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News- Page 3
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Special Dogs Help Children with Autism on the First Coast
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Posted by lightfoot on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 (15:51:47)
By Patricia Crosby
Life for 16-year-old Geoffrey Brauda is getting better. Not only is he getting a new best friend, he's getting the support he needs to be more independent. And, for his mom Jeannette it means she doesn't have to worry as much.
Geoffrey has a high-functioning form of autism that affects his ability to socialize normally. "On the autism spectrum, the kids are just so naive and people can take advantage of them so quickly," says Jeannette.
That's why she arranged to get a new class of service dog, called social service, for Geoffrey through special trainer BJ Szwedzinski in Nassau County. "We have some kids who are head-bangers. We have kids who don't talk. We have kids who have sensitivity to lights. So, the dogs help by pressing their body to the childs. And, that helps with belligerency and outcries, which are all part of autism," explains Szwedzinski.
The dogs are trained to work with each child to meet their specific needs. For Geoffrey, being a teenager he wants to be able to go shopping alone. "Cause I don't want to have my mom with me," Geoffrey says with a smile.
So, the dog will go with Geoffrey throughout the store tethered to him with a special leash, even the men's room. The dog will also help Geoffrey with some of his socialization problems. His mom says he doesn't understand personal space and can stare alot. So, the dog is trained to step in front of Geoffrey when talking to someone, to remind him to back up and give the person space. The dog also comforts Geoffrey when he's nervous by pressing up against his body.
The whole training process takes about 9 months. But for Geoffrey and his family it's already opening new doors of opportunity. "She's with me, and it just makes me feel better, like we are a team," says Geoffrey.
If you'd like to learn more about social service dogs for children with learning disabilities like autism contact BJ Szwedzinski or Jeannette Brauda at Project Chance.
First Coast News
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Cycling from Darlington to Vienna for autism
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Posted by lightfoot on Thursday, January 31, 2008 (09:49:40)
By BikeRadar
A Ripon-based artist is gearing up to cycle from Darlington to Vienna to increase awareness of autism and to raise money for the autism unit at Darlington’s Education Village.
David Stead, who has the form of autism known as Asperger’s Syndrome, is aiming to cycle nearly 1,500 miles in May to increase awareness of autism and generate money to build a sensory garden and outdoor play area at the unit.
Stead, a nationally-renowned artist and owner of David Stead Gallery in Kirkgate, Ripon, is hoping to raise £10,000 for the cause. Asperger’s Syndrome is a strand of autism that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people.
Explaining the choice of Vienna as his destination he said: “Hans Asperger, one of the first people to recognise the condition that came to bear his name, was born just outside Vienna and developed many of his theories at the university there so it seems like the natural destination for this trip.
“I will be visiting the Education Village (along with any schools in the Ripon area that wish to take part) throughout the intensive training period," he said, "and will keep in contact with everyone back home during the trip by phone, through our blog - www.viennacycle.blogspot.com - and also via a video cam.
Stead intends to link his experiences to the school curriculum, highlighting such topics as nutrition, the importance of exercise to health, geography, history, language and not least, his own experience as an Aspergic adult.
“We plan to be on the road for three weeks averaging 75 miles per day," the artist added, "and probably the same amount of blister pads! - riding through England, Holland and Germany and finally into Austria.â€Â
If you would like to sponsor Stead, phone him on 01765 604461, email davidkstead@aol.com. or online at www.justgiving.com/davidstead.
BikeRadar.com
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Overcoming autism: Family struggles to help child communicate
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Posted by lightfoot on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 (10:30:42)
By VICTORIA GUAY
Brian Newman, 5, attends a morning kindergarten class at Alton Central School, where he is learning to write his own name on paper  a task more challenging for him than for a majority of his classmates because he has autism.
Nationwide, some medical experts say, autism has evolved into an epidemic. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of every 150 children and one of every 90 boys is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
One of every 10 female siblings of a child with autism will acquire an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and one in five male siblings will acquire ASD.
There is no cure, and researchers are scrambling to determine whether autism is linked to genetics, environmental factors or a combination of both.
Some think vaccinations which contain thimerosal, a mercury preservative, may cause autism, though no research studies have conclusively linked the two.
Nationally, 5,200 legal claims of damage from childhood immunizations were filed in a joint class action lawsuit against the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The families sought money from the Vaccine Injury Compensation program, a government insurance pool funded by a vaccine tax.
Attorney Michael Noonan of the Shaheen and Gordon law firm in Dover represented 85 New England families who joined the suit in 2006. The case was scheduled to go to U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C., last year and is still pending this year because of the volume of cases involved, according to court do*****ents.
Christine Newman said she and her husband, Neil, first noticed their son was experiencing some developmental issues at age 2, when, instead of forming the speech skills typical of that age, he could only utter four unintelligible words. He also began frequently flapping his arms and he became fixated by anything that spun, like to a top or a wheel.
"He didn't play, he would line toys up or stack them," Newman said, noting another typical behavior of young children with autism.
Newman said they got him enrolled in an early intervention program at age 21â„2 and he was soon diagnosed with pervasive development disorder-not otherwise specified, which is one of they many developmental disorders that fall under the autism spectrum.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, located in Bethesda, Md., ASD, also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders, or PDD, can cause mild to severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others.
These disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range from a severe form, called autistic disorder, through pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified, of PDD-NOS, to a much milder form, Asperger syndrome.
Child development researchers say the highest rate of human learning and development occurs during the preschool years.
Early intervention programs such as intensive speech therapy or occupational therapy help children with ASD learn things they might not be able to learn later in life. Many of the programs involve repetitive exercises to reinforce communication, and other tasks such as matching shapes and solving puzzles.
Newman said Brian's early intervention, consisted mostly of play therapy at home.
Now, Brian is in mainstream kindergarten where he is receiving one-on-one occupational, speech and physical therapy.
Newman said speech therapy involves teaching Brian how to initiate communication, either verbally or through pictures. By using a learning tool called the Picture Exchange Communication System, Brian and other children with autism can choose a picture or symbol representation of what they want, or want to do.
Newman said although Brian has verbal skills, much of those skills consist of parroting back what someone has said to him.
Through using the Picture Exchange Communication System at school and at home, Brian is learning to say the word or words that represent the picture of what he wants, instead of just repeating what someone has said to him.
"He's getting better," Newman said, happy about his ability to indicate preferences.
Yet autism still prevents the boy from communicating emotional needs.
"He can't express feelings," Newman said. "He can say 'I'm sad,' but he can't tell me why. He can't tell me when he's sick."
The physical therapy Brian receives involves developing coordination of gross motor skills. Newman said Brian is in an adaptive physical education class, where he and other student with developmental disabilities complete simple obstacle courses and do repetitive motion exercises.
Through occupational therapy, Brian is learning to further develop his fine motor skills, such as those needed to use a pencil and write. Newman said although Brian can say and spell his name his still in the process of learning how to write it down.
Another form of occupational therapy that is helping Brian both in and out of school is a technique called Applied Behavioral Analysis, Newman said.
The technique uses a repetition and rewards model where a child with autism is encouraged to repeat a task or set of tasks several times a day. When the child successfully completes the task, the child is rewarded with something such as being to able to play with a favorite toy or getting a small snack.
Newman said they are currently using the technique to potty train the boy.
Brian, like most little boys, loves to run; however, because of his autism, when he starts running, he doesn't want to stop, whether it's down the street or in a crowded department store.
For this reason, the Newmans have to keep a watchful eye on Brian while at home and in public.
"He has no concept of 'someone could take me,' or 'a car could hit me,'" Newman said.
In order to help better protect Brian, the family, which includes the boy's father, Neil, and his sister, Gabrielle, 2, held a fundraiser earlier this year to be able to have enough money to purchase a service dog.
Newman reports that in three weeks, she will be flying to Oregon to pick up a golden retriever/yellow Labrador mix dog that will become their son's constant companion.
A belt around the boys waist will be attached to the dog's harness, Newman said, so if Brian starts to run in a store, the dog has been trained to sit still and stop the boy.
Newman said the dog will also help Brian develop more social skills, especially among peers who may be interested in the dog.
And being able to pet the dog will be soothing for Brian, Newman said.
While many children with autism have hyperdeveloped senses  some to the point that being touched, wearing certain clothes, hearing certain sounds or seeing certain colors is physically painful  Brian is able to be hugged and seeks sensory experiences, Newman said.
"He's more of sensory seeker," Newman said. "He likes to jump a lot because he likes the feeling on his feet and he likes to be hugged. It would kill me if I couldn't hug him."
From: Citizen.com
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Autism... the invisible world
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Posted by lightfoot on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 (10:08:58)
By Amel Al-Ariqi
Ahlam Al-Arashi always noticed that her older son Ashraf wasn’t like other children. At age 3, he was unable to speak with a normal tone or rhythm. When he entered nursery school nearly at age 5, he had difficulty recognizing colors, naming pictures and remembering numbers and letters.
Finally, at age 10, Ashraf was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, one of several autism spectrum disorders (ASD) characterized by difficulty in social interaction and by restricted, stereotyped interests and activities.
His mother recalls, “I was alone on this journey. I felt like I was completely in the dark, with no idea what was wrong with my child. After numerous medical tests and talking with doctors in Yemen, Iraq and Jordan, most admitted that there was a gap between his mental progress and his actual age, but said he’d be fine at a certain stage. However, one Iraqi doctor suggested that my son, who was age 10 by then, might be autistic.â€Â
Thereafter, Al-Arashi began amassing medical studies, books and other materials in an effort to get more information and educate herself about the disorder.
She admits, “For a long time, I was in denial, unable to believe that my child is autistic, although most of the symptoms were obvious. Part of my denial resulted from the fact that I had no idea how to deal with Ashraf as an autistic child.â€Â
Thus, she spent another three years seeking treatment for him, until she met Suad Al-Eryani, another Yemeni mother of an autistic child, who established a center in 2005 to receive autistic Yemeni children.
“When I came to the center, I realized that my son wasn’t alone and that many Yemeni children suffer this disorder. In fact, my son’s case isn’t so bad, compared to others with mild autism. However, I also observed the confusion most parents feel because they have no background information about autism; thus, they have no idea how to deal with their autistic children,†explains Al-Arashi, who now is executive manager of Al-Eryani’s center.
Located in the Sana’a countryside, the center is considered the first of its kind to receive children with this disorder. Currently working with 50 children between ages 5 and 13, 16 Yemeni therapists work eight hours a day to provide the children behavioral and communication therapies.
These include numerous programs developed to address the range of social, language and behavioral difficulties associated with autism. Some focus on reducing problem behaviors and teaching new skills, while others focus on teaching children how to act in social situations or how to communicate better with others.
Observing a lack of care for autistic children in Yemen, Al-Eryani established the Yemen Foundation for Special Education and Autism in 2005 and the Sahar Autism Center, named after her autistic daughter. Due to lack of funding, she began with only a table and chair from her home, in addition to the support of her husband Dr. Ibrahim Al-Adofi, currently Yemen’s ambassador in Switzerland, and Al-Arashi’s selfless involvement.
With no funds, Al-Eryani was forced to sell her jewelry to support the center and when that was gone, she started digging into the modest inheritance left to her by her late father. As the center began gaining recognition, private, government and non-governmental organizations eventually began supporting it.
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Welfare, the center’s name was changed to Yemen Center for Autism this past October in order to better reflect its ambitious mission regarding autism throughout Yemen, according to its director, Hussein M. Najee.
Despite the center’s limited facilities, both Najee and Al-Arashi believe that those children who come to the center are lucky because they are able to receive the type of care and attention that many autistic Yemeni children can’t access.
Al-Arashi explains, “Because autism remains a mysterious and unknown word to most Yemenis – including Yemeni doctors and Yemeni governmental officials – it’s difficult for us to explain these children’s cases and their needs so that they can obtain their rights and get the therapy that will allow them to integrate into society and have a better life.â€Â
Likewise, Najee notes that Yemeni families’ ignorance about autism may create social problems within that family, which can’t deal with an autistic child, who in turn, may become violent and frustrated because they can’t express themselves properly.
He adds, “It’s hard to create an awareness of autism because those with it don’t look disabled. Parents of autistic children often say that others simply think their child is naughty, whereas autistic adults find that they are misunderstood.â€Â
Estimating that as many as 150,000 Yemenis may have autism, Najee explains, “Estimates about autism in Yemen differ, depending on what ratio is used. In those countries that address autism, one thing is certain – it’s more prevalent than previously believed. While it’s clear that more children than ever are being classified as having autism spectrum disorders, it’s unclear how much of that increase is due to changes in how we identify and classify ASD and how much is due to an actual increase in its prevalence.â€Â
Different countries use different ratios due to how much better and more consistent are their estimates; for example, Dubai’s estimate is 1 in 145, the United States is 1 in 150 and the United Kingdom is 1 in 100.
Using the most extreme ratios, Yemen’s autistic population ranges from 40,000 to 133,000, or from 1 in 500 to 1 in 166, respectively, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2007. Until further studies are made, this range must be used.
While scientific studies say there’s no cure for autism, some autistic children grow up to live independently, whereas others require constantly supportive living and work environments.
Both Najee and Al-Arashi insist that the best way to help an autistic child is through early intervention because it can change the way the brain develops. This means that diagnosing the child as early as possible is essential so he or she can begin therapy early.
Najee notes, “In order to achieve this goal, we must learn about autism, training and developing Yemeni staff to be able to screen autistic children and help them lead a less stressful and more meaningful life – with their families. Such trained staffers eventually can serve as future instructors for an outreach program to train and develop other Yemeni staff from the governorates so that more centers can be started in Yemen.
He continues, “We should obtain training materials and instructors from overseas to keep abreast of developments in the field of autism by attending workshops overseas, as well as holding them in Yemen. This will serve to advocate change in community attitudes, as well as support the needs of autistic individuals and their families, in addition to increasing both public and government awareness regarding Yemen’s substantial autistic population and the disorder’s rapid growth.
“Additionally, we should develop a central library with books, research information and data and training materials for Yemen, in addition to cooperating with local and regional universities and autism centers for training, research and exchanging expertise,†Najee concludes.
Yemen Times
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Individuals with Autism Eligible for Special Olympics
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Posted by lightfoot on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 (10:07:13)
By Julie Lorenzen
I found out awhile ago that individuals with autism are eligible for Special Olympics. Two or three years ago my husband had talked with a woman with Asperger's Syndrome who once competed in the Special Olympics as a swimmer. When my husband told me about this conversation it changed my perception that Special Olympics is only for people with mental retardation.
Back then my guy with autism was only six or seven and I was just beginning to network in terms of finding opportunities in which he could participate. At the age of nine, he is now eligible to compete along with other athletes in Special Olympics-Michigan (SOMI). Before that he was eligible for a skills-building program that did not happen to be located in our city.
Now that a couple of years have passed my son has finally become an Olympian. I'm friends with a woman who has a son who did participate in the skills building program as a youngster with autism. Now she is working as a volunteer to get younger athletes to participate. We are amongst her first recruits.
Autism Blog
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