May 2005

POAC of Northern Virginia (Parents of Autistic Children) will be sponsoring a workshop on ABA/VB (Adaptive Behavior Analysis/Verbal Behavior) on May 20, 2005. Workshop will be held at George Mason University, Student Union Building, Rooms 5-7, from 8:30-2:30. Excellent speakers, treatment strategies, and videos will be included. Contact Scott at: scott.alan.campbell@atec.army.mil for more info. You may also call Scott at 703-391-2251 for more information on the support group.

The following workshops will be held at Family Compass, 11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 150, Reston, Va. 7-8:30 PM:

• May 19, 2005 Monsters under the bed and other childhood fears: Helping typically developing preschoolers and school age children conquer their fears. Presentor: Alison Krowinski, Psy.D.
• May 26, 2005 Living with loss: Teaching your child how to grieve life's losses, including divorce, changing schools, or a death of a family member. Presenter: Mark Gardner, LCSW
• June 16, 2005 Understanding Learning Disabilities. Presenter: Moshe Shtuhl, Ph.D.

An organization called DAN (Defeat Autism Now) provides information on physicians who treat children with autism. Here's their website: www.autismwebsite.com/ari-lists/danus.html

Asperger Support Group: Barry Loss: 703-866-2121
Pam Escobar: 703-430-3519

REHAB EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE NETWORK

Do you have used rehab equipment you would like to sell or donate? Do you need rehab equipment on a short term basis or want to purchase good used equipment? Log on to www.RehabEquipmentExchange.com for further information.

DanceAbilities presents their annual dance recital: "Let's Go to the Movies" on May 22, 2005 at 3 PM at Paul VI High School, Fairfax, Va. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door. Many of our patients participate in this wonderful presentation.

DanceAbilities summer workshop will be held from August 8-12, 2005 for ages 6 and older. Cost is $500. Deadline is June 8th. Call Lynne Bauer at 703-218-0751 for further details.

If you are in need of equipment due to a disability and are a resident of Virginia, you may be eligible for low-interest loans for a wide variety of special equipment. This may include such things as wheelchairs, scooters, hearing aids, communication systems and environmental devices including vehicle modifications. Contact ATLFA at 866-835-5976 or e-mail them at ATLFA@ATLFA.org

Our OT's have found the book entitled My Many Colors by Dr. Seuss very helpful with children who are having difficulties understanding their emotions and moods. Check it out.

Our very dedicated and wonderful staff of speech, occupational and physical therapists are here to help your child maximize on their treatment sessions. Their direct role is to be an interventionist to your child, a teacher of home programs, and a team member in your family. Please use their skills by keeping them in the loop with your child's progress, or needs. Also keep them informed of other professionals who may be assisting you in the care of your child. If we work as a team, we are that much closer to success.

In addition, if for some reason you are dissatisfied with any treatment, please talk to your therapist openly about this. If you feel your concern is not addressed, the next step would be to contact Suzan Syron directly. The Children's Therapy Center has built the practice on quality services; please help us provide you with the best possible intervention.

• That the frontal lobes of the brain are the last to develop? Recent research has found that the frontal lobes continue to develop through the teenage years and into the early 20's. The frontal lobes are responsible for sleep patterns, executive functioning, planning, reasoning, working memory, organization, selective attention, goal directed behavior, impulse control and mood modulation.
• That fantasy, which involves both interacting with imaginary friends and impersonation, plays a role in child development, both cognitively and emotionally? This kind of activity allows children to manage social situations in a safe context, such as practicing how to handle conflict with something that may or may not talk back to them. Recent studies show that two-thirds of all children have had an imaginary companion by age 7.
• That the earlier you allow a child with a physical disability to gain mobility, the more effective you may be in his/her overall development? Research is showing that between the ages of 10-18 months of age, when a child is crawling or walking, they are efficiently exploring their environment. Children with physical disabilities have delayed self-initiated mobility skills. Therefore, the sooner we allow a child access to either power chairs, or some form of independent mobility, the more we can enhance perceptual and cognitive skills.