HOLIDAYS

GIFTS: The Rubino Center has some children who have a wish list for the holidays (up to age of three.) Also some siblings may be in need of holiday items. Any of the types of toys that the therapists use like puzzles with knobs, farm animal sets, wooden blocks, shape sorters, playdough kits, arts and crafts supplies, magna-dooddles, etc.
call Laurie for more information.

HOLIDAY TIPS: the Special Needs Parent Coach, Strategies for Balanced Living for Parents of Children with Special Needs -Twelve tips for truly wonderful holidays for you and your family by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
1. Take care of yourself
2. Sort out what matters most
3. Decide what your "keepers" are for this holiday season
4. Be imperfect! And love it!
5. Give a gift to yourself.
6. Spend special time with your child
7. Choose one tradition per holiday that brings your family togehter for a moment of joy, reflection, fun relaxation, or just plain silliness
8. Get help
9. Nevermind what other people think
10. Take little time-outs when you can
11. Try something new
12. Be present
For complete article go to www.specialneedsparentcoach.com/holidaytips
CHILDREN'S HOLIDAY PARTY
A holiday party will be held on Wednesday December 17 at 10:30-12:00 at our new office . Santa (Angie Rubino) will be available, along with music by a local guitar player. Come join us and bring friends. Call Michael 855-o634

Family Resource Directory

Connecting Connecticut-
A Directory for Schools and Community Organizations
Serving Parents of Children with Disabilitieshttp://www.cpacinc.org/pdfs/Connecting%20Connecticut/Connecting%20CT%20Final.pdf
CT Autism Spectrum Resource Center
http://www.ct-asrc.org/forms/resource_guide_order.doc

CHECK OUT OUR MESSAGE BOARD

http://starrubino.proboards103.com/

Family Grant Program

The Kennedy Center Autism Project announced their new Family Grant Program. They recognize the financial costs associated with raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Costs include evaluations, safety or other equipment, assistive technology, behavioral support, respite, camp, social groups, conferences, advocacy/legal expenses . Grants range up to 1,000 and are subject to available funds. For more information contact Ginger at gfiore@thekennedyctr.org

NEW BLOG

We've designed this BLOG:
*To help you and your family members feel connected and supported.
*To assist you and your family in gaining knowledge about local resources
*To provide emotional support by linking you to one another through informal chats
*To post articles written by staff on topics relevant to your child
*Because families of young children are at home taking care of their children and have difficutly getting out to meetings, they need information through other avenues
*To make parent matches
Please let us know what kinds of information might be of help to you, so that we may customize this site to be meet your needs.

STAR'S RUBINO CENTER HAS MOVED!!!!!!

We are excited about our new office space located at 120 East Avenue. This is a beautiful space with more area for our growing program. We're settling in and have a few areas of need. We could use a refrigerator, copier, chairs and pictures for our reception area. If you have any of these items that you would like to donate to us, please call Michael at 855-0734.

PARENT MATCHES

If you are interested in connecting with another parent who has similar life experiences as yourself or has a a child with the same diagnosis, let us know. We will do our best to find someone. Sometimes the comforting words of a friend who totally understands you and your specific circumstances, is invaluable. If you want to be on a matching database, respond through comments or e-mail us at rubino@starinconline.com.

SENSORY PROCESSING

SENSORY INTEGRATION: is defined as the organization of sensation for use. Countless bits of sensory information enter our brains at every moment. The brain must organize all of these sensations in order to move and learn normally. The brain locates, sorts, and order sensations. Familiar senses are seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting. However, there are two other systems which are equally important, proprioceptive and vestibular. The proprioceptive system provides the brain with unconscious information regarding muscle work/effort and joint position. The vestibular system refers to receptos in the inner ear, which provides the brain with information about the force of gravity and movement. Sensory receptors include sight, smell, taste, sound and touch. If these receptors send "wrong" information to the brain, then motor responses can be changed. A child's action may be interferred with the messages to the brain are not interpreted accurately, or there may be a problem with areas of the brain or routes that send messages to various part of the body.