Juice Plus+®

4th Annual A Day in the Country

25th Annual IEP Day - Involved Exceptional Parents' Day

"Rock the Lights Out for Autism!" -- Almost Sold Out!!!

Matchpoint International Clinics

Some Quick Responses From Dr. Feder on Previous Subjects

Floortime Conferences

Job Opening at Starfish Hero

Response to Resilience Article

CARES: Teen Social Skills Groups

More Families Are Shunning Inoculations

GRASP: An Ethical Dilemma

Another Guy Going Off To College

March 08 littleheart newsletter

US to award vaccine damage payment

Juice Plus+...The Next Best Thing

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Take Juice Plus+ for a healthy life!!!

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!

An afternoon of sun, fun, food, and fundraising to benefit San Diego People First, a self advocacy group for adults with disabilities.

Activities include catered lunch, band, petting zoo, face painting, Easter Egg hunts, raffle prizes. Beer and wine available for additional cost.

Date: Saturday, March 22, 2008
Time: 12 noon - 5:00 pm
Location: 3046 Lyons Creek Lane, Jamul, CA 91935

Cost: $30 adults/$10 children 12 and under - checks payable to United Cerebral Palsy

For more information: 619-468-3120 or Diana@HetzelHomes.com

Ready, Willing and Enabled: Helping Find Your Child's Place in the World

Keynote speaker: Thomas Hehir, nationally renowned advocate for children in educational systems, director of School Leadership Program, Harvard University

Plus workshops and resources for families of children with developmental disabilities from birth through high school transition.

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008
Location: Handlery Hotel, Mission Valley

For more information: www.iepday.org, or contact Sandra Bishop at San Diego Regional Center 858-576-2966

Autism Tree Project Foundation's
5th Anniversay Gala
"Rock the Lights Out for Autism!"

DATE: Saturday, March 29, 2008

TIME: 5:30pm, Cocktails & Silent Auction
7:00pm, Dinner, Live Auction & Entertainment

LOCATION:
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
One Market Place
San Diego, California

Black-tie
$175per person
$1,600 per table

Celebrity Ambassadors
James "Lights Out" Toney
Heavyweight Champion

Lorenzo Neal
San Diego Chargers Fullback

Performances by
Culture Shock
After Midnight Project

Please respond by March 20th, 2008
Register online at:
www.autismtreeproject.org
For more information, contact:
Dayna Hoff 619-980-8614 or Marley Nelms 619-540-5912 A benefit to support the programs of the Autism Tree Project Foundation

Hi Valerie - thank you for adding my listing I have a new listing for you also matchpoint international and swinging racquets 4 aces are holding clinics for kids with autism and typical children one day a week at varies times for $40 dollars a month or private lessons $65 and semi private for $75 if you can add this I would greatly appreciate it. Have them call Kelly Coffman at 619-520- 8465 to sign up or for any questions

Quick responses -

Re testing - the College Board (SAT) and ACT people also provide accommodations.

Re PT (Personal Trainers): yes, I have lots of people who benefit from personal trainers - depending on the circumstances, the experience can help with regulation, core strengthening (which helps many people with attention and focus in school!), general health and certainly socialization. The key, of course, is to have an engaging and capable person as your trainer who is experienced with this kind of work.

Re college: I have a number of people who have gone off to college. Some live away, some at home. There are plenty of things to think through, including academic and social supports, transportation and modifications/accommodations. It is vitally important to have an adequate support system so that the student is not left floating on his/ her own, whether the person is living at home or away. This is the short answer. The long answer may involve months or years of careful planning. Welcome to Holland.

Dr Feder
858-509-0523

Beyond Medication and Behavioral Therapy: The Case for Using a Relationship-based Framework for the Treatment of Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

Click on this link to view upcoming conferences in your area.

Hi Val,
Could you please post the following on your amazing newsletter? Thanks a bundle!

I am looking for two private 1:1 behavioral therapists/tutors to work with a non-verbal 7-year-old boy in Laguna Niguel during school hours. Training will be provided, but experience with ABA (DTT, PRT, VB, etc.) and mild aggressive behaviors preffered. Competitive hourly pay and solid supervision availble. Please contact asap! Thanks!
Kirstin@StarfishHero.com
Kirstin Hall
www.StarfishHero.com

L.I.F.E. Support
Living In Faith Everyday

Hi Val,
I appreciate this article and the presentation of the characteristics of resilience. They are codified in the article; resilience looks simple.

In my life, resilience represents a richly textured, completely durable fabric that increases in strength only by meeting and facing challenging experiences. Failing forward as a practical orientation to every experience increases resilience.

The big questions: Can resilience be taught or mentored? What people and connections produce resilience?

It appears to me that resilience develops through authentic, mutual connections with people who value faith and an ability to laugh at themselves. Throughout life faith is tested and laughter is found. Through small and great life tests a person's optimism becomes apparent in laughter.

Why? What is optimism?

If it is 'being certain of what one cannot see' then the individual does not count on a particular outcome (flexibility). Instead, the individual believes that regardless of the outcome, everything will be okay. The truth holds tears and laughter. The weakness, exposed and experienced through faith, becomes strength and a source of laughter.

I believe most people possess resilience receptors and the ability to laugh at themselves.

Catherine Paul
L.I.F.E. Mentor
L.I.F.E. Support
eduzone@cox.net 760.271.7900

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

SECOND THOUGHTS Jaime Polatsek, of Trumbull, Conn., stopped allowing vaccinations for her children, Coby and Sophie, after Sophie was found to have autism.

By FRAN SILVERMAN
Published: March 2, 2008

As states move to require more vaccines for school- age children, an increasing number of parents are saying no to some of the inoculations. They are seeking exemptions from the state in growing numbers.

All:
As many of you know, I have a book that is due out in a few weeks. For those that don't, the book (Asperger's From the Inside-Out: A Supportive and Practical Guide for Anyone with Asperger's Syndrome) is basically the first book about what the diagnostic process is like for adults and teens, as opposed to those diagnosed as children. While a book aimed at those droves of us adults being diagnosed later on in life, the marketing appeal to families and clinicians will be understandably high as well.

The dilemma is this: To what lengths should an Executive Director use his organization's resources to promote his book?

If this were a "normal book"/memoir type of book, the ground rules would be a little different. But it's not. It's a book written from the experiences of GRASP, and I therefore felt you should know our thinking ahead of time as we edge towards the April 1 release date. For you will see some notices (not every week, though, promise).

Many of GRASP's Board members and Advisory Board members have written fantastic books, and yes, we already do publicize those, but not to the extent you may see notices for mine. After discussing with some Board members, and some close to GRASP, the motives behind publicizing through GRASP are thus:
· There's a huge fundraising pitch for GRASP at the end of the book, many GRASP members are quoted in the book. and "Executive Director of GRASP" is right under my name on the cover. GRASP gets advertizing, and its members get exposure.
· As I state in the intro, whatever people think of the writing, the content (what information is being conveyed to the reader) is material that I'll make no apologies believing in with 100% of what I have. It's an important book, and I know this.
· Lastly, based on the unbelievable advance reviews we've gotten, we can safely assume we're not asking anyone to buy a bad book (to see the quotes on Amazon's advance purchase page, click here and scroll down half a screen). I can't thank enough those pros that provided such extensions of themselves in writing those quotes. And I've never seen their equal as a collection for an autism/asperger book.

Is GRASP getting a cut of sales? No. But this somewhat works in tandem with my having taken a pay cut so we could hire a Deputy Director-a move which I won't feign nobility on. Sarah will help ME just as much as she helps GRASP by what she'll do for GRASP. This is also where (as my family demands) I make back the income :-) GRASP expects me to promote the book as my writing career is not in competition with GRASP. This is a unique situation where the two will feed dramatically well off one another.

For many of you, this'll come across as an email that was unnecessary, but some of you will have questions, concerns, maybe even fears. And we wanted you to know our thoughts. This was, and still is, uncharted territory for us.

Thanking you all,
Michael John Carley
Executive Director
GRASP
The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, Inc.
666 Broadway, Suite 830
New York, NY 10012
646.242.4003
mjcarley@grasp.org
www.grasp.org

Hi Valerie,
I was thinking of posting an inquiry on the list asking for information about sending my twin sons to college, when lo and behold, I just read the March 3 listing and there was an identical inquiry from another mom! I also am interested in anyone who has sent their child with autism to college. I have twin sons who are high school juniors and are planning on going to college. They also just took the SAT on Saturday March 1. I would also love to hear from anyone who's had this experience. Any advice? Maybe we could start a new support group!
Thanks,
Teri Hargreaves, TLHargreaves@aol.com

Greetings from Your Executive Director, George Saidah

March 08 littleheart newsletter

In this edition:
Boat Shows & Expositions
Daysails & Appearances
Sail-a-thon 2008 - Summer Sailstice Welcome Aboard
HoS Launches MySpace Page
Upcoming Events

Please click on the following link to read more:
http://heartofsailing.org/Newsletters/3-08% 20Newsletter.html

Thank you and sail with you soon,
George