Listening To Pleasant Music Could Help Restore Vision In Stroke Patients, Suggests Study

ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2009) — Patients who have lost part of their visual awareness following a stroke can show an improved ability to see when they are listening to music they like, according to a new study published March 23 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Every year, an estimated 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke. Up to 60% of stroke patients have impaired visual awareness of the outside world as a result, where they have trouble interacting with certain objects in the visual world.

This impaired visual awareness, known as 'visual neglect', is due to the damage that a stroke causes in brain areas that are critical for the integration of vision, attention and action. Visual neglect causes the patient to lose awareness of objects in the opposite side of space compared to the site of their brain injury.

To view entire article, please click on link above

Photovoice: The Issue, The Image, The Voice, The Solution

Wednesday, April 1

5:30-7 p.m.

Russell House Ballroom

You are cordially invited to a photography and creative writing exhibit focusing on the experiences of students with disabilities at the University of South Carolina. Through photographic images and the written word, Photovoice will offer an insider’s view of the strengths displayed by this unique student population, as well as the challenges they face. An American Sign Language interpreter will be present at this event.

An American Sign Language interpreter will be present at this event.

This exhibit is sponsored by:

Arts Institute

Student Disability Services, Campus Wellness

Art Department, English Department

The University of South Carolina is and equal opportunity institution.

If you have questions or need special accommodations, please contact Lauren Hastings at (803) 777-3656, hastings@mailbox.sc.edu

To see entire article, please click on link above

Epilepsy: Seizures Caused By Intractable Epilepsy Reduced By More Than 50 Percent

ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2009) — Epilepsy is a common medical condition characterized by convulsions and short periods of confusion. It affects more than 50 million people worldwide. But intractable epilepsy, which affects more than 1 million Americans and is often resistant to drug treatment and surgery, is arguably worse.

But in a just completed clinical trial, a unique nerve-stimulation treatment for intractable epilepsy reduced the number of seizures by more than 50 percent. In the March edition of the journal Neurology, UCLA neurology professor Christopher M. DeGiorgio and colleagues report the results of the long-term pilot trial, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the new treatment, called trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS).

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Inconsistent Performance Speed Among Children With ADHD May Underlie How Well They Use Memory

ScienceDaily (Mar. 24, 2009) — Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show more variable or inconsistent responses during on ‘working’ or short-term memory tasks when compared with typically developing peers, a study by UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute Julie Schweitzer has found.

“We think poor working memory is a characteristic present in many children and adults with ADHD,” said Schweitzer, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

“Our study helps explain why working memory may be fine at one moment and poor at another, just as one day a child with ADHD seems to be able to learn and focus in class and on another day seems distracted and not paying attention,” Schweitzer said.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Auditory Regions Of Brain Convert To Sense Of Touch, Hearing Loss Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2009) — Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers have discovered that adult animals with hearing loss actually re-route the sense of touch into the hearing parts of the brain.

In the study, published online in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of March 23, the team reported a phenomenon known as cross-modal plasticity in the auditory system of adult animals. Cross-modal plasticity refers to the replacement of a damaged sensory system by one of the remaining ones. In this case, the sense of hearing is replaced with touch.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Curbing Impulsivity In Children With ADHD

ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2008) — Central Michigan University researchers are one step closer to helping children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder improve their self-control.

ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic psychiatric conditions in today's school-aged children and is based on such behavioral criteria as impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention and learning disabilities.

CMU associate professor of psychology Mark Reilly, along with experimental psychology graduate students Andrew Fox and Dennis Hand, recently published a study that investigated impulsivity in two strains of rat.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Nanotechnology Coating Could Lead To Better Brain Implants To Treat Diseases

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2009) — Biomedical and materials engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a nanotech coating for brain implants that helps the devices operate longer and could improve treatment for deafness, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Currently, brain implants can treat Parkinson's disease, depression and epilepsy. These and the next generation of the devices operate in one of two ways. Either they stimulate neurons with electrical impulses to override the brain's own signals, or they record what working neurons are transmitting to non-working parts of the brain and reroute that signal.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Genetic Determinants Of ADHD Examined

ScienceDaily (Jan. 13, 2009) — A special issue of American Journal of Medical Genetics (AJMG): Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics presents a comprehensive overview of the latest progress in genetic research of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The issue covers major trends in the field of complex psychiatric genetics, underscoring how genetic studies of ADHD have evolved, and what approaches are needed to uncover its genetic origins.

ADHD is a complex condition with environmental and genetic causes. It is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that has an onset in childhood. It is one of the most common psychiatric diseases, affecting between 8-12 percent of children worldwide. The drugs used to treat ADHD are highly effective, making ADHD one of the most treatable psychiatric disorders.

 However, despite the high efficacy of ADHD medications, these treatments are not curative and leave patients with residual disability. Because ADHD is also has one of the most heritable of psychiatric disorders, researchers have been searching for genes that underlie the disorder in the hopes that gene discovery will lead to better treatments for the disorder.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above  

Hyperbaric Treatment For Autism Reports Significant Clinical Improvements

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2009) — Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism has reportedly led to improvements in the condition, though previous studies were uncontrolled. Now, a new study is the first controlled trial to report clinical improvements.

Hyperbaric therapy traditionally involves inhaling up to 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than 1 atmosphere (atm) in a pressurized chamber. In the first randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter trial, Dan Rossignol and colleagues, from six centers in the USA, studied 62 children, aged 2-7 years, to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric treatment in children with autism.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

Doctors Test Targets For Deep Brain Stimulation In Parkinson Surgery

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2009) — Doctors may be able to tailor a specialized form of brain surgery to more closely match the needs of Parkinson patients, according to results from the first large-scale effort to compare the two current target areas of deep brain stimulation surgery, or DBS.

Called the COMPARE Trial, the National Institutes of Health-funded study conducted at the University of Florida evaluated 45 patients for mood and cognitive changes related to DBS.

UF investigators found that DBS in either brain target effectively treated motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness and slowness.

However, DBS also produced unique effects depending on the target location, especially in patients' moods and mental sharpness.

The discoveries, in the March 13, 2009 issue of Annals of Neurology, may have an impact on the selection of DBS patients, especially those with pre-existing memory, cognitive or mood disabilities.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Brain Abnormality Found In Boys With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ScienceDaily (Mar. 18, 2009) — Researchers trying to uncover the mechanisms that cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder have found an abnormality in the brains of adolescent boys suffering from the conditions, but not where they expected to find it.

Boys with either or both of these disorders exhibited a different pattern of brain activity than normally developing boys when they played a simple game that sometimes gave them a monetary reward for correct answers, according to a new study by a University of Washington research team.

The research focused on two brain areas, the striatum and anterior cingulate cortex. The striatal region is a network of structures in the mid brain that motivates people to engage in pleasurable or rewarding behavior. The anterior cingulate is higher in the brain and normally activates when an expected reward stops.

To view entire article please click on the title above.

New Devices Aid Deaf People By Translating Sound Waves To Vibrations

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — Lip reading is a critical means of communication for many deaf people, but it has a drawback: Certain consonants (for example, p and b) can be nearly impossible to distinguish by sight alone.

Tactile devices, which translate sound waves into vibrations that can be felt by the skin, can help overcome that obstacle by conveying nuances of speech that can't be gleaned from lip reading.

Researchers in MIT's Sensory Communication Group are working on a new generation of such devices, which could be an important tool for deaf people who rely on lip reading and can't use or can't afford cochlear implants. The cost of the device and the surgery make cochlear implants prohibitive for many people, especially in developing countries.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

ABA Workshop: Teaching People with Autism

Teaching People with Autism:

Evidence-Based Practices for Promoting Independence and Enjoyment

June 8, 2009

Columbia Conference Center

169 Laurelhurst Ave., Columbia, SC

Dennis H. Reid, Ph.D., BCBA

Dr. Dennis Reid is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has worked with children and adults with autism for 35 years. He has published over 100 journal articles and authored or co-authored seven books. Dr. Reid is a Fellow in the Association for Behavior Analysis International and recipient of the 2006 International Research Award of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. He is the founder and director of the Carolina Behavior Analysis and Support Center in Morganton, North Carolina, and currently works with people who have autism in schools, residential centers, and community living. His company has also employed adults with autism in a supported work capacity for the last 14 years

Workshop 9AM – 4PM (registration begins at 8AM)

This workshop will summarize evidence-based practices for teaching meaningful skills to children and adults with autism. A particular focus will be on teaching strategies that are usually enjoyed by learners with autism, as well as specific ways to help make teaching sessions enjoyable in general. Following a summary of basic teaching procedures that have a scientific evidence base to support their effectiveness, new developments in teaching processes will be presented. The latter will include, for example, how to teach skills in a rapid or intensive fashion, embedding brief teaching procedures within ongoing interactions in natural settings, preference-based teaching, and simulation teaching for helping adolescents and adults with autism acquire skills to succeed in supported work. Teaching approaches will be described in a step-by-step manner followed by instructor demonstrations and where relevant, audience practice in role-play situations.

 

Objectives

As a function of attending this workshop, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe what constitutes a scientific evidence-base for demonstrating the effectiveness of teaching procedures.
2. Demonstrate proficient use of a three-step prompting strategy.
3. Identify four strategies to include within teaching sessions to promote learner enjoyment with the teaching.
4. Describe a protocol for teaching intensively to promote rapid acquisition of learner skills.
5. Demonstrate a subtle prompting and reinforcement strategy for teaching naturalistically in community settings.
6. Describe how to design a teaching session around learner preferences.
7. Describe how to develop a simulated instructional program for teaching functional work skills.
8. Identify three strategies for promoting application of skills acquired in circumscribed teaching sessions within real-world situations.   

 

Registration fee   $75 (for workshop only & includes lunch)

CEU fee (Optional)   $20 (for 6 CEU’s from BACB)

To view workshop information, please click on the link above.

For registration information go to www.scautism.org

New Gene Associated With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Identified

ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2009) — A collaborative research effort spanning nearly a decade between researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and King’s College London (KCL) has identified a novel gene for inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). This is the fourth gene associated with familial forms of the devastating neurological disorder.

Two papers, published in the February 27 edition of Science, report mutations in FUS/TLS, a gene known to play a role in DNA repair and the regulation of gene expression. The mutations affect the behavior of the FUS/TLS protein within cells and lead to deposits of abnormal protein within motor neurons.

“We found a series of mutations in a gene that interacts with biological pathways already implicated in ALS and other neurological diseases, resulting in familial ALS of differing inheritance patterns and varying severity,” says Thomas Kwiatkowski, MD, PhD, of the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MGH-MIND), lead author of the MGH report. 

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above

New 'Smart' Homes For Dementia Sufferers

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2009) — Within five years innovative 'smart' sensing systems that will help the UK's 700,000 dementia sufferers live independently at home could be available commercially.

Once installed, the systems are designed to closely monitor people's movements and actions around the home. As well as providing voice-prompts (e.g. reminders to turn off a tap or cooker), they can also directly switch lights or appliances on and off in order to eliminate potential dangers.

Developed at the University of Bath with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the systems incorporate specially developed, cutting-edge sensor, electronics and IT capabilities.

Two trial systems installed in care homes in London and the West Country have now been operating successfully for over a year.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Gene That Modifies Severity Of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease Found

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2009) — Researchers have discovered a gene that modifies the severity of lung disease in people with the lethal genetic condition, cystic fibrosis, pointing to possible new targets for treatment, according to a new study in Nature.

Deleting this gene in mice confirmed its role in regulating inflammation and disease. After the animals' airways were infected with the bacterium that is a major cause of lung infection in cystic fibrosis, the mice experienced less inflammation and disease, said senior investigator Christopher Karp M.D., director of Molecular Immunology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Posted online by the journal Feb. 25 in advance of publication, it the first published study to use a genome-wide approach to look for genes that modify the severity of cystic fibrosis lung disease.

After analyzing the genetic makeup of nearly 3,000 people from two groups of cystic fibrosis patients – one from Johns Hopkins University and the other from the University of North Carolina and Case Western Reserve University – the researchers found that small genetic differences in a gene called IFRD1 correlate with lung disease severity.

To View Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Schizophrenia Could Be Caused By Faulty Signaling In Brain

ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2009) — Schizophrenia could be caused by faulty signalling in the brain, according to new research published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. In the biggest study of its kind, scientists looking in detail at brain samples donated by people with the condition have identified 49 genes that work differently in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared to controls.

Many of these genes are involved in controlling cell-to-cell signalling in the brain. The study, which was carried out by researchers at Imperial College London and GlaxoSmithKline, supports the theory that abnormalities in the way in which cells 'talk' to each other are involved in the disease.

Schizophrenia is thought to affect around one in 100 people. 

To View Entire Article, Please Click On the Title Above.

Can Parasitic Hookworms Help In Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis?

ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2009) — Scientists from The University of Nottingham will study the potential health benefits of parasitic worms as part of a study investigating treatments for people with the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis (MS).

It is thought that hookworms may play a role in damping down the immune system, which is overactive in people with MS, the most disabling neurological condition in young adults.

The £400,000, three-year project funded by the MS Society, aims to determine whether infection with a small and harmless number of the worms can lead to an improvement on the severity of MS over a 12 month period.

If the trial is successful, the worms have the potential to provide a simple, cheap, natural and controllable treatment for MS.

To View the Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Stem Cell Breakthrough: New Method For Creating Stem Cells

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — Mount Sinai Hospital's Dr. Andras Nagy discovered a new method of creating stem cells that could lead to possible cures for devastating diseases including spinal cord injury, macular degeneration, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. The study, published by Nature, accelerates stem cell technology and provides a road map for new clinical approaches to regenerative medicine.

"We hope that these stem cells will form the basis for treatment for many diseases and conditions that are currently considered incurable," said Dr. Nagy, Senior Investigator at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Investigator at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and Canada Research Chair in Stem Cells and Regeneration.

"This new method of generating stem cells does not require embryos as starting points and could be used to generate cells from many adult tissues such as a patient's own skin cells."
Dr. Nagy discovered a new method to create pluripotent stem cells (cells that can develop into most other cell types) without disrupting healthy genes.

To view entire article, please click on the title above.

Babies Learn Music While Sleeping

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2009) — Early screening and treatment for infants with hearing problems, and the ability to computer-generate musical scores, are two very different possible outcomes of some “off-the-wall” research.

Until recently, little has been known about the perceptions humans have when they enter the world.Although adult perception has been extensively researched, how, or even if, the brains of newborn babies perceive patterns in the world remained a mystery. That mystery has been at least partially solved by an EU-funded research project, EmCAP, which brought together what many would consider an unlikely consortium, comprising both neuroscientists and music technologists.

What project coordinator Susan Denham describes as “blue-sky thinking” on the part of her and her colleagues when they initially proposed the project led to experiments involving playing music to newborn babies.

To View Entire Article, Please Click On the Title Above.

Keys to Sucess; Strategies for ADD/ADHD

Please join PRO-Parents of SC for a Workshop

For Parents/Staff and others  of Children with Special Needs

Sponsored By: PRO-Parents of SC

Presented By: Chris Zeigler Dendy

Strategies for ADD/ADHD

Wednesday
April 29, 2009
8:30am-4:30pm
Glenforest School
1041 Harbor Drive
West Columbia SC 29169

Registration Deadline: April 15, 2009

Limited Parent scholarships -apply early
Foster parent scholarship available
Individuals $25.00
Couples $35.00
Cancellation fee: $20.00
if cancel prior to
4/15/2009
No refund after 4/15/2009

Call 1-800-759-4776
Or (803) 772-5688
If you are a person with a disability and require accommodations,
please discuss your needs
with Heather Watson-Kelley at  hwkelley@proparents.org

 

To view workshops, please click on title above

 

Check out the Building on Abilities Conference

About the conference

The YAI/NIPD Network conferences attract an annual attendance of over 3,000 people and have served as a major forum for the exchange of ideas, and for the introduction of new models and strategies which have had a profound and positive impact in our field. The focus of our conference will be based on treatment and practices, new models, and strategies which can enhance the lives of individuals with developmental and learning disabilities and their families.

About the YAI/NIPD Network

YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Network is a President's Committee award-winning, not-for-profit, nonsectarian network of 7 agencies serving over 20,000 people of all ages and levels of developmental and learning disabilities daily. YAI/NIPD's more than 450 community-based programs are located throughout New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Orange and Rockland Counties, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico, and provide a full range of early intervention, pre-school, family supports, employment training and placement, clinical and residential services, home care, out-patient clinic services as well as recreation and camping services. YAI/NIPD is also a highly acclaimed professional organization, nationally renowned for our publications, conferences, training seminars, video training tapes and innovative television programs.

In-Depth Sessions on:

Advocacy/Self-Determination

Aging

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Challenging Behavior

Clinical Issues & Practices

Day Ser vices

Early Childhood

Employment/Transitions

Family Supports

Health Care/Wellness

Inclusion

Legal, Financial & Policy

Issues

Life Planning

Management/Supervisor y

Residential Ser vices

Sexuality

Sibling Issues

Special Education

Staff Training

Technology

Workforce

More than 300 Speakers * Over 170 Sessions

To view brochure:

http://yaiconference.org/documents/2009_Brochure.

Register online at: yai.org/conference

Underlying Sleep Problem Linked To Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder In Children

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — A study in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP suggests the presence of an intrinsic sleep problem specific to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and supports the idea that children with ADHD may be chronically sleep deprived and have abnormal REM sleep.

Results show that children with ADHD have a total sleep time that is significantly shorter than that of controls. Children in the ADHD group had an average total sleep time of eight hours, 19 minutes; this was 33 minutes less than the average sleep time of eight hours, 52 minutes, in controls. Children with ADHD also had an average rapid eye movement (REM) sleep time that was significantly reduced by 16 minutes.

According to the principal investigator and the lead author, Reut Gruber, PhD, director of the Attention, Behaviour and Sleep Lab at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, results of the study were encouraging, as the researchers were able to control for many confounding factors, which reduced some of the confusion and contradictions discovered in previous studies. Measuring sleep architecture in the children's beds at home using portable PSG, also allowed researchers to better represent the natural sleep pattern, thus increasing the validity of the study.

To view entire article, please click on the title above.

PRO-PARENTS MARCH CALENDAR OF WORKSHOPS

THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,
LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN REGISTERING.
TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP IN YOUR AREA
PLEASE CALL: 1-800-759-4776

3/03/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
*

Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? Workshop
Saluda County DSS Office
613 Newberry Highway
Saluda, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/03/2009
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Family Connection of SC
St. Johns Methodist Church
321 South Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/07/2009
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities (IDEA) Workshop
Florence School District 2
Therapeutic Behavioral Services
103 Hickory Street
Pamplico, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/09/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Family Connection of Greenville
Center for Developmental Services
29 North Academy Street
Greenville, SC

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/10/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Dorchester School District 4
Woodland High School
4128 Highway 78
Dorchester, SC 29437

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/10/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop
(This Workshop is Presented Via the Internet and Conference Call)
Call PRO-Parents of SC to Register
** E-mail Address and Phone Required **

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/10/2009
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
*

ADD / ADHD Workshop
Horry DSS Office
1951 Industrial Park Road
Conway, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/11/2009
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
SC Youth Advocacy Program
3815 Montague Avenue
Suite 100
North Charleston, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/12/2009
10:30 am - 2:30 pm

Special Education Information Q & A Session
Calhoun County DDSN
L. Marion Gressette Center
78 Doodle Hill Road
St Matthews, SC 29135

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/12/2009
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Beaufort Exceptional Family Members Program
Building 807, EFMP Facility
Beaufort Air Station
Beaufort, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/12/2009
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
*

Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? Workshop
Knightsville United Methodist Church
1505 Central Avenue
Summerville, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/14/2009
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Transitioning Into Special Education Workshop
Metro North Church
109 Central Avenue
Goose Creek, SC 29445

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/14/2009
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Transitioning Out of Special Education Workshop
Metro North Church
109 Central Avenue
Goose Creek, SC 29445

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/19/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Transitioning Into of Special Education Workshop
(This Workshop is Presented Via the Internet and Conference Call)
Call PRO-Parents of SC to Register
** E-mail Address and Phone Required **

Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 2, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/19/2009
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
*

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church
5503 Sunset Blvd
Lexington, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/24/2009
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Transition Out of Special Education Workshop
Oconee DDSN
116 South Cove Road
Seneca, SC 29672

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/24/2009
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
*

Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? Workshop
Richland County DSS Office
3220 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/26/2009
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
*

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Clarendon DSS Office
3 South Church Street
Manning, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/27/2009
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop
Cherokee DDSN
959 East O’Neal Street
Gaffney, SC 29340

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

3/30/2009
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
*

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Child Enrichment Center
Lee & Bartdale Blvd
Spartanburg, SC

Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SC
South Carolina Special Kids Project
Program Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-866-863-1512

3/30/2009
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop
Greenwood School District 50
Instructional Services Center
100 Merrywood Drive
Greenwood, SC 29649

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC
Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call: 
1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

U.S. States Expand Newborn Screening For Life-threatening Disorders

ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2009) — Regardless of where they are born in the United States, nearly all newborns now receive mandated screening for many life-threatening disorders, a remarkable public health advance of the last four years, according to a new report issued today by the March of Dimes.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia now require that every baby be screened for 21 or more of the 29 serious genetic or functional disorders on the uniform panel recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) and endorsed by the March of Dimes. If diagnosed early, these disorders can be successfully managed or treated to prevent death, disability, or other severe consequences such as mental retardation.

Although all states now have laws or rules that require the screening, as of December 31, 2008, Pennsylvania and West Virginia still must implement their expanded programs, according to the March of Dimes report card.

To View the Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Babies & Robots: Infant Power Mobility On Display

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2009) — Children with mobility issues, like cerebral palsy and spina bifida, can’t explore the world like other babies, because they can’t crawl or walk. Infant development emerges from the thousands of daily discoveries experienced by babies as they move and explore their worlds.

Mobility-deprived kids start exploring when they can operate a traditional power wheelchair, typically at age 3 or often older.

Research done by University of Delaware researchers is turning that on its head and could potentially change the way these children’s brains develop.

Physical therapy professor Cole Galloway and mechanical engineering professor Sunil Agrawal have developed tiny power chairs babies as young as 6 months can operate using a joystick.

Now, they’ve paired with Permobil, a national producer of power chairs, and outfitted a chair for toddlers.

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