Autism Calgary 2012 Parent Panel on Education

Thursday April 26 7:00 to 9:00 PM Annual Presentation: 2012 Parent Panel & Discussion on Education

Please join us for a frank discussion about educational options  for our youth 18 and under.

We will have parent panelists from a variety of school districts.

They will be speaking about their personal experience and following that,  we will open up the forum to our audience for further discussion. Our parents presenters are ready to talk and give you some basic knowledge  about the supports they have found and their individual experience within their respective school program. We are hoping  that this discussion will be useful  in  your search for the best educational option for your child.

Families will be discussing: Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic District, New Heights, Janus Academy, Quest, Homeschooling, and others.

All welcome. Refreshments will be available.

To register, be sure to contact Rebecca with your name, contact information, and the number in your party. E-mail info [at] autismcalgary [dot] com or leave a phone message 403-250-5033 and dial zero.

What in the World is Going On! (May 2012)

May 2012 By Maureen Bennie Member, Autism Calgary Community Director, Autism Awareness Centre Inc.

 

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) released their autism prevalence numbers on March 29^th. The new statistic for autism diagnosis is 1 in 88 the USA. This is a significant increase from the last report of 1 in 110. These numbers will more than likely shift again once the new DSM V is released in 2013. Since the release of these numbers, the media has responded with reports of possible causes for autism. The public wants answers as to why autism occurs, but nothing definitive has been discovered yet. To read the CDC’s report in its entirety, click here.

Dennis P. Wall, one of the lead researchers on the project at Harvard Medical School, is part of a team developing a new web-based diagnostic procedure to identify autism more quickly; an advance that they hope will allow clinicians to provide better care to their patients.

A child’s behavior can be affected when being observed in an artificial clinical setting. Wall’s method requires parents to answer seven targeted questions and to record a home video of the child that is then examined by an analyst. According to Wall, the home environment is a more natural setting for the child, and videotaping enables families who live in rural areas or may not have easy access to clinical facilities to receive a diagnosis more quickly. The diagnostic period is a stressful time for families often involving waiting lists, travel time, and many observations at a clinic.

Wall used the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange’s database, one of the largest data sets of autism-related behaviors and genetic information, to generate his questionnaire. This test is not meant for parents to self-diagnose their child, but rather is intended to be used to support clinicians in their practice. To read more, click here.

This past month, the Globe and Mail featured an article about the struggle parents face finding appropriate care for their adult children with intellectual disabilities. The housing crisis follows the closure of institutions that cared for them from cradle to grave. As a result of these closures, parents across the country caring for their aging intellectually disabled children are faced with the daunting tasks of trying to piece together housing and care-giving, and the huge costs involved in long-term care that is only partly offset by government. To be born with an intellectual disability is to be sentenced to a life of poverty: 73 per cent of working-age adults with an intellectual disability who live on their own live in poverty.

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is helping to change the poverty statistics, but we still need to look at how to increase supported living options. While there are some opportunities available across Canada, there are too many people chasing too few placements. We’ve done a good job with early intervention schemes; it’s now time to turn our focus towards the future of these children as they reach adulthood. To read this article, click here.

Dr. Peter Szatmari, professor and the head of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, recently wrote an excellent article about the way the autism manifests differently in girls and boys. Girls with autism tend to have greater learning disabilities and more problems academically than boys. The symptoms of autism often appear as extreme shyness in girls, masking that they may not be responsive to social cues. While special interests are common for both sexes, girls may focus on more neurotypical peer interests such as ponies, dolls, drawing, and princesses.

Girls with ASD engage in fewer repetitive behaviors and may be less sensory irritable. They may have a different life experience than boys because they tend to be less bullied and blend in more readily with their peer group, sharing similar interests.

Dr. Szatmari also discusses the discrepancy in sex ratio. The new CDC report says the ratio of boys to girls on the spectrum is 5 to 1. This is higher than what has been reported in past studies. To read this article in its entirety, click here.

Finding employment opportunities for those with ASD is challenging. In Connecticut, Tom Pinchbeck turned his ailing family rose farm into a workplace for adults with autism. Pinchbeck’s college friend, Jim Lyman, was looking for a way to address the very real problem that many young adults with autism, including his own son, Eli, face – how to transition successfully into adulthood as they grow beyond the cut-off age of built-in state benefits and supports. The two joined forces and created Roses for Autism. Roses for Autism not only provides individuals on the autism spectrum the chance to learn the skills necessary to maintain meaningful employment, but also serves as a model that can be replicated anywhere to develop unique opportunities for them as a whole new competitive workforce.

Working often makes adults with developmental disorders happier and more satisfied with their lives, says Dr. Max Wiznitzer of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. It gives them a sense of purpose, and they usually do a good job, he says. They’re often very focused. To read more about this unique work opportunity, click here.

Education and Informatics researchers from the University of Edinburgh have collaborated to develop a new iPad App that could help children with autism as young as 18 months improve their socializing skills. FindMe is a simple game that challenges children to find an onscreen character in different scenarios. Using the iPad’s touch screen, players simply tap the character to move onto the next, more complex level. As the game progresses, children must contend with more distractions on screen. The game is designed to encourage players to focus on other people and their needs, which people with autism find difficult.

To appeal to children of various nationalities the onscreen character speaks French, German, and English in both British and American accents.

FindMe is available for free download now from Apple’s App Store. To read more about this app and the research behind it, click here.

Dennis Debbaud, father of a son with autism and professional investigator and law enforcement trainer, has a great website called Autism Risk and Safety Management. His informative website covers important aspects of safety, justice and responding to an autism emergency. Dennis has great articles and videos available for download. This important topic is often explored as a reactionary measure after an incident has occurred. Preparation is the key to avoiding dangerous situations and trouble with the law.

Paula Kluth, inclusive educator, writes a great daily blog on aspects of positive and meaningful inclusion. She writes about differentiating curriculum, literacy, books, music, recess and dozens of other topics. Her posts link to great websites and resources. Check out Paula’s blog here.

Educator Rebecca Moyes has published a new book entitled Visual Techniques for Teaching Social Skills . Social skills instruction for K-8th grade children on the autism spectrum requires an emphasis on visuals, or “show-teaching” techniques, rather than language-based instruction. This book fulfils that need, consisting of easy-to-use, step-by-step lesson plans with a wealth of visual tools and aids for teaching children with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. These K-8 lesson plans, featuring explicit IEP goals, can be incorporated into both General Education and Special Education classrooms and offer both individual and small group instruction.

Temple Grandin has written another excellent new book Different…Not Less: Inspiring Stories of Achievement and Successful Employment. Temple presents the personal success stories of fourteen unique individuals that illustrate the extraordinary potential of those on the autism spectrum.

One of Temple’s primary missions is to help people with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and ADHD tap into their hidden abilities. Temple chose these contributors, from a wide variety of different skill sets, to show how it can be done. Each individual tells their own story, in their own words, about their lives, relationships, and eventual careers.The contributors also share how they dealt with issues they confronted while growing up, such as bullying, making eye contact, and honing social skills.

In one of her recent talks, speaker/author Brenda Smith Myles introduced the website product Animal Agentz. Dr. Mark Jones of the UK developed Animal Agentz based on his own research as a PhD student. His focus was CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for stress & pain reduction teamed with computer science for children. The 5 Animal Agentz characters (fish, dog, cat, monkey, and lion) teach relaxation and coping skills. The Animal Agentz skills are similar to techniques that sports persons use when dealing with upcoming events. There is a fee associated with using this product, but it is another tool to reduce stress and anxiety through animated characters which appeal to children with ASD.

These are the highlights of what in the world is going on in autism for May 2012.

Disability Tax Credit Presentation

Wednesday April 4  9:30 to 11:30 AM Special Guest Colleen Eggertson

Colleen Eggertson will present information about how to get the help of your doctor in applying for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) for children and adults with Aspergers Syndrome and similar higher functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. People with severe ASD have no trouble qualifying for the DTC, but doctors often do not realize that people with Aspergers can qualify as well. Information shared at this meeting will be completely confidential.

The DTC allows a tax deduction of up to $10,000.00 per year both federally and provincially. It can also be applied retroactively for up to 10 years of past income tax returns. Having the DTC, automatically qualifies the person for the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). The Federal Government of Canada will make contributions to this plan even if the person or family can not put money into it themselves.

To register, be sure to contact Rebecca with your name, contact information, and the number in your party.  E-mail info [at] autismcalgary [dot] com or leave a phone message 403-250-5033 and dial zero.

Autism Calgary 20 Years!!

Happy 20th Anniversary Autism Calgary!

Autism Calgary’s 20th Anniversary!  Come join us at our open house on the afternoon of March 27!  We will be enjoying tea and cake throughout the afternoon in acknowledgement of Autism Calgary’s success! We hope to see you there!!

Where: Autism Calgary Office

When: Tuesday. March 27 from 12-4 (cutting the cake at 1)

What: An open house to celebrate Autism Calgary’s 20th Anniversary

Who: YOU,  friends, family and Autism Calgary Staff

 

Negotiating an FSCD Contract: Discussion & Presentation

Due to the ongoing requests by families for assistance in negotiating an FSCD contarct, we are holding sessions on Wednesday March 28 (sessions in May to be announced at a later date.)  These sessions are a continuation of the information sessions titled “I Disagree with my FSCD Caseworker… What Can I do Next!” On each of these dates both an afternoon and an evening session will be held – 1:00pm to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 9:00pm – at our charity office #174, 3359 27 Street NE Calgary. For families in rural locations or unable to travel to the Autism Calgary office – we will be trialing online participation via SKYPE. Our Skype user ID is: “autismcalgary”.

Families that have found these information and discussion sessions to be invaluable include; families new to the FSCD program, families looking for support for negotiating contract renewal, and families that are looking for new ways to make use of supports to improve the quality of their family life. While Autism Calgary staff is there to share accumulated knowledge from supporting families for twenty years – the interactive discussions of families in attendance sharing their individual experiences is always extremely helpful.

The following is only a small sample of the situations or questions that bring people to these discussion groups:

• Things are great, our FSCD caseworker has given us a generous contract. We want to learn how families use FSCD supports to improve the quality of life.
• Our request for funding in an area of support has been declined, we want to learn from other families before considering challenging this decision?
• We have been told that certain FSCD supports are only granted to children of a certain age, is this true?
• We are unable to find a caregiver with the rates offered by the FSCD, is it possible to have these rates increased?
• Given our family situation, we cannot be present for all hours of intervention therapy, for that reason we have been told we are ineligible for support. We wish to challenge this decision, how do we start?
• The professionals providing services to our family recommend another year of the same services, however our caseworker leads us to believe that we may not be approved. How do we advocate for the appropriate services for our family?
• Should I sign an FSCD contract when I don’t agree with the terms?
• Things are in a crisis in our home and/or the school, we are in urgent need for more supports, how do we impress upon the urgency to our FSCD caseworker?
• How do you find qualified people to support your child and/or family?
• We want to learn about the tools available to us to challenge an FSCD decision (the local confict resolution process, mediation, the Review of an FSCD Decision form, and formal provincial appeal hearings.)
• FSCD representatives have not made a decision on the contract, however the prior contract has expired and we have no services in place – What can we do?

To Register for this session leave a message with your name and contact information. In the event we must change the location, all registered participants will be contacted.
Click here to Register by Email or by telephone call 403-250-5033 and dial Zero

(Also leave us a message if you intend to connect via Skype.)