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April 5, 2013
Weekly Edition Issue 10, Volume 6
It's All About the Choices!
Happy Friday!
Here is our current newsletter offering for you!
News Items:
- Department of Ed to Consider Legislation for Dyslexia Testing
- Treadmill versus Overground Walking and CP
- Predictability of Visual Motor Task
- New Study by CDC: Multiple Vaccines Not Linked To Autism Risk
- Brain Mapping May Unlock Autism Mysteries
- ADHD Seen in 11% of U.S. Children as Diagnoses Rise
- Feel Good Story of the Week: Boston Marathon to Honor 'Team Hoyt'
- New Genetic Evidence Suggests a Continuum Among Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders
- Long Term Effects of Physical Therapy on Children with Cerebral Palsy
Upcoming Events
- AOTA 2013 - Annual Convention and Conference
Therapy Activities, Tips and Resources
- Game Review: "Shrimp Cocktail" for Both Visual Perception and Speech-Language Goals
- SLP Resource of the Week: Podcast - To Tell or Not to Tell
- App Review of the Week: Promote Language with BubblesAR
- Activities of the Week: Spring is Here! Spring Art Projects for Fine Motor, Sensory & Language!
Articles and Special Features
- Pediatric Therapy Corner: Top Ten Lessons I Learned from my Clients with Autism
- SLP Corner: The Dangers of Comparison
- Occupational Therapy Corner: The Rights and Wrongs of a Parent Observing Therapy
- Worth Repeating: Greater Recognition of Face Blindness Needed, Experts Say
- Also Worth Repeating: What Everyone Should Know About Cerebral Palsy
Feel free to contact us with any questions about our openings or items in these pages. Have you discovered our RSS feed? Click on the orange button below to subscribe to all our openings and have them delivered to your Feed Reader! Don't have an RSS Feed Reader set up? Sign up at Blogtrottr and have our blog posts delivered right to your email. Have a great weekend and Take Care! Heidi Kay and the PediaStaff Team
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Legislation in the News: Department of Ed to Consider Legislation for Dyslexia Testing
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[Source: Special Ed Post]
State lawmakers have an opportunity to make sure all public school students have an equal opportunity.
A package of bills focusing on testing and interventions for children with dyslexia is now under consideration in the Legislature.
The measures are simple, straightforward and should be easily implemented by the state Department of Education.
For instance, they would require early screening tests for dyslexia as well as training for teachers on recognizing dyslexia and appropriate interventions.
Read the Rest of This Article Through a Link on our Blog
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Therapy for Cerebral Palsy in the News: Treadmill versus Overground Walking and CP
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[Source: Clinical Rehabilitation via Your Therapy Source]
Clinical Rehabilitation has published research comparing the effects of a 7 week treadmill training or overground walking program for children with cerebral palsy. There was 36 participants in the study with cerebral palsy levels I-III on the Gross Motor Functional Classification System who were randomly assigned to the treadmill or overground walking group. They completed a 7 week, 2 sessions per week, program in the physical therapy clinic.
Read the Rest of This Article Through a Link on our Blog
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Visual Motor Deficits in the News: Predictability of Visual Motor Task
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[Source: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology via Your Therapy Source]
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology published research on visual motor deficits in very preterm children. There were 58 very preterm children (average age 7 yr 6 months and average gestational age 29.2 weeks) and 64 age matched full term children in the study. The participants IQ was measured and a diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) was given if the child scored below the 15th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. The children traced a trail on a touch
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Autism/Vaccines in the News: New Study by CDC: Multiple Vaccines Not Linked To Autism Risk
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[Source: Medical News Today]
There is no casual link between certain vaccine types and autism, says a new study carried out by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Parental concerns that vaccines might be related to a higher risk of developing autism were initially related to the MMR, measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and thimerosal-containing immunizations.
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Brain Research in the News: Brain Mapping Project May Unlock Autism Mysteries
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[Source: Disability Scoop]
In a move that could bring major breakthroughs in the understanding of autism and other neurological disorders, the president unveiled plans for a decades-long project to map the human brain.
The effort dubbed the BRAIN Initiative - short for "Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies" - comes with a bold goal of finding new ways to "treat, cure and even prevent brain disorders," the White House said.
To get the project off the ground, President Barack Obama is asking Congress for $100 million.
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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ADHD in the News: ADHD Seen in 11% of U.S. Children as Diagnoses Rise
| [Source: New York Times]
Nearly one in five high school age boys in the United States and 11 percent of school-age children over all have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These rates reflect a marked rise over the last decade and could fuel growing concern among many doctors that the A.D.H.D. diagnosis and its medication are overused in American children. Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Feel Good Story of the Week: Feel Good Story of the Week: Boston Marathon to Honor 'Team Hoyt'
| [The Today Show]
By Laura T. Coffey, TODAY Doctors shared a grim prognosis for Rick Hoyt 51 years ago: The brain damage he sustained at birth was so severe that he would never be able to participate in mainstream society. "They said, 'Forget Rick, put him away, put him in an institution, he's going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life,'" recalled Rick's father, Dick Hoyt, 72, noting that Rick was diagnosed
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Neurology in the News: New Genetic Evidence Suggests a Continuum Among Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders
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[Source: Science Daily]
A paper published this month in the medical journal The Lancet Neurology suggests that a broad spectrum of developmental and psychiatric disorders, ranging from autism and intellectual disability to schizophrenia, should be conceptualized as different manifestations of a common underlying denominator, "developmental brain dysfunction," rather than completely independent conditions with distinct causes.
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Cerebral Palsy in the News: Long Term Effects of Physical Therapy on Children with Cerebral Palsy
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[Source: Developmental Neurorehabilitation via Your Therapy Source]
Developmental Neurorehabilitation published research on the long term effects of physical therapy on children with cerebral palsy. A retrospective review was performed on 56 children with cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels I-V) who were treated with physical therapy from 2008-2011. Their motor function was assessed every three months. The results indicated the following:
- significant improvements on the Gross Motor Function Measure in all levels
- children at the GMFCS Level II exhibited faster progression of skills
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Upcoming Event: AOTA 2013 - Annual Conference and Convention
| The Annual AOTA Conference and Convention is right around the corner - April 24th through the 28th. San Diego is a beautiful place and PediaStaff will be there!
Are you going? If so, please come visit us. We can't wait to meet you face to face and to see old friends too! You can come see us at Booth #1022 in the main exhibit hall. PediaStaff is excited to announce that we will have Annika Harper of Blue Orange Games with us on our booth. Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link our Blog |
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Game Review: "Shrimp Cocktail" for Both Visual Perception and Speech-Language Goal
| by Anne Zachry, Ph.D., OTR/L and Kristin Lyons MA CF-SLP
Recently I sat down with two of my students who have visual perceptual processing problems and played a game of "Shrimp Cocktail" by Blue Orange Games
Rules of the Game: This game is for ages 7 and up and is for 2 to 6 players. Begin by mixing up the cards and dividing them as evenly as possible between players, placing the cards face down. The three "fishing zone" cards should be placed in the middle of the group. The squeaky starfish should also be
Learn About These Great Resources on our Blog |
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SLP Resource of the Week: Podcast - To Tell or Not to Tell
| Editor's Note: Thank You to Olivia SLP for calling attention to a great resource I might have overlooked this week.
I just listened to a fantastic and very informative (weekly!) broadcast by Jennifer M Hatfield CCC-SLP. Wow! On the topic of that very touchy subject, "to tell or not to tell", when a family member or friend has a communication disorder and you're wondering if you should say something. I've also just found out that Jennifer has many broadcasts such as this on demand, and live!
Listen to this Podcast Through a Link on our Blog |
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App Review of the Week: Promote Language with Bubbles AR
| This post reprinted with express permission of the author as it appeared on the Speech Techie blog
Out of Bubbles? Try BubblesAR
Bubbles have long been a go-to speech and language therapy tool. They're great, I am not suggesting you stop using them to target /b/ and /p/ sounds, "wet," etc.
Read the Rest of this App Review on our Blog |
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Pediatric Therapy Corner: Top Ten Lessons I Learned from my Clients with Autism
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Editor's Note: A friend of ours was thinking about Autism Awareness Month and came up with this wonderful list to share! Thanks so much, Melanie!by Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP #10. In a world of too many gadgets and gizmos, a spinning top is pretty cool.
#9. Echolalia keeps my "over 40" brain sharp. I've learned to repeat, repeat, repeat.
#8. Parents with patience are the best teachers. #7. Consistency is so comforting. Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog
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SLP Corner: The Dangers of Comparison
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by Dean Trout
As many of you know, I am a retired speech therapist with 35 years of experience, but you may not know I also hold a diploma in Interior Design. That is why I follow decorating blogs in addition to speech bloggers One of my favorite bloggers of quick and inexpensive decorating ideas is "Debbie" over at Debbiedoo's. One of her recent posts really struck a cord with me as a Speech
Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog
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OT Corner: The Rights and Wrongs of a Parent Observing Therapy
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by the Anonymous OTThat awkward moment when a therapist goes to grab their next client in the waiting room: The parent hovers in their seat. Are they coming with us? Are they not? Do they want to? Should I ask them to go with us? Can I just grab the child and pretend not to notice? So many questions...but honestly, should parents observe therapy? The simple answer- yes and no. Helpful, right? Ok, allow me to rephrase: A parent should Read the Rest of This Article on our Blog
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Worth Repeating: Greater Recognition of Face Blindness Needed, Experts Say
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[Source: Science Daily]
"In extreme cases, people might withdraw socially - become depressed, leave their job, or just suffer endless embarrassment," said Bournemouth University (BU) psychologist Dr Sarah Bate.
Dr Bate leads the BU Centre for Facial Processing Disorders, which carries out research to advance understanding of the causes of prosopagnosia and develops training strategies that can help to improve face recognition skills.
The Centre is campaigning for formal recognition of face blindness, and has launched an e-petition for the issue to be discussed in parliament.
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Also Worth Repeating: What Everyone Should Know About Cerebral Palsy
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[Source: Huffington Post]
by Ellen Seidman
What does it really mean to have cerebral palsy? Until I had a child with CP, I had no clue that it affects every person differently. As with any human, kids and adults with CP are as unique as their thumbprints.
In honor of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day (today!), I asked parents of kids with CP and adults who have it to share what they wish people knew about the condition. This is what they had to say.
One thing I really wish people got about cerebral palsy is...
Read the Rest of this Article Through a Link on our Blog |
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