KindTree FLASH ! December 14, 2007
www.kindtree.org
Seasons Greetings,
And
so the dark approaches, the shortest day of the year,
the longest darkness. Will the sun ever return? We have
faith it will.
The promise of that ancient faith is what still propels
all of modern times' celebrations this holiday season:
the return of the sun, the light in the world, the life
saving warmth, the hope of peace. Together, with love
and faith, we can make all our dreams a reality.
May your holidays be filled with deep guffaws and lingering
grins.
Tim Mueller
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Autism Rocks Holiday Cards have generated record sales
this season - over $1,000! Thanks to the Hilyard Center's
Marketable Arts program and the Holiday Market for inviting
KindTree to join their events, and to Keith Walker for
his outstanding volunteer sales. Our artists will see
the results of your efforts in their January payments.
Thank you all.
NEWS
Eugene Police Commission and Human
Rights Commission to Hold Joint Meeting
The Eugene Police Commission is planning
to hold a conversation with the Human Rights Commission
in February on issues that concern both groups. Among
these issues is how police officers interact with people
with special needs - including autism - and how that interaction
could be improved. Concerns include both when the person
with special needs is involved in suspicious seeming or
disruptive behavior, and when they might be the victim
of a crime. The Police Commission makes policy recommendations
to the City Council and Police Department.
If you would like to call attention
to an issue in this area, please contact Police Commissioner
Tim Mueller. Your
input is vital.
Wrong Planet.Net
I'm a reader of the Asperger community
website Wrongplanet.net.
According to the thread located at http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt50148.html
, the site needs publicity that could lead to financial
support.
I'd like to suggest that Kindtree
put a mention of the site in the next monthly newsletter
and put a link up on the website. I'm sure many of our
folks would be interested in Wrongplanet.
- Russ Fegles
Senate
Bill 1, Mental Health Parity
To Parents of Children with Autism in Oregon:
Senate Bill 1, Mental Health Parity, which includes Pervasive
Developmental Disorders, has been in effect for almost
one year. HB 2918, Parity for Pervasive Developmental
Disorders, will go into effect on January 1, 2008. For
monitoring the efficacy of both these pieces of legislation,
it is vitally important to file a complaint with the Oregon
Insurance Division IF you receive a denial for coverage
from your health insurance company.
https://www4.cbs.state.or.us/exs/ins/complaint/
The Oregon Insurance Division collects important data
on these laws, and can also assist families through the
appeals and denial process.
http://www.insurance.oregon.gov/publications/consumer/3235.pdf
Data on approved claims will also be helpful for tracking
and developing potential amendments for the 2009 session
based on trends collected through the Insurance Division.
Parents, who have insurance through the Oregon Medical
Insurance Pool (OMIP) or PEBB (Public Employees Benefit
Plan), are also covered under SB1 and HB 2918. Both OMIP
and PEBB choose to follow state mandates.
For more information contact:
Oregon Insurance Division
Consumer Advocacy Hotline
1-888-877-4894 (toll-free)
(503) 947-7984 (Salem)
www.insurance.oregon.gov
KindTree invites
you to consider volunteering on our Board of Directors.
Help run our Art Program, Summer Camp, Autism Forum,
and plan with us for the future. Please call Mary-Minn
Sirag, 541 689 2228.
|
|
What's
New at KINDTREE.ORG.
Autism Community Center
Survey
fill it
out here
DID YOU GET
A
KICKER?
Why not share it with
KindTree?
Help support our Artists, our Summer Camp, our Future.
|
Autism
Rocks featured in the December
27
Eugene Weekly.
more
here...
|
| Jan
9 and 11, 2008
Hilyard Center
Adaptive Recreation and LILA
Healthy Lifestyles Workshops
FREE
fun and educational 3-day
workshop with monthly support group
More here...
|
| January,
19, 2008
ASO sponsored
Housing Conference
Planning for a Safe and Caring Environment
for People Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Abernathy Center
606 15th Street
Oregon City, OR
More
here in the
ASO Region 8 Newsletter
|
| May
30-31, 2008
Oregon Disabilities
MEGA CONFERENCE
Educate, Empower, Inspire, Connect
Bend Or.
more here...
|
| October
22 - 24
Healthy Brain Conference
Key Impacts and Interventions
in Eugene, OR
SAVE THE DATE
|
www.SiobhansDream.com
Watch
for Siobhan on Doctor Phil, Dec 18th!!
Just
wanted to let you know that prints and note cards of some
of siobhan's more popular paintings that have been sold
are now available now.
There are also many other talented Artists with Autism
on this wonderful site.. so please look around!
Please forward this to spread the creativity & beauty
of Autism.
Julie Forrester
www.SiobhansDream.com
ASO
Respite Program:
Take a Break on ASO
Read
more here...
|
|
With over
34 years of experience, Autism And Special Needs
Furniture creates custom micro fiber foam-filled
pillow furniture with optional protective cover systems.
Our products have been developed with the help of Mary-Minn
Sirag and several local occupational therapists specifically
to serve the demands of the special needs community. Products
include: The Hug Chair, The Hug Bed & Lounger, the larger,
free-standing Nesting Chair and Nesting Love seat, and many
more. Visit us on the web at www.autismfurniture.com
or visit our store at 1851 River Road in Eugene. Safe, supportive,
comforting, durable, and affordable, perfect for any special
needs! |
|
Robb
Bokich
donated 2 beautiful pillow chairs that we raffled off
at this year's Retreat. Thank you so much, Robb! |
Fever
May Suppress Some Autistic Behaviors: Study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 03 - The behaviors of children
with autism spectrum disorders may improve with the onset of
fever, according to the results of a prospective study published
Monday. The study findings support anecdotal reports and clinical
case reports.
Dr. Andrew W. Zimmerman from the Kennedy Krieger Institute
in Baltimore and colleagues assessed the parent-reported behaviors
of 30 autistic children aged 2 to 18 years during and after
an episode of fever of at least 38.0 degrees Celsius (100.4
degrees Fahrenheit).
As reported in the December issue of Pediatrics (electronic
pages), they observed fewer aberrant behaviors during fever,
as rated on the ABC (Aberrant Behavior Checklist) domains of
irritability, hyperactivity, stereotypy, and inappropriate speech
compared with afebrile matched controls with autism spectrum
disorders.
Twenty-five of 30 children (83%) showed fewer aberrant behaviors
during fever on at least one of the ABC scale domains. However,
all improvements were transient.
To determine whether the documented behavioral changes were
related to general behavioral suppression tied to illness, as
opposed to a specific response to fever, the data on fever were
stratified on variables related to illness severity.
"The majority of these subgroup comparisons suggested
that behavior change was not a function of illness severity,"
Dr. Zimmerman and colleagues report. The effects of fever on
behavior persisted in less sick patients as well as in those
with more severe illness.
They caution, however, that more research is needed "to
prove conclusively fever-specific effects and elucidate their
underlying biological mechanisms (possibly involving immunologic
and neurobiological pathways, intracellular signaling, and synaptic
plasticity)."
"Understanding the role of fever, if any, may be informative
regarding causative mechanisms of and treatment opportunities
for autism," Dr. Zimmerman and colleagues write.
Pediatrics 2007;120:e1386-e1392
U.S. Appoints
Autism Advocates to New Federal Panel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) Nov 28 - Advocates who believe vaccines
may cause autism will join mental health professionals and neurologists
on a new federal panel to coordinate autism research and education,
the U.S. Health and Human Services Department said on Tuesday.
Parents of children with autism and a writer who has an autism
spectrum disorder will also be on the Interagency Autism Coordinating
Committee, HHS said.
"The committee's first priority will be to develop a strategic
plan for autism research that can guide public and private investments
to make the greatest difference for families struggling with
autism," said Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National
Institute for Mental Health and the chairman of the new committee.
The committee was authorized under the Combating Autism Act
of 2006. The U.S. government has been under pressure to step
up research on autism, which can severely disable a child by
interfering with speech and behavior.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates
that about one in every 150 children has autism or a related
disorder such as Asperger's syndrome -- which adds up to about
560,000 people up to age 21 in the United States.
"This important committee will play a key role in coordinating
autism research, services, and education related to autism spectrum
disorder," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a statement.
Some of the committee's members have been at odds with government
agencies in the past. Registered nurse Lyn Redwood, president
of the Coalition for Safe Minds, has frequently accused the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of covering
up evidence that vaccines cause autism.
Another member, Lee Grossman, is president of the Autism Society
of America, which also argues that vaccines can cause the disorder.
Many medical studies have failed to show evidence that vaccines
or their ingredients cause autism. The Institute of Medicine,
which advises the federal government on health matters, issued
an unusually strongly worded report urging that researchers
look elsewhere for a cause for autism but the advocacy groups
are unconvinced and are vocal about it.
Other members of the new committee include Dr. Duane Alexander,
director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development; Dr. James Battey, director of the National Institute
on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders at NIH; and Story
Landis, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke.
Stephen Shore, executive director of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Consulting, himself was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder
and wrote a book, "Understanding Autism for Dummies."
The group will meet twice a year and make recommendations for
new areas of research.
Thanks to Gary Cornelius for his article sleuthing.
Thanks to you for listening.
