Juice Plus+®

4th Annual San Diego Race For Autism

All in the Autism Family Conference

Heart of Sailing

TACA Enews

Stereotypy Survey Repost

New tack improves disabled learning

FEAT Spring Newsletter

AGUA (Adult Gathering, United and Autistic) Social

Book: Making Friends with a Child Who Has Autism

Mom has a question for other Moms

Re: My Son Matthew

Question: Regional Center

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Good Health is not Good Luck; it's Science!

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!

Balboa Park - March 29, 2008

It is not too late to register for the 2008 San Diego Race for Autism. We have a beautiful course, great music, good food, and lots of information and entertainment planned for the whole family.

Please join us. Help us make a difference in the lives of children living with autism.

Sign up up today!! in time for Pre-Race Bib and T- shirt Pick up on March 22.

Best regards,
Juan and Sharon Leon
PS : If you already registered for the race - thank you.

April 11th & 12th, 2008

Long Beach, Ca
Long Beach Marriott
4700 Airport Plaza Dr.

Discover new, exciting tools that empower families living with autism to have healthy, meaningful relationships with loved ones at home, at school and in communities.

Click here for more info about speakers and schedule.

Heart of Sailing introduces sailing to children and adults with developmental disabilities as a form of education and recreational therapy.

Sailing is a great activity for the whole family. Please click on the locations below for days and times.

San Francisco
Long Beach
Dana Point
San Diego

Special "Mom's Only" and "Dad's Only" sails in San Diego. Ladies, sign up your hubbies!!!

For the current issue of TACA's Enews, click here. For past issues, click here.

Hi Valerie,
Could you please repost this brief, anonymous survey regarding stereotyped behaviors. I am looking for more participants who are family members of individuals with autism and/or intellectual disabilities? The entire survey is available online and should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Click on the link below to go to the survey:
http://www. surveymonkey.com/s.aspx? sm=0Wf_2blnQCk8HlwyQIGb88ig_3d_3d

This survey is part of my thesis project for my Master's degree in Special Education at San Diego State University, and I originally posted it here in February. For those who have already completed the survey, thank you very much!!!

Also, please feel free to forward this link to other family members of individuals with autism or an intellectual disability you know who may be willing to participate. I thank you in advance for your time and assistance in helping me to complete my thesis project.

Sincerely,
Jeanette Johnson

By DON JORDAN
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 10, 2008

It may not be evolution, but for a small segment of Florida students with significant cognitive disabilities, the recently approved science standards mark a similar milestone.

Students who fall into this category - only about 1 percent of kids, or about 23,000 in the state and 1,700 in Palm Beach County - will be taught for the first time with standards called access points that closely follow the general education science curriculum.

That means when Sally in third grade is learning how to measure and compare the mass and volume of solids and liquids, Johnny in the third grade Exceptional Student Education class will learn to sort objects by weight or recognize which object is larger.

The result is a curriculum for severely disabled students that is more relevant and rigorous and easier for teachers to follow, said Janice Miller, the Palm Beach County School District's ESE curriculum manager.

"It's dramatic in that now it is very clearly laid out," Miller said. "There is a stronger alignment to the state standards."

The new access points were created last year by a 33- member team of teachers and specialists in conjunction with the general science education standards. The state Board of Education approved the blueprint Feb. 19.

In comparison to the general education curriculum, the skills required under the ESE access points are simpler, fewer and often more practical. Instead of demonstrating that the sun's radiant energy can heat objects, an access point student may need to recognize only that things get hot when left in the sun or simply distinguish between hot and cold objects.

Each general education major idea or theme - called "big ideas" in the new standards - comes with corresponding access points for students with three different levels of proficiency: independent, supported and participatory.

Students considered independent can meet many of their own needs, work jobs and live in a community as an adult without supervision or care. Supported students probably will have some independence as adults but still need ongoing assistance and supervision. Students who fall into the participatory category function at a low level and require extensive support to perform basic tasks such as eating.

"For these students, a response might be blinking an eye," said Jill Krystel, a national board certified science teacher at Polo Park Middle who worked on the access points writing team.

Krystel said the writing team worked closely with the new general education standards to weave in the access points.

"We thought, 'How can we get the essence of this information for the students with these disabilities that they can then apply to their daily lives?''" she said. "Just because their body doesn't behave doesn't mean their mind isn't working."

A student's abilities and progress are evaluated annually by teachers and their parents. State officials say teachers have been generally supportive of the new access points, especially now that their students must take the Florida Alternative Assessment. The new FCAT alternative will be administered for the first time this semester.

In past years, districts could choose from a number of alternative tests to measure student proficiency. The new statewide assessment provides a uniform standard from one county to the next. The testing does not count toward school grades but does factor into a formula to measure a school's annual progress under the federal No Child Left Behind.

The new curriculum provides "a relatively easy guide" that should help with lesson plans and "working around a student's ability," said Karimah Smith, a teacher who works with profoundly mentally handicapped children at Royal Palm School.

The school west of Lantana is one of two in the county that specialize in children and young adults with emotional and physical disabilities. Two teachers at the other school, Indian Ridge in suburban West Palm Beach, were recommended by the principal to talk about the access points but said they were not familiar with the change and refused to comment.

State officials will offer professional training on the access points to ESE teachers this semester and over the summer.

"There is a higher level of expectation," said Bambi Lockman, chief of Florida's Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services. "It gives us more structure in the classroom ... and moves us into a different realm - into the level of expectation."

The Spring 2008 Newsletter is now online!

Articles include:
Senior Project Success
Night of Caring 2008
President's Message
Alta Governing Board Faces Challenges
What To Do If You Suspect Abuse
Your Child Can Be A Star!
Wine Locker at Night of Caring
MIND Distinguished Lecturer Series
Are We Poisoning Our Kids?
FEAT Family Resource Meetings
Alta Board Hotline
CHERISH A Child Program

Place: Danny's Farm meeting room
Day of Week and Date: Saturday, March 29, 2008. Time: 1:30 - 4:00

Address: 3064 ½ Ridgeview Drive, Altadena 91001
Telephone: (626) 797-FARM (3276)
Danny's Farm Web Site: http://www.dannysfarm.com .

Directions: From the 210 Freeway, exit Windsor, between Pasadena and La Canada. Go north, towards the mountains. Turn right on Ventura. Turn left on Casitas. Turn left on Altadena Drive. Turn left on Ridgeview Drive.
Please park on Altadena Drive.
Please bring your own refreshments.

AGUA is indebted to the help of Jay Nolan Community Services, Mission Hills, CA, www.jaynolan.org and the Foothill Autism Alliance,Glendale, CA, www.foothillautism.org.

AGUA meets about once a month somewhere in Los Angeles County.

I am considering setting-up an AGUA Meetup group. See www.meetup.com concerning Meetup groups. If an AGUA Meetup group were created, then some AGUA socials would be announced by Meetup.com.

A Is for Autism, F is for Friend: A Kid's Book on Making Friends with a Child Who Has Autism is a delight. Author Joanna Keating-Velasco's simple, heartfelt book touches on the importance of breaking down barriers to pave the way for unique friendships between children who are not that different after all. She has explained a complex disability in a way that is easy to understand.

The book provides a unique glimpse of life from the perspective of Chelsea, an 11-year-old girl with severe autism. Social situations, like being out on the playground, make it hard for her to get to know her peers. She discusses issues of eye contact, personal space and echolalia.

As Chelsea attempts to make it easier for others to understand her condition, she identifies the many commonalities that she and her schoolmates share. She teaches us that, with sensitivity and a desire to learn from others, we can build friendships with children who have autism.

Hello Everyone,
I have a personal question regarding an incident that happened to me. I personally received the MMR vaccine 2 days post partum. I also nursed my daughter for up to one year. My daughter has moderate autism which clearly set in at approx 15 to 16 months strangely within 60 days after her MMR vaccine. I don't know what has caused this but I am curious to see how many other mothers have had this same or similar experience. I regret allowing the hospital to talk me into the vaccine and believed the nurse when she said it was ok to breast feed with the vaccine. A mother who has just delivered a baby is weak enough and should seriously not be subjected to deadly viruses. This has alwasy remained in the pitt of my stomach for some reason. Thank you so much for any responses. I hope this email does not offend anyone this is not the intention. Thank you.
Shannon@calpacific.com

Hello Valerie:
My two and half year old son is enrolled in private preschool in North County. He has a twin sister; they were born at 31 1/2 weeks. Because he is so young they have not labeled him specifically with autism, but he receiving 2 hours of afternoon services from Coyen & Associates each day for autism spectrum behaviour. He is very mild tempered, but does not focus very well and does not socially interact with the other children at the preschool. He does socially interact well one on one, especially with people he knows. They are saying he is high-functiong. The twins begain preschool in January of this year 2008. To help Matthew with his adjustments they placed him in the 18-32month classroom. His sister Hannah is in the 2 - 2 1/2 year old room. Because Matthew will be is turning 2 1/2 this month they need to move him up to the same room as Hannah. Because this room is more structured and the kids are a bit more developed they are voicing concerns about moving Matthew to this room with out a "shadow aide" or someone to help him as he is adjusting. They are not concerned with the afternoon hours because he receives services in the afternoon from 3-5pm with Coyen & Associates at the preschool. They are concerned with the morning hours from 9am-2:30pm.

During this timeframe the preschool schedule is such:
9:10-9:30 Circle Time
9:30-10:15 Open Center Art, Math, Science, Cooking and Sensory or Outside Play
(One group inside the other group outside)
10:15-11:00 Open Center Art, Math, Science, Cooking and Sensory or Outside Play
(One group inside the other group outside)
11:00-11:30 Diapers/Bathroom/Wash Hands/Prepare for Lunch
11:30-12:00 Lunch
12:00-2:00 Nap Time

Do you have any recommendations of anyone who has worked with children at a young age with autism that I could hire to "shadow aide" Matthew at the preschool? They would need to work Monday-Friday from 9am-2:30pm. They want the person to work solely with Matthew; they would not be responsible for anyone but Matthew. They have asked for these hours so the person could help Matthew learn to sit and attend at circle time, help Matthew with the special activities in the classroom, attend Matthew on the playground, help him wash his hands and prepare for lunch, help him sit and eat his lunch, help him go down for a nap, stay during nap in case he wakes up and starts to wonder and talk after his nap. (As he is sleeping the shadow aide could break for their lunch; he generally sleeps for 1 hour) the aide could leave by 2:30pm.

Coyen & Associates comes at 3pm, so they would come get Matthew from the classroom for their services at 3pm.

Because I am a single parent of the twins and already pay out to the preschool for the kids, I am not able to spend more than $125 a week. This would be $500 per month.

Can you please make any suggestions, or perhaps you know of a preschool in North County that is use working with children with autism (I live in the Poway/Sabre Springs area). I am trying my best to keep Matthew at the school because my daughter is very happy there and I would hate to upset her world, I am trying to find the best balance for both the kids. Because you have experience with your son, I was hoping you could help me with insight into finding a fit for Matthew. Or perhaps, you have a better plan that you think would work for younger children with autism.

The kids will be going to the Poway Unified School District on September 20 (when they turn 3), so I am looking for at plan from April 20, 2008 - September 20, 2008.

In your consideration, I work daily from 10am - 5:30pm, so I have to have the kids in care from 9am- 6pm, Thanks.

I would greatly appreciate any help you could offer, Sincerely, Lynne (858) 254- 5221