July 2004

Collaborative Medical Education Project

Third year medical students who are on their pediatric clinical rotation are getting a new perspective on family care thanks to a project that sends them directly into homes of parents who have children with special needs or disabilities. This program is in collaboration with the Bethesda based Institute for Family Centered Care. The institute recruits, trains and supports parents to serve as faculty and advisers for the project. The goal of this program is to have the medical students understand the demands facing families with special needs children. The medical students do home visits for several hours in order to understand the demands facing families who have children with diagnoses of Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and/or severe/profound multiple disabilities. To schedule an orientation meeting, or to learn more about this program please contact Penny Veerhoff at 301-295-2805.

Here is a way for kids to deal with their issues and learn about emotions in a safe, fun and creative environment. It is a game one can order: "Oceans of Emotions".

Taylor Made Games are actual board games that are specifically designed, and customized, to meet the needs of a child with special needs. Based on your individual responses to a detailed questionnaire that the company provides, the game will be customized for you and your child. The game can be used over and over again with newly designed sets of cards that address your family's special concerns. The games focus specifically on behavioral and emotional issues. They can also address such things as peer pressure, social issues, and communication challenges. The developer of the game is a behavior specialist with an expertise in working with special needs children. For more information log on to www.oceansofemotions.com. One of our families has ordered this game and found it extremely valuable. Hope you do too! We have posted two brochures on our bulletin board for your perusal.

Information on The Brain Injury Foundation

Since 1984, The Virginia Central Registry for Brain Injury has been providing information and assistance to anyone who qualifies by definition of a traumatic brain injury. This central registry is housed at the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services and is an excellent outreach program. If your child has suffered a traumatic brain injury, you should call 804-355-5748 in order to get identified in this program.

DanceAbilities is now advertising their fall schedule. Classes in perceptual awareness and creative expression and movement will be held at a variety of locations. Call 703-218-0751.

As always many of our "graduates" and their parents continue to call with information on their children. Here are a few more great stories:
• Melanie R. has spastic diplegia. She was a patient of mine when she was a baby. She is now about 24 years old and has just received her Master Degree in Social Work. She is moving to London with a group of friends to look for work! Melanie had the typical medical course of physical therapy, numerous orthopedic surgeries, and very delayed gross motor skills. She still walks with bilateral canes and wears bilateral orthotics. Just a great success story to share.
• Catherine F. has cerebral palsy. She will be starting college at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where she will major in music and flute. Catherine also has been a patient of ours for many years due to the diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
• James Mc. has a brachial plexus injury. He is currently in college and has tried out for the Olympic Track Team (for special needs) His time was just short of making the Olympic Team and running in Greece. He also was recently at an Air Show where he was tested by the Marines using their specific criteria for their Marine Fitness Test. He was able to perform eleven one arm pull ups! Very impressive!

Dr. Stanley Greenspan and The International Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders are looking for videotapes of children who have been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder showing their early months and years of life. If you are able to assist with this study by providing videotapes and background information, please call or write for more information: ICDL Early Detection Study, 4938 Hampden Lane, Suite 800, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Phone: 301-656-2667.