Juice Plus+®

Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

Understanding Asperger's Syndrome

Can Vaccines Cause Autism? CDC: "We Don't Know"

Neurons in the fusiform gyrus are fewer and smaller in autism

Abnormal functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders during face processing

A neural substrate for atypical low-level visual processing in autism spectrum disorder

Unilateral vestibular failure suppresses cortical visual motion processing

Heart of Sailing

Whole Foods - Monthly GF Awareness meetings

Autism Calendar for April

SDASA Events

SAVE THE DATE!

Oprah's Big Give - San Diego

25th Annual IEP Day - Involved Exceptional Parents' Day

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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

I am in the process of changing webmasters for my website, so there may be "interuptions in service". www.ValeriesList.com

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.

For parents of children on the Autism spectrum, consider this: maybe it's not only about your child's understanding of the world, maybe it's the world's understanding of your child.

Michael John Carley has come full circle with this concept. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of 36, just one week after his 4- year-old son received the same diagnosis. "Not only was my son being presented with an explanation, but I was finally presented with an explanation of what I'd endured my entire life. I don't have the words to describe the biblical weight being lifted off me," Carley says.

It was a big morning in Atlanta today. In case you missed CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding this morning on CNN's "House Call with Dr Sanjay Gupta," it was rather interesting:

Abnormalities in face perception are a core feature of social disabilities in autism. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies showed that patients with autism could perform face perception tasks. However, the fusiform gyrus (FG) and other cortical regions supporting face processing in controls are hypoactive in patients with autism.

Abnormalities in the interactions between functionally linked brain regions have been suggested to be associated with the clinical impairments observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We investigated functional connectivity within the limbic system during face identification; a primary component of social cognition, in 19 high-functioning adults with ASD and 21 age-and IQ-matched control adults.

An important characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increased visual detail perception. Yet, there is no standing neurobiological explanation for this aspect of the disorder.

Patients with unilateral vestibular failure (UVF) experience oscillopsia (apparent motion of the visual scene) during rapid head movements due to increased retinal slip caused by vestibulo-ocular reflex impairment.

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

Heart of Sailing will be back in California during the month of April. Please click on the city links below to see days and times.

Dana Point
Long Beach
San Diego
And San Francisco in the month of May.

Hello, my name is Tina and I am the Marketing Assistant at the Whole Foods Market in La Jolla. Out store has a very large following of gluten free customers and we have decided to start a Gluten Awareness Meeting every other month at our store.

On Sunday, May 18th from 6-8 p.m. we are planning on having our first Gluten Free Awareness Meeting. This will consist of a sort tour of the aisles and end with gluten free pizza and beer tasting. We are hoping that this will be a good environment for people to get to chat about their gluten free diet and relate to one another.

Tina Afshari
Marketing Assistant
Whole Foods Market
8825 Villa La Jolla Dr.
San Diego CA, 92037

click below

Honor Your Child's Teacher/Provider at our Teacher Appreciation Night & Music Recital
April 15, 2008
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 talents of children with autism and the teachers, aides, and professionals who have made a difference in their lives! Coast Music Therapy students will bring music to our ears as they perform on piano, guitar, voice, or percussion.

After the recital, 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. Click here to print an invitation to give to your child's teacher/provider. Click here for an event flyer.

NORTH COUNTY GROUPS
Asperger | HFA Parent's Group
April 7th | 7:00-8:30pm
Carlsbad Senior Center | dining room
799 Pine Ave | Carlsbad, CA | 92008

Topic: Ask the Experts A panel of experts will answer your questions about your child's behavioral issues. For a full schedule of dates and locations for this group click here.

Coffee Talk | April 17th | 9am
Join us a t La Costa Roasters
6965 El Camino Real, Suite 208 | Carlsbad

*Note this meeting takes place on the 3rd Thursday of the month rather than the 2nd Thursday due to spring break.

Calling all parents who would like to sit and chat with other parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. These events are hosted by Shelly Hirschberg. No need to RSVP! For a full schedule of coffee talk dates and locations for 2007-2008 click here.

Spanish Support Group
Grupo de Apoyo en Español
Abril 14 | 6:00-8:00pm
Scripps Mercy Well Being Center
237 Church Ave | Chula Vista, CA | 91910

Un foro para información, liderazgo, recursos en la comunidad, abogacía, y compañerismo. Para información llamar al 1.800.281.8252. Lo sentimos, no contamoas con cuidado de niños. Oprima aquí para más información

Monthly Family Pizza & Pool Party
April 11th | 6:00-8:00pm
Boys & Girls Club
4635 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA | 92117

Bring the whole family to enjoy a swim in an indoor heate d pool. Lifeguards are provided. For safety purposes, no flotation devices or arm "floaties" are permitted. Please bring old cell phones and print cartridges which will be recycled, with the proceeds going to the SDASA. A special thanks to Aqua Pros for making this event possible! Please RSVP to info@sd-autism.org or 858.715.0678. Click here to print a brochure with our 2007-2008 Pool Party dates and information.

NCCSE Community Advisory Committee Special Education Excellence in Special Education Awards Ceremony

Date: Monday, June 2 , 2008
Location: San Marcos Civic Center, Community Room, 3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos

For more information or to make a nomination, go to www.nccse.org/cac.htm

Hello Everyone,
I am very please to report to you that St. Madeleine Sophie's Center has already raised the needed $10,000 to qualify for Ophrah's Big Give - San Diego.

I want to personally thank all of you for making a donation towards this awesome opportunity!!!

The next phase of this this "contest" will be voting online for the charity of your choice. As soon as I have more information on this, I will share it.

Thanks again and God Bless, Valerie Saraf
St. Madeleine Sophie's Center
Oprah's Big Give - San Diego