News for the Special Education Community
by Christina Samuels – The long-awaited fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM-5, was released last weekend by the American Psychiatric Association with several revisions that affect conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that are common in school contexts. The manual was last published [...]
by Cheryl Preheim – One tiny word points to terrific progress for 3-year-old Alex. As he uses sign language for the word, “ball” he says it too. His therapist, Jaime Formal, cheered. His mom, Naykary looked on smiling a smile of relief and hope. Before Alex was referred to Rocky Mountain Human Services, formerly Denver [...]
by Todd Finkelmeyer – For many families, the occasional evening out for dinner at a restaurant is an enjoyable treat. But for parents who care for children with autism, the notion of eating out can be panic inducing. “We did not eat out at a restaurant until my daughter was 7 or 8 years old,” [...]
by Dr. Peter Jensen – Q: What symptoms should parents watch for if they are worried a young child may have autism? Is it possible to diagnose autism before age 2? A: With careful evaluation by an expert, diagnosing a child younger than 2 with autism is possible. More often, however, autism is identified in [...]
by Dani Carlson – The number of children getting special education services is going down in almost every West Michigan school district, despite the fact that the number of autism diagnoses is climbing. The allegation is that districts are cutting special education services to save money. So Target 8 crunched numbers obtained from the state, [...]
by Lydia Zuraw – Children with autism see simple movements twice as fast as other children their age, a new study finds. Researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Rochester were looking to test a common theory about autism which holds that overwhelming sensory stimulation inhibits other brain functions. The researchers figured they could [...]
by Jessica Yadegaran – Shanti Kurada is the editor and publisher of Autism Bay Area Magazine. Her younger son, Rahul, has autism. She started Autism Bay Area Magazine with the aim of helping other parents feel more connected, have access to information on therapies, tools, and technologies, and find support and inspiration. Here are excerpts [...]
By Suzan E. Kurdak As moms around the world reflect on their role in helping to shape their children this Mother’s Day, Mendy Hood will hold her dear one near and delight in the fact that she has the opportunity to do so. The former deputy has seen more than her share of hospitals, doctors [...]
by Patti Zarling – After the morning bell rings at Howard Elementary School, Jordan Miles reads a book while his classmates work on reading and writing projects of their own. The first-graders move from station to station practicing language skills as Jordan sits quietly at his desk turning pages, or later, listens to audio books [...]
by Rachael Rettner – A simple blood test might be able to reveal whether a child has autism, according to researchers who recently launched a study to evaluate such a test. The study, which began this week and involves 660 participants at 20 facilities around the United States, will examine whether the test can accurately [...]
