Article Date: 18 Dec 2009 – 4:00 PST

Do your kids want a Wii, a PlayStation or an Xbox 360 this year? This holiday gift season is packed with popular gaming systems and adrenaline-pumping, sharpshooting games. What’s a parent to do? Is there any redeeming value in the hours that teens spend transfixed by these video games?

Source: Catherine Allen-West
Association for Psychological Science 

Source:   http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174459.php

 

COLUMBIA — Jeremy Jacobi, 22, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when he was 16 and is slowly building the skills he needs to live on his own and support himself financially.

“It’s been extremely difficult for me to get a job, to market myself and stand out from other people,” he said.

Jacobi is part of a large group of people with an autism spectrum disorder, which can hinder a person’s ability to communicate and socially interact. Many people with these disorders have difficulty finding and maintaining employment.

Scott Standifer, an MU clinical associate professor in the School of Health Professions, has created a guide to help change that.

Standifer said because adults with Asperger’s syndrome and high functioning autism tend to be more vocal and get more of what he called “scholarly attention,” he mainly wanted to address employment issues for people who have little or no communication skills. 

“These individuals face the most significant challenges, and what works for them should also be relevant for people with Asperger’s,” he said.

Standifer’s guide aims to make sure the adult autistic community isn’t forgotten.

Jacobi has a strong interest in computer technology and has applied his skills through an internship with MU’s athletics department in information technology and at his prior job at Columbia Computer Center.

But Jacobi said some of his behaviors in the workplace were not tolerated.

“A lot of times, I spoke my mind without thinking about if I was hurting other people’s feelings,” he said.

Staci Bowlen, the director of the Columbia branch of TouchPoint Autism Services, a program that provides services to people with autism spectrum disorders, said adults with autism typically face challenges such as communicating with customers and knowing what is appropriate to say in interviews and on the job. She said she has noticed there isn’t much information made available to help them find employment.

“Everything surrounds children,” Bowlen said. “What people don’t see is that this child grows up.”

 

December 17, 7:39 AMSpecial Needs Kids ExaminerHeather Sedlock

Writing Study shows link between Autism and motor skill issues:

Many parents of children with autism may have noticed that his or her child has difficulty with the task of handwriting, among other tasks that require motor planning. A study published in November, 2009 in the Journal of Child Neurology shows proof that it is not just suspicion but fact.

This link also explains why some children on the spectrum also face trouble with other acts requiring fine motor control and planning such as tying shoes, zipping zippers and buttoning buttons. They also have trouble with gross motor activities such as running and kicking a ball.

Okay, so parents already knew this problem existed so why get so excited over the study? Because this is now another area documented by science that will force schools and insurance companies to cover occupational therapists and physical therapists’ services for the children that this impacts.

Also, parents will be entitled to assistive devices for the children to complete school and home work. Brandon, age 8, uses a computer in the classroom to complete spelling tests and other work traditionally done with handwriting. He still works on developing fine motor skills but in the meantime, he is able to function as his peers in the classroom and does not get marked off for alleged misspelled words. Brandon can spell the words accurately orally and by typing. The teacher just cannot read his handwriting.

Read in Full:  http://www.examiner.com/x-10560-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Motorplanning-for-those-with-autism-make-for-poor-handwriting

December 18, 1:21 AMLong Island Autism ExaminerMarc Rosen

On December 14, 2009, Alex Plank, founder and administrator of WrongPlanet.com (an online community of people on the autistic spectrum and a few of their allies), released Autism Reality on Youtube, which seeks to shed light on the autism spectrum from the autistic perspective.  Notably, Dr. Temple Grandin, a renowned figure in the autistic community takes part in this film, sharing her views on the autism spectrum and just what it means to be autistic, along with Plank and various others.  An excellent example of self-advocacy, this film is easily the finest autism-related project released in 2009.

Source/View Film:  http://www.examiner.com/x-21742-Long-Island-Autism-Examiner~y2009m12d18-New-documentary-film-about-autism-directed-by-autistic

  

Dr Sallie Baxendale
Consultant neuropsychologist, Institute of Neurology and National Society for Epilepsy

There are about 450,000 people in the UK who have epilepsy and for many it is a condition they try to keep hidden. But has this lack of public exposure hindered people’s understanding of what to do if someone has a seizure?

In this week’s Scrubbing Up, neuropsychologist Dr Sallie Baxendale argues there are some dangerous misconceptions about the condition.

“Epilepsy hit the headlines last weekend, when dancer Rita Marcalo attempted to induce a seizure in the name of art.

Regardless of the wisdom of the Arts Council in funding a woman to make herself ill for public entertainment, this case neatly illustrates one of the many myths that continue to surround epilepsy.

Flashing lights

According to the media, Ms Marcalo adopted many strategies to help bring on a seizure.

She stopped taking her medication, drank alcohol and coffee, ate chocolate, deprived herself of sleep and subjected herself to flashing lights.

Argh… flashing lights!

Rarely is epilepsy featured in the entertainment business without a reference to ‘flashing lights’.

In fact, less than 5% of people with epilepsy have photosensitive epilepsy seizures that may be triggered by flashing lights.

It has taken a while, but this message appears to be slowly filtering through.

More often than not, warning messages prior to TV footage or posted on theme park rides nowadays simply refer to the presence of strobe lighting, giving people the choice whether to take part or not.

Just 10 years ago ‘epileptics’ would have been advised to ‘Look away now’ or forbidden to ride.

However, GPs will surely be overwhelmed this Christmas if everyone heeds the safety advice issued with the Nintendo DSi, that a doctor should be consulted before playing if you have ever had a seizure or loss of awareness.

Other myths

Unfortunately, other myths surrounding the condition remain prevalent.

Many people do not know the correct first aid procedures for a generalised tonic-clonic (convulsive) seizure, and think putting a spoon in someone’s mouth to stop them swallowing their tongue is an appropriate course of action, a myth frequently perpetuated on the silver screen.

People with epilepsy will not swallow their tongue during a seizure (how could they? It’s attached), but biting down on a hard metal object may well cause painful dental trauma.

Dramatic portrayals on the silver screen may also be responsible for perpetuating the myth that every seizure requires immediate medical intervention.

Few members of the public check for a medic alert bracelet before dialling 999 if they witness a seizure in the street.

Many people will have recovered by the time they reach the accident and emergency department and may face a long, frustrating journey home.

‘Foaming camels’

Stereotypical generalised tonic-clonic seizures are widely identified as seizures by most members of the general public.

Interestingly most will say they saw foaming at the mouth, perpetuating another myth associated with the condition.

While some bubbling salivation may be present, excessive foaming remains in the domain of camels, not people.

Complex partial seizures are very rarely correctly identified by people unfamiliar with epilepsy and are most frequently mistaken for psychiatric disorders or just plain weird behaviour.

As a result, people tend to move away, often leaving the person during the seizure in a very vulnerable position.

‘Unpredictability’

Reflex epilepsies, seizures triggered by specific stimuli, are rare in the spectrum of disorders that cause seizures.

While certain circumstances may conspire to make a seizure more likely, few reliably trigger seizures in the majority of people with epilepsy.

And there’s the rub.

Living with epilepsy is as much about living with the unpredictability of seizures and not knowing when and where they might occur, as coping with the seizures when they do happen.

In the end it may be Ms Marcalo’s failure to have a seizure on cue that teaches us more about the condition than a public seizure ever could.”

Source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8413404.stm

 
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

For more information and bios of the nominees, follow the above link to the White House website.

 

We trawl the world’s journals so you don’t have to:

Rationality restored (Social Cognition).

http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/12/special-issue-spotter_16.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BpsResearchDigest+%28BPS+Research+Digest%29

16th December 2009

By Maggie Hartford

A GROUND-breaking book by Oxford author Mark Haddon has been named the UK’s third best-selling novel of the decade.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was the top novel by a British writer in a list compiled by the Bookseller Magazine.

The book, about an autistic teenager, has sold 2.06m copies.

It was only beaten on British sales by US author Dan Brown’s novels The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, which sold 5.2m and 3.17m copies respectively.

In the list of children’s books, dominated by the Harry Potter series, Curious came 10th.

Mr Haddon’s publisher, David Fickling, based in Beaumont Street, Oxford, said: “We can all celebrate when a book of enormous quality achieves spectacular sales. We are so proud to publish Mark Haddon.”

The Curious Incident, which tells the story of a 15-year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome living in Swindon, changed Mr Haddon’s life.

Released in 2003, it won that year’s Whitbread Book of the Year and the 2004 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book.

The author of a dozen children’s books, he lived in a small terrace house in Bullingdon Road, East Oxford, and worked as a carer of children with special needs when he wrote the novel.

He still lives in the city with his wife, Sos Eltis, who teaches English at Brasenose College, and their two young sons, and says he particularly enjoys shopping on the Cowley Road.

He said: “I’m acutely aware that I’ve been very, very lucky and I’m hugely grateful for this.”

Mr Haddon added: “Since Curious I’ve been able to write a collection of poetry, a TV film and, most recently, a stage play.

“Curious bought me the time and the confidence to take those risks.”

Mr Haddon’s latest book, Boom!, is about two children who set off to discover the meaning of a dark, mysterious language spoken by their teachers.

Source:   http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4797448.Oxford_author_is_UK_s_third_best_seller_of_decade/

16 December 2009
 
The National Autistic Society (NAS) has said today that unless the Government ensures local authorities comply with the law, changes proposed in the Lamb Inquiry will not make the difference that parents of children with SEN desperately need. 

Mark Lever, NAS chief executive said: “A great many parents of children and young people with autism have to fight huge battles to get the education support that should be theirs by right, often at considerable emotional and financial expense. We hear terrible stories from parents of local authorities flouting the law by ignoring diagnoses, not meeting statutory timescales, failing to write statements properly, and even saying they ‘don’t do’ statements any more.

“It is hardly surprising then that parents have little confidence in the SEN system, and they could be forgiven for thinking that this report will do little to change what for them is an often complicated, intimidating, and sometimes infuriating system. However, it is important to remember that positive steps have been made.”

A number of proposals in the report will help parents in their fight to get the right education for their child and make schools more accountable for the standard of teaching and support they provide. In particular, the introduction of the extra right of appeal on SEN statements, and the announcement that Ofsted inspections will be required, by law, to place a greater focus on SEN and disabilities, are to be strongly welcomed. 

It is now up to the Government to make change happen by better enforcing the law, improving teacher training and ensuring parents have the right information and support. Only then will parents have confidence in a system which is supposed to be there to help them. 

Source:  http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2074&a=21016

Special needs parents ‘need help’

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Parents of children with special needs should be given more support, an inquiry is set to recommend.

A government-commissioned study by Brian Lamb says that a significant number of parents are not satisfied with the help they receive.

In response, the government will promise measures including a national support helpline and clearer information about rights to support.

Parents have complained that feel they have to “fight the system”.

The report by Mr Lamb will reflect calls for more parent-friendly support for families with children with special needs.

‘Huge battles’

It will say that parents want to know what help is available and to have clearer guidelines about what should happen in schools.

There will also be proposals that the Local Government Ombudsman should be funded to consider parents’ complaints against local authorities.

Special needs tribunals are also set to be improved and and there will be promises for more support for children who face bullying.

The National Autistic Society’s chief executive, Mark Lever, said: “A great many parents of children and young people with autism have to fight huge battles to get the education support that should be theirs by right, often at considerable emotional and financial expense.

“We hear terrible stories from parents of local authorities flouting the law by ignoring diagnoses, not meeting statutory timescales, failing to write statements properly, and even saying they ‘don’t do’ statements any more.

“It is hardly surprising then that parents have little confidence in the special educational needs system, and they could be forgiven for thinking that this report will do little to change what for them is an often complicated, intimidating, and sometimes infuriating system.”

Read in Full:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8415528.stm

 

December 16, 2009

By JENNIFER HOPFINGER

Bollywood film My Name Is Khan, starring legendary screen pair Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, will be screened at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival in February.

The festival, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world, will run from February 11-21 and will feature the premiere of the Martin Scorsese film, Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

My Name Is Khan will release on February 12th in India and more than 40 other countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia. It will reportedly be the widest international release of a Bollywood film ever.

The highly awaited picture reunites Khan and Kajol, who haven’t appeared in a film together since Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in 2001. The story focuses on racial profiling of Muslims in the U.S. Khan plays a man with Asperger syndrome—a form of autism—who’s wrongly suspected of being a terrorist. Kajol plays his wife. The film was shot in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Mumbai. It was directed by famous filmmaker Karan Johar and produced by his company, Dharma Productions. In the past, Khan and Johar have collaborated on some of India’s most internationally successful films, including Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).

My Name Is Khan was reportedly sold to Fox Star Studios last July for a record Rs. 100 crore ($21 million)—the highest price ever paid by a distributor for a Bollywood film. Under the deal, Fox Star Studios—a joint venture between American film studio 20th Century Fox and India’s Star Group—acquired the worldwide marketing and distribution rights to the film. It will be released in North America by Fox Searchlight Pictures, a division of 20th Century Fox, which has previously distributed many notable films about Indians, such as Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Water (2005), The Namesake (2006), and Slumdog Millionaire (2008).

In a case of life imitating art, Khan, who is Muslim, was detained and questioned by immigration officials last August at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey while he was en route to an Indian independence celebration in Chicago. The incident made headlines worldwide and outraged many Indians.

Source: http://www.thebollywoodticket.com/news09/mynameiskhantobescreenedatberlinfilmfestival116.html

Associated Articles 

“Promo Review: My Name is Khan is Impressive”:
http://movies.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/17/promo-review-my-name-is-khan.htm

“First Look Of ‘My Name Is Khan’ Unveiled”:
http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/578346