ASO Digest: Information on Events, Resources, etc.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Information on new initiatives, seminars, resources, etc. FYI - Please share.

- Support ASA's "The Treatment Guided Research Initiative"

- Research Request, Physical activity

- Workshops on Sibling Issues and Training on the Sibshop Model

- New Book, THE SOUL OF AUTISM

- ASGC 3rd Annual 's Deram Bash for Autism, Cincinnati

- ASGC Annual Holiday Brunch, Cincinnati

- FEAT of GC and ASGC Collaborative Spring Conference, Cincinnati

- Classes Presented by The O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cincinnati

- Positions available at OCALI

- OCALI Survey on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Transition to Community is Now Available!

Have you purchased your Ohio Autism Awareness License Plate yet? To purchase yours, visit www.oplates.com and click on "Specialty Plates" or visit our website at www.autismohio.org for more information.Sincerely,Barbara C. YavorcikCo-PresidentAutism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...home: byavorcik@...web: www.autismohio.org Please note: This is provided for information purposes only. The ASO does not endorse or recommend any providers, methodologies or services. Providing this information should not be construed as an endorsement by the ASO, either explicit or impiled.

Support ASA's "The Treatment Guided Research Initiative"

Help Support our mission and provide hope Now:http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=PPz7I1kQcmzlhpOgBpfERg..I am writing to you about one of the most significant initiatives wehave ever undertaken called "The Treatment Guided ResearchInitiative". (TGRI) is a huge leap forward from hopelessness totreatment that has the potential to put an end to the statement "Wecannot treat autism".Our goal is to raise $1.5 million dollars to launch TGRI and supportour mission to help fund a transformational treatment paradigmproviding new options for individuals and families now.http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=UkDxoNIpEiGjeSrSxVyJpg..TGRI is about NOW and HOW...and your gift today makes this possible.http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=0fYZ0STiU3pLG4WDft2B3Q..Regardless of the differences among the many treatments andapproaches that already exist, the fact remains that we can and must help people now. For many years, autism has been characterized as incurable and untreatable. Today, however, we are finding that many of itsresulting features are chronic and therefore treatable. Because some ofautism's features cause pain, suffering and reduction of life options, makingtreatments optimal and available is a very high priority and constitutesa moral obligation for physicians, scientists and policy-makers.In order to do this, we need your support. Thank you for supportingASA as we improve the lives of all those affected by autism.http://www.autism-society.org/site/R?i=5jhotIrmZ9-tXmVEn6gozA..With gratitude and hope,Lee GrossmanFather of a child with autismPresident, Autism Society of America

Research Request, Physical activity

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DETERMINANTS IN YOUTH WITH HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM Physical activity determinants from a family system perspective in youth with autism are not widely investigated. It is a critical issue for this group to understand underlying factors considering the decline in physical activity with age and the effect of social constraints on youth with high functioning autism (Pan & Frey, 2005). Therefore, youth with high functioning autism are more dependent on family members to engage in physical activity. More research to better understand family variables and physical activity is essential to enhance the research efforts in order to improve physical activity levels of this particular population. Since physical activity from a family systems framework is a neglected area in this population, such research might help not just the educators, but families and professionals in the community to encourage and provide more physical activity options and opportunities for this particular group. In this study, a quantitative and qualitative study of physical activity determinants of youth with high functioning autism from a family systems perspective will be investigated.

A mixed method research design will be conducted. The participants in the study are going to be 12 families of youth with high functioning autism; ages 12 through 21, including siblings and parents/caregivers. Quantitative data will be collected by using a triaxial accelerometer (RT3) to study the overall relationships among participant’s daily movements within each family. Participants will be asked to wear the activity monitor for 7 day period except in water activities and sleeping. Qualitative part of the study will include Q sort responses of parents and interviews of all participants including children with high functioning autism, parents/caregivers and siblings. Demographic information of the participants will be reported. All interviews will be audio taped.

From the Researcher:

The age range of youth with high functioning autism is 12-21. Youth with high functioning autism, their siblings (if any) and parents/caregivers will be asked to wear accelerometer for seven days. After seven days, parents will sort statements regarding their families physical activity (Qsort)and then be interviewed. After the data from these parents will be interviewed one more time and siblings and youth with high functioning autism will aslo be interviewed. All interviews will be audiotyped and will take place whereever participants feel comfortable. I will be travelling to collect the data. The only thing I am asking is their time for the interviews. I have the Indiana University Human Subjects Committee (IRB) approval and also am one of the recipients of graduate grant from Organization of Autism Research for the study. This is my dissertation research and I am planning to finish up with it by June/July 2008. A brief summary of my study is also attached. Hopefully this information is helpful. If you need any further information please let me know. Thank you for your kind attention.Sincerely,Nalan R. AyvazogluPhD CandidateIndiana UniversityDepartment of KinesiologySchool of HPERBloomington, IN, 47405Phone: (812) 325 4629email: nayvazog@...

TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE CONTACT HIM AT THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS

Workshops on Sibling Issues and Training on the Sibshop Model

The Sibling Support Project is pleased to announce that we are now scheduling workshops for 2008. Please share this announcement with families you know and training directors, conference planners, and coordinators of family services from appropriate agencies.Many agencies wisely value the families they serve and are committed to providing family-centered care and services. However, even the most family-friendly agencies often overlook brothers and sisters. Brothers and sisters are too important to ignore, if for only these reasons:

Siblings will be in the lives of family members with special needs longer than anyone. Brothers and sisters will be there after parents are gone and special education services are a distant memory. If they are provided with support and information, they can help their sibs live dignified lives from childhood to their senior years.

Throughout their lives, brothers and sisters share many of the concerns that parents of children with special needs experience, including isolation, a need for information, guilt, concerns about the future, and caregiving demands. Brothers and sisters also face issues that are uniquely theirs including resentment, peer issues, embarrassment, and pressure to achieve.

No classmate in an inclusive classroom will have a greater impact on the social development of a child with a disability than brothers and sisters will. They will be their siblings’ life-long “typically-developing role models.â€

The Sibling Support Project is the United States’ only national project dedicated to the concerns of brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental and mental health concerns. We specialize in providing lively, family-friendly, and highly-rated workshops on sibling (and father and grandparent!) issues to audiences of parents, service providers, university staff and students, and siblings of all ages. We’ve conducted workshops on sibling issues in all 50 states, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Guatemala, New Zealand, and England and have helped establish over 200 replications of our award-winning Sibshop program in eight countries. Our books for families include Sibshops, Views from Our Shoes, Living with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs, and Uncommon Fathers and our new book for teen sibs, The Sibling Slam Book. And our work and publications have been featured in newspapers (Washington Post, New York Times), magazines (Exceptional Parent, Sesame Street Parent, Reader’s Digest), professional publications (JASH, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, The American Academy of Pediatrics News), and television (ABC News’ 20/20, Nightline, World News Tonight and Brazelton on Parenting) across the United States. We’d welcome an opportunity to present at your agency or your next conference or training event. We’ll show you how parents and providers can decrease siblings’ concerns and increase their opportunities, how to create “sibling friendly†services, and even how to start your own Sibshop.Addressing siblings’ concerns benefits everyone: brothers, sisters, parents, agencies, taxpayers and especially the family member who has special needs. In many important ways, brothers and sisters ARE the future--and are too important to ignore.If you would like to learn more about our workshops, seminars, and keynotes please call or contact us by email and we’d be happy to send you more information. Our schedule is beginning to fill up, but we still have openings.

Don MeyerDirector, Sibling Support ProjectA Kindering Center program6512 23rd Ave. NW #213Seattle, WA 98117206-297-6368donmeyer@...www.siblingsupport.orgonline training calendar: http://plus.calendars.net/sibshopOur Brothers, Our Sisters, Ourselves

New Book, THE SOUL OF AUTISM

Dear Friends,

I have just returned from making my first presentation in a spiritual forum at the ChildSpirit Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was an exhilarating experience to receive overwhelming affirmation that everything I've been surmising and researching and writing about independently and intuitively was absolutely spot-on in keeping with current trends in the field of children's spirituality: compassion, mental wellness, acute sensitivities, heart-mind entrainment, and the importance of qualitative, reciprocal relationships that lead to unlimited spiritual possibilities!

I am pleased to announce that my sequel to Autism and the God Connection, titled The Soul of Autism, will publish this April through New Page Books but is available now for pre-order on Amazon.com at the discounted price of $10.19. Amazon is also offering an additional 5% discount as an added incentive for those who pre-order now. You may learn more about the book and read the advance praise its garnered directly at the link below. For those who enjoyed Autism and the God Connection, I promise this new book will reveal further, stunning information of which we should all be conscious and aware.

Click here: Demystifying Autism from the Inside Out | Bill's Books

http://www.williamstillman.com/books.html

Blessings,

StillmanAutism Spectrum Self-Advocate, Author, and Consultantwww.williamstillman.com

ASGC 3rd Annual 's Deram Bash for Autism

Sunday, November 18, 2007

6pm-9pm

Brazenhead Irish Pub

Enjoy an devening of Irish music, dinner, drinks, raffles, silent auction, door prizes and incredible camaraderie in a beautiful setting.

Brazenhead closes only one time each year for a charity, and ASGC is that charity! The cost of the event is $35.00/couple $20.00/adult and $15.00 for hihg school students. Tickets can be ordered at 513-266-4404, 937-604-8733 or toll free at 877-433-8200. You can see the complete brochure at www.jennysdream.org. Or visit ASGC at www.autismcincy.org

ASGC Annual Holiday Brunch

Mark Devember 1st on your calendar! This is the date for the ASGC Annual Holiday Brunch and a visit from Santa himself.

The fun-filled family event will be held at the Drake Hospital Conference Center, 1st floor from 9:30am to 110:30am

The morning's activities are for kids and adults alike, and will include seasonal music, tasty goodies, and craft creations in a relaxed atmosphere. THis event is free of charge, but space i slimited and reservations are required.

Please call 513-561-2300 after November 10th to register your name, phone number and number of children and adults attending. We will ot call to confirm your registration, but we will call in the unfortunate event that space is filled. Due to the limited attendance, please call and cancel if you become unable to attend. See you there!

For more info visit www.autismcincy.org.

FEAT of GC and ASGC Collaborative Spring Conference

Save the Date: FEAT of GC and ASGC Collaborative Spring Conference April 12th, 2008

Last year’s FEAT/ASGC Spring Conference was “Sold Outâ€. So be sure and save the date for the next FEAT/ASGC Spring Conference when we welcome Dr. Ray Romanczyk to our autism community on April 12th, 2008. Dr. Romanszyk, Director of the Institute for Child Development, will discuss behavior problems, assessment, goal selection, and skill building. His work has been published in many professional journals and books, and he has written extensively in the fields of early childhood behavior and developmental, emotional, and learning disabilities. More details to follow. Visit www.autismcincy.org.

Classes Presented by The O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders

The O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TKOC) in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, with support from Hamilton County Board of MRDD and the Autism Society of Greater Cincinnati, presents a number of classes on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). For all classes, you must register with Mark Brasington at 513-636-5352 (or) mark.brasington@....

“New to the Diagnosis Seriesâ€: held from 6:30-8:30PM at Madeira Middle School (Cafeteria) 6612 Miami Ave, Cincinnati. The class below has a $5.00 registration fee. Class size is limited.

December 3, 2007 "Educational Interventions for ASD"

*Next "New to the Diagnosis Series" begins January, 2008

"Getting Started: An Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders for Families (A Series)" This series is for families who want to learn more about ASD and who want to learn effective strategies for working with their child with ASD. The class is limited in size, and registration priority goes to families diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder within 6 mos. of the start of the series. Classes run from 7-9PM. Dates: January 15, 22, 29 and February 5, 2008 (must attend all four) and will be held at the Sharonville Public Library 10980 Thornview Dr. Cost: Hamilton County residents - one registrant $25.00, two registrants $40.00 Non-Hamilton County residents - one registrant $40.00, two registrants $60.00

"Intro to The O'Leary Center†(TKOC) Class" Free class held the first Thursday of the month, this class provides an overview of services offered by TKOC and how to access those services.

Positions available at OCALI

OCALI is in need of 2 autism consultants and 2 secretaries. The position descriptions are available on the OCALI website (www.ocali.org).

OCALI Survey on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Transition to Community is Now Available!

Target group to complete survey:

Family Members with individuals on the autism spectrum (ages 14 and older), Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ages 14 and older), and Professionals that support individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Transition to Community encompasses transition to employment, postsecondary education/training, and to community participation, including residential options, health care and financial management. Results of this survey will provide information to OCALI, Ohio Department of Education and other state agencies regarding the experiences of students with ASD in school, their activities after leaving school, and their ongoing needs for supports and services as an adult.

The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

To take the survey - visit www.ocali.org. The survey is on the homepage.See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.