Detecting Autism from Brain Activity
Neuroscientists from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of Toronto have developed an efficient and reliable method of analyzing brain activity to detect autism in children. The researchers recorded and analyzed dynamic patterns of brain activity with magnetoencephalography (MEG) to determine the brain's functional connectivity -- that is, its communication from one region to another. MEG measures magnetic fields generated by electrical currents in neurons of the brain. Roberto Fernández Galán, PhD, an assistant professor of neurosciences at Case Western Reserve and an electrophysiologist seasoned in theoretical physics led the research team that detected autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with 94 percent accuracy. The new analytic method offers an efficient, quantitative way of confirming a clinical diagnosis of autism. In a study of 19 children -- nine with ASD -- 141 sensors tracked the activity of each child's cortex. The sensors recorded how different regions interacted with each other while at rest, and compared the brain's interactions of the control group to those with ASD. Researchers found significantly stronger connections between rear and frontal areas of the brain in the ASD group; there was an asymmetrical flow of information to the frontal region, but not vice versa. The new insight into the directionality of the connections may help identify anatomical abnormalities in ASD brains. Most current measures of functional connectivity do not indicate the interactions' directionality.
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Labels: Autism, autism research, Research
Study Debunks Lyme Disease-Autism Link
Although a prevalence of Lyme disease as high as 20 percent (or even higher) has been reported in children with
autism, the new research found no cases of Lyme disease in children when testing recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was done.
Health experts are concerned that if parents suspect that Lyme disease has played a role in their child's autism, they may seek treatment with long-term antibiotic therapy.
"Unless a child has been diagnosed with Lyme disease or another infectious disease, our findings don't support the idea of putting autistic children on antibiotics," said study senior author Armin Alaedini, an assistant professor of medical sciences in the department of medicine and the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center, in New York City.
Results of the study appear in the May 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Labels: Autism, Lyme Disease
Friendship is the best gift you can ever give. That’s why The Arc of South Carolina is the host site coordinator for The University of South Carolina’s Best Buddies Program.
Best Buddies pairs people with ID/DD in one-on-one friendships with college students. College Buddy volunteers offer individuals with ID/DD the chance to explore a new way of life through socialization and new-found friendship.
In 2012, more than 75 individuals were paired with a college buddy and enjoyed community outings such as trips to a USC basketball game, Pets Inc. and the SC State Museum.
To learn more, call (803) 748-5020.
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Labels: best buddies, The ARC of SC, the arc of south carolina
Autism NOW Webinar: Service Implications of the DSM-5 for People with Autism
Service Implications of the DSM-5 for People with Autism
Time: Tuesday, May 14, 2013, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM EST
Speakers: The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) will be released in May and is accompanied by much talk about what this will mean for individuals with autism and their families when it comes to obtaining a diagnosis and receiving services. In this webinar, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) will discuss the various revisions to the autism diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5, along with the service provision implications. Presenters will address breaking down silos between those diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder and those with other autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. This webinar will also provide strategies to help inform educators, clinicians and other professionals about the diversity among people on the autism spectrum. Do not miss this groundbreaking webinar – register today!
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Labels: autism now, dsm 5, DSM V, Webinar
Self-expression is one of the most important parts of human development. For children who are differently-abled, the path to emotional and social health can be difficult.
The Play Group is an arts program for differently-abled children and their siblings; activities include acting, art, music and dance. We believe that each individual has talent — sometimes hidden talent, just waiting to be discovered.
As typical siblings model appropriate behaviors, each play practice or artistic outing becomes a creative, inclusive environment with positive outcomes for all.
To learn more, call (803) -748-5020.
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Labels: The ARC of SC, the arc of south carolina, the play group
Online Registration for the 44th Autism Society National Conference and
Exposition is NOW OPEN!
*NEW- The Autism Society is pleased to announce that all individuals on the spectrum receive a complimentary rate for their attendance at this year’s conference!
We are also offering a new family rate that accommodates up to 3 members.
Preconference Workshops are held on Wednesday, July 10. Preconference Workshops are optional and are not included in the general conference registration.
A Preconference Workshop can be added to a general conference registration for an additional fee of $150 per person.
Below is a listing of the Preconference Workshops available:
Autism Service Initiatives
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Nina-Wall Cote, Bureau of Autism Services
Self-Advocacy Meeting, Making the Connections
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Behavioral Way to Raise your Child in a Faith-Based Family
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Jim Ball and Debi Fillipi
Autism Community Leaders Meeting
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Leadership and Autism Needs Assessment
Cracking the Business Code for Competitive Employment Outcomes
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Andy Traub and Deb Russell
Special Needs Planning, Where do you start?
Wednesday, July 10, 2013-9:00 AM
Jim Caffrey, Special Needs Alliance
Registration Fees and Categories
Early Bird Rate: Expires May 15, 2013
General Conference Attendee: $300
Individual on the Spectrum: $0
Speaker: $225
Family: $450
Advance Rate: May 16-June 28, 2013
General Conference Attendee: $350
Individual on the Spectrum: $0
Speaker: $225
Family: $520
Late/Onsite Rate: June 29 and after
General Conference Attendee: $375
Individual on the Spectrum: $0
Speaker: $225
Family: $565
Family rate accommodates no more than 3 family members
Family Rate applications must be processed manually please contact 888-823-4925 for assistance.
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Labels: Autism Society, autism society national conference
Thinking It Through
What to Consider When Creating a Special Needs Trust
By Katherine N. Barr
Many parents put off the process of setting up a special needs trust (SNT) for a child with disabilities. They worry about complexity and cost and that they’ll be faced with difficult decisions. They may finally be prompted to call an attorney by attending a workshop or because they’ve heard of someone who lost government benefits through mishandling of their finances. There’s no doubt that there are important choices to be made when framing an SNT. But an experienced special needs attorney can ease the process, laying out families’ options, based upon their particular circumstances.
Since the SNT’s provisions should be consistent with the child’s life care plan, I begin by asking about the individual’s interests, abilities and challenges. How do the parents envision their loved one’s life unfolding in terms of career, living arrangements and lifestyle? After that I move on to the rest of the family, learning if there are other children or multiple marriages to be considered.
After explaining which government benefits may be available to the child, I learn what assets the parents have to work with–often a mortgaged home, employer-provided group life insurance and a retirement account. I often suggest that they obtain life insurance coverage that’s not employer-dependent.
Parents must decide what portion of their estate to bequeath to a family member with disabilities, and I point out that a financial planner or online calculator can help them estimate what their child’s long-term financial needs will be. Any assets intended for a child with special needs should be channeled into the SNT in order to maintain eligibility for means-tested government programs such as SSI and Medicaid.
The next decision is whether to create the SNT within a will (testamentary) or as a separate document (inter vivos). The latter is advisable if parents wish to begin funding the trust during their lifetimes or if other individuals are likely to make gifts or bequests to the child.
Naming the right trustee(s) to manage the SNT is critical, and I advise parents to first focus on the near-term, choosing someone who could assume that role immediately, if necessary. The ideal trustee is conscientious, has financial acumen and an understanding of government benefits, and is willing to consult a special needs attorney regularly to ensure proper administration of the trust. This is a huge responsibility, and it may be advisable to have a professional trustee available as backup.
Parents should then write a companion document, a “letter of intent,” to guide the trustee and others who will figure prominently in the child’s future. No one knows a child better than Mom and Dad, and the letter of intent should include information that will help others to make decisions of which the parents would approve. For instance, is a service dog important to the child’s well-being? Should vacations be planned? Music lessons? I provide a sample letter to help families get started. Once it’s complete, they should be sure to tell the child’s support network that it exists.
Finally, it’s important to design flexibility into the SNT so that, if necessary, trustees can be replaced and the document can be amended as government regulations or personal circumstances change.
Almost invariably, parents experience a sense of relief once the SNT has been completed. “I feel so much better—that wasn’t so bad,” they’ll say. “Why was I dreading this? You made it easy.”
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Labels: special needs alliance, trusts
The Neurobiology of ADHD and Related Disorders
Tuesday, April 30, 2013- Tuesday, April 30, 2013
12:00 pm EDT - 1:00 pm EDT
Location: Webinar
CME/CEUs will be availabe. Click here to learn more.
Speaker: Amy F.T. Arnsten, MD
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Read bio here. |
Session Description:
This session will describe the prefrontal cortex's role in attention, behavior and emotion and how abnormal development in this area of the brain contributes to ADHD, ODD and bipolar disorder. Dr. Arnsten will also underscore the role of stress in causing prefrontal cortical dysfunction and emerging treatments.
Goals and Objectives:
1) The role of the prefrontal cortex in the top-down regulation of attention, behavior and emotion.
2) How abnormal development and dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex contributes to childhood disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder and bipolar disorder.
3) How prefrontal cortical circuits are modulated by the arousal systems, and how stress exposure or lead poisoning can cause prefrontal cortical dysfunction that mimics ADHD.
4) New data on how medications used to treat ADHD can strengthen prefrontal cortical regulation through catecholamine actions on prefrontal network connections.
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Labels: acud, ADHD, association of university centers on disabilities, neurobiology, Webinar
How Senior Friendly is Your Website?
Thursday, May 9, 2013
10:30 AM Pacific, 1:30 PM Eastern
The percentage of older people using the Internet continues to rise. As does the number of younger people who rely on the Internet for information and resources as they provide support to an older family member or friend.
Learn what it means to deliver web content and navigation choices that are specifically geared for older web visitors and their families and caregivers.
Speaker: Stephanie Dailey, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, Office of Communications, and Public Liaison, National Institute on Aging, developer of NIHSeniorHealth.gov
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Labels: accessible technology coalition, Accessible technology webinar, ATC, free, Webinar
Webinars available from the Accessible Technology Coalition
Upcoming Trainings:
When: Thursday, April 25th, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM Pacific, 1:00 PM Eastern
Description: There are hundreds of YouTube clips on using the iPad and other AAC devices. Here’s the very best clips that you can use in your work, or to inspire your own postings.
When: Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
Time: 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern
AbleNet University presents the first of a 5 part series on AAC.
When: Thursday, April 25th, 2013
Time: 12 PM Pacific, 3 PM Eastern
AbleNet University presents Deanna Wagner, MS/CCC-SLP
When: April 25th, 2013
Time: 1pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern
When: Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Time: 3:30 PM Pacific, 6:30 PM Eastern
Brought to you by the AT Network of California.
When: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Time: 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern
Description: AT can help with mental processes of managing time, making plans, multi-tasking, organizing, strategizing, and paying attention to and remembering details. Webinar from JAN.
When: Thursday, May 16, 2013
Time: 10:30 AM Pacific, 1:30 PM Eastern
When: Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Time: 11 AM Pacific, 2 PM Eastern
JAN webinar on self-employment: "more than one way to the top of the mountain."
To learn more about ATC, please click on the above title.
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Labels: accessible technology coalition, Accessible technology webinar, ATC, free, webinars
Autism NOW Webinar: Transportation Options and Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
Transportation Options and Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
Time: Tuesday, April 30, 2013, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM EST
Speakers: Amy Goodman, Autism NOW, Krystian Boreyko, Easter Seals
Krystian Boreyko of Easter Seals Project ACTION joins Co-Director Amy Goodman for this webinar to discuss the various transportation options that are available to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities! Presenters will discuss regulations that protect the rights of people with disabilities including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Air Carrier Access Act; accommodations that are offered to individuals who use public transportation, aircrafts and other modes of transportation; issues regarding touch and personal space; the process of obtaining a driver’s license and more!
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Labels: autism now, transportation, Webinar
Youth Leadership Forum application deadline is May 9th!
Applications for the 2013 Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) can be downloaded here
YLF is a leadership development program for high school students with disabilities between the ages of 17 and 21 who want to increase their leadership skills while making new friends and trying new experiences. It features team-building activities, group discussions, guest speakers, and most of all, fun! YLF will be held at Newberry College July 16 through 18.
Don’t delay! The deadline for completed applications is May 9, 2013.
There is no cost other than transportation to and from Newberry College. Approximately 30 delegates will be selected. For more information, click the above title.
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Labels: application, sc youth leadership forum, South Carolina Youth Leadership Forum, Youth Leadership Forum
Yard Sale!
to support Abundant Life Equipment Loan Library
Saturday, April 20th
7 am - 11:30 am
At Lake Carolina's Green across from 212 Eascott Place, Columbia SC 29229
P: (803) 720-5240
Bike Race!
in Lake Carolina at Village Green
Saturday, April 27th
10:00 am
212 Eascott Place, Columbia, SC 29229
Ages: 3yr 13yr ($10 per child)
1 mile bike loop for all kids with all abilities
Hot Dogs
Bring your bikes!
Bring your helmets!
Prizes for all
Fun for all
P: (803) 720-5240
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Labels: abundant life equipment lending library, bike race, Columbia, yard sale
Coming up at Fluor Field on Saturday, April 27, 2013 is a day dedicated to honoring kids who are soaring to their full potential. The Center for Developmental Services event will begin in the afternoon with a Mauldin Miracle League game, where its players will buddy up with the Greenville Drive players.
Activities will be available for attendees around the stadium grounds. A ballpark picnic and Field Street Experience will provide dinner and activities, beginning at 4:30 PM.
Tickets are available through the Greenville Drive box office for $15. Price includes access to the afternoon activities, food at the picnic, and the ticket for the evening Drive game versus the Delmarva Shorebirds at 7 PM.
Greenville, S.C. (April 19, 2013): Tickets are now available for the Little Heroes Night at The Drive on Saturday, April 27. Little Heroes Night will highlight some of the community’s resources serving children with special needs.
Little Heroes Night, presented by Northwestern Mutual, is a Drive double-header. The afternoon begins with Drive team members playing side-by-side with members of the Mauldin Miracle League, a youth league for special needs children.
The Mauldin Miracle League game will be followed by a picnic and the Drive’s game against the Delmarva Shorebirds. During the picnic, inflatable bounce houses and face painting will be available for kids.
Tickets for Little Heroes Night are available for $15 from the Drive’s box office (864) 240-2528 (tickets@greenvilledrive.com). All proceeds from Little Heroes Night benefit the Center for Developmental Services (CDS), the largest multi-disciplinary treatment facility in the Upstate for children with disabilities and developmental delays.
About CDS
CDS links children with disabilities and developmental delays and their families with multi-disciplinary services for developmental evaluation, treatment, education, and support through a partnership of nonprofit and governmental agencies. The partnership is comprised of BabyNet; Family Connection of SC; the Preschool Special Education Program of Greenville County Schools; KidVentures of the Greenville County Disabilities and Special Needs Board; Clarity, and three programs of the Greenville Health System Children’s Hospital: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Kidnetics, and The Wonder Center. CDS and its partners serve over 6,500 children and their families each year in one facility located on property donated by the First Presbyterian Church at 29 North Academy Street in Greenville. For more information about CDS or its partners, visit www.cdservices.org or contact Joy Blue, Director of Donor & Community Relations.
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Labels: center for developmental services, fluor field, little heroes night
Gala Information
TICKETS
- For Ticket Information, please contact P&A at 803-782-0639 or 866-275-7273 orinfo@pandasc.org
- RSVP by April 19th
EVENT INFO
- Friday, April 26, 6:00–9:00pm; Nelson Mullins, The Meridian Building, 1320 Main St, Columbia
- Music by Jim LeBlanc
- Photographer John Herrel Photography
- Catering by Anna Cline Catering
- Wine & Beer selections by Total Wine
- Bartending by Liquid Assets
- Celebrating Abilities will feature a live and silent auction – "like" P&A on Facebook to stay up-to-date with featured auction items including a vacation rental at Pawleys Island, a Charleston Weekend Getaway, a Soda City Market Basket, Family Weekend Getaway to Columbia, Dom Perignon 1996, and many other fabulous items!
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Labels: celebrating abilites, Protection and Advocacy Inc.
