Items 1 through 11 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.

12. From the National Autism Association: There are far too many stories in
the news about children with autism wandering away from home and getting
lost. Too often these stories end in tragedy. AA is attempting to secure
funding to provide families with electronic locating devices for at-risk
children. Please help us determine the need for this program in the
community by responding to an anonymous survey on our website at
<BLOCKED::http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=aqyq6xbab.0.y5oq6xbab.faomd6n6.5075&ts=S02
00&p=http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/htmlpages/runners.htm>
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/htmlpages/runners.htm.

13. I.E.P. Pop-Up Tool Chart from the National Center on Low-Incidence
Disabilities at <http://nclid.unco.edu/nclid/bvi/>
http://nclid.unco.edu/nclid/bvi/. Each Pop-Up IEP contains phrases that
parents have experienced during their child's Individualized Education
Program (IEP) meetings. Each phrase has several courteous, yet assertive
responses parents can make when faced with these challenges. Additionally,
sections of the special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), are included to supplement responses. Finally
resources and information are given where appropriate.

14. NICHEY News. Final regulations, anyone? You've no doubt heard that
final regulations for IDEA 2004 have been published. They're only 307 pages
long--- including the comments and analysis of changes--- perfect reading
for a 3-day weekend. Pick up your copy of the regs (in PDF), at
<http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/IDEA2004regulations.pdf>
http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/IDEA2004regulations.pdf.

What's the same, what's not? The Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) answers this question with its Topic Briefs prepared just for the new
regulations. Hook up with available briefs at
<http://www.nichcy.org/idealist.htm> http://www.nichcy.org/idealist.htm.

More on comparing IDEA 2004 to IDEA 1997. Visit NASDSE to order your copy
of "The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Comparison of IDEA
Regulations August 3, 2006 to IDEA Regulations March 12, 1999." (NASDSE is
the National Association of State Directors of Special Education.) This book
goes section by section through the old and the new regulations, so you'll
get your money's worth--- $15 for the treasure. It won't get to you in time
for the Labor Day holiday unfortunately, but you can order it today, using
the order form at <http://www.nasdse.org/documents/SbSorderform.pdf>
http://www.nasdse.org/documents/SbSorderform.pdf.

One-stop IDEA shopping! The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to
announce the launching of its dedicated Web site to provide a "one-stop
shop" for resources related to IDEA 2004 and its implementing regulations.
Here you will find the statute, regs, video clips on important topics, links
to the toolkit we keep telling you about, a Q&A on IDEA, and more---ever
more as time goes by. Visit! Bookmark! Where? Here
<http://idea.ed.gov> http://idea.ed.gov.

Reading and the Brain at <http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/brain>
www.readingrockets.org/shows/brain. Brain research is more than
interesting, it's downright compelling. Reading Rockets will take you right
into the fascination of the matter, in its new show called---well, this
should come as no surprise---Reading and the Brain. The show is available
online, but it's also being aired around the country on PBS. Hosted by Henry
Winkler, the show explores how brain scientists are working to solve the
puzzle of why some children struggle to read and others don't. Watch the
show online, sign up to order the DVD or video when they become available,
or find out when the show is airing in your local area, all at the link
above.

This PBS program has been announced in our September News You Can Use, along
with many other interesting items you may find relevant, at
<http://www.nichcy.org/newsuse.htm> http://www.nichcy.org/newsuse.htm.

And if you find the brain an interesting affair, we'd like to take this
opportunity to remind you that NICHCY offers a Connections page called
Learning and the Brain, which takes a look at brain-based research and what
it means for the special needs brain at
<http://www.nichcy.org/resources/brain101.asp>
www.nichcy.org/resources/brain101.asp.

15. "Many U.S. Kids Not Getting Timely Vaccinations" dated 18 August 2006
from HealthDay News in Forbes at
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/08/18/hscout534455
.html
<http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/08/18/hscout53445
5.html> .

"Millions of U.S. children are not getting the scheduled immunizations they
need to ward off disease, experts warn. "Despite the success of increasing
the numbers of children being vaccinated, what is very troublesome is that
2.1 million children are not getting timely vaccinations," said Amy Pisani.
Pisani is executive director of Every Child By Two: The Carter/Bumpers
Campaign for Early Immunization of Every Child By Two, which held a press
conference on the issue Thursday. The problem is particularly acute in the
inner city, Pisani said. "Rates among African-American children are actually
13 percentage points lower than white and Hispanic children," she said.
"This is due to insufficient funding from Congress," Pisani contended. When
children miss their immunization schedule, most can't catch up and are
vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, such as whooping cough,
hepatitis, or meningitis and influenza. One press conference participant
described the advent of vaccines as one of the biggest health achievements
of the 20th century. Vaccinations have been very successful and resulted in
the elimination of many childhood diseases, said Dr. Richard Judelsohn, a
pediatrician at Buffalo Pediatric Associates and an advisor to the Erie
County Department of Health, New York. "We want to make every effort never
to let us slide back into a situation where we might begin to start to see
[these] diseases again, diseases which have been eradicated," he said. The
schedule on which vaccines are given to children is carefully worked out,
and takes into account expert opinions as to the best time to immunize
against particular illnesses, Judelsohn explained. The schedule -- devised
by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices -- can be confusing, he admitted. "It is a
challenge for pediatric providers to navigate the schedule and all the
associated tests that go with that," Judelsohn said. "And the parents feel
this way, too," he added. In the first two years of life, a child could get
up to 24 injections, Judelsohn said. These include vaccines that prevent
hepatitis A, hepatitis B, polio, influenza type B, measles, mumps, rubella,
pneumonia, meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. Often this
complicated schedule results in delayed vaccinations, he said. ..."

16. "FDA Says Viruses Safe for Treating Meat" dated 18 August 2006 by
ANDREW BRIDGES from the Associated Press in Forbes at
http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/feeds/ap/2006/08/18/ap2959720.html
<http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/feeds/ap/2006/08/18/ap2959720.htm
l> .

"A mix of bacteria-killing viruses can be safely sprayed on cold cuts, hot
dogs and sausages to combat common microbes that kill hundreds of people a
year, federal health officials said Friday in granting the first-ever
approval of viruses as a food additive. The combination of six viruses is
designed to be sprayed on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, including
sliced ham and turkey, said John Vazzana, president and chief executive
officer of manufacturer Intralytix Inc. The special viruses called
bacteriophages are meant to kill strains of the Listeria monocytogenes
bacterium, the Food and Drug Administration said in declaring it safe to use
on ready-to-eat meats prior to their packaging. The viruses are the first
to win FDA approval for use as a food additive, said Andrew Zajac, of the
regulatory agency's office of food additive safety. The bacterium the
viruses target can cause a serious infection called listeriosis, primarily
in pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems. In the
United States, an estimated 2,500 people become seriously ill with
listeriosis each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Of those, 500 die. Luncheon meats are particularly vulnerable
to Listeria since once purchased, they typically aren't cooked or reheated,
which can kill harmful bacteria like Listeria, Zajac said. The preparation
of bacteriophages - the name is Greek for "bacteria-eater" - attacks only
strains of the Listeria bacterium and not human or plant cells, the FDA
said. "As long as it used in accordance with the regulations, we have
concluded it's safe," Zajac said. People normally come into contact with
phages through food, water and the environment, and they are found in our
digestive tracts, the FDA said. Consumers won't be aware that meat and
poultry products have been treated with the spray, Zajac added. The
Department of Agriculture will regulate the actual use of the product. ..."

17. "Virginia is far behind other states in efforts to help the disabled"
dated 22 August 2006 by Kimberly Lett in an editorial of The Free Lance-Star
at http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/082006/08222006/214771
<http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/082006/08222006/214771> .

"THE FREE LANCE-STAR printed two letters in recent weeks by Charles Cooper
["Hands reach out to lift up a Down child and his family," Aug. 12] and Lynn
Miller ["Just two more years, then what's to become of Megan?" July 25]
about transitioning and support for people with disabilities. The paper also
included an article about SNAP--the Special Needs Advocacy Program, created
by Renata Thomas ["SNAP helps struggling parents," Aug. 8]. While I am happy
to see the needs of people with disabilities addressed by The Free
Lance-Star and Ms. Thomas, clarification on some of the issues should be
addressed. Ms. Thomas states that people with disabilities are "special."
As the mother of two children, one with disabilities, I believe both of my
children are special. Having a disability does not make someone "special,"
and the "pat 'em on the head, they're special" attitude feeds into the
stereotype that people with disabilities need to be taken care of. It does
little to promote the fact that people with disabilities are an equal part
of our community. Mr. Cooper's letter depicts how people with disabilities
are contributing members of our community. His 48-year-old-son who has Down
syndrome works at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, his son's work success is not
often the case for many with disabilities, as illustrated by Ms. Miller's
letter about her daughter Megan. After many years and dollars poured into
her education, Megan will be leaving school to sit at home, isolated from
her community due to lack of support services in our state and local
area--and, presumably, a lack of an appropriate transition plan to life
after high school. Transitioning--the process of preparing for life after
school--can be difficult for any child, but it can be much harder for those
with disabilities. Transitioning for kids without disabilities begins with
the change from middle to high school, around age 14. It includes planning
for classes that in the long term will lead to college, employment, and
independent living, and they participate in extracurricular activities and
sports for socialization and recreation. Transitioning for kids with
disabilities, by law, must begin by age 16--two years later than their
peers. It can begin earlier, and should be done earlier, so children like
Megan are not left behind. Transitioning should center on what is needed
for a person with a disability to be as independent as possible: independent
living and self-help skills, recreational and social opportunities,
post-secondary education, housing, and vocational skills. And vocational
training does not need to be only the four "F's" of food (cleaning lunch
tables and pushing the cookie cart), filth (custodial), flowers
(greenhouses), and folding towels as has been in the past and still exists
today. Trans- ition planning should concentrate on a child's strengths and
interests just as it should for his or her peers. Transition planning, as
Mr. Cooper notes, should include a transition team of local groups,
agencies, schools, families, and, of course, the person who is
transitioning. Unfortunately, even with a good transition team, the lack of
state funding and local services makes transition planning difficult and can
prohibit the quality of life after school. Also, it should be noted that
the community service boards that Mr. Cooper refers to only serve those with
mental retardation and mental health issues. They do not serve the many with
developmental disabilities (including those with autism, this nation's
fastest growing disability), leaving them without the options available to
those with mental retardation such as the one local Adult Activity Center.
..."

18. "'We Celebrate Equally'- Washington Mill administration, teachers,
staff recognized for work with students with autism" dated 24 August 2006 by
John Teschner from The Gazette at
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=70389
<http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=70389&paper=69&cat=
104> &paper=69&cat=104 or
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/printarticle.asp?article=70389
<http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/printarticle.asp?article=70389> .

"Lianna Miller's son Bradley is nine years old. Miller marvels at the
cartwheels and other physical feats he can perform. "He can do things with
his body that are phenomenal without even thinking about it," Miller said.
"But he can't speak." he Millers have been coping with Bradley's autism
since the syndrome first began to affect his development. After he entered
school, they suspected he knew how to read but simply could not make the
abstract connection that the words on the page stood for real things in the
world. The Millers learned to be proud of accomplishments that most parents
would take for granted. When they left their home in Hawaii and moved to
Fairfax County, Bradley was able to sit still in a chair. When he entered
Washington Mill Elementary four years ago, that changed. "The class was
total chaos the first year," Miller said. "In fact it was dangerous for the
children. They were totally out of control." Every day, Bradley would enter
an environment in which children were "jumping off desks and running around
the room, spinning and flapping." Bradley's hard-earned behavior lessons
quickly regressed. "I was devastated," Miller said. "If he's out of control
at school he's out of control at home. It carries over." She and her husband
considered pulling Bradley from the school. Washington Mills principal Tish
Howard recognized the problem. She said that when she arrived three years
ago, she realized the autism unit was isolated from the rest of the school,
"two rooms at the end of the hallway. I don't think much of the staff knew
what was going on down there. The children weren't well integrated in to the
school community. Teachers were afraid of the word 'autism' and of having an
autistic child in the classroom." Over the next two years, Howard hired
three new teachers, Alyson DiSanto, Kathleen David and Kaet Ruffner. "They
made a huge difference in the program," Miller said. "They knew how to
reach the kids. They knew how to talk to them at their level and they knew
how to establish boundaries and schedules for the kids. They really turned
them into students. Before that I don't think people really understood what
their potential was." This year, Miller nominated the three teachers for an
award for excellence in teaching autistic students from Parents of Autistic
Children - Northern Virginia (POAC-NoVA). Tish Howard and bus driver Don
Coffel and bus 840 aide Betty Agresto were also nominated. ..."

19. "Don't just dismiss the vaccine-autism link" dated 25 August 2006 by
Bobbie Manning and Robert Krakow in an oped article from The Register-Guard
at
<http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/08/25/ed.col.autism.0825.p1.php?sect
ion=opinion>
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/08/25/ed.col.autism.0825.p1.php?secti
on=opinion.

"In their Aug. 18 editorial page column "Act could turn the tide on common
birth defect," Peter Hotez and Rosalynn Carter anticipate the Combating
Autism Act's promise in disproving the role of vaccines in causing autism.
As Boyd Haley, professor of chemistry of the University of Kentucky has
commented, "The article is totally devoid of any scientific credibility."
Hotez and Carter reveal the poisonous agenda of those who would use
government funds to bury the inconvenient theory that mercury in vaccines
has caused the autism epidemic. Their main interest is to develop and
promote vaccines. It is troubling that anyone would advocate using public
money to improperly influence research of a threatening hypothesis. The
purpose of the Combating Autism Act should be to find the causes of and
treatments for autism, not protect the vaccine program. The authors
misleadingly claim the thimerosal-autism link has been disproved. The U.S.
study that inadequately examined this issue failed to make clear comparisons
between children receiving thimerosal and those receiving none. Its lead
author concluded that "an association between thimerosal and neurological
outcomes could neither be confirmed nor refuted, and therefore, more study
is required." The Institute of Medicine has reported limitations in the
studies on which the authors rely, and concluded in a vaccine safety report
that the hypothesis that thimerosal causes autism cannot be excluded for a
subset of genetically susceptible individuals. The directors of the National
In- stitutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control have testified in
Congress in accord with the IOM assessment. Hotez and Carter misrepresent
research by claiming that "autism genes produce effects that lead to an
excessive increase in head size at about one month of age, well before a
baby receives its first set of pediatric vaccines." Yet
thimerosal-containing Hepatitis B vaccine, RhoGam, and flu shots given to
pregnant women all result in prenatal or newborn exposures to children.
Contrary to the authors' claim that autism is a "genetic disorder," genetics
alone cannot explain autism. Recent research confirms that autism develops
in many cases after 18 months of age. In most cases, children are not born
with autism; science points to complex genetic susceptibilities triggered by
environmental toxins. The leading researcher on enlarged head size in
autism has stated that environment plays a role. Increased head size occurs
postnatally when provoked by toxic exposures. Prenatal exposure to drugs can
cause autism. Concordance of autism among identical twins is incomplete.
The claim that the thimerosal theory has caused vaccine shortages is
baseless fear-mongering. Prior to 2004, infants were rarely given the flu
vaccine - yet there was then no flu epidemic or hysteria about vaccine
shortages. Vaccine manufacturers can produce the ample supplies of
thimerosal-free vaccines. The claimed suppression of vaccination rates never
happened; despite widespread media reports of the autism-thimerosal link,
vaccination rates are at historical highs in the U.S. A 2003 congressional
report concluded that thimerosal did pose a risk and was related to the
epidemic of autism. The report stated that the epidemic might have been
prevented "had the FDA not been asleep at the switch regarding the lack of
safety data regarding injected thimerosal and the sharp rise of infant
exposure to this known neurotoxin. Our public health agencies' failure to
act is indicative of institutional malfeasance for self-protection and
misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical industry." Hotez's and
Carter's suggestion that the Combating Autism Act can serve to refute the
thimerosal theory casts suspicion on the intent of those who would implement
the act. The act should not be used as a bludgeon to beat back a theory that
threatens vested interests. Rather, the act should promote honest, unbiased
and conflict-free science. If research funded by the bill is to be used
improperly, as the authors suggest, the bill should die an ignominious
death. On the other hand, if research funded by the act is insulated from
bias, honest answers regarding autism's cause might be obtained. We must
eschew an agenda aimed at covering up another "inconvenient truth." Our
children deserve a bill aimed squarely at combating autism, not one
pretending to do so by countering one uncomfortable theory about autism. If
the bill becomes law, let oversight be vigilant, let honest research flow,
let the chips fall where they may."

20. "Restraint death spurs advocates' questions" dated 25 August 2006 by
Christina Jewett from the Sacramento Bee at
<http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14307385p-15194011c.html>
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14307385p-15194011c.html.

"Mental health advocates on Thursday decried the asphyxia homicide of an Elk
Grove woman in a Sacramento psychiatric hospital, saying it was the kind of
death a 2003 state law was meant to prevent. Ramona Knapp, 51, died Dec. 5,
about 20 hours after she was pinned, prone against the floor, by a heavy
medical worker for five minutes at Sierra Vista Hospital in south
Sacramento, according to a Sacramento coroner's report released this week.
In this case, police do not suspect foul play. The state attorney general's
office is expected to investigate the incident, officials said. The death
is a textbook example of patient restraint techniques the 2003 law outlawed,
said Leslie Morrison, an investigating attorney with Protection and
Advocacy, Inc. Morrison reviewed Knapp's autopsy report. "I can't believe
this is happening still," said Morrison, whose office monitors restraint
deaths in California. She reviewed a similar homicide in San Diego County in
2003. "Facilities and clinicians are continuing to put patients in a
dangerous restraint position that's known to be deadly," Morrison said. The
law, written by state Sen. Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, called for an end to the
use of restraints in all but dire situations, and increased requirements for
reporting restraint-related deaths and training about alternate techniques.
The use of "prone restraint," pinning people on their stomachs, has been a
controversial issue nationwide. It is known to cause asphyxia leading to
death, health care industry and legislative reports say. Morrison wrote
such a report in 2002, describing a scenario that mirrored Knapp's death.
Knapp was obese and in a state of "excited delirium" when she died,
according to the coroner's report. "Prone containment should never be used
for persons ... with obesity and those in an agitated, excited state,"
Morrison wrote in her 2002 report. Legislators may revise the law in light
of news of Knapp's death, said Peggy Collins, principal consultant to the
state Senate's committee on developmental disabilities and mental health.
She said the committee will watch to see if techniques used to restrain
Knapp were in line with the law. If they were allowed under the law, she
said, it may need to be strengthened. "It's a tragedy, there's no way
around it," she said. ..."

21. "U.N. panel approves treaty on rights of disabled" dated 25 August 2006
by Irwin Arieff from Reuters at
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060826/hl_nm/rights_disabilities_un_dc&printer
=1>
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060826/hl_nm/rights_disabilities_un_dc&printer=
1.

"A treaty to protect the rights of the world's 650 million disabled people
cleared a key hurdle on Friday as a U.N. General Assembly panel approved a
draft text of the convention. The text now goes to the full 192-nation
General Assembly, which is expected to approve it during its 61st annual
session to open next month. It would then be opened for signature and
finally for ratification. "You are sending an absolutely wonderful message
to the world. You are sending the message that we want to have a life with
dignity for all and that all human beings are equal," Assembly President Jan
Eliasson told cheering delegates after its adoption by consensus, without a
recorded vote. The convention, which likely will take effect in 2008 or
2009, would require nations ratifying it to adopt laws prohibiting
discrimination on the basis of any form of disability, from blindness to
mental illness. Nations would also have to eliminate any discriminatory
laws. It would oblige governments to fight stereotypes and prejudices and
promote awareness of the capabilities of people with disabilities and their
contributions to society. It would protect disabled newborns' right to
life, and ensure children with disabilities are not separated from their
parents against their will. A General Assembly drafting committee that
includes all 192 U.N. member-nations has been working since 2001 on the
treaty. The final two-week drafting session, which ended on Friday, went
right down to the wire, with a vote actually taking place two hours after
the usual 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT) U.N. deadline for shutting down meetings.
..."

22. "Prosecutors look to panel for guidance in death of autistic boy" dated
26 August 2006 by MICHAEL COWDEN from the Associated Press at
<http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/15369611.htm>
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/15369611.htm.

"Five-year-old Abubakar Tariq Nadama went into cardiac arrest and died last
August after receiving a controversial treatment for autism. A year later,
prosecutors and investigators are still trying to determine whether the
boy's death was an accident or whether criminal charges should be filed. An
advisory board convened by the attorney general's office may soon help them
reach a decision. Consisting of about 50 experts including pediatricians,
forensic pathologists and coroners, the attorney general's Medical/Legal
Advisory Board on Child Abuse will meet Sept. 20 in Harrisburg to share its
opinions with state police and prosecutors, said Butler County District
Attorney Randa Clark. "It's a nice kind of think tank where you get someone
else reviewing your case from very different disciplines and giving you
their opinion," Clark said. "It may help us determine, is this a criminal
matter? Is this more of a civil malpractice matter? Is this something we
need to conduct an inquest on?" Investigators should decide how to proceed
about a week after the meeting, Clark said. Created in 1988 as a resource
for prosecutors and investigators, the advisory board meets about six times
a year and has reviewed more than 100 cases. It often helps nail down
suspects or suggest new leads, Clark said. "It's one of the few times
doctors and lawyers actually work together," she joked. Nadama moved with
his mother, Marwa, from Britain to the Pittsburgh suburb of Monroeville to
undergo chelation therapy, which involves injecting a synthetic amino acid
called EDTA into the body. During treatment at the Advanced Integrative
Medicine Center in Portersville, the boy's mother noticed he was limp.
Doctors there tried to resuscitate him, but he died after being transported
to Butler Memorial Hospital. John Gismondi, the attorney representing the
family, said he welcomes the investigation. "There are a lot of unanswered
questions. We believe that Tariq got the wrong solution, nobody really knows
how that happened or why that happened," he said. "We're in favor of any
investigation, criminal or otherwise, that sheds more light on what
happened." The family is considering filing a civil suit, Gismondi said.
Dr. Roy Eugene Kerry, who treated Nadama, declined to comment on the boy's
death or the investigation, a receptionist at the Advanced Integrative
Medical Center said. Neither Gismondi nor Clark were aware of any past
cases where charges were brought for chelation-related deaths. In February
2005, a 2-year-old Texas girl with lead poisoning was treated with three
chelating agents and died at a hospital hours later from what an autopsy
concluded was cardiac arrest due to depleted levels of calcium. In August
2003, a 53-year-old Oregon woman died after receiving EDTA treatment at a
naturopathic clinic in Oregon. The Food and Drug Administration has
approved chelation to treat lead and heavy metal poisoning. But it has not
approved it for autism because there are no clear benefits and serious side
effects, including kidney damage and heart problems, experts have said.
"Unfortunately families feel like they need to try everything because we
don't know how to cure it," said Cynthia Johnson, director of the Autism
Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh."

23. "Children with autism express themselves through art" dated 26 August
2006 by Bonnie Delaney from the Asbury Park Press at
<http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/COMMUNITY/608260309/
1065>
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/COMMUNITY/608260309/1
065.

"Ryha Gavin is a fountain of information about meerkats, giraffes, rabbits,
and many kinds of insects. As she flipped through the pages of her sketch
book, filled with pencil drawings of animals, she offered descriptions and
facts about each of the critters she has drawn. "This is a meerkat. He
lives in the desert and he has a long snout and very sharp teeth," said
Gavin, a 15-year-old who lives in Neptune, is a student at the High Road
School in Dover Township, and has autism. Rabbits, leopards, lizards and
llamas are among the animals she has drawn in her sketch book. As she shows
off her drawings, she makes up stories about them and includes factual
information she has obtained by doing research on the Internet. "She loves
to draw and she's always loved wildlife," said her mother, Robin Gavin, as
she and her daughter recently looked at some of the younger Gavin's artwork
on display in the waiting room at Mike's Barber Shop in the Lincroft section
of Middletown. "From the time she could walk, she would spend hours
watching ants. She would watch a spider spinning its web and could catch
flies with her hand," said her mother about her daughter's love for nature.
The walls of Mike's Barber Shop soon will be turned into an art gallery as
art by Gavin and other children in the autism community is submitted and
then put on display through a community program developed by Suzann Brucato
of Middletown. Brucato, a Web developer, said she already extends her
services to organizations in the autisim/Asperger syndrome community at a
discounted rate. The community art project she recently initiated gives
children with the syndromes a way to display their artistic expressions, she
said. "The purpose of the program is to reveal and cherish their hidden
talents," said Brucato, whose nephew was diagnosed with autism four years
ago. ..."

24. "Teacher who taped boy's mouth resigns- Plano: District says treatment
of disabled student violated policies" dated 26 August 2006 by KIM BREEN
from The Dallas Morning News at
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/plano/stories/D
N-ducttape_26cco.ART0.North.Edition1.3e304f8.html
<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/plano/stories/
DN-ducttape_26cco.ART0.North.Edition1.3e304f8.html> .

"A Plano special education teacher has resigned after a school district
investigation found she stuck duct tape over a disabled student's mouth.
The investigation also found that Clara Tilghman, who taught at Jasper High
School, mixed a variety of foods to put on the student's mouth in an attempt
to control his behavior. Ms. Tilghman, 60, resigned in June. She had worked
for the Plano school district for 15 years. She could not be reached for
comment. She was not criminally charged, and a grand jury declined to
indict her, Plano police said. A Texas Education Agency investigation is
pending. The student's mother declined to comment. The duct tape incident,
witnessed by other district employees, happened in March, according to the
investigative report. Ms. Tilghman was placed on leave pending the
investigation, which was completed in May. The Dallas Morning News
requested information about the incident at the time. The district withheld
the investigative report until recently, when the state attorney general's
office decided most of the report should be made public. The district did
not respond to several questions this week. Information about the student
and his disability is confidential and was withheld from the investigative
report. Child Protective Services investigated the case, according to the
report. CPS officials said that details about the agency's investigations in
schools are not public but are shared with the Texas Education Agency and
the school district. The district's investigation found that Ms. Tilghman
violated policies against lying, physically mistreating a student and
compromising a student's learning, physical health, mental health or safety.
..."

25. "Four legs, wagging tail, lifesaver" dated 26 August 2006 by Carrie J.
Sidener from The News and Advance at
<http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA/MGArticle/LNA_Bas
icArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190229956&path>
http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA/MGArticle/LNA_Basi
cArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190229956&path.

"Layla wandered through the halls of a Roanoke training facility, sniffing
along doorways and occasionally looking up at people walking through the
halls. The Labrador-boxer mixed puppy was searching desperately for her
owner, 13-year-old Anna Collette. Anna is confined to a wheelchair and it's
Layla's job to help, protect and find her if anything goes wrong. "Layla,
where's Anna? Find Anna," Angie Collette, Anna's mother, commanded. Layla
caught a whiff of Anna behind a swinging bathroom door. She barked, whined
and pushed at the door with her paws, trying to get inside. This is one of
the skills that Layla, trained through Bedford-based Canine Care Assistance
Dogs of Virginia, has to have become certified as a service dog. It's a
skill that eases Collette's mind when she isn't with her daughter. Canine
Care Assistance Dogs of Virginia began a year ago in Bedford city. Owner and
trainer Sandy Crumine is working to get nonprofit status. All of the dogs
in trainer Crumine's organization were in some way homeless until they
became a part of the program. Some were given away and others, like Rosie, a
border collie puppy, were rescued from the Bedford County Animal Shelter.
Rosie is working with 9-year-old Madeleine Mooney, of Altavista, to help her
cope with a behavioral disorder. Crumine has a service dog of her own.
Suffering from vertigo, she often will become dizzy and pass out. She can't
bend over without feeling dizzy. Her service dog helps her with simple
tasks that she can no longer do, like picking up a pen from the floor. The
dog also barks to get someone's attention if she faints. That's what first
planted the idea of starting her own nonprofit program. ..."

26. "Reaching adult autism patients through music" dated 26 August 2006 by
Kay Mille from Redding Magazine at
http://www.redding.com/redd/fe_health/article/0,2232,REDD_17503_4945082,00.h
tml
<http://www.redding.com/redd/fe_health/article/0,2232,REDD_17503_4945082,00.
html> .

"Kenny Bujarski, 43, has had a rough week emotionally and lies curled up on
a couch, covered head to toe with a heavy yellow blanket. LaShauna White,
27, rocks frantically, lamenting, "We're not doing beads." Danny Genest, 41,
keeps asking for his electric fan and reaching over to hug the head of aide
Gail Spartz. They barely notice when MacPhail Center for Music's Jenifer
Josephson enters the room, toting large bags filled with drums, CDs, bean
bags, colorful scarves and an electric guitar. She's been coming to
Opportunity Partners' Karlins Center in Plymouth, Minn., since October to
teach a weekly music therapy class for adults with autism. Music therapy
has long been used to treat autism. What is different here is that MacPhail
designed "Music to Our Ears" specifically for people ages 21 to 43 who have
moderate to severe autism. "Look what I brought, Kenny. You got all your
stars and earned the electric guitar!" Josephson says. Bujarski moans but
doesn't sit up. Josephson could prod. Instead, she tries to see the world as
he does - as a chaotic, confusing, dangerous place. When he feels
overwhelmed, Bujarski hits himself on the head. He spends about 80 percent
of his time alone in a room, by choice. "It's huge that he chose to come to
music therapy today," said Susan Fries, manager of Karlins, one of
Minnesota's only employment-focused day training and rehabilitation programs
for adults with autism spectrum disorders. Every day is different. Today
Bujarski is difficult to reach. But he will be the star of the class in two
weeks, earning stars for cooperating, playing instruments and singing along.
After accumulating 20 stars, he gets to pick a reward. His favorites are the
electric guitar and drum set. All of these autistic clients love music.
"We don't stop with one or two methods and say, 'Oh, this isn't working,' "
Fries said." We continue until we find a way that works for that individual.
Every day we're looking for new connections." ..."

27. "Students must get required shots and serums- School children must be
immunized against as many as 10 diseases before reporting to class" dated 27
August 2006 by LISA SCHNEIDER from the Staten Island Advance at
<http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1156684792209190.xm
l&coll=1>
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1156684792209190.xml
&coll=1.

"It's that time of year again: Parents are dragging their kids to doctors'
offices for checkups, stickers and scores of vaccinations. This year,
school children must get immunized against as many as 10 diseases, including
chicken pox -- an ailment associated with itchy red bumps and staying home
from school rather than hospitalization and death. And if kids don't get
all required shots and serums? Then they aren't allowed in school -- unless
they have a medical reason for not getting immunized, such as being allergic
to a vaccine's ingredients. As medical technology has evolved, so has the
list of shots and serums that children must take before heading off to
school. The lengthening list of vaccines has raised the cost of vaccination
programs, but very few city families end up paying out of pocket. The
federal government, which covers the cost of vaccines for uninsured and
underinsured children, spends upwards of $837 for all the immunizations
recommended for one school-aged child. That includes shots to protect
against tetanus, chicken pox, hepatitis B and whooping cough, among other
diseases. And according to state law, private insurance companies must pay
for all immunizations needed for kids to attend school. "When you compare
this to 20 years ago, it's a lot more money, but we're saving a lot more
lives," said Dr. Jane Zucker, assistant commissioner for the city Health
Department's Bureau of School Health. Not only do the vaccines cause fewer
kids to undergo hospitalizations or experience disabling illnesses, she
said, but they end up saving the nation a considerable chunk of money. Dr.
Zucker pointed to one study showing that for every dollar spent on the
measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, $26 were saved in avoided hospitalizations,
disabilities and time away from school and work. Still, some people
question the vaccines' benefits, especially with concerns about a rumored
link between some of the shots and autism. ..."

28. "SAFE OR SORRY- While the medical community is adamant that
vaccinations are necessary and safe, some people believe there may be a
connection between immunizations and autism" dated 27 August 2006 by Michael
Riley from the Asbury Park Press at
<http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/LIFE10/608270322/100
6/LIFE>
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/LIFE10/608270322/1006
/LIFE.

"Questions about the safety of childhood immunizations sometimes seem
perennial, unlike the diseases those very vaccinations have wiped out or
held at bay. Parents worry about possible side effects. Some have even
heard that some vaccines can serve as a trigger for autism. Pediatrician
Dr. Tehsin Qudsi understands those concerns, even as she firmly believes
that immunizations are important for children. "An unvaccinated child can
be exposed to a disease or germ that the child's body and immune system are
not strong enough to fight off. Diseases like polio and measles used to kill
many children and although those diseases still exist today, children are
now protected by vaccines," says the Kimball Medical Center physician.
While the U.S. is currently experiencing a near-record-low in cases of
vaccine-preventable diseases, the viral strains and bacteria that cause them
still exist. Vaccines, she says, have virtually eliminated many infectious
diseases and epidemics once common in this country. Immunizations help
protect both child and parent from disease; they protect the people who
receive them and protect those who come in contact with unvaccinated people,
health-care experts say. Immunizations cost significantly less than
treatment and side effects are few and rare. Therefore, it is better to
prevent a disease than to treat one with multiple doctors' visits and
potential hospitalization. "Many people believe that newborn babies are
immune to many diseases because the vaccinations the mother received were
passed to the baby," Qudsi says. "While it's true that babies receive
antibodies from their mothers, this immunity is temporary and typically
lasts anywhere from a month to a year. Furthermore, maternal immunity does
not protect against diseases such as whooping cough so it's important a
child receive its own immunizations." When people receive immunizations,
they get vaccines containing fragments of viruses or small, weakened amounts
of the diseases for which they're being vaccinated. ..."

29. "We are absolutely confident MMR jab is safe" dated 27 August 2006 by
Madeleine Brindley from the Western Mail (Wales) at
<http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=17637714&meth
od=full&siteid=50082&headline=-we-are-absolutely-confident-mmr-jab-is-safe--
name_page.html>
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=17637714&metho
d=full&siteid=50082&headline=-we-are-absolutely-confident-mmr-jab-is-safe--n
ame_page.html.

"The Independent General Practice, in Cardiff, is one of a number of clinics
to offer single vaccinations. Although Dr Joanna Longstaffe, pictured, the
practice's clinical director is a strong advocate for MMR - all of her
children have had both doses - she also believes parents should have more
choice. She said, "As we are all aware, many parents have been put off the
MMR vaccination by the various reports linking it to autism and Crohn's
disease and consequently, as would be expected, levels of immunity in
children, have dipped - leading directly to the recent increase in reported
cases of measles, which is potentially a very dangerous virus. "The latest
evidence has once again suggested no link between the jab and the
aforementioned illnesses and, at the IGP, both as parents and doctors, we
are absolutely confident that it is safe - I don't think I can give any
stronger endorsement than to say that all four of my own children have had
the two recommended MMR doses. "While my overwhelming message is that,
having studied the research and made a considered decision as a parent, I
have total confidence in the safety of the MMR vaccine, I am also a strong
advocate of patient choice and the need for patients to be provided with the
information they need to make informed decisions. "Parents are basically
afforded two choices by the NHS - to vaccinate or not, and for those
choosing not to for whatever reason, children are being left vulnerable to
serious illnesses. "For this reason, and despite my own support for MMR, we
also offer single vaccines - for the benefit of both individual children and
immunity levels within the community at large. "I have recently heard of
certain companies offering to provide single vaccines at 'clinics', which
are being held in various locations, including hotels. "To me, this is
extremely inappropriate, as any form of vaccination should only be
undertaken by trained individuals within a suitable medical environment.
"Ultimately though, I think I have stated my case for MMR - I have
absolutely no issue with recommending it to patients, and am more than happy
to speak to parents about any concerns they may have." ..."

30. "Jason and the Colts: a special success story" dated 27 August 2006 by
Gregory S. Johnson from Indy Star.com at
<http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/OPINION01/60827
0369/-1/ZONES01>
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/OPINION01/608270
369/-1/ZONES01.

"It lasted only 240 seconds, but the story caught the attention of a nation.
Earlier this year a high school senior, diagnosed and living with autism,
came off the bench to make what his coach and teammates thought would be a
token appearance. Four minutes later, his team and classmates, and later,
the world, were astonished. The 5-foot, 6-inch former team manager had
scored an unbelievable 20 points, including six three-pointers that tied his
school's record. In that 240 seconds and the widespread media attention
that followed, numerous myths about autism were shattered, hopefully
forever. We professionals in the treatment of autism and other developmental
disabilities cheered loudly. Jason McElwain -- known to many as J-Mac -- had
shown the world in an extraordinary public way just what young people with
developmental disabilities can do. As time passed, so did the initial
positive fervor over Jason's public achievement. National media coverage on
autism subsequently labeled the neuro-disorder as "America's Silent
Epidemic," chronicling how the condition profoundly impacts one in every 166
children, including students in Indiana. Suddenly, in a very public arena,
Jason's story emerged again, this time close to home. Hoosier parents and
professionals dealing with autism were delighted to learn that the
Indianapolis Colts had embraced young Jason as a member of its equipment
staff. As Colts Coach Tony Dungy explained to The Star: "He wanted to get
some football experience and felt we were a good team to come to. We're
happy to have him." Our pride and appreciation for the courage and insight
of the Indianapolis Colts in doing this cannot be adequately expressed. When
a toddler or young child is diagnosed with autism, the world can seem to
cave in for the child's family. Autism, better described as autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) because of its complexity, can be unusually difficult to deal
with, as in severe cases the child often cannot speak or relate in a
normative way to his or her peers, family and community. There exists today
no known cure and dealing with autism can be exhausting. Without proper
understanding and professional treatment, the pervasive condition can be
frightening to family and intensely frustrating to the person with autism.
When the Colts brought in young Jason to be part of their equipment staff,
they did far more than a good corporate deed. They celebrated a young man's
notable achievement, declaring to the world that people with autism can
overcome their personal challenges. It is a celebration to be long savored
by parents and professionals alike. ..."

31. "Mainstreaming a personal decision for parents, child" dated 27 August
2006 by BARBARA S. ROTHSCHILD from the South Jersey Courier-Post at
<http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/NEWS03
/608270321/-1/NEWS0301>
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/NEWS03/
608270321/-1/NEWS0301.

"Cherry Hill student Jordan Schmidt, 10, can't wait for fifth grade to
begin. Jordan, who has Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of
autism, has been in Woodcrest Elementary School's model inclusion program
since first grade. It places qualifying special-needs children in full-day
classes where the majority of students are nonclassified, or "typical." Each
class is staffed by a regular teacher, a resource (special education)
teacher, and assistants. In preschool, Jordan was in a self-contained,
special-needs classroom at the district's early childhood center. At
Woodcrest, he had trouble adapting in a fully mainstreamed kindergarten
class. The inclusion program was what he needed. "The self-contained option
worked in preschool, but when Jordan got a little older he needed to be
around children who could be positive role models," said his mother, Debbie.
"Inclusion has given us stability and has given Jordan everything he's
needed," she said. Often recommended. Parents of special-needs children
often agonize about what educational setting is best. Mainstreaming into a
typical classroom is often recommended, but isn't always optimal. "It
depends on the parents' goals for the child. Some are interested in having
children develop social skills and learn to deal with the world. But it's
also a question of where academic needs will best be met," Cherry Hill
school psychologist Kate Martin said. "Most children do better if they are
mainstreamed. It gives them the motivation to reach, gives them more
stimulation and helps them learn to cope. But it's a tough decision if a
child is severely delayed in learning," Martin said. Learning life skills.
Debbie Schmidt isn't worried about Jordan's grades. She hopes he learns life
skills. Schmidt remains protective of her son and wary of the mainstream
world. "You'd like to say mainstreaming is always the goal. But it has to
be the right time for the child," she said. "If mainstreaming doesn't work,
you could have very real self-esteem problems." ..."

32. "Learning curve After discovering son's disorder, Westford mother opens
school for autistic children" dated 28 August 2006 by BRIDGET SCRIMENTI from
the Lowell Sun at http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_4249817
<http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_4249817> .

"Liz Martineau initially thought her son, Sean, was deaf. She would call to
him and he wouldn't turn around. He loved to be hugged, but remained
unresponsive to the sound of his mother's voice. "We knew something was a
little bit off before he was 2," Martineau said. At age 2 1/2, Sean was
diagnosed as autistic. "We had no idea what autism was, I had never known
anyone who was autistic or had a child with autism," Martineau said. Sean
is now 13, but when he was a toddler an autism diagnosis was rare, Martineau
said. It took months of repetition to teach Sean his first word at age 3.
Years later, Martineau started the Nashoba Learning Group, a school for
autistic children. She was living in Groton and had just given birth to her
daughter, Nora, her fifth child. "I said to my husband, do you really think
I can do this now?" Martineau said. "He said just do it, Sean needs it, we
need it. You have to do it." A former management consultant, Martineau has
a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
When she took a leave of absence to care for Sean, Martineau also earned a
master's degree in behavioral education. "I learned so much not just on how
to manage behavior, but how to really look at my son and other students, and
understand why they are behaving this way," Martineau said. She was able to
recruit former co-workers to help start the school, which included filling
out a 76-page application to the state Department of Education. In 2003,
Martineau officially opened the Nashoba Learning Group with two students,
however, Sean was not one of them. The Groton School Department sent an
independent evaluator to assess Martineau's school before placing Sean
there. The Nashoba Learning Group currently has 28 students with 100 on the
waiting list. Students come from all over Greater Boston to the school's
Westford location, next to the United Methodist Church. Each student
receives one-on-one instruction with a therapist trained in applied behavior
analysis (ABA). The therapy provides repetition, which enables autistic
children to learn. Autism causes impairment in a person's ability to think,
feel, develop language and relate to others, according to the National
Institute of Mental Health. While in school last week, Sean read cue cards
to verbalize actions. He's able to retain text better than listening to
verbal instruction. At 13, his language skills are that of a 3- or
4-year-old, while his reading comprehension is comparable to that of a
first-grader. ..."

33. "Nashville company acquires Tampa private school" dated 28 August 2006
from the Tampa Bay Business Journal at
<http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2006/08/28/daily16.html>
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2006/08/28/daily16.html.

"The
<http://www.bizjournals.com/search/bin/search?q=%22Bishop-Eton%20School%22&t
=tampabay> Bishop-Eton School in Tampa has new ownership. Educational
Services of America has acquired the school, which provides a
nondenominational curriculum for up to 100 students with specific learning
disabilities. The acquisition will strengthen the presence of ESA as a
private provider of special education programs in the Tampa-St. Petersburg
area, a release said. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and a
release called the timing of the acquisition "recent." With the addition to
Bishop-Eton, Nashville-based ESA operates six schools in the region,
including a new school opening this fall, Broach Zephyrhills. ESA operates a
total of 26 campuses in Florida under the names of Atlantis Academy, Broach
Schools, Crossroads Schools and others. The school's seven faculty and
staff members have all been invited to remain with the organization, which
will be led by School Director Greg VanPelt, the company said. "Bishop-Eton
has a successful track record of working with students to see past their
learning disabilities and develop their technical, visual and intuitive
talents," said Mark Claypool, ESA founder and chief executive officer, in a
release. Bishop-Eton began in 1988 when a group of parents and educational
professionals joined forces to build a K-12 coeducational day school
dedicated to students with dyslexia, ADD, language delay, hearing
impairments and other learning disabilities. The school maintains a low
student-teacher ratio in its classrooms, which combine multi-sensory
experiential education methods, such as visual, auditory and tactile
teaching techniques. During the 2006-2007 academic year, ESA plans to
expand the scope of academic offerings at Bishop-Eton to include a Spectrum
Center Program, which is designed to address the needs of children diagnosed
with autism, related pervasive development disorders and more serious
learning disabilities. Since its inception in 1999, ESA has completed 18
acquisitions, acquiring 24 schools and 68 learning centers in 13 states to
become the nation's learning private educational providers of special,
alternative and post-secondary educational programs. For the 2006-07
academic year, ESA plans to open or expand programming at 22 schools in
seven states. ESA manages more than 100 schools and programs in 16 states."

34. "Parent files lawsuit against District 150" dated 28 August 2006 from
WHOI13 News at <http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=15913>
http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=15913.

"The mother of a Trewyn Middle School student is suing Peoria schools
District 150 after her son was allegedly beat up on a school bus. According
to the suit, two district employees egged on the beating that happened in
May. The lawsuit filed in Peoria County court says Alvin Gloor, a bus
driver, and Gerald Anderson, a monitor, encouraged a student to beat up the
13-year-old plaintiff who has autism. The lawsuit said a student choked and
then picked up and threw the plaintiff to the ground. It goes on to say
Gloor and Anderson harassed the plaintiff during the incident, and even
threatened the teen's life if he told anyone. The lawsuit states District
150 failed to properly supervise activities on the bus. It also says the
District failed to remove a violent student from the bus, and it accuses the
District of failing to follow procedural safeguards when transporting the
plaintiff. District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton said the two employees
were fired immediately when the district found out about the incident. He
also said the district is very sorry this happened. "This is not a
reflection of the work District 150 employees do," Hinton said. Lawyers
representing the plaintiff said they are asking for a jury trial. Right now.
they are waiting for the District to file a response in court."

35. "Foster parents charged in death of missing 3-year-old" dated 28 August
2006 from the Associated Press at
<http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=208458>
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=208458.

"The foster parents of a missing 3-year-old developmentally disabled boy
were charged today in his death, and the foster father accused of burning
his body. Liz and David Carroll Jr. are accused of leaving Marcus Fiesel in
a closet in their Clermont County home just east of Cincinnati while they
went to a family reunion in Kentucky on Aug. 4, said Hamilton County
prosecutor Joe Deters. Investigators believe the boy was dead when the
couple returned home two days later, Deters said. The couple reported the
boy missing from a Hamilton County park Aug. 15. A Hamilton County grand
jury indicted the Carrolls on charges of involuntary manslaughter and
endangering children, and David Carroll was charged with gross abuse of a
corpse. David Carroll took the boy's body to rural Brown County and burned
it, Deters said. A search for the remains was launched Monday. Deters
declined to discuss other details of the investigation. The Carrolls were
arrested separately and jailed Monday, he said. The boy's disappearance
triggered an intensive search that brought hundreds of volunteers. Liz
Carroll had told authorities that Marcus wandered away from her in a
suburban park after she passed out because of a heart condition. The
search, using helicopters and sophisticated high-tech equipment along with
hundreds of volunteers, initially focused on a 5-square-mile area of Juilfs
Park in Anderson Township. It was later expanded to other nearby wooded
areas and waterways with searchers combing the areas at least five times,
according to the Hamilton County sheriff's department. However, as time
went on, authorities expressed concern that the search was going to end
badly. Police also openly questioned why no witnesses reported seeing Marcus
in the park. ..."

36. "Applied Behavior Consultants, Inc. completes a management-led employee
buyout" dated 29 August 2006 in a press release on PR Web at
<http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/8/prweb430345.htm.>
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/8/prweb430345.htm.

"Applied Behavior Consultants (ABC), a leading provider of applied behavior
analysis services for persons with autism and other developmental
disabilities, announced today that it has completed a management-led
employee buyout for an undisclosed sum. Guidance for the acquisition was
provided by American Business Resource Corporation, a national ESOP
consulting firm. Under the terms of the transaction, ABC's current
management team will remain unchanged. Co-founded by Joseph E. Morrow,
Ph.D., and Brenda J. Terzich, M.A, Applied Behavior Consultants and its 200
employees serve the developmental disabled population through two schools,
eight regional centers, over 50 school districts, and 30 community care
facilities. Dr. Joe Morrow, who led negotiations on behalf of ABC said, "We
are delighted to successfully conclude this transaction. With the cash flow
generated by the ESOP, we are able to explore potentially expanding the
breadth of our services to help autistic children in other countries,
including the Persian Gulf, Russia, China, and the Philippines, among
others." Evan L. Rhodes, president of American Business Resource
Corporation, said, "It was our privilege to help Applied Behavior
Consultants with their ESOP implementation which we completed in under two
months. The ESOP positions ABC for future growth and expansion, provides for
employee retirement and puts in place a planned exit strategy for the
previous shareholders." A study done in the summer of 2006 found that 91
percent of companies declared that creating employee ownership through an
ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) was "a good decision that has helped
the company." In the same study, approximately 78% of respondents indicated
a better performance in 2005 than 2004. Source: The Employee Ownership
Foundation's 15th Annual Economic Performance Survey. To learn more about
Applied Behavior Consultants, visit <http://www.abcreal.com/>
http://www.abcreal.com or call 916-364-7800. To learn more about American
Business Resource Corporation, visit <http://www.abrc-esop.com/>
http://www.abrc-esop.com or call toll free 1-866-379-2121."



37. "Hoke officials find autistic girl" dated 29 August 2006 from The
Fayetteville Observer at <http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=240710>
http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=240710.



"The search for a 17-year-old autistic girl ended Monday morning when she
was found wandering at the edge of a subdivision about two miles from where
she went missing. Franchesta Melvin was found at 9:45 a.m. after a 20-hour
search that involved nearly 120 people and several state and local agencies.
She was found at the edge of some woods near 272 Chantilly Lane by the owner
of the property. Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said the girl, who is
diabetic and missed three doses of medication during her disappearance,
appeared to be unharmed. She was treated and released at FirstHealth Moore
Regional Hospital on Monday. The girl, a Hoke County High School student,
is the daughter of Jerome and Deborah Purcell. The Purcells could not be
reached for comment Monday. Franchesta was reported missing around 1 p.m.
Sunday from Big and Little Faith Church at 1939 Aberdeen Road, Peterkin
said. She walked away from the church during service, carrying only a Bible.
"It was something she had done before, but she usually stayed right outside
the door," Peterkin said. The search was concentrated on woods near the
church and covered about five to 10 miles. Deputies from Hoke and Robeson
counties participated in the search, along with dozens of volunteers. Among
the volunteers were Hoke County schools Superintendent Freddie Williamson
and Hoke County High School Principal Steve Hagen. The state Highway Patrol
used a helicopter to search the area."



38. "Autistic child's parents prevail- Judge rules against Hanover and
orders the school system to pay student's private tuition" dated 30 August
2006 by BILL MCKELWAY from the Richmond TIMES-DISPATCH at
<http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Common%2FMGArticle%
2FPrintVersion&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190290602&image=timesdispatch80x60.gif&oa
sDN=timesdispatch.com&oasPN=%21news>
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Common%2FMGArticle%2
FPrintVersion&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190290602&image=timesdispatch80x60.gif&oas
DN=timesdispatch.com&oasPN=%21news.

"The Hanover County school system didn't provide an appropriate education
for an autistic 12-year-old and must pay for his private school tuition, a
federal judge has ruled.

<http://ads.mgnetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/timesdispatch.com/news@
Left3?x>
In an 80-page decision that moves from an analysis of test scores to
interpretations of complex federal disability laws, U.S. District Judge
Robert E. Payne of Richmond meticulously dismantled the school division's
arguments that it properly educated the youngster. For Karl and Linda
Peterson, who sued the school system in January, the decision achieves a
deceptively simple intention. "All along, the objective has been nothing
more than to give our son James an opportunity to lead as independent a life
as possible. This decision shows that Hanover County was not going to make
that possible," said Linda Peterson, who received the ruling yesterday. The
decision will lead to the payment of legal fees and tuition costs the
Petersons spent to privately school James. Payne's rulings in the Tutwiler
case have drawn national attention from advocates for people with
disabilities; in the Peterson case, his decision charts a detailed template
for what school systems and judicial hearing officers must establish in
showing that a disabled child is making progress. James A. Eichner, a
special-education hearing officer to whom the Petersons appealed the
county's educational plan for James, failed in almost every respect to
properly assess the case, Payne found. In upholding the school system,
Eichner made findings "without any written analysis, and without weighing or
discussing the over 1,200 pages of evidence and testimony taken in the
administrative hearings," Payne wrote. Payne went on to analyze the
evidence himself and found that key testimony from James' teachers was
impeached and contrary to the evidence in the case. While teachers argued
that a private education paid for by the county would be detrimental because
James would lack opportunities to socialize, the teachers said as well that
he lacked the verbal skills to socialize adequately. Autism experts, for
instance, who testified for the Petersons found that James made minimal
progress or regressed from benchmarks he achieved in a private school before
switching to Hanover public schools in 2004. ..."

39. "Bancroft resident is charged with raping autistic boy, 17- An
18-year-old has confessed to the June 11 attack in Haddonfield, authorities
say" dated 31 August 2006 by Sam Wood from the Philadelphia Inquirer at
<http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/15403614.ht
m>
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/15403614.htm
.

"A teenage resident at Bancroft NeuroHealth in Haddonfield has been arrested
and charged with raping an autistic boy at the facility. Benny Ward, 18,
was taken into custody Monday at the home of his relatives in Atlantic
County. Ward made a taped confession to police in which he admitted to
raping the mute 17-year-old in June, according to a statement of probable
cause attached to the arrest warrant. DNA evidence also linked Ward to the
crime, the statement says. Ward was being held last night in a special unit
at the Camden County jail on $150,000 bail, said Bill Shralow, spokesman for
the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. Ward and the 17-year-old lived in
separate rooms on the same floor at Bancroft, a school for people with
developmental disabilities or brain injuries. Investigators believe that on
June 11, Ward entered the 17-year-old's room and sexually assaulted him,
Shralow said. About 11:30 p.m., the 17-year-old left his room to approach
Bancroft staff. A nurse spotted a deep scratch, several inches long, on the
boy's back, Shralow said. Staff members escorted the boy back to his room,
where they found additional signs of an assault. A Bancroft supervisor
called Haddonfield police "right away," Shralow said. "Bancroft does not
admit individuals who are sexual predators," Liz Thomas, spokeswoman for
Bancroft NeuroHealth, said yesterday. "The safety of all the people in our
care, as well as our staff and members of the community, is our greatest
concern, every day." The assault is not the first violent episode at the
facility to attract the attention of county authorities. In May 2004,
Bancroft resident Thomas Summa, 19, was charged with sexually assaulting a
16-year-old boy. Summa was transferred to an institution in Connecticut, and
in January 2005 pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on the boy. In 2001, a
19-year-old woman was charged with aggravated assault after she stabbed a
16-year-old fellow patient in the abdomen with a kitchen knife. Charges were
dropped after a series of psychological tests found the woman would never be
ruled competent enough to stand trial. Bancroft's 20-acre Haddonfield
campus, at Kings Highway and Hopkins Lane, serves about 360 children and
teenagers. Founded in 1883, the school has recently expressed interest in
selling the Haddonfield property and moving to a new location."

40. "General ed. teachers face special ed. realities- Districts, colleges
adjust to a changing educational landscape" dated 31 August 2006 by CHRIS
GAETANO from the Sentinel at
<http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2006/0831/Schools/043.html>
http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2006/0831/Schools/043.html.

"A few years ago, at the University of Massachusetts, a professor of
education asked prospective teachers what kinds of people they expect to
teach over the course of their careers. The answers volunteered were varied
and included minority students, English language learners and even the
academically gifted. According to Debra Jennings, co-chairwoman of the
Council for Exceptional Children, some 6 percent of the students expressed
that they might be teaching children who have a disability of some kind. It
was a story she heard when she went to see a lecturer on teacher education,
and it's a story that's been echoed in various forms throughout schools
across the country. According to many education professionals, new teachers
trained in general education often leave college with little experience or
academic course work in working with students with special needs, despite
the fact that special-needs students are becoming more common in the
classrooms. "We have real concerns about this issue because people are
being thrust into positions that they don't have the academic prep for,"
said Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association. "We
think this is an unfortunate situation because it leads to frustration,
burnout and turnover, and none of those are positive." Historically,
teachers trained to work with children with special needs have been
difficult to find. According to the group Recruiting New Teachers, 98
percent of school districts have reported shortages in special education
professionals. A reason cited by several in the field is overall lack of
interest from prospective teachers. "Some teachers have an attitude of,
'That's not who I signed up to teach, that's not my problem, that's not my
kid,' and that's an attitude problem," said Amy Dell, who is the chairwoman
of the Special Education Department at The College of New Jersey. According
to state Department of Education spokesman Richard Vaspucci, of the 1.42
million public school students in the state, 15 percent need special
education in some way. With inclusion - a policy that does not exclude
special education students from general education classes - being emphasized
more and more, children with special needs are becoming more common in
classrooms where teachers, who, due to lack of interest, may not have had
experience in addressing their needs. "It's not a reflection on the school
systems, it's a reflection on our teacher prep programs that teachers are
not being prepared for the reality of the classrooms," said Jennings. "No
teacher should be surprised that there's a student with disabilities in
their class." ..."

41. "Scalding death is ruled a homicide" dated 1 September 2006 by Carolyn
Tuft <mailto:ctuft@...> and Joe Mahr from the ST. LOUIS
POST-DISPATCH at
<http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/C
C431B6123DB7FE7862571BE0018059B?OpenDocument>
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/CC
431B6123DB7FE7862571BE0018059B?OpenDocument.

"The scalding death in March of a mentally retarded man living in a
state-run center has been ruled a homicide, St. Louis County Medical
Examiner Mary Case said Tuesday. Rutherford "Rudy" Wallace, 35, died March
16 - six days after being scalded over a third of his body during a bath
given by a worker at Northwest Habilitation Center near Overland. "Someone
was responsible for his death; someone caused it," Case said in an
interview. "It was not an accident." The medical examiner's findings and
the St. Louis County police report will be turned over to Prosecuting
Attorney Robert McCulloch. His office will decide whether criminal charges
should be filed. "We had just been waiting for the medical examiner's final
ruling," St. Louis County police Sgt. Maria Gomez said. Case said at least
one worker at Northwest, which is run by the Missouri Department of Mental
Health, was responsible but said there could be others. Criminal charges
could range from felony neglect to felony abuse to manslaughter, said Gomez.
Or the prosecutor could decide not to press charges. Now that
investigations by the mental health department and law enforcement have
nearly wrapped up, more details about what may have happened are being
released. Mental Health Commission Chairman John Constantino, who heads the
board that oversees the state's Mental Health Department, said police had
not allowed the commissioners to see their findings. But they have seen
reports of the Mental Health Department's internal investigation and an
investigation performed by its consulting firm, The Columbus Group.
Constantino said the state's investigative reports were "confusing," ..."

42. "Carrolls to be tried in Clermont, White expects murder charge" dated 1
September 2006 by Liz Carey from the Cincinnati Community Press at
<http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060901/NEWS01/6
09010304/1058/Local>
http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060901/NEWS01/60
9010304/1058/Local.

"Hamilton and Clermont counties will work together in ensuring Liz and David
Carroll Jr. will spend the rest of their lives in prison for the death of
Marcus Fiesel. During a press conference Sept. 1, Hamilton County
Prosecutor Joe Deters said the two would be tried in Clermont County on
charges stemming from Marcus Fiesel's death, including the charge of gross
abuse of a corpse against David Carroll. The two would still be tried in
Hamilton County on charges of inducing panic and perjury. "There is
reasonable legal theory by which we could try those cases here, but the last
thing we want to have happen is some legal technicality be present and these
two walk," he said. "In an abundance of caution, we are going to have all
charges related to the homicide of Marcus moved to Clermont County."
Clermont County Prosecutor Don White said he would present evidence to the
Clermont County Grand Jury on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Once presented with the
law and the evidence, the grand jury will determine what charges the
Carrolls would be held on. White anticipated their arraignment would take
place the next day, and a trial to begin as soon as possible. In Clermont
County, they must be brought to trial within 90 days, but that timeline was
up to the Carrolls' attorneys as well. White felt the charges would be
changed. "Based on what I know about the case, I believe we'll have a
murder indictment," he said. The case began Aug. 15 when Liz Carroll
claimed her 3-year-old autistic foster child, Marcus Fiesel, walked away
from her when she passed out in Juilfs Park in Anderson Township. ..."

43. "Study finds silver fillings not harmful" dated 2 September 2006 by
ANDREW BRIDGES from the Associated Press at
http://www.onelocalnews.com/prescottherald/ViewArticle.aspx?id=3796
<http://www.onelocalnews.com/prescottherald/ViewArticle.aspx?id=3796&source=
2> &source=2.

"Silver fillings used to patch cavities aren't dangerous even though they
expose dental patients to the toxic metal mercury, federal health
researchers said Friday. The Food and Drug Administration reviewed 34
recent research studies and found "no significant new information" that
would change its determination that mercury-based fillings don't harm
patients, except in rare cases where they have allergic reactions. Consumer
groups opposed to its use disputed the FDA's conclusions. The groups plan to
petition the agency for an immediate ban on use of the cavity-filler in
pregnant women. Amalgam fillings, also called silver fillings, by weight
are about 50 percent mercury, joined with silver, copper and tin. Dentists
have used amalgam to fill cavities since the 1800s. Today, tens of millions
of Americans receive mercury fillings each year. Amalgam use has begun to
decline, however, with many doctors switching to resin composite fillings,
considered more appealing since they blend better with the natural coloring
of teeth. Scientists have found that mercury levels in the blood, urine and
body tissues rise the more mercury fillings a person has. However, even
among people with numerous fillings, exposure levels are well below those
known to be harmful, the report said. Among those expected to , , ),
D-Calif., who has introduced legislation that would effectively ban the use
of mercury in dental fillings by 2008. Watson will press the FDA for a ban
and call on the agency to study the environmental impact of dental mercury,
spokesman Bert Hammond said. Also on the legislative front, Sen. Mike Enzi,
R-Wyo., and other Senate colleagues have asked President Bush 's nominee to
head the FDA about the safety of mercury fillings. An Enzi spokesman said
the lawmaker has yet to receive Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach's answers to those
questions. The meeting likely won't be the last word in the drawn-out fight
over mercury fillings. As early as the 1840s, dentists were squabbling over
whether gold or mercury-silver fillings were better - a feud that led to the
disbanding of the first national dental society in the United States,
according to a March article in the Journal of the California Dental
Association."

44. "Short, sad life of Marcus- Little boy's death touched many" dated 3
September 2006 from the Cincinatti Enquirer at
<http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060903/NEWS01/6090303
58/-1/newsmarcus>
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060903/NEWS01/60903035
8/-1/newsmarcus.

"Elfish grin. Ocean-blue eyes. A carpet of shiny brown hair framing his
face. From the photographs, Marcus Fiesel looked happy, a child full of
mischief. But Marcus' life was anything but idyllic away from the camera's
lens. Six days after the boy's foster parents were hauled off to jail,
charged with killing him in a crime so chilling it stunned the region, the
clearest picture yet of the 3-year-old is emerging. At age 1, he lived in a
flea-infested home that reeked of mold and feces. More than once, police
had come to the house when Marcus' mother, Donna Trevino, called to complain
that her boyfriend was hitting her or threatening to. On one visit, the
house smelled so bad that police asked Trevino where the animals were.
There weren't any, she told them. Police were so concerned about the mass
of flea bites covering the arms and legs of Marcus' 9-year-old brother,
Michael, that they strongly suggested the family move. By the time Marcus
was 2, police were still responding to domestic problems at his mother's
home. During a visit on Sept. 29, 2005, they found severe bruising on
Marcus' left buttock. Police weren't the only ones worried. Child welfare
workers were investigating complaints from Trevino about physical abuse,
too, reports show. As he approached his third birthday, a foster family in
Clermont County offered Marcus a safe, new life away from the turmoil with
his mom. That's not how things turned out. Last week, Liz and David Carroll
Jr. were accused of pinning the small boy's arms behind his back, wrapping
him in a blanket and encasing his slight form in tape. They wrapped him like
a mummy in a small 5-by-7-foot closet with a fan and took off for a family
reunion in Kentucky, police say. The temperature was in the high 80s and low
90s. He was dead when they returned. In life, Marcus hardly had a chance.
In death, he captivated the hearts of thousands of strangers. In death,
he's changing the way the state handles foster-care placements. In death, a
park will be named after him. ..."

45. "Parents of Autistic Boy Sue Pacific Palisades Boy Scout Troop" dated 3
September 2006 from the Canyon News at
http://www.canyon-news.com/artman/publish/article_4789.php
<http://www.canyon-news.com/artman/publish/article_4789.php> .

"The parents of a high-functioning boy with autism filed a discrimination
suit against the Pacific Palisades Boy Scout troop on Thursday, Aug. 17,
alleging discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The DuBovy family was prompted to take action in the name of their 11-year
old son when he was not permitted to attend a camping trip unless his father
came along. In addition, the boy was not allowed to attend any of the troop
meetings. This disappointed the family especially since this would not allow
their son to move up to the next scouting level. The suit alleges violations
of the Americans with Disabilities Act with negligence and intentional
infliction of emotional distress. N. Jane DuBovy said that she and her
husband, "know that our child is capable of handling the rigors of scouting
with minor accommodations." They believe that their son is indeed able to be
a boy scout and troop member and report that he even attended an overnight
event with a 6th grade class without any complications. The family appointed
the Disability Rights Law Center to present the case on their behalf."

46. "Study links autism to gut microbes" dated 4 September 2006 by James
Randerson from the Guardian Unlimited (UK) at
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1864759,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1
8>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1864759,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=18
.

"A study linking autism with bacteria in the gut today raised hopes that the
condition could be treated using probiotics. The result are very
preliminary, but the scientist responsible, Professor Glenn Gibson of the
University of Reading, said he was "cautiously optimistic" about them. He
added that the study did not suggest any connection between autism and
childhood vaccinations. Prof Gibson told the annual British Association
Festival of Science in Norwich that autistic children often suffered with
bowel problems such as diarrhoea and constipation, suggesting that they may
not have a normal collection of microbes in their guts. His team compared
the bacteria in faeces samples taken from 50 autistic children with those
taken from 50 non-autistic subjects, and found that the samples from
autistic children had raised levels of the bacterium clostridium. "Whatever
is going on there, [it] is not doing these children any good, and I think
almost certainly explains their gastro problems," said Prof Gibson. More
speculatively, he said that some species of clostridium could produce toxins
that affected the brain, possibly causing autistic symptoms. But he warned:
"The problem with these kinds of studies is, you never know whether it is
cause or effect." To find out, the team set up a trial of a probiotic
treatment to reduce the level of clostridium. The trial involved 40 autistic
children aged between four and eight. Half were given a harmless bacterium
naturally present in the gut, called lactobacillus lantarum; half were given
a placebo. The probiotic was administered as a gramme of powder each day
containing around 1bn bacteria. Without being told which group their
children were in, parents were asked to record their symptoms. The results
are inconclusive because around half of children dropped out. Some parents
withdrew their kids because they did not want them to be swapped on to the
placebo. "Some of the parents worked out that their child was on the
[probiotic] and didn't want to move on to the placebo because they were
seeing some positive results," said Prof Gibson. Parents reported that
their child's concentration and behaviour had improved, and one mother said
it was "heartbreaking" to be told to move on to the placebo."

47. "Older fathers 'raise autism risk' - Children with older fathers have a
significantly increased risk of having autism, a study has concluded" dated
4 September 2006 from BBC News (UK) at
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5313874.stm>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5313874.stm.

"The UK and US researchers examined data on 132,271 children and said those
born to men over 40 were six times more at risk than those born to men under
30. They said the study in Archives of General Psychiatry was further proof
men also had "biological clocks". One UK expert said the study could be
important in understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying autism. Autism
and related conditions, known as autism spectrum disorders, have become
increasingly common, affecting 50 in every 10,000 children as compared with
five in 10,000 two decades ago. Increased awareness and changes in the way
the disorders are diagnosed are thought to play a major role in the
increase, but the researchers say it may also be linked to other changing
factors. Older parental age has previously been linked to abnormalities in
the brain development of children. Genetic fault. The researchers, from
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, and the Institute of Psychiatry at
King's College London, looked at data on 132,271 children born in Israel
during the 1980s. All men, and three-quarters of women born in these years
were assessed by the draft board at age 17, during which time any disorders
were recorded. The board also took information on the ages of their father
and mother, and took into account factors such as year of birth and
socioeconomic status. Among those whose fathers were between 15 and 29 when
they were born, the rate of autism was six in every 10,000, rising to nine
in every 10,000 when fathers were aged 30 to 39 (1.6 times higher). In the
group whose fathers were aged 40 to 49, the rate rose to 32 in 10,000 (5.75
times higher). The rate appeared to be even higher when fathers were aged
over 50, but the researchers said the sample size was very small. The
mother's age did not appear to influence the chances a child would have
autism. The researchers suggest there may be a genetic fault which is more
common with age. This might be spontaneous mutations in sperm-producing
cells or alterations in genetic "imprinting," which affects gene expression.
..."

48. "Witness makes case complex" dated 4 September 2006 by Chris Foreman
from the Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW at
<http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_469012.html>
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_469012.html.

"As a third-year coach in the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, Mark R.
Downs Jr. supervised his twin daughters' T-ball team. If one of his former
players is to be believed, Downs allegedly offered the little boy cash --
either $5 or $25 -- to throw a baseball at the face of an 8-year-old
autistic teammate during warm-ups before a 2005 playoff game. And though
more than 460 days of school and games have passed for Keith Reese Jr.,
legal and medical experts say the 9-year-old boy's memory is fully capable
of recalling the incident at the criminal trial, which is expected to begin
Sept. 12 in Fayette County. In fact, children of Keith's age are
"reasonably reliable reporters," said Douglas Ramm, a clinical psychologist
who has practiced in Greensburg since 1976. "Usually a 9- or 10-year-old
would have an accurate recollection, and they're not as susceptible to
suggestion," Ramm said. "They can be led (by a lawyer's questioning), but
certainly, the other attorney should be competent enough to stop that from
happening." Children frequently are witnesses in court proceedings, though
their testimony usually occurs in custody hearings. In criminal cases,
children most often are witnesses in cases of abuse or molestation. In those
instances, there can be more of an internal struggle of loyalty for the
child, who might be describing acts by a relative or caretaker, according to
Ramm. But, Ramm advises, just because a child -- or an adult -- witness is
competent to testify doesn't mean he or she is telling the truth. A
29-year-old construction worker from Bitner, Franklin Township, Downs has
steadfastly maintained he has no idea why Keith told his parents and state
police that he was asked to throw a ball at Harry Bowers Jr. on June 27,
2005. After an investigation, Trooper Thomas Broadwater charged Downs with
two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault and one
count each of corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy to promote simple
assault and recklessly endangering another person. Downs has refused
prosecutors' offer of a general plea, in which there's no agreement on a
sentence recommendation. The prosecution's case will hinge on the
believability of Keith and his parents, who live in North Union Township.
..."

49. "Legislating restraint - Restraint act applies to state, not local
schools" dated 5 September 2006 A.J. O'Connell from the Wilton Villager at
<http://www.wiltonvillager.com/wilton_templates/wilton_story/360392247793875
.php>
http://www.wiltonvillager.com/wilton_templates/wilton_story/360392247793875.
php.

"It's been almost a decade since 12-year-old Robert Rollins died. The 1997
death of the New Haven boy, caused by a face-down restraint in a
Massachusetts school for emotionally disturbed children and subsequent
confinement in an isolated room, was the motivation behind
<http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Chap814e.htm> Connecticut's Public Act
99-210, which forbids life-threatening restraints, seclusion, and medication
of patients in state-authorized schools, hospitals and programs. Wilton
parents recently tried to invoke this law to challenge "the quiet room," a
padded room used by Wilton's special education program to calm disabled
children who are becoming agitated or violent. The parents allege that in
some cases, the room has been used improperly. They allege at least one
autistic teenager was secluded in the room while it was unpadded. However,
the parents found they were unable to use Public Act 99-210 - the law
applies to private contractors working for the public schools, state-run
schools, and state-licensed programs, but it does not extend to the public
schools. Wilton parent and family advocate Maryann Lombardi was frustrated
when she learned of the law's limitations from the Bureau of Special
Education's attorney, Gail Mangs. Lombardi's son was confined in a safe room
when he was a student at Cider Mill. "They're just guidelines, not
statutes," said Mangs, interviewed in July. "They don't apply to us." That
was not always the case. When the law was written in the spring of 1999,
public schools were part of it: one version of the bill mentions "children
requiring special education" and states that the law's restrictions apply to
"teachers, school principals and superintendents." Former State
Representative Mary Eberle was co-chair of the General Assembly's public
health committee in 1999. She introduced Bill 6656 after reading an article
published in Northeast Magazine by a nurse who had administered a lethal
restraint to an 11-year-old Bridgeport boy. His death was not intentional,
but, like Robert Rollins, he died face-down, of asphyxiation. Eberle
remembers the nurse's explanation of the restraint: the aides had simply
done what they were trained to do. "I thought, 'If what the nurse says is
true, we need to change the standard of care," she said. ..."

50. "OH Family Fights For Support of Arrested Child" by Melissa Griffy from
The Canton Repository at http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=304262
<http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=304262&r=0&Category=15>
&r=0&Category=15.

"Jacob sat in his home Friday afternoon intently focused on his mother. He
was well-behaved, more so than many other 9-year-olds. He pulled a toy
truck out of his pocket, and clasped his hands around it. It was the same
truck he had had with him in court that morning. It might be hard for an
onlooker to believe this is the same boy who just a day earlier climbed out
of his school's window and was hauled away in handcuffs by police. But it
is the same boy. The same boy who likes to vacuum the floor and mow the
yard. It's the same boy who likes to play with his two younger brothers.
And it's the same boy who pushes wheelchairs, and helps his grandmother take
care of shut-ins. On this day after, Maria Muhleman hopes the incident her
son had at the Woodlawn Avenue NW school will spark a change. A change in
school policy. In state policy. In the lives of other families with autistic
children. For her, Friday was filled with phone call after phone call. Most
were futile attempts to get her son better services. Any services. But this
is what it's like for many parents of autistic children. "It is like being
in a foreign country when you don't speak the language," Muhleman said. "You
are there but you don't know where you are going or how you are going to get
there. There is no tour guide. "Kids On Roofs' Jacob was 7 when he was
diagnosed with autism. While autism typically appears during the first
three years of life, Muhleman and Jacob's father, Bruce Beichler, saw some
red flags but those were masked by strengths. For example, at age 2, Jacob
could recognize every letter in alphabet. "He was always a little
different," his mother said. "But we just didn't think anything about it."
For instance, he would blow on the back of another child's neck to get his
or her attention. In the first grade, Jacob started exhibiting what his
mother called severe behavior problems. Then, a student in Holmes County,
he also began exhibiting one of the hallmark signs of autism - the need for
a routine. Jacob would always want to sit in the same chair, or he would
want to take the same route home from school. He would throw a tantrum in
the back seat of the car if his mother took a different route or changed the
routine. ..."

51. "Another Flight Disrupted By Security Concern" from WBBM 780 News at
http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/74402.php?contentType=4
<http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/74402.php?contentType=4&contentId=194992>
&contentId=194992.

"Another U.S. flight was disrupted over security concerns on Sunday when
some passengers on board a flight about to depart from O'Hare International
Airport complained about the behavior of some fellow passengers. The
Chicago Aviation Department said United Airlines flight 1498 took off about
an hour late after passengers and crew complained about women acting
inappropriately on board. Chicago police swept the plane and found nothing
wrong and no criminal charges were filed. The incident occurred two days
after seven separate U.S. flights were disrupted over various security
concerns, including a United Airlines flight from O'Hare to LaGuardia
International Airport in New York City was grounded for hours after a
13-year-old autistic boy said something inappropriate. Passengers said the
child did not want to get on the plane, so he said something about a bomb.
Two passengers who were on the flight said the boy apparently told a flight
attendant that he had a bomb attached to his leg. They said the flight
attendant told them she even gave the boy a chance to recant his statement,
but he instead repeated it. So the flight was delayed, the plane was moved
to a remote part of the runway, and the boy and his family were removed. A
passenger reported that the boy was causing trouble earlier at the
checkpoint, according to the Associated Press. The passenger said the boy
did not want to remove his shoes, and he quarreled with a security agent to
the point of using obscenities. ..."

52. "Therapeutic riding center serves special needs children" by Laura
Followell from The Tribune-Star at
http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_239220944.html/resources_printstor
y
<http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_239220944.html/resources_printsto
ry> .

"Sarah Thomas was so at ease riding Simply Irresistible, it was as if it was
the horse's idea. Thomas sat quietly atop the 18-year-old brown Arabian
horse as they paused to look around the homemade arena. She held
multi-colored reins, one in each hand. Simply Irresistible's fuzzy, pink and
brown nostrils flared as she sucked in her next breath. Thomas and Simply
Irresistible trotted off along the dirt- and gravel-filled arena to practice
another round of tricks on the course. They gracefully maneuvered around
various obstacles and entered one called a magic garage. The sound of horse
hooves hitting the ground reverberated through the air. Thomas let out a
shriek of excitement. "She's just a fine lady," riding instructor Jerry
Mansfield said about the horse. Mansfield, who operates Bright Hope Riders
of the Wabash Valley Inc. with his wife, Dianne, is helping Thomas prepare
for the Special Olympics in their 80-by-50-foot arena. Bright Hope Riders
provides therapeutic riding for special needs children and young adults such
as 18-year-old Thomas. Therapeutic riding is a unique form of therapy for
people with physical or cognitive disabilities or developmental delays.
Matthew Hollifield, 9, of Terre Haute has been riding at Bright Hope Riders
for three years. His grandma, Rosalyn Hollifield, said she has noticed a
considerable improvement with the disabilities that accompany Matthew's
autism. "This has helped his motor skills, both fine and gross," she said.
"His balance has improved 100 percent, along with his self-esteem. And he
downright enjoys it. ... It's an all encompassing program." Bright Hope
Riders was founded in 2000 by the Mansfields and received national
accreditation in 2002 by the North American Riding for the Handicapped
Association. The rural Terre Haute facility operated by the Mansfields is at
their residence. It is revisited by a NARHA site visitor every five years.
Centers are evaluated according to standards such as horse management,
safety equipment, quality of instruction, facility operations and
volunteerism. "Second only to the horses, are our volunteers," the
Mansfields stated. "Volunteers in our program are rewarded with the
opportunity to make a difference in an individual's life." The Mansfields
create an individualized plan, encompassing all the benefits of horseback
riding, for each person working with young people who have disabilities.
Dianne Mansfield said it's incredibly rewarding to work with disabled
children in this atmosphere. She notices subtle responses from each rider.
"It doesn't sound like a very big thing, but it is," she said. "When
[Thomas] started, I never dreamed that she would be able to be an
independent rider." ..."


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