The Exceptional Parent back issues from April 2009:
On the audacity of wanting to be shot out of a cannon.(end of life care)
Apr 01, 2009; ... I go to lots of meetings. It's part of my learning and networking portfolio. In the clinical meetings I attend, the "case presentation" is often the standard teaching and learning point. It is the case presentation that the all-important "so what" is given its walk in the sun ....
New Web collaboration service for children with special needs.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... Founded in 2008, Parlerai Inc. is the result of the collaboration of Kristin and Jon Erickson, the parents of a child with special needs. The Ericksons designed and built the Web site, Parlerai.com, partly out of sheer need for themselves and partly due to the desire to provide a better ...
Benetech launches new Bookshare library.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... Bookshare, the world's largest accessible online library for people with print disabilities, has been completely rebuilt with state-of-the-art Web technology to make it significantly easier for individuals with print disabilities to access the books they want and need. The new design ...
Grants for autism program.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation is the first foundation in the United States with the specific mission of providing grants to programs that benefit adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has awarded grants since 2002. Programs and services include residential, ...
Help with special needs care services.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... Every child is different, as is every family, but there are common concerns that link parents of children with special needs, including the challenge of finding appropriate care and accommodations. With this in mind, Care.com, the premier source of trustworthy family care options, launched ...
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that affects about 12 million Americans or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, VA, FAAN has 30,000 members in the ...
YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Network Annual International Conference.(WHAT'S HAPPENING)(Conference news)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... The YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Network will hold its 30th Annual International Conference: "Building on Abilities: Promoting Person-Centered Programs and Policies in Developmental and Learning Disabilities" on May 4 - 8, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Manhattan Hotel, ...
February 2009 issue correction.(Correction notice)
Apr 01, 2009 ... The following is an updated author biography for the story entitled, "Detoured to Holland? MCEC[R]'s Special Education Leaders Institute[TM] Phase II Helps You Recognize Its Beauty" that ran in the military section of the February issue of EP. Antoinette "Toni" Hill, wife of ...
Further reading.(A Child's Journey Out of Autism)(Embracing Autism)(Book review)
Apr 01, 2009; ... There are so many new books about autism that it can be hard to pinpoint the best ones to read. Although quite different in tone and experience, the following selections definitely fall into this category. One is a mother's personal memoir, the other a compilation of stories by people ...
Child with Wheelchair, model 4407.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... The Child with Wheelchair comes with her own wheelchair that rolls on its wheels, a leg cast, an arm cast, and a head bandage. The spoke guards feature a tropical fish design. The set also includes a mother doll with hands that can grasp the wheelchair push ...
L*E*O (Language & ECU in One).(NEW PRODUCTS)(electronic control unit)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] L*E*O (Language & ECU in One) is an environmental control unit and communicator available in a standard model or a scanning model. In the standard model, the user plays pre-recorded, digitized speech messages through direct selection by touching pictures ...
Postur Vest.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... The Postur Vest is an H-style harness vest made of soft padding with adjustable hook-and-loop fasteners. The childsize vest features a cartoon design and the adult/junior has a plain front. This latex-free and machine-washable vest fastens over the back of wheelchairs or regular chairs. ...
One Touch Tea Kettle.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
Apr 01, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The One Touch Tea Kettle has a harmonic whistle to alert the user that the water is at boiling temperature. The 2.5 quart kettle is equipped with a onehand mechanism that lifts the whistle and opens the spout, eliminating the need to push a button or ...
Supporting parents: the key to effective autism therapy.(AUTISM)
Apr 01, 2009; ... IF YOU ARE THE PARENT OF A CHILD with autism, you probably sense that your role in his or her life transcends even the word "exceptional" that you see in the title of this magazine. You are your child's primary source of love, you meet his varied and challenging daily needs, and ...
Creating connections.(AUTISM)(summer camp for special needs children)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Connections Camp "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name." As the children sing the final notes from the ...
Therapeutic play at inflatable playgrounds.(AUTISM)
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A GROUP OF CHILDREN bouncing around on inflatable equipment might not be the typical picture of therapy, but parents across the country who have children with autism are touting the benefits of playtime at giant, indoor inflatable playgrounds. ...
Richter-scale tantrums: new hope for exhausted parents.(AUTISM)
Apr 01, 2009; ... EXCITING NEWS IS EMERGING that could change the lives of many parents of children and adolescents with autism. Extreme tantrums often "run their lives," according to Dr. Lawrence Scahill, Professor of Nursing and Child Psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center in New Haven, CT. As the ...
"I know you are, but what am I?": a reflective essay on possible predispositions to autism spectrum disorders.(AUTISM)(Essay)
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS THE PARENT OF A SON with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I read about the various theories regarding genetic predictors, toxic and heavy metal exposure, and immunization after-effects. However, I had not seriously considered that the genetics or ...
The epidemic of autism: one professional view from a parent.(AUTISM)
Apr 01, 2009; ... NEUROLOGICAL ANOMALIES SEEM to be on the rise. But I wonder if the disorder known as autism is truly a genuine epidemic. Sometimes using an umbrella term like "cancer" can be more misleading than helpful. I have some concerns about calling most developmental differences autism. I believe ...
Welcome to Holland: helping families develop resiliency.(Stress Management)
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There is a famous piece of writing by Emily Pearl Kingsley in which she attempts to describe what it feels like to raise a child with special needs. She explains that it's like preparing for a trip to Italy. Learning the language. Buying the travel books ....
Yes she can: Marlee Matlin tells her story.(Interview)(Cover story)
Apr 01, 2009; ... She was diagnosed as deaf at 18 months old, became the youngest woman, at age 21, to win an Oscar[R] for her role in Children of a Lesser God, is a published author, the proud mother of four children, and recently spent time dancing competitively on the hit show Dancing with the Stars. For ...
Compassion: a teaching tool?
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I was leading the class in morning songs when Colin burst into the classroom waving his arms and wailing. He ran straight to the puzzle shelf. Hot on his heels, the harried aide tried to shepherd him toward the 20 startled kindergarteners sitting ...
Holistic treatment approaches to ADHD: nutrition, sleep,and exercise: in this 10-part series, EP explores attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).(Part 7)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Diet and Nutrition Paying attention to lifestyle can help manage symptoms of ADHD. Beginning with nutrition, the standard diet is particularly harmful for someone with ADHD. It weakens the focus and decision-making that the person is trying to strengthen, is low in nutrients, ...
How (and why) to tell others about your epilepsy.(Coping with Epilepsy and Stigma)
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Probably one of the most challenging dilemmas facing people with epilepsy and parents of children with epilepsy are the questions of if, who, when, and how to tell others about the epilepsy. There is fear of stigma and rejection. Yet there remains the need ...
Easter Seals study will strengthen efforts to help families living with autism.(Special Care[SM])(Easter Seal's Living with Autism Study )
Apr 01, 2009 ... Last summer the Easter Seal's Living with Autism Study * was conducted in cooperation with the Autism Society of America to quantify and bring light to the challenges families face, find ways to address those challenges, and strengthen the power behind advocacy for the life-long services ...
Adults with disabilities and proper dental care: who will provide dental care for children with disabilities when they grow older?(Developmental Medicine and Dentistry Reviews & Reports)
Apr 01, 2009; ... SPECIAL OLYMPICS Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968 and has grown into a global movement involving 2.5 million athletes, millions of volunteers, family members, and friends. The international organization provides year-round sports training and ...
Working towards a brighter future.(ORGANIZATIONAL SPOTLIGHT)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Every child deserves a bright future, and it is society's responsibility to do all we can to promote the well being of the children in our country. In 1990, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) launched the healthcare initiative, Bright Futures. Bright Futures is a national health ...
Thinking ahead: a special kind of planning.
Apr 01, 2009; ... None of us like to think about our own serious illness or death. As a result 75 percent of American adults fail to plan for the care they might want when these events eventually occur. Even more difficult to contemplate is the final illness or death of our parents or children. For special ...
Autism, social competence, and academic performance.(ASK THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Dear Susan, My daughter is 10 years old and is having difficulty with her reading and focusing skills. She is currently in math lab, but the school refuses to place her in reading lab. She does have a 15-year-old brother who has been diagnosed with autism. She also has ...
Filling in the gaps: Medicaid waivers add to the continuum of resources for people with autism.(Insight on Federal Policy: This month's focus: MEDICAID WAIVERS)
Apr 01, 2009; ... This month's focus: MEDICAID WAIVERS The campaign to gain public recognition for autism has passed a number of significant milestones. Families, professionals, and advocacy organizations can take credit for their individual and collective efforts to create educational services, ...
Origins of anxiety from infancy to war.(United States Military Section)
Apr 01, 2009; ... EP continues its exploration of the effects of combat on servicemembers who have returned home and are attempting to cope with traumatic experiences while reintegrating into the daily life of family, community, and work. This series focuses on traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic ...
The power of acceptance.(United States Military Section)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Ever felt like an outsider? Think about a time when you encountered a new situation. How about when you first joined an organization or a team, started a new job, met a group of people, went to a new school, moved to a new neighborhood, or began a relationship? How long did it ...
Dancing in the rain.(United States Military Section)(raising a visually impaired child)(Personal account)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Chelsea brought sunshine into our lives the day she was born in 1992, but she also came with unexpected clouds. She was born prematurely at 27 weeks gestation and weighed only one pound, six ounces. We listened as the doctor told us that 80 percent of babies her size just don't make it, ...
Having a child with autism: a mother's perspective.(AUTISM)(Personal account)
Apr 01, 2009; ... I am blessed to have met some of the most passionate, loving mothers whose children have autism. I talk to these women any time I feel down or alone. I call them if I need advice on the next steps to take in healing my son or if I just need another mother to hear me cry. I honestly can say ...
RFB&D supports servicemembers and their families: RFB&D signs agreement with Walter Reed army medical center to provide audiobooks and services.(United States Military Section)(Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Through its Metropolitan Washington, DC unit, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic[R] (RFB&D[R]) has signed an agreement to provide military servicemembers and their families stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) access to its audio library of more than 46,000 educational ...
The great adventure.(United States Military Section)(Personal account)
Apr 01, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Life in the military is a great adventure. Your family just gets settled into a new life, and then you are on the move again. Sometimes you get to pick where you are going, and other times you have no choice. You go where you are needed the most. For the ...
Building life skills for children with asperger syndrome.(United States Military Section: AUTISM)
Apr 01, 2009; ... It took Captains Ada and Victor Cotto almost six years to get a proper diagnosis of Asperger syndrome for their son, Jose. In the years in between, Jose was misdiagnosed with anger management issues and then with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). His atypical behaviors and ...
Special needs planning services.(Directory)
Apr 01, 2009 ... ACADEMY OF SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNERS The Academy of Special Needs Planners is a membership organization of attorneys dedicated to serving the special needs community. ACADEMY OF SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNERS 260 West Exchange Street Mailbox, 29, Suite 004 ...
Products and services.(Directory)
Apr 01, 2009 ... ACCESSIBLE HOUSING POWER ACCESS CORPORATION 170 Main Street PO Box 1050 New Hartford, CT 06057 P: 800-344-0088 F: 860-693-0641 www.handicap-access.com Power Access has been making automatic door openers for the ...
Managing disability stress: a stressful exercise.(LIVING WITH A DISABILITY)
Apr 01, 2009; ... Stress. We all experience it to different degrees at times, or all the time. If you don't, or haven't, you're not really on the same planet as the rest of us. Stress can be acute (sudden and short term) or chronic (long term). The former type of stress is caused by an actual, ...