Author name: Ahmad

Article By: Michelle March, PhD Article Date: 09/03/2010 There are many insightful elements of the developmental process individuals undergo across lifespan. Consequently, children diagnosed with Autism pectrum Disorders (ASD) and other learning disabilities are faced with additional challenges as they progress through the sequence of complex physical, psychological, educational, and social changes. Developmental Psychologists believe how individuals transition may inspire by a continuous or discontinuous process. As such, children may develop continuous, experiencing a process of gradual growth; whereas, others experience discontinuous development, presenting a series of transformations. Children diagnosed with ASD span varying degrees; therefore, such theoretical concepts should be integrated when developing treatment methods. A variety of treatment programs are available to implement with children diagnosed with autism. However, many represent unsuccessful outcome. One might ask, is it the program, or the implementers? Over ten years of working with children and families of ASD and other learning disabilities; I listened, interacted, and observed, while developing a program which continues to demonstrate successful outcomes. Accordingly, the program is diverse, engages children under treatment to span primary environments including (a) home, (b) educational settings, and (c) other populated areas within the community. The underlying principle is to support the ongoing development of intellectual skills (i.e., attending, imitation, receptive and expressive communication, self-help, community, educational, and relationship skills) at varying levels, which emerge from previously learned substance, allowing cognition to develop into broader, and more complex patterns; relative to the childs level of need. The reference of developmental theories of continuous or discontinuous development is important as this program is implemented with the idea of a dual application, in that it focuses on both processes of development. For instance, the accomplishment of one stage (beginning skill) is an opening for the emergence of the more complex (intermediate, advanced) stages, representing discontinuous development. In contrast, the process of cognitive development is seen as a continuous process, in that as the processing abilities within each set goal level becomes more efficient over time. As a result, combining differing theoretical concepts serves as a platform from which insightful, creative, reflective developmental therapists and educators can design and implement programs supporting the continued developmental process of children with ASD and other learning disabilities. The program of choice is significant, but the way the program is developed and implemented to meet the child and families needs is fundamental to successful outcome. Presenting a program with diversity, continues to present as more effective, as each stage or level a child masters shifts the child to a new level, the child processes information in preparation to advance to the next level, creating continual rises in development and progression. Although developmental theories might say different things about a childs development it is how one develops, implements and teaches, aiding each individual child through the developmental process, while generalizing skills and integrating each child into society at an individual pace.

ADD ADHD Linked to TV 1:18 PM CST Enid, OK From: Lisa Simmons RE: Watching TV May Cause ADD Symptoms And Permanently "Rewire" A Child's Developing Brain How much TV does your child watch? You may want to reduce it as much as possible due to the shocking results of a recent study in the April, 2004 issue of Pediatrics. This study says that very young children who watch television face an increased risk of attention deficit problems by school age, because TV might over-stimulate and permanently "rewire the developing brain". According to the study, for every hour of TV watched daily, two groups of children, ages 1 and 3, faced a 10 percent increased risk of having attention problems at age 7. According to the authors of the study, "ADHD affects between 4 and 12% of US children and is the most common behavioral disorder of childhood". Several studies confirm that the rapidly changing images, scenery and events on television may shorten children's attention spans. The author of the study, D. Christakis, M.D., says, "The newborn brain develops very rapidly during the first two to three years of life. It's really being wired" during that time. We know from studies of newborn rats that if you expose them to different levels of visual stimuli, the architecture of the brain looks very different" depending on the amount of stimulation..." As we all know, school/learning activities require a longer attention span and one of the most common complaints among parents and teachers, is that children just don't seem to want to pay attention. Here are a few suggestions to remedy the situation: Limit TV watching to one or two hours per week. If your child is younger, limit video game playing and computer time because it inhibits visual skill development needed for reading later on. Take your child to visit with friends and play more outdoor games (this develops the visual skills such as eye-hand coordination and tracking they need for reading also) Read to your child daily for at least 15 minutes and encourage them to create a "movie in their mind" of what you are reading to them about (this will increase their visual memory skills needed in all school activities and during test taking) Expose your child to some classical music a few times a week because research says this enhances their cognitive thinking skills For more information on ADD-ADHD solutions visit http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID=119137 All my best, Lisa Lisa Simmons: lisa@ideallives.com Founder, Director of http://www.ideallives.com Connecting Advocates to Answers

ABA- Program Development and Implementation for Children with Autism ADAPTING THE CLASSROOM DAYCARE AND HOME ENVIRONMENT This workshop will look at the use of visual supports in the classroom both as teaching tools and for assisting children within the classroom (transitions, behavioural). Participants will learn the principles of ABA and how to use and adapt thesse within the school daycare and home setting. We will look at various curriculum areas within a school program and assess the critical skills necessary and where to start programming. The ABLLS assessment tool will be reviewed as an important tool in determining what goals should be included in an Individual Education Plan and ABA program. Presenter: Shelley Feeney, program manager, Four Points Inc. Location: Centre Communautaire Beausoleil, 300 ch. Beaverbrook, Miramichi NB Date: Saturday, November 15, 2003 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Registration fee: $75 professionals, $50 parents. Please make cheque payable to Conseil Communautaire Beausoleil. Space is limited. Registration is guaranteed only upon receipt of payment. Cancellations are not refundable however substitutions will be permitted. For more information contact: John Ferguson Conseil Communautaire Beausoleil 300, chemin Beaverbrook Miramichi NB E1V 6R1 506-627-4221 fergiej@nb.aibn.com

ADHD 101 for Parents Article By:  Cheryl Thacker Article Date: 09/01/2010 ADHD has had different names over the years, being first identified in the early 1900's. ADHD is a diagnosible illness, however, the cause is still debatable. ADHD is often not diagnosed until children are in grade two or three. There are four main things that parents can do for children who display ADHD-like characteristics: 1. It is important that parents and child to learn as much as they can about the disorder. Parents need to become their child's advocate. Some of the possible ways of doing this are by reading and parent networking groups. 2. Behaviour modification is also used both at home and at school. Some parents confuse this technique with bribery. Behaviour modification is a system of positive rewards for good behaviour (e.g. stickers on a reward chart). Negative rewards are given for inappropriate behaviour (e.g. time out). 3. ADHD is a medical condition, and as such, has to be diagnosed by a physician. Parents are encouraged to seek medical assistance for ADHD. 4. Parents need to reach out and connect with other parents who are experiencing similar issues. Parent support and networking are critical to maintaining a positive attitude when parenting a challenging child. There can be difficult moments when raising a child with challenging behaioural issues. Parents need extended families and their communities to be supportive and understanding. Parents need to realize that there are lots of happy moments and that most behavioural incidents are over quickly and that's the time for hugs and kisses!

Karen Siff spent two and a half years implementing an intensive behavioral intervention technique known as ABA with her son Jake, who was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder when he was two. She wrote a first-person account of her experience for ABCNEWS.com. Your 2-year-old toddler is more like a 15-month-old baby, at least developmentally." That's what a child psychiatrist, two speech pathologists, a Ph.D. psychologist, an occupational therapist and a developmental pediatrician agreed upon after four weeks, seven visits and 12 phone calls. I watched as they put my son through extensive testing, questioning, coaxing, poking and prodding ; recording each move on hidden video cameras. In the end, they concluded that Jake had what's called PDDNOS; Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. That's what all the doctors said. Except one. The child psychiatrist told me he wanted to "give it to me straight." "Your child has autism," he said matter-of-factly. When I'd found my son lying face down on the driveway at his second birthday party, I stopped believing what our family pediatrician had been telling me over the past few months ; that I worried too much. The next week I took Jake to the first of many specialists. Dinner Time Jake could barely feed himself. While his peers devoured chicken nuggets and french fries, I spoon-fed Jake as if he were an infant, scooping the Cheerios into his mouth and making "yummy" noises as the milk dribbled down his chin. I gently wiped his face after each bite. He screamed if the milk touched his hands or trickled inside his shirt. Jake wanted to eat Cheerios in his plastic yellow bowl for breakfast, lunch and dinner but I wouldn't let him. I made pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse and rolled cheese into balls that I stacked like little snowmen. He grunted to tell me that these foods were not acceptable. One week he ate only hotdogs. They had to be sliced into nine even pieces on hisWinnie the Pooh plate and the ketchup could not touch the hotdog. But my husband Franklin didn't know the ketchup rule, and one night I came home to find a hysterical child lying on a red-splattered kitchen floor with his desperate father at his side trying to calm him down. Once, my son ventured to try a bite of spaghetti. He seemed to like it. In my excitement, I went out and bought every kind of pasta. And he ate them, devouring the red, green, yellow tubes, shells and bowties faster than I could shovel them into his mouth. He just wouldn't touch them with his hands. The rubbery feel of the pasta against his skin sent him reeling. Once, a bowtie brushed against his hand and he grabbed the tray on his highchair and shook it so hard he tipped himself over. I tried to comfort myself by reading parenting magazines that said a lot of 2-year-olds have eating issues. But when a typical child decides she wants bologna on white bread every day for lunch, even Dr. Spock deems it normal. When my kid did it, it was considered by the specialists to be "stereotypic autistic behavior." The magazines said that toddlers like to spin around and make silly noises. But when Jake did it, he was engaging in what his therapists call "self-stimulatory behavior." Jake's diagnosis came a month after that birthday. I guess I should have felt relieved that my fears about Jake's development were not imagined. I didn't. The specialists tried to make me feel better by explaining that PDDNOS was a mild autistic spectrum disorder, with the emphasis on "mild." But that diagnosis provided little comfort to me as I looked at my silent son who could barely make eye contact with his mother. No matter what label the doctors gave his condition, the word autism resonated through my head. Autism meant my son had entered into a realm of hopelessness and withdrawal from reality. I'd seen in it in the movies, I'd read about it in books. Initially, instead of dealing directly with Jake's diagnosis, I entered into what the doctors called the "denial" phase. The Tuesday Jake was diagnosed, I called my parents from the doctor's office to tell them the news. The following day, I called them back to "untell" them saying I suspected the diagnosis was a mistake. Luckily for Jake, my denial phase only lasted one week. As I later learned, time was of the essence. The earlier we began his therapy ; the better his potential of recovery. Jake developed normally until he was 17-months-old. He reached all of the typical developmental milestones ; he walked, talked and played just like the other kids his age. Gradually over the next few months, he stopped talking. He stopped playing. It was as if one by one, his circuit breakers began shutting down. My once energetic and spirited toddler was developing into a listless, disconnected boy. 40 Hours A Week Out of all of the doctors I consulted, the one I respected the most was the developmental pediatrician Cecilia McCarton. Her expertise in the world of childhood developmental disorders was matched only by her kindness. After thoroughly explaining Jake's diagnosis to me, she came around from behind her desk and gave me a hug. Despite her honesty and compassion, when Dr. McCarton told me how many hours Jake would need for his therapy, I almost consulted someone else. "Your son needs 40 hours of Applied Behavior Analysis a week," she told me. "Plus two half-hour sessions of speech and occupational therapy." "But he's only 2! He's still a baby." I hugged Jake closer to me as he sat on my lap in the office. "The sooner you begin his therapy the better. You're fortunate you caught him at such a young age." Dr. McCarton went on to explain about brain plasticity, and the brain's potential to make new connections if proper therapy is introduced. "The only therapy that