New York Yellow Pages for Kids July 25, 2007
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Find educational consultants, psychologists, educational diagnosticians, health care providers, academic therapists, tutors, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, coaches, advocates, and attorneys for children with disabilities on the Yellow Pages for Kids for your state.You will also find special education schools, learning centers, treatment programs, parent groups, respite care, community centers, grassroots organizations, and government programs for children with disabilities. Just click on: http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/
Autism Support Project July 25, 2007
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Discovery Toys has joined with Autism Speaks and the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI) in working to raise hope and skill levels for children with autism through a comprehensive development support program. This program helps parents of children with autism understand the most commonly shared learning difficulties and select appropriate products and activities to support tailored development programs. For more information visit: http://www.discoverytoysinc.com/autism_indexcust.html
Sibling Services July 23, 2007
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Brothers and sisters of people with developmental disabilities can often benefit from professional assistance and peer support. For more information, contact AHRC-NYC (212) 780-2592 or: www.ahrcnyc.org/services/sibling
July 17, 2007
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On Saturday, August 11, 2007 the Brooklyn Cyclones host NEW YORK FAMILIES FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN NIGHT. Between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. there is a BARBEQUE at Peggy O’Neils (@ Cyclone Stadium) with hot dogs, hamburgers, beer and soda. The Brooklyn Cyclones Game starts at 6:00 p.m. A bleacher seat plus barbeque is $35.00. A field seat plus barbeque is $50.00. Make checks payable to New York Families for Autistic Children and mail to: NYFAC, 95-16 Pitkin Ave., Ozone Park, N.Y. 11417. For more information, or to pay by credit card, call (718) 641-3441 ext. 104. This event is being brought to you by NYFAC and Susan Esposito, Parent Advocate, Vito Fossella, U.S. Congressman and John L. Heyer II, Special Assistant to the Brooklyn Borough President.
The Autism Paradox July 12, 2007
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| 1. | It’s easy to recite an entire book but difficult to make up a story |
| 2. | It’s easy to line up toys but difficult to stay in line |
| 3. | It makes perfect sense to climb on the sofa but little sense to sit on it |
| 4. | Memorizing the Presidents in order – 10 minutes. Packing a school bag – 10 hours |
| 5. | Family pictures on the wall are boring but that speck of dust next to it, now that’s fascinating! |
| 6. | Talking about weather patterns – piece of cake. Talking about my day… impossible! |
| 7. | Ability to focus on spinning objects – timeless, ability to focus on homework – 3 seconds |
| 8. | Being called by name, can’t hear it. Some owl hooting in the distance – clear as a bell |
| 9. | How to operate the remote control – zero instruction. How to button up pants – intensive instruction |
| 10. | Navigating social rules – poorly skilled, Navigating from the back seat of the car – highly skilled |
Check out www.naturallearningconcepts.com
Ten Things to Make You Smile July 12, 2007
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| 1. | It’s absolutely amazing how many stores have ceiling fans |
| 2. | When I’m in the mood to answer the same question 300 times in a row, I know just who to go to |
| 3. | I never have to be creative at dinner. It’s chicken nuggets & peas. Every night! Or else  |
| 4. | I know where every fire hydrant is located in the entire city |
| 5. | I had no idea there were so many uses for a household spoon |
| 6. | If I ever get insomnia, I’ll always have company |
| 7. | Sixty-four airplanes fly over my house every day |
| 8. | If I develop a sudden fascination with vacuum cleaners, my child can tell me everything about them – as many times as I’m willing to listen |
| 9. | Refrigerators can actually hum |
| 10. | Buy new shirt. Remove tag. Wash 8 times. Ready to wear. |
FAIR Autism Media (Foundation for Autism Information and Research, Inc.) July 11, 2007
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F.A.I.R. Autism Media is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that was started to create original, up-to-date and comprehensive educational media (in the form of video documentaries) to inform the medical community and the public about the latest advances in research and biomedical & behavioral therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorders.Their current projects include their ever-expanding media center, featuring excerpts of video interviews they have conducted with many of the speakers who present at various national autism conferences and some research projects they are funding.
Link to website: http://www.autismmedia.org/index.html
Eden II Programs Summer Autism Workshops July 10, 2007
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Utilizing scientifically validated treatment procedures, Eden II Programs has been a leader in the effective intervention and education of individuals with autism over the past 30 years. In an effort to disseminate sound information about autism spectrum disorders and provide training and support, Eden II Programs/The Genesis School will offer the following summer workshops. For more workshop information, please contact Marissa Bennett 516.937.1397 Ext. 217 EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKSHOPS
These early childhood workshops are designed to assist in the development of effective treatment programs for young children affected by autism spectrum disorders and are targeted to professionals and parents seeking information for children in early intervention through preschool age range. 1. TEACHING PLAY AND SOCIAL SKILLS TO YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM Mary McDonald, PhD, BCBA One of the hallmark deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder is the lack of social skills. Parents and professionals face many obstacles when it comes to designing and implementing skill acquisition programs in this area. This presentation will highlight the importance of social skills, as well as guide on how to select and implement age appropriate social skills for young children. Video taped examples will illustrate teaching procedures that are designed to facilitate skill acquisition. Monday, August 6, 2007 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $75 2. MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR FROM EARLY INTERVENTION THOUGH THE PRESCHOOL YEARS Frank Cicero, PhD, BCBA The focus of this workshop is to highlight important assessment considerations when addressing the challenging behaviors of young children with autism and related disorders. Attendees are provided with a myriad of assessment tools and data collection to guide them in understanding the functions of challenging behaviors, along with guidelines regarding how to select tools based upon a particular case. These tools and strategies are discussed with respect to the subsequent development of comprehensive, individually-tailored, behavioral interventions. Tuesday, August 7, 2007 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $75 3. JOINT ATTENTION AND AUTISM: IMPLICATIONS FOR ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT Joanne Gerenser, PhD, CCC-SLP Children with autism demonstrate deficits in joint attention early in development and these deficits often remain persistent throughout development. Deficits in referential looking, declarative pointing as well as failure to respond to name and other social cues are common in early development. It has been well documented that joint attention plays a critical role in the development of language and social skills. This workshop will provide an overview of joint attention as well as the specific problems associated with autism. Implications for assessment and intervention for learners with ASD will be presented. Wednesday, August 8, 2007 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $75 4. PROMOTING SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM Dana Battaglia, MA, CCC-SLP Deficits in the development of speech and language are consistent problems in children with autism and related disorders. This workshop will provide a model for integrating research in the areas of psycholinguistic development, early social development, as well as lexical development within behavioral programming for young children with autism. Programs to develop and expand language and vocabulary will be discussed. Thursday, August 9, 2007 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $75 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A certificate of attendance will be given to all registrants. FEES $75 per workshop $280 if attending all four workshops *********************************************************************
ABA TRAINING WORKSHOPS These workshops are designed to offer training in the understanding and implementation of applied behavior analysis (ABA) procedures for individuals across the autism spectrum. These workshops are opened to professionals and parents and workshop content is suitable for intervention with individuals of all ages and functioning levels across the autism spectrum. A certificate of workshop completion will be given to all attendees. 1. INTRODUCTION TO ABA Joanne Sgambati, PhD This full day workshop will provide an introduction to applied behavior analysis. Specific topic areas will include reinforcement, decreasing behavior, use of various prompting strategies, shaping new behavior, chaining behavior and task analysis, developing individualized motivation systems and conducting preference assessments. Monday, August 13, 2007 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $100 2. BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Joanne Sgambati, PhD This full day workshop will provide participants with knowledge on how to write behavioral definitions for potential target behaviors, as well as methods of behavioral observation. Specific behavioral observation data collection methods will be reviewed as they pertain to a variety of sample behaviors. Data collection as it relates to skill acquisition will also be reviewed. Participants will review sample baseline data for skill acquisition and behavioral treatment. Lastly, sample data will be provided and participants will learn how to analyze data. Tuesday, August 14, 2007 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $100 3. UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOR IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM Frank Cicero, PhD, BCBA This full day workshop will provide participants with knowledge about the factors that may predispose a child with autism to engage in challenging behavior. Specific systems issues will be discussed as they may relate to problem behavior. Participants will be lead through a sample functional behavioral assessment and will be presented with a variety of tools that can be used during an FBA. Proactive strategies, Functional communication training, reactive strategies, self-management tools will also be discussed. Wednesday, August 15, 2007 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $100 4. DISCRIMINATION AND GENERALIZATION/CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Mary McDonald, PhD, BCBA This full day workshop will provide participants with information regarding individualized curriculum development. Specifically, discrimination training, generalization (stimulus (across settings, materials, people, response), foundation skills, scope and sequence, curriculum templates/lesson plans and task analysis will be reviewed. Thursday, August 16, 2007 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $100 5. TEACHING STRATEGIES Dana Battaglia, MS, CCC-SLP This full day workshop will review specific teaching strategies that have been shown to be effective for students with autism. Specific strategies will include: discrete trial teaching, incidental teaching, observational learning, script-fading, video- based instruction and group instruction. Friday, August 17, 2007 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Four Points by Sheraton, Plainview Fee: $100
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A certificate of attendance will be given to all registrants. FEES $100 per workshop $450 if attending complete workshop series REGISTRATION INFORMATION Fees are nonrefundable, unless cancellation notification is provided at least 48 hours prior to workshop. Make checks payable to Eden II Programs, and mail registration form and fee to: Eden II Programs/The Genesis School 270 Washington Avenue, Plainview, NY 11803 Attention: Marissa Bennett For More Information: Phone: 516-937-1397 X217 mbennett@eden2.org Registration Form: Name: Title: Affiliation: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email: Please check workshops attending: EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKSHOPS – $75 per workshop/$280 if attending all four workshops ____ 1. Teaching Play And Social Skills To Young Children With Autism ____ 2. Managing Challenging Behavior From Early Intervention Though The Preschool Years ____ 3. Joint Attention and Autism: Implications for Assessment and Treatment ____ 4. Promoting Speech And Language In Young Children With Autism ABA TRAINING WORKSHOP SERIES – $100 per workshop/$450 if attending complete workshop series ____ 1. Introduction To ABA ____ 2. Behavioral Observation, Data Collection And Analysis ____ 3. Understanding Behavior In Individuals With Autism ____ 4. Discrimination And Generalization/ Curriculum Development ____ 5. Teaching Strategies Directions to Four Points by Sheraton Plainview, 333 South Service Road, Plainview, NY 11803 Traveling from the East: Take the Long Island Expressway (I-495) to Round Swamp Road (Exit 48). Proceed down the exit ramp to traffic light. Turn left onto Round Swamp Road and proceed through traffic light. Once you pass the Mobil Gas Station, make a right into the Race Palace parking lot. Proceed 50 yards to the Hotel Entrance. Traveling from the West: Take the Long Island Expressway (I-495) to Round Swamp Road (Exit 48). Proceed down the exit ramp (merge into the right lane). The hotel entrance will be on the right.
Autistic Brains Can Be Trained To Recognize Visual And Vocal Cues July 9, 2007
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To understand the meaning of a conversation, kids automatically do what adults do —besides processing the meaning of words, they unconsciously “read” the expression on a person’s face and listen to their tone of voice, then integrate that information with the context at hand to discern meaning, be it humor, anger, irony or straightforwardness.
Individuals with autism typically don’t do this. They often miss the subtle meanings conveyed by a person’s face and tone of voice, and thus have trouble determining the communicative intent of others. Neuroimaging studies have backed this up, showing that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) — including autism, pervasive developmental disorder and Asperger’s syndrome — show reduced activity in the regions of the brain that respond to such cues.
But what if those brain regions could be trained to respond appropriately? In a report in the current issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry and currently online, UCLA researchers did just that. Providing ASD children with explicit instructions to pay more attention to facial expressions and tone of voice elicited an increased response in the medial prefrontal cortex, part of the brain’s network for understanding the intentions of others.
“That’s significant. The fact that you can ‘normalize’ activity in this region in the ASD group by directing their attention to these important social cues clearly indicates there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with this region in the autistic brain,” said Mirella Dapretto, associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and a member of the UCLA Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center. Dapretto co-authored the study with her former graduate student Ting Wang, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
“This is a very positive thing,” Dapretto said, “because these findings have implications for future interventions — they suggest that you could train the autistic brain to make use of the information conveyed by the human face and voice to successfully navigate social interactions.”
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder of development that affects one of every 150 children, impairing communication and social skills. ASDs encompass a broad spectrum of disorders that range from mild to severe.
The authors had two goals in mind with their study. One was to examine the neural circuitry in the brain that underlies the problems ASD children face in interpreting communicative intent. The other was to determine whether explicit instructions to pay attention to facial expressions and tone of voice would elicit more normal patterns of brain activity in these children.
While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 18 ASD boys between the ages of 7 and 17, as well as a control group of 18 typically developing (TD) boys, viewed cartoon drawings of children in conversational settings while listening to short vignettes that ended with a potentially ironic remark. Researchers found that, compared with the TD control group, the ASD children had reduced activity in two areas of the brain — the medial prefrontal cortex and right superior temporal gyrus. But when the researchers gave both groups explicit instructions to pay attention to the speaker’s facial expression and tone of voice, only the ASD children showed a significant increase in activity in the medial prefrontal cortex.
“The typically developing kids recognized and interpreted these cues automatically when trying to infer if a speaker’s remark was sincere or sarcastic, so their brains were already responding appropriately,” said Dapretto. “But not so with the ASD kids, who did not show activity in this area when specific instructions weren’t provided. This is the first study to show that you can normalize activity in a key region of the so-called ’social brain’ in individuals with autism by simply directing their attention to these important social cues.”
Other authors of the study included Susan S. Lee and Marian Sigman. The research was funded by the National Alliance for Autism Research, the Cure Autism Now Foundation, the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute, and grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. For More Science Articles go to: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/autism/
Putting the “Abled” in Disabled July 5, 2007
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Following is a link to an MSNBC article regarding a Walgreens’ distribution plant which employs 42% disabled people. The vice president of Walgreens has a 19 year old son with Autism and he had the idea to make the plant more accessible by using touch screen computers and other adaptations for the disabled. The plant has employees who have Autism, Downs Syndrome, are blind, or other wise disabled. These employees make the same wages as the “regular” employees. This plant is more efficient than all the other Walgreen plants. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19417759/from/ET/
