Autism and Behavior forum

Wonderful new social video coming for kids

heather0474 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:42:53 GMT

Hi everyone,

Check out the website www.playtimewithzeebu.com

A family that I work with has create videos to help not only their 2 boys on the spectrum but others as well. I have had the chance to see these videos and think they are an excellent resource to add to a social curriculum.

Heather

Forum: News and Articles

Autism Insurance Parity

heather0474 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:33:41 GMT

Urgent request: Your stories needed by September 4! Please support Autism Insurance Parity!

As many of you already may know, Washington Autism Advocacy (WAA) proposed an insurance parity law for Washington State. The proposed Autism Insurance Parity bill has made it to the first critical step in allowing it to become a law, and now goes to the Sunrise Review Hearing at the Department of Health. The hearing will be held on Friday, September 5th at 1 p.m. at the DOH offices in Tumwater, WA (310 Israel Road SE, Room 152/153, Tumwater 98501). Now is your chance to share why bringing autism insurance parity to Washington state will help your family, and the thousands of others like yours, struggling to give their children a fighting chance at leading a productive life its as easy as writing a short email now!

We need families to write a letter to the Department of Health regarding how lack of coverage has resulted in financial and other hardships. Letters should also include how specific proven therapies have helped your child. Letters must be submitted by September 4th to: Sherry.Thomas@ DOH.WA.GOV. Sherrys full contact info is:
Sherry Thomas, Policy Coordinator
Health Systems Quality Assurance
Office of the Assistant Secretary
PO Box 47850
Olympia, WA 98504-7850
Phone: (360)236-4612
Sherry.Thomas@ DOH.WA.GOV

Our state organization ASW supports this bill and the advocacy work required to push it through to law! Arzu Forough, WA State Autism Speaks Legislative Advocacy Chair (Washington_Autism_Advocacy@comcast.net), and parent volunteers in our area like Angela Warner (autismrr@gmail.com) have put months of effort to get to this stage. They need our help to demonstrate how many of us will benefit from the passage of this proposed bill. Its the rare family that has not seen denials and severe limitations of coverage on a variety of grounds, such as experimental treatment, educational rather than medical treatment, or subject to mental health exclusion or limitationsfor treatments that we know work. Other states are passing Insurance Parity. So can Washington!

For more information about this bill and documents WAA submitted, please visit:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/sunrise/2008/AutismSunrise.htm
and for advocacy tips and info, please see http://www.washingtonautismadvocacy.org/ Visit this site often and scroll down to see ACTION ALERTS that make it easy to track the proposed bills progress and what we each can do to help.

http://www.washingtonautismadvocacy.org/advocacy/Leg%20Summary.pdf is a one-page document you can use to advocate for the bill with your own legislators, and an easy way to learn about the bill if you are not familiar. This link will help you find your local legislators: http://www.washingtonautismadvocacy.org/legislative/index.php and it will also help to let them know you need them to support this bill.

For local help with navigating the legislative process and advocacy basics, you can call Darla:
Darla Helt, Clark County Parent Coalition Coordinator
360-759-4917 X 109 work
360-907-3287 cell
darlah@arcofclarkcounty.org

Thank you all for taking the time to write to Sherry and your legislators, and thanks to Arzu, Angela, Darla, and those of you who have gotten the proposed bill this far. Got some passion for additional volunteering? Please let Arzu know Washington_Autism_Advocacy@comcast.net

Thanks and regards,
ASW-SW Chapter

Forum: News and Articles

SAFE WA 2008 free retreat!!

heather0474 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:10:18 GMT

PARENTS!

Join other parents from across Washington state for an inspirational weekend at

Camp Lakeview in western Washington. SAFE WA is an organization devoted to

supporting parents and caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral, or mental

disorders. Meals and lodging provided free of charge. Over the course of the

weekend you will: be trained in the Wrap-Around process, connect with other parents

and youth, and learn from a variety of experienced presenters. This retreat

is provided free of charge by SAFE Washington, however, space is limited.

YOUTH!

Youth trainings and activities will also be provided, however, slots for youth are

limited. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

SAFE WA 2008 Retreat!

You dont
have to
walk this
road alone!
Sept. 19-21
Camp Lakeview

32919 Benbow

Drive E.

Graham, WA

98338

Forum: Upcoming Events

Michael Pollans In Defense of Food,

heather0474 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:18:33 GMT

Has anyone read this book. Ellen Notbohm mentioned it in her monthly e-mail. Just curious what people's thoughts are on this.

Heather

Forum: Questions and Support Groups

Dad's weekend

heather0474 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:25:30 GMT

Invitation to all dads helping to raise children and youth with mental, emotional and behavioral health challenges

You are encouraged to join with some understanding dads for an August 15-17 weekend on the Hood Canal , a popular Washington recreational location. It's the perfect place to take a break and in order to make it convenient for you, there is no cost for tuition, rooms, or meals. The WADADS Registration site is now activated at https://registration.wadads.org/summer/08/2008/cf. If you haven't already registered, it only takes a couple of minutes and you'll be glad you did. Come join us with an overnight bag and a desire for good food, relaxation, information from guest speakers and some new ideas to consider.

Please send any questions to INFO@WADADS.ORG

Ron Jaeger

South Sound Dad

WADADS

www.wadads.org

Forum: Upcoming Events

Autism Resource DVD

heather0474 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:12:19 GMT

The Autism Center is releasing the Autism Resource DVD My Next Steps: A
Parent's Guide to Understanding Autism. Called a roadmap for parents,
this video was funded by the Legislature and provides answers to
questions on the journey from autism diagnosis to treatment and services
like working with the school system. Please see the website below to
order or for details. It was produced in English and Spanish and free
while supplies last.

The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link
attachments:

Shortcut to: http://depts.washington.edu/uwautism/video.html

Note: To protect against computer viruses, e-mail programs may prevent
sending or receiving certain types of file attachments. Check your
e-mail security settings to determine how attachments are handled.

Carol L. Miller, MPH
Autism Project Coordinator
Children with Special Health Care Needs Program
PO Box 47880
Olympia WA 98504-7880
(360) 236-3572
FAX: (360) 586-7868
email: carol. miller@doh.wa.gov
Website:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/mch/Autism/Autism.htm

Forum: News and Articles

FREE Seminar by Dr. Chapman

heather0474 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:17:29 GMT

Hi everyone,

If you haven't had a chance to meet or listen to Dr. Leigh Ann Chapman speak here is a chance. She is wonderful - I know many families that go to her. Info below:

Dr. Leigh Ann Chapman
on Saturday July 19th, 2008
1-4pm
"COmprehensive Assessment and Biomedical Treatments for Autism, ADHD, Mood Disorders, Sensory and Motor dysfunctions, Allergies, and more..."

Location:
Scottish RIte Center
709 SW 15th Ave
Portland, Or 97205

To register for seminar call:
Chasity Robinson or Bryan Olson at 1-800-288-0383

Forum: Upcoming Events

Aging and Developmental Disabilities

heather0474 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:13:53 GMT

DISCUSSION: Aging and Developmental Disabilities

____________________________________________________________AT CHICAGO
The University Center on Excellence in Developmental Disabilities is
partnering with the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council
to host a discussion about issues facing people with DD who are aging.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Tamar Heller will lead two different
sessions on topics that impact people with developmental disabilities on
July 23rd. From 9:00 to noon, Dr. Heller will meet with the DDCs Task
Force on Aging to discuss health issues associated with aging. Then from 1:00 to 4:00, she will present on the issues of exercise, activity, nutrition, and
end of life issues referencing training modules for people with DD.

Dr. Heller is Professor and Head of DHD, UIC as well as Director of the
Advanced Training for Disability and Rehabilitation Scholars program and
Co-Director of the University Center of Excellence in Developmental
Disabilities in Illinois . Dr. Heller authored over 100 publications, including
two books and four edited journal issues, and presented over 150 papers at
conferences on aging and I/DD. She served on the boards of the American
Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) and the European Course on
Mental Retardation and is past president of AAMR's Gerontology Division.

You are welcome to attend both sessions. The afternoon session will have
particular relevance to providers, especially adult day services providers.
who are supporting increased numbers of people with DD.

Space is limited. If you plan to attend, RSVP to davidm@cted.wa.gov.

Join us for this important discussion:
Date: July 23, 2008
Time: 9:00 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 4:00
Location: SeaTac Gateway Radisson Hotel
18118 Pacific Highway South
For more information, contact: Kathy Watson
at 206 .616.1660 or watsonkc@u.washington.edu
The 33 member Governor appointed Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council works
to plan and promote comprehensive services for people with developmental disabilities and their
families. To learn more about the DDC, visit our website at www.ddc..wa.gov or call our office at
800. 634.4473.

Forum: Upcoming Events

Dream it, Do it Day camp

heather0474 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:09:52 GMT

Greetings,

The Dream It, Do It! Adolescent Transition Project at CDRC is sponsoring a week long day camp for 15 youth with disabilities ages 18 - 25 at the
Oregon Zoo, Monday, July 21 - Friday, July 25 from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm. Young people participating in the Healthy Lifestyles: Dream It, Do It!

Day Camp will have an opportunity to take part in experiential games and exercises that will help them set a personal health and independence
goals. The camp will also include various zoo activities, deliciously healthful meals, yoga and a lot of other fun stuff. Attached you will
find a Dream It, Do It! brochure, camp flyer and registration for m. Please feel free to disseminate these to those you think would be
interested in taking part in the Healthy Lifestyles: Dream It, Do It! Day Camp. Questions: email or call Chuck Davis at 503.494.3281

Krystyna Owens
Emerging Leaders NW

Forum: Upcoming Events

Tacoma Walk for Autism

heather0474 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:08:21 GMT

TACOMA WALK FOR AUTISM

Tacoma Walk Now for Autism, July 19, 9:00 a.m. at Cheney Stadium, 3k walk, resource fair, and children's entertainment. See www.WalkNowForAutism.org/tacoma to register or for more information.

Temple Grandin, PhD., author and person with autism, will speak on her book "Thinking in Pictures", and her life with autism on Thursday, July 31 at noon at Kane Hall at the UW campus. $10 at the door.

Forum: Upcoming Events

Perhaps Autistic Person Can Crack This..?

wustvn — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:50:30 GMT

Hi to all of you, I am new here...
Actually I'd like to post a very tough "big sizes" number puzzle, which had been brought to many forums, but yet nobody can work it out properly. I'm not a puzzles mania, this just really disturbs my mind. Perhaps autistic person can see beyond and can help me cracking this puzzle...
This puzzle in .xls file format but I can't attach .xls file here...
Thank you very much and I try to bring this board: peace greetings from Bali...

Sincerely yours,
Steven Wu
Bali - Indonesia

Forum: Questions and Support Groups

Sensory issue or Phobia?

sheilawoodley — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:56:11 GMT

Greetings everyone~

I am new to the forum. Pat Cano from Image elementary gave me Zachary Carr's business card :>)

I have 6 yr old twins both with autism - very different on the spectrum. Recently Jacob has developed a fear of clouds, weather, etc and it has now progressed to the point he does not want to even play outside on sunny days. This has created a huge challenge for the family as the other children want to go to the park but I cannot take them since Jacob will not go. He will not wear a hat and we have asked him to try an umbrella to no avail. I asked a specialist at another school to write a social story for him but he does not want to look at it.

Has anyone experiences such a thing or have any suggestions? We are open to listen and try anything.

Thank you!!!

The Woodley Family

Forum: Questions and Support Groups

Court to Hear Families on Vaccine-Autism Link

cskate — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:03:06 GMT

Court to Hear Families on Vaccine-Autism Link
Case Will Focus on Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines; Most Medical Experts Say Link Nonexistent

By DAN CHILDS
ABC News Medical Unit
May 12, 2008

For the second time this year, families claiming that vaccinations triggered autism in their young children will head to a federal court to determine whether they are eligible to collect damages from the government.

The case, which begins today, offers two 10-year-old boys from Portland, Ore. William Mead and Jordan King as test cases for the theory that thimerosal-containing vaccines, on their own, cause autism.

Lawyers for these families maintain that the boys were developing normally until they were exposed to vaccines containing thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury. After receiving these vaccinations, the attorneys say, the boys began to show symptoms of autism a developmental disability characterized by difficulty in communicating and interacting with others.

The theory that thimerosal is singularly culpable in bringing about autism is only one of three upon which courts will decide. In 2007, hearings were conducted in three test cases intended to examine whether the combination of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines containing thimerosal cause autism. And later this year, attorneys will present four more test cases to determine whether MMR vaccines, regardless of whether or not they contain thimerosal, may bring about the condition.

Each of these theories challenge the position held by the mainstream medical community that vaccines, whether they contain thimerosal or not, do not cause autism a position that a majority of scientific studies support.

In 2004, a panel convened by the Institute of Medicine concluded there was no credible evidence that the thimerosal in vaccines led to autism. Still, since 2001, the ingredient has been removed from most vaccines, save for certain influenza shots, in response to autism fears.

Still, attorneys for the families involved need only show that it is more likely than not that thimerosal-containing vaccines caused the boys' injuries.

If successful, the families could receive compensation for past and future medical expenses, special education expenses and up to $250,000 for pain and suffering, among other monies. The final decision, which could take up to several months to arrive, may be appealed by either the families or the federal government.

Case May Impact Thousands More

The case at hand, as well as other cases involving possible injury brought about by a vaccine, are handled under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program enacted in 1986. The program set up a no-fault system in which people with grievances could file injury claims against the federal government rather than sue the companies that made the vaccine or the health-care providers who administered it.

A "special master" appointed by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims reviews these cases to determine whether vaccines were more likely the cause of the injury at hand. If the government chooses not to rebut the claim by showing that the vaccine probably was not responsible for the injury, the claim is approved and an award is made.

The legal standard set by this system is therefore a much lower bar than the demands of medical validity, which would require a much greater magnitude of evidence to draw the conclusion that vaccines were in any way responsible for an injury.

Lawyers have chosen nearly 4,900 families each of which claim that the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal in vaccines brought about autism and other developmental disorders in their children in an effort to seek this compensation from the government.

Past studies in Denmark, and more recently California, have suggested that thimerosal was not to blame, as reported cases of autism have continued to increase after the removal of thimerosal from most vaccines.

Dr. Pauline Filipek, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and neurology at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, and her colleagues are researchers who are among those looking into a possible connection.

"Mercury has long been known to be a mitochondrial toxin, and could potentially interact with underlying genetic vulnerability of deficient mitochondria," she said. "That said, there remains no epidemiological data that we are aware of that implicates vaccination in autism or in mitochondrial disorders."

Boyd Haley, a chemist at the University of Kentucky and vocal proponent of a vaccine-autism link, believes the current studies are flawed. And he said that he believes this case, as well as most other cases of autism, are indeed the result of an underlying genetic vulnerability being triggered by the mercury that used to be present in vaccines.

"I am very pro-vaccine," Haley said. "I strongly believe in vaccination. I just believe that they ought to be safe and they ought to be tested."

Specifically, Haley said certain genetic conditions may make some children unable to effectively manufacture glutathione, a protein he says would allow them to clear substances such as mercury from their systems. Autism, he said, could be the result.

But Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., countered that this opinion demonstrates one of many hypotheses behind the development of autism in some children. Some of these hypotheses, he said, are being investigated. But none so far, he noted, have the weight of scientific proof.

"The theory, that there may be underlying genetic defect that results in or can be somehow activated by some environmental process or insult, and that this in turn leads by some biological mechanism to autism is a valid theory, and it is a theory being pursued by the autism research community," Schaffner said.

"But any subset of this theory is a hypothesis, and you don't draw conclusions from a hypothesis."

Awards Don't Mean Causation, Say Health Officials

The case follows a legal ruling in early March in which a special master appointed by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims determined that the family of 9-year-old Hannah Poling of Athens, Ga.. was entitled to receive an as yet undetermined award from the no-fault fund.

In this case, government health officials acknowledged that a vaccine, by worsening an underlying genetic condition, may have triggered autism-like symptoms in the girl. But federal health authorities at the time emphasized that the concession should not be interpreted to mean that vaccines cause autism.

"The government has made absolutely no statement about indicating that vaccines are the cause of autism, as this would be a complete mischaracterization of any of the science that we have at our disposal today," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a March 6 news conference on the Poling case. "I think we need to set the record straight on that."

Still, the case was viewed as an important milestone by autism groups that maintain that vaccinations are connected to autism.

"I wanted to know why my daughter, who had been completely normal until she received , in one day was no longer there & no longer responding," Hannah's mother Terry Poling told the crowd of reporters present on the steps of a U.S Federal Court in Atlanta on March 6.

The Polings said Hannah received the battery of vaccines in 2000, when she was 19-months-old. Shortly after these shots, they said she suffered from a fever that left her screaming and arching her back. Following this, they said, Hannah began showing classic signs of autism staring at lights, running in circles and staring at fans.

"I think that Hannah's case & is echoed among thousands of similar cases," Hannah's father Dr. Jon Poling, who is also a neurologist, told Chris Cuomo on ABC's Good Morning America. "I know a lot of other medical experts are going to get out there and say this is a very unusual, oddball case. We don't really think it is at all."

But health experts worry that fears about the use of vaccines could expose children to risk of sickness or death from other conditions, including measles and polio.

"These diseases that affected childhood are now not known by this generation of parents, so there's no balancing of concern," Schaffner said.

"Without vaccination, these disease will return, and they will spread."

Associated Press reports contributed to this story.

Copyright 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Forum: News and Articles

Skateboarding for Autistic kids

cskate — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:35:35 GMT

Do any of you have kids that are interested in skateboarding? I might be able to help you out with any questions or maybe riding with your kids at a skatepark if there's any interest at all.

I'm Heather's husband and I'm a longtime skateboarder so I might be able to lend some experience.

Forum: Questions and Support Groups

Oaks Park Autism Walkathon

heather0474 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:59:46 GMT

I did this walk last year with some of my students. It was a blast. We are planning on going again.

April is Autism Awareness Month.

The Autism Society of Oregon is hosting its 6th annual Autism Walk-a-
thon to raise awareness within our communities.

The walk will be held in SE Portland at Oaks Park on Sunday, April
13th. Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. and the walk begins at
10:30 a.m.

Fun events being hosted in addition to the walk:
* Curt Warner, former running back for the Seattle Seahawks, will be at
the walk and signing souvenir footballs for the kids.
* Radio Disney will be there to spin tunes
* BJ the Clown
* Face Painting
* Discounted ride bracelets for Oaks Park. Rides will open early!

Register online at www.autismwalkathon .com. Pledge sheets available
for download from the website. Cost is $12- and includes an event T-
shirt.

Forum: Upcoming Events