Autism Awareness Month

National autism awareness month starts in just a few hours.  I know there is a push to get people to wear blue on Saturday April 2 in honor of  World Autism Awareness Day.  I've also copied this image which you can right-click and copy into a word document as many times as you want to so you can have a button to wear and extras to pass out to all your friends.

I thought I'd walk around town on Saturday with a pocket full of these buttons and a roll of masking tape.  Maybe.

Cranial sacral massage

About a year ago a friend told me she took her daughter to Kim Kee here in Marquette for cranial sacral massage therapy.  She said she believes it helps with sensory integration.  I decided to give it a try.  I got on Kim's waiting list and after several weeks, we found a mutually agreeable time. 

Kim runs a business called Essential Kneads with her brother, Bruce Kee.  They're located on the top floor of the beautiful old city hall building next to the post office on Washington St.

Cranial sacral massage is one of those topics I feel like I'm in over my head on as soon as I open my mouth.   I don't really understand it, but I have been hearing about cranial sacral massage being used with ASD kids from several sources.  I found this article online, and if you're interested, Kim can tell you more.  Her schedule is tight, but Bruce is just getting certified now to work with children as well and I've heard good reports on his work.

I now take Erin in every three weeks.  The first time we went it was a bit of circus as she wouldn't hold still.  Then each time since, she will hold still a little bit longer.  We both like going-- I think it makes her feel better, and I feel like I am in an oasis of tranquility when I enter Kim's office.

Easter Egg Hunt at the Children's Museum

The Marquette Jaycees are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt at the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum in Marquette on Saturday, April 23rd from 9-10:00 am.  All Children must be under 12 and accompanied by an adult.  There is no cost, but donations are appreciated.

Best of all, they are setting aside a designated area for children with special needs.

Free 2-day training from UPAN in Escanaba

The Upper Peninsula Autism Network is providing a free training program for parents and educators on June 15-16, 8:30-4:00, at Bay de Noc Community College, Joseph Heirman University Center, Escanaba.  The title is "Asperger Syndrome:  Rethinking the Glass House Rule."

I was a little confused by the title and asked Barb Nelson if that meant the conference was only relevant to parents and educators of children diagnosed with AS, and she assured me it did not, that the information would be apply to those with a pdd-nos or mild ASD diagnosis as well.  I was thinking maybe what is meant is any ASD child in a regular classroom setting. 

Now I'm a little confused by what "Rethinking the Glass House Rule" means.  I'll just give the description from the brochure:  "This presentation will offer a new way of thinking about Asperger Syndrome (AS).  The information presented will go beyond specific characteristics of students with AS and instead consider how those characteristics impact the way adults interact with students with AS.  The significant emotional, and often negative, reactions of adults may be due to a misattrabution of the behaviors of AS.  These reactions may impede relationships and social and academic performance, resulting in less positive outcomes for students with AS.

"This presentation will provide a review of attribution theory through the lens of AS, allowing adults working with students with AS to better understand their role in the response to and education of these students."

Presenters:
Maureen Ziegler, ED.S.--Autism Education & Intervention Specialist from Grand Valley University/Autism Education Center
Stephanie Dyer--Psychologist from Clinton County RESA
Doug Derdowski--School Social Worker from Clinton County RESA

I found a bit more information on this program on the START website.  I can forward the brochure to you if you send me your e-mail address in a comment (your e-mail address will not automatically appear as sender of a comment; you have to include it in the message).  I also plan to bring copies of the brochure to the next meeting.

If you are interested in attending, you can register online through the Delta-Schoolcraft ISD.

Bullying forum at NMU

Just heard about this from my library director.  (I love all the different directions from which I receive information!)

There will be a free forum at the Reynolds Recital Hall on Tuesday, April 5 from 3-5 pm on bullying:  Bullying... Getting to the Real Problems.

"A public forum co-hosted by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and Northern Michigan University. The Commission and attendees will hear from invited speakers. If you've had an experience with bullying, we'd like to hear from you!"

Willow Farm Therapeutic Riding

As soon as I heard about Willow Farm Therapeutic Riding a little over a year ago, I thought it would be a good program for my daughter, only because I knew she liked pony rides, movement in general, and heights.  I didn't expect much beyond it being a program she would enjoy.

The director of this program is an OT; the riding the participants do is carefully aligned to help each child's specific needs.  I don't quite understand what happens, but I know this program helps my daughter.  

I do know now that this year I will sign her up for as much saddle time as I can.

The word on the street is that the director of the program will be back in town after April 15, and you can look for this year's schedule online after that.  My source told me sign-up will begin April 26.  

After We're Gone Workshop

Yesterday I received an e-mail from the Superior Alliance for independent Living (SAIL) office about an upcoming workshop being held in Marquette.

The After We’re Gone Workshop is a program to assist parents of adult children with disabilities with information and resources in planning for their daughter or son’s future when they are no longer able to provide care.

This two-day workshop will be held 9:30-3:00 pm, May 23-24 in the Marquette Commons. 

The four parts of the program include the following:

Module #1: Worries & Hopes: Person-Centered Planning
Elizabeth Janks, DDI

Module #2: Where can we find support?
Deb Ziegler, Michigan Dept of Community Health; Representative from local Area Agency on Aging

Module #3: What is Self-Determination?
Michigan Partners for Freedom Local Leaders Pat Carver or Angela Martin

Module #4: Social Security Benefits & Estate Planning
Marty Alward & Others, MDCH; Don Hoyle & Ellen Surge Hyman, The Arc Michigan



For more information or to RSVP, contact: 
Amy Maes, SAIL

amym@upsail.com

1-800-379-7245

Financial assistance may be available for travel costs if traveling from outside of Marquette County.

Minutes for March 2nd meeting

Eight people attended our last meeting with Barb Nelson, Autism Consultant for MARESA as our guest.

We had four new people at the meeting:  the mother or dual diagnosis son with down syndrome and ASD, a couple from Harvey who recently gained custody of their seven-year-old grandson, and a mother of three, including a seven year old son with Asperger Syndrome. 


As usual, I passed around the clipboards seeking recommendations and contact information.  For the first time I had a contact list to hand out to those interested in sharing contact information (not a requirement for participating in the group).  My goal is to update this list every three months.

Resources:
Some new resources mentioned were a diagnosing physician in Milwaukee:

Dr. Jeffrey Crisco
(414) 476-9755
3333 N. Mayfair Road, Suite 113
Wauwatosa, WI 53222

Jennifer reported she had a two week turn around when they brought their son in to see him.

New Down Syndrome Group meeting the 2nd Sunday of each month in the Dandelion Cottage Room of the Peter White Public Library.   

There was also a brief discussion of an increased recognition of ASD in popular media with a contestant on the American Idol TV show and a character on the show Parenthood.  

Barb Nelson:

Barb Nelson introduced herself, described her experience working with children with autism in Upstate New York where she was originally certified.  When she moved here in the 1990's, she had to become re-certified to work in Michigan and was one of the first two graduated of the online autism program through NMU.  

Her job for MARESA includes many roles, including that of Autism Consultant for the schools in both Marquette and Alger County.  As part of this job, she works with UPAN-- the Upper Peninsula Autism Network, an arm of the STatewide Autism Resources and Training (START) project.  UPAN is made up of members of all the Upper Peninsula ISD's and as a group they look to identifying and meeting the autism education needs for our area.  

Coming up on June 15 and 16 UPAN will be offering a training opportunity for parents and educators at Bay de Noc College in Escanaba.  Project Impact will host a program in August in Sault Ste Marie.  (More information on these events forthcoming.)

Currently Barb is working in the schools to try to create a point person for each school that parents and teachers can approach with questions regarding best practices for working with students on the Spectrum.   One of the messages that Barb tries to get across to teachers is that best practice strategies used with autism work with all kids.  

One of the tips she offered to parents in the group was to allow for processing time when talking to children on the spectrum.  As she explained, those with ASD often don't prune the information that comes to them.  Typically, when we receive new information our brains will select the most important parts and prune out those parts that are extraneous.  The child with autism will retain all parts-- kind of like see a photograph versus seeing an iconographic picture.  As a result, it is therefore more difficult to retrieve information from the brain and may take a child longer to answer a question.  When we can simplify and slow down the rate in which we present new information we can help autistic children process that information and improve communication.   

One of the questions she answered was "how to tell if your child is getter what they need?"  Her response was to ask "Is the student successful in their classroom?"

Barb said she would like to work with our group and be a resource to us without intruding on what we are doing.  She brought copies of her business card.  Her number at MARESA is 906-226-5176.  

Announcements:

Our group will be co-sponsoring a screening of the movie Temple Grandin in the Peter White Public Library Community Room on Monday April 11, 2011 in honor of National Autism Awareness Month.  

This HBO movie earned several Emmies, including best Actress for Claire Danes.  The film depicts Temple Grandin's struggles in school and the early part of her career as she learned to live with autism and establish herself as an expert in the field of animal management.  

Dr. Foster Cline, co-author of the Love and Logic Series, will be speaking  speaking at the Upfront on May 5 about stress and parenting.

The MARESA Special Education Parent Advisory Committee is hosting a family fun night at YMCA this Sunday, March 13 from 6-8:00.

Corrections and additions:

If you have any corrections or additions to these minutes, please let me know.

NMU Sorority sponsoring fundraiser for Autism Speaks

Alpha Xi Delta’s AmaXIng Challenge: Xi Marks the Spot

This event, scheduled for April 2 (World Autism Awareness Day) hosted by Northern Michigan University's chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, is intended to raise funds for their national philanthropy, Autism Speaks.

Xi Marks the Spot is a campus treasure hunt based on the board game Cranium. Teams of students will be required to accomplish 10 different tasks at stations set up across campus. The stations consist of challenges based on physical, mental, fun/goofy and artistic activities. A puzzle piece will be awarded to each team upon completion of the task. Each team’s final challenge will be to complete a puzzle.

They are currently excepting any and all donations until April 9th.  For more information contact Linaye Whitehead at lwhitehe@nmu.edu.

Superior Aliance for Independent Living (SAIL) conducting community needs survey

This survey is open through the end of March. 

SAIL is conducting a survey in all of the Upper Peninsula counties to gather input regarding community needs.  The information will then be used to make sure that voices are heard when programs and policies are created that affect persons with disabilities. 

The survey can be completed online at http://survey.aacil.org/html/sail/sailsurvey.htm and it takes only 15 minutes.

Fun gross motor outlet at NMU this Saturday

The following was forwarded to me by a friend:

Superior Dome Inflatable Game Day

Saturday, March 12 - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Come help us Pump Up the Dome at NMU's First Annual Inflatable Game Day!  Enjoy the largest assortment of inflatable games and activities including:  Bounce Houses, Slides & Obstacles, The U.P.'s Largest Indoor Sandbox, Wildcat Willy & NMU Athletes

$10- General Admission

$7- 4 years and younger
Adults: Free when accompanying a child.

Young Athletes tonight

The next three Young Athletes sessions have been scheduled.  There will be one tonight, March 7, at 6:30-7:30 in the Sandy Knoll Gym.  These fun, active sessions are for all special needs kids from ages 2-8.

Update:  The next two sessions are Monday April 11 and Monday May 2.

Feeling stressed?

Found a link to this article comparing the stress level of moms with kids with autism to that of combat soldiers on another board that I follow.  Have heard of similar studies before regarding the stress levels of parents of kids on the spectrum.  So if you were thinking you deserve a break, yes you do!  (You certainly deserve a support group :-)

Sibshops at MGH

Marquette General Hospital is offering their Sibshops program on Monday March 14 from 5:30-7:30 pm.  This program is for the siblings (ages 5-12) of special needs kids.  Call (906) 225-3081 for more information or to register.  The registration fee is $5.00 per child, and a limited number of scholarships are available.  Here's a link to a flyer for this program. 

Family Night Out at the Y: Food and Fun for Everyone!

The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is hosting a free family fun outing for the families whose children are currently receiving Special Education services. Your family is invited to this free evening of fun. The “Y” has been reserved and food will be served between 6:00 & 8:00. Please join us and bring the whole family. No RSVP is needed. An adult must accompany children.  This event will be held between 6 and 8:30 pm on Sunday, March 13 at the Marquette YMCA on Fair and Pine Streets.  Families will have use of the pool, gym, tot gym and game room.

Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services to Conduct Public Hearings on Administrative Rules and Documents

There will be a hearing held locally at MARESA on Friday March 11 from 1-2:30.  More information at the Michigan Office of Special Education website.  I learned about this while sitting in on a session given by Joanne Winkelman at the Special Education Conference last week.