www.aspie-editorial.com

 

 7:20am Tuesday 24th August 2010

 By Julia Kennard »

Daredevil dad David Theobald jumped into a tank of sharks to help fund laptops for autistic and special needs children.

The former independent councillor for St Helier ward was joined by his friend David Price for the stunt at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port.

The pair dived with tiger sharks, whose mouths are full of razor-sharp teeth, nurse sharks, stingrays and eels.

Mr Theobald’s son George is autistic and the pair are raising funds to buy specialised laptops for the disabled children of the borough.

They have already raised more than £1,000 for the computers, which cost about £300 each, and can withstand “anything a child can throw at it”.

Mr Theobald said: “Particularly with the autistic and mentally handicapped, computers can provide a gateway into our world as they learn so much from this equipment.

“I can vouch for this with the experience gleaned from my son.

“We hope to get the laptops into schools around the borough.”

Read in Full:  http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/8345205.Ex_councillor_dives_in_to_raise_laptop_funds/?ref=rss

Against the odds: Clarence (back row, left) with other children of the National Autism Society in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday.

Wednesday August 25, 2010

Autistic yet artistic

By ZANI SALLEH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Two boys – both special in their own ways but who barely face the tribulations of life every day – will share their inspiring stories in an upcoming community-based programme over ntv7.

The two autistic boys – Clarence Kang Zhang Wei, 13, and six-year-old Mohd Adam Ezany – will be featured in the second season of the 30-minute Project Sunshine production that tells of children who fight hardships and disabilities merely to continue schooling.

Clarence is a talented pianist while Mohd Adam comes from a hardcore poor family in urban Petaling Jaya.

National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) general manager Chia Liau Kee said both boys are gifted and will relate how they are more determined then others who lead a normal life.

“Each child has a talent of his own, though born with disabilities,” she said, adding that they deserve their right to education.

SP Setia Foundation contributed RM195,000 to the Project Sunshine programme, as part of its corporate social responsiblity.

Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the foundation believes education could change one’s life, regardless of their background, if given an equal opportunity of going to school.

“In this programme, audiences would be sharing the true stories of children whose journey will inspire others and bring about greater appreciation for education,” he said.

SP Setia Foundation also allocated RM15,000 for NASOM to set up a gymnasium for its vocational training centre at Bandar Puteri in Klang.

The 13-episode Mandarin programme will air its second season over ntv7 every Saturday at 1.30pm, starting from Sept 4.

Source:  http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/25/nation/6915896&sec=nation

 

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 24, 2010 

Scientists have developed a drug that successfully resets and restarts the natural 24-hour body clock of lab mice.

The ability to do this in a mammal opens up the potential to pharmacologically address a variety of human difficulties, including some psychiatric disorders, jet lag and the health impact of shift work.

Researchers were led by Professor Andrew Loudon from the University of Manchester and Dr. Mick Hastings of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge.

The team also worked with a multidisciplinary team of scientists from Pfizer led by Dr. Travis Wager.

Professor Loudon said, “It can be really devastating to our brains and bodies when something happens to disrupt the natural rhythm of our body clocks. This can be as a result of disease or as a consequence of jet lag or frequent changing between day and night shifts at work.

“We’ve discovered that we can control one of the key molecules involved in setting the speed at which the clock ticks and in doing so we can actually kick it into a new rhythm.”

Most living creatures and plants have an internal body timing system, called the circadian clock. This is a complex system of molecules in every cell that drives the rhythm of everything from sleep in mammals to flowering in plants.

Light and the day and night cycle are very important for resetting the clock and the fine adjustments are made through the action of several enzymes, including one called casein kinase 1, which has been the center of this project.

Read in Full:  http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/24/researchers-develop-drug-to-reset-body-clock/17200.html

 

 

One local legislator will help Arizona residents with autism by serving on a state task force.

Aguirre was appointed by the Senate President Bob Burns as one of two Senate members to serve on the task force, according to a news release.

Read in Full:  http://www.yumasun.com/news/disorder-63314-autism-spectrum.html

 

Ren Roque

August 22nd, 2010 7:10 pm PT

It’s back to school once again.  Parents with autistic children may experience stress and frustration preparing their kids for school.  Autistic children don’t always welcome change specially to routines that they are already familiar with.  It can be overwhelming and for some emotionally draining.  The challenge and opportunity may be in how you handle the situation.  Getting someone to watch over your autistic child while you shop may seem like a good idea.  But maybe it’s time to face the music and do something this year that can be beneficial for you and your child.

Everyone in Huntington Beach knows where Bella Terra is.  Chances are you have taken your family to Bella Terra to watch movies, eat at restaurants, or shop for clothes.  If your autistic child is already familiar with Bella Terra, then why not visit Staples to shop for school supplies, Kohl’s for back to school clothes, and of course take a break and indulge in a snack at Jamba Juice, Corner Bakery, Pete’s, Starbucks, or The Cheesecake Factory.   Make it a fun day and plan your shopping activities with occasional breaks. And just maybe if your child behaves, end your shopping with a favorite movie at Century.

Read in Full: http://www.examiner.com/autism-parenting-in-santa-ana/back-to-school-for-autism

 

 

Karla Akins

August 22nd, 2010 11:30 pm CT

 

There’s a new trend in homeschooling that’s the greatest idea since lapbooking. Many moms have been using it all along but called it something else.

The trend is called Workboxing. To learn how it works check out the Heart of Wisdom blog about how to set up a workbox homeschool. Also another picture journal entry here. Included in this blog are downloads you can use to set up a workbox program. Another good post is here.

This system shares similarities with the TEACCH method of working with children with autism. TEACCH stands for the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children.

The reason the workbox system can work for students with autism (depending on where they are on the spectrum) is because each drawer gives the child a clear beginning and end to the task. They open the drawer and remove the assignment, complete it, and move it to another drawer or basket. Or they can put it back in the same drawer and close the drawer again. They must complete that task before moving on to the next task in the next drawer.

A more complicated step for higher functioning children is to place a velcro label from the front of the box that’s completed onto a card. It works sort of like a 3D checklist. Some children relish this step as there’s a feeling of satisfaction of having completed a task, much as adults cross off to-do lists.

 

Read in Full: 

http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-fort-wayne/why-workboxes-can-work-for-your-autistic-homeschooler

 

Micki Steele / The Detroit News

Birmingham

 

Ninth-grader Andrew Downs of Royal Oak didn’t know what to expect the first day of camp. But after two weeks in a program for people with special needs, the 14-year-old had learned yoga and made friends.

“It was a bit sketchy at first,” said Andrew, who spends most of his time in a wheelchair. “But once I got into it, it was a good experience.”

Andrew performed Friday as a monkey in Camp FAR Out’s “Jungle Adventures” music and dance recital with 34 other campers with special needs. Some are autistic. Others have Down syndrome. But they all got on stage for the camp’s finale performance.

“We put them all together and it works,” said Arlene Kass, the executive director. “All of their abilities and talents are explored.”

The FAR Conservatory of Therapeutic and Performing Arts in Birmingham sponsors the annual 10-day summer camp. It also offers year-round art, music, dance, sports and recreation programming for children and adults with special needs to help them learn social skills and build confidence.

Read in Full:  http://www.detnews.com/article/20100821/METRO02/8210361/1409/metro/Camp-exposes-special-needs-children-to-performance-art–recreation

 

By Denise Bachman

 

Like many first-time moms, Lauren Moye is a bit apprehensive about her 5-year-old son’s first day of kindergarten.

 

But her concerns have nothing to do with separation anxiety. As a single parent who works full time at Fairmont Supply Co., Moye takes her son, Jayden Thompson, to day care on a daily basis.

 

On Sept. 1, though, Jayden will be boarding a school bus bound for Washington Park Elementary, and sometimes he doesn’t deal well with change.

 

Jayden has an autism spectrum disorder. He was diagnosed at age 3 by doctors at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh with pervasive developmental disorder, which is characterized by delays in socialization and communication.

 

“I’m terrified of school and wondering whether he’ll go on the school bus,” Moye said while Jayden played with some of his superhero action figures in the family’s Washington apartment.

 

“I know deep down in my heart, he’ll be OK,” she said.

 

Jayden has a strong support system, starting with his mom, who has been his biggest advocate ever since she noticed a delay in his speech. Even though she was told all Jayden needed was speech therapy, she had her doubts.

 

Read in Full: 

http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localnews/08-22-2010-Jayden-Thompson-autism-education

 

The issue of forced contraception raises difficult questions about autonomous decision making under the Mental Capacity Act

Wayne Martin

20 August 2010 13.30 BST

Can the state force a mentally disabled woman to use contraception? How should a judge decide whether a woman in an abusive relationship has the capacity to make decisions about her own body? What is the role played by other people when we make a decision for ourselves?

Recent weeks have seen the first spate of judicial rulings under the landmark Mental Capacity Act. The act was adopted by parliament in 2005, and came into effect in 2007, but it is only now that the first cases are testing key provisions of the new legal world it establishes.

The disturbing case of Mrs A explores troubling questions about procreation and power in the context of mental disability and domestic violence. It raises deep and difficult questions about just what it means for individuals to make decisions for themselves.

Mrs A suffers from a significant learning disability; court papers document that her IQ is in the bottom one percentile of adults of her age.

Prior to meeting her husband, she had twice become pregnant. Although she insisted that she would be a good mother, a pre-birth assessment in each instance concluded that she lacked the insight to meet her baby’s needs without intensive support. Under court order, her two infants were removed at birth. After the second pregnancy, Mrs A herself came under a guardianship order and began using contraception, administered by a monthly injection.

Read in Full:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/20/mental-health

 

Dear Readers,

Aspie Editorial is moving to a new home in the next month or two.  Sadly, Blog City has called time on its service:

Dear Blog-City Citizens,,

The team at Blog-City are announcing ‘time’ on the service.

We will be closing the blog-city doors 1st January 2012.

It has been a fun time for us, but we no longer have the time to commit to upgrades and new features. We feel its neglect may be stopping you from moving to pastures new where features are more vigorously upheld.

All existing subscriptions will be honoured so do not worry. We will however be removing the resubscription pages. If you’re subscription is ending shortly and you wish to take advantage of the next 18 months with us, please contact us through your blog “help me now” and we can come to some arrangement. If you would like help with backing up your existing data, please use the “help me now” tool.

There is no rush, you’re subscriptions will run to term and we will help you where you require it.

We appreciate all the support and usership you have given us since the turn of the new millenium and wish you all the best!

Sincere thanks to everyone who has been a part of the city.

Blog City staff are currently working on a WP/Blogger export which may take a further month or two to establish due to time constraints.   The new site will be with WordPress (https://www.aspie-editorial.com/ for those interested in a sneak preview).  I’ll be the first to admit, it’ll take some getting used to.  Hopefully the lighter background will make reading that much easier for some.

Meanwhile, posts will continue as usual here.  Next notification, should hopefully follow a pain-free and successful migration!

Thanks,

Julie