The Phoenix Chapter of the Autism Society of America has announced that online registration is open for its 2008 conference.  The conference, scheduled for May 3 and 4th, will feature Louder than Words author Jenny McCarthy as a keynote speaker.  McCarthy will speak on May 4th at 8:45 am and will “discuss her personal experiences in helping her son Evan who was diagnosed with autism. She found that an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, and supplements became the key to saving Evan from autism. Jenny will shares the frustrations and joys of raising an autistic child and show how with love and determination a parent can shape their child’s life and happiness.”

Other notable speakers at the conference are Kathleen Quill, Ed. D, author of DO-WATCH-LISTEN-SAY, Zosia Zaks author of Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults and Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph. D, BCBA of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD).  In addition to discussions on vaccines, the GFCF diet and sensory integration, there will also be a three hour workshop for adults on the autism spectrum.

For more information on registration for the event, contact the Phoenix Chapter of the Autism Society of America at (480) 940-1093.

Source:  ASA-GPC

On February 14, Autism News Direct reported that the Arizona Autism Insurance Billhad passed its first hurdle by making it out of committee.  I am happy to report that as of this week, a little over 30 days from moving out of committee, the Arizona Autism Insurance Bill has been passed and signed into law by Governor Janet Napolitano.  This piece of legislation did not have its adversaries.  Insurance companies, small business owners, corporations, and even the Arizona Chamber of Commerce opposed the initial wording of the bill.  The claims were made that insurance premiums would increase across the state if this legislation were to be enacted and that some companies would no longer be able to offer insurance coverage as a result of the bill. 

There are some specific mandates that were written into the bill.  These include a limit of the requirement to employer-purchased plans in firms with more than 50 employees, a cap of $50,000 per year for children through age eight and a cap of $25,000 per year for children aged nine through 16.  An important part of this legislation is that it will cover children with Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS in addition to autistic disorder.  Currently, the State of Arizona’s Department of Developmental Disabilities provides no funding for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS leaving their parents to foot the hefty bills for therapy and other interventions.

In light of the recent publicity surrounding the concession made by the government in an autism/vaccine case, the American Academy of Pediatrics has released a statement on autism and vaccine safety.  Highlights from the statement include information on autism, mitochondrial disease, and general vaccine and vaccine safety information. 

From the AAP statement:

The AAP understands that parents may have concerns about vaccinating their children. Vaccines are one of the most successful medical advances of all time. Vaccine safety is an issue of great importance to the AAP and to pediatricians, who support ongoing research and increased funding in this area. In addition, the AAP supports further research into the causes of autism.

Despite the recent court ruling and other reports claiming a lack of evidence linking vaccines to autism, the debate will likely continue for some time.

Source:  Facts for Parents about Autism and Vaccine Safety

Blooming Kids Software (BloomingKids), a company that creates computer programs designed to teach children who have Autism, PDD and other needs requiring early intervention, has created eight additional educational programs. These programs were made in response to requests from parents and educators who asked BloomingKids to extend their product line in particular directions.

( PRWEB ) March 10, 2008 — Blooming Kids Software (BloomingKids), a company that creates computer programs designed to teach children who have Autism, PDD and other needs requiring early intervention, has created eight additional educational programs. These programs were made in response to requests from parents and educators who asked BloomingKids to extend their product line in particular directions.

These programs teach students to read a calendar, tell time, use a computer keyboard to learn basic typing, and to familiarize the student with months of the year, weather, seasons, days of the week, and times of the day.

The programs (Twenty nine of them) that were released on 2006 have been upgraded with customer feedback, new interface, new voice, new animations, and other features. Presently these revised versions and the eight new programs can be purchased on the web.

Many of the programs offer internal testing and reporting capabilities. All of the programs use colorful animations, pictures and music to help children to learn with enthusiasm and attention. Each exercise in the program rewards and encourages. Every correct answer earns positive reinforcement.

For more information, visit www.bloomingkids.com to view online demos of each program.

BloomingKids wants to help parents and schools. If any order goes above $200, BloomingKids will deduct 15% of all purchases beyond $200. The deduction will be retuned to the buyer as a refund after the purchase is made. Please make use of this good will offer before March 31, 2008, as it will not be available after this date.

About Blooming Kids Software, LLC.
BloomingKids is a software company based in Scarsdale, New York. The company, founded in 2004, is specifically designed to facilitate learning for children diagnosed with learning disabilities, Autism and PDD. BloomingKids will customize any product in order to meet the learner’s individual needs as identified by therapists, teachers and parents. The company’s mission is to deliver the highest quality, most effective and affordable educational software. For more information, please visit www.bloomingkids.com.

Contact Information:
Blooming Kids Software, LLC.
36 Lincoln Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583
914-713-4440

Autism Speaks Unveils 100 Day Kit, A Unique Resource for Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed with Autism
Providing Families with Connections to Resources and Support Services in Their Communities

NEW YORK, NY (February 29, 2008) — Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, today announced the launch of its 100 Day Kit, a personalized resource to assist families in getting through the critical time following an autism diagnosis. In addition to receiving the contents of the kit, which includes information about services and service providers in a family’s community, those who register will also be connected with a regional Autism Speaks Autism Response Team member who can provide further insight and guidance.

A personalized version of the 100 Day Kit is available by visiting www.autismspeaks.org/community/family_services/100_day_kit.php, where parents of a newly diagnosed child will be asked to fill out a short survey. In response, an Autism Response Team coordinator will contact the family to get additional information so that the 100 Day Kit can be tailored to include resources specific to their child’s age and location. The family will receive a binder with pertinent information, as well as contact information for an Autism Response Team coordinator in their region who has been trained specifically to answer questions they may have.

The turn-around time for a new kit will be approximately one week from the date of the initial request. Members of the Autism Response Team will follow up with families four months after they receive the 100 Day Kit to see how they are doing, answer any questions they may have, and solicit their feedback. Families may also download the text of the kit without registering – and without personalization – and use Autism Speaks’ Family Services Resource Guide to access local resource information.

The 100 Day Kit includes basic information about autism and dealing with the news of a diagnosis. The personalized kit lists local service providers, support groups, recreational activities, sources of legal information, conferences, local autism and disability organizations and information about the local chapter of Autism Speaks. It provides insight into getting services for a newly diagnosed child and explains various available treatment options. A week-by-week action plan helps walk a family through the steps it needs to take to ensure that it is on the right track. The kit also includes a glossary of terms associated with autism, as well as a safety plan and a list of recommended books and informational web sites.

“When a child is diagnosed with autism, his or her parents are often left feeling overwhelmed and confused about what to do next and where to turn for help,” said Peter Bell, Autism Speaks Executive Vice President for Programs and Services. “This kit will be a valuable tool for these families and will help make the first few weeks and months after diagnosis a little less daunting.”

“Parents need to know that they are not alone,” said Lisa Goring, Autism Speaks Director of Family Services. “The 100 Day Kit and the Autism Response Team will help families get informed, get organized and get connected to important resources and support services in their community.”

The 100 Day Kit was created by the Autism Speaks Family Services staff in conjunction with a professional advisory committee comprised of twelve autism professionals, a parent advisory committee that included parents from across the country, and members of the Autism Speaks Family Services Committee.

ABOUT AUTISM
Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS
Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman, General Electric, and served as chief executive officer of NBC for more than twenty years. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/.

The Interactive Autism Network (IAN), a project of the Kennedy Krieger Institute sponsored by Autism Speaks, has released the February 2008 research report.  Parents of children with autism were asked to join the project and voluntarily supply information about their entire family.  As time passes numbers are crunched and research reports are released.  The February 2008 report focused on autism treatments.  Parents were asked how many different treatments their children were receiving at a given time.  The results from the survey were astounding.  Some children were only receiving one type of intervention while another parent reported that her child was receiving 56 different treatments…at the same time.  The numbers seemed to peak at five simultaneous treatments.

The top five treatments were speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis (ABA), social skills groups, and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).  The survey then broke down the treatments into types of treatment with prescription medications being the most popular.  The report goes on to discuss the lengths that parents have gone through in order to receive adequate services with 5% reporting a move to a new state and 18% either had one parent quit a job or reduce hours in order to meet the child’s therapy schedules.   

Read the entire report at Ian Research Report #5 - February 2008.

Visual Schedules Help Kids Maintain Routines at Home or at School

Dix Hills, NY ( PRWEB ) February 26, 2008 — Children with autism thrive on structure, and routine is often their best friend. Autism spectrum kids feel more secure when they know what to expect, and visual schedules provide comfort while teaching vital independence and self-help skills. Now Natural Learning Concepts, a noted provider of quality materials for children on the autism spectrum, has released two of its most eagerly awaited new products, the Responsibility Check List Sets, in separate editions for School and Home. Each set is priced individually and affordably at $12.95 apiece.

To celebrate the new products, and for a limited time only, customers can enjoy a $5 savings on the sets, for a combined purchase price of just $20, available immediately at http://www.nlconcepts.com/autism-new.htm Please use the coupon code 4309117 to redeem this offer, which is valid for the first 300 customers only.

“We all follow daily routines,” comments Natural Learning Concepts Co-Founder Jene Aviram. “Students on the autism spectrum are empowered by these visual Check Lists. Their confidence levels rise when they control their own schedules. The Check Lists also ease anxiety and frustration, as children always know exactly what is coming next, as well as how many steps there are to completion.”

The Responsibility Check Lists are portable laminated card sets, bound on a single metal ring that can be easily opened or closed. The ring allows parents and students to remove, add, or change the order of items (or even to combine Check Lists, if both Home and School packs are used together). The use of the ring means that the list may be easily clipped to a belt, key ring, or backpack, for added convenience. Each Responsibility Check List includes an assortment of high-quality, laminated photo cards as the perfect tools to teach self-help skills, establish routines, and to self-monitor behavior.

The Home Responsibility Check List contains activities that occur before and after school, breaking down the tasks of the day with clear images and short sentences. Examples in this Check List include: “I wake up, I go to the toilet, I brush my teeth” right through to evening activities such as “I eat dinner, I take a bath, I put on my pajamas,” and more, with each step clearly defined.

For the School Check List, activities are separated into three categories, Before School, During School and After School. This visual schedule includes a wealth of common helpful activities and reminders, such as “I listen to my teacher, I do my work, I raise my hand in class, I keep my hands to myself, I pack my school bag, I say good-bye to my friends,” and more.

“The cards of each Responsibility Check List are a visual representation of a child’s day, at Home, or at School,” adds Co-Founder Jocelyn Blum. “They empower kids with autism who typically thrive on structure. For parents and teachers working to increase independence, accountability and self-help skills, they’re truly an affordable and invaluable tool.”

Using the Responsibility Check Lists is easy and fun. Parents or teachers can begin by organizing and reordering the set to the child’s own schedule and preferences. Teach the use of the cards by flipping through the sets while practicing the activities. Once the child is familiar with the set, she can begin flipping through the cards on her own, swiftly learning how each card corresponds with the completion of an activity. The cards will soon become an important and reassuring part of the child’s daily life.

About Natural Learning Concepts

Natural Learning Concepts is committed to the acceptance, celebration and understanding of people with autism exactly as they are. Their range of outstanding books, materials and inspirational content are designed to facilitate communication, increase speech, language and comprehension while having fun in the process. All of the materials on the Natural Learning Concepts website are used for teaching children at all levels of the autism spectrum as well as those diagnosed with PDD-NOS, Asperger’s, ADHD and speech and language delays. The company’s critically acclaimed materials are routinely used for ABA therapy, social storybooks for autism, early intervention and verbal behavior analysis. Parents, teachers, and other loved ones enjoy using these tools to celebrate and work with that special child in their life who has autism.

Please visit the Natural Learning Concepts website to learn more, as well as to take part in its diverse and enthusiastic online community, at http://www.NLconcepts.com. Also, don’t miss its exciting and successful Job Community, at http://www.nlconcepts.com/autism-jobs.htm.

For more information on Natural Learning Concepts or its products, please contact publicist Angela Mitchell, at (904) 982-8043.

Meanwhile, to contact founders Jene Aviram or Jocelyn Blum directly for interviews, please call 1-800-823-3430 or (631) 858-0188. Review copies of the Responsibility Check Lists and other superb NLC products are gladly provided upon request.

St. Anthony’s School in Northvale, New Jersey which has an unusually high percentage of teachers giving birth to autistic children, will not receive the $50,000 in funding needed to look at this increased rate of autism.  From an article posted on NorthJersey.com

St. Anthony’s has housed a Northern Valley District program for children diagnosed with autism and other disorders for the last 30 years. The Walnut Street building is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

According to a WCBStv.com report, the first study done to look at the rates of autism and other developmental concerns that children of St. Anthony’s staff face concluded that of the

24 current or former school employees who had children either while they worked at the school or since then. Their 42 offspring included 24 with developmental disorders — 10 with autism.

The school’s air quality has been tested and the classes have been moved from the main building but nothing conclusive has been determined.  This increased rate of autism spectrum disorders has given some boost to the environmental factors hypothesis that researchers are looking at when helping to determine the causes of autism.

Sources:

NorthJersey.com

WCBStv.com

Wisconsin Senators are set to vote on a bill that would require mandated insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS.  The Senate will be voting on Tuesday, February 26, 2008.  There are some interesting requirements listed in the bill; per an article appearing in the Sunday edition of The Journal Times Online:

According to Senate Bill 178, the treatment must be provided by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker who is certified or licensed to practice psychotherapy, a paraprofessional working under the supervision of any of those three types of providers, or a professional working under the supervision of an outpatient mental health clinic.

Only a handful of states currently require this mandated insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders.  Arizona is working on an autism insurance bill and parents in Florida are starting to drum up support for similar legislation.

Source: The Journal Times Online

Madison, N.J., February 19, 2008 — Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) announced today that The Honorable Stuart R. Berger of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in Baltimore, Maryland, has granted Wyeth’s motion for summary judgment in the case of Blackwell, et al. v. Sigma Aldrich, Inc., et al — an alleged vaccine injury case claiming that Jamarr Blackwell’s exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines caused him to become autistic. 

Previously, the Court had granted Wyeth’s motion to preclude all five of plaintiffs’ expert witnesses from offering testimony at trial following extensive briefing and a 10-day evidentiary hearing held by the Court last August.

In his December 21, 2007 Memorandum and Order pertaining to Wyeth’s evidentiary motion, Judge Berger found that “it is generally accepted in the relevant scientific community that thimerosal in vaccines does not cause or contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism,” also noting that “it is generally accepted in the relevant scientific community that autism is genetic in origin except in rare instances of prenatal exposures to certain substances at defined periods during pregnancy.”

“This is a significant victory for good science generally,” says Daniel J. Thomasch, a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, who served as lead counsel for Wyeth in this matter.  “The Court appropriately found that plaintiff’s  attempt to link autism to childhood vaccines is contrary to generally accepted science.”

About Wyeth
Wyeth is one of the world’s largest research-driven pharmaceutical and health care products companies.  It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and non-prescription medicines that improve the quality of life for people worldwide.  The Company’s major divisions include Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort Dodge Animal Health.

Source:  Wyeth Press Release