My Eligibility For Services?
 
 What Does It Mean To Have An Active Or Inactive Status?
 
 What Happens If I Move?

Whom do we serve?

Golden Gate Regional Center serves individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who reside in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. In addition, we provide early intervention services to infants between birth and three years of age who are developmentally delayed or believed to be at high risk of having a developmental disability, and genetic counseling and testing for individuals at high risk of having a child with a disability.

What is a Developmental Disability?

According to the California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 4512, a developmental disability is defined as a disability which originates before an individual attains age 18, continues or can be expected to continue indefinitely, and constitutes a substantial handicap for that individual. A substantial handicap means a condition which results in major impairment of cognitive and/or social functioning, and represents a condition of sufficient impairment to require interdisciplinary planning and coordination of special or generic services to assist the individual in achieving maximum potential.

Included in this definition of developmental disability are conditions such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism. Also included are disabling conditions found to be closely related to mental retardation or to require treatment similar to that required for individuals with mental retardation.

This definition of developmental disability does not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical, learning or psychiatric in nature. The following are descriptions of eligible conditions:

Mental Retardation

Mental retardation is characterized by less than average intellectual functioning and significant limitations in at least two of the following areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, use of community resources, self-direction, academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety. Mental retardation is a condition, not a disease, nor is it a mental illness.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by damage to the brain, usually occurring before, during or shortly following birth. "Cerebral" refers to the brain, and "palsy" to a disorder of movement or posture. The resulting impairment can range from mild to severe. Some characteristics are: awkward or involuntary movements, poor balance, irregular walk, poor motor coordination, and speech disturbances. It is neither progressive nor communicable. It is also not "curable" in the accepted sense, although education, therapy and applied technology can help persons with cerebral palsy lead productive lives. Cerebral palsy is not a disease and should never be referred to as such.

Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects multiple aspects of the individual's functioning. The disorder is characterized by impairment in social interaction (withdrawal, failure to engage in interaction with peers or adults), delays in both verbal and nonverbal communication skills, deficits in cognitive skills, and impairment in the ability to engage in make-believe play. Individuals may engage in repetitive activities (for example, rocking, hand flapping, and lining up toys), or a limited repertoire of activities. The number of characteristics present and their severity vary greatly. Onset of this disorder is usually before 30 months of age.

Epilepsy

According to the Epilepsy Foundation of America, epilepsy is a physical condition that occurs when there is a sudden, brief change in how the brain works. When brain cells are not working properly, a person's consciousness, movement, or actions may be altered for a short time. These physical changes are called epileptic seizures. Epilepsy is therefore sometimes called a seizure disorder.

Other conditions related to mental retardation

This category includes other conditions closely related to mental retardation or requiring treatment similar to that required for individuals with mental retardation, but does not include other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature. Some examples are polio, muscular dystrophy, arthritis.

What is a Developmental Delay?

A developmental delay is defined as a significant difference between an infant's or toddler's current level of functioning and the expected level of development for his/her chronological age in one or more of the following developmental areas:   Cognitive  
 Motor and physical  including vision and hearing  
 Communication  
 Social or emotional  
 Adaptive

Infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months of age, who are determined to have a developmental delay are eligible to receive early intervention services. This determination is made by qualified personnel who are recognized by, or are part of a multi-disciplinary team, including the parents.

Other infants and toddlers who are eligible for early intervention services are those who have been determined by qualified personnel to have either an established risk condition, or a high risk for a developmental disability. An established risk condition exists when an infant or toddler is diagnosed with a condition which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay, although that delay may not be evident at the time of diagnosis. High risk for a developmental disability exists when an infant or toddler has a history of a combination of biomedical risk factors such as low birth weight, prematurity, severe respiratory distress, or seizure activity during the first weeks of life.

Who is considered at risk for having a child with a developmental disability?

Individuals considered at risk of having a child with a developmental disability include:   Women 35 years of age and older.  
 Families with a previous child or relative with a chromosome abnormality such as Down Syndrome.  
 Individuals exposed to environmental toxins, alcohol, or drugs.  
 Individuals with a developmental disability.  
 Families or individuals with a history of an inherited disorder or birth defect.  
 Couples who are at risk to be carriers of genetic disorders common in certain ethnic/racial groups.

Individuals who are at risk of having a child with a developmental disability may receive referral assistance from Golden Gate Regional Center for genetic counseling and diagnostic services. Individuals may request funding for the purchase of genetic counseling and/or specific diagnostic studies in accordance with Golden Gate Regional Center's funding policy and guidelines.

How do I apply for services?

You may apply for services via telephone, fax, letter or through our website.  The request goes to the Intake Unit, (1-888-339-3305; fax 1-888-339-3306) , which conducts a basic screening to determine if further assessment and diagnostic services are appropriate. Persons with developmental disabilities may apply for services directly or be referred by others.

The Supervising Social Worker will assign an Assessment Social Worker who will schedule an initial appointment with you to be held within 15 working days following your initial contact (or request for services). This appointment takes place in your home or at the regional center, at which time you and your family are given an overview of the regional center and its services.

If necessary, the Assessment Social Worker will arrange for assessments to determine eligibility. For infants and toddlers between birth and three years of age, assessments regarding eligibility are performed within 45 days following the initial intake. For persons three years of age and older, assessments are performed within 120 days following initial intake. Assessments may include  but are not limited to  psychological, medical or developmental evaluations.

Eligibility determinations are made by a group of regional center professionals of differing disciplines, such as psychologist, physician and social worker. Eligibility for ongoing regional center services is established upon determination that the person has a developmental disability with a substantial handicap, or for infants from birth to three years of age, is at risk of having a developmental disability.

You are notified of your eligibility by letter within 10 days after the determination is made. Any applicant who is not eligible for ongoing regional center services will be informed of his/her appeal rights and the fair hearing process, and will also be referred to other appropriate resources.

Can I lose my eligibility for services?

The Lanterman Act states: An individual who is determined by any regional center to have a developmental disability shall remain eligible for services from regional centers unless a regional center, following a comprehensive reassessment, concludes that the original determination that the individual has a developmental disability is clearly erroneous. (Lanterman Act, 4643.5(b))

What does it mean to have an "active" or "inactive status?"

An individual's status with the regional center is active when the individual and his/her family are actively partnering with the regional center on plans, decisions and choices regarding provision of services and supports to meet desired outcomes. When an individual is receiving services that are purchased by the regional center, his/her status is automatically considered to be active.

If you or your family member decide that you no longer need or want direct or purchased services from the regional center, you may request that your status become inactive. If your needs, or the needs of your family member change, you can reactivate your status by contacting us.

If we have difficulty contacting you or your family member, we will attempt to locate you by telephone, visiting your last address, or contacting other involved agencies such as a school or work site. However, if we still cannot locate you or your family member, we may initiate the inactivation of your status.

What happens if I move?

If you move from Golden Gate's service area to another area of California, services will be provided by the regional center that serves your new location. Please notify us of your current address, and we will transfer your records to the appropriate regional center.

If you are planning to move out of California, we can assist you in establishing contact with an agency in your new state. If you give your written approval, we will transfer your records to that agency.

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Homeschooling Illegal????

by 4muskateers on 04/23/2008

Homeschooling

Article 13 is far more sweeping than any right articulated by our Constitution or Supreme Court, guaranteeing all children the right ...

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Homeschooling

Article 13 is far more sweeping than any right articulated by our Constitution or Supreme Court, guaranteeing all children the right to seek information of all kinds. International author and commentator Marian Koren explains that although the state should generally refrain from interfering in the family, “the State also has a positive obligation in supporting the possibilities for children to seek information or to express their views.” Ultimately, “it is the duty of the State to respect the rights of the child and his freedom to thought, conscience, belief, expression and opinion.” (emphasis in original)

Although the United States has not yet ratified the CRC, there is a growing sentiment that the state should bear the responsibility for ensuring that children are “properly educated,” instead of parents. A striking example occurred this past February, when a California court declared in In Re Rachel L. that “parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children,” unless they are certified by the state to teach. In so ruling, the court declined to follow the Supreme Court’s 1972 decision in Wisconsin v. Yoder and its 2000 ruling in Troxel v. Granville, which guarantee parents the fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

Whose Responsibility?

Rachel L., like Article 13, presumes that it is ultimately the state’s duty to ensure that the child’s right to information is respected. The California court quoted repeatedly from an earlier California decision in 1952, which concluded that children must be educated in traditional public or private schools, subject to state standards and regulations: anything less would “take from the state all-efficient authority to regulate the education of the prospective voting population.” (emphasis added)

The language of “all-efficient authority” is not the language of liberty. According to Dr. Martin Guggenheim, Professor of Law at New York University, “our future as a democracy depends on nurturing diversity of minds. The legal system’s insistence on private ordering of familial life ultimately guards against state control of its citizens.” There may be questions over the “best way” to educate children, but according to Guggenheim, the American answer is that “unless the answers are so clear that there is no room to disagree, parents are free to decide for themselves what they believe will best serve their children.”

Thankfully, the public outcry to this decision led California courts to decide to rehear the Rachel L. decision this summer, allowing parents - at least for the moment - to continue teaching their children at home.  But only time will tell whether the California courts will have a change of heart, or whether the damaging decision will simply be repeated.  The strong words of the first Rachel L. decision suggest that this is a real possibility.

America’s legal heritage has consistently held that parents, not the state, have the right to decide whether their children would best benefit from public schooling, a private school, or even learning at home, but this recent decision from California highlights just how tenuous this freedom can be. If we wish to secure these freedoms, we must act now to place parental rights beyond the reach of judges by protecting them within the Constitution.

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WHY I LOVE MOM

by 4muskateers on 04/20/2008

WHY I LOVE MOM

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, 'I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed'.

She went to the kitchen ...

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WHY I LOVE MOM

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, 'I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed'.

She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.  She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer  She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer.  She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk, wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair

She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.

Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.

Dad called out, 'I thought you were going to bed.'

'I'm on my way,' she said

She put some water into the dog's dish then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.

She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV's , hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.  In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the n ext day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.

About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular.. 'I'm going to bed'

And he did..without another thought.

Anything extraordinary here?  Wonder why women live longer...?

Cause we are made for the long haul....(and we can't die sooner, we still have things to do!!!!)

Sounds like a typical day at our home.

Send this to five phenomenal women today...they'll love you for it!  I just did. Then go to bed.

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Blood Brain Barrier in New Borns

by 4muskateers on 04/16/2008

Blood/Brain Barrier in Infants: Letter to FEAT News

On Autoimmunity and the Blood-Brain Barrier

I am responding to the post of 9/23 about ...

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Blood/Brain Barrier in Infants: Letter to FEAT News

On Autoimmunity and the Blood-Brain Barrier

I am responding to the post of 9/23 about autoimmunity and the connection with a faulty blood-brain barrier.  The blood-brain barrier is not intact in infants until at least 6 weeks of life.  This is why a newborn with a fever must be subjected to a spinal tap to rule out menningitis.  Any virus or bacteria that a newborn is exposed to can go directly to the nervous system.
      This is why the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth is so dangerous. Between 1991 and 1999, when the shot contained thimerisol, giving it at birth would have resulted in mercury crossing into the brain since the blood-brain barrier was not yet intact.  As a nurse, I'm concerned that this information about the normal timing of a blood-brain barrier forming is not more readily known.
      I think this normal delay in the forming of a blood-brain barrier is an important piece of the puzzle and one of the reasons for the surge of autism in the 90's.

Mary Barbera RN, MSN

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The Little Playdates Company Donating DVDs

by 4muskateers on 04/13/2008

The Little Playdates Company Donating DVDs to Help the National Autism Association during Autism Awareness Month in April

SALT LAKE CITY--Througho...

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The Little Playdates Company Donating DVDs to Help the National Autism Association during Autism Awareness Month in April

SALT LAKE CITY--Throughout Autism Awareness Month, The Little Playdates Company is offering their award-winning social building DVDs free to the first 500 people who make a donation to the National Autism Association.

Little Playdates is a long-time sponsor of NAA and features a 30-second public service announcement on the early detection of autism in each of their videos.

During the month of April, representatives from Little Playdates and the National Autism Association will be available for media interviews to discuss autism and video modeling.

Autism affects 1 in 150 children in the U.S., making it more prevalent than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.

To make a donation to NAA and receive a free Little Playdates DVD, please visit:
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/proddetail.php?prod=LittlePlaydatesDonation

Media contacts:  To schedule an interview with NAA and The Little Playdates Company, please contact Wendy Fournier, wendy@nationalautism.org, 877-622-2884; or, JoAnne Pettry, joanne@littleplaydates.com, 801-550-3066.

Pictured above:  NAA President Wendy Fournier with Little Playdates CEO JoAnne Pettry

Think Autism. Think Cure.

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TACA 2008 Autism and Medical Breakthroughs Conference - May 3

by 4muskateers on 04/13/2008

TACA 2008 Autism and Medical Breakthroughs Conference - May 3
> TACA is pleased to welcome: Jerry Kartzinel, MD and Dan Rossignol, MD,
> FAAFP for t...

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Autism Digest Magazine:

by 4muskateers on 04/10/2008

Autism Digest Magazine: Something to Think About!

Do you ever think about thinking? Most of us don't, unless we've gotten ourselves in a predicam...

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BLESSED.

by 4muskateers on 04/07/2008

Blessed

My son is disabled I am blessed.
That makes no sense, is what you say.

My son is speechless, I am blessed.
In this case silence is n...

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Blessed

My son is disabled I am blessed.
That makes no sense, is what you say.

My son is speechless, I am blessed.
In this case silence is not golden, is what you say.

My son cannot call me mama, I am blessed.
You shake your head in sadness, you have nothing to say.

My son always plays alone, I am blessed.
Where is the pleasure in that, is what you say.

My son has some quirky behaviors, I am blessed.
You need to be stern, is what you say.

My son was created by a living GOD, I am blessed.
How can you still have faith, is what you say.

Seven days a week my faith lives in my son,
I am BLESSED.

My so was injured by the vaccines,
Now he is blessed.
My son kisses and hugs us,
We are blessed.
My son is a magnet for strangers prayers,
They are blessed.
My son can conquer mountains,
He is blessed.
My sons eyes are the doorway to his soul,
He is blessed.
My son knows JESUS is the purest form,
He is blessed.
I my son has touched you heart, 
You have been

BLESSED.

Written by:
							Diana Olivarria-Alvarado

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Lawmakers Unveil Legislative Effort on Autism

by 4muskateers on 04/02/2008

April is Autism Awareness Month!!

Lawmakers Unveil Legislative Effort on Autism

Package of bills crafted based on California Legisla...

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April is Autism Awareness Month!!  
 
 
 
 
Lawmakers Unveil Legislative Effort on Autism

Package of bills crafted based on California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism report

SACRAMENTO - Lawmakers today unveiled a comprehensive legislative package of eight bills to combat the rise in diagnoses of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in California. The bills were inspired by a report issued by the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism.

"This Commission was charged with providing real solutions and recommendations to improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families," said Senate pro Tempore Don Perata (D-Oakland), who authored the resolution that created the commission (SCR 51, 2005).

The Commission consists of health experts, family members, business leaders, educators and researchers and is chaired by Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).

"The rise of child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder affects families, schools and communities all over California," Steinberg said. "Today this Legislature is responding strongly to the challenges this disorder poses to the state."

After conducting extensive public hearings and town-hall meetings throughout California, the Commission submitted its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature in its report: An Opportunity to Achieve Real Change for Californians with Autism Spectrum Disorders; September 2007. You can read the report at: http://senweb03.senate.ca.gov/autism/index.html

"With the broad participation of parents, families, consumers, educators, clinicians, researchers and advocates the Commission's report provides a momentous step in forging new directions for real change," said Dr. Barbara Firestone, Commission Vice-Chair and President & CEO of The Help Group.

The Autism legislative package includes the following bills:

SB 1563 (Sen. Perata) to provide appropriate and equitable coverage for ASD by private health plans and insurers
SB 527 (Sen. Steinberg) to improve the early identification and intervention for young children with ASD
SB 1175 (Sen. Steinberg) to expand the housing and independent living opportunities for adults with ASD
SB 1475 (Sen. Tom Torlakson) to improve the coordination of ASD services and programs between regional centers and school districts for children from birth to five years of age
SB 1364 (Sen. Gil Cedillo) to improve community awareness and outreach efforts on ASD by the California Department of Public Health
SB 1531 (Sen. Lou Correa) to improve the training and knowledge of ASD among law enforcement officers
AB 2303 (Assembly Speaker-Elect Karen Bass) to expand the credentials that would qualify teachers to educate students with ASD
AB 1872 (Asm. Joe Coto) to establish a state clearinghouse for the education of students with ASD.

The Autism Legislative Package is supported by numerous families and stakeholders such as actor Gary Cole, the parent of a child with ASD.

"The Autism Commission has not only garnered enthusiastic support from stakeholders and autism organizations, but today's California autism legislative package brings real hope into the lives of individuals and families coping with autism throughout our state and nation," said Cole.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), commonly referred to as autism, are brain based developmental disabilities characterized by language/communication problems, impaired social interaction and repetitive rigid behaviors and interests.  Once considered rare, autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability and is more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined.

Autism now affects 1 in every 150 children in the United States; every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed.  Autism is four times more common in boys than girls and occurs in children of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Nationally, the diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis.  The economic impact of autism is estimated to exceed $90 billion annually.

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