The EARLI study is seeking volunteers who have a child with ASD and are planning to get pregnant or are less than 20 weeks pregnant. The study is being conducted in Maryland, California, and Pennsylvania. See this flyer for more information.

This recently released study demonstrated, again, the effects of early intervention for toddlers with autism. See the link here.

If you haven’t read about the new report form the National Autism Center on evidence-based treatments, it is worth taking a look at their website.

Have you seen the movie, The Horse Boy?

I had the opportunity to be one of the 80 in attendance, at the Rafael Movie Theater on 4th street in San Rafael, to experience the journey that a mom and dad made with their son with autism in search of hope. How is it that a mom and dad from Texas sought a trip to Mongolia to find HOPE? How is it that they could not find HOPE in the state of Texas or for that matter any state in the United States for their son? When will more professionals in the United States be able to work side by side with families to help them feel hopeful in stead of telling them that the interventions their son or daughter needs are not available, too expensive, not covered by insurance or not evidence based.

You must see the lengths that Rowan’s mom and dad go through in order to locate healers, reindeer, the reindeer people and the miracle waters they hope will change the course of their son’s autism. They have been to all the right specialists and doctors in the United States but Rowan still has restricted play skills, no friends, either chooses not to communicate or communicates in his own unique jargon, has sever tantrums several times a day and is not making any progress in toileting training. He goes no where without his plastic animals in his hands and continues to line them up like trains on a track in no apparent meaningful manner.

Rowan’s parents want more than anything to see the pain their son experiences several times a day vanish. They hope that the day will come soon when their son will not need them to clean him off after a bowel movement in his pants, down his legs, in his shoe and they long for their son to enjoy a real connection with another child.

One of the insights they discover and hang deeply onto is Rowan’s incredible ability to interact and relate to animals. What they appreciate is the animals’ tolerances of Rowan’s interactions. The animals seem to be able to remain calm while Rowan touches them in, lifts them, puts them in a cardboard box with him and lies upon them. Rowan’s father has one special wish; that Rowan successfully rides a horse, totally independent and with extreme excitement and joy, something he has experienced in his life and wants desperately for Rowan to share. He gets excited about the possibility when Rowan has an amazing experience on a neighbors horse, (Betsy).

Rowan makes some small changes along the journey but some amazing changes immediately after his final session with the shaman of the reindeer people. Both Kristin and Rupert engage you in reflective thinking at this point in the movie. You are left to decide for yourself if it was the healing from the shaman, the journey, their expectations or all of it.

I choose to admire the strength and courage of this family. I choose to value the process this family went through to accept their child and I choose to believe that hope and faith are still needed in our world today. It has been and will always be parents like Rowan’s who find ways to reach and teach their children. I choose remain open to possibilities.

See the movie and decide for yourself.

I plan on reading the book published by Little, Brown and Company by Rupert Isaacson to explore in more detail the journey.

I also plan to find out about the amazing therapeutic riding school that Rowan’s father has set up in Austin, Texas, where he is helping other children.

Karen Kaplan
Private Consultant/Special Needs
karensupportsu@comcast.net
www.karenkaplanasd.com

Need some help cooking GF/CF this winter? Check this resource out.

Karen Kaplan
Consultant
karensupportsu@comcast.net

Great resource for families, residential schools, and homes.

Safe and Sound Program

Medicalert Safe and Sound Program

Karen Kaplan
Consultant
karensupportsu@comcast.net
415-497-3751

Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center has recently received a large amount of new ASD materials. Please check the list and contact Matrix if you are interested in using them.

The MAC Early Years Sub-committee is working with other early years service providers to provide developmental screenings for children at the following events for Binational Health Week!

Canal Health and Safety Day
Saturday, October 10, 200911:00-3:00
Marin Health and Wellness Campus
3240 Kerner Blvd.
San Rafael, CA

Verde y Saludable Novato
Saturday, October 17, 2009, 11:00-2:00
Marin Community Clinics
6100 Redwood Blvd.
Novato, CA

Connecting People to Resources: An Information and Resource Fair for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Rafael, on the campus of Dominican University, an 11 year old boy with Autism put on his volunteer badge and with a little support from a volunteer from Wells Fargo Bank walked from vendor to vendor (50 of them) introducing himself and requesting their business cards.

Jacob had his own business card collection but on this day he was collecting an additional card for a special drawing. With an occasional reminder to make eye contact before greeting someone, extending his handshake and saying thank you after receiving someone’s card, Jacob connected to over 100 people in the room.

Then with the same spirit, of Johnny Carson greeting his guests, Jacob announced the 4 door prize winners and raised both his hands over his head verbally cheering them for their success at winning the door prize.

Then there were the half a dozen teens from Autistry Studios, a non profit helping teens and young adults with HFA and Asperger become successfully independent by leveraging their interests and talent, eagerly explaining their artistic and creative constructions to the fair’s attendees. They were so eager to explain how they planned, designed and created these detailed miniatures in their workshop.

Finally there was Julia, an 11 year old student with Asperger, who gladly wore her volunteer badge and helped out in the child care room, playing with younger ASD children, whose parents or grandparents were attending one of the workshops offered that day.

Ten workshops, attended by a total of 123 participants, (parents, grandparents, teachers and colleges students) provided solutions to many core challenges facing children, teens and adults with ASD; sleeping issues, sensory problems, bio medical, the IEP process, special needs trusts and long term financial planning, preparing teens to work and playing.

To top that off students from Sonoma State University and Dominican University attended workshops and volunteered in fair activities. How perfect that our FUTURE teachers, therapists, administrators and parents were already learning about effective interventions for ASD.

The event was a success for so many and I am proud to have played a role in creating, developing and implementing such a beneficial event. The greatest gifts were the smiles on Jacob and Julia’s face, as they placed their volunteer badges around their necks and felt part of the community and the delight in the eyes of their moms.

by Karen Kaplan, Fair Director

Don’t miss presentation by Autism Deserves Equal Coverage, an alliance of parents who have successfully fought to have their ABA services funded by their private insurance companies. This presentation will be very valuable for families who have struggled to maintain their current level of services, or have had to fight tirelessly to receive the appropriate services.