Juice Plus+®

4th Annual San Diego Race For Autism

ICDL CONFERENCE AND TRAINING

New Clues For Uncovering The Mysteries Of Mental Illness

Area Board XIII meeting on March 20th

"Inclusion & Social Relationships in Autism Spectrum Disorders"

St. Madeleine's Hosts 10th Annual Organic Garden Fundraiser April 19!

MASK: MOTHERS AND SPECTRUM KIDS OF NORTH COUNTY

Autism Speaks ENewsletter

Rady Children's Autism Intervention Center

Puzzle Piece Challenge Joins Hearts Across North America

Crime Victims with Disabilities Act; Assembly Bill 2038 (Lieber)

Juice Plus+...The Next Best Thing

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Give Kids a Fighting Chance! Enhance Their Immune System with JUICEPLUS+; the Nutrition from 17 Colorful, Raw, Vine-Ripened, Fruits, Vegetables and Grains (Certified G/Free & C/Free) in a Convenient Capsule, Chewable or Gummie form.
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.

The Infancy and Early Childhood Training Course Taught by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. Comes to You - ONLINE!
For the first time, THE BASIC COURSE ON THE DIR®/FLOORTIME MODEL will be available online to registered participants for a two-week period from April 25 through May 9, 2008.
There will also be a Post-Conference Workshop on REGULATORY SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDERS Taught by Rosemary White OTR/L and Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. Go to www.ICDL.comfor more information.

More Floortime News from Dr. Feder:

check out our group blog, Circlestretch at: http://www.circlestretch.blogspot.com/

Marit Goldman has given it a whole new look and added the past several months of group notes. Marit, as always, we really appreciate your hard work.

Finally, Catherine Paul, a life coach colleague of mine who has been joining us, talked about getting a group of people together who are interested in DIR® with young adults, and perhaps doing portions of the DIR Basic course together. I have offered Suite A for that and I am happy to entertain other people who are interested in getting together, perhaps in other interest groups, to talk DIR®, review DVDs, etc. I am delighted that people want to get together more and I will support these efforts in any way that I can. Thanks, Catherine for getting that ball rolling!

Dr. Feder
858-509-0523

Scientists have discovered epigenetic changes (i.e. chemical changes to a gene that do not alter the DNA sequence) in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This is the first epigenome-wide investigation in psychiatric research, and this groundbreaking data may be a significant step on the journey to fully understanding major psychosis.

Dr. Arturas Petronis, senior scientist in the Krembil Family Epigenetic Laboratory at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and his team studied 12,000 locations on the genome using an epigenomic profiling technology developed at CAMH. Approximately one in every two hundred of these genes showed an epigenetic difference in the brains of psychiatric patients. Significantly, these changes were noted on genes involved in neurotransmission (the exchange of chemical messages within the brain), brain development, and other processes linked to disease origins.

Dr. Petronis explains that these epigenetic changes may be the missing link in understanding what causes an illness. "The DNA sequence of genes for someone with an illness like schizophrenia and a for someone without a mental illness often look the same; there are no visible changes that explain the cause of a disease. But we now have tools that show us changes in the second code, the epigenetic code, which may give us some very important clues for uncovering the mysteries of major psychosis and other complex non-Mendelian illnesses."

This proof-of-principle study is the first demonstration of what CAMH epigeneticists have hypothesized for the last 10 years. "Until now, we only had theories that epigenetic changes were important to understanding what causes major psychosis," explains Dr. Petronis. "Now we have the tools and expertise to support our theories and we can look at conducting larger studies, which will hopefully give us an even better understanding of psychiatric illnesses. And once we understand the primary molecular causes of an illness, we can advance diagnosis and treatment approaches, and possibly even prevent illness."
From Medical News Today

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
San Diego Regional Center
4355 Ruffin Road, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123

Presentation: Mr. Carlos Flores, San Diego Regional Center - Topics included are Self-Directed Services Specific Case Management, update on "Serving the Difficult to Serve"

Public Comment - please limit comments to five (5) minutes

Executive Committee Report - Bill Collins

Special Education Committee Report - Sara Fraunces

Autism Committee Report- Robbin Kulek

People First - Teresa Priest

Executive Director Report - Mary Ellen Stives

Contact 619-645-3000 for more info.

April 2 - 3, 2008
Anaheim Area, CA

The Inclusion of Students with ASD, with Sheila Wagner, M.Ed.

Wednesday, April 2

This presentation will highlight the necessary components for successful inclusion programming of K-12 students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Participants will understand the practical aspects of programming and the pitfalls to avoid in order to develop and build the best program possible. Social issues, academic requirements and modifications, IEPs, and behavior programming will be addressed in this dynamic training.

Building Social Relationships, with Scott Bellini, Ph.D.
Thursday, April 3

This engaging workshop will provide an overview of a social skill instructional model developed by Dr. Bellini. The workshop will provide research on social-emotional functioning as well as practical and effective strategies for teaching social interaction skills to children and adolescents with ASD. The model provides a systematic and comprehensive framework to guide parents and practitioners in the development and implementation of effective social skills programming.

More info here!

'MORNING GLORY JAZZ BRUNCH' BENEFITS PROGRAMS AND EARNING POWER FOR ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Food, Flowers, Fun, and FROGS For 600 San Diegans!

El Cajon -This marks the 10th year that the San Diego community will show up in force at the St. Madeleine Sophie's Center 'Morning Glory Jazz Brunch' garden fundraiser to support job training for adults with developmental disabilities. Over 600 guests are expected at the El Cajon campus ( 2119 East Madison Ave) on Saturday, April 19 from 10:00am - 2pm to enjoy all that jazz , all that food' and all those faux frogs racing to raise funds in the Special Olympics pool. The joint is jumpin' in staccato beat with fun, smooth jazz, floral demos, live auction, student-inspired arts/crafts, the Great SMSC Frog Race, and, of course, sumptuous gourmet food donated by 12 generous restaurants and chefs dedicated to this cuisine for a cause!

St. Madeleine's 'Morning Glory Jazz Brunch' is presented by San Diego Las Hermanas and R.E. Snow Construction Co. Other sponsors include the Ferrantelli Family, Grossmont Healthcare District, San Diego County Credit Union, First Pacific Bank, Video Fact Documentation, Viejas Enterprises, UBS Financial, Victor J. Mosso, and the San Diego Union- Tribune. Also reflecting San Diego' community support by donating and serving food and beverages are participating area restaurants and chefs: Sycuan Resort & Casino, Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Coffee Ambassador, Downtown Café, Hometown Buffet, Hooleys Irish Pub & Grill, La Mesa Brigantine, Mangia Bene Ristorante Italiano, On the Border, Trattoria Tiramisu, Jamacha Grill and Viejas Resort & Casino.

Community dedication overflows with the Jason Weber Quartet creating the jazz mood, Jasmine Creek & Mission Hills Florists offering florals matched with art displays and professional auctioneer Stephen Hamann doing the exciting live auction honors! Of course, the ultimate adrenalin (and appetite) rush is cheering on your own $100 adopted frog (faux of course) to the pool finish line, knowing that if it wins, you win $10,000 (great odds for winning!), plus other fabulous prizes.

Growing A Garden...Cultivating A Culture of Learning and Living.

The Morning Glory Brunch and the Great SMSC Frog Race directly benefits St. Madeleine Sophie's Center's Organic Garden Program (just one of the Center's many diverse life skills programs for 265 adults). Described as San Diego's only existing 'working organic garden', SMSC's Organic Garden program cultivates more than strong healthy plants for public sale. It also offers a role-model vocational training ground where professional horticultural managers help developmentally disabled students to reap the benefits of developing physical and mental skills, social relationships, teamwork, self esteem and a sense of community and accomplishment.

Students have been working and thriving in the garden since 1998, experiencing and enjoying an expanding program to what is now a two-acre garden site with accessible ADA-compliant winding pathways. The Garden features a full citrus orchard, organic vegetable and flower gardens, two 1500 square-foot facilities (greenhouse and propagation house), ornamental trees, shrubs, herbs and a worm farm.

Buy Tickets! Adopt A Frog! Get Involved!

To learn more about St. Madeleine Sophie's Center (SMSC) and its 'Morning Glory Jazz Brunch' garden fundraiser, visit www.stmsc.org or contact Erich Foeckler: phone: 619-442-5129 (Ext: 3332); e-mail address: efoeckler@stmsc.org

Tickets are now available at $45 or become a FROG --'Friend of the Garden' (includes VIP gift, admission and one frog in the race). Event sponsorships remain available plus purchase of a personal or business ad in the event program and opportunity drawing tickets.

St. Madeleine Sophie's Center, a non-profit, non- denominational 'Life Program' day training center for adults with developmental disabilities, is located at 2119 E. Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92019.

ARE YOU A MOTHER OF A CHILD ON THE SPECTRUM?

IF SO, PLEASE JOIN OUR SUPPORT GROUP THAT IS CURRENTLY FORMING.

WE ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING TOGETHER A Tae Kwon Do CLASS IN FALLBROOK AT DAN PAULSON'S KARATE STUDIO ON
SATURDAY'S AT 1:00pm.

EACH CHILD WILL BE PAIRED UP WITH A HELPER BRING YOUR CHILD AND EVEN SIBLINGS. Dress in t-shirt, socks, and warm up pants (comfy clothes)

ADDRESS IS: 325 NORTH BRANDON RD #C,
FALLBROOK
PHONE #951-318-5562
PLEASE CALL AND MAKE A RESERVATION TO CHECK IT OUT!
(located by Fallbrook Café on corner of Brandon and Mission)

JOIN ALL OF US MOTHERS ON A MISSION! DAD'S ON A MISSION WELCOME, TOO!
AMELIA MCFARLAND, MOM OF ETHAN MCFARLAND MEELY@RHSCOMPUTERS.COM

click below

New Parent Lecture and Support Series

Come to a six-week interactive, supportive, and educational group program that introduces strategies to help you understand autism spectrum disorders, community resources and intervention systems, effectively communicate with your young child and encourage the development of language and social skills.

Each session is comprised of parent education and support. Sessions will include topics of behavioral principles and practical techniques to decrease problem behaviors. We will explore frequently used therapeutic approaches and provide information to assist you in the development of an effective Individual Education Plan (IEP). You will meet other families of children with ASD.

Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00pm
Beginning April 1, 2008

Developmental Services Conference Room
8010 Frost St. Second Floor
San Diego, CA 92123

For more information, call (858) 966-7453.

The cost of the program is $250 per family.
Financial aid is available.

Register early! Space is limited. Child Care is not provided.

For more information, call Bonnie at (858) 966-7453.

The Million Dollar Puzzle is an extraordinary initiative to fund research with the Autism Research Institute. We will build the world's largest puzzle - linking villages, towns, cities, states and countries. Every Puzzle Piece will personally represent your sons, daughters, grandchildren, neighbors and friends.

Read Puzzle Piece Success Stories Request Puzzle Pieces

As organizer Lynda Huggins continues her quest to complete the world's largest puzzle she's learned stories emerge about each puzzle piece - stories of earnestness, dedication and kindness.

ARI has compiled a sampling of these stories online - we hope you'll take a look and find the inspiration to help us reach our goal.

You are the missing piece.

Every penny of every dollar will be donated to ARI to help champion their mission. "Autism IS Treatable and Recovery IS Possible!" We will, as a global community, find the missing pieces.