Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is an HBO film based on the life of a woman with autism. The movie depicts her early years, struggling with a disorder that was relatively unknown at the time, through adulthood. Special features include the making of the movie and audio commentary with Dr. Temple Grandin.

Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title. Or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Social skills and frustration

Dr. Jed Baker is director of the Social Skills Training Project in New Jersey and presents lectures all over the world on social skills training. The DVD, Social Skills Training and Frustration Management, brings his many years of expertise in the subject together in a 2 1/2 hour disc. The film was created for family members and professionals alike, or for anyone working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorders, learning disabilities, mood and anxiety disorders, and other issues that impact social-emotional functioning. Learn how to help build an individual's social skills in crucial areas such as:

• conversation
• conflict resolution
• emotion management
• employment
• dating, and more!

Interested? Email us! Those outside of Indiana can use worldcat.org to find this title in a nearby library.

Families with special needs and worship

Looking for a resource designed to meet the spiritual needs of families with special needs? Don't feel comfortable in a traditional religious setting? The curriculum, Rhythms of grace: Worship and faith formation for children and families with special needs may be just what you're looking for. The program, designed specifically to support children on the spectrum, is a once-monthly gospel-based program for any child with special needs. It is centered around the Eucharist and was developed in an Episcopal church but is appropriate for everyone.

Interested in checking out this title? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu, or try worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Conference: Redefining Autism

The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders will be hosting the 14th Annual International Conference called Redefining Autism. The conference will take place from November 5th through the 7th in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

On Friday November 5th, Cathy Lord, Ph.D., Connie Kasari, Ph.D., Jim Stieben, Ph.D. and Devin Casenhiser, Ph.D. will share their studies that redefine research in Autism. On Saturday November 6th Lucy Miller, Ph.D., Stewart Mostofski, M.D. and Ricki Robinson, M.D. will join Cathy Lord,Ph.D. and Connie Kasari,Ph.D. in discussing the proposed changes to the new DSM V, and how autism will or could be redefined by the new research. Sunday November 7th will include two panels: 1) Redefining Education, with Serena Wieder, Ph.D., Stuart Shanker, Phil.D., and Richard Lodish, Ph.D., and 2) New Approaches to Adress the Needs and Wants of Adolescents and Adults with Austim, featuring Margaret Bauman, MD, Deborah Flaschen, MBA, Dave Nelson, MBA, MS, LPC, and Josh Sparrow, MD.

The conference will end with a personal tribute from Dr. Brazelton to Dr. Greenspan.

For more information and to register, go to: http://www.icdl.com/

Cooking with kids with ASD

Want to get your child with autism spectrum disorder involved in the kitchen? Cooking with kids helps to ground their learning through the use of fractions, addition and subtraction, and measuring. Check out "Let's Cook!" a fun website that uses multimedia (videos, slides, images and text) to show how kids with autism can learn life skills through making foods they love. The site even offers outtakes to demonstrate this teacher's use of redirection when issues with the child arises.

http://www.mywire.com/pubs/Lets-Cook

What’s So Funny About Asperger Syndrome?

Dan Coulter, of coultervideo.com, writes:

I’ve heard many parents of children with Asperger Syndrome talk about their kids’ sense of humor. This may be because a lot of humor comes from seeing things from a different perspective. Both my son, Drew, and I have Asperger Syndrome, so my wife and daughter have years of experience dealing with our intentional and unintentional comedy.

When Drew was little, Sesame Street often taught Spanish words along with English words. On a visit to see Drew’s grandparents, his proper Southern grandmother (who has the grandkids call her “Mimi”) asked in a delicate way if he needed to go to the bathroom, “Drew, do you need to go tee tee before you go to bed?”

Drew looked up at her seriously, “Mimi, is that Spanish for pee pee?”

Want to read the entire article? You can find it at http://www.coultervideo.com/whatssofunnyaboutasessay.htm

New webinar

THE ROLE OF DIRECT CARE PROVIDERS FOR PERSONS WITH AUTISM

A Webinar with Dr. Sally Burton-Hoyle

November 4, 2010

10:00-12:00 Pacific

Q & A time following the webinar

Families Together is pleased to have Dr. Sally Burton Hoyle present this important information to direct care providers who are working with adults with autism and parents of young adults with autism who are transitioning from school to community life.

Dr. Burton Hoyle grew up helping her brother with autism and, as an adult, she helped him have a meaningful life where he lived in his own apartment close to her family. She will discuss the critical role of direct care staff in supporting self-determination for persons with autism.
Autism is a lifelong neurological disorder that impacts socialization, communication, and behavior. Direct Care Providers need to understand how persons with autism may use their behavior as communication. Dr. Burton will discuss how to support persons with autism, and how they experience the world through their sensory systems. This discussion will include addressing the need to use visual supports such as checklists, pictures, objects and technology in supporting persons with autism.

To register, go to:

https://familiestogether.webex.com/mw0306lb/mywebex/default.do?service=7&nomenu=true&main_url=%2Ftc0505lb%2Ftrainingcenter%2FLoading.do%3Fsiteurl%3Dfamiliestogether%26rnd%3D9652942507%26servicename%3DTC%26RT%3DMiM0%26FM%3D1%26ED%3D140189177%26UID%3D1140813577%26needFilter%3Dfalse&siteurl=familiestogether

Maine Sensory Conference

Need or just want to go to Maine in October? Why not attend a conference while you're there? Future Horizons is announcing a Sensory conference in Portland on October 8th. Topics at the conference include:

• "The Out-of-Sync Child" with Carol Kranowitz, M.A.
• "Raising children with Asperger's and ADHD" with Shonda Schilling
• "Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration" with Paula Aquilla, B.Sc., O.T.

For more information and to register, go to: http://www.fhautism.com/Conferences/MaineSensoryConference/tabid/245/Default.aspx

Workshop schedule

Looking for a professional training to attend on Applied Behavior Analysis or Structured Teaching Strategies? Interested in the Behavior-Communication Link? The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has announced their upcoming workshops through the end of the year. Check out their Conferences/Events/Trainings page for details on the dates, times and locations at http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/index.php?pageId=270

Superheroes on a medical mission!

Brooke's brother, Ben, has autism, and Brooke doesn't understand why Ben would rather count the number of marbles he has than play with her and the other kids. Medikidz to the rescue! Take a trip through the brain with the Medikidz superheroes as they explain, in comic book fashion, the way the brain works in people on the spectrum. Medikidz explain autism is a fun, fast-paced read for kids interested in knowing more about the disorder.

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu. Or try worldcat.org to find the book in a library near you.

Autism and vaccines

According to an article posted yesterday at Medical News Today, a new study has found no link between autism and the use of thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in a number of vaccines. The findings, from an article published in the medical journal Pediatrics, were that thimerosal in vaccines "does not increase the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)" and, in fact found that the children in the study who were already on the spectrum had less exposure to thimerosal than the children without ASDs.

Read the entire article from Medical News Today at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/201047.php

New technique in brain assessment

According to a story from NPR, doctors have discovered a new way to scan our brains to help identify what happens in the brains of kids on the spectrum. Researchers have developed a "brain age scale" that shows a link between the age of the person and the age of his/her brain. If a 15-year-old has a brain age of 15, that person would be considered to be developing typically. If, however, that same 15-year-old had a brain age of 8, it would send up a red flag.

Read the entire article at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129754434

Autism and Asperger's Conference

Future Horizons Conference on Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Sensory Issues

Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Jed Baker will be in Evansville, Indiana, for a one-day-only Autism & Asperger’s SuperConference. If your life has been touched by one of these disorders you must plan on taking advantage of this fantastic opportunity! Dr. Grandin has been hailed as a hero by Time’s Magazine as she was named to their top 100 Most Influential People list. Dr. Baker brings a wealth of information as he tries to help families deal with these disorders.

For more information on this conference, go to: http://www.fhautism.com/Conferences/EvansvilleAutismAspergersConference/tabid/243/Default.aspx

Silly Bandz

Have you or your kids joined the silly band craze? Then check out the AutismLink's store. They have puzzle-shaped, tie-dyed silly bands to help spread autism awareness. These bands are made of silicone and are fun to collect and/or trade.

http://autismlinkstore.com/-newpuzzleshapetiedyesillybandspackof10.aspx