


Archive for January, 2011
 
by Kat Baldwyn, Birmingham MailÂ
GRAEME Croton is celebrating after beating the bullies and winning the Midland award for providing vital support for other Asperger’s Syndrome sufferers.
The 25-year-old, from Erdington, was bullied at school and at work and was only diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome this year after a long battle and endless medical tests.
He also has dyslexia.
And Graeme was determined not to be beaten by his condition and set up a website to offer help and support to others like him.
Now he has been named the regional winner in the Triumph category of the vinspired national awards which recognise the work of young volunteers across England aged 16 to 25.
Graeme updates his website almost every day, giving support and sign-posting people to various organisations that can help them.
He said: “I want to set an example to others who have Asperger’s that things can be accomplished against the odds through sheer belief, hope, persistence and above all hard work.
“I want to put my home city of Birmingham on the map.â€
A shortlist of the regional vinspired winners is now being drawn up to go forward for the national finals in January 2011, with the national award winners being revealed at a ceremony in March 2011.
Terry Ryall, vinspired chief executive
officer, said: “Graeme is a complete inspiration. As a regional winner in the Triumph category you need to demonstrate ability to problem solve and to come up with new ideas and solutions through the volunteering you have done.
“All of the winners in this category have overcome personal barriers to help communities. Graeme has done all this and more and should be immensely proud.â€
 
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New data show that many children with autism spectrum disorders have greater academic abilities than previously thought. In a study by researchers at the University of Washington, 90 percent of high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders showed a discrepancy between their IQ score and their performance on reading, spelling and math tests.
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Improved autism diagnosis and early behavioral interventions have led to more and more children being ranked in the high-functioning range, with average to above average IQs. Up to 70 percent of autistic children are considered high-functioning, though they have significant social communication challenges.
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Little is known about how these children actually perform in regular classrooms, which has implications for how to assign support services. Since IQ scores in the general population reliably predict academic performance – as measured by standardized tests for word reading, spelling and basic number skills – Estes and her colleagues thought the same would be true in their sample of 30 high-functioning 9 year olds with autism spectrum disorders.
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To the researchers’ surprise, 18 of the 30 children tested higher than predicted on at least one of the academic tests. This was especially true for spelling and word reading. Across the three academic tests, 18 of the 30 children scored lower than what their IQs would predict, suggesting a learning disability.
 
Source: eGov monitor – A Policy Dialogue Platform
Published Wednesday, 17 November, 2010 – 09:42
The coalition government has set out plans to empower 1 Million adults in need of social care with personal care budgets by 2013 so that they can choose the services they need, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow announced yesterday, as he launched the document “A vision for adult social care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens’.
In last month’s spending review, long term care assistance for the elderly and the disabled escaped the Chancellor’s cuts and the Government has announced an additional £2 Billion for social care over the next four years. While the funding would be coming from the central government, the budget would be administered through local authorities.
In line with the Prime Minister David Cameron’s vision of a ” big society” – the new plans focuses on community based support services for preventative care as well as self reliance. The Government seeks to break down the barriers between health and social care funding and envisions a care system which incorporates collaborative working between individuals, their local communities, local councils, the NHS as well as the voluntary sector.
Personal budgets were introduced in 1996, during John Major’s premiership, however only 13% of those eligible currently have one. The Care Services Minister emphasised that local authorities will provide personal care budgets to all those who are eligible within the next 3 years.
Ministers claim personal budgets Would provide “choice, control and independence” to citizens while “improving outcomes”.
Mr. Burstow said: “Social care is a vital service for many older, disabled and vulnerable people. Often people find the social care system confusing, inflexible and not suited to their needs – that’s not good enough. I want to see the vision brought into practice at a local level. Councils can offer more choice, control and flexibility over care, which is what people tell me they want.”
The Minister also announced that the government has accepted requests from local authorities to remove ring fencing from social care budgets, although some are worried whether that would impact upon the new money feeding through social care services considering the massive spending cuts the councils have to endure.
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services welcomed the government’s vision. Richard Jones, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, believes that local authorities could “‘absolutely get going with this’.
‘Personalisation is not about how much money is in the system, it’s about how we operate and the approach we take when we work with citizens,’ he added.
The Local Government Association, too has welcomed the proposals outlined by the government, however it is concerned about local councils being able to meet the government’s target by 2013. Further, considering the demand is set to increase, councillors are worried whether there is adequate funding to make the vision a reality.
The National Autistic Society (NAS) supports the principles behind personal budgets, which offer people with autism and other disabilities choice and control over the support they receive. However, we are concerned that without the right measures in place, people may be allocated inadequate budgets or receive inappropriate support.
Mark Lever, chief executive, NAS, says: “The way that a personal budget is allocated is fundamental to its success and we therefore urge local councils to ensure that the assessment takes into account those with complex conditions like autism.
“Due to the nature of autism, and individual’s difficulties with social interaction and communication, assessors must have an understanding of the condition in order to ascertain people’s needs and calculate the support budget they require. An accurate personal budget can give people with autism far more independence and choice over their care. Being given control of an inadequate budget however, will not help anyone gain self-sufficiency.
“It is also essential that individuals are given the necessary support to manage their budgets by people who understand them and their autism. If the right support is not available in the local area or the individual does not know how to access it, then the system only sets people up to fail.â€
‘We welcome the Government’s commitment to reforming the social care system in England especially their plans to break down barriers between health and social care in order to provide better care and support,”Mike Hobday, Head of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support said.
‘For as long as local health and social care decision makers mistakenly consider cancer as solely an acute, and not a long-term condition, cancer patients and their carers will continue to be abandoned to cope alone with the financial, practical and emotional problems caused by their diagnosis or treatment.”
‘Cancer must be included in the debate about the future of social care and Macmillan is determined that the needs of cancer patients and carers will be addressed in the Government’s White Paper next year.’
 
Victims Of Child Abuse Who Blame Themselves And Their Families For Their Situation Present Higher Rates Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Article Date: 28 Oct 2010 – 2:00 PDT
This is one of the conclusions drawn from a study conducted by the University of Granada, where 1,500 university students participated. This study proved that long-term psychological adjustment of victims of sexual abuse in the childhood significantly depends on some cognitive factors and on their interaction.
In cases of child sexual abuse, there are children and teenagers that blame themselves (for example, after the thought that the abuse was led by them) or their family (thinking that their family should have protected them) for the abuse suffered in their childhood. This type of victims resort more frequently to avoidance coping. Thus, they try to sleep more than usual, avoid thinking on the problem, or resort to alcohol and drug abuse in the case of teenagers. This behaviour leaves important psychological after-effects on victims: concretely, they present more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
These are some of the conclusions drawn from a research conducted by David Cantón Cortés, at the Department of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology of the University of Granada, and led by professors Fernando Justicia Justicia and José Cantón Duarte. In their study developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), they analyzed how different cognitive variables affect the development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. To such purpose, a sample of victims of child sexual abuse was used.
Concretely, the researchers analyzed the moderating role of coping strategies, the impact of the sense of guilt and of blaming others, and the feelings triggered by sexual abuse. This research proved that long-term psychological adjustment of victims of child sexual abuse greatly depends on some cognitive factors, and on their interaction. Further, this study helped to determine under what circumstances (associated to situations of sexual abuse) these cognitive factors have higher impact.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/205977.php
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Teaching Kids To Work Through Trauma
Article Date: 25 Oct 2010 – 0:00 PDT
A child who grows up in the midst of political conflict, such as war or terrorism, can exhibit severe emotional scars. But certain qualities, which psychologists call “resilience factors,” can help overcome this adversity.
Prof. Michelle Slone of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Psychology has now developed a program to help children develop these resilience factors and avoid the psychological disabilities that may arise from stress. Her method – and her inspiring results – were recently described in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and International Journal of Behavioral Development.
A lesson plan for resilience
Because children are surprisingly resilient, if given the proper tools, they can move past traumatic experiences more easily than adults.
Prof. Slone studied children who underwent daily rocket attacks from Gaza or other forms of political violence. She compared children who appeared more well-adjusted to those who exhibited more severe psychological trauma, and determined which qualities made the difference. With the results of this research, she developed a series of workshops to enhance those elements that helped children deal with the stress of conflict.
After the workshops, children who attended were better able to stand up in front of their peers and candidly discuss their anxieties about the conflict they experienced, engaging with the group to form strategies for dealing with problems that arose. This exercise dramatically improved their psychological healing process, she says.
A four-fold approach
For her workshops, Prof. Slone identified four of the most important resilience factors: mobilizing appropriate support; attributing meaning to the traumatic experience; developing self-efficacy and problem-solving skills; and improving self-esteem. Next, she developed a school-based intervention program to help students develop and utilize the desired qualities. She and her fellow researchers created a workbook for each factor, she explains, and held training sessions with teachers. Through a four-to-six week workshop process, the children were led through a variety of activities designed to improve each quality.Â
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/205501.php
First Major Study Of Mental Health Of UK Armed Forces In Iraq
Article Date: 31 Oct 2010 – 0:00 PDT
Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London have carried out the first major study of the mental health of UK armed forces while they are on deployment. Their findings are published in the November issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Professor Neil Greenberg and colleagues from the Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health conducted the study in Iraq in January and February 2009. 611 armed forces personnel, who were based in eight locations across Iraq, completed a questionnaire about their deployment experiences and health. This number represents about 15% of the UK personnel deployed in Iraq at the time.
The majority of the personnel (92.6%) rated their overall health as good, very good or excellent. Personnel were more likely to report good health if they were of officer rank, if they felt their unit was very cohesive and had supportive leadership, and if they had taken a period of rest and recuperation in an area outside the operational theatre.
Of the 611 personnel, 20.5% showed signs of experiencing symptoms of psychological distress and 3.4% had probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These rates are similar to those that have been found among service personnel who are not on deployment. They are also lower than in other high-stress occupations such as police officers, doctors in emergency departments and disaster workers.
The researchers found that psychological distress was more common among personnel who were young, female, in the army, and of junior rank. PTSD was more common among personnel of junior rank, among those who reported feeling in danger of being killed, and who had higher combat exposure. Personnel who reported sick for any reason during their deployment were also more likely to have symptoms of psychological distress.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/206195.php
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An uneven distribution of traumatised soldiers
A brief insight into why US troops returning from the same war zones as UK troops show four times the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder – taken from a recent Military Medicine article on mental health treatment in the British armed forces.
The prevalence of PTSD among U.S. forces returning from Iraq has approached 20% of combat personnel. This is in contrast to U.K. forces, which have reported approximately 5% using the same screening tools. There are differences between the forces deployed, some of which may explain the differences in mental health outcomes: U.S. troops are younger, less experienced, deploy for longer tours, and are more likely to be reservists than U.K. forces, all of which are independent risk factors for the development of symptoms of PTSD. A further explanation is that the higher levels of reporting may reflect societal and cultural factors not necessarily associated with deployment.
‘Societal and cultural factors’, of course, could mean anything from the British ‘stiff upper lip’ approach to dealing with mental distress to the system of support and compensation for US troops which has been noted not to encourage improvement as well as it might.
However, it’s also worth bearing in mind that part of the difference may be due to the experiences of the troops, and as far as I know, there is no research that has looked at whether your average US soldier in Iraq simply deals with more potentially traumatising events – combat, injured civilians, bombings and so on.
Read in Full(Includes pdf Link): http://mindhacks.com/2010/10/28/the-prevalence-of-ptsd-among-u-s-forces-returning-from-iraq-has-approached-20-of-combat-personnel-4647-this-is-in-contrast-to-u-k-forces-which-have-reported-approximately-5-using-the-same-screenin/
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Military Mental Health: There’s an App (and Money) For That
Two good pieces of good news came out of the military this week — especially for soldiers and veterans who are facing mental health concerns.
The first is the Monday announcement by Pentagon officials of a free smart phone application for Android devices designed to help soldiers and veterans to track their emotional health. It’s called the T2 Mood Tracker (from the National Center for Telehealth and Technology) is available free free download now. (The iPhone app is in the works.)
It’s basically a mood tracker, allowing users to track their mood, happiness and stress levels throughout the day. Anyone can download and use the app, free of charge.
The second piece of good news is the announcement that the U.S. Army will spend $17 million over 3 years to study suicide in solders and vets.
The money will be used to fund a new program called the Military Suicide Research Consortium. The hope is that the researchers will be able to better identify the risks and ways of better addressing the rising suicide rates in the U.S. military.
“In the civilian world, we know a bit about what measures do a good job of identifying at-risk individuals. We don’t know that for active duty military,†VA researcher Peter Gutierrez told KUNC radio. Gutierrez will be the co-director of the new Consortium at the Denver VA Medical Center.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/10/28/military-mental-health-theres-an-app-and-money-for-that/
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New Findings on PTSD and Brain Activity
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on November 1, 2010
Researchers have discovered a correlation between increased activity among brain circuits and flashbacks among individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
University of Minnesota investigators learned that an increased circuit activity in the right side of the brain is associated with the debilitating, involuntary flashbacks that often characterized PTSD.
The ability to objectively diagnose PTSD through concrete evidence of neural activity, its impact and its manifestation is the first step toward effectively helping those afflicted with this severe anxiety disorder.
PTSD often stems from war, but also can be a result of exposure to any psychologically traumatic event. The disorder can manifest itself in flashbacks, recurring nightmares, anger or hypervigilance.
Using a technique called Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a noninvasive measurement of magnetic fields in the brain, researchers found differences between signals in the temporal and parieto-occipital right hemispheric areas of the brain among those with PTSD.
The temporal cortex, in accordance with earlier findings on the effects of its electrical stimulation during brain surgery, is thought to be responsible for the reliving of past experiences.
The research – led by Apostolos Georgopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., and Brian Engdahl, Ph.D., both members of the Brain Sciences Center at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and University of Minnesota — is published today in the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/11/01/new-findings-on-ptsd-and-brain-activity/20338.html
 
 
Article Date: 19 Nov 2010 – 0:00 PST
Women are much more likely to be persuaded to either eat healthily or undertake dangerous dieting by other women, not men, according to new research from The Australian National University.
The research by PhD student Tegan Cruwys, released during National Psychology Week, found that both healthy, and unhealthy, messages delivered by men had little effect. Additionally, she found that when a healthy eating message is delivered by someone women identify with, it was likely to change their behaviour. The findings highlight the importance of carefully targeted health messages.
To conduct the research, Ms Cruwys, a PhD student in the ANU Department of Psychology, showed female participants four health promotion videos in an online experiment, with either a pro-health or pro-dangerous dieting message, delivered by either a male or a female.
“We found that the women who watched the videos with the woman speaking were far more persuaded by the message,” said Cruwys. “That is, women planned to engage in healthier behaviours after seeing a pro-health message from a woman, and less healthy behaviours after seeing a pro-dangerous dieting message from a woman.”
She added that the videos which were delivered by a male presenter had little effect on the female participants in the study.
“The videos with the male speaker had little impact. The effect was particularly pronounced for the measure of interest in healthy eating – 40 per cent of women who saw the pro-health message from a woman clicked a link to find out more information about healthy eating, while only eight per cent of women who heard the same message from a man did.
“A person’s identity is more than just their personality and preferences. It’s also important to consider group membership in predicting behaviour. We found that the more a woman saw her gender as a central part of her identity, the less her personal attitudes mattered. So even if she thought being thin was desirable, a woman who saw herself as a woman was more influenced by the female’s message than her individual beliefs,” she said.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/208417.php
 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on November 1, 2010Â
A new field of study is ecopsychology, or the relationship between environmental issues and mental health and well-being.
A new journal issue explores the premise that women experience and interact with their natural surroundings in ways that differ from men.
The way in which those differences affect a woman’s sense of self, body image, and drive to protect and preserve the environment are explored in a special issue of the journal Ecopsychology.
Guest editors Britain Scott, PhD and Lisa Lynch, PhD, present a collection of articles that encompass observations and theories on how female gender, motherhood, human nature, and gender-based societal norms influence a woman’s self-perception and behavior.
Topics focus on what women may gain from interacting with their surroundings on a sensory level and how they may benefit from nature-based therapies.
In the article “Babes and the Woods: Women’s Objectification and the Feminine Beauty Ideal as Ecological Hazards,†Dr. Scott explains how cultural norms that promote a view of women as sex objects have led women to become preoccupied with, and generally critical of, their bodies.
This feeling among women that they fall short of the feminine beauty ideal has a negative impact on their attitude toward, and ability to connect with, the environment.
Kari Hennigan, PhD, suggests that women who spend time in natural settings and interact with the environment are more likely to have a better body image and to distance themselves from societal definitions of beauty.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/11/01/do-women-have-a-special-connection-to-nature/20396.html
 
As you stretch for yet another delicious cup cake, the abstemious little voice in your head pleads ‘Don’t do it!’. Does this self talk really have any effect on your impulse control or is it merely providing a private commentary on your mental life? A new study using a laboratory test of self-control suggests that the inner voice really does help.
Alexa Tullett and Michael Inzlicht had 37 undergrads perform the Go/No Go task. Briefly, this involved one on-screen symbol indicating that a button should be pressed as quickly as possible (the Go command) whilst another indicated that the button press should not be performed (No Go). Because the Go symbol was far more common, participants tended to find it difficult to suppress making a button press on the rare occasions when a No Go command was given. People with more self-control would be expected to make fewer errors of this kind.
Crucially, Tullett and Inzlicht also had the participants perform a secondary task at the same time – either repeating the word ‘computer’ with their inner voice, or drawing circles with their free hand. The central finding was that participants made significantly more errors on the Go/No Go task (i.e. pressing the button at the wrong times) when they also had to repeat the word ‘computer’ to themselves, compared with when they had the additional task of drawing circles. This difference was exacerbated during a more difficult version of the Go/No Go task in which the command symbols were periodically switched (so that the Go command became the No Go command and vice versa). It seems that the participants’ self-control was particularly compromised when their inner voice was kept busy saying ‘computer’ so that it couldn’t be used to aid self-control. Â Â


Falling in Love Only Takes About a Fifth of a Second, Research Reveals
ScienceDaily (Oct. 25, 2010) — A new meta-analysis study conducted by Syracuse University Professor Stephanie Ortigue reveals falling in love can elicit not only the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, but also affects intellectual areas of the brain. Researchers also found falling in love only takes about a fifth of a second.
Results from Ortigue’s team revealed when a person falls in love, 12 areas of the brain work in tandem to release euphoria-inducing chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline and vasopression. The love feeling also affects sophisticated cognitive functions, such as mental representation, metaphors and body image.
The findings raise the question: “Does the heart fall in love, or the brain?”
“That’s a tricky question always,” says Ortigue. “I would say the brain, but the heart is also related because the complex concept of love is formed by both bottom-up and top-down processes from the brain to the heart and vice versa. For instance, activation in some parts of the brain can generate stimulations to the heart, butterflies in the stomach. Some symptoms we sometimes feel as a manifestation of the heart may sometimes be coming from the brain.”
Ortigue is an assistant professor of psychology and an adjunct assistant professor of neurology, both in The College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University.
Other researchers also found blood levels of nerve growth factor, or NGF, also increased. Those levels were significantly higher in couples who had just fallen in love. This molecule involved plays an important role in the social chemistry of humans, or the phenomenon ‘love at first sight.’ “These results confirm love has a scientific basis,” says Ortigue.
Read in Full:Â http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101022184957.htm

Self-Awareness of Flirting Style Is Key for Relationships
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on November 2, 2010
A new study suggests knowledge of oneself in regard to initial communication with a potential partner can go a long way in creating a fulfilling relationship.
Jeffrey Hall, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, recently completed a study into styles of flirting among dating adults.
His investigation included surveying more than 5,100 people regarding their methods of communicating romantic interest.
“Knowing something about the way you communicate attraction says something about challenges you might have had in your past dating life,†Hall said.
“Hopefully, this awareness can help people avoid those mistakes and succeed in courtship.”
He identified five styles of flirting: physical, traditional, polite, sincere and playful.
- *Physical flirting involves the expression of sexual interest in a potential partner. People who scored high in this form of flirting often develop relationships quickly, have more sexual chemistry and have a greater emotional connection to their partners.
- *Traditional flirts think men should make the first move and women should not pursue men. Because they adopt a more passive role in dating, women with this style are likely to report trouble getting men’s attention and are less likely to flirt or be flattered by flirting. Traditional men often know a potential partner for a longer time before approaching them. Both genders tend to be introverted and prefer a more intimate dating scene.
- *The polite style of flirting focuses on proper manners and nonsexual communication. Although they are less likely to approach a potential partner and do not find flirting flattering, they do tend to have meaningful relationships.
- *Sincere flirting is based on creating emotional connections and communicating sincere interest. Although women tend to score higher in this style, it is advocated by both genders. Relationships involve strong emotional connections and sexual chemistry and are typically meaningful.
- *People with playful flirting styles often flirt with little interest in a long-term romance. However, they find flirting fun and enhancing to their self-esteem. They are less likely to have important and meaningful relationships.

Hall said that for the most part, there was little difference between genders within each flirting style.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/11/02/self-awareness-of-flirting-style-is-key-for-relationships/20441.html

The Most Important Tool For Restoring Emotional Intimacy to Your Marriage
The first thing you must do to restore intimacy to your most important relationship is to increase the amount of time that you spend together. It is not only the first thing that you must do, it is the most important thing you must do if you want to recover that sense of “us-nessâ€.
Partners often come into counseling complaining that they have grown apart, that they are not feeling loved, or that they do not feel important to the other partner. What most of these couples have in common is that they do not spend much time together. They usually believe that they do not spend any less time together than their friends spend with their spouses. They may be correct. However, when couples are missing the closeness that they once had and not feeling loved, a lack of time together is a major part of the problem.
Of course, many couples are in chronic conflict with each other. Chronic conflict makes it difficult to enjoy the moment with your partner when you are primed and ready to see everything they say or do as negative and motivated by a desire to hurt you in some way. Ongoing conflict and negative feelings about the partner and the relationship play a role in avoiding spending time with each other. Who wants to expose himself or herself to a person or situation that is just going to hurt their feelings? Athough this couple has to work through the conflict to restore a desire to spend time together, they have to spend time together to work through the conflict.
Read in Full:Â http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=41059&cn=289
Affair Prevention
All marital partners, at some point in their marriage, will feel disconnected from one another. This is a normal occurrence in marriage. However, if it is not recognized as normal, if steps are not taken to prevent it, recognize it, or recover from it, it can make a couple vulnerable to infidelity.
What does it mean to be connected? It means being emotionally in tune with each other. You know when your partner has had a good or bad day, who are their best friends and who are their enemies, what’s going on at work or with extended family. On a larger scale, what their dreams and goals are, what makes them sad and what makes them happy. What their scared of and what they most aspire to be. These are things that two people who are connected know about and care about each other. It requires openness and honesty, genuineness and kindness.
When do couples become disconnected? A couple experiences disconnection for many reasons. There are times in a couples life when they are extra vulnerable to disconnection; the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or any other major life change. Disconnection can also happen from not taking the time to be alone with one another, to talk to each other. Not making your marriage a priority and letting other life happenings get in the way.
How do we prevent becoming disconnected: one major way to avoid disconnection is by making your marriage a top priority and always taking time to spend with one another. When there is conflict, to deal with it by talking openly and in a caring way with one another so conflict can be discussed and resolved. Don’t allow resentments to build, talk to each other and stay in tune with each other’s emotions.
Read in Full:Â http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=40916&cn=289

Can you excuse your extramarital affair or marrying without love?
Jan
22
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Ramos, an 18-year-old Manhattan Beach resident, recently attained the distinction of Eagle Scout. No small feat, especially when you consider the senior at Mira Costa High School was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when he was 3 years old.
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For his leadership service project – a requirement for all Boy Scouts seeking to earn the prestigious distinction of Eagle Scout – Daniel worked to put together 81 “survival” backpacks, filled with essential items including food and clothing, for a homeless ministry in Long Beach.
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There were nearly 52 million Boy Scouts in 2009 – only 5 percent earning the Eagle Scout title.
“They embraced him,” said his mother, Carmen, a periodontist in Manhattan Beach. “The project brought the community together.”
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Although they struggle socially, children with the disorder are often high-functioning, displaying average or higher-than-average intelligence.
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“The Boy Scouts make you goal-oriented and help develop a mindset of `There’s something I want and this is how I’m going to get it,”‘ Carmen said. “It helped him keep his focus.”
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“His mom once said she didn’t know if Daniel would ever ride a bike,” said Colleen Kaczmar, a special education and resource teacher at Mira Costa High School who has worked with Daniel throughout his high school years. “His growth has been amazing.”
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Once he came up with the goal of helping the homeless to earn his Eagle Scout badge, Daniel quickly went to work to secure donations and volunteers, meeting one-on-one with local public school officials and speaking at local Rotary clubs. He organized a charity car wash to raise money, along with the rest of El Segundo Troop 773.
“The marketing he did was really good,” said Kaczmar. “So many kids would stop so much shorter of that. He did everything he could possibly think of to make it happen.”
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As they passed out sack lunches and the backpacks, Daniel spoke with the people he was helping. Once moved by the images of the homeless he saw from the passenger seat of his parents’ car, he was now inspired by the stories they shared.
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Daniel said he’ll be going on to Marymount College or El Camino College before attending a four-year university, perhaps studying to become an engineer. In addition to the Boy Scouts, Daniel is on the Mira Costa varsity track and field and cross-country teams.
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Daniel said his time in the Boy Scouts has taught him lessons he may have not picked up otherwise.
 
1:30pm Wednesday 17th November 2010
AN EXCEPTIONALLY gifted child has been finally diagnosed with autism and can get the help he needs following a four-year battle by his parents.
The Echo stepped in to help little Zachary Lovett, six, when the NHS refused to fund a referral to Great Ormond Street Hospital so experts could assess his case.
Zachary is in the top one per cent for literacy in the country for his age group and among the top two per cent of pupils in maths.
The youngster, who has a reading age of 11, can easily multiply large numbers in his head, yet is unable to socialise with his peers and hits out at those around him when he becomes frustrated.
Yet without a firm diagnosis his school, Edwards Hall Primary, Leigh, has, until now been unable to get funding for the one-to-one tuition he needs.
Now, after the Echo highlighted the case, the NHS South East Essex Trust has relented.
His father Michael Lovett, 52, of Feeches Road, Southend, said the family were overjoyed.
He said: “They diagnosed Zachary within an hour at Great Ormond Street. It is such a big relief because we feel we haven’t been wrong all this time.
“On the way home from the hospital my eyes just filled with tears.
“We know he will never get better, but now he will get the help he needs. The hospital will also teach us how to handle him.â€
Mr Lovett said specialists at the hospital had been intrigued with Zachary’s abilities. He added: “They think he has got a fantastic mind.
“He could count backwards at two-and-a-half. Now he will get the help to deal with his intelligence. We can’t thank the Echo enough.â€
After approving the funding, Ian Stidston, the trust’s interim director of primary and community care, said: “We are keen to ensure the child receives the right response in relation to their immediate and ongoing support needs as soon possible.â€
Source:Â http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/8668847.Autistic_Zach_to_get_the_help_he_needs/?ref=rss











