The Reason For It All

Free Autism Training Scholarships for SDASA Members

Opportunity for Teens to Earn Spring Break $$ and Help Science

Providing IT Training

Coming Face To Face With Autism

HorseWisdom.org Update

Xcite Steps Tennis Clinic

Video helps officers better understand autism

Need suggestions for summer

Scientists Find 'Baffling' Link between Autism and Vinyl Flooring

Thank you luncheon for USD Football Team

A night of music, fashion, and glamour!

"Autistic-like: Graham's Story"

Don't miss Laureate's April special... 50% off

Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009 introduced in US Senate

CCC's 2nd Annual Beach Bash for Autism

ADAA 2009: Agent Approved for Alzheimer's Disease May Help Severe OCD

Dan Marino teams with Gov. Crist to promote awareness of autism

This is my son, Tony Saraf. Tony was diagnosed at age 2 with Autism, and later with bipolar and ADHD. For the last 25 years, he has been my guiding light and the love of my life...and the biggest, toughest challenge I have ever had.

Helping Tony to be the best Tony he can be, is my goal. Where that goal will lead the two of us, is yet to be seen. Tony continues to improve and I know there is more to come. Currently, Tony lives at home with me and attends an adult day program at St. Madeleine Sophie's Center, in El Cajon.

Doing this newsletter and learning all that I can for you and for Tony, started out as a small project 10 years ago with 40 people and has turned into an elephant with over 1,500 readers. And just like Tony, there is no end in sight!

Thanks for joining me on this fascinating ride!
Valerie Dodd-Saraf

Empowering Through Information
and the Fostering of Connections

I never endorse anyone or anything. Opinions expressed in what I send out, may not be shared by me. Everything is for informational purposes only.

People who "advertise" through this newsletter have never been checked out by me. This includes professionals and even people who are interested in babysitting, etc.

Please take the time to thoroughly check out anyone and everyone that will be working with or caring for your child. We are all sadly aware, through news stories and word of mouth, of people who pray upon special needs children because of their extra vulnerability.

Thank you,
Valerie Dodd-Saraf
My enewsletters are archived on my website: www.ValeriesList.com However, my webmaster has been on vacation and out of the country for about 2 months, so no updates have been done. My apologies.

Treat Yourself to somethin that won't cost a penny this year: Autism Training! You heard right - FREE autism specific training is available to help you better understand autism and be a more educated parent, caregiver or teacher!

One of the many uniques benefits of the San Diego County Chapter of the Autism Society of America's annual membership is the availability of a scholarship for autism specific training up to $250 per person per year.

Want to go to a conference but don't have the funds to pay for it? Now you have no excuse! The application for the Stauffer Foundation Scholarship can be found on the website: www.sd-autsim.org. Training must be autism specific such as ABA, RDI<, PECS, any conferences, DAN!, Biomedical Treatment Conferences, etc. The scholarship only pays for the conference or training fee. It does not cover any travel expenses, books, mileage, gas or accomodations.

Another great way to utilize this annual scholarship available to our members is to coordinate an autism specific training at your child's school (full inclusion, mainstreaming, teaching ASD children, etc.) Just ask your teacher, resource specialist or prinicipal if they would be interested in hosting a training session for the teachers after school one day. Then complete the application together and bring autism training to your school where you will be helping many children and teachers who work to teach them. It is really that easy!

If you have any questions, call the chapter line at 858- 715-0678 or e-mail us at info@sd-autism.org.

This wonderful program is provided to members of the San Diego County Chapter of the Autism Society of America through the generosity of the Stauffer Family Foundation.

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have proposed a sweeping new theory of autism that suggests that the brains of people with autism are structurally normal but dysregulated, meaning symptoms of the disorder might be reversible.

The central tenet of the theory, published in the March issue of Brain Research Reviews, is that autism is a developmental disorder caused by impaired regulation of the locus coeruleus, a bundle of neurons in the brain stem that processes sensory signals from all areas of the body.

The new theory stems from decades of anecdotal observations that some autistic children seem to improve when they have a fever, only to regress when the fever ebbs. A 2007 study in the journal Pediatrics took a more rigorous look at fever and autism, observing autistic children during and after fever episodes and comparing their behavior with autistic children who didn't have fevers. This study documented that autistic children experience behavior changes during fever. Read on...

Study Participants Needed for Autism Research Study at The Salk Institute:
We are looking for adolescents(age 10-18) with an ASD diagnosis, siblings of people with an ASD diagnosis, and typically developing teens to participate in a vision research study. Participants will be asked to sit in a quiet, dimly lit room and locate target images that appear on a computer screen. The task will be similar to playing a simple video game. Each volunteer may participate in a variable number (6-10) of sessions, which will typically last 1 hour, with breaks provided upon request. Participants will be compensated $10 per hour.

With your help, we hope to better understand how people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) process visual information differently than other individuals.

We will gladly share and explain the results of this study with participants and their parents. Testing will be arranged to fit your schedule. We offer weekday, evening, and weekend appointments.

For more information, please visit http://www.snl-k.salk.edu/autism.htm or contact Natalie at nat@salk.edu, (858) 453-4100 x1531.

Able-Disabled Advocacy is pleased to announce we have received a grant to provide IT training. We have 80 scholarships for individuals with all types of disabilities who wish to work in these occupations: IT Technician, Desktop Support Technician, Network Technician, Server Technician, JAVA Programmer, and Microsoft Office Specialist. I have attached a brochure. We will be selecting our first group of 20 recipients for our first class within the next month. More classes to follow.

Applicants must be serious about completing the 10- month program, very self-directed and motivated, and able to learn through reading content online. The program is very structured with assignment due dates, tests, etc. Some of the tracks required experience working in the field. Please help us get the word out about this opportunity. More information is available on our website through the Programs and Technology-Based Learning links.

Cindy Lennon
Special Projects Coordinator
Able-Disabled Advocacy
4283 El Cajon Blvd. Ste. 110
San Diego, CA 92105
619-23-5990 x 315

ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2009) - In the first study of its kind researchers will use video clips of spontaneously produced facial expressions in a real life social context to explore emotion recognition in autism.

This research, carried out at The University of Nottingham, will go beyond the more artificial emotion recognition tasks that have previously been used. The eye movements of volunteers will also be tracked to find out which areas of the face were looked at while volunteers make spontaneous judgements. Read on...

Please pass the word to your clients and Families that may benefit from Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning.

We will be offering a 6 week, once a week program for Autistic youth starting the week of April 13. We will be scheduling appointments on the hour priced at $150 per appointment. The first appointment will be an assessment of your child and a discussion of a possible treatment plan.

We will also be offering summer camps in partnership with Ivey Ranch in Oceanside, so please check the website.

Thank You
Karen Keeley
HorseWisdom.org
760-519-0310

TENNIS CLINIC
Sports clubs for youth experiencing disabilities
Date: April ©\ June
Time: 4:30 to 6:30

Xcite Sports is pleased to offer a tennis clinic specifically structured for children of all ages experiencing a disability. We are thrilled to open our hearts to the potential tennis players of San Diego. Our purpose and mission for this tennis clinic is to provide a sense of pride and fulfillment through athletic movement and team play.

The tennis clinic will be run by head tennis professional Darrin Bassett at the Fairbanks tennis courts in Rancho Santa Fe. Darrin will be assisted by our experienced mentors keeping our ratio 2 to 1. Darrin will make sure each participant receives personalized tennis instruction, ensuring success at their own level of play.

At the end of the 8 week session every child will have felt a sense of achievement in learning a new sport, built confidence in themselves and their abilities, made new friends, and have had a great tennis clinic experience.

SPACE IS LIMITED. TO SIGN UP CONTACT:
Director:
Matt Winkley (858) 722¨C 1948
mwinkley@excitesteps.com

SALT LAKE CITY -- A new video has just come out that every Salt Lake City police officer must watch. It's about autism.

According to the Autism Society of America, autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, affecting up to 1.5 million Americans. Those are facts the Salt Lake City Police Department could not ignore, so it co- produced a video to show its officers how to properly deal with someone with autism.

The video starts out with a scenario that was in the news just two weeks ago. A 20-year-old autistic man wandered from his home and was missing for the second time. The first time Justin Bailey went missing was last summer for three days. Bailey has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old. Read on...

Hi Val,
I have a question. My son is almost 7 and has been fully included in regular Kinder and First grade with a 1:1 aide. The IEP "Team" has said my son does not qualify for ESY, and furthermore, that it would not be an appropriate setting. I agree, however, my question is then what can we/ are we entitled to for him to receive services wise, to not regress over the long summer months? At least with ESY he has a schedule. I have previously had in-home ABA programs but don't want to get caught up in the "IRC/ school district pays for it" debate. Please help, I know my son needs a schedule and some kind of social skills program, but this situation is new to me. To clarify I am not looking for playgroups or 1 week camps. I need a program, if possible, as I have 2 other children to consider their needs as well. I can't be the first, or only person in this situation, can I?????
Thank you so much!
lisa
Inland Empire area

Children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit chemicals called phthalates, are more likely to have autism, according to research by Swedish and U.S. scientists published Monday.

The study of Swedish children is among the first to find an apparent connection between an environmental chemical and autism. Read on...

April 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM at the USD Football Field

ATPF will hold a thank you luncheon for the USD football team & kick off of player mentor program for ATPF kids for the 2009 USD football season. Special guest & speaker Joel Anderson will speak to the players on the topic of "Do You Have Courage?" Joel will also be exhibiting his Art for the players.

If you would like to have your child mentored by a USD football player, please fill out the form here and return to daynahoff@cox.net.

Planning Committee Meeting for November Gala
April 30, 2009

On April 30th, ATPF will hold a VIP event for those of you who really want to commit to being a part of the ATPF committee involved in the planning of November's Gala. This cocktail event is a first chance to start planning and throwing around ideas, and we welcome everyone to come, but only if you are prepared to be involved in the planning of the November event for the rest of this year. We are looking for passionate and creative people who want to help ATPF make a difference through the upcoming Gala and beyond. For more information, please read the invitation, and if you are not sure if you qualify to attend this event, please call Dayna Hoff to talk about it with her directly at 619-980-8614.

Please RSVP to Dayna Hoff at daynahoff@cox.net or 619-980-8614

We are pleased to announce the film "Autistic-like: Graham's Story", by Erik Linthorst, featuring the DIR Model, will be reviewed on ABC News tomorrow, Wednesday April 1st.

This is the remarkable story of one dad's determined search to help his son and the journey of this family from diagnosis to finding the right roadmap for his development. They found DIR/Floortime!

The film is a strong endorsement of the power to change the life of a child. Erik Linthorst, the father and producer, and Dr. Ricki Robinson, a DIR Faculty and pediatrician, will be interviewed.

The segment, which runs about 7 minutes, will air on Wednesday, April 1st, in the afternoon, on Good Morning America Health, between 2-2:30pm and 5:30- 6pm. Good Morning America Health is a 30 min show that airs on ABC News Now, ABC's digital news network. It will air on cable, stream on the internet and mobile devices. A link to the entire segment will be posted at www.icdl.com

If you would like to obtain a copy of the full 60-minute DVD, "Autistic-like: Graham's Story", please send an email to info@icdl.com.

Many children with language impairments, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, struggle with 1st and 2nd person pronouns. In Pronoun Perspective, both the 1st and 2nd person characters are on screen and students take the role of the observer. This program helps students develop a narrative perspective and improve their social communication knowlege. Click here...

Dear Autism Advocate,
Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today applauded the introduction of the groundbreaking Autism Treatment Acceleration Act (ATAA). Originally drafted by then- Senator Barack Obama and introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Robert Casey (D-PA), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), ATAA is comprehensive federal legislation that addresses several critical challenges facing the autism community, including increased funding for scientific research, treatment and services. The ATAA incorporates provisions from the Expanding the Promise of Individuals with Autism Act (EPIAA), originally proposed by then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

A key section of the bill requires all insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASDs), including coverage of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy - a medically-necessary, evidence- based autism treatment. In most states, insurers are currently allowed to specifically exclude coverage for these critical services, which can cost upward of $50,000 a year - well beyond the means of most families.

To help address the unique needs of adults with ASDs, the bill would create a demonstration project with one-year planning grants and multi-year implementation grants for the provision of service for adults with autism. In addition, it creates the National Autism Translational "Research to Services" Network aimed at accelerating the dissemination and utilization of critical, new information, moving it from "bench to bedside" as quickly as possible.

For a complete summary description of this bill, go to www.AutismVotes.org/ATAA.

Celebrate Autism Inclusion at the outrageously fun CCC Beach Bash 2009 on Saturday, May 30th from 8pm-1am at Canes Bar and Grill in Mission Beach. Rock out to 4 live bands, play Rock Band, enter contests, win prizes and meet some really cool people. General admission is $15 and VIP tickets are just $30 which gets you entrance to the VIP Hour from 7-8pm with a complimentary drink and appetizers. Get your tickets now at www.CommunityCoachingCenter.org or call 858.603.7344.

CCC is a nonprofit afterschool program for kids & teens with autism, promoting acceptance and awareness of autism in our community.

Quick Facts
CCC Beach Bash 2009 for Autism Inclusion
Canes Bar & Grill
Saturday, May 30, 2009
General Admission $15
VIP tickets $30
Bands: West of Memphis, Major Healey, Bombay Status, Says Rally

March 18, 2009 (Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico) - Memantine, a drug currently approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) that is under investigation as adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia and other illnesses may also play a role in the treatment of severe, refractory, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Presented here at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America 2009 Annual Conference, the first single- blind, matched case-control study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of memantine augmentation in such patients, showed that those treated with the drug experienced a greater clinical improvement in symptoms than their counterparts who did not receive adjunctive memantine therapy. Read on...