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SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT "Healing Autism:
No Finer a Cause
on the Planet"
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--- > NOTE CALENDAR DEADLINE ** Nov 24 **
FOR DEC UPDATE
EDUCATION
*
CARE
* $800,000 from
* Medical Errors Pose Deadly Threat
FORENSIC
* Death Probe Frustrates Mom
TREATMENT
* The Specific Carbohydrate Diet &
Advanced Dietary Interventions
EVENTS
* Jacob’s Bridge Kid’s Day Out Fun Clinic in
READERS’ POSTS
EDUCATION
“I told her she has to stay with us
forever,” said her
mother,
laughing. “But if we help her manage her money and things,
I know she could keep a job and live on
her own.”
[By Angela Boseman,
Twelve years ago, when Lisa and Joe Rajakovich's oldest child started first grade at Word of
God Elementary School, they were thrilled to discover that children with autism
and other learning disabilities would be in his classes. Because of a new
program at the Swissvale school, Dan Rajakovich learned to appreciate that he and other students
who weren't “typical” were “different but the same” as they participated in
sports and learned the fundamentals of art, music and other subjects together.
But after their fourth child, Maria, came
along, the Rajakoviches' feelings about the program
ran much deeper. Maria was born with Down syndrome, and she was able to follow
her three siblings to Word of God.
“It
was such a comfort for us to know that she could go,” Lisa Rajakovich
said. “We're so fortunate that our diocese offers a wonderful program like this
because a lot of other dioceses don't.”
The program at Word of God is an
outgrowth of St. Anthony School Programs, which celebrates its 50th anniversary
this year.
Now operating at 11 schools throughout
the region -- seven elementary, three secondary and
Thomas O'Toole, executive director of St.
Anthony School Programs, said it was unique because it is “the only program
where a child can enter in kindergarten and, at age 21, still be in a setting
with peers. Others do inclusive education at elementary and high school levels,
but no one is close to ours with different sites and, especially, with
Duquesne.”
The program encourages academic
excellence through basic elements such as homework and class participation
while focusing on vocational skills such as day-care assistance, mail room
training and other support functions.
“What sets it apart from others in its
class is that everything comes from the religious standpoint that everyone is
equal in God's eyes,” said Lisa George, director of education for St. Anthony.
“It's a loving, caring environment because it's Christ-centered.”
That was part of the reason the Rajakoviches enrolled Maria, now 9, in the program, but
their connections to Word of God went beyond their four children.
The couple met in kindergarten at the
school when it was called St. Anselm, dated in high school, married and chose
to raise their family in the same neighborhood and at the same school where
their story began.
“We wanted Maria to have the religious
aspect, and it's nice to continue the family tradition,” Lisa Rajakovich said. “Plus, she's flourishing there. She's
reading and spelling and writing.”
So is Nicole Hardiman,
of
Public school teachers said Nicole would
always be in special education classes. She couldn't read, and they said she'd
never be able to learn.
Mary Ann Hardiman
didn't buy any of that, so she sent her daughter to Word of God the year St.
Anthony School Programs began operating there. Nicole was in the second grade.
“I'll never forget,” her mother said.
“She came home and said she had a surprise for me, then
she read a book. I was in tears. Her progress has been phenomenal.”
Nicole Hardiman
continues to defy the odds.
Last year, she was awarded the St. Joan
of Arc Medallion from St. Lucy's Auxiliary to the Blind in recognition of more
than 100 hours of community service. She was the first student from St. Anthony
School Programs to receive the award, which honors Catholic high school
students for their achievements in volunteerism.
Now, at 19, she is enrolled in the
program's site at Duquesne, where typical college students act as job coaches
for her vocational training. She works with children at
“She loves Duquesne and she loves kids,”
Mary Ann Hardiman said. “It's amazing how she has
grown from second grade into this beautiful young lady. She's her own person.”
Nicole's is one of many St. Anthony
success stories. Over the past 50 years, 789 students have been served and more
than 95 percent of post-secondary graduates have been placed in the work force.
How it works
The program's goal is to promote
independence. Teaching methods that organize and structure learning are used
mainly for students with autism, though they work well for all students.
George oversees the education process for
the program.
“Our expectations are high,” she said.
“We demand a lot, not only for academics but also for social skills and
behavior, because that's what will carry on in life.”
About 50 percent of students in St.
Anthony School Programs have learning disabilities or subnormal IQs, 30 percent
have autism and 20 percent have Down syndrome.
Though students don't
have to be Catholic, those who aren't pay higher tuition.
“They make sacraments with their class,
and that means a lot to Catholic parents,” George said.
St. Anthony students' main classroom is
called the “resource room.” The student-to-staff ratio is 3-to-1 with a maximum
of 13 children at each site.
Students are assigned to age-appropriate
homerooms and included with their general education peers 50 percent of the
time.
“We find that their friends and peers are
the best teachers, because they learn from them by example,” George said.
A student's Individualized Education
Program in the resource room encompasses reading and language arts, math,
handwriting, computer and social skills. It ensures that each continues to
learn at a pace that fits the student's abilities.
Students with more severe needs work in
the resource room more often. They stay with their homerooms mostly for classes
such as physical education, social studies, religion and music, in addition to
“Inclusive class skills determine success
with their peers,” George said. “Raising their hand, being prepared for class,
doing homework, and following rules, plus functional things like counting
money, shopping and telling time, are part of the focus. The goal is for them
to be productive citizens of the community.”
Mary Ellen Begley, a special education
teacher at Word of God, said: “Kids progress because of the interaction and
support. Students here look out for our students. They're invited to birthday
parties and they participate in all extra-curricular activities.”
Mary Ruth Nardozzi
is one of many students who enjoys the support of
peers and teachers.
“I'm 13, a teenager!” she said with a
broad smile after being congratulated for spelling her last name.
She said her favorite part of school was
music class and that she had lots of friends: “Everyone is nice.”
George agreed that that was why students
such as Mary Ruth excel.
“Our kids end up being the most popular
in the whole school since everyone knows who they are,” she said. “Other parents
always say they like it because it teaches their kids acceptance and how to be
a better person.”
Hardiman said
that attitude helped her daughter to develop the confidence she needed to
exceed expectations and strive toward independence.
“The teachers were so kind, considerate,
and open,” she said. “They told the kids that the students from St. Anthony are
just like you and me, they just learn differently. I've never met more caring
teachers than the ones at Word of God and St. Anthony.”
Looking ahead
On Friday evening, St. Anthony School
Programs held its annual Opportunity Award Dinner to kick off the yearlong 50th
anniversary celebration. The event is a major fund-raiser for the program,
which relies on the support of donors.
Over the years, the list of donors has
included local community leaders and Robert F. Kennedy, who donated $50,000
from the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation in 1962.
In the meantime, students and parents
such as the Rajakoviches remain grateful.
“In my research online, I've found that
many other parents who have kids with Down syndrome are frustrated because
there's no inclusive religious education in their area,” Lisa Rajakovich said. “We're so fortunate that our diocese sees
the need to support and offer it.”
O'Toole wants to add more sites to make
the program available to every child in the diocese.
When the opportunity is given, the
possibilities are endless: Maria Rajakovich said she
wanted to be a cheerleader and a doctor when she grows up; her mother is a
pediatric nurse.
Nicole Hardiman,
who recently visited the apartment of a friend from Duquesne, now wants to move
out on her own.
“I told her she has to stay with us
forever,” said her mother, laughing. “But if we help her manage her money and
things, I know she could keep a job and live on her own.”
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* * *
Advocacy Basics from Wrightslaw
[Thanks to the AutismLink
list.]
Wrightslaw, an
excellent resource on advocacy in the educational system, has a great series on
behavior problems and how to address them in the schools. http://www.wrightslaw.com/
Behavior Problems: What Schools Are
Obligated to Do by Pete Wright http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/behavior_obligate.htm
Functional Behavior Assessments: What?
Why? When? Where? Who? http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/discipl.fab.starin.htm
Are Children with Disabilities Required
to Take High-Stakes Tests? http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/exempt_state_tests.htm
* * *
CARE
$800,000 from US Dept. HHS To Prepare Law Enforcement for Mentally Ill A Ventura County
program aims to teach law enforcement how to defuse delicate encounters
[By Sandra Murillo.]
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-crisisteam12nov12,1,1946717.story?co
ll=la-headlines-california <- - address ends here.
Two years after launching the training
program,
To date, 251 officers from six local law
enforcement agencies have completed the Crisis Intervention Team Program, which
officials credited with helping to save lives by defusing potentially violent
situations.
“Although you can't quantify it, I know
anecdotally it's saving lives, time and time and time
again,” Sheriff Bob Brooks said during a presentation to the Board of
Supervisors.
At least 20% of local officers and
communications specialists have taken the 40-hour course, but the goal is for
all patrol officers to receive at least eight hours of training, said Joyce
Wilde, program manager. The program is funded with an $800,000 grant from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through 2004.
Wilde said such training has become
increasingly important because in a county where there are almost 12,000 adults
with severe mental illness, officers often are confronted with difficult and
sometimes life-threatening situations involving a disturbed person. On average,
county law enforcement officers respond to a minimum of three calls a day
involving a mentally ill person, she said.
“People who used to be housed in
psychiatric hospitals, because of the closure of state hospitals and the lack
of treatment centers, are now more likely to come into contact with law
enforcement,” Wilde said.
The program was prompted in part by
continuing complaints from the community about a lack of police training in
dealing with the mentally ill.
In 2002, the county grand jury issued a
report that found that of 32 officer-involved shootings over the previous decade, more than half involved a mentally ill person. It
concluded that with the 1997 closure of
According to the report,
Earlier this year, the city of
Although clearing the
Today, the county's largest law
enforcement agencies - the Ventura County Sheriff's Department and the Oxnard
Police Department - have a combined 146 officers that have undergone the crisis
intervention training.
In the class, sheriff's deputies and
officers from the
With the help of mental health
professionals, they learn to recognize when a person is suffering from a
psychotic episode. They role-play and learn that the typical commanding police
presence is not appropriate in dealing with a troubled person. They learn to
speak softly, use a first name and establish rapport with the person.
“They're there to slow down the
situation,” Wilde said. “They immediately come upon it ready to de-escalate the
situation.”
Wilde said the program seems to be slowly
working. In the nine months from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, there were at least 969
incidents involving the mentally ill, she said. In 129 of those, a weapon was
involved; 21 cases involved a gun. But only one of the incidents in which
crisis-trained officers responded did not end peacefully.
Last February, an intoxicated 49-year-old
man carrying a kitchen knife and suffering from psychosis called police from
his
Officers talked to him for 20 minutes,
eventually calming him down.
They were able to transfer him to a
county mental health facility.
For Wilde, the incident is an example of
how far law enforcement officers have come in a short time.
But even as the program
progresses, the county has seen several officer shootings involving the
mentally ill in recent months.
In April, deputies fatally shot a
19-year-old man suffering from bipolar disorder and psychosis as he approached
a crowd at a Thousand Oaks swim school after he was seen cutting himself with a
knife.
In March, a 56-year-old emotionally
distraught woman was fatally shot in her car at
Crisis-trained officers were not involved
in either incident.
The Crisis Intervention Team was
originally formed to train police officers in hostile situations but now also
works to help authorities identify and provide referral services for mentally
ill people with frequent run-ins with law enforcement, Wilde said.
“We're just getting up to speed right
now,” Wilde said. “I strongly feel that the Crisis Intervention Team will bear
out over a period of time.”
* * *
Medical Errors Pose Deadly
Threat
[By Heather Simonsen.] http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Nov/11182003/tuesday/111976.asp
Medical errors are one of the leading
causes of death and injury in the
For child patients, the risk is even
greater. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the
chance of your child falling victim to a prescription medicine error is three
times more likely than such errors are in adults.
“Frankly, I'm just shocked,” says Sara
Christensen, a
Christensen's youngest daughter suffers
from autism, a developmental disorder. She says parental perseverance is key in making sure her daughter gets the best care possible.
“Nobody cares about your child except
you and your spouse,” she says. “Your doctor can't care that much. It's a sad
realization, but [he has] 100 patients just like you.”
“It's very important for families to be
very involved in their children's medical care,” agrees Howard Parker, patient
safety manager at Primary Children's
Primary Children's
Medical mistakes occur when a doctor
prescribes the wrong medicine or a pharmacist misreads a prescription and fills
an inaccurate dosage. They also happen when doctors use the wrong plan to care
for a child, or technicians make mistakes on a lab report. Knowing what
questions to ask and what key things to look for will help you avoid such
mistakes.
“The medical community as a whole has
become very concerned about the problem of medical errors -- it's become a
major topic in health care,” Parker says. “It's always been a problem but it
was an invisible problem until a few years ago, because we're aware health care
is improving as whole.”
The best thing you can do to protect
against medical mishaps is to take an active role in every decision made
regarding your child's health care, according to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, or AHRQ.
“Don't make assumptions. Don't assume
that everything is correct,” says Parker. “Use your own judgment. If you see
something that looks out of the ordinary, speak up. We've been too trusting of
physicians in the past. It's healthy to question them.”
Specifically, make sure your doctor
knows every medicine your child is taking, including prescription,
over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.
Also, make sure your pediatrician is aware of any allergies your child might
have.
“Parents can and should be a backup to
prevent medication errors. They should ask questions to pharmacists and
physicians,” says Parker. “Often there are interactions between prescribed
medications and herbal remedies.”
When your doctor writes a prescription,
AHRQ recommends you make sure you can read it. If it's not legible to you, it
may not be to your pharmacist, either. Ask your doctor to write the name of the
drug in block letters.
Eighty-eight percent of medicine errors
involved the wrong drug or the wrong dose, according to a study by the
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences. AHRQ recommends
you always ask the
pharmacist: “Is this the medicine that
my child's doctor prescribed?”
“Any time you pick up a prescription
you should make sure the label on the bottle matches the prescription and has
the correct information on it -- name of the child, pediatrician,” says Parker.
“Read the instructions . . . before you leave the pharmacy and ask the
pharmacist any questions you have rather than getting home and trying to figure
out 'what does this mean?' “
Directions on medications can be
confusing. For example, AHRQ advises you ask the pharmacist if “four doses
daily” means taking a dose every 6 hours around the clock or just during
regular waking hours. Also, ask the best way to measure your child's liquid
medicine (household teaspoons do not always hold true to the measurement of a
teaspoon of liquid). Ask about possible side affects and ask for written
information you can refer to later at home.
Look out for inconsistencies in your
child's medication. Parker says, “If this [medication] is a refill, make sure
it looks the same. If they're used to taking white pills and all the sudden
they have a blue pill, you should inquire about this.”
If your child is hospitalized, the same
set of rules apply. But monitoring their drug intake
at the hospital is more difficult because nurses fill the prescriptions and
administer them to the child. Yet, the need to double check each dose for
accuracy is even more important in the hospital because the medications tend to
be stronger and more potent -- thereby increasing the risk of serious harm in the
event of a mistake.
“Ask: 'what is this drug? What does it
do? What should I expect to see? Is it going to make her sleepy? Will it ease
her breathing?' “ Parker says. “Having parents with
their children is something we recommend. “
Christensen, the
“I do ask questions. But I feel like
the doctors are patronizing,” she says. “Sometimes the doctors try to simplify
so I'll understand, but they don't give me the benefit of the doubt that I
might know what's going on with my child.”
The experts at AHRQ say if you have a
choice, choose a hospital where many children have had the same surgery or
procedure done that your child needs. Finding a hospital with specific
experience in her surgery decreases the likelihood for error.
While in the hospital, make sure your
child always has on her identification bracelet.
Also, ask all health care workers who
come in contact with your child to wash their hands first. AHRQ says that when
parents make such requests, doctors and nurses tend to wash more often and use
soap.
For more online information about how
to prevent medical errors in children, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tipkid.htm.
* * *
FORENSIC
Death Probe Frustrates Mom
"You don't know how Michael
loved life.
Michael didn't want to die."
[By Stephanie Esters For
The
xml
Nearly three months after the death of
her son at
She hasn't been told the details of what
happened.
She doesn't know for sure how or why her
son was physically restrained by school staff, or why medical personnel weren't
called sooner.
Today would have been the 16th birthday
of Michael Renner-Lewis III. Instead of celebrating, the
“The thing that hurts me is ... I cannot
get any information,” said Johnson, who initially urged patience with the
investigation, in her first personal interview about her son's death.
“I am upset at the school. I'm angry,
frustrated ... (The attitude seems to be) don't talk about it.”
Michael, who was autistic, died Aug. 25
on the first day of school. Police said the 6-foot,
165-pound boy was physically restrained by several school staffers after he
experienced “seizure-like” symptoms and became agitated about
At some point, the boy became
unconscious. He was pronounced dead at
The initial autopsy did not establish a
cause of death.
Officials from the Kalamazoo Regional
Educational Service Agency, which employed the aide who worked with Michael,
and the
Johnson said school officials also are
not talking to her.
“They're not giving the family any idea
of what happened,” said Karen Brown, a family friend. “Our best information has
come from the Gazette.”
Craig Mutch, a
“From our point of view, our hands are
tied,” he said.
Calls from school Michael was his usual
happy self that Monday morning, his mother remembers, playing his favorite
song, “I Can Only Imagine,” over and over in his bedroom.
He was excited about the start of his
sophomore year, dressing in the acid-washed jeans and black-and-beige checkered
shirt that he had meticulously ironed and laid over a chair the night before,
Johnson said.
Michael headed off to school around
But around
The woman told her that Michael had had a
seizure and was now asleep, but that he needed to be picked up.
Johnson said she interrupted the woman
when she mentioned a seizure. “I said, 'No, uh-uh, he never had a seizure in
his life.' “
When the call came, Johnson was in the
midst of helping with a medical procedure. Since the call didn't sound urgent,
she asked a friend, Phyllis Wall, to pick up Michael at school.
Wall said she arrived around
The 911 call was made at
Confused by the second phone message,
Johnson said, she called Wall's cell phone. “She said, 'I'm busy,
+ Article continues:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1069086296300160.
xml
* * *
TREATMENT
The Specific Carbohydrate
Diet & Advanced Dietary Interventions
[From Karen Seroussi. The SAR neither reviews, nor endorses
treatments for autism. This information
is provided for our readers’ information only. -editor.]
We hope you will join the official online
support group for ANDI, the Autism Network for Dietary Intervention.
ANDI (http://www.autismndi.com)
has been dedicated to helping parents implement gluten- and casein-free diets
for over five years. In that time, many parents have found that additional gains
have been made by further limiting the diet to exclude other foods (e.g. soy
and corn). Some children are also showing very positive responses to some
additional dietary interventions -- often developed for people with various
gastrointestinal
(GI) disorders.
The purpose of this list is to initiate
discussion and provide support for families of children with autism spectrum
disorders who are already on a gluten-free and casein-free diet, and who are
exploring additional treatment options such as the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
(SCD), the Body Ecology Diet (BED), grain-free, sugar-free, supplementation,
and other dietary interventions. Because every child is different, each may
need a slightly different treatment plan, with differing levels of compliance.
This list is for the open discussion and
free exchange of ideas, and for the purpose of mutual support for
practitioners, parents and caregivers utilizing advanced dietary interventions
for the autistic children in their care. Participants must be respectful of
others at all times if they wish to remain on the list.
If you are just getting started with
GF/CF diet, you are welcome here, but we would suggest that you also join the
list at http://www.gfcfdiet.com, where
most basic gf/cf questions are discussed and are
covered in the archives.
To join the ANDI-ADI list, please go to http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ANDI-ADI
* * *
EVENTS
Jacob’s Bridge Kid’s Day Out Fun Clinic in
Date of Clinic:
The free clinic is open to campers of all
ages and abilities. This clinic is being sponsored by the five participating
colleges including Keene State College,
Head coaches from each school and members
of the men’s basketball team will direct this special clinic designed to
promote the fourth annual Jacob’ s Bridge Through Autism Classic held at NHTI
on Tuesday, December 2.
Campers will also have a chance for
autographs from the college basketball stars from the five NH colleges! This
special event will offer a positive experience for all campers attending this
fun event! This year the coaches wanted
to give more to the community and offer this clinic.
As many of you know and deal with daily,
it’s not always easy to include all siblings at events. This clinic we hope will enable a child on
the spectrum to have a chance to play some basketball with their siblings
and/or friends. If this isn't possible
we are also going to have a quiet room upstairs that families can go to and
chat and mingle amongst
themselves. We want this to be a positive event for
all!! So many times
you can't go to an event
because it is too hard. You don't even
want to think how your child will process the entire environment, so you just
say no or don't even mention it to the siblings. We hope you will all feel comfortable to come
and have nice day, meet new friends and network to help bridge the gap. A special information table will be set up to
promote awareness and education about Autism.
Jacob's Bridge Through Autism Classic
Games:
Participants should pre-register by
calling Susan Scheinman at 603-254-7455 or Paul Hogan
at 603-271-6426. Registration forms can be e-mailed by contacting Hogan at
phogan@nhctc.edu or Scheinman at sws13@adelphia.net
. For more information on Jacob's Bridge Through
Autism
please visit the website www.jbtautism.org. Enjoy. Please pass this along
to all you know and may be
interested...
* * *
The Future Challenges of
Autism
For those
who will be in DC for the Autism Summit Conference and might want to attend.
The Subcommittee on Human Rights &
Wellness hearing originally scheduled for
“The Future Challenges of Autism: A Survey of the Ongoing Initiatives in the
Federal Government to Address the Epidemic”
Dr. Wagner from the National Institutes
of Mental Health, Dr. Duke from Health Resource and Service Administration,
Assistant Secretary Pasternack from the U.S.
Department of Education, Rick Rollens from the M.I.N.D. Institute, and Dr. Edelson with the Edleson Center
for Environmental and Preventative Medicine.
* * *
READERS’ POSTS
You may now submit abstracts
on-line and register for the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR),
which will be held
******
Please email or call me if
you are employed by Disney Corporation or ABC and have an autistic child. I am
the father of a four year old autistic boy. I am trying to change the insurance
benefits available to Disney employees seeking reimbursement for
******
Parents for Autistic
Children’s Education (PACE), a non-profit parents group, has been working with
senior Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) staff to develop a proposal for the
first charter school in
******
Looking
for a residential facility, preferably in the northeast, for 37 year-old
diagnosed PDD (significantly involved) with mild autism and some schizophrenia
or bipolar disorder. She has behavior issues but none that are violent or harmful to
herself (she screams and yells, being quick to get
angry) She is on 6 medications; is a night owl who
is fairly productive in her awake time in that she reads and writes
consistently, she is articulate, and so while she still may need systems of
behavioral accountability in place, a less structured environment would
probably do her a world of good, as would a room of her own, and a quiet
location. mjcarley@aol.com
******
Searching for outstanding
Autism/Asperger Syndrome merchandise? You'll find
over 450 items at www.AutismShop.com. Proceeds
benefit autism research and support.
******
There are several spots open
in the
******
I am the Dental Director for
Easter Seals Metropolitan
D.D.S.(jeffreyscantor@yahoo.com)
******
To Help Parents Manage
Autism And Vaccine Injury, Nutrition Care for Children (NCFC), a therapeutic
nutrition clinic focused on helping children with autism and other
developmental issues, in BOURNE, Mass, unveiled its new Web site, www.nutritioncare.net, in collaboration with
Lorraine Hurley, MD and Pam Ferro, RN.
******
Thank you for providing all
of the information that you do. I believe the greatest obstacle we have in the
Thank you Jennifer Brown brownjj@optonline.net
******
Relocating to Greater Montpelier,VT area. Need a public preschool with
Lisa Allen lisa_m_allen@msn.com
******
My son, who is labeled PDD-NOS is also hyperlexic and a
touch of ADHD! He can read at a 3.5 level or higher, but is
comprehending at a primer level. How would you address this issue! He is
7, soon to be 8. He has been reading (sight words) since he was 2. I brought
him to special services through the local school system, because he wasn't
talking like he should be at the age of 3 1/2. At the most recent IEP, the
school system asked if I could try to find an "Autism Kit" for them
to use with him in the classroom. Do you know of any "Autism Kits" or
where I could get therapy in a bag!? Please help me! vivianhaug@yahoo.com
******
There are several support
groups on yahoo.com and even one for girls with autism. Go to the main screen next to the listing CONNECT and
click on groups. That screen will have a
search factor...type in autism and it will
bring up a list of groups. thefirstblackrose@earthlink.net
******
Our family recently moved in
our state to get better care for our Autistic son. The move was good. Our son is doing well. How do I explain to relatives the importance
of the move and where my time is spent? MarvinSloan@msn.com
******
The Holidays are
coming! Only 37 shopping days left until
Christmas! Get great gifts and support
20 different autism charities. Great for grandmas, teachers, therapists and
anyone who loves someone with autism! http://www.geocities.com/autismfundraiser
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[Thanks to Terrie Silverman
for compiling these posts.]
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