Juice Plus+®

Mom needs advice on High Schools for son

Now Scheduling Music Therapy Sessions

NICHCY ENewsletter

Letter of invitation to take survey on assistive technology

Heart of Sailing Upcoming Schedule and Locations

ICDL Spring Conference is Online

SDUSD Seeks Your Ideas for Budget Cuts

Bipolar Disorder Guide

Artificial Playmates for Autistic Children

Jenny McCarthy Call to Action-- Rally at the CDC

CARES: Teen Social Skills Group

The CCC Bowl-a-Thon!!!

"Eat more fruits and vegetables."

It's the one recommendation in almost every diet plan, every guide to nutrition, every fitness book. Even organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the World Health Organization, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion agree. But as much as it's preached, most people still don't eat enough fruits and vegetables every day.
That's why there's Juice Plus+®.

If you can't afford prevention, then how will you afford disease?

Get Kids Involved
Give your kids some hands-on experience in the kitchen, and let the Fruit & Veggie Color Champions teach them about the importance of eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies. These colorful friends guide children on fruit and vegetable exploring adventures that make learning fun. Join the Champions as their escapades take them through games, coloring, puzzles, and rhymes.

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 throughly 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

Check out my new website!

Hi Valerie,
I'm beginning to research high schools for my son who has been diagnosed with Asperger's for the 2009 school year. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with The Balboa City School or with Excelsior Academy. I would be grateful for any input.
Thank you!
Cathy McCarthy
619-445-2371

Call Now For a Free Screening
Contact us now to register for our individual music therapy, adapted music lessons or integrated speech and music therapy sessions. We now offer 30-minute individaul in-clinic sessions at our Encinitas and Mission Valley locations. All music therapy sessions are led by a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT- BC).

The speech and music therapy groups are facilitated by a Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist and a Board Certified Music Therapist and are held weekly for 45-minutes. Complimentary 30-minute screening sessions scheduled on request.

For more information please contact us at 619-299- 1411.
The Music Therapy Center's Website

Greetings from NICHCY, the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.

Here's the latest:
NICHCY has just posted another training module online for the Building the Legacy training curriculum on IDEA, our nation's special education law. The module includes PowerPoint slide shows to use in training sessions, a detailed discussion of IDEA for trainers, and handouts for audience participants.

The subject this time?
Module 18, Options for Dispute Resolution
In drafting the provisions of IDEA, Congress clearly contemplated that, at times, there would be disagreements between parents of children with disabilities and the school districts providing special education and related services to their children. When such disagreements occur, parents and school districts can turn to IDEA's procedural safeguards and dispute resolution options. Find out what those options are---there's a new one, did you know?

We hope you'll find these training resources helpful in your work or personal life. As always, please feel free to call or email us with your disability-related concerns, or visit our Web site, at: www.nichcy.org.

NICHCY
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
1.800.695.0285 (V/TTY)
nichcy@aed.org
www.nichcy.org

You are invited to participate in a research project being conducted at Univ. of Ill, Chicago on how people with disabilities use technology to increase independence. We are intrested in gathering info from people with DD (age 18+), acquired brain injuries, or problems with membory, as well as from people who provide them support.

Click here to take survey.

In Long Beach:
from the 10th to the 13th of April for 'Sailing for Sanity' during the 'All in the "Autism" Family conference'. Champagne, wine and beer will be served during 'Sailing for Sanity' sails. Please register here if interested in sailing with us.

In San Diego:
Heart of Sailing will be back in San Diego in April. Click here to see times and dates. Special "Dads Only" sails on Friday, April 18th, at 4pm & 6pm (ladies, sign up your hubbies!) "Moms Only" sails will be Saturday, April 19th, at 4pm & 6pm. Several slots are still available for families, too!!!

For regular Daysails with your kids, in Dana Point, San Francisco and Long Beach, click below to find the schedule for all locations. http://heartofsailing.org/Sailwithus.asp

I hope to sail with you soon,
George Saidah

Hi Everyone,
This year's spring ICDL conference is online! You do not need to travel to D.C., you do not need to spend all kinds of time and money on this training. You can watch the lectures with your family, friends, and providers at your leisure over two weeks, and there is a great added section from my co-group leader Rosemary White OTR/L.* I hope you will all strongly consider signing up for the online ICDL course!

Dr Feder
*Rosemary and I teach a web-based class for DIR Certificate Candidates, and Rosemary is a superb clinician and teacher. FYI we are also doing a conference together in Seattle the first weekend in April.

"Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed budget calls for dramatic reductions in state services and programs, including hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts in education this year and a $4.4 billion decrease for next year."

San Diego Unified School District is seeking "all ideas" to reduce, curb or cut spending. Simply visit the website: www.sandi.net/budget and click on the "Submit an Idea" box. Providing your name and contact information is optional. This is a unique opportunity to provide input on your school district's budget. Cuts are inevitable. The only question is where they will occur. Please participate.

Leslie Gollub
Area Board XIII

WebMD website's guide to learning more about Bipolar.

BOSTON--Children with autism spectrum disorder are unable to sustain play, make-believe games, and fluid social interaction--at least with real people. But psychologist and linguist Justine Cassell of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, says that interaction with virtual peers releases hidden social skills in these children.

A virtual child is a cartoonish-looking, gender-neutral 8-year-old that appears on a TV or projection screen. When it interacts with a real child, half of the action takes place in the real world, and half in the virtual world. Thanks to sensors on the toys, the children can pass dolls back and forth between worlds, and the virtual child "watches" the real child as he or she plays. The virtual child can also speak in a recorded child's voice and even uses lifelike expressions and gestures.

Actress and parent of a child with autism Jenny McCarthy is organizing the largest rally ever conducted in front of the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, GA this summer and is asking for your help.
June 28-29, 2008
Atlanta, GA

CARES
Center for Autism, Research, Evaluation & Service

Teen Social Skills Group

Participants: 12-16, High Functioning Autism, Asperger's, PDD-NOS

Topics: Making/keeping friends; improving conversation/flexibility; increase emotional awareness of self/others

When: Thursday, April 17th - Thursday, June 19th (10 Weeks), 5:30-6:30pm

Where: 10065 Old Grove Rd. #200 San Diego, 92131

Cost: $40/session, plus intake fee ($40)

Contact: Jeff Edmonds, Psy.D 858-444- 8823x1207 or jedmonds.cares@yahoo.com