Great Parenting Tips & Articles

Check out this great website with parenting articles, tips and techniques:
http://www.mvparents.com/

Parenting Tips on Amazing Website

Check out the articles, ideas and parenting tips on this special website: http://www.mvparents.com/

PROBLEM-SOLVING: A MOST VALUABLE SKILL!

Many years ago, while learning from a variety of different authors (Edward DeBono, William Glasser, and others) I was introduced to the idea that problem-solving is a most valuable skill. Whether you're the President of the United States, a stay-at-home-mom, a college student, a teenager, or just about anything else, you're faced with problems—little ones and big ones—that need to be solved on a daily basis! And perhaps people with the most effective problem-solving skills enjoy more success in their personal and/or professional lives: their ability to problem-solve leads to less conflict, more tranquility, greater self-determination, and more.

Learning to problem-solve could be considered a normal part of growing up. As children grow and mature, they're expected to figure things out for themselves and, hopefully, they learn from their mistakes. However, if children are not given opportunities to problem-solve on their own, they'll remain helpless and dependent on others.

All too often, this has become the reality for too many children with developmental disabilities. We haven't expected them to become problem-solvers, so we haven't given them opportunities to problem-solve. Thus, many grow up to become adults who are seen as helpless, dependent, and incompetent, which leads to their spending their lives in sheltered, protective, segregated environments where others make decisions and problem-solve for them. This is a terrible tragedy! But regardless of the age of the person or the type of disability, we can take steps to prevent and/or reverse this dismal and tragic state of affairs.

We can ensure that children with disabilities are given opportunities to problem-solve, just like their brothers and sisters. They may need assistive technology devices (such as communication or mobility aids), accommodations, and/or other supports/modifications in order to problem-solve, and the same is true for adults with disabilities. Children and adults with disabilities can and should be more active in the development of their IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), ISPs (Individualized Service Plans), and/or other services, including therapies and interventions.

We can stop being "helicopter helpers"—constantly hovering—and allow children and adults to make their own decisions (knowing they will make mistakes and learn from them, just as people without disabilities do). When they come to us to solve their problems, we can respond with, "What do you think you should do about that?" We can then provide suggestions, if appropriate, and let them arrive at the solution. Imagine the personal growth an individual experiences when our actions send the message that we believe in their capacity to problem-solve; imagine the lessons they'll learn; and imagine how their lives (and ours) can change in the process!

There's much more we can do; this brief review can get us started. Let's put our own problem-solving skills to work in figuring out how to ensure the people with disabilities we care about become effective, successful problem-solvers in their own lives!

Copyright 2009 Kathie Snow, www.disabilityisnatural.com; all rights reserved.

VISIT DISABILITY IS NATURAL

Check out the Explore sections for over 100 innovative, thought-provoking articles on language and attitudes, children/family issues, and more! Click here to begin exploring life-changing strategies, new ways of thinking, and more.
Visit the Store—check out the Disability is Natural book and DVD, as well as posters, magnets, bookmarks, badges, and other goodies featuring more than 25 bright, positive, colorful designs to generate positive attitudes and actions!

Click here to visit www.disabilityisnatural.com.

MAKING FRIENDS with music & art

Music and art can be a vehicle for exploration, expression, socialization and skill building.

Learn how to use the power of music to foster communication through vocal and instrumental improvisation. Art materials will be used to draw, paint, or mold, and provide tactile experience, learning and enjoyment.

WHO: Children from Birth to Three WHEN: Wednesdays from 10:30 am. - 11:30 am - 12 week session
WHERE: STAR Rubino Family Center 120 East Avenue, Norwalk (park below in the back)

This program is made possible through the generosity of the Barbara Benton Memorial Fund of the Fairfield County Community Foundation . Call (203) 855-0634 for information.

Private Insurance Coverage for Treatment of Autism

In the 1008 February session, the insurance and real estate commission introduced Raised Bill 5696, "an act requiring insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder therapies." As raised, the bill required individual and group health insurance policies delivered, issued renewed, amended or continued in Connecticut on or after January 1, 2009 to provide coverage for the treatment of pervasive developmental disorders (also known as autism spectrum disorders) including psychiatric, psychological, therapeutic and habilitative care based on the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis, which is sometimes referred to as "in-home behavioral support."

Numerous people spoke at the public hearing. The committee favorably reported a substitute bill on March 11, 2008 that eliminated the coverage requirement of the raise bill. Instead, the substitute bill required individual and group health insurance policies delivered, issued, renewed, amended or continued in Connecticut on or after January 1, 2009 to provide coverage for phycial, speech and occupational therapy service fo rthe treatment of autism spectrum disorders to the extent those services are covered and benefit for other diseeases and conditions under the policy."

Public Act 08-132 passed. It defines "autism spectrum disorder" based on the American Psychiatric Association's most recent disagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.

It applies this requirement to the group and individual: (1) health insurance policies that cover basic hospital, medical-surgical or major medical expenses (2) HMO contract covering hospital and medical expenses and (3) hospital or medical service contracts. Due to federal preemption, this requirement does not apply to self-insured plans.

Taken from Janet L. Kaminski Leduc, Senior Legislative Attorney

MIRA-FLEX GLASSES HELP WITH CHILDREN'S VISION PROBLEMS

New technologies and equipment have enabled early diagnosis of vision problems from the very first months of life. With appropriate corrections, these challenges can be resolved early in the child's life, resulting in improved learning and communication skills. However, to achieve optimum results in the shortest time period, it is necessary to intervene using the most appropriate methods depending on the child's age and needs.

For over 20 years, Miraflex has dedicated itself to the development of the most suitable children's frames, assuring for each age bracket, the best mix between practical and aesthetic.

Call 866-647-2359 or 408-445-8485 or go to http://www.miraflex.info/!

NORWALK PRESCHOOL USES SIGNING TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION

One teacher at a local preschool said she has walked into a room full of screaming infants who quiet down after she signs the word "eat" to them.

Theresa Lauzon, the American Sign Language director at Carousel Preschool on France Street, said teaching infants sign language gives them a way to communicate. Before their vocal chords are developed, they can recognize words and express their needs to adults around them.

"Instead of crying and screaming, they (the babies) use their hands to talk," said Lauzon. "There's a bonding experience with the parents and with me as the teacher. They know as soon as I get there, they have someone to talk to."

According to Carousel, research has found that babies can construct language with their hands at least six to 12 months before they can speak.

Lauzon has been hearing impaired herself for approximately 12 years. None of the children at Carousel Preschool are deaf, but Lauzon said teaching them sign language from such an early age (Carousel is open to children from 5 months to 6 years old) helps with a variety of things.

Students learn to associate letters with words if they learn the ASL alphabet and how to spell their name before they learn to write. They can also teach their parents ALS after school, building confidence.

"The children love it, that's the most important thing. They have fun with it and love it," said Lauzon. "There are so many benefits."

On Tuesday, State Senator Bob Duff, D-25, visited the school and watched a class of 4-year-olds sign the alphabet. He was there to read to students and take a tour of the facility now that school readiness funding has been approved in the newly passed state budget.

Joyce Abate, the school's executive director, invited Duff, and shid she was grateful for all of his support of school readiness in Norwalk.

Abate noted that ASL has been taught at Carousel for the past year.

"Sign language teaching is part of the curriculum," said Abate. "It's amazing. Research has been done that shows what we're doing here has been done, and it works."

She added: "The children love it because to them, it's communicating."

by Lauren Mylo, the Norwalk Hour, Norwalk, CT

Birth to Three Provider Updates from CT Community Providers Association

Regarding Parents' Fees: 17a-24g(e): The CT commissioner will establish a schedule of fees based on a sliding scale for early intervention services. The schedule will consider the cost of such services relative to the financial resources of the parents or legal guardians of eligible children. Fees may be charged to any such parent or guardian, regardless of income, and shall be charged to any such parent or guardian with a gross annual family income of forty-five thousand dollars or more, except that no fee may be charged to the parent or guardian of a child who is eligible for Medicaid.

Proposed changes in Medicaid rates: Medicaid Rates – (from Linda Goodman, Director, Birth to Three) Our current monthly service rate for Medicaid is $639.37. The proposed revision is $755.29/month but I do not think it has been accepted yet by CMS.

Birth to Three providers can share data on the number of referrals by town by program: Contact Linda Goodman, Director, Birth to Three Referrals by Town by Program - Full Year, 9-16-09.

LEGISLATIVE TALKING POINTS

You can contact your legislators via email. Copy and paste this link into your browser, and then follow this link to access the tool http://www.ccpa-inc.org/legislativesearch.aspx

Simply search by town, select the recipients and type in your contact information. Then, you may write your own personalized message or use CCPA Talking Points, below. You will receive an electronic copy of your sent correspondence, and will be directed to the CCPA website home page once your email has been sent. Please note that there is no spell-check, so you may want to write your message in a word processing software and cut and paste it into the message box to make sure there are no errors.

Please tell legislators:
· The current budget passed earlier this month contains fee increases, including significant increases to Birth to Three family participation fees.
· Birth to Three is a program that aims at helping families to meet the developmental and health needs of their infants and toddlers who have delays or disabilities. The program has a tremendous impact on the children and families it serves. Most notable, over 50% of the children who participate in Birth to Three do not need special education services by the age of 5. · We urge you to take action in the budget implementers to assure that these fees do not dramatically increase.
· Any significant increase in these fees would mean that many families could no longer participate in this valuable program. When family participation fees were first implemented in 2005, 330 families ended participation in the program.
· These fee increases would be harmful to the infant, toddlers and families who may no longer afford these vital services and would lead to cost increases for municipalities in their special education budgets.
· Please include language in the budget implementer bills that would assure that the Birth to Three family cost participation fees do not significantly increase.

The budget scheduled to go into effect on September 8 includes a multitude of fee increases effective October 1, 2009. The long list of fee increases ranges from DPH outpatient clinic fees to social work license renewal to DPS fingerprint searches and criminal history record searches.

§§ 140 - 391 – VARIOUS FEE CHANGES
This bill raises state fees by:
1. increasing fees to at least $ 15; - THIS AFFECTS ALL STATE AGENCIES
2. doubling fees under $ 150; - THIS AFFECTS ALL STATE AGENCIES
3. increasing fees between $ 150 and $ 1,000 by 25%; and – THIS AFFECTS ALL STATE AGENCIES
4. adding $ 250 to fees of $ 1,000 or more.

MAKING FRIENDS with Music and Art

Together, Arts for Healing and STAR Rubino Family Center is offering an opportunity for music and art to be a vehicle for exploration, expression, socialization and skill building. The group leaders will use the power of music to foster communiction through vocal and instrumental improvisation. Art materials will be used to draw, paint, or mold, and provide tactile experience and enjoyment.

This program is a collaboration of Arts for Healing, STAR Rubino Center, and the Fairfield County Community Foundation

WHEN: Wednesdays: starting September 16, 2009 for 12 sessions
WHERE: STAR Rubino Family Center
120 East Avenue, Norwalk (park below in the back)
AGES: Birth to Three 10am. - 11 am
Three to Five 1:30-2:30

Cost: $100 per child for 12, 1 hour sessions
$75 for additional child from same family
(This program is made possible through the generosity of the Barbara Benton Memorial Fund of the Fairfield County Community Foundation)

LOCK LACES: For Kids Who Can't Tie Their Shoes!

Check out this stylish alternative to shoe laces or velcro for kids who can't tie their shoes. Other great products and ideas on this website, also. $5 discount coupon is currently on the home page.

http:\\www.autismcommunitystore.com

Autism Community Store

1900 S. Quince Street, Unit A, Denver, CO 80231

1-866-709-4344

iPHONE HELPS FOSTER UNDERSTANDING

A new interactive program relates images with actions.

Dan and Carey Tedesco found a way to use their iPhones to help their son Evan with autism.

The married couple from Shelton in May launched iPrompts, an application that allows parents and caregivers to communicate tasks to autistic children through images. Beforehand, they had to create photos and laminate them into a notebook to show Evan, 4, what the next activity would be.

"I found it rather cumbersome," said Carey Tedesco, adding that iPhone's Picture Schedule feature gave her an idea. "I decided to just take the notebook and put it into the iPhone!"

Autism, which affects one out of every 150 individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first 30 months of life.

The Tedesco's, who met while working at Stamford-based sister technology firms Walker Digital and Synapse Group, founded HandHold Adaptive in August 2008 to launch their idea. Their application, which has been developed with help from Rob Tedesco, Dan's brother from Fairfield, has several hundred images to choose from, said Dan, 35, who still works as an attorney for Walker Digital, a research and development company founded by entrepreneur Jay Walker that gave birth to Priceline.com Inc.

"You can either use the pictures that come with iPrompts or take pictures with the camera," he said of the application, which costs $49.99 at the iTunes App Store. "We are working on expanding it to several thousand images."

iPrompts also uses the iPhone's GPS capability and the application's bank of images and features to create a multimedia "snapshot of a disabled person's current scenario," Dan said.

iPrompts will soon be able to "talk" for kids with language difficulties--the child will touch the image on the screen and the iPhone will say the word. It will also include a data-tracking feature so that caregivers can record a child's behavior in a specific scenario to help reveal behavioral patterns, said Carey, who is now self-employed as a freelance graphic designer after leaving, Synapse.

"We've had a lot of good feedback that iPrompts would be good for adults as well," she said, adding that Yale University is interested in the data-tracking component. "We're not going to make everyone happy, but we're going to try to be as broad as we can," she said.

Handhold Adaptive, which has been issued six patents so far, is also working on creating video games that engage children into activities that help develop their verbal and cognitive skills, Dan said.

"Wouldn't it be great to have a low-cost supplement to their therapy?" he said. "This technology can help these individuals adapt to new situations and get out into the community."

The uses for iPhone applications will most likely expand over time as fast as the creativity of the people out there, said Ken Dulaney, vice president of mobile computing with Gartner Group.

"There is absolutely no end to what can be done," he said. "This sounds like a great idea."

Published by THE ADVOCATE, written by Michael C. Juliano, 8/14/09

Siblings Perspectives: Living With A Brother or Sister With Autism (by ASA)

Fabulous article posted for parents of children with developmental disabilities regarding sibling relationships. http://www.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/LWA_Siblings.pdf?docID=4183

22 Tips for Parents of Children With Developmental Disabilities.

Strategies for Parents
From “Life Beyond Disability” in the Parent-to-Parent Training Guide

1. Be open and honest- be available for questions and ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS.
2. Value each child individually.
3. Limit caregiving responsibilities of siblings
4. Use respite care and other supportive services to allow special time with the siblings.
5. Be fair. Treat the child with the disability as much like your other children as possible.
6. Accept the disability- this helps siblings also deal with it.
7. Put together a library of children’s books for siblings to read on the disability.
8. Schedule special time with the sibling.
9. Let siblings settle their own differences and learn to solve problems together.
10. Welcome other children and friends into your home.
11. Praise siblings – all children need parental praise.
12. Recognize that you are the most important, the most powerful teacher of your children.
13. Parents should recognize the uniqueness of their family.
14. Listen to siblings.
15. Involve the siblings in the decisions about their disabled brother or sister.
16. Require the disabled child to do as much for him/herself as possible.
17. Recognize each child’s unique qualities and family contributions.
18. Encourage the development of special sibling programs.
19. Help establish a sibling support group.
20. Recognize special stress times for siblings and plan to minimize negative effects.
21. Use professionals to help siblings as needed.
22. Teach the siblings to interact.

COMPARING TECHNIQUES: FLOORTIME VS. DISCRETE TRIAL

Floortime: The philosophy of Floortime (DIR) is a developmental, relationship based model to help meet the child's developmental level and strengthen underlying elements that impede development. Greenspan, a psychiatrist, observed that persons with Autism lacked theory of mind and they would not understand that until they could master their own emotions and perspectives. The curriculum focuses on how to learn to relate intimately to others with warmth and meaningful communication with words or gestures, and also to think with abstract reasoning. There are six emotional milestones that need to be mastered in a sequential order: attachment and self-regulation, two -way communication, complex two-way communication, shared meaning and symbolic play and emotional thinking. It uses 6-10 uninterrupted 20-30 minute sessions throughout the child's day. The goals are to encourage attention and intimacy, promote two-way communication, encourage the expression and use of feelings and ideas, and to increase logical thought. In Floortime the adult follows the child's lead building and expanding on his/her interests. Greenspan talks about opening and closing communication circles and working to increase the number of effective circles.

Applied Behavior Analysis is a science which involves th application of basic behavioral practices and the use of systematic data tracking to evaluate the efficacy of the applications used to reach a desired outcome. Discrete Trial Teaching is a teaching methodology, but not the only instructional method under Applied Behavior Analysis and should not be used synonymously with it. Other methodologies include errorless teaching, pivotal response training, verbal behavior, fluency/precision teaching, and incidential teaching methods. The goal of a DTT session is to teach the child how to learn. There are sequenced curriculums in categories such as of attending skills, initiation skills, receptive language, expressive language, abstract language, pre-academic skills, self-help skills, social skills and school readiness. DTT uses the principles antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. It focuses on breaking the instruction down into small units, and each trial lasting 5-20 seconds, which provides many opportunities to practice per session. It uses teaching principles and techniques such as stimulus control, prompting hierarchies, shaping, fading, reinforcement, maintenance, and generalization. Sessions are generally highly structured, environments which may at times provide unnatural consequences paired with social praise. Teaching is usually directed by the teacher. In ABA, however, techniques can be done in natural settings with natural reinforcers. Lovaas recommended discrete trial sessions interspersed wtih play breaks, with breaks being as educational as possible. Teaching incidentally, in the natural environment, promotes generalization and use of acquired skills.

Darien Libraries "Stories on the Spectrum"

Darien's Library at it's storytime program has included a new program designed for children between 3 to 8 who are on the autistic spectrum. The idea is to provide a space and time for children with the diagnosis of ASD to interact in a welcoming social environment, hear some stories, sing some songs, be comfortable exploring a new space, and allow families to network and chat.
The program begins Saturday, May 30th at 11am. It is available for all family members, siblings, etc. If interested call Kiera Parrott 669-5243 or email her at kparrott@darienlibrary.org.

WESTPORT LIBRARY children's time

The Westport Library (westportlibrary.org)has a calendar of summer children's programs. Go to the website and kids-parents-special needs. The Tuesday Storytime (10:30-11:00) at Longshore Country Club, Wednesday Storytime on the Green (11:00-11:30), or Friday Fun Films 11:00-11:30 are some options. Go to their website or call 291-4810 for the calendar or more information.
Have fun.

Candice volunteered at STAR Rubino Center's Open House to do a storytime with the children.

OPEN HOUSE

Come Connect and Reconnect

STAR Rubino Family Center is hosting an Open House on Sunday, May 17, 2009,
from 2p.m. - 4 p.m. Join us at our new facility at 120 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT.

*Meet the staff

*Learn about our
Birth to Three Program
Private Pay Services
Individual and Group Therapy Sessions for children 3-5

*Fun for all:
Children's Music Group 2:00-2:30
Story Time 2:30-3:00
Story time 3:00-3:30

*Refreshments and Face Painting

*Door Prizes for the children