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3/1/07
IT'S GAME ON FOR
SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
WASHINGTON TWP.
Students with behavioral and social needs at the Archway
School have a new incentive to be good.
It's hooked up to the
television, has an electronic beat and sometimes makes
them sweat.
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1/6/07
WHY WE WALK:
WHAT DOES NOT DESTROY ME MAKES ME STRONGER
We would like to share an essay written by Elizabeth Diane Boyd, the
16-year old sister of an autistic little brother. As fellow advocate Suzie
Fiordland said, this girl "has more insight than most 50 year olds I
know." We
have to agree. (Click
here for essay,
click here for Autism
Speaks' website).
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1/4/07
SCHOOLS
TAKE NEW APPROACH TO ENCOURAGING POSITIVE
BEHAVIOR
LONDONDERRY –
Last year, when Principal Carol Mack had her staff
trained
for a new behavioral modification program, she never could have predicted
its instant success.
"I have seen so
much more than I ever expected," she said. "The program
is amazing." (Click
here)
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Click
here for article re support groups
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12/23/06
PARENTS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN: WHAT
THEY LOVE BEST
"What I love most
about him is his capacity for affection, and the way
his face lights up when he looks at someone he loves (even the cat!)"
"People say he is
doing so well because he has such loving parents who
help him so much. But I believe Jeffrey is showing us the way! I think of
him as my shining star - leading me through the confusing maze of autism!"
"Like many of the
parents on here, I can truly say this child is the light
of
my life."
"He loves to
cuddle, hug, high five, and roughhouse. Kyle is very
special to
us and to the world!!!" (read
more)
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12/23/06
KIDS PART WITH BEARS FOR A GOOD CAUSE
For Nicole Perrotto, 7, finding the right teddy bear to
help lift the spirits of a sick child was a simple task.
Nicole, along with
schoolmates from kindergarten to second grade at Honiss
School in Dumont, has joined hundreds of others in
donating time, effort and teddy bears for the annual
Bear Hugs for the Holidays campaign, run by the North
Jersey Media Group Foundation. (Click
here for article) |
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12/23/06
POSITIVE PRESS: KIDS EMBRACE
GIVING, NOT GETTING
Little four-year-old Samantha Reda saw a
video this fall of children at an
orphanage who had nothing to wear on their feet. She didn't feel that was
right so for Christmas this year, instead of asking for presents for
herself
she asked people to donate shoes for her cause.
She,
herself, adores shoes.
We can all take a less from Samantha!
(Click
here)
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PINNING DOWN THE PUZZLE OF AUTISM
To make a difference and to help:
If you or your group would like to help with the Puzzle
Piece Project, contact Lauren Jones at
t.twissrd@verizon.net
To learn more:
www.autismspeaks.org
www.autism-society.org
www.autism.org
www.bostonhigashi.org
To purchase a pin:
Pins are $5; contact the Boston Higashi
School at 781-961-0800.
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12/3/06
SPREADING JOY:
PROGRAM BENEFITS FOSTER CHILDREN
K.I. Sawyer — Although it
lacked flying reindeer and sleigh bells, the sleek,
white Cessna Citation jet plane was loaded with toys as it touched down at
the Boreal Aviation terminal at Sawyer International Airport Saturday
morning.
Pilots Jeff Surnow and Eric Ray
of downstate Bloomfield Hills stopped in
Marquette briefly to drop off wrapped Christmas presents for foster children
as part of Operation Good Cheer. (Click
here)
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11/26/06
SPENDING FOR THE AUTISTIC, A GIFT OF
COMMON GROUND
Almost everyone knows of a family affected by autism, the disorder that
can impair a child’s ability to form social and emotional connections.
Children with autism often have
a hard time interpreting emotions in others,
may learn to speak later and can experience hypersensitivity to noise, light
and touch. As
the holidays approach, family members and friends may
wonder what to buy for any children with
autism on their list while
accommodating their special needs.
This article gives some helpful tips (click
here for article,
click here for
Autism main page)
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11/26/06
TEEN SIBLINGS WITH AUTISM
ASK AFTER GIFT BOXES
SANTA
CLAUS FUND
Every
year around this time, the siblings start asking Arlene Galaxidas about
the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund gift boxes.
Since the social worker met
Paul and Sally for the first time in 1998, when
they were 7 and
9 years old, respectively, the brother and sister, who both
have autism,
have been bombarding Galaxidas with requests for the
presents — and they still do even though
they're now too old to receive
them. (The gift boxes are distributed to children up to 12
years old.)
"They always ask `is that
funny box coming?'" (click
here for more,
click
here for Autism main page)
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11/15/06
LAKE
AUTISM GROUP FORMS FOR PARENTS
The Camdenton resident said she
and her husband felt like there was no
one to turn to in the lake area when their 8 year-old daughter, Halie, was
diagnosed
with autism six years ago. Then reality hit twice.
'We found out there was no kind of support for families like ours around
here,' Everhart said.
Today, however, Everhart knows
she is not alone. And she hopes other
parents of autistic children also begin to realize there are others dealing
with the same
challenges every day in the lake area. (Click
here for article,
click here for Autism main page)
If you have formed an Autism support group in your area, we would
like
to know about it so we can share it here on CAICA. Thinking about
forming one. Please, let
us know at
info@caica.org.
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11/15/06 AWARDS:
CAICA is honored to have been presented the
"TASH Award for
Excellence in Public Service: Creating Nationwide Awareness of Dangerous
Interventions Through Grassroots and
Internet Organizing" for the west
Coast. (Click
here)
We wish to thank TASH for all of their hard work and dedication in helping
children with disabilities. (Click
here)
This month, Pat Amos of TASH was awarded CAICA's "Advocate of the
Month" for the month of November. All of our "Advocates of the Month" will
receive award certificates
for their efforts. (Click
here).
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11/14/06
NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK IS NOT THE SAME AS NOT HAVING
SOMETHING TO
SAY ...
An organization dedicated to giving persons who cannot speak a way
to
have a voice.
www.breaking-the-barriers.org
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11/3/06
2006 TASH
Conference Next week
November 8-11,
2006 Baltimore, Maryland
The TASH Conference
mobilizes vast numbers of folks from around the
world together in a common experience of belief in the presumed
competence of every person, and in the powerful role that every
person can play in empowering people with disabilities and their families to
build the life of their choosing. This year’s TASH conference will feature
over 2000 attendees, 450 breakout sessions, exhibits, roundtable
discussions, poster sessions and much more. The TASH conference is the
largest and most progressive conference in the United States that focuses
on strategies for achieving full inclusion for people with disabilities. (Click
here for more information) |
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KIDS WITH SOCIAL AUTISM NEED
UNDERSTANDING FROM
PEERS
When a high school girl was nice and befriended a boy with autism,
who
most kids would call "weird", one mom wrote and and said: "It costs nothing
to be kind, but kindness is
a special currency. Once you spend it, it has a
way of being returned to you — with interest." How
true. (click
here)
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BOY WITH
AUTISM DONATES HAIR
Carmen Brandt said her son's
long, thick hair will be donated to Locks of
Love, a nonprofit organization based in Florida, which provides hairpieces
for
disadvantaged children younger than 18 suffering from medical
hair
loss. (click
here) |
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SMART
WOMAN: AUTISM ISN'T ALWAYS NOTICEABLE
One
in 166 kids born today will have autism, but some autistic children
don't show signs as a baby. Many times, the child is 2 or even older before
signs of the disorder are noticeable. Little Trevor Schwarzkopf loves to
swing just like any other 4-year-old. But Trevor isn't like every other little
boy. He has autism.
(click
here) |
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FACES OF AUTISM: DANIEL - "THE
POWER OF ONE"
One mother was frustrated when she learned she would have to be added
to a waiting list for her autistic son to get help. So she took it upon herself
to raise funds for the program where she wanted to place him, and has to
date raised $4 million dollars.
In a
conversation earlier this week between myself and child advocate,
Cathy Corry, of Justice4Kids, we discussed some of the challenges of
advocacy and how we have both learned the meaning of "the power of
one". This mom is an example of what one person can do to
make a
difference in the lives of others. (click
here
for Daniel's story)
FACES
OF AUTISM: STEVEN (click
here for Steven's story)
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LONG-SERVING FOSTER PARENTS HONOURED :
LONSBARYS INVOLVED FOR 35
YEARS
After
raising their children, most parents breathe a sign of relief and
wait
for grandchildren to come on the scene. But many of the volunteer foster
parents for the Children’s
Aid Society of Oxford County continue to parent
long after their children have grown up. (click
here)
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JUVENILE FELONY ARRESTS DECLINE
44% IN COUNTY
...
and when you provide young people with the kinds of services they
need
— education, counseling, drug treatment, recreational programs
— they will
improve. Institutionalizing them doesn't make them
better; it makes them
worse."
(click
here)
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A Time for New Beginnings, A Time to Reconnect
Welcome Home, Lindsey and all
children who have either graduated or for
other reasons returned home from a residential treatment center, boarding
school, boot camp,
wilderness program, behavior modification program, etc.
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10/1/06
LINKS TO
AUTISM PROPEL 1,000 WALKERS SATURDAY
As
many as 1,000 people took part in the fourth annual Rochester
Walk for
Autism Research on Saturday and raised a record $115,000 — nearly double
last year's amount —
for further study of the pervasive yet mysterious disorder.
(click
here for article -
click
here for Autism Main Page) |
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BRINGING AUTISM
INTO FOCUS
The developmental disorder autism has
come into focus in recent years as
scientists work to unravel its
possible causes, and affects, on the growing
number of children
diagnosed. (click
here for article) |
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NOURISHING FAMILY TIES (click
here)
New research suggests more and more families are reclaiming mealtime as
family time -- and the benefits extend beyond the dinner table. Experts say
eating together as a family helps children steer clear of dangerous
behaviors ... tips and tricks on how to make this work in your own family. |
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PASTA FARE
Pasta Fare cooks
up carryout pasta, soups, sandwiches and cookies, but
its main
creation is jobs for autistic adults. As an enterprise of the Illinois
Center for
Autism, Pasta Fare employs 21 people with autism. Along with
staffers from the center, they
make much of the food from scratch,
including the pasta. (click
here)
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