The Reason For It All

SDASA: TEACHER APPRECIATION NIGHT

Scientists propose new theory of autism

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

SDASA Monthly Pizza and Pool Party

ICDL Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day & Month

HorseWisdom.org Update

ATPF: Shoot for the Stars: SDSU Lacrosse!!!

Participate in a Research Study with Dr. Trauner!

Support Group Meeting at North Coast Calvary Chapel

Jack Open Golf Tournament for TACA

Project Handbag for Autism

How 1 Autistic Young Man Runs a Business

Discovery Health to Feature Autism Speaks Researchers and Walk Now for Autism Events in April

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

Collaborative Symposia to Explore the Relationship Between Autism and Mitochondrial Diseases

CCC's 2nd Annual Beach Bash for 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.

Honor Your Child's Teacher/Provider at SDASAs Teacher Appreciation Night
April 21, 2009
6:30-8:30pm | United Way Building
4699 Murphy Canyon Road | San Diego, CA

This event will be held in lieu of our usual monthly support & informational meeting.

Come join us on this special night to recognize the the teachers, aides, and professionals who have made a difference in their lives! Awards will be given to dedicated educators who have shown excellence in all that they do for students on the spectrum. A light dinner will be served.

To print a postcard-sized invitation for your child's teacher/provider, please click here.
For an event flier, please click here.

· We must have your RSVP by April 7, 2009 in order to have gifts · for all teachers in attendance. Please call the SDASA office at 858-715-0678

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.

Friday, April 10, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Boys & Girls Club
4635 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA | 92117

Bring the whole family to enjoy a swim in an indoor heated pool with free pizza and drinks. Lifeguards are provided. For safety purposes, no flotation devices or arm "floaties" are permitted. A special thanks to Aqua Pros for making this event possible!

Please RSVP to info@sd-autism.org or 858-715- 0678 at least FIVE days in advance to ensure that there are enough food and drinks for all.

Our work at ICDL is creating a new cadre of leaders, educators and therapists who have the knowledge to improve the ability of children with autism to love and learn. Interactive relationships establish the foundations for loving and learning by following a developmental roadmap that takes into account a child's individual differences and the unique role of the family.

Celebrate and contribute to Autism Awareness Month by
1. Watching the ABC News segment about the wonderful film Autistic- Like:Graham's Story

2. Taking advantage of ICDL's publications sale throughout the month of April. Look for 30% to 50% discounts on most of our books and videos. For details click here or go directly to our Online Bookstore, where you will find the already discounted prices.

3. Watching a free introductory video about the DIR/Floortime Model

4. Registering for the Basic Online Course about the DIR/Floortime Model or for the online workshops on Meltdowns and Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders

5. Attending a local DIR event or workshop

6. Listening to Dr. Greenspan's Web Radio Shows

7. Exploring our website and www.floortime.org and enjoying many free resources for parents and professionals

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

The San Diego State Men's Lacrosse Team is holding a fastest shot contest at each of its 2009 home games to raise money for the ATPF!

The Team is very excited to be a part of such a worthy cause and invites everyone out to Take A Shot! for just $5, which goes directly to support ATPF programs. Prizes awarded at each game! All games are free to attend. For more information about the team and a schedule of games, please visit www.sdsulax.com .

The season continues on April 10th at USD. You can see photos of the first two games of the season by clicking here. For additional information, you can download a flyer here.

Dr. Trauner, pediatric neurologist at UCSD and a long- time friend of ATPF, is doing a research study of brain and cognition in children with high-functioning autism between the ages of 7 and 11 years. She is looking for children who have a diagnosis of autism, who have some language, and who are able to participate in some basic tests such as drawing, naming objects, etc. The children would also get an MRI and event- related brain potentials (a type of EEG but using a cap on their heads, not electrodes) if they can tolerate those tests. Parents will receive a report of the test results.

If your child fits this description and you are interested in helping further research on autism, please call Jenny Williams or Jenny Crowhurst at 858-822-6800 for more information.

North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad is offering a support group for parents raising children with autism spectrum disorders Thursday, April 19 from 6-7:30 pm. Meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of every month. The church is at 1330 Poinsettia Lane (at Aviara Parkway). While we do have information on resources, the focus of the group is emotional and spiritual support. At this point we do not have child care, but are working on a concurrent childrens group and siblings group. We will post when those are available. For more information please call Pam Douty, MFT at (760) 929-0029 ext 314.

Buy Tickets Online · Registration closes on April 25

KCBS Jack FM & Talk about Curing Autism (TACA) are teaming up for the 1st Annual Jack Open Golf Tournament & Party to raise money for families affected by autism. Jack Open will feature special guests, a golf tournament with prizes, silent & live auction, and tournament after party including dinner and drinks. Click here for more info.

Local San Diego Handbag Designer to the Stars Hosts Project Handbag for Autism to Raise Awareness for Girls on the Autism Spectrum

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (April 3, 2009) On April 13th Stephanie Schroder, native San Diegan and celebrity handbag designer to stars like Beyonce' and Eva Longoria Parker, will make handbags with girls on the Autism Spectrum in recognition of Autism Awareness Month. "Girls represent a smaller population of children on the spectrum and therefore don't receive as much attention. I look forward to hosting an event just for girls to celebrate them!"

Schroder, herself a single-mother to a child on the spectrum, will collaborate with the girls to create a signature handbag for Autism. The proceeds from the sale of this handbag will benefit San Diego-based Autism Tree Project Foundation, an organization that provides early childhood screenings for Autism and mentor programs for families living with the diagnosis. The Project Handbag bag will be unveiled at Autism Tree Project's VIP event on April 30th.

"I am constantly inspired by the imagination and creativity of children, and some of the most gifted children I've ever met are on the spectrum. The spectrum is so vast, and to give creative voice to a child who may be non-verbal for example will be very powerful. I can't wait to share this experience with this group of girls!"

Project Handbag for Autism
DATE: Monday, April 13th at 4pm
PLACE: The best girl venue in town - It's All About The Girl in Liberty Station
It's All About the Girlý -- click this link for a map
2445 Truxtun Rd.
Suite #201
San Diego, CA 92106

For more information please contact Stephanie Schroder at 619-602-3204, info@stephanieschroder.com, or visit www.stephanieschroder.com.

To learn more about Autism Tree Project foundation, please visit www.autismtreeproject.org.

Joe Steffy is off to Overland Park, Kan., this week to do a PowerPoint presentation on his business, Poppin' Joe's Kettle Korn. He's a 23-year-old small-business man with a goal of $100,000 in sales by 2012. Joe also has autism and Down syndrome and is nonverbal. When he gives his talk, he will push buttons on an augmentative speech device to deliver the words. His audience will be parents who fervently hope their own special-needs children will be able to work, too.

Joe's parents, Ray and Janet, of Louisburg, Kan., didn't agree with the assessment of the school district in which they lived previously, which had said Joe would never be able to work or live independently. "I'm one who can easily get ticked off," says Ray. "That ticked me off. We saw more in Joe than that. We set out to prove to the school that he had capabilities." They came across kettle corn while on a trip to Alaska and realized that all that popping, scooping, and serving suited Joe's love of work. Read on...

Tune in to the Discovery Health Channel for two specials focusing on autism. Discovery Health is Autism Speaks' media partner for Autism Awareness Month. In addition to the television specials, elements of the partnership will include on-air mentions of Autism Speaks' efforts on the Discovery Health Channel. Additionally, Autism Speaks' Ad Council public service announcements will be shown on DiscoveryHealth.com and will provide visitors with an array of information on autism as well as on Autism Speaks Walk Now For Autism events in the network's newsletters and online throughout the month of April. Read more.

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...

Autism Speaks and the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) have partnered to host a special science symposia at the annual UMDF meeting in June. This Autism Speaks sponsored session is part of our ongoing effort to collaborate with the UMDF to encourage dialogue between autism and mitochondrial disease researchers. The cost of attending the session is $50 for non-UMDF members, and attendees will be able to view research in this area and attend other science sessions throughout the day. Read more about this upcoming meeting here.