Improving Deficits in Communication, Collaboration and Creativity in the Education of the Severely Autistic Child
Article from www.specialeducationadvisor.com
by Rebecca Sperber, MS, MFT
The most deficient aspects of the special education system today are 1) a lack of consistent communication and collaboration between, teacher, classroom staff, parents, and clinicians and 2) the tendency to think “generically” instead of creatively about educational and behavioral intervention for the severely autistic child. These issues are most detrimental to the more severely autistic child due to the complexity and uniqueness of some of their behaviors. These children are in most need of professionals sharing information, committing to a creative and flexible plan of action, and a “sooner than later approach” to the re-evaluation of that plan if it is not working.
A yearly IEP is often not enough contact between parents and professionals to efficiently influence and maximize a child’s program. |
True collaboration goes beyond an allowance for discussion, but transcends to a level of acceptance and the utilization of ideas and strategies that have credibility. In other words, collaboration is not about the saying, “Okay, everyone has had a chance to make suggestions, but the teacher always has the final say.” Such rigid rules in the educational setting decreases the quality of special educational programming and efficacy because such rules do not guarantee that the best approach has been chosen.
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Vaccine-autism link: New investigation
by Kim Carrigan, myFOXBoston.com
Thanks to Age of Autism for posting this story
(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Congress will hold hearings Thursday about a possible link between childhood vaccination and autism -- a subject that many thought had been put to rest earlier this year when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study suggesting that research does not point to an association between the two.
Richard Deth, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology at Northeastern University comments about the vaccine-autism link. |
But according to information discovered in documents by safeminds.org, at least 83 families received federal compensation for money for vaccine-related injuries. And each of the children in those 83 cases suffered from autism.
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Understanding Divorce and the Child With Special Needs
Article by Protected Tomorrows
Sadly, one out of every two marriages in the United States now ends in divorce. The many details involved in planning for a child with special needs in a divorce often fall to the wayside, as a myriad of other considerations consume the attention of parents and overshadow important decisions that must be made in the best interest of the child. As a result, parents often find themselves in the unenviable situation of not having a plan in place for their child when the divorce becomes final and each parent must manage independently.
When applying for entitlement benefits such as social security, retirement, disability and survivor benefits, it is imperative that the custodial parent disclose that there is a child with disabilities involved. |
Divorcing parents of a child with special needs have the enormous responsibility of making sure their child will have everything necessary to provide for ongoing quality care and that their child’s assets are protected. For this reason, the expertise of a Protected Tomorrows Advocate is invaluable toward helping families work through and understand the key considerations that must be addressed. Among the specific areas that require careful consideration are special needs trusts, estate planning, child support and future child support obligations, entitlement benefits and instruction letters.
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Does Inflammation Play a Role in Autism?
Article by Dr. Mercola
Researchers have found that the most striking differences between autistic and normal brains were loss of the purkinje cell layer in the cerebellum, and also activation of the microglia, which are cells that are central to the inflammatory response.
The inflammatory response is your body's defense against invasion, but in autism, it seems to be turned against itself. It seems there is an inflammatory war going on in the brains of autistic children and adults.
According to Psychology Today: "Other studies have shown that autism is possibly an autoimmune disease of some kind ... the immune system is not only fighting external invaders or bad guys in the body, such as viruses, bacteria, or newly-formed cancer cells, but also has started to attack presumably healthy tissues of the body.
In the evolutionary medicine paradigm, autoimmune disorders are diseases of civilization, caused by our highly inflammatory diets and stressful lifestyles."
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USAAA World Conference and Expo Special Offer!
Leading experts in the field of autism, Eustacia Cutler (Temple Grandin's mother), Dr. Stephen Shore, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel, Dr. Phillip C. DeMio, Dr. James Neubrander and over 30 speakers will present at the 2011 USAAA Annual World Conference October 27-30, 2011 in Seattle, Washington.
Some of the world’s most renowned autism and Asperger experts will present new interventions and new research in both education and medicine.
Click here for more information on USAAA World Conference and Expo Special Offer!
