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Empowering Through Information and the Fostering of Connections
Acceptance. Intervention. Civil Rights. April 01, 2017

In This Issue

Tracing autism's trajectories could help explain its diversity

Difficulties with pregnancy, labor may raise child's autism risk

Best Medications for Kids With Anxiety

Depression: Finger-prick blood test predicts likely effectiveness of medication

Parents and Others Looking for Help!!!

Learn to Spell to Communicate!!

Development DIR Autism Therapy in Your Home!!!

Parent Support Group in Rancho Bernardo

The ABLE Act: Are You Really Able to Save?

13th Annual Community Legislative Forum

Study shows TES improves facial recognition

Parent Rights During the IEP Process

San Diego has a New Comprehensive Center Dedicated to the Treatment of Autism

"Under the Big Top"

Crimson by the Sea: Sing, Speak and Play!!!

Friendship DOJO: April 3rd!!!

Support & Information for Adults: Annual Resource Fair

Mindfulness Groups for Kids

Participate in Research: Survey About Access to Services

Earn Extra Money!!!


 




Want to learn more about Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) for your child on the spectrum?

Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) is a unique treatment approach that empowers parents to guide their child to succeed in a truly dynamic world. Children who learn to actively engage with the support of their parents in safe but challenging learning opportunities (problems and situations that are just beyond their level of competence), develop a strong motivation to explore and expand their world, as well as develop competence and trust in themselves and their Guides. The program has no defined length. It is designed to accommodate parents and children with a wide range of obstacles and handicapping conditions. Therefore participation may range anywhere from one to several years. Have specific questions? See the RDI FAQs for answers!





  • Tracing autism's trajectories could help explain its diversity
  • Most autism researchers are familiar with the saying: "If you've seen one child with autism, you've seen one child with autism." The phrase is often used to underscore the heterogeneous nature of autism, and it has certainly influenced the way I think about the condition.

    But another statement, this time from a parent of a teenager with autism, has also stuck with me: "When my 3-year-old son was diagnosed with autism, I never thought he would one day be playing for his school basketball team."

    This statement speaks to the enormous variability in the developmental trajectories of children with autism. It also shows how little we know about a child's future at the time of her diagnosis. Read on...

  • Difficulties with pregnancy, labor may raise child's autism risk
  • Certain complications during pregnancy or delivery increase the chances of having a child with autism by 26 percent or more, according to a study of more than 400,000 mother-child pairs1.

    The riskiest complications are abnormal position of the baby in the womb, severe deprivation of oxygen to the baby at delivery and preeclampsia, a serious condition involving high blood pressure. Read on...

  • Best Medications for Kids With Anxiety
  • Antidepressants trump all others as the most effective evidence-based choice

    We see a lot of the wrong medications being given to anxious kids because people who are treating them don't really understand what these children are experiencing, and they don't know what the evidence-based treatments are.

    Anxious kids have a hard time paying attention. It's not because they have attention deficit, it's because their heads are full of worry. But their parents and teachers may only notice that they're having trouble paying attention, and so they get misdiagnosed as having the inattentive subtype of ADHD and put on stimulants. Stimulants will help anybody feel a little bit more attentive, so they will help these kids concentrate better, but they might also have more stomachaches, and often they're not happy, they're not comfortable. The stimulants may actually make the anxiety a little bit worse. Plus anxious kids have trouble sleeping, and sometimes the stimulants makes sleeping even harder. Read on...

  • Depression: Finger-prick blood test predicts likely effectiveness of medication
  • For the first time, researchers show that a finger-prick blood test could help doctors to choose which medication is most likely to succeed in treating depression. In the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, they describe how levels of C-reactive protein in the blood predict which antidepressant treatments are most likely to lead to successful outcomes in patients with depression.

    Depression is a serious illness that presents with cognitive, mood, and physical symptoms. Globally, it affects more than 300 million people of all ages.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is "the leading cause of disability worldwide." Read on...

  • Parents and Others Looking for Help!!!


  • Family with Bi-polar and ADHD and other mental illness 12 /15 year olds seeking childcare worker with appropriate experience - especially residential/group home experience to help after school and weekend help. Carmel Valley/Del Mar area. Janice@sands-Weinstein.com



    Our soon-to-be 15 year-old son has Aspergers and ADHD. We would like to find him an occupation (camp, job...) this Summer that would help him progress with his life skills and social skills, and have him experience something different. We have him registered for the LIT camp at the Y (he did it last year), but he doesn't care for it much. He doesn't like sports but loves Science and wants to become a physicist. Would someone have some advice?
    Thank you!
    Sandrine sween2503@hotmail.com



    We are moving to San Diego area and are wondering if anyone can offer recommendations about elementary schools in Poway area that may be suitable for our child who is 6 yr old with high functioning autism/aspergers and ADHD.

    No behavioral issues but needs speech/OT/Executive functioning skills at school which are in his current IEP.

    Any advice on elementary schools in poway area would be greatly appreciated.
    Rishi rkst38@yahoo.com



    We are looking for a reliable respite care provider. We are located in Oceanside.
    Please email highly recommended provider info to vargas768@yahoo.com



    My 21 year old daughter with high functioning autism is looking for a female roommate starting in the fall of 2017. Apartment is located in the 5025 Collwood Blvd student oriented community near SDSU. She is hoping to find a like minded girl who likes anime, cosplay, gaming and who does not smoke/drink/drugs. The apartment complex is student oriented but you are not required to be a student. The apartment is a 2 bedroom/2 bath and the roommate must be willing to share a bedroom and bath. There will 4 residents (2 in each bedroom). Each tenant has an individual lease and all utilities are included. Rent is approx. $660 each. There is a pool, gym and free shuttle to SDSU, Grossmont and Mesa. Please contact Debra at (619) 672-8893 or debraberl@gmail.com and leave a message.



    Parent of child with Dyscalculia (math disability) seeking to find other parents having this experience. It is very commonly undiagnosed yet has a serious impact on a child's learning and life. As with many things it can be very difficult to receive an appropriate response from the school district tasked to make the necessary accommodations.
    Please email me if you share this or a similar experience. Pdmsea@gmail.com. Thanks so much.



    Seeking parent experiences in the Poway Unified School District IEP process.
    As a parent of two special needs adopted children I have had some seriously difficult experiences with Poway Unified School District. Having been inexperienced in raising children, much less special needs children, I was very naive in the process. I am hoping to learn more through hearing about other special needs parent experiences, good and bad. I will not share any personal stories.
    Please email me at pdmsea@gmail.com. Thanks so much.



    Hi! We have two energetic boys. I'm looking for a reliable respite worker who is fun loving and understands Aspie kids. Boys are 11 and 13.
    Legoland, parks, bike riding, basketball, Yugio, board games, and Minecraft are in your future.
    Please contact me for more info. Ideally, after school 2-3x a week with younger kiddo and a weekend afternoon/early evening 2x a month. Summer schedule will shift a bit.
    Please Contact me if you are interested - suzans@yahoo.com Carmel Valley area-thank you!



    If you have a question or request for this newsletter group, please send your email request to ValeriesList@aol.com. People who can help you will email you directly with their responses.

  • Learn to Spell to Communicate!!
  • http://www.beellc.com

  • Development DIR Autism Therapy in Your Home!!!
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    REAL CONNECTIONS CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

    Supporting and Partnering with Families of Children with Special Needs; Through Understanding, Engagement, and Relationships.

    Real Connections Institute - San Diego
    415 North Highway 101 Suite C
    Solana Beach, CA 92075
    ilene@realconnectionsinstitute.com
    858-354-2006
    http://realconnectionsinstitute.com

  • Parent Support Group in Rancho Bernardo
  • ABA Behavior Therapies & Testing (The ABA Group)
    www.abagroup.org
    760-349-4200

  • The ABLE Act: Are You Really Able to Save?
  • Most people in the disability community have heard about the "Achieving Better Life Experiences" (ABLE) Act over the last few years. Finally, after nearly six years of revisions, testimony and lobbying, ABLE won final congressional approval and was signed by President Obama on December 21, 2014. While adoption by states is voluntary, California will almost certainly adopt the ABLE Act. Now more than ever is the time for special needs families and advocates to become keenly aware of what it will...and won't...do for them.

    WHAT IS AN ABLE ACCOUNT?
    TheABLE account was meant to be a version of the "529" (College Savings Plan), but with the tax-free withdrawals to be used for "qualified disability expenses." Advocates had hoped that these accounts would be a viable alternative to special needs trusts: exempt from being counted against the eligibility limits for SSI, Medi-Cal/Medicaid, or other means-tested programs, while having the added bonus of tax-free growth. Unfortunately, the ABLE act that came out of Congress was neither the ABLE Act that went in...nor the Act that most advocates expected. Click here for all the latest info!!!

  • 13th Annual Community Legislative Forum
  • "Making Your Dreams a Reality"

    Presentations and Discussions around the topics of:
    Competitive Employment / Education
    Housing/Transportation
    Health Care
    Click here for all the info!!!

  • Study shows TES improves facial recognition
  • Many of you are aware that people affected by Autism have a decreased ability for facial recognition. What you may not know is that transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) has been shown to improve face detection and memory! TES is one of the therapy methods we use here at Microcurrent Healing. We love sharing scientific research that demonstrates why we see such positive results with our clients. Enjoy!

    Click Here to Read the Research Article

    From our innovative Autism program to our highly effective therapies for chronic pain, Microcurrent Healing is committed to making a real difference in the quality of life for our clients. If you haven't yet experienced the benefits of microcurrent therapy, contact us to schedule a free demo session and receive 20% off the purchase of any of our packages.*

    *Offer good through April 30th, 2017. New clients only.

    Do you have questions? Would you like to learn more?

    Call or email us anytime!

    858-367-9108 info@microcurrenthealing.com
    http://www.microcurrent4kids.com

  • Parent Rights During the IEP Process
  • RSVP to April Villafaña email April@PATsd.org or call (858)213-8620 Childcare is not offered.
    www.facebook.com/PATsd.org

  • San Diego has a New Comprehensive Center Dedicated to the Treatment of Autism
  • A state-of-the-art clinic featuring advanced biomedical, behavioral, & sensory-motor therapies for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

    This Clinic is headed up by Dr. Suzanne Goh. Dr. Suzanne Goh is a board-certified pediatric neurologist with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of children with neurological conditions that impact brain development, cognition, and behavior.

    Dr. Goh received her Bachelors of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in History and Science from Harvard University (1993-1997). She went on to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar (1997-1999). In 2004, she graduated from Harvard Medical School, cum laude. Dr. Goh completed her Pediatrics internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and her Pediatric Neurology residency at University of California San Francisco.

    Pediatric Neurology Therapeutics
    7090 Miratech Drive
    San Diego, CA 92121
    858-304-6440
    http://www.gohmd.com


    Dr. Suzanne Goh with the ultimate medical breakthrough that changes lives.

  • "Under the Big Top"
  • ...To The Greatest Gala On Earth!

    COME ONE, COME ALL!


    Meet us "Under the Big Top" for the 43rd Annual HGH Fundraising Gala at the historic US Grant Hotel on June 24, 2017. Astonishing auction items, magical entertainment, dazzling three-course plated dinner, and much, much more.

    All proceeds benefit more than 1,900 infants, adolescents, and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities that HGH supports annually in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

    The US Grant Luxury Hotel is offering discounted rates of $249 for the evening of the event. Rooms are limited so be sure to book your room soon at www.usgrant.net.

    To purchase your tickets for "Under The Big Top," click here. If you'd like more information, please contact Jessica Brandon at 619-938-2854 or jessica@guidinghands.org.

    The event is sure to spectacular! We hope to see you there.

  • Crimson by the Sea: Sing, Speak and Play!!!
  • www.crimsonbythesea.com
    2210 Encinitas Blvd. Suite I
    Encinitas, California 92024
    858-344-1985

  • Friendship DOJO: April 3rd!!!
  • Maxime@FriendshipCircleSD.org
    858.487.4879
    www.FriendshipCircleSD.org

  • Support & Information for Adults: Annual Resource Fair
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    Tuesday, April 18, 2017
    6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

    Autism Society of San Diego
    4699 Murphy Canyon Rd.
    San Diego, CA 92123

    April is Autism Awareness Month. This month we will be hosting our 7th annual community agency resource fair. This is a great opportunity to increase your awareness of services and supports that are available here in San Diego and have a chance to speak with representatives one on one. Click here for all the info!

  • Mindfulness Groups for Kids
  • San Diego Peers
    Individual and Group Therapy
    8885 Rio San Diego Drive Ste: 365
    San Diego, CA. 92108

    619-997-5310
    www.sandiegopeers.com

  • Participate in Research: Survey About Access to Services
  • HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/ACCESS_TO_SERVICES_AUTISM

    FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JENNIFER BRESLIN - JBRESLIN@EMAIL.FIELDING.EDU

  • Earn Extra Money!!!
  • Contact: QAProject@scdd.ca.gov

  • ASD Mornings at theNAT


  • Please visit http://www.sdnhm.org/visit/accessibility/asd-mornings/ for more information.

  • Autism Accessibility Morning at the Fleet!


  • In February we began our, Autism Accessibility Mornings at the Fleet (http://rhfleet.org/events/autism-accessibility-mornings), program. This morning is dedicated to the ASD community to come and enjoy the Fleet in a quieter setting and catch an IMAX film! Our film showings are presented with raised house lights and a lowered soundtrack volume, to provide a more comforting environment. Our goal is to provide an enriching experience for the ASD community

  • SIBSHOP 2016-2017 Schedule


  • October 2016 - August 2017

    WANTED: Siblings who have a brother/sister with special needs
    AGES: 7 - 12 years old
    Older siblings are welcome to attend as "Junior Leaders"

    WHAT: A fun-filled opportunity geared to the specific needs of siblings with brothers/sisters with special needs. Join us for games, crafts, hikes, cooking, and art. Meet other sibs - lunch provided

    TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

    DATES:
    April 30: Mission Trails Regional Park

    May 21: Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center

    July 9: Day at Mission Bay, family picnic **

    August 13: Santee Lakes, 9310 Fanita Pkwy, Santee, CA 92071**

    DONATION: $5.00 - $10.00 per meeting per family for craft materials, supplies & lunch for the kids

    REGISTRATION: Pre-registration requested (if possible) the Thursday before the event.
    CONTACT: Email patmoulton@cox.net for a registration form and / or additional information.

    Sibshop Leaders: Jody BonDurant-Strong, Administrator Gina Clifton, ECSE Medically-Fragile Teacher, Special Education
    Pat Moulton, Retired

    **Information for family / community locations will be emailed.

  • Children with autism and their mothers need for student research!


  • My name is Ariane Myers-Turnbull and I am a doctoral student at Alliant International University. I am currently recruiting participants for a project that is examining why children with autism are injured more often than children without autism. To participate you must be a mother of a child who is between the ages of 3 and 7 years old and who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (i.e. autism, Asperger's, pervasive developmental disorder).

    If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to come into a lab at Alliant International University to complete consent forms and questionnaires about you and your child. You will then be asked to observe your child in a room with simulated common household hazards from a live video. Your child will also be asked to complete simple tasks such as working with blocks. Overall, your participation in this study should take about 90 minutes.

    After you and your child complete these tasks you will receive $20, be entered into a drawing for $400, and your child will receive a prize in appreciation for your participation. You will also receive a video of your child in the room and safety proofing materials. For further information please contact Ariane Myers-Turnbull at amyers-turnbull@alliant.edu or (858) 414-1076. Thank you for your time.

  • Know someone who may have autism, age 40-65 years?
  • Participate in a Study!!!


  • We are currently recruiting for the Parenting on the Spectrum Study, a brief study with mothers of children between the ages of 3 and 7 who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study is completed online, with the option (for participants living in the Greater Los Angeles Area) of conducting additional sessions in the home. We will ask parents about their experiences of parenthood.

    https://pomona.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3mxyR3CkuXFV6ip

  • Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Driving Anxiety - FREE 10 week program for teens and adults with ASD in San Diego!


  • This is a FREE group-format intervention for teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders who are interested in driving, but are dealing with driving fear/anxiety.

    Please share this flyer with anyone in the community that may qualify. We are only asking that our participants are minimum 15-16 years of age (i.e. of potential driving age) and have a formal diagnosis of ASD. There is no upper limit for age. The groups will be held in the Kearny Mesa area (zip code 92123).

    858-966-7703 x3682
    rtrefas@rchsd.org

  • Do you know someone with Autism??


  • Call (619)594-0176 or email bdil@mail.sdsu.edu

  • Participate in Research!!!


  • Contact 619-594-2500 or email toddlerMRIstudy@mail.sdsu.edu

  • Research Study Recruitment


  • My name is Sarah Hacker and I'm the staff research associate for UCSD's Research on Autism and Development Lab ( http://radlab.ucsd.edu). We are currently recruiting participants for a study to measure the effects of training visual attention using video games. I was wondering if it were possible to put an ad on your website or in your newsletter for the purposes of reaching out to members of the autism community who might be interested in participating. I've attached a flyer for the study which outlines what happens, inclusion criteria, and compensation. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

    Thank you,
    Sarah D. Hacker
    Staff Research Associate - RADLab
    shacker@ucsd.edu
    radlab@ucsd.edu 858-246-1932

  • Autism Effects on Attentional Blink
  • For more information, please contact Sofia Schugar at the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab: 858-353-4929 (feel free to leave voicemail) or via email at sofiaschugar@gmail.com

  • UCSD TEAM-UP Weight Loss Program for Children with ASD


  • TEAM UP (Transforming Eating, Activity, and Motivation Utilizing Parents) is a 16-week, parent-only group program focused on weight-loss, increasing physical activity, and promoting fruits and vegetables, designed specifically for parents of children with ASD. This research study is free of charge, and families will be compensated for participating. Interested families should call 855-UCSD-4W8 to get started.

  • Seeking Research Participants for Autistic Sibling Study
  • business_finance_research.jpg

    Seeking individuals over the age of 18 who grew up with an autistic sibling to participate in a study exploring the experiences of growing up in a family with an autistic brother or sister.

    Participation will involve an in-depth interview, lasting between 1 to 1.5 hours about your autistic sibling experiences and a brief follow-up meeting about six weeks later.

    The purpose of the study is to provide an in-depth retrospective exploration of the experiences of adults who grew up with an autistic sibling.

    Eligibility requirements for participation in the study include:
    • Must have lived with autistic sibling for at least 8 years
    • Sibling must have been diagnosed with autism during childhood
    • Interested participant must be at least 18 years of age
    Participants will be provided a $100 Amazon gift card following the interview.

    Interested participants can email Barbara Tierney at: autisticsiblingstudy@gmail.com

  • 2017 Edition of Flourishing Families


  • The Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego is excited to present the 2017 edition of Flourishing Families, San Diego's resource guide for parents of children with special needs.

    This year's issue contains more than 950 resources including service providers, research institutes, specialized doctors, resource providers, camps, therapists, advocates, associations and so much more.

    Visit https://issuu.com/sandiegofamilymagazine/docs/flourishing_families_2017-digital_i to see the digital issue now!

     
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    Disclaimer

    I never endorse anyone or anything. Opinions expressed in what I send out, may not be shared by me. Everything is for informational purposes only.
    People who "advertise" through this newsletter have never been checked out by me. Same goes for the "Sponsors". This includes professionals and even people who are interested in babysitting, etc. So, please take the time to thoroughly check out anyone and everyone who will be working with or caring for your child/adult. We are all sadly aware, through news stories and word of mouth, of people who prey upon special needs children and adults because of their extra vulnerability.

    Valerie Dodd-Saraf
    President, Foggy Coast Ventures, Inc.
    Owner/Editor ValeriesList.com

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