Sunday, August 25, 2013

Online Support Group for Parent of Children with Special Needs


                     Friday Night Whine Party

 

 
Where: Your webcam in the comfort of your own home.

Attire: PJs and slippers, etc…

BYOB: Grab your favorite beverage – no designated drivers needed!
 

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be tough. The highs are really high and the lows are really low. We all need a little time to connect, laugh, vent, get ideas for our kids, and make new friends. Join the Whine party!


Upcoming Parties:

Friday, Sept. 27 @ 9pm

Friday, Oct. 18 @ 9 pm

Friday, Nov. 29 @ 9 pm
 
RSVP with Dani @        autismx3mommie@gmail.com

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Brain Test to Diagnose A.D.H.D. Is Approved

 The Food and Drug Administration announced on Monday that it had approved the first brain wave test to help diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.

The test uses an electroencephalogram, or EEG, with sensors attached to a child’s head and hooked by wires to a computer to measure brain waves. It traces different types of electrical impulses given off by nerve cells in the brain and records how many times those impulses are given off each second.
The test takes 15 to 20 minutes, and measures two kinds of brain waves — theta and beta. Certain combinations of those waves tend to be more prevalent in children with A.D.H.D., the Food and Drug Administration said in a news release.
      
The disorder is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children. About 9 percent of adolescents have A.D.H.D. and the average age of diagnosis is 7, the drug agency said, citing the American Psychiatric Association. Children who have it tend to be hyperactive, impulsive and exhibit behavioral problems.
       
The maker of the testing device, NEBA Health of Augusta, Ga., gave the F.D.A. data from a study of 275 children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17, with attention or hyperactivity problems. Clinicians used the device, called a Neuropsychiatric EEG-Based Assessment Aid, in combination with traditional testing methods, like listing the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, behavioral questionnaires and I.Q. testing.
      
An outside group of researchers then reviewed the data and decided whether the child had the disorder. The results showed that the device helped doctors make a more accurate diagnosis than using traditional methods alone, the F.D.A. said. An agency spokeswoman said it did not release the study’s data.
      
William E. Pelham, the director of the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University, which conducts research on the disorder and treats children who have it, was skeptical about the test. Traditional methods of diagnosing the disorder are relatively accurate, he said, and years of research on brain function have not added much to those methods. The NEBA device, he said, only supplements other types of tests and would serve only to increase the cost of diagnosis.
“What’s the point?” he said. “We’re not going to run out and buy one of these machines to do diagnoses, because it is totally unnecessary.”
      
Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the F.D.A.’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement that the device would help health care providers more accurately determine whether A.D.H.D. was the cause of a particular behavioral problem.

By Sabrina Tavernise
 

 
 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Senseez - Colorful Pillows that Vibrate for Kids with Sensory Issues

 

When our son was first diagnosed with sensory issues there wasn't much information out there or products to help improve our lives. Since then there have been some wonderful books and products designed to make life better.

We wanted to about a product we've learned about called Senseez pillows.
Senseez pillows were developed by a mom whose son always had trouble sitting in one place. After he was diagnosed with a special need, she spoke to an occupational therapist who recommended a vibrating mat. While he loved the vibrations, the mat was large and heavy, needed to be plugged in, and made her son stick out when he used it.

Senseez pillows help with relaxation and calming down. Children who are easily distracted, have tactile sensitivities, trouble concentrating, and difficulty with getting to sleep can especially benefit.
Senseez pillows are lightweight, portable, easy to clean, are colorful, and offered in five different shapes.

 
Children with sensory processing disorders or sensory integration dysfunction enjoy, and often need or crave, the input these pillows provide. Under sensitive children benefit because the pillows can provide the input needed to help calm and regulate their system. You could even place the pillow next to your child to help them drift into a peaceful sleep. The Oversensitive child can benefit from using a Senseez pillow because it can help to increase their tolerance to tactile input. Either way, its uses within the scope of a sensory processing disorder are invaluable.

 Kids can use them anywhere:
- Home
- School
- Library
- Restaurants
- Car or plane rides
- The dentist
- Haircut

Senseez pillows are made with a vibrating unit that is self contained with a secure door to the batteries which means no cords or electrical wires.  The vibrating unit can be removed and is replaceable. The pillows are made from vinyl, which makes them easy to clean and water resistant, and stuffed with thin layers of poly foam. The Senseez pillow comes with a tactile vinyl or furry cover.

To learn more or to order to go: http://senseez.com/

 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Binghamton University Study Aims to Improve Dyslexia Treatment

Neuroscientist Sarah Laszlo wants to understand what’s going on in children’s brains when they’re reading. Her research may untangle some of the mysteries surrounding dyslexia and lead to new methods of treating America’s most common learning disorder.

How to Participate
Participants in Sarah Laszlo’s Reading Brain Project play a computerized reading game while researchers measure their brain activity. Children in kindergarten through fourth grade are eligible for the Binghamton University study and will receive $50 or an equivalent gift for their time. To sign up your child, call 607-269-7271 or e-mail readingbrain@binghamton.edu. For more details, visit www.binghamton.edu/reading-brain.

Welcome to the Missing Piece

If you are the parent of a child with special needs or a learning disability then you know how difficult it can be to get answers to your questions. For many of us we have been disappointed when we were unable to find others who could help identify causes and solutions that help. This can be a lonely journey and that is why we are here. Our desire is that this would be a source of information, hope and humor for those of you who are struggling on the same path.
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