Blog - PediaStaff

Overexcited Brain Cells May Spur Symptoms of Autism, Stanford Study Finds

August 1, 2011

5 August 2011, Autism, News of the Week, Newsletter

[Source: Bloomberg.com] Stimulating brain cells with light can generate autism-like symptoms, Stanford University researchers reported in a mouse study that may provide clues on what causes the disease in people. The scientists implanted light-sensitive proteins into parts of the brain linked to…...

August 1, 2011

5 August 2011, News, Newsletter

[Source: Vanderbilt University News] Determining what children with intellectual disabilities need to thrive in school and in their daily lives is the aim of new research at Vanderbilt University. The research is being funded with a five-year grant from the U.S. Department…...

July 29, 2011

By: Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, NCSP Introduction The dramatic increase in the number of school-age children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has created a pressing need to design and implement positive behavioral supports in our schools’ classrooms. Autism is much more…...

July 29, 2011

29 July 2011, Article, Fine Motor Skills, Gross Motor Skills, Newsletter, Physical Education, SLP

By: Jourdan Saunders, SLP-CFY photo credit: Y Dolotov Gymnastics is a sport that encompasses many different skills that aid in developing each gymnast as a whole. A child with special needs grows up in a community that sometimes does not provide all…...

July 28, 2011

29 July 2011, Article, Feeding Disorders, Feeding Issues, Newsletter

By: Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP History Zachary (Zach) was referred to this therapist for home based feeding therapy by his pediatric gastroenterologist at the age of 3 years, 11 months. At that time, no oral motor or gastrointestinal issues were found to…...

Guest Blog: Angry Birds Goes Social

July 27, 2011

29 July 2011, Article, Autism, Newsletter, Social

By: Karen Head, MS, CCC-SLP Reprinted with the express permission of the author as it appeared on the All for My Child Blog, July 19, 2011 So yesterday, we had one of those social group meetings where one of the new 6-year…...

July 27, 2011

29 July 2011, Autism, News, Newsletter

[Source: About.com] A very large percentage of people with autism “wander” – meaning they simply get up and walk or run off, for no obvious reason and in no obvious direction. This behavior is by no means limited to people with autism:…...

DVD Review: Aspergers, Autism & Girls

July 26, 2011

29 July 2011, Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, Book, Newsletter

Presented By: Dr. Tony Attwood Reviewed By: By Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, NCSP Published/Produced By: Future Horizons Although there has been a dramatic increase in the recognition of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over the past decade, a significant gender gap has emerged…...

July 26, 2011

29 July 2011, News, Newsletter, OT, PT

By: Heather Stringer Source: Today in OT.com Imagine aquatic therapy before the pool noodle had been invented. It was the late 1990s and little was available specifically for rehabilitation in the water, so physical therapists used what they could — kickboards and…...

July 25, 2011

29 July 2011, Article, Bilingualism, Newsletter

By: Ellen Kester, Ph.D., CCC-SLP and Alejandro Brice, Ph.D., CCC-SLP One of the most frequent questions speech-language pathologists (SLPs) ask when working with bilingual children is, “Which language should I use in intervention?” There is not a definitive answer but both ASHA…...