SAVE THE DATE(S)
State of New YorkOffice of Mental Retardation and Developmental DisabilitiesAnnounces a series of Public Forums for theFive Year Comprehensive Plan: 2008 - 2012
"We help people with developmental disabilities live richer lives."The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and DevelopmentalDisabilities (OMRDD)is pleased to announce that it will be holding a series of Public Forumsonits new Five Year Comprehensive Plan for Services for the Period 2008through 2012.A schedule of the Public Forum dates and times is listed below. Details for some locations will be announced at a later date. Please register by calling the contact number listed below.Video presentation of forums can be viewed online at www.omr.state.ny.us<http://www.omr.state.ny.us/> following the events.OMRDD intends to utilize the ideas, suggestions, and comments receivedthrough the public forums to develop a Draft Comprehensive Plan. OMRDDurgesself-advocates, parents of people with developmental disabilities, otherfamily members, non-profit providers, professionals, advocates, andotherinterested parties to participate. OMRDD is particularly interested inhearing about the following themes, but commentary is not limited solelytothese themes.1. OMRDD Vision StatementPeople with developmental disabilities* enjoy meaningful relationships with friends, family and othersin their lives,* experience personal health and growth,* live in the home of their choice, and* fully participate in their communities.* What issues most impact on OMRDD's ability to deliver the VisionStatement outcomes for the people we serve?* How can OMRDD and its partners (self-advocates, families,providers and other agencies) improve services to deliver these outcomesforthe people we serve?2. Quality of Services and Customer Satisfaction* How can we better involve self-advocates and families asproductive partners?* What are the key indicators of quality for the people we serve?* What are the national and local best and promising practices NewYork State should consider implementing or replicating?3. Building Community* How can we promote full community participation and contribution?* How can we encourage communities to become more responsive andinclusive?4. Equity and Access to Services* How can OMRDD as a system better support people to truly makeinformed choices about their supports and services?* How do we ensure all individuals, including those with autismspectrum disorders, the aging, people with medical frailties, children,andothers, are provided fair and equitable access to person centeredservices?* How do we better facilitate access to supports and services acrossservice systems for people with multiple disability needs?5. Workforce Capacity into the Future* How do we sustain quality and stability in both direct support andclinical workforce areas in an era of changing workforce demographics?* How do we develop the next generation of leaders throughout thesystem to meet the challenges of tomorrow?Speakers will be asked to register in advance of the forum, limit theircomments to five (5) minutes, and bring three (3) copies of the testimony. Written testimony can alsobesubmitted to Cynthia Redshaw at OMRDD, 44 Holland Avenue, Albany, NY 12229.For general information about the Public Forums, please contact OMRDD's Bureau of Planning:Phone: (518) 474-4904 Fax: (518) 473-0054 E-mail:cynthia.redshaw@omr.state.ny.us<mailto:cynthia.redshaw%40omr.state.ny.us> ____________________________________________________________2008 - 2012 Comprehensive Plan: Public Forum Schedule(To register, obtain more information or directions to the hearinglocation,or to arrange for a special accommodation, please call the contactpersonfor that forum at the number listed below.)Long Island: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - 4 pm to 7 pmEncore Room at the Sheraton Long Island Hotel on Motor Parkway,Hauppauge,NY (Contact: Dr. Richard Evangelista (631) 434-6111)Fishkill: Thursday, June 5, 2008 - 4 pm to 7 pmHoliday Inn, 542 Route 9, Fishkill, NY (Contact: Robert Slawinski (845) 471-9226 x151)Syracuse: Monday, June 9, 2008 - 11 am to 3 pmLocation to be Announced(Contact: Valerie Bushey (315) 473-6977)Queensbury/Lake George: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm Location to be Announced (Contact: Anne Timmons (518) 581-3038)Buffalo: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 2 pm to 5 pm Location to be Announced (Contact: Debby McElwain (716) 517-3831)Binghamton: Monday, June 23, 2008 - 4 pm to 7 pmLocation to be Announced. (Contact: Joseph Mahon (607) 770-0255)New York City: Thursday, June 26, 2008 - 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm and 6 pm to8:30pm 75 Morton St., Manhattan, NY(Contact: Yvonne Anglero (212) 229-3081)Janice FitzgeraldParent to Parent of NYSwww.parenttoparentnys.org518-359-3006, fax 518-359-2151As parents of children with exceptional needs, we have to understandearlyon that our sons and daughters are human beings with potential and thatweare the ones best positioned to unlock that potential. Part of the workatParent to Parent of NYS is to empower parents to face the challenges andbelieve in their child and advocate so they can reach their potential.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Semantic-Pragmatic Language Evaluation
Whether pursuing speech and language evaluation, therapy, or altering current speech and language goals and objectives based on a child’s performance, a thorough assessment of an individual’s language ability is essential to securing a therapist (and services) who will address your child’s specific communication needs. More importantly, a speech and language assessment should be individualized with regard to the types of standardized test batteries selected based on parent/educator’s concerns, previous testing (in both cognitive and speech and language domains), and the cognitive and linguistic profiles of any given subtype of autism, such as Asperger Syndrome (AS), High-Functioning Autism (HFA) PDD-NOS and Autistic Disorder (also known as classic autism) and other developmental disabilities.
A semantic-pragmatic language evaluation, administered by a qualified speech and language pathologist with expertise in the field of autism (and the ability to accurately interpret normative data in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses and how they affect one’s ability to engage in social communication), can identify strengths and weaknesses in the areas of language known as content and use and provide differential diagnosis of a secondary (to autism) language disorder known as semantic-pragmatic language disorder. This disorder:
Selectively affects the language areas of content (particularly meaning and intent) and use (otherwise known as pragmatic language) despite the presence of average to superior form (grammar, speech) or expressiveness
More common in children with AS and HFA (and may not be as apparent or even detected if the proper assessment tools are not used)
Can be present in children without an autism spectrum disorder (Rapin & Allen, 1983; Bishop & Rosenbloom, 1987).
Rapin and Allen described a “semantic-pragmatic syndrome…in which there is fluent and syntactically complex expressive language, but the child has problems in understanding discourse.” Children with deficits in semantics and pragmatics can have impairments in one or more of the following higher-order language skills: figurative language, rules of social language (conflict resolution, generating multiple solutions, debating/disagreeing, accepting consequences, offering compromises) conversational skills (personal introductions, topic initiation, topic maintenance, turn taking, conversational repairs, self-monitoring skills, etc.), and presupposition or perspective taking (incorporating the thoughts and ideas of the listener into conversations, taking their feelings and emotions into account). In the context of academics, children with the aforementioned deficits will have difficulty with assignments that require descriptions of: social characteristics, similarities and differences, overall themes, social nuisances, cause and affect vs. correlation, as well as, comprehension and use of: idioms, figurative language, and overall problem solving abilities including sequencing and predicting.
Many people with a HFA or AS have not been able to qualify for speech and language services in the school or have been discharged from these services due to average to superior performance on the assessments utilized. A majority of tests used in schools districts assess basic area of language including form and speech production or intelligibility. However, many of these students require speech and language therapy to focus on areas of higher-order language, areas that are often not evaluation in a school-based assessment. It should be noted that speech-language pathologists working in school environments are only allotted a small amount of time for testing by their school districts. Therefore they do not have the time that is often needed to conduct comprehensive assessments of all areas of language. A center-based semantic-pragmatic language evaluation allows for a more in-depth evaluation of the language areas affected in HFA and AS.
Gina-Marie Muscillo, speech language pathologist and Stacey Kanin, clinical fellow-speech language pathologist at the Center for Autism, are pleased to offer center-based independent semantic-pragmatic language evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults with HFA, AS, or symptoms of this disorder. Potential candidates for this assessment include people with basic conversational skills (using basic language to talk with others). This type of evaluation typically involves 3-4 hours of standardized testing in the areas of content and use. Specific tests are chosen based on several factors including the patient’s age, primary diagnosis, parental concerns, academic functioning/educator’s concerns, and a review of previous evaluations and IEP’s (1-2 years prior). The tests concentrate on figurative language, inference, ambiguity, contextualized meaning, social judgment, and problem-solving using open-ended questioning and at times visual stimuli. Informal observations are also made regarding a client’s understanding and use of supralinguistics including sarcasm, irony, and humor. The presence of a semantic-pragmatic language disorder is determined after an in-depth review of: previous evaluations across disciplines (speech and language, social work, psychiatry, psychology), current IEP, and results from the semantic-pragmatic language evaluation. Tests Recommendations as to academic modifications, speech and language therapy, specific language goals and objectives, therapy materials and programs, and social skills groups are provided in the final report. Information obtained from this evaluation may warrant a recommendation for further diagnostic testing.
For people over the age of 21 interested in a semantic-pragmatic language evaluation:
At this time standardized testing of higher-order language, is not currently available for people over the age of 21. A semantic-pragmatic language disorder can still be diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist. The testing used for people under the age of 21 is implemented and assessed subjectively by the speech-language pathologist. Informal observations and age-equivalents are also utilized to determine the presence of the disorder.
For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact Gina-Marie Muscillo-Moravcik or Stacey Kanin at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism 516-802-8600
A semantic-pragmatic language evaluation, administered by a qualified speech and language pathologist with expertise in the field of autism (and the ability to accurately interpret normative data in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses and how they affect one’s ability to engage in social communication), can identify strengths and weaknesses in the areas of language known as content and use and provide differential diagnosis of a secondary (to autism) language disorder known as semantic-pragmatic language disorder. This disorder:
Selectively affects the language areas of content (particularly meaning and intent) and use (otherwise known as pragmatic language) despite the presence of average to superior form (grammar, speech) or expressiveness
More common in children with AS and HFA (and may not be as apparent or even detected if the proper assessment tools are not used)
Can be present in children without an autism spectrum disorder (Rapin & Allen, 1983; Bishop & Rosenbloom, 1987).
Rapin and Allen described a “semantic-pragmatic syndrome…in which there is fluent and syntactically complex expressive language, but the child has problems in understanding discourse.” Children with deficits in semantics and pragmatics can have impairments in one or more of the following higher-order language skills: figurative language, rules of social language (conflict resolution, generating multiple solutions, debating/disagreeing, accepting consequences, offering compromises) conversational skills (personal introductions, topic initiation, topic maintenance, turn taking, conversational repairs, self-monitoring skills, etc.), and presupposition or perspective taking (incorporating the thoughts and ideas of the listener into conversations, taking their feelings and emotions into account). In the context of academics, children with the aforementioned deficits will have difficulty with assignments that require descriptions of: social characteristics, similarities and differences, overall themes, social nuisances, cause and affect vs. correlation, as well as, comprehension and use of: idioms, figurative language, and overall problem solving abilities including sequencing and predicting.
Many people with a HFA or AS have not been able to qualify for speech and language services in the school or have been discharged from these services due to average to superior performance on the assessments utilized. A majority of tests used in schools districts assess basic area of language including form and speech production or intelligibility. However, many of these students require speech and language therapy to focus on areas of higher-order language, areas that are often not evaluation in a school-based assessment. It should be noted that speech-language pathologists working in school environments are only allotted a small amount of time for testing by their school districts. Therefore they do not have the time that is often needed to conduct comprehensive assessments of all areas of language. A center-based semantic-pragmatic language evaluation allows for a more in-depth evaluation of the language areas affected in HFA and AS.
Gina-Marie Muscillo, speech language pathologist and Stacey Kanin, clinical fellow-speech language pathologist at the Center for Autism, are pleased to offer center-based independent semantic-pragmatic language evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults with HFA, AS, or symptoms of this disorder. Potential candidates for this assessment include people with basic conversational skills (using basic language to talk with others). This type of evaluation typically involves 3-4 hours of standardized testing in the areas of content and use. Specific tests are chosen based on several factors including the patient’s age, primary diagnosis, parental concerns, academic functioning/educator’s concerns, and a review of previous evaluations and IEP’s (1-2 years prior). The tests concentrate on figurative language, inference, ambiguity, contextualized meaning, social judgment, and problem-solving using open-ended questioning and at times visual stimuli. Informal observations are also made regarding a client’s understanding and use of supralinguistics including sarcasm, irony, and humor. The presence of a semantic-pragmatic language disorder is determined after an in-depth review of: previous evaluations across disciplines (speech and language, social work, psychiatry, psychology), current IEP, and results from the semantic-pragmatic language evaluation. Tests Recommendations as to academic modifications, speech and language therapy, specific language goals and objectives, therapy materials and programs, and social skills groups are provided in the final report. Information obtained from this evaluation may warrant a recommendation for further diagnostic testing.
For people over the age of 21 interested in a semantic-pragmatic language evaluation:
At this time standardized testing of higher-order language, is not currently available for people over the age of 21. A semantic-pragmatic language disorder can still be diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist. The testing used for people under the age of 21 is implemented and assessed subjectively by the speech-language pathologist. Informal observations and age-equivalents are also utilized to determine the presence of the disorder.
For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact Gina-Marie Muscillo-Moravcik or Stacey Kanin at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism 516-802-8600
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
How the Brain Learns to Read Can Depend on the Language
SCIENCE JOURNAL
By ROBERT LEE HOTZ
How the Brain Learns to Read Can Depend on the Language
May 2, 2008; Page A10
For generations, scholars have debated whether language constrains theways we think. Now, neuroscientists studying reading disorders havebegun to wonder whether the actual character of the text itself mayshape the brain.Studies of schoolchildren who read in varying alphabets and characterssuggest that those who are dyslexic in one language, say Chinese orEnglish, may not be in another, such as Italian.Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences The images, made using functional magnetic resonance imaging, show brainregions with significant activation during a rhyming task. (a and b) Thecortical activation associated with rhyme judgment contrasted in normaland dyslexic Chinese readers. (c) Brain regions showing groupdifferences during rhyme judgment.Dyslexia, in which the mind scrambles letters or stumbles over text, istwice as prevalent in the U.S., where it affects about 10 millionchildren, as in Italy, where the written word more closely correspondsto its spoken sound. "Dyslexia exists only because we invented reading,"said Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf, author of"Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain."Among children raised to read and write Chinese, the demands of readingdraw on parts of the brain untouched by the English alphabet, newneuroimaging studies reveal. It's the same with dyslexia, psychologistLi Hai Tan at Hong Kong Research University and his colleagues reportedlast month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Theproblems occur in areas not involved in reading other alphabets.Using two brain-imaging techniques, they identified striking differencesin neural anatomy and brain activity between children able to read andwrite Chinese easily and classmates struggling to keep pace. Both wereat odds with patterns of brain activity among readers of the Englishalphabet.Even when readers in both languages looked at the same writtencharacters, the brain activity was different, other researchers found.Arabic numerals of standard arithmetic -- used by readers of Chinese andEnglish alike -- activate different brain regions depending on which ofthe two languages people had first learned to read, researchers at theChinese Academy of Sciences and China's Dalian University of Technologyreported in 2006.JOIN THE DISCUSSION<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> <http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> <http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> How much reading do you do in a day? Do you find yourself stumbling overwords from time to time? Share your view<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> with Robert Lee Hotz andother readers in an online forum<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> ."In this sense, we may regard dyslexia in Chinese and English as twodifferent brain disorders," Dr. Tan said, "because completely differentbrain regions are disrupted. It's very likely that a person who isdyslexic in Chinese would not be dyslexic in English."By any measure, reading is a complex and peculiar task. At the speed ofthought, readers of English turn letters they see into sounds, soundsinto words, and words into meaning. Fluency is measured in milliseconds.Spelling variations are speed bumps in the brain.Until recently, researchers who study reading abilities focused mostlyon Western alphabets. English and 218 other languages, from Alsatian toZulu, share variations of the same Latin character set. But that set isonly one of 60 writing systems used among the world's remaining 6,912spoken languages. Even so, those studies convinced many scientists andeducators that the brain's response to the written word, regardless ofthe language, is universal.The new research suggests they're wrong. The schooling required to readEnglish or Chinese may fine-tune neural circuits in distinctive ways.To learn the ABCs of English, we essentially harness our listeningskills to a phonetic code. To become literate in Chinese, however, wemust make much heavier use of memory, motor control andvisual-perception circuits located toward the front of the brain.Children can master the 6,000 or so Chinese characters used in Mandarinand Cantonese text only by laboriously copying them out over and overagain, until each abstract form becomes second nature."We have to recognize that the writing system in China is different, thedemands on the brain are different and the characteristics of dyslexiaare different," said Georgetown University pediatric learning specialistGuinevere Eden, who is incoming president of the International DyslexiaAssociation.RECOMMENDED READINGWords do make a lasting impression, depending on the alphabet in whichwe read and write them.Indeed, in Chinese text, reading engages different parts of the brainthan English text. At the University of Hong Kong, linguist Li-Hai Tan<http://www.hku.hk/fmri/people_tan.htm> and his colleagues reported in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/105/14/5561> that the readingproblems of dyslexia also affect the brain differently depending uponthe writing system.In Nature Neuroscience<http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v6/n7/abs/nn1065.html> , GeorgetownUniversity dyslexia expert Guinevere Eden<http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/edeng/?PageTemplateID=131> andher colleagues tracked how literacy reorganizes the brain by studyingneural changes in people between the ages of 6 and 22 years old as theylearned to read and write English.As the mother of a son with reading difficulties, Tufts University childdevelopment expert Maryanne Wolf<http://ase.tufts.edu/crlr/staff/maryanne.html> explores theneurobiology of reading in Proust and the Squid: The Story and Scienceof the Reading Brain<http://www.amazon.com/Proust-Squid-Story-Science-Reading/dp/0060186399>.Harvard experimental psychologist Steven Pinker<http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/> explains how the mind works byexamining how we use words in The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Windowinto Human Nature<http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/dp/0670063274/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209566880&sr=8-1> . The U.S. National Research Council consulted psychologists,neurobiologists, and educators about the literacy problems plaguing asmany as four in ten American children for its report "Preventing ReadingDifficulties in Young Children."(http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6023)To document the effects on brain development, Dr. Eden and hercolleagues are launching a five-year study in Beijing and Washington tocompare the neural changes in 60 schoolchildren learning to read eitherChinese or English. "Nobody has ever done this across two writingsystems," Dr. Eden said.In ways that ancient scribes never imagined, text has transformed us.Every brain shaped by reading, whether it is schooled in Chinese orEnglish text, measurably differs -- in terms of patterns of energy useand brain structure -- from one that has never mastered the writtenword, comparative brain-imaging studies show. "There are realdifferences that emerge because of literacy," Dr. Wolf said.Some social psychologists speculate that the brain changes caused byliteracy could be involved in cultural differences in memory, attentionand visual perception. In January's Psychological Science, MITresearchers reported that European-Americans and students from severalEast Asian cultures, for example, showed different patterns of brainactivation when making snap judgments about visual patterns.No one knows which came first: habits of thought or the writing systemthat gave them tangible form. A writing system could be drawn from thearchaeology of the mind, perpetuating aspects of mental life conceivedat the dawn of civilization."Once you have different writing systems in place," said University ofMichigan social psychologist Richard Nisbett. "They may reinforce theperceptual and cognitive trends that preceded the invention of writing.They may go hand in glove."* Email me at sciencejournal@wsj.com. For a discussion on today'scolumn, go to the Science Journal forum<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> .( http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366 )
By ROBERT LEE HOTZ
How the Brain Learns to Read Can Depend on the Language
May 2, 2008; Page A10
For generations, scholars have debated whether language constrains theways we think. Now, neuroscientists studying reading disorders havebegun to wonder whether the actual character of the text itself mayshape the brain.Studies of schoolchildren who read in varying alphabets and characterssuggest that those who are dyslexic in one language, say Chinese orEnglish, may not be in another, such as Italian.Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences The images, made using functional magnetic resonance imaging, show brainregions with significant activation during a rhyming task. (a and b) Thecortical activation associated with rhyme judgment contrasted in normaland dyslexic Chinese readers. (c) Brain regions showing groupdifferences during rhyme judgment.Dyslexia, in which the mind scrambles letters or stumbles over text, istwice as prevalent in the U.S., where it affects about 10 millionchildren, as in Italy, where the written word more closely correspondsto its spoken sound. "Dyslexia exists only because we invented reading,"said Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf, author of"Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain."Among children raised to read and write Chinese, the demands of readingdraw on parts of the brain untouched by the English alphabet, newneuroimaging studies reveal. It's the same with dyslexia, psychologistLi Hai Tan at Hong Kong Research University and his colleagues reportedlast month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Theproblems occur in areas not involved in reading other alphabets.Using two brain-imaging techniques, they identified striking differencesin neural anatomy and brain activity between children able to read andwrite Chinese easily and classmates struggling to keep pace. Both wereat odds with patterns of brain activity among readers of the Englishalphabet.Even when readers in both languages looked at the same writtencharacters, the brain activity was different, other researchers found.Arabic numerals of standard arithmetic -- used by readers of Chinese andEnglish alike -- activate different brain regions depending on which ofthe two languages people had first learned to read, researchers at theChinese Academy of Sciences and China's Dalian University of Technologyreported in 2006.JOIN THE DISCUSSION<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> <http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> <http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> How much reading do you do in a day? Do you find yourself stumbling overwords from time to time? Share your view<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> with Robert Lee Hotz andother readers in an online forum<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> ."In this sense, we may regard dyslexia in Chinese and English as twodifferent brain disorders," Dr. Tan said, "because completely differentbrain regions are disrupted. It's very likely that a person who isdyslexic in Chinese would not be dyslexic in English."By any measure, reading is a complex and peculiar task. At the speed ofthought, readers of English turn letters they see into sounds, soundsinto words, and words into meaning. Fluency is measured in milliseconds.Spelling variations are speed bumps in the brain.Until recently, researchers who study reading abilities focused mostlyon Western alphabets. English and 218 other languages, from Alsatian toZulu, share variations of the same Latin character set. But that set isonly one of 60 writing systems used among the world's remaining 6,912spoken languages. Even so, those studies convinced many scientists andeducators that the brain's response to the written word, regardless ofthe language, is universal.The new research suggests they're wrong. The schooling required to readEnglish or Chinese may fine-tune neural circuits in distinctive ways.To learn the ABCs of English, we essentially harness our listeningskills to a phonetic code. To become literate in Chinese, however, wemust make much heavier use of memory, motor control andvisual-perception circuits located toward the front of the brain.Children can master the 6,000 or so Chinese characters used in Mandarinand Cantonese text only by laboriously copying them out over and overagain, until each abstract form becomes second nature."We have to recognize that the writing system in China is different, thedemands on the brain are different and the characteristics of dyslexiaare different," said Georgetown University pediatric learning specialistGuinevere Eden, who is incoming president of the International DyslexiaAssociation.RECOMMENDED READINGWords do make a lasting impression, depending on the alphabet in whichwe read and write them.Indeed, in Chinese text, reading engages different parts of the brainthan English text. At the University of Hong Kong, linguist Li-Hai Tan<http://www.hku.hk/fmri/people_tan.htm> and his colleagues reported in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/105/14/5561> that the readingproblems of dyslexia also affect the brain differently depending uponthe writing system.In Nature Neuroscience<http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v6/n7/abs/nn1065.html> , GeorgetownUniversity dyslexia expert Guinevere Eden<http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/edeng/?PageTemplateID=131> andher colleagues tracked how literacy reorganizes the brain by studyingneural changes in people between the ages of 6 and 22 years old as theylearned to read and write English.As the mother of a son with reading difficulties, Tufts University childdevelopment expert Maryanne Wolf<http://ase.tufts.edu/crlr/staff/maryanne.html> explores theneurobiology of reading in Proust and the Squid: The Story and Scienceof the Reading Brain<http://www.amazon.com/Proust-Squid-Story-Science-Reading/dp/0060186399>.Harvard experimental psychologist Steven Pinker<http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/> explains how the mind works byexamining how we use words in The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Windowinto Human Nature<http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/dp/0670063274/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209566880&sr=8-1> . The U.S. National Research Council consulted psychologists,neurobiologists, and educators about the literacy problems plaguing asmany as four in ten American children for its report "Preventing ReadingDifficulties in Young Children."(http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6023)To document the effects on brain development, Dr. Eden and hercolleagues are launching a five-year study in Beijing and Washington tocompare the neural changes in 60 schoolchildren learning to read eitherChinese or English. "Nobody has ever done this across two writingsystems," Dr. Eden said.In ways that ancient scribes never imagined, text has transformed us.Every brain shaped by reading, whether it is schooled in Chinese orEnglish text, measurably differs -- in terms of patterns of energy useand brain structure -- from one that has never mastered the writtenword, comparative brain-imaging studies show. "There are realdifferences that emerge because of literacy," Dr. Wolf said.Some social psychologists speculate that the brain changes caused byliteracy could be involved in cultural differences in memory, attentionand visual perception. In January's Psychological Science, MITresearchers reported that European-Americans and students from severalEast Asian cultures, for example, showed different patterns of brainactivation when making snap judgments about visual patterns.No one knows which came first: habits of thought or the writing systemthat gave them tangible form. A writing system could be drawn from thearchaeology of the mind, perpetuating aspects of mental life conceivedat the dawn of civilization."Once you have different writing systems in place," said University ofMichigan social psychologist Richard Nisbett. "They may reinforce theperceptual and cognitive trends that preceded the invention of writing.They may go hand in glove."* Email me at sciencejournal@wsj.com. For a discussion on today'scolumn, go to the Science Journal forum<http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366> .( http://forums.wsj.com/viewtopic.php?t=2366 )
Thursday, May 1, 2008
'Israel must do more to raise awareness about autism'
Suzanne Wright talks in numbers. For her, the world is clearly measured in the percentages of children and adults who suffer from the neurobiological development disorder known as autism, and for her those figures speak louder than a thousand words.
Suzanne and Bob Wright, founders of Autism Speaks.Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
"In your [former] country, the UK, the percentage is very high: One in 80 children is diagnosed with autism," begins Suzanne, as we sit together in her suite at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem on Monday.
Later on in our interview, she adds that in her native US, it's one out of every 150 children, with one in 94 boys being diagnosed - and in Israel, the official estimate is one in 214.
"Its roughly one percent of the male population globally," continues Suzanne, who together with her husband Bob founded one of the US's fastest-growing nonprofit organizations, Autism Speaks, three years ago.
"[Our main goal] is to formulate a real understanding of autism and its significance on the population of each country," joins in Bob, who stepped down as chairman and CEO of NBC Universal last year and currently serves as vice chairman of NBC's parent company, General Electric. "The two most important things we need to focus on are early diagnosis of autism and its treatment. Simultaneously we must fund all the necessary global research, finding the cause and a cure."
The dynamic couple, who travel worldwide to raise awareness of the condition, believes that cases of autism in children globally have reached epidemic proportions, with public awareness trailing far, far behind.
As part of their work with autism, the couple is in Israel this week to discuss mutual cooperation with government officials, professionals and scientists in the field. Among those who met with the Wrights were leaders from Alut, the Israeli Society for Autistic children, as well as Welfare and Social Services Minister Isaac Herzog and the prime minister's wife, Aliza Olmert.
While Bob and Suzanne clearly run their charity like a high-powered business venture, it is their personal connection to autism that makes their compassion for the unexplained condition even more impressive.
"Our grandson was diagnosed with autism three years ago," explains Suzanne. "He was developing beautifully, and then problems started appearing at 18 months. By the time he turned two-and-a-half, he was gone."
Some of the doctors blamed his regression on the birth of his next sibling, recalls Suzanne. "They said that sometimes that happens to boys when a new baby is born, but in light of this autism epidemic, I say that we need to end these old wives' tales now. They can no longer be told to young mothers, because it is not the truth. The truth is that we need to be screening for autism."
"It is time to focus intensely on early diagnosis and intervention," agrees Bob. "While not every child flourishes from intervention, there is proof that if children are helped during their early years, then when they get to first grade, they will most likely be able to function at an age-appropriate level."
After their grandson's diagnosis, the Wrights decided that "something of this magnitude" needed a "national voice." The two set up Autism Speaks with a $12 million donation from Jewish philanthropist Bernie Marcus.
In the three years since its inception, the Wrights have succeeded in raising awareness of the condition via $100 million in donated media advertising, created local support networks for families and initiated a nationwide annual walkathon for autism that politicians have no choice but to "pay attention to," says Bob.
Internationally, the two have been working together with statesmen and -women from across the globe, including Sheikha Mozah Bint Nassar al-Missnad, wife of the Emir of Qatar, who assisted Autism Speaks in convincing the United Nations to take up the challenge, too.
"During a presentation last June at the UN, we thought of having a resolution for world autism awareness day," says Suzanne. "No one thought it would happen so quickly, but after Sheikha Mozah cosponsored it with me, we persuaded 50 countries in the UN to be our cosponsors, and on December 18, 2007, the gavel came down and World Autism Day [marked April 2] was born."
The couple highlights that the UN has only agreed to have similar recognition days for AIDS and diabetes.
In terms of their future work with Israel, the Wrights say they are impressed with the efforts being made by organizations such as Alut and children's special-needs hospice Aleh, as well as the cooperation here between the nonprofit sector, the government and medical institutions.
However, they say, Israel, like the rest of the world, still has a long way to go in raising awareness.
"If our [autistic] kids had crutches like polio victims or had their hair shaved off like children with cancer, if we had a visual picture of how terrible autism is, it would change the world," says Suzanne with conviction. "However, we have to rely on our advocacy and the facts in order to change the world."
She finishes, "It is an epidemic that is all around the world, and it is time we brought this to the global stage - because when Autism speaks, the world has to listen."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870516535&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Suzanne and Bob Wright, founders of Autism Speaks.Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
"In your [former] country, the UK, the percentage is very high: One in 80 children is diagnosed with autism," begins Suzanne, as we sit together in her suite at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem on Monday.
Later on in our interview, she adds that in her native US, it's one out of every 150 children, with one in 94 boys being diagnosed - and in Israel, the official estimate is one in 214.
"Its roughly one percent of the male population globally," continues Suzanne, who together with her husband Bob founded one of the US's fastest-growing nonprofit organizations, Autism Speaks, three years ago.
"[Our main goal] is to formulate a real understanding of autism and its significance on the population of each country," joins in Bob, who stepped down as chairman and CEO of NBC Universal last year and currently serves as vice chairman of NBC's parent company, General Electric. "The two most important things we need to focus on are early diagnosis of autism and its treatment. Simultaneously we must fund all the necessary global research, finding the cause and a cure."
The dynamic couple, who travel worldwide to raise awareness of the condition, believes that cases of autism in children globally have reached epidemic proportions, with public awareness trailing far, far behind.
As part of their work with autism, the couple is in Israel this week to discuss mutual cooperation with government officials, professionals and scientists in the field. Among those who met with the Wrights were leaders from Alut, the Israeli Society for Autistic children, as well as Welfare and Social Services Minister Isaac Herzog and the prime minister's wife, Aliza Olmert.
While Bob and Suzanne clearly run their charity like a high-powered business venture, it is their personal connection to autism that makes their compassion for the unexplained condition even more impressive.
"Our grandson was diagnosed with autism three years ago," explains Suzanne. "He was developing beautifully, and then problems started appearing at 18 months. By the time he turned two-and-a-half, he was gone."
Some of the doctors blamed his regression on the birth of his next sibling, recalls Suzanne. "They said that sometimes that happens to boys when a new baby is born, but in light of this autism epidemic, I say that we need to end these old wives' tales now. They can no longer be told to young mothers, because it is not the truth. The truth is that we need to be screening for autism."
"It is time to focus intensely on early diagnosis and intervention," agrees Bob. "While not every child flourishes from intervention, there is proof that if children are helped during their early years, then when they get to first grade, they will most likely be able to function at an age-appropriate level."
After their grandson's diagnosis, the Wrights decided that "something of this magnitude" needed a "national voice." The two set up Autism Speaks with a $12 million donation from Jewish philanthropist Bernie Marcus.
In the three years since its inception, the Wrights have succeeded in raising awareness of the condition via $100 million in donated media advertising, created local support networks for families and initiated a nationwide annual walkathon for autism that politicians have no choice but to "pay attention to," says Bob.
Internationally, the two have been working together with statesmen and -women from across the globe, including Sheikha Mozah Bint Nassar al-Missnad, wife of the Emir of Qatar, who assisted Autism Speaks in convincing the United Nations to take up the challenge, too.
"During a presentation last June at the UN, we thought of having a resolution for world autism awareness day," says Suzanne. "No one thought it would happen so quickly, but after Sheikha Mozah cosponsored it with me, we persuaded 50 countries in the UN to be our cosponsors, and on December 18, 2007, the gavel came down and World Autism Day [marked April 2] was born."
The couple highlights that the UN has only agreed to have similar recognition days for AIDS and diabetes.
In terms of their future work with Israel, the Wrights say they are impressed with the efforts being made by organizations such as Alut and children's special-needs hospice Aleh, as well as the cooperation here between the nonprofit sector, the government and medical institutions.
However, they say, Israel, like the rest of the world, still has a long way to go in raising awareness.
"If our [autistic] kids had crutches like polio victims or had their hair shaved off like children with cancer, if we had a visual picture of how terrible autism is, it would change the world," says Suzanne with conviction. "However, we have to rely on our advocacy and the facts in order to change the world."
She finishes, "It is an epidemic that is all around the world, and it is time we brought this to the global stage - because when Autism speaks, the world has to listen."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870516535&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
YACHAD Family Shabbaton 2008
Dear Friends,
We are pleased to announce that the 22nd annual Family Shabbaton will be held on Shabbat Parshat Bamidbar, May 30th - June 1st at the Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello, NY. The Family Shabbaton draws nearly 600 families, which includes Yachad members, their parents, and their extended families. In an unparalleled setting of warmth and love, this informal but structured program provides parents with the opportunity for mutual support and networking. Siblings have a similar opportunity to address their unique issues as brothers and sisters of an individual with special needs. We would like to bring to your attention that for the first time at this year’s Family Shabbaton we will be offering a full Tot program for parents of children ages birth to 5. This program is designed to focus on the needs of families and children in this young age bracket. Please contact Chani Herrmann at 201-833-1349 or e-mail her at herrmann@ou.org, for more details about these exciting new sessions.
Workshops, led by professionals on specific topics such as Autism, Down Syndrome, school-related issues, transitions, vocational training, social skills, residential opportunities, financial planning, and parent support groups are just some of the many important topics that these workshops address and which provide families with vital and timely information. Among the many presenters this year we have joining us for the first time Dr. Pamela Vemtolla from the Yale Child Study Center, where she has trained in the field of Autism. Dr. Verntolla will be addressing such issues as behavioral interventions, vocational training and social skills development. We are also privileged to have Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president of the OU and Dr. Ronen Hizami, a psychiatrist who has extensive experience with special needs families. Also joining us for the weekend is Dr. Stephen Glicksman, developmental psychologist at Women’s League Residences, who specializes in child development, behavior management and social and cognitive skills development. We are pleased to welcome for the first time Dr. Alex Bailey, a clinical psychologist who specializes in the areas of communication and child development, and many other wonderful presenters!
In addition to the workshops offered you can enjoy Kutsher’s Country Club’s activities directly on its grounds, including an indoor and outdoor pool, miniature golf course, racquetball, tennis courts and much more. All of which our guests have unlimited access too. We are also thrilled to offer for our second year in a row, for adults only, men’s and women’s massages, given by professionally trained staff and one on one counseling session’s with our very own Dr. Jeff Lichtman (offered for our national families only). We are also very pleased to welcome back with us for his second year, Rabbi Yair Jacobs, a talented and skilled educator who will be running our most successful childcare program again this year.
Recognizing the significant cost to families, this program is highly subsidized. The cost per adult (ages 12 +) for the entire weekend is $240. Cost per child ages 7-11 (sleeping in parent’s room) is $95. Children ages 3-6 are $70 and any child age 2 and under are FREE. Limited scholarship is available on a first come first serve basis. Should you require assistance in this way, or have any additional questions, please contact Chani Herrmann at
201-833-1349 or e-mail her at herrmann@ou.org as soon as possible.
If you have not yet participated in this marvelous experience, please consider doing so. The Family Shabbaton creates a unique setting where our Yachad members are the stars, families interact, and where everyone grows. The Shabbaton is truly a beautiful and unique experience for everyone involved.
We look forward to greeting you at what we know will be another wonderful Family Shabbaton.
Sincerely,
Chani Herrmann & Blima Druker
Family Shabbaton Coordinators
We are pleased to announce that the 22nd annual Family Shabbaton will be held on Shabbat Parshat Bamidbar, May 30th - June 1st at the Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello, NY. The Family Shabbaton draws nearly 600 families, which includes Yachad members, their parents, and their extended families. In an unparalleled setting of warmth and love, this informal but structured program provides parents with the opportunity for mutual support and networking. Siblings have a similar opportunity to address their unique issues as brothers and sisters of an individual with special needs. We would like to bring to your attention that for the first time at this year’s Family Shabbaton we will be offering a full Tot program for parents of children ages birth to 5. This program is designed to focus on the needs of families and children in this young age bracket. Please contact Chani Herrmann at 201-833-1349 or e-mail her at herrmann@ou.org, for more details about these exciting new sessions.
Workshops, led by professionals on specific topics such as Autism, Down Syndrome, school-related issues, transitions, vocational training, social skills, residential opportunities, financial planning, and parent support groups are just some of the many important topics that these workshops address and which provide families with vital and timely information. Among the many presenters this year we have joining us for the first time Dr. Pamela Vemtolla from the Yale Child Study Center, where she has trained in the field of Autism. Dr. Verntolla will be addressing such issues as behavioral interventions, vocational training and social skills development. We are also privileged to have Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president of the OU and Dr. Ronen Hizami, a psychiatrist who has extensive experience with special needs families. Also joining us for the weekend is Dr. Stephen Glicksman, developmental psychologist at Women’s League Residences, who specializes in child development, behavior management and social and cognitive skills development. We are pleased to welcome for the first time Dr. Alex Bailey, a clinical psychologist who specializes in the areas of communication and child development, and many other wonderful presenters!
In addition to the workshops offered you can enjoy Kutsher’s Country Club’s activities directly on its grounds, including an indoor and outdoor pool, miniature golf course, racquetball, tennis courts and much more. All of which our guests have unlimited access too. We are also thrilled to offer for our second year in a row, for adults only, men’s and women’s massages, given by professionally trained staff and one on one counseling session’s with our very own Dr. Jeff Lichtman (offered for our national families only). We are also very pleased to welcome back with us for his second year, Rabbi Yair Jacobs, a talented and skilled educator who will be running our most successful childcare program again this year.
Recognizing the significant cost to families, this program is highly subsidized. The cost per adult (ages 12 +) for the entire weekend is $240. Cost per child ages 7-11 (sleeping in parent’s room) is $95. Children ages 3-6 are $70 and any child age 2 and under are FREE. Limited scholarship is available on a first come first serve basis. Should you require assistance in this way, or have any additional questions, please contact Chani Herrmann at
201-833-1349 or e-mail her at herrmann@ou.org as soon as possible.
If you have not yet participated in this marvelous experience, please consider doing so. The Family Shabbaton creates a unique setting where our Yachad members are the stars, families interact, and where everyone grows. The Shabbaton is truly a beautiful and unique experience for everyone involved.
We look forward to greeting you at what we know will be another wonderful Family Shabbaton.
Sincerely,
Chani Herrmann & Blima Druker
Family Shabbaton Coordinators
THE PARENTAL GIFT OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM Presented by NANCY SILBERMAN ZWIEBACH M.A.,P.D.
SAVE THE DATE
WHO: Bellmore-Merrick CHSD SEPTA and the Community Parent Center present:
What: The Parental GifT of High Self-Esteem
Presented by nancy silberman zwiebach M.A.,P.D.
An Interactive Parent Presentation Addressing:
· Definition of self-esteem
· Benefits of children who have self-esteem
· Provides insights & techniques to raise self-esteem
WHEN: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 --- 7:30PM to 9:00PM
WHERE: Grand Avenue Middle School
2301 Grand Avenue --- Bellmore, New York
To Register or for more Information Call: Ms. Cheryl Gitlitz @ 516-992-1349
Mr. Dan DeLilla @ 516-554-5370
WHO: Bellmore-Merrick CHSD SEPTA and the Community Parent Center present:
What: The Parental GifT of High Self-Esteem
Presented by nancy silberman zwiebach M.A.,P.D.
An Interactive Parent Presentation Addressing:
· Definition of self-esteem
· Benefits of children who have self-esteem
· Provides insights & techniques to raise self-esteem
WHEN: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 --- 7:30PM to 9:00PM
WHERE: Grand Avenue Middle School
2301 Grand Avenue --- Bellmore, New York
To Register or for more Information Call: Ms. Cheryl Gitlitz @ 516-992-1349
Mr. Dan DeLilla @ 516-554-5370
Autism Today and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital are hosting an Autism Summit
Autism Today and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital are hosting an Autism Summit.
http://www.autismsummit.org
What is the Summit About?
The summit brings together world class speakers specializing in Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, who will provide information on a diverse subject range. Everyone who attends will leave the conference with tools and skills they can use immediately. Empowering presenters and motivational speakers are just the beginning!
Who Should Attend?
Parents
Educators
Caregivers
Grandparents
Professionals
Anyone Interested in Autism and the Autism Spectrum Disorder!
More information and details at:
http://www.autismsummit.org
Take a moment to consider this, early-bird savings are in place right now.
Autism Today
1425 Broadway
#444
Seattle, WA
98122
US
http://www.autismsummit.org
What is the Summit About?
The summit brings together world class speakers specializing in Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, who will provide information on a diverse subject range. Everyone who attends will leave the conference with tools and skills they can use immediately. Empowering presenters and motivational speakers are just the beginning!
Who Should Attend?
Parents
Educators
Caregivers
Grandparents
Professionals
Anyone Interested in Autism and the Autism Spectrum Disorder!
More information and details at:
http://www.autismsummit.org
Take a moment to consider this, early-bird savings are in place right now.
Autism Today
1425 Broadway
#444
Seattle, WA
98122
US
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