Building Blocks Magazine December 2012

A SPECIAL NEEDS MAGAZINE

A Supplement of the

December 2012December 2012

A Life ofAutism

Page 46

Services inIsrael

Page 20

Dentistry forSpecial Needs

Page 58

EARLY INTERVENTIONWhere it All Begins…

“I realized how bleak my future really was”Page 28

Page 40

2 December 2012

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December 2012 3

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December 2012 5

FAMILY

28-35

Family Forum

Charter School forJewish Educational Needs?Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Salfer, PhD

The Montessori MethodMori Sokal

“Little Miracles”Rabbi Yaakov Klass

No Two are Alike

BB Digest

A Source of Hope

Establishing Eligibility forEarly Intervention Services

Stephen Glicksman, PhD

Proposed Changes toEarly Intervention

Linda Farkas

The History ofEarly Intervention

Barry Katz

Why Does EarlyIntervention Work?

Dana Ledereich, MA, OT/L

The Impact ofDisabilities on MarriageTzivy Reiter, LCSW

Special Needs Servicesin IsraelSteve K. Walz

Services Out of New York?Sandy Eller

Direct Care CounselorsChaim Wakslak, PhD

Coping with the Death ofa Chronically Ill ChildMelanie Kwestel

How to Advocate EffectivelyShoni Eidlisz, LMSW

Teaching Adolescents IndepedenceLisa R. Silvey

CONTENTSDECEMBER2012

INTRODUCTIONi

ISSUES & ANSWERS

FAMILY

EDUCATION

DIAGNOSIS

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23 A Life with Autism Yaakov Kornreich

Autism News and UpdatesDr. Joshua Weinstein

Understanding PANDASSusan K. Schulman, MD

Seizure Disorders:Causes and Treatment

Rachel Wizenfeld

Preparing for The UnexpectedGolda Turner

The League of the Physically HandicappedDeborah Berman, LCSW

Patient Centered Medical HomeDr. Peter Della Bella and Carolyn Driscoll, LMSW

We Could Do BetterAvigael (Stephanie) Saucier Wodinsky, Ph.D.

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24

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Q A&

10

EARLY INTERVENTION

Does Movement Matter?Paul Stadler, MS OTR/L

The Art of PlayAvrohom Adler, LCSW

Are Primitive Reflexes Affecting Me?Paul Stadler, MS OTR/L

Dentistry Dr. Chrystalla Orthodoxou

Guide DogsFaith Fogelman

FES and DropfootHerschel Sauber

Product Reviews

Book Reviews

78-99

100-103

104-105

Directory Listings

MAGAZINE PUBLISHER:Moshe [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR:Yaakov [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:Elisheva [email protected]

COPY EDITOR:Karen Greenberg

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT:Chaya Ilene [email protected]

ADVISORY BOARD:Shoni Eidlisz, Rabbi Yaakov Klass,Abe Kopolovich, Melanie Kwestel,Brocha Holczer, Dana Ledereich,Tzivy Ross Reiter, Breindy Rosenblatt,Juby Shapiro, Paul Stadler,Jared Wasserman, Rifky Weinberger

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Building Blocks Magazine published in collaboration with the Jewish Press. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to edit all articles for clarity, space and relevance. Building Blocks Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of advertisements. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the

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6 December 2012

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CONTENTSDECEMBER2012

CONTINUED

TREATMENT PRODUCT REVIEWS

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RESOURCES DIRECTORY

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December 2012 7

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8 December 2012

INTRODUCTION

With the festival of Cha-nukah just passing us by,

it is important that we reflect on its enduring message and its impact on our lives. The Tal-mud (Shabbos 21b) and Megillat Chashmonaim [the Hasmonean Scroll] relate the events that led to the festival of Chanukah, which we celebrate for eight days commencing with the 25th day of Kislev. The Jewish people in their own land [of Israel] were ruled over by the Syrian-Greeks, who subjugated them by enact-ing harsh edicts, all of which were intended to eradicate their Jewish belief and the practice of G-d’s commandments. Finally, when the edicts were unbearable, there arose a small courageous group of men, the

Maccabees, under the leadership of Matisyahu, son of Yochanan Kohen Gadol – the high priest of the House of Hasmoneans and waged battle with their oppres-sors. Miraculously G-d enabled this small band to overpower the more numerous enemy. When they entered the defiled Temple to cleanse it and rededi-cate it, they sought to kindle the Candelabrum – Menorah, but all the oil was defiled save for one small flask which was intact and bore the seal of the kohen gadol. They took of that oil and kindled the candelabrum and it proved sufficient for eight days [nights] of light. In order to commemorate and publicize this great event, the sages decreed the annual celebra-tion of Chanukah with the light-

ing of candles, and the recitation of praises – Hallel – to G-d. Thus the essence of this festival and its mitzvot – commandments are “pirsumei nissa – the publi-cizing of the miracle.

Now we may ask does this festi-val come and then disappear un-til the next year with little or no impact on our lives? Or is there a deeper message, one that relates to the quality of life of each and every one of us. Indeed the concept of pirsumei nissa has greater relevance when we acknowledge that all that transpires in this world is due to our Ultimate Benefactor – G-d. It is due to this that we are required to publicize all the munificent good that He does. When dealing with the chil-dren that we are blessed with, we find that every child’s learning ability, whether it be those who have special needs or even those who are typical, is different, as our Sages (Midrash Tanchoma, Parashat Pinchas chap. 9) tell us: “One who sees multitudes of His people [600,000 or more] recites, “Blessed are You… the Knower of secrets.” Why because only G-d can fashion something, over and over again, and each of his cre-ations is unique in appearance. And just as their appearances are one unlike the next, so too is their power of understanding. Each has unique intelligence and dif-ferent means of comprehension. Yet, we find that educators are constantly pursuing new utilities, tools and techniques for the sake of imparting youngsters with knowledge and skills. Much is developed through trial and er-

ror, with the end result benefit-ing not only those with whom they relate on a continual basis but often far beyond. It is all due to publicizing suc-cesses in the classroom – the

laboratory of knowledge, via lec-tures at conferences, via print, via video, and other means of com-munication, that greater numbers of young people have benefited in acquiring skills, previously as-sumed to be beyond their reach. Yet an equally important source for enhancing the compre-hension skills of students, both typical and Special Needs, is the parent. Every time a conscien-tious parent studies with his/her child and constructs a new por-tal that breaks through the child’s learning blockage, what results is a new and unique work of art. These portals at times are vividly perceived as little miracles, when little Avrumy can suddenly “read, write, or do ‘ritmetic.’ Imagine if that new technique that offered one parent great success was made available to another parent, who otherwise, in the midst of a harrowing and unsuccessful battle with his child, would throw up his hands and concedes defeat. Indeed, educator and parent alike must publicize their “little miracles,” as inconsequential as they may seem, in the spirit of “pirsumei nissa.” In that way, we may all share and benefit from each others miracles.

Rabbi Yaakov Klass, rav of Congre-gation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flat-bush, Brooklyn, is Torah Editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at [email protected].

“Little Miracles”By Rabbi Yaakov Klass

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iINTRODUCTION

December 2012 9

One of the recurring themes in this issue of Building

Blocks is the concept that each of our children with Special Needs is first, and foremost an indi-vidual. One way of understand-ing the mission of all of us who serve as care givers, therapist or advocates for these children, is allowing them to transcend their disability to the extent possible so that their unique character can come through, and to enable them to achieve their individual goals and potentials. The same is true for our par-ents and care givers. Each of them is faced with unique challenges, requiring infinite patience, de-termination and courage. For

parents, it means reconfiguring their expectations and overcom-ing their disappointment, while maintaining their focus on their other children and their spouse. They must enable their family to continue to function and fulfill the needs of all of its members, while they serve as a primary care giver and advocate for their child with Special Needs. There is the role of the profes-sional care giver who, in some ways, has undertaken the greatest mission of all by voluntarily tak-ing on the challenge of trying to help a child with Special Needs overcome their disabilities. It is one thing to step up when the challenge is thrust upon you. It is

something else to seek it out and make helping the child of strang-er into your calling in life. Finally, there are the lessons to be learned from the high functioning individuals with Special Needs who have bro-ken through their obstacles to lead meaningful and reward-ing lives on their own terms. They are living proof that they can do more much than just function on a minimal level. They are proof that individu-als with Special Needs can and do have dreams and ambitions of their own. Given sufficient support and opportunities, some of them can become productive, creative individu-

als, with their own unique and valuable contributions to make to the larger society. The Jewish tradition also teaches us the intrinsic value of the lives of lower functioning in-dividuals who will never be able to live independently or make their marks in the outside world. Their unfathomable courage in the face of their disabilities, their amazing capacity to return the love lavished upon them by their care givers, and their ability to awe us with their determination to achieve the goals which they have set for themselves, no mat-ter how large or small, leaves us all enriched and inspired.

From the Editors

Editor’s Introduction: No Two Are Alike

Sun., Feb. 10th at 11 amMon., Feb. 11th at 7:30 pm

Tues., Feb. 5th at 7:30 pmTues., Feb. 12th at 8:00 pm

i

10 December 2012

INTRODUCTIONBy Yaakov Kornreich

According to presentations at the November confer-

ence of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the tendency of the traditional educational system to teach for the “average” student, has stifled the achievement of many of our most talented children. Like children with learning disabili-ties, gifted children in main-stream learning environments are often misidentified by teach-ers, neglected in the classroom and emotionally isolated from their peers. As a result, many gifted learn-ers in our mainstream classrooms and underachieving because they are not being sufficiently chal-lenged intellectually by their teachers and course work. "Gift-ed kids want those challenges and they need those challenges ... but

they end up the guys and gals who are throwing pencils across the room and falling asleep because

they aren't pushed," said author Ridley Pearson, who spoke at the NAGC conference.

Dr. Linda Kreger Silverman, who founded the Denver Insti-tute for the Study of Advanced

Development, says that many of our brightest and most creative children have strong “right brain”

skills, which are more intuitive and visual, as opposed to chil-dren with “left brain” skills who are generally more methodical, and good at learning in the step-by-step fashion generally favored by traditional classroom teaching techniques, and who subsequent-ly get the best grades. According to Silverman, it is the children with superior “right brain” skills who are in greater demand by today’s em-ployers who want workers who can “think outside the box,” un-derstand complexities and “see the big picture.” As a result, she says, our educational systems need to change the way it views children with atypical “right brain” learning skills and find new ways to challenge them to use their often underutilized in-tellectual abilities.

Researchers at the University of Washington, using stem

cells, have found a way to remove the extra (third) copy of chro-mosome 21, which is the defini-tive characteristic of individuals with Down Syndrome. The extra

copy of the chromosome, called trisomy, is a genetic anomaly which is responsible for almost a quarter of all spontaneous mis-carriages, and the symptoms as-sociated with Down Syndrome, including the characteristic eye,

facial and hand features, as well as impaired intellect and a range of medical problems. The researchers are now able to correct trisomy for chromo-some 21 in human cells grown in the laboratory. While sci-

entists do not believe that this technique will be able to re-verse Down Syndrome com-pletely, they do believe that, over time, it could lead to gene therapies that could treat some of its specific aspects.

After a dozen years of re-search and internal debate,

the American Psychiatric Asso-ciation has finalized the fifth and latest edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known far and wide by its acronym as the DSM-V, to serve as the new “bible” of the mental health field. Its listings define what is or is not a recognized developmental disorder, both for the purposes of qualifying for government ser-

vices and, to a lesser extent, reim-bursement by insurance coverage. The new DSM-V will become available in May, 2013, and re-place the most recent edition which was published in 2000. Its major changes include the elim-ination of Asperger’s Syndrome as a separate disorder, and its inclusion as part of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The autism spectrum will also now include two other disorders which had previously been list-

ed separately, childhood disin-tegrative disorder and pervasive development disorder. Another significant decision by the authors of the DSM-V was to retain the separate listing from dyslexia, which will retain its status as a recognized learning disorder. This edition of the DSM-V contains many significant changes which will impact other mental health fields. The defi-nitions of substance abuse and substance dependence have been

combined. Bereavement for the death of a loved one will now be recognized as trigger for a diag-nosis of depression. Several new categories, such as sensory pro-cessing disorder, were proposed but not accepted for official rec-ognition by the authors of the DSM-V. Other conditions, such as Internet gaming abuse suicidal behavior, and deliberate self in-jury, were designated for further research for possible inclusion in future editions.

DigestSpecial Needs Redefined in DSM-V

Highest Achievers Being Handicapped by Classroom Norms

Researchers Find Way to Suppress Down Syndrome Mutation

December 2012 11

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12 December 2012

Q A& ISSUES & ANSWERS

Though we all hope and pray that our already complicated

lives should not be overturned by disasters or other emergency situations, recent events like Hur-ricane Sandy should serve as a wake up call for all of us. While both natural and man-made disasters can cause untold misery to many across the world, the Special Needs population is more severely affected than most, and any severe disruption to their lives can easily become life-threatening. Here are some lessons to be learned from Sandy that will help us protect our loved ones in the future.

CAN EMS FINDYOUR HOUSE?

Place stickers with the phone number of your local Hatzolah on all phones in your house, and program it into your cell phones. When calling Police or Hatzo-lah, talk slowly and clearly, and ex-plain your problem. Make sure to give your address. Give a call back number. DO NOT HANG UP un-til the dispatcher tells you to. Police, Hatzolah, or other emergency providers cannot help you if they are unable to identify your house while driving past it in the street. Whether you own or rent your home, make sure that your street number is easily vis-ible, day or night, from the street. If there are a number of entranc-es or apartments, try to have some-one wait outside for the emergency responders to show them the way.

KEEP MEDICAL RECORDS It is important to keep your own set of medical records, in-cluding these pieces of important information: Patient’s full name Date of birth All doctors names, special-ties, and phone numbers Any allergies All diagnoses

Past surgeries All medications and supple-ments—including natural—with their dosages. A few words describing the patient’s medical condition. A note about any bad reac-tions to medications or anesthesia Medical insurance information Legal, signed permission for your emergency contact to make medical decisions in the event that you cannot be reached. Phone number of nursing agency if applicable Having this important infor-mation available may make a difference when every minute counts! It will also help prevent serious medical errors and dan-gerous drug interactions. It should be kept in an easily ac-cessible place where you can find it quickly to take along in any type of emergency. One option is to keep a copy of these records on a small thumb drive on the same key chain with your house keys, or to upload it to an online backup service. A copy should also be given to your emergency contact, and kept updated. When dealing with a child, only the parent or legal guardian has the legal authority to make medi-cal decisions, unless they have given a designated emergency contact a signed permission slip enabling them to make these de-cisions until you can be reached. Keeping medical records cur-rent and available can help when consulting with new doctors, and in an emergency it can help save a loved one’s life. During the recent disaster, many people who were forced to evacuate their homes took the time to pre-pare everything they would need for a few days—including medical records, medications and medical supplies--and left early. Others were forced out by the rising waters, and fled their homes literally with little

more than the shirts on their backs.PERSONAL AND MEDICAL

IDENTIFICATION In an emergency situation, families can easily become sepa-rated from their loved ones. If you have a family member with medical or mental issues, it is doubly important to make sure that they can be easily identified. Simple steps like placing print-ed name labels with a name and phone number in all clothing can help more easily identify miss-ing people, especially those with communication issues. Teach young children to tell their name, address and phone number to a responsible adult if they get lost or separated. Consider giving someone who may tend to wander, such as a person with autism or Alzheim-er’s, a GPS tracking chip that can be worn as a piece of clothing or jewelry to locate these people when they go missing. Any people with serious medi-cal issues should carry the per-tinent information on a special card in a wallet or purse—or on an ID bracelet or necklace in or-der to provide the information to first responders or emergency room personnel.

POWER OUTAGES If you live in an area prone to power outages and have a fam-ily member who is medically de-pendant on electrically powered equipment, you might consider purchasing a generator for use during power outages. The cost of a portable gen-erator starts at several hundred dollars, and is proportional to its electrical capacity. However, it can be difficult to hook up to permanently wired equipment, and maintenance is complicat-ed. Portable generators should never be operated indoors, be-cause of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.

A home standby generator sys-tem is a more expensive invest-ment, but if your health depends on keeping essential electrical equipment running through a power outage, it is well worth the extra money. Some home standby units run on gasoline, while oth-ers can be connected to the home’s natural gas line. The generator is permanently mounted outside the house and needs a car battery to start up. The unit must be hooked up by a licensed electrician to the lines in the home’s circuit breaker box that power the crucial electri-cal equipment that needs to keep running, as well as lines for some wall outlets and essential lighting. The size and cost of the unit will depend upon how much power it must generate to run all those devices. The system automati-cally charges the car battery and test starts itself to make sure it is always ready to automatically take over if your home loses power. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, there has been a nationwide run on generators of all types and sizes. The best models will not be widely available again for a few months.

MAKE ACONTINGENCY PLAN

Most disasters and emergen-cies don’t give you much advance warning, so it is important to make sure that everyone in your household is aware in advance of specific emergency procedures and contingency plans in case of a fire, medical emergency or natural disaster. Make sure the Go-Kits for all the people in your household are handy and up-to-date (see below). Keep your essential battery-powered equipment and cell phone fully charged. Make sure you have fresh spare batteries on hand for your flashlight and battery-pow-ered radio. Consider buying hand-crank powered devices if you are afraid of an extended power out-

Preparing for the UnexpectedBy Golda Turner

December 2012 13

ISSUES & ANSWERS QQ AA&

age. Keep an emergency supply of bottled water and nutritious, ready-to-eat foods in your house. Program the numbers of Hat-zolah and Chaveirim into all of your phones. Keep a list with the individual phone numbers of your nurses or aides if applicable. If there is sufficient advance warning of the emergency, evacu-ate any medically involved or frag-ile person to a place of safety. If that person lives alone and choos-es to stay in their home, arrange to check on their well being regularly until the emergency has passed. Talk to your family about fire safety. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors around the home, and change their batter-ies regularly. Keep a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Teach children about STOP, DROP, AND ROLL as a means of putting out a fire on cloth-ing. Conduct home fire drills, so that everyone will know what to do without panicking. Provide everyone in the household with their own small personal flash-light, so they can find their way

in the dark. Establish an outside family meeting place if the home must be evacuated so that every-one knows where to go. Also make contingency plans for evacuating anyone in your house-hold who has special medical needs.

HAVE A “GO-KIT” Prepare waterproof emergency Go-Kits, which contain all of the essentials needed to sustain each person in your household for a week, including seven days worth of all prescription medications, and additional supplies like hearing aid batteries or a diabetic blood sugar testing kit, that you may not be able to easily find elsewhere. Also, consider adding a small battery-powered flashlight and radio, and a first aid kit. Keep the “Go-Kit” in a convenient place where you can grab it and go in case of emergency. This Go-Kit should be checked and all medications replaced ev-ery six months.

INSURANCE COVERAGE Homeowners insurance will usu-ally cover damage to your house and its contents due to a fire or ac-cident, but it does not cover flood

damage! Be aware that if you have added a wheelchair lift or handi-capped ramp to your home, or suf-fered the loss or damage to valuable personal items such as jewelry, or medical equipment, that loss may not be covered unless explicitly list-ed in a rider to the policy, entailing an additional premium cost. The same is true for insurance cover-age for any special modifications to your vehicle. Speak to your insur-ance agent about adding coverage of these items to your policy. If you want additional cover-age, consider buying “umbrella insurance” which is designed to provide extra help in cases of catastrophic losses. It is necessary to purchase a separate policy for flood insur-ance, but even that will not cover loss or damage to the contents of your basement. Make sure your insurance cover-age is adequate. Some home insur-ance policies automatically increase their level of coverage to compen-sate for inflation. If yours does not, review it regularly to make sure it is sufficient to cover full replacement

in case your home and its contents is totally destroyed, as happened to thousands of homes in the region due to Hurricane Sandy Take digital pictures or videos of the contents of each room in your house, and especially the most expensive items that you have in-sured, and keep a copy of these pic-tures in a different location. These pictures will help you when you file a claim for compensation from your insurance company. And most importantly, there is the Heavenly insurance coverage. Remember to have your Mezu-zos and Tefillin checked twice in seven years by a competent sofer. Check them more frequently if they are exposed to extreme en-vironmental conditions and tem-porarily remove them whenever you paint the room.

Golda Turner is the director of Beineinu, an organization providing information and support to families and professionals dealing with special needs. Their website, www.Beineinu.org, contains a wealth of information related to all types of special needs. Golda can be reached at 347.743.4900 or [email protected].

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE? There are a number of publications that you can request which discuss emergency preparedness for the disabled. From FEMA, 800.480.2520, www.fema.gov: FEMA 475 Preparing For Disaster FEMA 476 Preparing For Disaster For People With Disabilities and Other Special Needs FEMA 154 Emergency Preparedness Checklist From National Organization on Dis-ability, 646.505.1191, www.nod.org/emergency: Disaster Readiness Tips For People With Mobility Disabilities Disaster Readiness Tips For Owners of Pets or Service Animals From US Department of Homeland Security Ready Campaign, 800.BE.READY, www.ready.gov: Preparing Makes Sense. Get Ready Now Older Americans Disabilities and Special Needs There are also online courses on emergency planning for

people with disabilities offered by the Uni-versity of Kansas Research and Training Center on Indepen-dent Living, 785.864.4095, www.train.org.

DISASTER AID CONTACTINFORMATION

Though Hurricane Sandy is behind most of us, it is worthwhile keeping this reference information should the need ever arise again. FEMA 800.621.3362 (Tel), 800.462.7585 (TTY), 800.621.3362 (VRS) www.disasteras-sistance.gov This is the government agency responsible for assisting people in federally declared disaster areas. Services can include benefits such as grants for temporary hous-ing, home repair, low cost loans, and other services. FEMA DISABILITY SPECIALIST Jim Flemming is the Regional Disability integra-tion specialist for FEMA. If a disabled person in the NY/NJ area is in dire need due to a federally declared disaster, he can be con-tacted at [email protected] INSURANCE ASSISTANCE United Pol-icy Holders is an organization that assists people having issues with their insurance

companies. www.uphelp.org/programs/roadmaptorecovery. . CHABAD - Chabad Shlichim in all areas have been known for organizing and pro-viding needed assistance. For the nearest CHABAD shaliach, check www.chabad.org RESOURCE INFORMATION, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, & MORE Our website, www.Beineinu.org has lists of medi-cal related gmachs, equipment loan closets, equipment exchange programs, Bikur Cho-lims, Medical organizations, and many other resources and services, as well as articles con-taining much needed information. AUTISM CARES - This organization’s Au-tism Response Team provides support for families with an autistic member who are af-fected by natural disasters. Call 888.autism2 (888.288.4762) Beineinu is at the forefront of providing information and support to families and ser-vice providers all over the world dealing with special needs. In times of need, we also com-pile and send out email lists of where to get help. For assistance you can email [email protected] or call us at 347.743.4900.

14 December 2012

Q A& ISSUES & ANSWERSBy Deborah Berman, LCSW

The American Inclusion Movement’s First Wave,

which was focused solely on In-clusion in the workforce, has been almost entirely forgotten. It occurred in the 1930’s, decades before the 1960’s zeitgeist brought about broader and more famous changes in pro-disability policy, architectural barriers, and inde-pendent living. The First Wave was led by a mostly Jewish cohort of young, militant, disabled activ-ists from Brooklyn and the Lower East Side who called themselves the League of the Physically Handicapped (LPH). The LPH was the very first mobility im-paired disability-rights group in recorded history. Its leader, Sylvia Bassoff, is the forgotten mother of what would become the wider Disability Inclusion Movement in the United States. Sylvia Bassoff was one of the victims of the 1916 polio out-break. She was stricken at sixteen months old and was partially paralyzed from the neck down. Her parents, Jewish émigrés from Eastern Europe, provided a disability-accepting Yiddish/Eng-lish-speaking household where she and her three siblings were saturated in a rich Jewish cultural and political atmosphere. That setting most certainly served at the foundation for her future as one of the most successful, if ob-scure, Jewish political agitators in American history. Bassoff grew up with the sense that anyone—whether a disadvantaged Jewish immigrant or a disabled person—has a right to live and work unim-peded by prejudice or policy. When Bassoff turned eighteen, armed with self-confidence, am-bition, and youthful energy, she struck out on her own and began to look for work. However, the reality of life as a disabled person in the 1930’s shattered her expec-

tations that the world would be as accepting and as her upbring-ing had been. Not only was she job-searching in the middle of the worst economic depression in American history, but she was obviously disabled, relying heav-ily on a set of crutches. Even after attending the elite Drake Busi-

ness School and finishing at the top of her secretarial class, she watched as less efficient but able-bodied classmates were hired in-stead of her. Finally, at the age of nineteen, she had to take a position as an envelope stuffer in a mass-mail-ing fundraising department at a charity that hired only persons with disabilities. Bassoff and her officemates viewed the work as degrading and segregationist. Franklin Roosevelt had recently been elected President and his successes in spite of his mobility impairment from polio made him a hero among the disabled popula-tion. In response to the grim reali-ties of the Depression, Roosevelt revamped the moribund Emergen-cy Relief Bureau (ERB)—today’s Human Resources Administration (HRA) – and fully implemented the WPA program. However, even though the President himself was mobility impaired, no disabled people were being hired by these Federal programs. Young Sylvia Bassoff and col-leagues viewed the WPA as the only way out of the charity sec-tor of the workforce. After all, the WPA hired other marginalized populations, such as Jews, thanks

to a standardized civil service test. However, these fair hiring practices seemed to stop with the disabled. Bassoff and thirty of her sheltered workshop colleagues, none of them with any experience in or-ganizing or advocacy, nervously met in secret to discuss a way out of segregated charity work and into

Inclusion in the workforce. In May, 1935, the group fi-nally acquired concrete evidence of how the disabled population was being excluded from govern-ment jobs. The WPA and ERB employment applications had a formalized discrimination system in which the page was stamped “PH” for “Physically Handi-capped” upon the conclusion of a job interview. This code meant an immediate rejection of the candi-date, regardless of qualifications or aptitude. Led by Bassoff, the group of young Jewish disability activists formalized their social action group. They dubbed them-selves the League of the Physi-cally Handicapped (LPH) and set out on a campaign to deal directly with the WPA policy-makers. The LPH began their campaign to acquire WPA jobs by visiting the New York City Satellite of-fice of the Emergency Relief Bu-reau (ERB), where they staged what was probably the first civil-rights sit-in in history. They en-trenched themselves in the ERB office and picketed for close to a week, marching on crutches and in wheelchairs at a time when the disabled were virtually invisible. In a chaotic New York City street

scene, protesters chanted critical slogans aimed at the ERB Com-missioner, who declared that the government owes nothing to the disabled but institutions and home relief. He then made the self-defeating decision to subject some of the non-violent disabled activists to arrests and rough treatment in front of crowds of able-bodied sympathizers and re-porters, with predictably negative press fallout. As a result of this week-long march, radical changes in the New York City ERB hiring poli-cies were immediately imple-mented. Thirty-three core mem-bers of the LPH won jobs via the ERB. Sylvia Bassoff was given a choice job as a typist, ironically at the very ERB office where she and her disabled colleagues had staged the initial sit-in. Although pleased with their new mainstream jobs, the group did not forget the systematic fed-eral work discrimination they had experienced. In 1936, only months after their New York City victory, the LPH set out to take their issue directly to President Roosevelt himself. Led by Syl-via Bassoff, then just twenty-one years of age, around a dozen core LPH members, most of them Jewish and all of them young and with obvious mobility disabili-ties, got into the back of an open flatbed truck and made the jour-ney from New York City to the nation’s capital. The group arrived in Wash-ington, D.C. and, unannounced, entered the federal building that housed the WPA. They demand-ed to meet with the President to discuss the systematic exclusion of the disabled from WPA jobs. Their disheveled looks from hours of exposure to wind and weather, combined with their clunky crutches and other mo-

Jews and the First Wave of the American Disability Inclusion Movement: The League of the Physically Handicapped, 1935-1939

December 2012 15


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bility paraphernalia, attracted more than a few stares in an era where the disabled were an ut-terly invisible part of American society. The group made it up to the WPA office and demanded to be seen, but were completely ig-nored. There were few chairs in the waiting room, so the group sat on the floor and refused to leave. Too exhausted and too mo-bility impaired to stand up and go down to the truck, the group un-wittingly staged the first sit-in in a federal building. This episode, consequently, became the model for civil rights sit-ins nationwide. The press got of wind of the LPH’s all-night sit-in and media attention was intense. The dis-abled activists, however, were neither self-satisfied nor indig-nant. The group of young twenty-something’s was terrified of losing their hard-won ERB jobs, being

arrested, or, even worse, tried for treason. This was an era of Com-munist paranoia and violent Na-tivism in the U.S., directed in par-ticular against Jews. As a result, the motives of this largely Jewish group of disabled dissenters were constantly being questioned. For example, a New York Times arti-cle on the LPH protest at the New York City ERB concluded with the LPH members repeatedly de-nying accusations that they were Communists and anti-American. Twenty-four hours into the sit-in, a top advisor to Roosevelt agreed to meet with the core members of the LPH. Sylvia also received a letter from President Roosevelt encouraging her in her mission, praising her leadership skills, and expressing his com-mitment to resolve the problem. This was quite an accomplish-ment for a disabled twenty-one

year old daughter of Jewish im-migrants in the 1930’s. Over the course of the next year, the LPH was successful in pressuring Roo-sevelt’s advisors to the WPA to repeal the discriminatory policy and eliminate the “PH” stamp on every Federal job application. While the LPH is responsible for opening up the federal work force to future generations of disabled Americans, the LPH activities in New York and Wash-ington, D.C. are almost entirely unknown. It was a short-lived movement because it quickly ac-complished its one goal: disability Inclusion in civil service employ-ment. During its approximately four years of activism, from about 1935-1939, its achievements were noteworthy indeed. Imbibing the 1930’s spirit of social agitation, a major part of which was the Jewish struggle against nativist

sentiments, quotas, and segrega-tion, the LPH refused to remain invisible. The organization broke the disability employment ste-reotype as being limited to the philanthropic world’s charity workshop settings and expanded it into the mainstream govern-ment sector by starting a trend in the hiring of the disabled in other branches of the federal govern-ment. Rather than accepting the disabled-as-charity recipient role that lay within the very core of the American collective psyche, the actions and accomplishments of the LPH laid the foundation for a fundamental change in the perceptions and practices of the government of the most powerful nation in the world toward those with disabilities.

Deborah Berman is a Senior Social Worker at Yachad, National Jewish Council for Disabilities.

16 December 2012

Q A& ISSUES & ANSWERS

A national survey in 2006 found that more than 13

million children in the United States are estimated to have spe-cial health care needs, such as chronic developmental, physical, behavioral or emotional condi-tions. The survey also found that 40 percent of families reported that their child’s health condition has caused financial problems; 25 percent of families needed to re-duce the number of hours worked, and 29 percent needed a parent to leave work entirely to care for their child. The survey showed that families were spending ap-proximately 30 percent of their time each week coordinating care for their child. In addition, chil-dren with special needs are more likely to have unmet health care needs, according to a 2004 study published in the Archives of Pedi-atrics and Adolescent Medicine. For parents of children with spe-cial needs, health care is typically a discontinuous series of providers, places and appointment times. Records are scattered among fam-ily doctors and various specialists who rarely, if ever, communicate with one another. They each take a piece of the puzzle and work on it independently, never seeing how

their piece ultimately fits in with the rest. The lack of coordination and active communication among the treatment providers can be-come a major obstacle to optimal pediatric health. One answer to this problem is the Patient-Centered Medical Home, also referred to as medical home, which was first introduced in the late 1960s by the American Acad-emy of Pediatrics and the Ameri-can Academy of Family Physicians. It referred to having a single source of all medical information for pe-diatric patients with special health care needs. The concept has grown into a fully developed method for providing comprehensive primary care through a trusting partner-ship among doctors, patients, and families. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics defined key aspects of the medical home -- care should be family-centered, accessible, and delivered in a com-passionate and culturally sensitive manner. It seeks to replace frag-mented and disease-reactive care with continuous care that is pro-active, comprehensive, and well-coordinated across all stages of life. Medical homes are especially important for children who have multiple and complex health care

concerns. Children with special needs frequently receive care from many providers and often require additional therapeutic and related services. In a pediatric medical home, families develop a long-term trusting partnership with a personal physician who leads a team of qualified health care pro-fessionals to manage all aspects of care and coordinates with other providers when needed. A plan of care is developed by the medical home team in partner-ship with the family, and this plan is shared with all providers involved in the child’s care. When referrals are needed, the medical home team provides specific information to the referring provider and reviews find-ings and recommendations with the family. Parents are not forced to navigate the health care system on their own. They simply make one phone call to the contact person for their medical home team who then works with them to coordinate and track all care provided. Within the medical home model of care, parents play an active role in helping to manage their child’s health condition. They know their child best, and physicians working in a medical home utilize this valu-able resource to better understand the child’s condition, see how it im-pacts the family’s daily living, and identify what resources are avail-able to help manage it. The fami-lies’ priorities and cultural values are acknowledged and respected. The medical home model in-cludes facilitating access to and co-ordinating with non-medical and social supports such as, schools and community-based developmental and mental health assessment and treatment agencies, to utilize the resources they provide. Pediatric medical home teams often include care coordinators, social workers, mental health professionals, and developmental specialists. Their expertise helps families address and

coordinate services for all aspects of their child’s health care needs. Findings from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs showed that children without a medical home are (1) twice as likely to experience delays in accessing care, (2) twice as likely to have unmet health care needs, and (3) three times as likely to have unmet needs for family support services as children who receive care in a medical home. Re-search published by Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and a 2011 study conducted by doc-tors from Boston University found that the pediatric medical homes are associated with better access to care, increased satisfaction with care, significantly fewer hospital-izations, and increased parental understanding of child health. Parents of children who have special health care needs often feel overwhelmed in trying to understand the totality of their child’s medical conditions. The medical home model provides a framework for developing a strong partnership between par-ents and their child’s personal physician, which leads to en-hanced satisfaction and improved care. The medical home’s team approach extends far beyond the bounds of a typical doctor’s visit. It helps parents become active partners in the management of their child’s treatment through management tools which can lead to better outcomes. For more information on the Pa-tient-Centered Medical Home visit the National Committee for Quality Assurance website at ncqa.org.

Dr. Peter Della Bella is Medical Director of Premier HealthCare, a Patient-Centered Medical Home for children and adults with develop-mental disabilities and their families. For more information about Premier HealthCare visit yai.org/PCH or call 1-866-2-YAI-LINK. Carolyn Driscoll is a Research Assistant with YAI.

By Dr. Peter Della Bella and Carolyn Driscoll, LMSW

Patient Centered Medical Home

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A MEDICAL HOME Your child is assigned a personal physician who directs a team of providers involved in his/her care. Your child is able to see his/her doctor when they need to and clinical advice is available 24 hours. Your child’s medical home team facilitates and electronically tracks all referrals and testing, and follows up with you when results are received You are fully informed and included in all decision-making, your feedback is actively sought, and your family’s cultural values are acknowledged, respected, and incorporated into your child’s plan of care. You are provided with a copy of an updated care plan after every visit. Children with special needs whose primary, specialty and subspecialty care is coordinated under a pediatric medical home model, experience fewer missed school days, emergency room visits and unmet medical issues.

December 2012 17


When we have children, we expect to be able to raise

them in our communities and educate them in our schools. For many, the story goes as planned. Others find this scenario to be a difficult or even impossible path to follow. There seems to be a pattern, of sorts, in our schools and com-munities. Our children are made to fit within three general cat-egories. In which category they fit appears to determine the ease with which they will find a niche that works and the level of “cha-nokh lana’ar al pi darko” that will apply to them. One category is the “typically developing” and minimally in-volved children. These are the children who have little to no difficulty with learning or be-havioral issues. These children attend day school and go to groups at shul. They have friends and participate in activities. Oc-casionally, they need a little aca-demic support and find the help they need in resource rooms or homework clubs, or at home with a parent. Their behavioral issues are typical for their age group. Most of our children fall into this group. Another category is the chil-dren with more severe learning or behavioral issues. Wonderful programs such as Yachad, Sinai, Kulanu, PTACH, and HASC have been developed to support these children academically and in the community. One can find a num-ber of therapeutic day schools in cities around the country. While families experiencing this level of special needs face extremely dif-ficult challenges, they definitely have some options available to help them educate their children. Many educators and community leaders are sensitive and commit-ted to helping these families find a path that fits.

The category of children which often encounters the greatest difficulty in terms of education and community in-clusion falls somewhere in be-tween the other two, and this category is growing at alarming rates. These are the children with mild-to-moderate social and behavioral needs. These

children often, but certainly not always, have diagnoses such as ADHD, PDD-NOS, high-func-tioning autism, sensory process-ing disorder, and others. These children are typically bright and academically capable, but have difficulty making friends. They are often socially delayed. They struggle with organization and maintaining attention. They have difficulty following direc-tions and staying on task. While they can be disruptive to classroom routine, and require a level of support that is not readily available in most classroom envi-ronments, they do not need the

level of academic supports found in self-contained environments. Socially, they need contact with typical peer models in order to learn appropriate behavior. Most day schools or community events do not have sufficient resources, policies, or training available to serve such children. There are some day schools

that are trying to educate this “middle” category of children and some shuls and community programs are trying to find ways to support them. While their ef-forts are worthy of praise, in my opinion, on the whole, we could do better. Using “shadows” or “facilita-tors” is frequently the preferred method for accommodating these children. While that is a useful strategy, it should be used as a transitional tool to help support a child while he or she gains necessary skills; a safety-net until he or she is able to function independently.

Educational models includ-ing environmental management, instructional accommodations, student self-management, and staff development would go far to help these children. Environ-mental management includes concepts such as physical seat-ing arrangements, organizational strategies, and transition-plan-ning, among others. Instruc-tional accommodations include curriculum, materials, processes, and outcomes. Student self-man-agement includes strategies ini-tially taught by the teacher, but that eventually become student-regulated and allows the student to independently manage his or her own learning. Staff develop-ment requires training for teach-ers, development of policies, col-laboration, problem solving, and communication. Obviously, financial resources are an issue. Nevertheless, I feel that often these children are de-nied a chance to participate with their peers out of fear and misun-derstanding. Our goal as educa-tors, parents, and neighbors should be to help all of our children to become successful, contribut-ing members of our communi-ties. “Chanokh lana'ar al pi darko” should not be a matter of catego-ries, but a continuum of strategies, programs and policies used in ed-ucational and community settings for the success and enrichment of all of our children.

Dr. Wodinsky and her family re-cently moved to Teaneck, NJ from At-lanta, GA where she was the founder and director of The Rayim Connec-tion, a non-profit organization that provided year-round programming for children in an inclusive setting. She is a special educator, inclusion specialist, and consults with families and schools. She earned her master’s degree in spe-cial education and holds graduate ac-ademic certificates in applied behavior analysis and autism intervention.

By Avigael (Stephanie) Saucier Wodinsky, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.B.A., GAC-ABA, GAC-AI

We Could Do Better

18 December 2012

FAMILYBy Tzivy Reiter, LCSW

There has been much made in the media about the stress

on marriage and the high rates of divorce affecting couples who have a child with a developmen-tal disability. Yet at the same time, counter studies have been pub-lished that refute many of these claims – reporting that this data has been exaggerated and that these families do not have a sig-nificantly higher divorce rate. Which of these assertions is true? In our experience working with families, we can certainly understand both perspectives. There is undoubtedly an inor-dinate amount of stress placed on a marriage when a child has a dis-ability, and we have seen marriag-es unravel before our eyes due to complications and stress that simply can’t be managed. When this happens, the consequences of divorce can be enormous and exponential: the financial pres-sures, stress of single-parent care-giving, impact on the child with a disability who has an even harder time managing change; as well as effects on the typically devel-oping children who are already coping with having a sibling with special needs. Yet we have also seen couples who parent a child with a dis-ability with marriages that are incredibly strong: couples who “have each other’s backs,” who understand the unique pressures they each face and provide sup-port to one another as they meet them. We have seen couples with an extraordinary level of emo-tional closeness that is fostered by the all-encompassing chal-lenge that is caring for a child with special needs. What are some of the chal-lenges that these marriages face? What are the family dynamics that can contribute to the stress in a marriage when there is a child with special needs? And

most importantly: what are the strategies that many couples have successfully utilized to transform some of those chal-lenges into strengths? Financial Stress: Families who have a child with a disability often experience extraordinary fi-nancial stress due to the increased costs of therapy, treatment, spe-cial diets, respite and other care. It may also create a situation where

one parent has to work overtime in the provider role, becoming virtually an absentee parent while the remaining parent assumes the caregiving role. The financially providing parent may feel ex-tremely pressured and not under-stand why his/her spouse resents his long absences, causing both parents to feel misunderstood and unappreciated. Unequal caregiving responsi-bilities: Often one parent, (usu-

ally the mother) carries a dis-proportionate amount of the caregiving responsibilities. These roles may be assumed by design or they may just evolve over time. This can occur even when finan-cial responsibilities are shared. In these instances, the primary caregiver will often feel that her/his spouse just doesn’t “get it”- the extent of the care they need to provide, the minutiae of their

daily responsibilities, the stress from navigating the bureaucratic service delivery system and their personal need for some time away from caregiving. This divide can create emotional distance unless it is recognized and suitable at-tention is focused on the needs of both parents. Time and Energy: There are only so many reserves of time and energy to be had, and the child with disabilities will likely

consume all of them. There is lit-tle left over for even the typically developing children in the family, let alone the couple. Even if the couple understands their need and right to have time together and does not perceive it as indul-gent, it is usually not realistic as caregiving issues and the needs of the child with disabilities of-ten get in the way. In order for this couples time to happen, fam-ily and/or community members must recognize and actively work to address this issue, giving cou-ples precious time alone outside of their caregiving responsibili-ties to connect and recharge their emotional batteries. Differences in coping styles: Having a child with a dis-ability often requires parents to acknowledge the loss of the child they wished to have, and to ac-cept and embrace the child they were given. This process is not a finite event with a beginning and an end, but rather continues throughout one’s lifetime. It is often revisited at different stages in the child’s development and in the family’s life cycle. Often parents have different coping styles and do not experi-ence this process in the same way. One partner may need more time to process his/her situation more, more outlets for verbal commu-nication and support, and to be more open and direct about his/her feelings. Another partner may be more private about his feelings, may not come to an ac-ceptance at the same rate as his/her spouse, or even at all. Some spouses have a more positive outlook while others have a hard time moving forward from their pain. A recent NY Times article, “The Psychic Toll Paid In a Spe-cial Needs House” by Ron Lieber, captured it well: “One person in a couple with a child whose disability was unexpected may

United We Stand: The Impact of Disabilities on Marriage

December 2012 19

FAMILYhave difficulty accepting it,” said Christoper Currin, a parent and financial planner who worked with divorced couples. “A deeper wellspring of love may open up in one of them, while the other goes to that well and finds it empty.” In addition, spiritual differ-ences can be highlighted, as some parents can strengthen their religious faith in the face of such a challenge, while others will find themselves questioning their beliefs and/or angry about their situation. Finally, stereotypical male/fe-male differences can also come into play. Many fathers we know have acknowledged difficulty in expressing their feelings, prefer-ring instead to problem-solve and “fix things.” They are left feeling helpless when they realize their current problems cannot be “fixed.” Many mothers have ex-pressed their wish that their hus-bands would simply be there for them and listen to their struggles without feeling blamed or pres-sured to solve them. Successfully communicating couples need not necessarily have the exact same style of coping. Yet they should be aware of their differences in approach, accept one another’s coping style, and periodically communicate about these issues. All feelings should be validated as legitimate, even if they differ from one’s own. The parent who has a harder time ac-knowledging his feelings should not be made to feel that his style is less healthy, and should be given the time and space to process feelings at his own pace. The parent who may need more open communication, processing and emotional support, should actively pursue other outlets in order to meet that need - such as counseling, peer mentoring and support groups. Programs that address some of these differences head-on can be very beneficial for families. Mothers and Fathers groups can illuminate some of these differ-

ences and provide support in navigating them. The less com-municative parent can be taught to validate feelings and agree to set aside a small amount of time to just listen, if not talk him/her-self. Parents who are successful in working through these cop-ing differences report “checking in” with one another periodically about how they are doing. “Are we OK? If we are not OK, what can we do differently?” This gives them a sense of working through things as a team, even if they are

not always on the same page on every issue. Decisions regarding fam-ily size: This is certainly not limited to families who have children with disabilities, as all couples need to be on the same page regarding these issues. Families who have children with disabilities have additional is-sues to consider in growing their families: caregiving responsibili-ties of the parents; burnout level of the primary caregiver; anxiety of one or both parents regard-ing the health status of future children; the risk of any genetic issues, if they exist, to future chil-dren; concern for unduly bur-dening the typically developing children in the family; and more. If parents are not united in their wishes regarding family size, it can create enormous resentment and feelings of alienation in one or both of them. Enhanced com-munication can help each under-stand the concerns and feelings

of the other and come to mutu-ally agreed upon decisions [in consultation with their Rabbi, as deemed appropriate]. Excessive Parental Involve-ment: A new phenomenon that in the current generation of fami-lies is the excessive involvement of grandparents. Adult parents of children with disabilities are typically in need of as much as-sistance as possible, and many grandparents provide it in the form of financial assistance, bab-ysitting and help navigating the

service system. The downside to such assistance is that at times the grandparents may overstep boundaries and inadvertently intrude upon the parents’ author-ity, space or cohesion as a couple. Successful couples accept help from their parents, while at the same time presenting a united front and maintaining paren-tal authority and appropriate boundaries in the relationship.

OTHER PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT HELP

STRENGTHEN COUPLES: Tap into the humor. One cou-ple jokingly says that they had better stay together because “no one else in the world would take us with this package!” Another couple, who find themselves de-pleted after a full day of caregiv-ing their child with high behav-ioral needs, have a “secret signal” to let each other know if they need help, because “we are so wiped, we can’t even look at each other, let alone communicate, af-

ter a day like that!” Show appreciation. Express-ing gratitude, even for the things that one’s spouse should be do-ing, goes a long way to rein-forcing the connection between both partners. Experience joy. Finding ways to experience joy as a family is es-sential, even if it seems very chal-lenging to do so. Locating acces-sible trip destinations, programs that take into account the needs of children with disabilities, and sensory friendly recreation op-portunities – help couples and children create positive associa-tions and fun family memories which can get them through the difficult times. Seek support. Services, sup-port and as much respite as pos-sible are not luxuries. They are necessary to keep families func-tioning and marriages healthy and thriving. In conclusion, couples who parent children with disabilities deserve compassion and under-standing of the unique challenges that they face on a daily basis. Family, community members and professionals who interact with them, should strive to provide extra support in meeting those challenges, thereby strengthening their marriages and entire fami-lies in the process.

Tzivy Ross Reiter, LCSW-R, is a Di-rector at Ohel Bais Ezra and an advi-sor to Building Blocks Magazine. She has written extensively about issues related to developmental disabilities and mental health. She is also the au-thor of “Briefcases & Baby Bottles: TheWorking Mother’s Guide to Nurturinga Jewish Home; Feldheim, 2012.” With over four decades of experience in caring for those across the spectrum of developmental disabilities, OHEL Bais Ezra has elevated and enriched the lives of thousands of individuals and families. They offer parents much sought guidance and clear direction with many cutting edge services and programs, they are able to tailor pro-grams that meet the specific needs of each individual and optimize their potential. For more information, Call 1.800.603.OHEL web: ohelfamily.org Facebook: facebook.com/ohelfamily.

“There is undoubtedly aninordinate amount of stress placed on a marriage when a child has a

disability, and we have seenmarriages unravel before our eyes

due to complications and stress that simply can’t be managed.”

20 December 2012

FAMILYBy Steve K. Walz, Jewish Press Israel Correspondent

New and veteran immigrant (olim) families, who have

a special needs child or adult at home in Israel have access to a va-riety of government and private sector outreach services, which a growing number of Anglo immi-grants claim are superior to many services available in the USA. New benefits are still being added. For example, last month, the Israeli government an-nounced that wheel-chair bound disabled olim would be entitled to a substantially increased sti-pend to help pay the rent on their apartments. In addition, new im-migrants, who applied for such benefits earlier this year, and who were waited for final approval by the Israeli cabinet, will now re-ceive retroactive rental stipends

dating back to May. Rents for decent apartments in many Israeli cities and towns often exceed 3000 shekels a month (about $750), and until now, wheel-chair bound olim were only entitled to between 800-1500 shekels a month to-ward their rent. Now, they are eligible for up to 3000 shekels a month in government rent sub-sidies, which will cover a signifi-cant portion of their basic liv-ing expenses. New immigrants who suffer from other types of disabilities will also received an increase in their maximum gov-ernment rent subsidies from 600 to 1200 shekels a month. Single parent families with a disabled person at home are also entitled to rental assistance.

There are many more “qual-ity of life” enhancing programs available through the Israel’s vari-

ous HMO’s (community clinics), Bituach Leumi (National Health Insurance), hospitals and non-governmental/non-profit organi-zations (NGO’s). In addition, lo-cal municipalities work with both the Ministry of Education and private NGO’s to offer programs serving special needs youngsters and young adults. The growing number of physical and mentally challenged youngsters, especially those with an ASD (Autism Spec-trum Disorder), has prompted parents to raise funds for private “after school” clubs and pro-grams. In Modiin, a city with a mushrooming English-speaking immigrant population, there are 7 kindergartens devoted to spe-cial needs children that are fund-ed by the Ministry of Education and the local municipality. In ad-dition, a local group of English-speaking parents have formed an after school hours “club” for au-tistic youngsters. An American-born medical professional who lives in Cen-tral Israel and works in one of the country’s most well-known HMO’s revealed, “Israelis in gen-

eral are very self-sufficient and find support on their own. There’s also a mutual support system

that is very effective, while non-profits play a big role. In Israel, standard ‘socialized care’ makes sure each child has a pediatrician and, until age 5, preventive care (called Tipat Chalav). It's hard to get lost in such a system. Also, within the socialized care system, a program called ‘Hitpatchut Hayeled’ (Child Development) gives kids developmental pediat-ric care. It is a fantastic resource for various types of youngsters with special needs. When such a child comes into my office, I refer the parents to ‘Hitpatchut Hay-eled’ for evaluation and the ap-propriate therapies, whether they are available through the HMO’s (Kupat Cholim) or elsewhere.” English-speaking immigrants who have moved to Northern Israel benefit from the multi-tude of services provided by the region’s largest medical facility-Rambam Hospital in Haifa. The Children’s Hospital at Rambam (www.rambam.org.il) is North-ern Israel’s only hospital exclu-sively dedicated to pediatric medicine and is anchored in the community. Youngsters and their

Israel Offers Superior Services to “Special Needs” Olim

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December 2012 21

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families turn to it on their own or are referred by family doc-tors, in-house (hospital) physi-cians, schools, and social welfare agencies. The hospital takes a personal approach to children, and includes parents as partners in the healing process. Amongst some of the services provided to children with Special Needs by Rambam include an ADHD and Adolescent Clinic, as well as an Eating Disorders Clinic. The metro Jerusalem region is blessed with a plethora of cutting-edge non-profit organi-zations that work closely with the English-speaking immigrant community. One such organi-zation is the Tishma School & Center for Children with Autism. Tishma was established in Jeru-salem in January, 2001 to provide an intensive behavioral interven-tion program for children diag-

nosed with autism. Since open-ing with one room and just two students, Tishma has expanded rapidly. It now serves 60 students in a rented property in the south of the city. Tishma provides each child with a customized educational program based on the specific skills that require development and strengthening. The school accepts any child with a formal diagnosis of autism or PDD (Per-vasive Development Disorder). Ruchie Aloof, who made ali-yah from New Jersey to the town of Yad Binyamin near Re-hovot, and who is the mother of a PDD youngster, didn’t know how much assistance she would receive from the “system” in Is-rael. “You know, this is not the easiest thing for a parent to deal with, especially in Israel, where you have to be a bit more pushy

or, as the saying goes, ‘the more you squeak the more oil you will receive’. What I discovered is that my PDD son is more eligible for various types of assistance than in the USA,” she told the Jewish Press. “For instance, many spe-cial needs children are eligible for alternative therapies such as horseback riding and other ani-mal therapies that are subsidized by your insurance. In the USA, they’ve only started to think about this type of therapy. Some youngsters who might not have great verbal skills could be put on a horse and they are actual able to control the animal. It’s amazing to watch. If your child is recog-nized by Bituach Leumi (Nation-al Health Insurance) as having special needs, you will receive a stipend every month towards al-ternative therapy. You choose the enrichment therapy that fits your

child’s needs. Of course, the gov-ernment also assigns you a social worker who will advise and help you navigate the system. Families with a child or young adult with special needs are even entitled to discounts on electricity etc. And in designated school districts, busing is provided as well. It’s not a perfect system and there will al-ways be hurdles to deal with but the bottom line is that my child is thriving in school.” As a service to our readers, see page 99 for an abridged list of various outreach services avail-able to the “Special Needs” com-munity in Israel.

Steve K. Walz, is the Jewish Press' Israel-based correspondent. He is the former editor of the Jewish Press, who made aliyah in 2001.

See page 99 for more infor-mation on services in Israel.

22 December 2012

FAMILY

Having a child with special needs can be especially

challenging for parents, particu-larly as they attempt to navigate their way through the system in order to take advantage of the services that are available for their child. But while parents who live in the greater New York area have many options when it comes to attempting to provide their child with services that are appropriate within a private school setting, those who live outside the metro-politan area find themselves with very limited options, if any. Avigael Wodinsky was living on Long Island when her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of eighteen months. “My son was two when we moved to Atlanta, but we had al-ready gotten a taste of early inter-vention in New York,” said Wodin-sky. “We weren't able to get early intervention in Atlanta because by the time kids turn two they are be-ing transitioned out of the system. We had to wait until he turned three and became the responsibil-ity of the public school system.” While Wodinsky had gotten a degree in applied behavior anal-ysis in order to be able to provide services for her son, she quickly discovered that finding thera-pists was no easy task and those that were in the area had long waiting lists. Wodinsky took matters into her own hands and trained local college students to do the work she wanted to be done with her son, even building a sensory gym in her basement. From there, it was just a short leap to the birth of The Rayim Connection, which offered ac-cess to Jewish activities and pro-grams to children of all abilities. “We had a self contained Sun-day school for children, an in-clusion programs for summer camps, music therapy, gymnas-tics, krav maga and all sort of

programming,” said Wodinsky. “Our kids were not welcomed at Shabbos groups in shuls and this finally gave them a chance to interact with other Jewish children while being involved in Jewish activities.” Unable to find a day school in Atlanta that would accept her son, despite the fact that he fin-ished kindergarten and was able

to read both English and Hebrew, Wodinsky relocated to Teaneck where son is currently enrolled in the Yavne Academy in Paramus. The Rayim Connection is, in Wo-dinsky’s words, defunct, for now. “No one wants to put money into something like this,” said Wodinsky. “I speak to many of the parents from Atlanta and all but one of the children is in pub-lic school. There is no place in At-lanta day schools for these kids.” Chicago resident Sara Porush, the mother of a fifteen year old with familial dysautonomia, finds the lack of services in Chicago particularly challenging. “Illinois ranks fiftieth in the country for providing services for the disabled,” reported Porush. “In New York, there are services all over, but in Illinois we don't

have much. There are waiver pro-grams in existence to provide ser-vices, but they are much smaller and very difficult to get onto.” Porush wonders what she will do once her son turns twenty two and is no longer eligible for the high school program he is cur-rently enrolled in. “In New York there is residen-tial housing for children who

outgrow the schools, but they are just starting to work on that here,” said Porush. “We know of one non-Jewish family who moved to Wisconsin because they couldn't get the services they needed in Il-linois and we joke about moving to New York just so we can get more services.” One saving grace for Illinois parents has been Keshet, which, for the past thirty years, has been providing services for children with special needs in Chicago that includes Jewish programming. “We weave the fabric of Ju-daism into all of our programs which include day school, sum-mer camp, Sunday school and more,” said Abbie Weisberg, ex-ecutive director at Keshet. “You can be ultra Orthodox, modern Orthodox or not Jewish at all and

still feel that sense of belonging.” The sense of belonging and continuity is very important to both the children with special needs and their parents who typi-cally find themselves on the out-side looking in. “It is very isolating to have a spe-cial needs kid and for these chil-dren and their families we are their community,” explained Weisberg.

Keshet serves approximately 450 children annually, with some coming from as far away as Los Angeles, Denver, Wisconsin and Minneapolis. “There just isn't much be-ing offered outside of New York City,” said Weisberg. “I met with the Board of Jewish Education in New York and they told me ‘Nobody does it like Keshet’. We serve hundreds of children every year here in Chicago, but through our model, which is being used in numerous other places, we im-pact the lives of thousands.”

Sandy Eller is a freelance writer who has written for various websites, newspapers, magazines and private clients in addition to having written song lyrics and scripts for several full scale productions. She can be contact-ed at [email protected].

By Sandy Eller

Coping with Limited Services Out of New York

December 2012 23

FAMILYBy Chaim Wakslak, PhD

During my years as Clini-cal Director I never cease

to be amazed by a group of men and women, both young and old, who serve on the front line by working “hands on” with the Special Needs population. You will find these unsung heroes in every agency, for they are criti-cal and vital to the services be-ing rendered. You will find them providing personal care and ad-ministering medications in resi-dential programs; teaching and training in day community ha-bilitation and respite programs; while always facilitating growth, development and maximum in-dependence. These are the Direct Support Counselors. Before a Direct Support Counselor can begin working, they must undergo an exhaus-tive screening process to insure their suitability for the job. Once accepted, they must then par-ticipate in an intensive orienta-tion process and attend a host of training programs that range from Medication Administra-tion, to Fire and Safety, to Client Rights and Abuse (referred to as 624 & 633 regulations, as they are identified in the NY State code). When all is said and done, I do not believe that the wages and benefits received by these em-ployees are commensurate with the amount of effort, responsibil-ity and stress involved with this type of work. It goes without saying that not everyone is suited for this type of a position. So what are the char-acteristics that an excellent Direct Support Counselor possesses?

EMPATHY It is clear that empathy, for the most part, is an inherent char-acteristic, and not something which can be learned. There are varying degrees of empathy, and

some people are able to empa-thize more than others. To work with a person with Special Needs means being able to understand their deficits, appreciate their

strengths and conduct all inter-actions with compassion, dignity and a positive attitude. If you can totally put yourself in the place of the one you are working with, you will do nothing but perform in an excellent fashion.

DEPENDABILITY People with developmental disabilities differ in their depen-dency needs. Some are unable to obtain their own meals, bathe themselves, get dressed, or go to the bathroom independently. Others require only minimal supervision, intermittent guid-ance, safety reminders and be-havioral monitoring. Regardless of the particular circumstances, they have to be able to depend on the person assigned to them. It is well known that people with Special Needs do not re-act well to change. One way that they compensate for their limitations is by establishing a regular routine. Any disrup-tion to their familiar schedule, environment or activities can often yield untoward reactions. Furthermore, they become ex-tremely attached to the person who is working with them. That relationship provides them with

an additional sense of security – one of a familiar face and pre-dictable mode of interaction. The substantive issue is always to strike a proper balance so that one does not foster over-depen-dence while on the other hand providing enough supervision, assistance or intervention to assure their well-being. It is for these reasons that it is crucial for a Direct Support Counselor to be dependable.

PATIENCE Individuals with intellectual challenges, sometimes coupled with physical disabilities, emo-tional difficulties and poor com-munication skills, cannot move and process information quickly. We live in a hurried society, and we have become used to fast paced living. It can be difficult to slow down to the pace of the per-son we are working with. A good rule is to allow a person to do as much as they can for themselves, and to avoid doing things for a person that they can do for them-selves. Doing too much for them leads to them losing some of their physical abilities and increased dependence. It can also damage the dignity of a person, which is an important part of their mental health and quality of life. Addi-tionally, a counselor without pa-tience can succumb to frustration which is reflected in their tone of voice, and sometimes even anger.

STRENGTH There will be days and times when you feel like you are at your limit. You may be having a bad day yourself, or the person you are working with may be having a bad day, or you are just burned out. Times like these call for strength. Sometime a Direct Sup-port Counselor will find themself in a battle with their supervisor or administration in advocating

and fighting for what they per-ceive would best meet the needs of the person they are working with. It is very easy to become frustrated by the red tape of regu-latory agencies, or administrative bureaucracies. It takes a lot of pa-tience and strength to advocate for your care recipient. A position of a Direct Support Counselor is not for the weak!

FLEXIBILITY Caregivers have to be some of the most flexible people I know. Things can change in an instant when you are working an indi-vidual with Special Needs. A Di-rect Support Counselor must be open to change because, whether you like change or not, it will happen. This type of position is best for people who can adapt quickly, and accept change easily. Let’s not forget to value and salute our Direct Support Counselors!

Rabbi Wakslak received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Hofstra University in 1974. He is a New York State licensed clinical psychologist and served as clinical director and ad-ministrator of the Brunswick Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital in Amityville, where he specialized in clinical neuropsychology for over 20 years. He also served as a consultant to the Hebrew Academy of Special Children, Bais Ezra/Ohel, the New York State Department of Education, and the New York State Department of Disability Determinations. At the pres-ent time, Dr. Wakslak is the clinical di-rector of HASC Center in Brooklyn. Rabbi Wakslak also has a long and distinguished rabbinic career. He received semicha in 1970 from Rav Gedaliah Schorr, zt’l, at Mesivta To-rah Vodaath. He served as the rabbi of the Young Israel of Belle Harbor for 13 years. During his tenure, a new shul and mikveh were built, and he was instrumental in the establishment of Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah of Belle Har-bor. In 1986, he assumed the position as mara d’asra of the Young Israel of Long Beach, where he has served for the past 26 years.

Direct Support Counselors:Working with Individual’s and Their Special Needs

24 December 2012

FAMILYBy Melanie Kwestel

Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Every un-happy family is unhappy in

its own way.” He might well have added, “Every bereaved family is bereaved in its own way.” The death of any child is dev-astating, but for parents of chil-dren with special needs, who require more hands-on care and time than healthy children, the passing of that child can seem an insurmountable pain. Par-ents are often as conversant with their child’s medical condition as the many physicians with whom they interact, and the sheer num-ber of hours of care builds an in-timacy that can seem closer than the bonds they have with their other children.

For some, this loss seems in-surmountable. “My life will never be the same,” mourned Sharona. “I don’t believe there is light at the end of this tunnel. I am just trying to learn how to live in the tunnel where I am.” Yet others, after the passage of time, and who have the respon-sibility of other children to raise, have found ways to cope with the devastating loss. “We know how to commemo-rate the yahrzeit, but there are no guides to celebrating the birthday of a child who has died,” noted Batsheva. Every year on Yoni’s birthday, her family buys bal-loons. They write messages to the child, things they would want

him to know, tie them to the bal-loons, and then let them go. “We watch them climb into the sky, and I imagine that somehow they will get to him,” she said.

Many families keep a favorite toy or the blanket that comfort-ed their deceased child in a spot where it can be seen, a reminder of a beloved child whose presence

Getting Past the Pain:Coping with the Death of a Chronically Ill Child

“The death of any child isdevastating, but for parents of

children with special needs, whorequire more hands-on care and time than healthy children, the

passing of that child can seem aninsurmountable pain.”

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is felt daily. Photographs can help ease the loneliness, and several families have electronic picture frames that cycle through dozens, if not hundreds, of photos. Spending time with bereaved families makes it clear that it is these myriad little challenges that populate their days, par-ticularly in the first years. They wonder how they will answer the unintentionally callous who sug-gest that their other children will

somehow make up for the loss, or that they can have another child. How will they deal with the pain that accompanies what Dr. Norman Blumenthal, direc-tor of Chai Lifeline’s bereave-ment department calls, “The Question”: “How many children do you have?” There are no easy answers, nor is there one answer that suffices for everyone. As Deborah Horen-stein noted, “My child was now in the spiritual realm, but I was here. I was alive. I had to find the work I was meant to do.” While most of New York and New Jersey was preparing for Hurricane Sandy, Deborah and her husband Avrom spent the weekend with 50 bereaved par-ents at Chai Lifeline’s Healing Hearts Bereavement Retreat. The Horensteins served as parent-partners, a couple whose expe-riences over the past five years might help more recently be-reaved parents find the path that would work for them. Ariella Horenstein, a’h, was only eight years old when she passed away five years ago. She

suffered from a complex immune disorder, epilepsy, and Crohn’s Disease. Deborah was so in-volved with Ariella’s medical care that she briefed new medical per-sonnel on her condition with the precision and accuracy of a phy-sician. When they were told that their best hope for Ariella was a bone marrow transplant, Debo-rah and Avrom brought Ariella to Duke University Medical Cen-ter in Durham, North Carolina. They lived there for a year and half while Ariella fought bravely, but ultimately unsuccessfully, for her life. After Ariella’s passing, the Horensteins moved back to their home in Monsey, New York. Shoshana and Talya, their daughters, resumed their school routines. While they were ex-tremely sad, Deborah and Av-rom were not lost. In Ariella’s life and death, they found tremen-dous meaning and the ability to move forward. “Ariella really had suffered. I don’t think you can separate her death from her illness,” Debo-rah replied when asked how she coped with her loss. For years she had studied the works of rebbeim like Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner, z’tl, who wrote of suffering and faith during his own long battle with illness. Her own emunah allowed Deborah to accept Ariella’s death. “It’s not in the natural course of things (to lose a child). That’s what makes it so clear that it’s coming from Hashem,” she stated. As Deborah said, Ariella’s task on Earth was finished. Their daughter had touched so many lives. Now it was time for her and Avrom to continue with their lives. Soon after they returned, Deborah began to take a course that would prepare her for medi-cal school and a planned career as a pediatric oncologist. This August she entered the Univer-sity of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Kwestel Continues on Page 27 ➘

26 December 2012

FAMILYBy Shoni Eidlisz, LMSW

There is certainly a sense of urgency if you are the parent of a child with special

needs struggling in school. Nevertheless, to serve as an effective advocate for your child, it is imperative that you learn the proper ad-vocacy techniques, and apply them in a calm, and patient manner. In addition, parents must gain a working understanding of the federal laws which determine your child’s rights to get the services he or she needs.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOURCHILD’S IEP MEETING:

The IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting is very important. You and the other IEP team members at the meeting will discuss the services that are appropriate to provide for your child. It provides an opportunity for you, the parent, to ask questions and to share insights about your child.

BEFORE THE MEETING ✔Check the date of your child’s last IEP. It must be rewritten every year. ✔ Request copies of any evaluations and past IEP’s. ✔If you disagree with the school’s evalua-tion, you may request in writing an indepen-dent educational evaluation at no cost to you. The results of this evaluation must be consid-ered by the IEP team. ✔Prepare a list of questions for the meeting. ✔Make a list of your child’s strengths and needs and your major concerns about his/her education. ✔Think about your child’s academic prog-ress. What has worked? And what hasn’t been effective?

AT THE MEETING ✔Be on time. ✔If needed, bring someone who can pro-vide support at the meeting and/or bring someone who has special knowledge or spe-cial expertise regarding your child. ✔Ask each person to identify themselves and write down their names and titles. ✔Share your visions for your child, both short term and long term. ✔Discuss your child’s strengths and needs. ✔ Remember that the diagnostic testing tools do not present the total picture of who your child is and what his/her needs are. ✔ Ask questions if you don’t understand something. ✔Take detailed notes. ✔Don’t accept any decision on your child’s IEP unless it is explained and you fully under-stand and are in agreement. ✔Request copies of your child’s new IEP.

✔Do NOT sign anything before reading it completely, and if you need more time to digest it, don’t let yourself be pressured into signing it.

PRACTICAL ADVOCACY TIPS: Build a Reliable Team Find independent evaluators who can help you understand your child’s needs. Consider consulting an educa-tional advocate, who can help you to under-stand the laws, procedures, and strategies used at meetings with government officials. Learn the Rules Every state has a different set of rules and regulations defining a child’s rights to services and the procedures which are used to obtain those services. Learn what they say and mean, and bring a copy of them to all meetings with government officials to set the IEP, which will determine which ser-vices your child will receive. Prioritize Your Issues Create a list of what services you believe will be most helpful to the success of your child. When you meet with school personnel or the Board of Education, remain focused on your objectives. However, also be prepared, going into the meeting, to turn the argument into a negotiation by sug-gesting a reasonable compromise that you have thought through in advance. Document Everything and Keep All Pa-perwork Document every communication you have with government officials and agen-cies. Keep a written log of all telephone and face-to-face conversations. Take notes at all meetings. If possible, have another person attend the meetings who can take the notes for you and possibly later serve as a witness. However, don’t make any notations on any of-ficial documents or letters that you may want to use later as exhibits at a due process hear-ing. If you do want to notate them, do it on copies, not the originals. Sign Nothing Until You Read It Thor-oughly and Understand It You could be sign-ing something you do not agree with. Put It in Writing If you speak with some-one who has agreed to something verbally, send a letter confirming what was said. Send important letters certified mail with a return receipt requested. Consider How Each Step You Take Would Look to an Impartial Decision Mak-er When you challenge a government denial of your request for services for your child, in many cases the final decision will be made by a hearing officer. You want to show that hearing officer that you have shared infor-mation with the school, treated school per-

sonnel respectfully, and made an honest ef-fort to implement the reasonable measures that the school system has offered. You also must show that you are using the due process system, rather than fighting over procedural violations that do not affect the quality of your child’s education. Learn About The Special Education Laws In order to effectively advocate for your child, it is imperative to understand the laws which apply to special education and services. The Individual with Disabilities Act, Section 504 and No Child Left Behind are the three main federal laws which deal with students who may have special education needs. INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA) governs how states and public agencies provide early in-tervention, special education and related services to children with disabilities. It set procedural safeguards that protect the rights of parents and children during the identifica-tion, evaluation and placement process. Parents may challenge decisions regarding their child’s education through a due process proceeding, which could include mediation or an impartial hearing. Mediation Mediation involves the parent and a representative of the school district working collaboratively with an independent mediator. Any issues settled in mediation must be stated in a written agreement and immediately applied to the child’s IEP. Any is-sues not settled at the mediation session can be discussed further with the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) or the Committee on Special Education (CSE) or brought to an impartial hearing. Impartial Hearing The parent (or the school district) can request an impartial hear-ing before a hearing officer who renders a written decision. Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act is an anti-discrimination law which is most often used to obtain accommodations for qualified students. No Child Left Behind provides standards for all students regardless of their disability.

Shoni Eidlisz is the Director of Early Intervention for Omni Childhood Center, which provides evalua-tions and individual comprehensive therapy services for children from Birth – 3 years old, and preschool and school age children (3-21 years old). OMNI Childhood Center is located at 1651 Coney Island Avenue and at 18 Heyward Street, in Williamsburg. For further information, or to make a referral, please call 718.998.1415.

How to Advocate Effectively for Your Child

December 2012 27

FAMILYBy Lisa R. Silvey

When a child is born, he knows one thing - how

to take. He cries - we feed him, change him, cuddle him, any-thing to make to him happy. As this child gets older, we start to teach him to feed himself, to pick up the spoon, to ask nicely for a drink, to tell us his bath-room needs. Later, he learns to bathe and dress himself, tell us what he wants to eat for break-fast, and get on the bus without a fuss. And then he becomes older and decides that he wants items that are not in the family budget. He realizes that in order to purchase these items, he will need money and thus he gets a job. Be it, babysitting, shoveling snow, raking leaves, or going to work in a pizza shop. This ado-lescent is learning the rules of independence that are the roots of becoming an adult. And what do we do when this young child is unable to take a shower independently because he cannot handle the sensory stimulation of the water on his back, or does not have good in-terpersonal relationships with peers due to his impulsivity, be it physical or verbal? What about the child who is 7 years old who prefers to eat with his hands instead of using a fork?

How do we as parents manage and teach such important skills to our children? Rule number As parents we must remain calm. Even an infant can pick up on a parent’s tension. This can break the tran-quility in the entire home, and chaos can erupt. Rule number Maintain perspective. Remember that this child may not be able to button his shirt independently at ten, even though his young-er sister has been doing so for three years. Rule number Have patience. It is also a good idea to teach a new skill when the child is not under the pressure to do it RIGHT NOW. For example, take ten minutes when the other children are doing homework to pull out a shirt with buttons on it, or to teach better oral hygiene. Do it when you are finished with the morning rush, and the child will feel less pres-sured as well. Don’t expect for ev-erything to be perfect all at once. Rule number Expect small successes. Be happy when he ate part of the meal with a fork. Smile when he helped his father rake the leaves for ten minutes, or cut carrots for five. These are all steps in the right direction. What about when your child

starts getting older? As parents, we are always looking carefully at our child’s strengths and weak-nesses, and guiding them to-ward a livelihood that will work for them. This can also be done with our children with special needs. If you see that your child has a talent with helping you in the kitchen, perhaps find a lo-cal caterer who would be willing to allow him to help out in their kitchen. Another child who en-joys yard work, could be placed with one of the many landscapers who could always use more help in the autumn raking up leaves, or cutting back bushes. Does your child like animals? Contact your local ASPCA. They are al-ways looking for volunteers to come on a regular basis to com-fort the pets, feed them, and also clean their cages. At my IEP meetings, I al-ways stress to the parents the most important goal for their teenager with special needs is learning how to start mak-ing a living. What a great feel-ing it is for a child to receive a paycheck, or even just a ten dollar bill for his hour or two of work. It is possible that the person who is mentoring your child cannot or will not want to pay for his time, but your

child should be paid. Give the mentor the money, and they will pay the child. He does not need to know where the money came from. It is impor-tant to teach him that his time is valued, and it will motivate him to want to work more. Finally, open a bank account for your child. Show him the monthly statements, and if he shows increased indepen-dence, give him his own debit card to let him start managing his own money. Banks will set up an account with monthly spending limits. In conclusion, teaching inde-pendence to any teenager can be challenging, but especially so when this child has special needs. As parents, patience, motivation, and much b’siate d’shmiya is always needed to help our child succeed and sur-vive in the most independent manner he is capable of.

Lisa Silvey a practicing speech pa-thologist and special education teacher in the central New Jersey area. She has close to twenty years experience work-ing with a wide variety of patients with special needs. Specialties include teaching vocational and self help skills to adolescents using a speech and lan-guage model, as well as Traumatic Brain Injury. She can be contacted via email at: [email protected].

The Horensteins chose to memo-rialize Ariella through tzedaka projects. They dedicated Chai Lifeline’s Ariella Horenstein Mu-sic in Our Lives program, an ini-tiative that brings performers to family events and Camp Simcha. The Horensteins had been Chai Lifeline clients, and they felt that the organization would do a good job transforming Ariella’s love for music into programs that bring joy to sick children. “You want to do something that has a connection with your child,

something your child would be happy about,” Avrom said quietly. Avrom also took a leading role in raising funds for the Ariella Horenstein Bikur Cholim Soci-ety at Duke University Medical Center. He worked with Rabbi Zalman Bluming, a Chabad sha-liach for the area, and the medi-cal center to create a thriving enterprise where Jewish families can find the emotional and social support they need to get through the long months of a child’s hos-pitalization. Duke University do-nated a two-story building across

the street from the hospital that is now equipped with a three-bedroom hospitality suite, fully stocked kosher kitchen, living room, library, and computer cen-ter. Volunteers and a social work-er help parents regroup and find solace and strength. “We realized there was a huge need for something like this, and we think it is something Ari-ella would have wanted for other families. It’s nice to know that people who go to Duke for medi-cal care will have it easier because of her,” he continued.

While there are books and guides to help parents through the pain of the loss, Dr. Blumen-thal emphasizes that there are no hard and fast rules. “Everyone deals with the death of a child dif-ferently. You never get over it. You just learn to live with the loss.” With the exception of Deborah and Av-rom Horenstein, all names in this article have been changed at the request of parents.

Melanie Kwestel is the director of communications of Chai Lifeline, the international not-for-profit organiza-tion that brings joy and hope to fami-lies of seriously ill children.

Teaching Adolescents to Become More Independent

Kwestel Continued from Page 25 ➘

28 December 2012

FAMILY FORUM

One of the lessons to be learned from the story of

the origins of the Jewish People, as related in Sefer Bereishis, the first book of the Chumash, is that raising a Jewish family has never been easy. It has always been among our most challeng-ing and rewarding tasks. We learn from the struggles of our forefathers in dealing with their spouses, siblings and children that life is full of surprises and unexpected developments, and that the key to success is pa-tience, understanding, and faith

in Hashem. We learn that Hashem gave our forefather Avraham 10 daunting tests of his faith, not to punish him, but rather to bring out his innate capacity to over-come obstacles and to demon-strate the indomitable power of his faith in the face of the most difficult challenges. Out of those challenges eventually came the Jewish People which has faced and survived fresh challenges in each generation, and, through its faith, has persevered to this day. Each family facing the challenge

of raising a child with special needs is unique. In overcoming that challenge, those families have valuable and unique lessons which all of us can benefit from, whether we are in a similar posi-tion or not. For those within the Special Needs community, this forum is offered as a vehicle for sharing and chizuk where we can pool our experiences to help each other going forward, because we know that each day will bring new tests and challenges in every Special Needs family.

By participating in the forum, parents and other family mem-bers of those with Special Needs empower others to meet these challenges. In particular, the fo-rum serves as a crucial source of solace, hope and inspiration for those first confronting these situations, just by showing them that they are not alone, and how other families have found ways to confront and overcome these challenges which, at first, seem so overwhelming.

The Editors

Welcome back to the Family Forum!

By Aaron Winston

Growing up with Asperger’s Syndrome poses many

challenges. As a child, I had difficulties making friends and navigating social situa-tions. In my teenage years, I felt depressed and had so many negative social experiences; I could not understand why I would want friends. In school, I excelled academically. I had a voracious thirst for knowl-edge and general information. When I graduated high school, my familiar and “safe” routine ended. Slowly, but surely, I real-ized how bleak my future really was. I did not want to go to col-lege because just thinking about navigating a new campus, new curriculum and new people overwhelmed me. I had no goal in sight. Why endure college when I had no hope of employ-ment at the end?

From a young age, I loved playing video games. So, the months that followed high school graduation, I played video games for several hours a day. I was discouraged with the realization that all I could contribute to the world was playing video games. I wanted more for myself but I needed help. That help came from the nonPareil Institute. NonPareil Institute is a non-profit video game train-to-work program for adults on the autism spectrum. Two years ago, I visited nonPareil Insti-tute. From minute one, I felt comfortable and realized I had found my passion and place in the world. I felt comfortable because they understood my invisible challenges. From day one I experienced success there. I learned the

design process of video game development. As I advanced through the training, I realized I enjoy and get the most satis-faction out of the more techni-cal side of game development. That’s when I decided to take the Coding 101 course at non-Pareil. This is where I learned how to communicate com-mands to the computer and to program software. This past summer I decided I wanted to design and program an iPhone game. I taught myself Objective C, Apple’s computer language. Through this newly learned programming language, I was able to develop my first application on the Apple App Store: npiSpaceApe. The game’s hero is a cosmonaut ape named Dmitri. The objective of the game is to help guide Dmitri through space dodging obsta-

cles such as asteroids and pick-ing up bananas floating in space. (npiSpaceApe is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Market for 99 cents…check it out!) I was always capable of learn-ing the skills needed to develop software but the way universi-ties and workplaces are designed would not work for me. nonPa-reil has changed my life. It has given me confidence in many areas of my life. For instance, I have learned to drive a car and got my license. I now social-ize with people at work, and have made friends who I enjoy spending time with outside of work. Yes I have challenges. I still have Asperger’s. But, it is not about the disability but rath-er the abilities one has that make the difference.

Living with Asperger Syndrome

December 2012 29

FAMILY FORUMBy Batya Jacobs

My newborn son appeared not seem to be reacting to

sounds as well as his twin sister. He just did not seem to be react-ing if the phone rang, the door opened, or if his siblings spoke. This raised a “red flag” in our minds. The pediatrician thought we were overreacting and did not feel that the baby needed a hearing test. As parents, we asked, cajoled, and begged, un-til he gave us the referral. At the testing, the baby did not re-spond to the sounds until they were presented at 80-90 decibels (the volume of a jet flying over-head). The audiologist told us to take him home and “not worry.” In her opinion, he would “catch up” and hear fine by the time he was one or two years old. We immediately called another au-diologist, had him retested, and he was fitted with hearing aids by the time he was 6 weeks old.Flash forward three years. Our son is now finishing early in-tervention and we are asking our district to send him to an auditory-oral preschool for ser-vices. We are told that he is not eligible for services as he is not “delayed enough.” We are told to return with him when he is at least 1-2 years delayed com-pared to his “hearing peers.” As parents, we were given the copy of the law from the State of New Jersey describing eligibility for school services and read that services are not determined by the amount of delay, rather by the physical disability. Again, we ask, cajole, and beg for ser-vices for our son stating that

the purpose of early interven-tion is to lessen the delay and we do not want to cause a delay at this point which would fol-low him through school. After being refused again, we go to due process and sue the district for services for our son. We are granted services and he is placed in an auditory-oral preschool until age 5. Can you now guess what happens at age 5? Again he is evaluated by the district, found to not have “enough of a delay”, and refused services. This time we are told that he speaks “fine for a deaf child” and he does not need speech therapy! To add to the mix, we have decided to place him in a Jewish non-public school of our choice.

The district informs us that in a non-public school, our son is not eligible for any services. We, the parents, remind the dis-trict of our past law suit. They agree after much discussion to give him one session of speech therapy for 20 minutes once a week, with 3 other children (all of whom can hear). Again, we decide to advocate for our son. I take him down and register him for the district’s special education kindergarten. The person in charge of our child study team sees me and asks me why I have decided to send him to public school. I explain that since he is now a public school student he must be provided, under the law, with speech 5 times a week, teacher of the

deaf 5 times a week, physical therapy 3 times a week, occupa-tional therapy 3 times a week, and counseling 2 times a week. He looks at me aghast and states that that is a tremendous amount of services and money. I ask him to do the math- indi-vidual speech in the non-public school 3 times a week and sup-plemental instruction 3 times a week or all of the above. Within an hour we had written ac-knowledgement that he would receive the services in the non-public Yeshiva day school. Unfortunately, our fight for services for our child did not end there. This was a yearly battle, every time we met for a child study team yearly evalu-ation and review, we were told that services would be limited or cut completely. It got to a point where our son’s elementary school principal would start the meeting by stating that the IEP would not be signed. But our son was fortunate that he had parents who would not agree to what “the profes-sionals” said. We were willing to advocate for our child to ensure that he would receive the most appropriate education possible. We were willing to go to court to ensure that our son could be educated in the school of our family’s choice. We were willing to speak to teachers, principals, child study team members, and specialist to ensure that they were all working together and that our son would receive the services he needed and was en-titled to.

Empowering Parents to Be Advocates -One Parent’s Experience

LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCE! HERE ARE GUIDELINESTO USE WHEN ADVOCATING FOR YOUR CHILD:

Remember that you are your child’s parent. You have legal and moral rights as his/her parent. You have the right to advocate for your child and no one will advocate for him/her as effectively. Remember the professionals are not always correct. As par-ents, you have the right to question. Remember the professionals are not always correct. As par-ents, you have the right to disagree. Take an educational advocate with you to meetings. They are an extra pair of ears to digest what is being discussed. They can give recommendations to the committee that you may not be considering. Don’t get emotional! The team will consider your concerns more effectively if you are level headed. You have the right as the child’s parent to request additional evaluations. Do this if needed. Make sure everything that has been approved is in writing on the forms before signing. The committee often says that they will “add it later after you have signed the form.” Once the form is signed, they do not have to (and usually don’t) add it later. Do not sign anything unless you are 100% in agreement with what has been written. You can request a follow-up meeting once the changes have been made. Advocacy does not end with the signing of the IEP. You will need to be in contact with your child’s entire educational team (principal, teacher, specialists) throughout the year.

30 December 2012

FAMILY FORUMBy Yehuda Minchenberg

When our son Tuvia was 11 years old, he sang

Anim Zemiros at his brother’s Bar Mitzvah. To many, this may seem like quite a typical accomplishment. However, for a boy who could not re-ally say his name at age of 3 and spent the next 7-8 years in special ed classrooms (first in the public school system and then in Sinai Schools in NJ), this was a tremendous feat. Al-though preparations had been made and the words had been practiced both at home and at school, it was not a sure thing that Tuvia would actually get up in front of an entire shul and be able to project so that everyone could hear him. In matter of fact, a back up had been put into place just in case Tuvia lost his nerve and decided at the last minute not to do it. There was precedent for such a possibility as he was once supposed to give a 1 minute dvar torah on parent’s day in his school and when it came time for him to walk up to the lectern, he was not able to bring himself to come for-ward. Although teachers tried to cajole and his parents and grandmother had come spe-cifically for this speech, it did not happen. Therefore, it was hard to blame those who had their doubts that Tuvia would actually say Anim Zemiros, putting aside whether it would be said clearly and the letters enunciated properly. Suffice it to say that when he actu-

ally did get up and “perform”, everyone was very impressed and told him how proud they were of him. It was at this point that the laining for his Bar Mitzvah seemed like a possibility. No proclamation was made that this was going to actually happen. Tuvia just began to talk about his Parsha and he was going to lain it just like his older brother did so at his Bar Mitzvah. Could one tell a willing and hopeful child with limited capabilities in so many different areas that laining is quite different than Anim Zemiros. After all, there are many shuls that don’t even say Anim Zemiros! So if the words weren’t said exactly right, it wouldn’t really matter. Laining, however, is a whole other ball of wax. People are counting on the Ba’al Kriah to read clearly and correctly or else their obligation of hear-ing the Parsha could be put into question. It was decided that the effort would be made and the out-come would be determined by time and patience. A few months after the watershed moment of Anim Zemiros, the first pasuk (which had been read by Tuvia many times before but not with the correct trup or all the correct pronunciation) was started. It was read together by myself and Tuvia one time. The next night, we read it again. Af-ter about 3 nights, it sounded

like Tuvia was ready to try it on his own. He did so suc-cessfully. Great…1 down and 51 pesukim to go. Of course, the more pesukim he learned, the more which would have to be remembered and not confused with subsequent pesukim. This was practiced from a Chumash and the idea of buying a Tikun never even was suggested- we would see what would happen. This process was repeated for each subsequent pasuk. But instead of practicing just the next pa-suk, we would start from the beginning and then make our way to the new pasuk. Once aliyos had been learned, we would alternate days of re-viewing one aliyah a night and then the unfinished aliyah un-til the new pasuk. As could be imagined, this style of learning/teaching took a very long time. Every so of-ten, someone would ask Tuvia what he was going to do for his Bar Mitzvah. He would proud-ly say “I am going to lain my parsha just like my brother!” The adult would then look at me and I would say, “that is the plan- we shall see”. Once the parsha was done, my wife and I felt that we were not going to push our luck and that we would spend the remaining 10 months reviewing the parsha. However, it was Tuvia who said “Ok, we finished the par-sha, let’s do the haftorah”. Who were we to say no to a willing and motivated child?! So we

continued with the knowl-edge that this one might be a little tricky since the haftorah is very long and, in our shul, is preferably read from klaf. However, the Torah side of the Chumash did not seem to faze Tuvia as he had basically memorized his parsha so the lack of nekudos and trup did not make any difference. A few months later, the haftorah was done. Now, came the hard part- making sure it would be clear enough and enunciated properly. With the help of the Ba’al Kriah of the shul, Tuvia was guided as to what would need to be corrected and he slowly but surely worked at it…a little bit every day. The day of the Bar Mitzvah came and the question loomed “How would it turn out…would it be like the speech in school or Anim Zemiros of 2 years ago?” Tuvia was com-posed and never displayed anything which resembled nervousness. Standing right next to him as he stunned the crowd, I would describe his feeling that day of being one of tremendous pride and ac-complishment- the feeling of a person who never doubted his capabilities for even one moment. How would you have felt being the parent of this child? I will tell you-like some-one who wishes that everyone could feel what I was feeling on that day- Yiddishe Nachas to the infinite exponent!

Do You Believe in Miracles?

December 2012 31

FAMILY FORUMBy Yehuda Minchenberg

In some families, Shabbos af-ternoons mean a trip to the

local park. However, for our family that is quite challeng-ing as our 11–year-old, autistic son Shmuel and our soon to be 8–year-old daughter Devorah spend most of their time their finding leaves on the ground and seeing what would happen if they could manage to throw them into the nearby stream. Of course, that is if we are secure enough in the fact that neither one of them will try to sit/climb on top of the low stone wall that separates the park from the 6-8 foot drop into the water. Mean-while, Devora’s twin, Zev (also

on the spectrum), has no interest in such pursuits and therefore will climb on top of anything

which is supposed to be slid upon or climbed into but defi-nitely not on top of. Of course,

this makes everyone in the park nervous and there are plenty who are willing to let us know that this is really dangerous. Be-cause this is not necessarily what we would like to hear, we try to have one of us watch Zev at all times, one of us watch Shmuel and Devora at all times, and one of us to watch Mordechai, our typically developing (bli ayin hara) 3-year-old at all times who likes to either go on the swings or the see saw. While this is all happening, our 13-year-old son Tuvia, who has ADHD and has difficulty in social situations, is usually roaming from one ac-tivity to another trying to find

something to do or playing ball with boys who are a few years younger than he is. As there are only 2 of us, the park experience becomes a bit stressful unless al-most no one else is there. Then again, the only reason why no-body else would be in a popular Shabbos park would be because it is getting dark, it is too cold, too rainy, or too hot, in which case we would probably not want to be in the park either. So, this brings us back to what we were doing in the house be-fore we decided that the chil-dren need an outing and we should go to the park. As script-

Shabbos Afternoon

Shabbos Afternoon Continues on Page 35 ➘

32 December 2012

By Shani's Mother

Editor's Note: For more information on seizure disorders see page 52.

I was having a normal, ev-eryday conversation with

my healthy teenage daughter, when suddenly she seemed to “space out.” I tried calling her name a few times…and noth-ing. She appeared to be in her own world. After calling her name a few more times and touching her on her shoulder, she appeared to snap back to reality and said “huh?” I didn’t pay much attention to this be-havior as it had happened so many times in the recent past, and I simply attributed it to her being a teenager, who got lost in thoughts or daydreams. Af-ter all, she appeared healthy, so what was a little daydreaming in the middle of the day? However, I soon realized that there was a lot more to it. After some time, my daughter began to tell me that she felt “funny” at times throughout the day, but couldn’t describe what “funny” meant. She told me that when she felt this strange feeling, she would often drop things that she was holding and that her fingertips tingled. Baffled by her symptoms, I took her to the pediatrician who told me not to worry. She recommended that my daughter lose weight, drink more water throughout the day, and get a better night’s sleep. After the “all clear” from my pe-diatrician and permission not to worry, I assumed all was okay. Then, one night, I heard banging and clattering in the kitchen. Fearing that there was a burglar in the house, I ran out, baseball bat in hand, only to find my daughter stumbling around the kitchen, banging

into cabinets and chairs. When I called her name, she appeared not to hear me and kept stum-bling like a “drunk” person. She had a smashed cookie in one hand and a drink of water in the other, which was spilling all over the floor.

I quickly called an ambulance and took her to the emergency room. However, by the time we got to the hospital, she had seemingly recovered and did not remember anything that had happened. The emergency room personnel who saw a “healthy child” looked at me funny and released her as a “healthy teen,” but told me to follow up with a cardiologist, as

there was some abnormality on the EKG (which I later learned was typical after a seizure). After much testing and trips to heart specialists, she was cleared of any heart problem. The cardiologist felt that it was a neurological problem and

should be followed up. After an EEG (electro-encephalogram, which tracks brain activity) showed seizures, she was diag-nosed with adolescent onset ep-ilepsy. With this diagnosis, our world became a game of twists and turns. Although the new diagno-sis was scary, I assumed that it would be easily treated and things would turn out okay. Boy

was I wrong. The problem with epilepsy is that with each per-son, the symptoms vary greatly, as do the treatments and out-comes, which makes epilepsy a daunting and frustrating game of trial and error. Another issue is dealing with the side effects of the seizure medications, which can, and often do, have adverse effects on mood. My daughter expe-rienced a lot of this. Because she was unable to control her moods, or even recognize her mood swings, it led to her feel-ing depressed and down about herself. As a mother who always wants to make her child feel good about herself, it hurt that I could not do so. The most difficult part of this disorder is managing it with medications. Though there are many medications used to con-trol seizures, it was very diffi-cult to find the exact combina-tions and doses that worked for my daughter. Even once found, the doses have to be constantly monitored and changed de-pending on the frequency of the seizures. I look forward to helping my daughter live a full, productive, and happy life. I hope that she realizes she has loving and sup-portive parents and a family who loves her for who she is. My wish for her is that she realizes her tremendous strength and potential. I pray every day that she finds a husband who will love and accept her for who she is. Most importantly, I hope that she realizes that she defines her diagnosis - her diagnosis does NOT define her!

Seizures – A Mother’s Story and Perspective

FAMILY FORUM

December 2012 33

FAMILY FORUMBy Yocheved Cohen

Years ago, when we first began exploring the reasons for my

son’s developmental delay, we were happy to receive a label. We pushed for an autism diagnosis because it helped strengthen our case for ser-vices. We took him to many special-ists, each one confirming the diag-nosis. We were fortunate to receive the “maximum” and were provided with wonderful therapists. Our ex-perience with early intervention was frightening and sometimes frustrat-ing, but we knew that our son’s best interests were being looked after. After we left the early interven-tion system, our son was labeled by the school district with an autism classification under IDEA. We were happy he was placed in a fully inclu-sive public school and, to his ben-efit, in a fully inclusive class. For 3

years, he made tremendous prog-ress academically and in terms of functional independence as one of a few children with IEPs in a class of typically-developing children. Eventually, though, we began to see how this label is perceived by others. Our local day schools and shuls had no support or program-ming for children like ours. My son begged to attend day school and actively participate in shul, like his siblings. Efforts to help develop inclusive programming were em-braced only by families like my own. My husband called it the “not in my backyard syndrome”. The attitude expressed by most drove us to a larger Jewish community where we believed we would find more accep-tance and programming. Currently, my son is considered

high-functioning by diagnosticians. He is closer to the ADHD label than the autism label. People sit at our Shabbos table and see no difference between our son and theirs. How-ever, even though his test scores were above grade-level and former teachers all felt he could be sup-ported (and excel) in a general edu-cation classroom, most of the day school administrators we consulted couldn’t see past the label. Without even observing him in his natural environment, they decided he could not be educated in their system. Finally, we thought we found a day school that would accept him without condition. He excels academically in both Hebrew and English subjects. However, their anxiety over his label resulted in formation of strategies that is caus-

ing a significant decline in his func-tional independence. The “full support to make sure he’s success-ful” model is not the right model in all situations. Indiscriminate use of “Shadows” is not necessarily the best strategy for high functioning children with the autism label. The diagnosis that initially pro-vided the justification for services my son needed to help him grow (to the degree that some call it “mi-raculous”) now holds him back. The label is what many see instead of the smart, funny, playful boy we (and so many others who know him) love so much. We owe it to ourselves to look past the labels giv-en to our children. There are many miracles waiting to happen if we have the faith to give them the op-portunities they deserve.

The Label

34 December 2012

FAMILY FORUMBy Mother in the Shoe

Disclaimer: The story you are about to read is true, however names

have been changed…or have they? Last spring I had an annual IEP meeting for my child. It was an un-eventful experience. The team con-tinued to recommend placement in the same state approved, non public school she has attended previously, a full time para, a transportation para on the bus and related services. Shortly thereafter, I received a Final Notice of Recommendation which I checked the box, “I agree”, sent it back to the CSE and thought that too was uneventful. When Septem-ber came, my child’s transportation para began to accompany her on the bus, just as she had done for years. Everything was going smoothly, or so I thought when about a month into the school year, much to my surprise, the social worker at my daughter’s school calls to inform me that an agency, we’ll refer to them as “Procrastinated” contacted her on a Friday afternoon, about an hour prior to dismissal to tell her they now have the contract on bus paras for the school. However, after the weekend no paras showed up to work. Some children stayed home, others were transported by their parents and caregivers. After several weeks passed and no paras were sent by Procrastinated, the dis-trict agreed to address the problem. They sent the contract to “Deferred” who contacted the parents in mid November, they were not calling to

supply the paras, mind you, but to inform the parents that they now have the contract. When it became obvious that Deferred had failed to produce a single para, most of the parents were already fed up with this transportation crisis and re-quested impartial hearings against the district to release the RSA- re-lated service authorization which they gave to their children’s former paras. From what I hear, those par-ents who did not request a hearing, are still waiting for Deferred to send paras for their children. Unfortunately, difficulties with contract agencies have become the norm these days. Think about it, the agency won the contract from the DOE by submitting the lowest bid. Many of these agencies underbid and then in order to profit, they pay the therapists and paras lower wag-es which is the primary reason why they have such difficulties filling the slots they have won to service the students. When the agency realizes they do not have the ability to fill the slot, they should release it. They should…but they don’t. Even when they must release the contract, the DOE just flips the case to the next contract agency down the line. For example, a friend of mine has a son who used to receive occupational, physical and speech and therapies. I use the term ”used to” because this year, although he is mandated on his IEP for these related services, he is not receiving them. The physical therapy contract was sent to “Exclu-sive”, Occupational therapy to “Pro-lific” and Speech and Language to “Super-califragilitic-expialidoicous “(If your child can pronounce it, then they don’t need speech therapy anymore!) Two of the agencies did not produce therapists but held the

contracts nonetheless. The speech agency did send a speech therapist but she was right out of school and not trained in working with stu-dents who stutter. This student stut-ters; the therapist however, worked on increasing his receptive language which is an area of relative strength for the student. After a few weeks, the therapist was transferred to a different school. The agency has not found a replacement. The parent has spent an inor-dinate amount of time calling the contact person at district who is assigned to handle related ser-vices. The first time the parent called was about two weeks into the school year after no therapists showed up to work with her son. The district representative looked into the situation and told the par-ent that her son’s services had been contracted to the above agencies and no RSA would be forthcoming because the student is “being ser-viced”. The parent tried to explain that her son has not been receiv-ing his mandated therapies but to no avail. Evidently, the DOE con-siders merely contracting out of a related service or support as tan-tamount to providing the service even if no one is actually working with the student. The district rep-resentative told the parent that she would contact the agencies and she should give it another week. The next week after her son was still not receiving his related services, the parent called back and again asked about issuance of RSAs for her son. The district representa-tive told her she would look into it and the parent should call back in a few days. The parent called the district at least six more times over the following week but received

no response. When she finally got through, she was told that the RSAs would not be released because the case was contracted out to three new agencies: “Associated”, “Su-perb” and “Extreme”. This time, the parent called all of the agencies to ask when her son’s services would begin. As it turns out Associated is based in Texas and right now has no New York based therapists at the moment. Superb and Extreme are attempting to find therapists. The parent’s only recourse now is to request a hearing. She would also like compensatory services/ make up sessions for all the missed related services. She fears that even with a hearing officer ordering that RSAs be issued, at this point in the school year, it will be exceed-ingly difficult to find therapist with availability. The loss to this student cannot be measured. Many students who are not re-ceiving their mandated related ser-vice and supports will not make meaningful progress and in some cases may even suffer regression and loss of skills. There are also students who are presently in gen-eral education classrooms and their ability to remain in the least restric-tive setting is threatened by the fact that they are not receiving the ser-vices and supports crucial to their education. Students with disabilities are being harmed because the DOE is seeking to save money contacting out services to the lowest bidder. The DOE should realize this plan is unrealistic and places students in jeopardy. Besides requesting impar-tial hearings, parents should contact their local state and city representa-tives to explain what is happening and the impact it is having on stu-dents with disabilities.

Does RSA stand for Related Service Adventures?

December 2012 35

FAMILY FORUM

ing favorite Arthur or Mickey Mouse shows is a favorite pas-time in our home, several of our children can be heard talking about them while working on puzzles. Puzzles were great up to a point since it became very dif-ficult watching children (rang-ing from 8-13 years old) doing the same 100 piece puzzles over and over again, leave them in the middle because they lost focused or got bored, and then spilled a new puzzle over the floor in the hope that this one would catch their interest more. However, as would be imagined, this would get really messy. To exacerbate the situation, Shm-uel would decide that the 2 sweaters which he put on him-self (one of which may be his the other may very well be his

mothers which he found while rifling through his drawers and then his mother’s leaving any unwanted clothing on the floor in 2 different bedrooms) are not really keeping him warm enough (even in hot weather) and so it is time to bring down a blanket or 2 from upstairs. The result is chaos as pieces from several different puzzles are then dragged in a few different directions by the blankets which are being schlepped across the living room. The alternative possibility is that one of the scripts which Devora or Tuvia are reciting are particularly fas-cinating to him in which case he will start his kangaroo hop in front of the mirror which is nearby or on top of the puzzle pieces which, inevitably, will send them scattering in several

different directions and again will cause a mess. Then came magnatiles. Boruch Hashem for magna-tiles. They have created a fas-cination for almost all of our children. The problem is that although they come in a few dif-ferent shapes, the most popu-lar and numerous of them are squares. Shmuel will most of-ten use them to build a tower that is approximately 5 ½ feet high and then revel in the noise that is made when he topples it over and then starts again. This is enjoyed by all except by Zev who likes to use them to create patterns on the floor with the same tiles and then remove one piece from the pattern, put it at the end of the design and then move every other piece one spot over until he has moved them

all. Then the process starts over again with the next piece. At first the thought was, just get an-other set. It was a good idea but now there are just more pieces causing competition, fighting (between several children who have extreme difficulty articu-lating what it is they want to say), and a tremendous amount of noise every time the tower is caused to topple. It is usually at this point in the afternoon (win-ter Shabbosos are much more welcome than the summer ones as they are much shorter and we also get help from local teenage girls who are able to lend a hand. During the summer, neither of these positives are present) when we decide that it is time to go to the park. Please see para-graph # 1. And don’t even get me started on the kitchen!

Shabbos Afternoon Continued from Page 31 ➘

36 December 2012

EDUCATION

WHAT IS ACHARTER SCHOOL?

A charter school is an indepen-dently operated public school, however it is not privately owned. There is a governing board which makes the decisions of the school, as opposed to an in-dividual who may own a private school. Often, the charter school board acts independently of the local district board of education where the charter school physi-cally resides. Other times, the local board of education is the sponsor of the charter school. The charter school receives both federal and state funding for its operating expenses and has a non-profit status. It is subject to the same local state laws which a public school is required to up-hold. The charter school concept empowers individuals to create a school that they feel better serves their children or offers them op-portunities which the regular lo-cal public school does not. For example, a charter school can of-fer an additional focus on foreign languages and cultures, the arts, science, drama, music, etc.

WHO RUNS THECHARTER SCHOOL?

The governing board of the charter school generally chooses who will be the school super-intendent, principal, teachers, administrators, etc., as opposed to a regular public school which is governed by the local district board of education. This gives the charter school board autonomy in choosing the best candidate for every one of those positions. Often, a management com-pany is hired by the governing board to help develop and sub-mit the initial plans, and take an idea of a group discussed in a living room and develop it into a fully operating and running school. It manages many of the

school’s fiscal, educational, and general operations to ensure that the school conforms to state and federal requirements. The charter school is required to provide all of the needs of each child, such as OT, PT, Speech, etc. and the manage-ment company must provide the services within a balanced school budget.

WHERE DOESCHARTER SCHOOL

FUNDING COME FROM? The funding of a charter school is the per pupil rate that each dis-trict school receives from the state. Regular district schools, however, receive a significant ad-ditional per pupil funding from the local district’s property taxes, which charter schools do not re-ceive, and which is often equal to or more than the base state fund-ing. As a result, public schools have a tremendous financial ad-vantage over any charter school. In most states, the state funding allocated per pupil is increased

based on the special needs of a child. The child’s IEP designates the category which determines the amount of additional fund-ing. Charter schools receive this same increased funding for spe-cial needs children.

HISTORY OFCHARTER SCHOOLS

In 1991, the first charter school law was written in Minnesota to

offer school choice. Today, there are approximately 3,000 charter schools nationwide, as compared with over 86,000 public schools. The movement was intended to offer choice, create a healthy com-petition, and try new ideas in edu-cation. The main underlying prin-ciples were autonomy from the ‘system’ and increased account-ability for student achievement. ARE THERE

CHARTER SCHOOLSSPECIFICALLY FORJEWISH CHILDREN?

Legally, because of the con-stitutional concept of separa-tion of Church and State, no

school can discriminate and accept only Jewish children, so there are no specifically Jewish charter schools. There have been a few innovative ideas for serving Jewish children with charter schools, however they have largely targeted children from secular Jewish families by offering a focus on the He-brew language.

OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS

Any school supported by pub-lic funding is precluded from any teaching of religion in the school. However, the building may be leased by a religious entity or in-stitution from the charter school for use outside of school hours, as long as the schedules permit. Another concern is that a charter school is covered by state standards which may require it to teach material which some parents may find to be objec-tionable. However, this is a con-cern for any school that receives public funding.

Can the Charter School Concept ServeJewish Educational Needs?

By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Salfer, PhD

EDUCATION

December 2012 37

A ‘SPECIAL EDUCATION’ CHARTER SCHOOL?

A charter school can have al-most any particular focus includ-ing, in theory, a special education charter school. It would be oper-ated by a governing board which would choose their principal, teachers, special education staff, therapists, etc., deemed qualified and appropriate for the students. The schedule would contain a full day of the various required sub-jects, therapies, social skills train-ing, sports, etc., as required by each student’s IEPs, but yet allow for the flexibility to have either a late start or an earlier day. This would make it possible to have the

students attend a separate educa-tional program, similar to what used to be known as afternoon Hebrew School, which students

would attend after completing their daily public school classes.

There are many who have op-posed charter schools for Jewish children, but they may be more understanding if they were focused

more specifically on a targeted sub-population, such as special educa-

tion. The needs of special educa-tion children are often more than regular Jewish day schools are pre-pared to handle. Special education charter schools would offer a viable and practical alternative, especially if supplemented with well-planned Hebrew School programs.

Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Salfer, PhD, is the rosh Yeshivas Doresh of Miami, a special needs mesivta and yeshiva, which offers vocational education and training post-high school. He is the executive director of Tree of Knowledge Learning Center and operated a charter school for hospi-talized children in Miami. He holds doctorates in clinical psychology and education. Interested parties can contact [email protected].

“The charter school conceptempowers individuals to create a school that they feel better serves

their children or offers themopportunities which the regular

local public school does not.”

38 December 2012

EDUCATION

We are born to learn, in whatever capacity we are

able. We study the world with our senses, and try to understand it. Our special children have more of a challenge, but they are just as interested in knowing what is going on around them. We know that because we observe their keen interest in everything we do and say. We need to nurture this interest, to encourage it. The best way to help all children learn is to let them explore in any way they can. It needs to be said that although a Montessori classroom may look unstructured, the op-posite is true. There is a strong curriculum in place, with the teacher monitoring each student’s progress closely. This is the fasci-nating story of how the Montes-sori method was developed, how it fits into our Jewish world, and how it can help our children with Special Needs.

THE FOUNDER’SBACKGROUND

Maria Montessori was a sci-entist, observer and thinker. She was also somewhat rebellious, and challenged many notions of her time. She was the first woman of her time to complete a medical degree, and she went on to specialize in research and education. She believed that all children are born with potential, and it is our job to help them find it. She believed in adapting the child’s environment to en-able them to reach their full po-tential and that for children with Special Needs, it is even more important to be aware of and en-courage this potential. Dr. Montessori was particu-larly interested in helping chil-dren with Special Needs, and she became a voice for them while she studied psychiatry. She studied poor but “normal” chil-dren from the slums of Rome. She took the curriculum of the

time and worked on changing it from teacher-based to student-driven, with the teacher serv-ing as a guide. She found that when taught in this way, the stu-dents achieved more than adults

thought they were capable of, and at earlier ages. The key to Montessori learn-ing is allowing children to go at their own pace. The work is done through hands-on learning—tan-gible materials they can manipu-late in order to learn about their world. Another key is allowing younger children to mix with older children. The advantage to

this is that there is no emphasis on being at a certain educational level due to one’s age. Also, the older students sometimes teach the younger, which enhances the learning for both.

THE JEWISH CONNECTION More Jewish schools are start-ing to use the Montessori method in their instruction, although not all of them are considered strictly Montessori. The Luria Academy, a Brooklyn elementary school, is becoming a Montessori school, and its staff is currently be-ing trained in the methods. The school is noted for accepting stu-

dents of all backgrounds, includ-ing non-Jews. However, all the students learn Jewish topics such as Hebrew along with the history and geography of Israel, and they daven each day. The Torah Montessori School was started in Chicago 6 years ago by Rivkah and Moshe Schack, who dramatically changed direc-tion in their lives when they felt the need for a different type of education for their child. They sold their accounting firm, com-pleted two years of training, and opened up their own yeshiva based on Montessori ideals. Rivkah says that although there are some areas where Montessori is not a perfect fit, “there is a way to use it to make the most of ‘chi-nuch l’noar al pi darco (teaching a child according to his needs).” She says this Torah ideal and Montessori fit together perfectly, because that is exactly what the Montessori method does—it al-lows each child to learn the way he or she needs to. More locally, Yocheved Sidof, a Brooklyn mother, had the same idea and went to Chicago to ask Rivkah how to start up a Torah Montessori school in Crown Heights, which would combine a deep connection with Torah while encouraging children to learn in their own way. This ini-tiative got off the ground in 2010. Yocheved is now directing the Lamplighters Yeshiva. It began with a class of 12 boys ages 3-5, and now also has a 1st and 2nd grade class; next year, they plan to add a girls’ 1st and 2nd grade. The preschool now has girls, ages 3-5, also. Yocheved is very excited about what this will do for the yeshiva worldShe described Lamplighters as “a Jewish school which employs Mon-tessori methodology to reach every child.” Even though the

By Mori Sokal

The Montessori Method

EDUCATION

December 2012 39

Yeshiva is a Chabad school, its mission is to revolutionize Jew-ish education for the benefit of the whole Jewish community. Yocheved and the Schacks are working together to bring their message to the world; that you can help each child reach their potential through learning in their own way. Rivkah travels between New York and Chicago in order to run both schools. They also ran a five week training seminar for the Lamplighters’ teachers called CAPD—Chinuch Al Pi Darko (Capdtraining.org) this past sum-mer. Rivkah explained that the training should imbue the teach-er with a sense that every child needs their own education plan, even for those children who don’t have an IEP. They also do parent education, because not everyone is willing to try something new. Yocheved’s current goal is to turn Lamplighters into a model for other Jewish schools. As Rivkah said, they keep modify-ing for success; after all, Ameri-can Montessori International is really about being flexible. The methodology has been specifi-cally modified to accommodate the fact that the students are learning in multiple languages; in Lamplighters’, Hebrew is the first language taught. The next goals include expanding Lamp-lighters through 8th grade, es-tablishing it as a demonstration school and finding new teaching technologies that can help im-prove education overall.

THE SPECIAL NEEDSCONNECTION

Several aspects of this type of learning mesh well with children with Special Needs. For example, if a child’s main difficulty is sit-ting still and concentrating at a teacher-given task, in a Montes-sori classroom the child is free to move about and to concentrate on his or her particular interests. Also, the child is not required to pass a formal test, or to cover a specified amount of material within a time limit. As Mrs. Schack points out, including children with Special Needs encourages the other children to respect those with challenges in their lives—pro-moting the concept of ahavas yisroel. For example, the Torah Montessori School has a few students with severe food aller-gies, so to accommodate them, the school does not allow any outside food, and sanitizes all the children every day. For children who need Oc-cupational Therapy or Speech Therapy, the freer learning en-vironment and individual learn-ing pace allows them to get what they need and not miss any work. In addition, the children stay with the same teacher and don’t switch classrooms during the school day. This provides a more stable environment which is im-portant for children who have emotional needs. The downside here is that children with focus issues may find it more difficult to learn

and complete their individual work with so much going on around them. Also, the students are expected to work indepen-dently. One who needs more attention from an adult teacher instead of just a peer may not re-ceive it. Also, the teacher may be fully trained in the Montessori method, but not have the back-ground they need to work with students with Special Needs. A regular Montessori classroom may also need to be modified to address accessibility issues. Parents must choose what will work for their child. Some schools are specifically geared towards particular needs, such as the Lane Montessori School for Autism in Toronto. Its teach-ers are trained in ABA therapy and know how to work with autistic children. They also scaf-fold, providing a support system

while bringing the students to-ward more independent work, little by little. Lori Bourne, in her blog, “Mon-tessori is for Everyone,” also men-tions the option of homeschool-ing, so the student who needs one-on-one attention combined with an atmosphere of learning can achieve this by working with a dedicated parent who has the appropriate materials needed for the child. While it may take some work to find the right place, it is pos-sible to find a Montessori learn-ing environment that will work to help your child.

Mori Sokal has a Masters' degree in Early Childhood and Special Edu-cation. She taught in America for five years, and has tenure in the New York City Public Schools. She currently lives and teaches in Israel, where she works with both regular and Special Needs students.

SOURCES: http://www.michaelolaf.net/maria.html http://www.michaelolaf.net/montessori12-18.html http://prospectheights.patch.com/articles/prospect-heights-school-set-to-expand http://www.amshq.org/Family%20Resources/Montessori%20Education%20and%20Your%20Child.aspx http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/montessori-and-the-special-needs-child.html http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com/Lane-Montessori-School-for-Autism_ep_67-1.html http://www.montessorispecialneeds.com/index

When seeking services for your child through an

Early Intervention Program, there are a few things to keep in mind: First, Early Intervention is an entitlement program. That means that if your child meets the eligibility requirements for the program, he or she is entitled to the services (unlike, for example, the Medicaid Waiver program, which is not an entitlement pro-gram: There are a certain num-ber of Waiver slots funded by the State, and when they are gone, they are gone). The second thing to keep in mind is that while Ear-ly Intervention is provided at no cost to families, it is expensive to run. Recent figures from the New York City Budget Office show the city paying $115.9 million to pro-vide Early Intervention services in 2010 with New York State chip-ping in an additional $111.4 mil-lion. If you include the state and local share of Medicaid, which also pays for some of EI, the total city and state cost for EI services in New York City in 2010 comes to $321.6 million. And, that does not include what the federal gov-ernment pays into the system, bringing the grand total to $482.3 million to provide services to 60,767 children, just in New York City, and over the course of just

one year. This means that, at a time when city and state funds are low, and notwithstanding the fact that Early Intervention is an entitlement program, ser-vices today are not as generous as they once were. Which brings us to our third point to keep in mind: Early Intervention is not a program for children who “need therapy”; rather, it is a program for children with developmen-tal delays and disabilities. That means that not everybody who could benefit from services is necessarily eligible for them. If, for example, your child has a lisp, or simply isn’t speaking at the same level as his more advanced cousin, he may not actually have a speech delay. Similarly, if your child breaks his leg falling off of a swing, he should probably get some physi-cal therapy and your insurance company will probably pay for it. Early Intervention, however, will not provide these services because the need for physical therapy in this case is a medical need and not a developmental delay. So, if you say at your eli-gibility meeting that your child is not delayed, that there is noth-ing wrong with him, and that he “just needs speech therapy” (as I have heard parents say), the

City representative will most likely tell you to hire a therapist on your own (as I have heard the City representatives respond).

With all this in mind, how does one get to an eligibility meeting and how are services actually ap-proved? If your child is between the ages of zero and three years old and you feel that her devel-opment is lagging behind other children you know, the first step is to call the New York City Gov-ernment Information and Ser-vices line at 311 and request an

evaluation for EI services. Note that it is currently against EI regulations for agencies to solicit families on their own or even to put their own phone numbers in their advertisements. Instead, 311 is the single point of entry for EI services in New York City (although, when you call them, you can ask to be referred to a specific agency, and they may do so). Once you give over your information and concerns, the City will then refer you to a spe-cific EI provider and you will re-ceive a phone call (probably a few calls) from that agency to sched-ule evaluations. Evaluations for EI services can be conducted in your home or in an EI Cen-ter. Everyone going through the Early Intervention process gets seen by at least two evaluators: The specialist and the generalist (it is, by law, a “multidisciplinary evaluation”). The specialist is the evaluator who tests for delays in your specific area of concern. For example, if you call EI because your child isn’t walking yet, the specialist will most likely be a physical therapist. If you find that your child is having difficul-ty eating solid foods, the special-ist will most likely be a speech/

If you have a child or grand-child under the age of 3 whom

you suspect may have a develop-mental delay, don’t wait. If your suspicion is correct, the services your child may be eligible to re-ceive under a government pro-gram known as Early Interven-tion (EI) could make a crucial difference in improving the qual-ity of the rest of their life. But those services do not come au-

tomatically. You must have your child evaluated and then fight for their rights to these crucial ser-vices. The articles in this section will show you how. We will also explain to you why this is a very special time in a child’s development, and how the phenomenon of neuroplasticity gives very young children tremen-dous recuperative powers, allow-ing them to compensate for severe

neurological damage if the proper therapy is started soon enough. We also explain the history of the Early Intervention as it evolved over time, and the po-litical pressures that it faces to-day as it suffers budget cuts and competes to survive at a mean-ingful level against other pro-grams for the limited available government funding.

Yaakov Kornreich

40 December 2012

By Stephen Glicksman, PhD

A Source of Hope for Children with Special Needs

Establishing Eligibility for Early Intervention Services

EARLY INTERVENTION

COVERSTORY

Glicksman Continues on Page 45 ➘

December 2012 41

EARLY INTERVENTION

Farkas Continues on Page 45 ➘

By Linda Farkas

The NY State Early Interven-tion Program, a state-funded

program which provides thera-peutic services to infants and toddlers who are suspected or known to have a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition with a high probability of result-ing in a developmental delay, is set to change on January 1 of 2013 with new regulations that threaten the efficacy and effi-ciency of the program. The new regulations, implemented by the NYS Department of Health, at-tempt to address potential con-flicts of interest. They therefore forbid early intervention agencies and individual therapists who evaluate children (evaluations are needed to determine if children meet the eligibility criteria to re-ceive services) from also admin-istering treatment under early intervention to any children they evaluate. Any individual who is approved as a service coordinator and an evaluator has until Janu-ary 1 to choose which service they will continue to provide. In addition, any relatives or business affiliates of service coordinators cannot provide services to the eligible children in the program they serve. While addressing poten-tial conflicts of interest may be helpful, the real danger of these changes lay in the other impact of the changes to the system. Cur-rently, families can choose an efficient “one-stop shop,” where their child will be evaluated, and treated, if they are eligible. When things go smoothly there is less stress for families. But in the new system, families may not get the evaluations or services they need because of “potential conflicts of interest.” They may be forced to go to several different provid-ers for evaluations and treat-ment. This will result in a more fragmented, less effective service

delivery system. The burden will likely fall on families, already un-der stress from finding out their child has a disability or delay in the first place, to coordinate mul-tiple therapists from different agencies; many evaluators, and a service coordinator from another agency still. (For some fami-lies this may become a full time job.) The “one-stop shop” system is considered optimal for many reasons: it offers better opportu-nities to meet the support needs of families. In addition, ongoing communication between mem-bers of the service team is much more likely to occur. Adminis-trative delays are minimized by more efficient communication within one agency, which results in fewer service interruptions to children and families. Following the implementation of these changes in New York State on January 1, service coor-dinators will need to ensure that families understand that their choice of an evaluator will deter-mine who can provide services to their child if eligible. Since the language in regulations defines conflict of interest to include business relationships, it poses a particular challenge in determin-ing the contractual relationship agencies may have with specialty providers such as bilingual pro-fessionals, since this would pre-clude service provision. Under the new regulations, the profes-sional evaluator who provides the evaluation for the child, as well as the agency which employs or contracts with that therapist, will be unable to provide any thera-peutic services to this child and family. Some families may be thrilled with the professional-ism, skill and cultural sensitivity of their child’s evaluator, only to find out that this person and the agency which employs them are now prohibited from providing

services to their child. To make things worse, the evaluating agency may be unable to provide effective referrals, leaving the family in the dark as to choosing a quality treatment provider(s) for their child. Some waivers to these new regulations may be issued by the Commissioner for areas consid-ered to have shortages of 'certain' disciplines in 'certain' regions of the state; however, it is unclear at this point on what basis this will be determined. In addition, al-though the regulations are sched-uled to go into effect on January 1st, the forms or procedures to request these waivers are not yet available.

HOW EFFECTIVE ISEARLY INTERVENTION?

Data submitted by all states on child outcomes funded by the U.S. Department of Education demonstrates extraordinary suc-cesses of the Early Intervention Program and Preschool Special Education Programs (www.the-eco-center.org). Without interventions, chil-dren with delays or severe dis-abilities may gain skills slowly and some may even lose skills. However children who receive interventions will gain skills and may even catch up with typical children their age. The results of Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Program data showed that over 68% exited the EI program with substantial gains, and 53% were actually able to catch up to their non-disabled peers. In all 98% made gains while in the program. These re-sults exceeded all previous expec-tations about the effectiveness of the programs. Here is how it works: children who are substantially behind their peers are referred to as hav-ing a developmental delay. The solid line on the graph (line e)

illustrates typical development. All the other lines represent some kind of delay in the early years. If Angela is 12 months old with the skills of a 6-month-old, with-out intervention she will likely continue to grow at the same rate. This means at 18 months of age she will have the skills of a 9 month old. The State provides interven-tion services because Angela is acquiring skills at half the rate she should be. Left untreated, she will continue to fall further behind her peers (line b). The purpose of intervening early in life is to change the child’s rate of skill ac-quisition. Line (c) shows children whose growth was greater than expected - this means that after receiving intervention the chil-dren made more progress than their growth rate before interven-tion. The children with growth pattern (d) are able to catch up to what is expected for their age.

All states report the percent-age of children in each of the five growth trajectories to the U.S. Department of Education. The percentages of children showing greater than expected growth and exiting within age expectations is then computed from these per-centages. In 2010–11, children with de-lays or disabilities who received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) demonstrated greater than expected developmental progress. Many children exited the program functioning within age expectations.

Proposed Changes to Early Intervention

42 December 2012

By Barry Katz

How often have we heard stories of people who were

diagnosed with serious illnesses and told by their doctors, “You’re lucky we caught this in time; had you waited another week, who knows?” Just as detecting a physi-cal malady early can often be the difference between life and death, finding and treating a mental or emotional delay early can also greatly impact one’s develop-ment. This is exactly the goal of early intervention. Early intervention (EI) pro-vides children up to age three with services that will promote healthy development in a num-ber of areas, including physi-cal, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive.

The federal government man-dates that children who qualify for these services should receive them at no cost to the parent. Studies have shown that EI can be effective in many cases. A 2009 study published in the jour-nal Pediatrics found that children with autism who were given EI from a year and a half old aver-aged an 18-point increase in IQ. Those who received traditional interventions improved their IQs by an average of only four points. A parent who sees any sort of de-lay in their child can request an evaluation to see if the child is behind in a particular area and qualifies to receive services either in school or in one’s home. In New York State, for example,

the Department of Health pro-vides these for which one’s child may be eligible: family education and counseling, home visits, par-ent support groups, special in-

struction, speech pathology and audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological services, service coordination, nursing services, nutrition ser-vices, social work services, vision services, and assistive technology devices and services. To understand how EI came to be, one must begin with the nature-nurture debate. For de-cades, educators and psycholo-gists debated what had more influence in a child’s upbringing – the child’s inborn nature, or en-vironmental factors. As more in-formation emerged, most profes-sionals agreed that both nature and nurture play vital parts in a child’s development. Once the experts realized that educating children – especially those with developmental delays – early in life would help their development, the government employed programs to assist

these individuals. A look back at the history of education in the United States shows that most parents felt that these services were ineffective. Thus, these par-

ents formed advocacy groups and ultimately influenced politicians to intercede on their behalf. In 1965, the United States De-partment of Health and Human Services launched Project Head Start, an eight-week program for children in more than 2,500 communities throughout the country. This experiment tar-geted children from disadvan-taged backgrounds whom the government felt were receiving an inferior education. Although the results were unimpressive, Head Start served as a prototype for future programs. Many consider 1973 the turn-ing point for EI, with the passage by Congress of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which gov-erns how the states and public agencies provide EI. At the same time, a task force was assembled to study the needs of children with disabilities. They found that

The History of Early Intervention

EARLY INTERVENTION

December 2012 43

EARLY INTERVENTIONmore than half were receiving inadequate care, about a million were excluded altogether from the public schools, and many were being enrolled in private schools, often at a great expense to the parents. As a result, Congress enacted the Education for All Handi-capped Children Act in 1975 that offered a “free and appropriate education” (FAPE) to all children with special needs. This did not, however, include children under age three. This was amended in 1986 to include not only children with disabilities, but also those at risk for developmental delays. Further amendments led to the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. Part C, Sec. 31 of the act reads: “Congress finds that there is an urgent and substantial need to enhance the development

of infants and toddlers with dis-abilities, to minimize their poten-tial for developmental delay, and to recognize the significant brain development that occurs during a child's first 3 years of life… to enhance the capacity of families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers with dis-abilities … to develop and imple-ment a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system that provides early intervention services for in-fants and toddlers with disabili-ties and their families.” While the 1990s saw an explo-sion of EI programs, critics were concerned about its cost. Others wondered about its effectiveness. Some studies showed that EI had poor results, but the authors of The First Three Years and Be-yond attributed those findings to ineffective studies: “Recent

studies demonstrate that when early intervention studies are of high quality, sufficient dura-tion, and subjected to rigorous evaluation, they do indeed have a positive impact, not only dur-ing the childhood years but into adulthood, too.” Further amendments of the IDEA included the introduction of Individual Education Pro-grams (IEPs) in 1997. This made the determination of a course of action for the child into a collab-orative effort between the parents and educators. This also gave par-ents displeased with their child’s progress the right to a hearing by an arbitrator, who would decide if there should be changes made to the IEP. Although the IDEA is still in effect today, the harsh current economic climate has meant se-vere budget cuts in EI programs.

This past January, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo pro-posed removing $99 million from EI services over the next five years. A Special Education Itiner-ant Teacher (SEIT) said that her colleagues are feeling the effect. “Some of my co-workers who used to have cases for 20 hours a week now have five or ten.” And those are the lucky ones. “A lot of them don’t have any cases yet [this year].” But if one believes that a child provided with EI may improve and ultimately function a great deal more effectively than had he or she not received these ser-vices, one can conclude that EI is a most worthwhile investment.

Barry Katz is a college administra-tor and adjunct professor who lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and three children. He can be contacted at [email protected].

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44 December 2012

By Dana Ledereich, MA, OT/L

The government’s Early In-tervention program was es-

tablished to service children in the 0-3 years of age population who present with developmental delays. The treatment philoso-phy behind Early Intervention is based upon the theory of neuro-plasticity which posits that thera-peutic treatment at this age can be most effective at making neu-rological changes and therefore developmental changes. Neuroplasticity is based upon the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to physical or environmental changes. For many years, the medical com-munity believed that people were born with the brain already fixed, and that no new neural passages or synapses ever formed. There-fore, the accepted theory was that the brain was static and any trau-matic brain injury was irrevers-ible. In more recent years, neu-roscientists found evidence that a baby’s brain was not yet fully developed and was susceptible to outside influences. This became the basis for early intervention. Most recently, neuroscientists have discovered proof that neu-roplasticity is not exclusively in the domain of babies but is avail-able to adults as well. While adults are capable of neural plasticity, it is more evi-dent in babies. When infants first begin to coo and babble they produce a variety of sounds and not only those exclusive to their native tongue. As they learn to talk, those sounds not used in their native language fall by the wayside and they lose the ability to make them. While adults may be able to learn a new language, they speak it with accents from their dominant language because they have lost the ability they had as babies to form all sounds and can no longer retrieve them. Another area where neuro-

plasticity is limited to babies is in emotional development. The lim-bic system of the brain regulates emotion and develops fairly early in a baby’s life. A baby raised in a hostile environment or one devoid of loving adults typically develops with a deep mistrust of other people. This outlook can be very hard to change. But an infant raised in a warm and lov-ing home where his needs are responded to and met develops a

sense of security that serves him well when faced with stressful situations later on in life. For occupational therapists, neuroplasticity forms the theo-retical basis of much of the re-habilitation treatment both for sensory and for motor delays. Sensory integration treatment primarily involves constructing an environment, using therapeu-tic equipment, to enable a child to receive the sensory input that he needs. It is child-directed and works on the theory of neuro-logical thresholds. For example, if a child is hypo responsive (un-der responsive) to a particular sensory stimulus, he will tend to seek out more stimulation. By providing a safe way for him to receive this stimulation, the brain can meet and fulfill its need. This causes a change in behavior and helps the child to better tolerate and interact with his environ-ment. Given enough stimulation, the changes will hopefully be per-

manent. The same theory applies when a child is hyper respon-sive (over responsive) to sensory stimuli. Given the appropriate intervention, the child’s tolerance for that particular stimulus can be significantly increased. It is neuroplasticity that allows for the change in tolerance and this leads to the desired change in behavior. Motor learning theory is the driving force behind much of physical rehabilitation treatment.

A child will naturally do what-ever is easiest and most comfort-able for him in order to achieve a particular goal, even if it involves an inefficient movement pattern. In order to help a child to unlearn incorrect movement patterns, more efficient movement pat-terns must be substituted. Ther-apy involves creating a situation where the only way the child can be successful at a particular task is through the correct movement sequence. This can be achieved through methods such as block-ing the incorrect muscles from being used, thereby forcing the correct ones to be used. Eventu-ally, the brain develops a new pat-tern of movement using the more efficient muscles. A child placed in a situation where he needs to write before he is developmentally ready to do so, often develops an incorrect pencil grasp as well as poor letter forma-tion, both of which contribute to illegible handwriting. He wanted

to meet the expectation of writ-ing letters so he held the pencil with his entire fist, because that was the easiest and most com-fortable way for him to hold the pencil. As he gets a bit older, this type of pencil grasp slows him down because it is an inefficient way for him to write. Pencil grips are most effective when used con-tinuously. If every time he writes for a substantial amount of time, he will eventually learn the more efficient way to hold his pencil. It is neuroplasticity that allows him to change this movement pattern. On a larger scale, a child with cerebral palsy often has difficulty controlling his limbs and there-fore presents with atypical move-ment patterns. He uses whichever muscles are easiest for him in or-der to achieve his motor goal. So while he may be able to walk, his gait will be erratic at best. Neuro-plasticity is what allows therapy to teach him better control over his muscles. Early Intervention is effective because it addresses the child when he is most open to change. A baby is born with a brain that is receptive to learning new ways of doing things. But this window will close. The latest research shows neuroplasticity even into old age but only in certain areas of the brain, but addressing devel-opmental delays at their inception gives a child the best chance at re-mediation and rehabilitation.

Dana Ledereich, MA, OT/L is a pediatric occupational therapist with a private practice in Brooklyn, NY. She evaluates and treats children age birth-13 years with sensory processing issues, poor handwriting, developmen-tal concerns and neurological issues. She has lectured to both parents and professionals on various topics in sen-sory processing and handwriting de-velopment. She is available for lectures as well as to mentor new therapists. She can be reached at 718.252.2939.

Why Does Early Intervention Work?

EARLY INTERVENTION

“An infant raised in a warm andloving home where his needs areresponded to and met develops a sense of security that serves him

well when faced with stressfulsituations later on in life.”

December 2012 45

EARLY INTERVENTION

feeding therapist. The generalist is the evaluator who looks at your child’s growth as a whole, focusing on five areas: Cognitive skills, speech skills, adaptive skills, social-emotional skills, and motor skills. It re-ally doesn’t matter if you “only want” a speech therapist to come in or if you are “only concerned” about motor skills; everyone who gets evaluated through Early Intervention has to be seen by a generalist and a specialist. It also doesn’t really matter if one therapist comes in and says that your child is not eligible; your child still needs to be seen by both evaluators. In addition, ei-ther evaluator might recommend other evaluations (which you can either schedule or refuse) based on concerns that arise during the initial evaluations. Also, during this time you will be in frequent contact with your service coordi-nator, your “go to” person from the agency arranging your child’s evaluations to whom you can ask all of your questions and from whom you can receive guidance

in navigating the EI process. Once the evaluations are com-plete, eligibility is met in one of three ways. A child is eligible for services if A) there is a significant delay in one of the five areas as-sessed (defined as a 33% delay, a 12-month delay, or a score falling two standard deviations below the mean on a standardized test), or B) if there is a mild delay in two of the five areas assessed (defined as a 25% delay or a score falling 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on a standardized test), or C) if the child is diagnosed with, “a physical or mental condition that often leads to problems in development” such as Down Syn-drome, Autism, or Cerebral Palsy. Once all of the evaluations are written and the agency believes your child is eligible for services, a meeting will be set up (referred to as an “Individualized Family Service Plan meeting”, or IFSP) with you, your service coordina-tor, and a representative from the City (referred to as an Early In-tervention Officer Designee, or EIOD- Early Intervention is really into acronyms). It is at this meet-

ing that the EIOD will actually determine if your child meets the eligibility criteria and decide what services your child will receive, if any. From the time of your child’s referral until the completion of the IFSP meeting, the law dictates that the process can take no more than forty-five days. And, once services are approved, they can begin immediately. The main thing to remember when going through the Early In-tervention process is the question being asked by Early Interven-tion: Why should the taxpayers pay to provide therapeutic ser-vices for your child? And the an-swer to that question is, “Because of all the things he cannot do.” So, that is what the evaluations need to describe. As a parent, you know that in addition to having a speech or motor delay, or a diagnosis of Autism or Down Syndrome, your child is also a wonderful, ador-able, beautiful child with many skills and abilities and talents…but that’s not what is going to make her eligible for Early Inter-vention. So, don’t overly person-

alize all of your child’s challenges that are described by the evalu-ators in their reports. They are simply answering the question being asked: What delays or dis-abilities make your child eligible for services? And, again, if you do not believe your child is actu-ally “delayed” but want therapeu-tic services anyway, you should probably contact your insurance company and leave the limited amount of Early Intervention resources available to those who truly need it and for whom the program is meant to serve. To learn about the eligibil-ity and evaluation process in more detail, you can download the brochure, “The Early In-tervention Program” from the New York State Department of Health (http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0532.pdf), call 311, or contact a local pro-vider to ask questions.

Stephen Glicksman, Ph.D. is the Developmental Psychologist at Wom-en’s League Community Residences and Jumpstart Early Intervention. He can be reached by calling Women’s League at 718-853-0900, or at [email protected].

Glicksman Continued from Page 40 ➘

Early Intervention (Part C) and Preschool Programs (Part B) re-port data annually on three out-comes: Social relationships, which include getting along with other children and relating well with adults Use of knowledge and skills, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, early literacy and math skills Taking action to meet needs, including feeding, dressing, self-care, and following rules related to health and safety In 2010–11, child outcomes for Part C (ages birth through 2 years) showed: 68 - 73% of children showed greater than expected growth across all three outcomes. They were gaining skills at a faster rate

when they left the program than when they began. 55% of children exited with-in age expectations for knowl-edge and skills, while 61% were within age expectations for tak-ing action to meet needs. Part B Preschool outcomes (ages 3 through 5) showed: 81% of children showed greater than expected growth for each outcome area. 53% of children exited with-in age expectations for knowl-edge and skills to 66% for taking action to meet needs. James J. Heckman, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics and an ex-pert in the economics of human development, has proven that there are great economic gains to be had by investing in early child-

hood development. According to Heckman, early childhood educa-tion is a cost-effective strategy—even during a budget crisis. Defi-cit reduction will only come from wiser investment of public and pri-vate dollars. His data shows that one of the most effective strategies for economic growth is investing in the developmental growth of at-risk young children. Short-term costs are more than offset by the immediate and long-term benefits through reduction in the need for special education and reme-diation, better health outcomes, reduced need for social services, lower criminal justice costs and increased self-sufficiency and productivity among families. He estimated the return, or savings to society, to be approximately $7.00 for every 1 dollar spent on early childhood intervention.

The success of the EI program is well documented. However by increasing barriers to treat-ment and services with these new regulations, New York State may be guaranteeing poorer outcomes for children, to the detriment of taxpayers, and increased prob-lems for their families and soci-ety as a whole. State officials need to know that the public is watch-ing the outcome of these changes, and expects them to make the necessary adjustments to make sure that the EI program remains as effective for the children who are entitled to it as has been prov-en it can be.

Linda Farkas is the adult sibling of an Individual with Developmental Disabilities. She has worked tirelessly to assist families to advocate for com-munity based services.

Farkas Continued from Page 41 ➘

46 December 2012

DIAGNOSIS

Between 1997 and 2008, the number of children diag-

nosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increased al-most fourfold, according to the National Health Interview sur-vey. The 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health indicated that 1.1 percent of all children born in this country are on the autism spectrum. The number of children diag-nosed with ASD who will grow to adulthood over the next 10 to 15 years numbers in the millions. This raises an obvious question. Once they age out of the services mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, can these individuals be absorbed into mainstream society and the labor market, and if so, how? There are some individuals, such as Temple Grandin, who were diagnosed with autism as children and then found ways to make valuable contributions in their specific fields (in Gran-din’s case, animal management for the livestock industry). Dr. Stephen Shore is another ex-ample. He is a 51-year-old adult with autism who is an assistant professor of Special Education at Adelphi University. They serve as inspirational role models and sources of hope for the parents of today’s children with autism. But they are also the rare exceptions rather than the rule. They were products of an unusual combination of strong parental support, expert training and education, as well as extraor-dinary personal perseverance. Their experiences cannot be du-plicated on a scale to match the needs of the tidal wave of chil-dren with autism who will be coming of age in a few years, and certainly not with the techniques, infrastructure and resources available today. According to Dr. Shore, the key

to successfully mainstreaming in-dividuals with autism is to accept them for who they are. Rather than trying to eliminate or ig-nore their autistic characteristics, we should help them to make the necessary adaptations to en-able them to function success-fully, in much the same way that a nearsighted individual does

when he puts on a pair of glasses. Employers in particular need to understand that these individu-als can function productively in their workplace, “by shifting the emphasis from focusing on their deficits to using their strengths.” Today, about 90% of adults on the autism spectrum in this country are unemployed or un-deremployed, and they are just the tip of the iceberg. In coming years, the numbers of people with

autism aging out of grade school will double, and then double again. We will need to find con-structive ways to help them uti-lize the skills and abilities that they do have, instead of focusing on their autistic behavioral pat-terns or lack of social skills which can be easily accommodated in the workplace, but only if there is

truly a desire by management to do so. Obviously, we are not talking about those individuals who are so profoundly affected by autism that they cannot communicate or function with others effectively. But it is both possible and neces-sary for us as a society to provide opportunities for the gainful em-ployment and social acceptance of higher functioning individuals on the autism spectrum. This will

significantly enhance their hap-piness and self-esteem, and ben-efit society as a whole, by turning them into productive citizens in-stead of lifelong burdens. Many of these individuals can do much more than bag grocer-ies, re-stock shelves or do other menial jobs, which is often the only type of work available to them today. Employers need to understand that many of these individuals have valuable skills, some directly related to their au-tism, making them particularly well-suited for certain types of productive work. For example, an article pub-lished by the New York Times in January, 2010, described the unique contribution made for more than 50 years by George Kramer, then 71, to a small hard-ware store in Flatbush which still bore the Kramer name. George had severe behavioral problem as a child, but his par-ents rejected the advice of doc-tors at the time who called him “mentally retarded” and recom-mended that he be placed in an institution such as the notori-ous Willowbrook State School in Staten Island. Instead, George’s parents kept him at home and put him to work doing chores in his father’s hardware store. Over the years, George proved to be not only capable, but indis-pensable to the store’s operation. He was always scrupulously hon-est and reliable in performing his daily duties, which expanded to include handling incoming phone calls to the store, prepar-ing it for the start of business each morning and closing it se-curely every night. George also became a walking directory of the store’s inventory, memorizing the catalog number and location of every one of the pieces of hardware on its shelves. Need a part? Just ask George, and

A Life with AutismBy Yaakov Kornreich

DIAGNOSIS

December 2012 47

he would tell you exactly where it was. As long as George was there, the store didn’t need a computer-ized inventory tracking system. Thirty years ago, when George’s father agreed to sell the hardware store, he attached a spe-cial condition to the sale. George would have to be kept on as an employee. But the new owner didn’t need any convincing. Dur-ing the brief time he had spent in the store, he had already seen just how indispensable George was to its smooth operation. The new owner assured George’s father that as long as he owned the store, George would have a job there, and was true to his word. George still has problems with social interactions. He seldom makes eye contact and rarely expresses emotion, but some-times unexpectedly blurts out what is on his mind. Some of his symptoms we now associate with autism. In recent years, George has been living in a group home for adults with developmental dis-abilities located near the Young Israel of Avenue J. He davens there every Shabbos morning, and stands up after the drasha to say out loud and with obvious feeling, “Good Shabbos, rabbi!” George is also scrupulous about reciting kaddish in memory of his parents on their Yahrzeits each year. George is a vivid example of how even individuals with more serious autistic symptoms can still lead useful, satisfying lives, and how certain characteristics of autism can make them more suitable for particular types of jobs. Some autistic individuals are heavily visually-oriented, which makes them suitable for training in the graphic arts. Oth-ers are fascinated by video games or computers, making them good candidates for high end jobs in computer and informa-tion technology. According to Dr. Shore, the preparation of a child with au-

tism for success in later life needs to begin at home. Their parents must recognize and accept the special nature of their child and adjust their attitudes and ex-pectations accordingly, rather than becoming what Shore calls “aphids” – autistic parents heavily in denial.

Shore believes that, “it is im-portant for parents to explain the situation to their child in the ap-propriate manner and at the right time, usually when the child re-alizes he is having problems and starts asking questions.” He recommends a 4-step ap-proach to that process. First talk about the child’s strengths, and then about the child’s challenges (without using the words “weak-ness” or “disability”). Next the parent should encourage their child to make “non-judgmental comparisons with family mem-bers and friends, demonstrating how everyone has their own dif-ferent strengths and challenges.” The final stage is to reveal the di-agnosis to the child, “after having created the proper framework in which the child can understand it, without damaging his self-es-teem and confidence.” Dr. Shore suggests that as high-functioning children with autism grow up, they be directed into potential fields of employment where some of the characteris-tics of autism can work to their advantage. For example, autistic individuals prefer predictable in-teractions. They are particularly good at repeating instructions and actions exactly. Like George Kramer, they often commit to memory all of the detailed infor-mation they need.

This makes them good candi-dates for jobs in which they need to quickly recall and repeat the same information, such as manning a customer service desk or an in-formation booth, or jobs in which they need to master complex rules and routines, such as data entry or tax return preparation.

Dr. Shore notes that it is often easy for employers to eliminate triggers for autistic behavioral problems from their workplace environment with minor adjust-ments. For example, individuals who are hypersensitive to sounds could be moved to a quieter part of the office, or simply be given noise-dampening headphones. Others who are sensitive to the overhead florescent lighting in an office might be given a baseball cap with a visor to make them more comfortable. When Dr. Shore was diagnosed with autism as a child, his par-ents, too, resisted the recommen-dation that he be institutional-ized. Instead, they provided him with what we would call today an intensive, home-based early intervention program, which em-phasized music, movement, sen-sory integration, narration and integration, albeit on a trial and error basis. For example, when the time came to prepare him for his Bar Mitzvah, Stephen learned the layning by memorizing it as a song. The training he received from his parents was similar to the cognitive-developmental sys-tems approach for children on the autism spectrum which is known today as the “Miller Method.” Today Dr. Shore leads a rela-tively “typical” life, splitting his time between Adelphi Univer-

sity in Long Island and his home in Newton, Massachusetts. He is married, teaches Special Educa-tion, lectures widely and is an author of several popular books on autism. But what about today’s young adults who are still learning how to live their lives with autism? Aaron Winston lives in Dallas, Texas, where he attended the lo-cal day school and yeshiva high school, and was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 16. Now 21, Aaron is the head student programmer at the non-Pareil Institute, a non-profit, non-sectarian technical train-ing program for high function-ing young adults with autism located in the Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas. It was founded two years ago by people with success-ful prior experience in comput-ers who recognized that the field might offer career opportunities for their children with autism. Aaron is one of the leaders of the more than 90 nonPareil students working together to develop cell-phone apps and video games for the commercial market. After Aaron graduated from the Texas Torah Institute, he did not know what he wanted to do next. He says that he wasn’t “very social in high school, and didn’t really understand why people want friends.” His parents en-couraged him to enroll in the local community college, but his first visit to the campus created so much anxiety in Aaron that he never came back. Meanwhile, Aaron’s mother had heard about the nonPareil Institute from an online listserve, and decided that he had nothing to lose by giving it a try. Aaron immediately felt very comfort-able there. He had always en-joyed playing video games, and when he discovered that he could use the computer programming skills he was learning at nonPa-reil to create his own games, he

Kornreich Continues on Page 50 ➘

“The key to successfullymainstreaming individuals withautism is to accept them for who

they are.”

48 December 2012

DIAGNOSIS

The following is a summary of significant recent findings

from autism research, as pub-lished in respected scientific jour-nals. These results are still subject to independent confirmation by other researchers before being ac-cepted in the scientific community as confirmed. Autism is an inadequately un-derstood family of related condi-tions. People with autism gener-ally lack normal social interaction skills and engage in a variety of irregular and often characteris-tic behaviors, such as repetitive movements. While there is no precise medical treatment for au-tism, a range of accomplishment has been shown with early behav-ioral intervention. Diagnosing autism can be dif-

ficult, as there is no specific med-ical test available for doctors to perform. Mostly the only way for a doctor to suspect that a child is autistic is through parental feel-ing and observation. Early signs of autism vary by age, and it is important to at-tempt early detection in a child who may have autism. Experts say that you cannot precisely di-agnose a child with autism until he or she is at least 3 years of age. However today we can recognize early signs of autism in infants and toddlers that should be mon-itored as the child grows. Realizing the importance of early diagnosis, researchers at Women & Infants’ Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, in collaboration with researchers

at University of Pittsburgh, have been studying the cry acoustics of six-month-old infants. Their

research has recently been pub-lished in Autism Research. “Because we can measure vari-ous aspects of babies’ cries from the earliest days of life, it may be possible to use this technique to identify risk for neurological prob-lems such as autism long before we can detect behavioral differ-ences,” said Stephen J. Sheinkopf, PhD, the lead researcher, a psy-chologist at the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, and an assistant professor (research) in the Department of Psychia-try and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. The cries of infants at risk for autism were compared to the

cries of low-risk infants through recordings and then compared to each other. Infants were consid-

ered to be at risk if they had an older sibling with a confirmed ASD diagnosis. Based on observations of the videotapes, cries were categorized as either pain related or non-pain related. The study found that at-risk infants produced pain re-lated cries with higher and more variable fundamental frequency (commonly referred to as “pitch”) as compared to low-risk infants. A small number of the at-risk in-fants were later diagnosed with an ASD at 36 months of age. Dr. Sheinkopf concluded that “These findings demonstrate the poten-tial of this approach for babies as young as six months of age.” Another recent study by re-

By Dr. Joshua Weinstein

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searchers from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, reported in the journal Pediatrics (published on November, 12th, 2012) that pregnant women who catch the flu or have a longer lasting fever, more than a week, have a higher risk of giving birth to a baby with an ASD (autism spectrum disor-der). The authors gathered and analyzed data on a population-based group of 6,736 children some of them were born in Den-mark from 1997 to 2003.Scientists from the Seattle Chil-dren's Research Institute discov-ered new gene mutations which were associated with the develop-ment of autism, epilepsy, hydro-cephalus and cancer. They were mutations in the following genes - AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA. Their study was published in Na-ture Genetics (July 2012 issue). Babies with autism don’t show outward signs of the neurological disorder in the first six months of life, but after that develop dif-ferently than other children, a study published in the journal Child Development showed. Re-searchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute's Center for Autism and Related Disorders looked at 235 primarily white children with and without an older sibling with autism, testing them at regular in-tervals from ages 6 to 36 months. A study found that older fa-thers have a higher risk of having children with some kind of ASD than younger fathers. Research-ers explained in the journal Na-ture that an older father has a higher chance of passing on new mutations to his offspring than older mothers. A child whose parents or sib-lings have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia has a higher risk of being diag-nosed with an autism spectrum disorder, scientists from The University of North Carolina re-ported in Archives of General Psychiatry (July 2012 issue). Researchers from Caltech (California Institute of Technol-

ogy) reported in PNAS (Pro-ceedings of the National Acad-emy of Sciences) (July 2012 issue) that specific changes in an overactive immune system can contribute to autism-like behav-iors in mice. They added that in

some cases, this activation may be related to how a fetus devel-ops while in the womb. Heather E. Volk, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the University of Southern California, and colleagues ex-amined the relationship between traffic-related air pollution, air quality and autism. The study included data obtained from 279 children with autism and a con-trol group of 245 children with typical development who were enrolled in the Childhood Au-tism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study in California. They found that exposure to traf-fic-related air pollution, particu-late matter and nitrogen dioxide during pregnancy and during the first year of a child’s life appears to be associated with an increased risk of autism. Published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a study found that although schizophre-nia and autism may look like completely different illnesses, closer inspection reveals many common traits. These include social and cognitive dysfunction and a decreased ability to lead normal lives and function in the real world, according to Dr. Mark Weiser of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sheba Medical Center. Studying comprehensive da-tabases in Israel and Sweden, re-searchers found that the two ill-nesses had a genetic link, making it an even bigger threat within fami-

lies. They found that people who have a schizophrenic sibling are 12 times more likely to have autism than those with no schizophrenia in the family. The existence of bi-polar disorder in a sibling also showed an increased risk of au-

tism, but on a smaller scale. A great advance, this study sheds new light on the genetics of these disorders. The results will help scientists better understand the genetics of mental illness, said Dr. Weiser, and may prove to be a fruitful direction for future research. The number of children ages 6 to 21 in the United States re-

ceiving Special Education ser-vices under the autism disability category increased 91% between 2005 to 2010, while the number of children receiving Special Ed-ucation services overall declined by 5%. The demand for Special Education services continues to rise in disability categories as-sociated with pervasive develop-mental disorders.

Joshua Weinstein has been an edu-cator and administrator for over four decades. He holds a Ph.D., two Mas-ters Degrees in Educational Adminis-tration and Supervision and an MBA in Executive Administration. He has been the CEO in healthcare, social ser-vices, and business corporations. He’s the president and founder of Shema Kolainu-Hear Our Voices, Tishma for children with autism in Jerusalem and ICare4Autism- International Center for Autism Research & Education- a global leader in autism research & ed-ucation. He can be reached via email at [email protected].

“Early signs of autism vary byage, and it is important to

attempt early detection in a child who may have autism.”

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50 December 2012

DIAGNOSIS

threw himself enthusiastically into the work. Cooperating with other stu-dents with autism at nonPareil has helped Aaron to develop some of the social skills that he had lacked his whole life. He takes great satisfaction in his work and loves the open, supportive at-mosphere of the institute, where each student is accepted as they are, and encouraged to develop their capabilities as far as they can take them. Aaron says that he is “10 times more content and happy at nonPareil than ever before, and would be happy to continue working there for the rest of my life.” Aaron has developed other ambitions. He has learned how

to drive a car, and talks about get-ting married someday and start-ing a home and family of his own. He has also continued to learn Torah in private sessions with a local rabbi, and attended OU-sponsored Yachad events. Most important, Aaron says that the satisfaction and self-con-fidence he has gotten at nonPareil has given him “more faith that he has a place a mission in the world now.” He has also come to view his Asperger’s as at least partially a blessing, because it has given him the ability to focus more completely on those things which are important to him. But what about much younger children whose families are still struggling with their autism. I asked my daughter, Nechama

Spero, whose 8-year-old son, Shalom, is on the spectrum, what

expectations she has for him when he grows up. Nechama responded that Sha-lom still has a long way to go to overcome his social problems. He is communicative, but has diffi-culty engaging with other typical-ly developing children. He does better with adults than with his peers. She also expressed some frustration with the privacy rules governing Special Education stu-dents, which inhibit Shalom’s op-portunities to interact with his classmates outside of school. She never got a class list, and was only able to obtain the phone number of one of his classmates by getting it off of a pair of the child’s socks which Shalom took home from school by mistake one day. Only then did she learn that the other child lived around the corner. Shalom understands that he goes to a different type of school than his two sisters, and that he is expected to follow a different set of rules than they do when they are at home. But his mother be-lieves that Shalom is not yet ready to accept and understand the ex-planation for those differences. Nechama has high hopes for

Shalom’s future. He shows high intelligence, including excellent

problem-solving skills, and pro-ficiency in math, reading, music and computers. Even though he may never function well in a tra-ditional classroom environment, she believes he will have many options as he grows older. Today, adults with autism like Temple Grandin and Stephen Shore, who have found the fulfill-ment that comes with indepen-dence and a successful career or family of their own, are still much too rare. In 10 or 15 years, there will be millions more maturing young adults with autism facing a crossroads in their lives, like Aaron Winston did. The chal-lenge for society is to provide more programs like the nonPareil Institute which enable them to develop their intelligence and in-nate skills and take them as far as they can go.

Yaakov Kornreich is the Senior Edi-tor of Building Blocks and the Health and Living Supplement of the Jewish Press. He has been writing for Jewish publications and organizations for more than 40 years. Most recently, he is the co-author of "Young Israel at 100" recently published by the Na-tional Council of Young Israel.

Kornreich Continues from Page 47 ➘

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DIAGNOSIS

December 2012 51

By Susan K. Schulman, MD

About fourteen years ago Dr. Susan Swedo, the head of

child psychiatry at the presti-gious NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) described a series of children who had de-veloped Obsessive Compulsive Disorder from an immune reac-tion to a Group A beta Hemo-lytic Strep infection. This germ is the one that causes Strep throat in children all over the world. It has been previously shown that immune reactions to Strep can cause serious diseases like Rheu-matic Fever or a kidney disease call Acute Glomerulonephritis. Dr. Swedo described children who had another syndrome - Pediatric Autoimmune Neu-ropsychiatric Disorder Associ-ated with Strep - PANDAS. Her patients had developed acute mental illness - Obsessive Com-pulsive Disorder - which was not responding to ordinary psychiat-ric medications. When she real-ized the connection to Strep she immediately treated them with antibiotics and some improved dramatically. The ones who did not improve were given IVIG, an immune treatment, and they re-covered completely. Since that time it has been not-ed that PANDAS can cause other acute anxiety disorders such as phobias, fears, worries and panic attacks. In some children, the symptoms can be irritability, tantrums, emotional labiality (in-stability), explosivity, anger and even depression. Tics and vocal tics are common in PANDAS, with or without the psychiatric changes. Stuttering can start dur-ing a PANDAS episode. There are often associated symptoms such as frequent urination, bed-wetting, deterioration in hand-writing skills, and unexpected loss of cognitive skills, like math or reading comprehension. Many of the PANDAS children seem to

have suddenly developed poor attention spans and restlessness similar to ADD or ADHD. In many children the first epi-sode starts after a Strep throat or a bout of pneumonia. Some chil-dren have not been ill at all but their blood tests show a high an-

tibody level against Strep. The di-agnosis is not always made based upon lab tests. Whenever there is an abrupt onset of deterioration in the child's behavioral health, PANDAS should be considered. Parents often ask “where has our child gone?” “This is not the one we know!” Since PANDAS is an abnormal immune reaction to the germ, not the infection itself, the treat-ment of this condition is contro-versial. Research studies are now trying to determine the ideal way to deal with the symptoms of PANDAS. The mental, physical and emotional symptoms usu-ally subside by themselves within about three months of the first attack. If PANDAS recurs, the symptoms often last longer and can be more severe. Originally it was thought that

PANDAS is a rare disease, caus-ing severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Now we know that the symptoms can be varied and that there are mild to moderate cases - not only severe ones (like the ones in Dr. Swedo's original group). It now seems that PAN-

DAS is actually pretty common. My experience working in the Orthodox Jewish community has made me realize that Jew-ish kids are probably more sus-ceptible to PANDAS than other ethnic groups. This might be because of the constant exposure to Strep, which is always going around in the schools, or it may be a genetic predisposition. There is no proven treatment yet for PANDAS. The treatment with IVIG is the strongest and most effective in severe cases. The problem is that IVIG is very expensive. It costs thousands of dollars, and some insurance companies do not want to pay for it, because its effectiveness has not been clini-cally proven. A study now being conducted at Yale University will scientifically test how effective it

is, and if the test is positive, it will probably make it more available to those with health insurance. For most of the milder cases of PANDAS, the best option is to treat it with a long term regi-men of antibiotics. In my experi-ence, the antibiotic, azythromya-cin (Zythromax), which is also an immune modulator, seems to work the best. I also give the affected children probiotics, Omega 3 from fish oil, and Vi-tamin D3 in regular (not mega) dosages, for medical reasons. Some have found that amoxil/clavulonate (Augmentin) works on PANDAS children. At a time when we are trying to minimize the overuse of antibiot-ics, it may seem strange to sug-gest using antibiotics long term (6-12 weeks or more), but it really is necessary in these children. When the research studies cur-rently in progress are published, doctors will know better how to diagnose and help these chil-dren. Even though it has been 14 years since Dr. Swedo published her findings, PANDAS is still not recognized by many doctors who treat children. This is very unfor-tunate since PANDAS is treat-able. Once the abnormal immune reaction is eradicated, the emo-tional and neurological disorders will melt away. One thing is for sure. Everyone suffers when a child is suffer-ing from a mental or emotional disorder. The parents, the whole family, the teachers, the class-mates, and the friends all feel the negative effects. When the child recovers his own personality after being treated for PANDAS, ev-eryone breathes a sigh of relief.

Dr. Susan Schulman has been a community pediatrician in Brook-lyn since 1976. She is the author of the book Understanding Your Child's Health, which will soon be released in an expanded and revised edition.

Understanding PANDAS

52 December 2012

DIAGNOSIS

Seizures, a condition where a person’s brain activity be-

comes disturbed for a certain amount of time and causes changes to behavior and atten-tion, are actually not uncommon. According to Dr. Shlomo Shinnar, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center of Montefiore Medical Center and professor of neurology at Albert Einstein, 10-12% of people will have a seizure sometime in their lifetime. He said that a person’s risk for developing seizures is higher in infancy and childhood, then goes down as a young adult, and then rises again at age 60 or 70, when strokes and dementia place seniors at a higher risk. Interestingly, while most peo-ple associate seizures with con-vulsive, uncontrollable body be-havior, Dr. Shinnar said that only 10% of all seizures are convulsive. The vast majority involve what he calls “space cadet behavior,” where a person quietly stares off into space or acts unresponsive or clumsy for a short period of time. This is the reason why epilepsy can go undiagnosed for so long,

since parents or caregivers don’t associate this behavior with sei-zures. It’s often not until a person has a convulsive seizure that they come in for diagnosis and treat-

ment – sometimes after the per-son has had 20-30 seizures over a period of several years, he said. When are seizures considered to be epilepsy and when are they just seizures? Epilepsy is diagnosed after a person has two or more unpro-voked seizures more than 24

hours apart. Unprovoked means not linked to an acute, immediate cause, such as a high fever – com-mon for children –a major head trauma from a fall or accident,

or a stroke. While head injuries and strokes can cause epilepsy, a person must have at least two seizures that do not immediately follow such events in order to be diagnosed. “If you have a stroke and a seizure [immediately af-terward], it’s not epilepsy,” Dr. Shinnar said. “If, however, in six

months you start to have seizures, the cause is probably that stroke..”While many people worry about potential brain damage caused by seizures, to the best of our

knowledge at this time, it seems that brief seizures – 10 minutes or less – don’t cause brain injury, Dr. Shinnar said. Prolonged sei-zures of more than 30 minutes or a dozen or more repeated brief seizures may cause brain damage, but it’s unclear at this point and needs more research.

There are special trainers who work hard to train these

special dogs. Puppies are selected according to their personality, temperament and health, not by breed. Once chosen, these pup-pies go through intensive train-ing. To get certification and be paired with a recipient, these dogs must meet high standards and behavior requirements. The consumer must meet with the trainers to discuss their de-sired goals for their service dog to ensure their dog is trained to meet their specific needs. Once

the dog is trained the recipient and dog go to a training center to learn to work together, which usually lasts from two weeks to a month. Once the dog is in the owners care, a trainer typically visits the recipients home every few months to make sure things are working out well. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act seizure dogs are allowed in all public places with their owner includ-ing restaurants, stores, hotels, theatres, etc. even where dogs usually are banned.

Seizure Disorders: Causes and Treatment

How are ServiceDogs Trained?

By Rachel Wizenfeld

A seizure dog (A.K.A Seizure Response Dog) is a service dog that has been specially trained to help its owner during an epileptic seizure. They are trained to summon help when needed, sit with their owner throughout the seizure, retrieve a phone, and protect them until they regain consciousness. Seizure dogs are even taught to use their own body to break the persons fall, lie on top of them to protect them from hitting hard surfaces and keep

them from being robbed while unconscious. A service dog can alert a parent if their child is having a seizure so the par-

ent can come to the aid of their child. Some sei-zure dogs are even trained to predict an on-coming seizure by sensing a spe-cific scent often emitted by epi-leptic patients

to warn their owners to seek a safe place before the seizure begins. This creates a sense of safety and security for a person with epilepsy.

WHAT IS A SEIZURE DOG

DIAGNOSIS

December 2012 53

The main risk during a seizure is that of a person injuring him or herself, either while driving, where a person get into a crash, or swimming, where a person could drown, or even just walk-ing down the stairs. The most common causes of seizures are age dependent, Dr. Shinnar said. In children, fever is the most common cause – known as febrile seizures. In adults, it’s usually an acute injury head in-jury or a tumor, and in seniors, a stroke, due to a blood clot or cerebral hemorrhage, is the most common cause. There are also developmental and genetic causes and condi-tions like autism and cerebral palsy that often lead to epilepsy – “anything that results in an ab-normal brain injury or brain de-velopment,” Dr. Shinnar said. However, across all ages, “the

most common cause is, ‘we don’t know,’” he said. For more than half of children and adults, the cause of epilepsy and seizures is unknown; in the elderly, less so. But unlike other conditions where discovering the root cause is critical, treatment is the same for epilepsy whether or not the cause is known. Seizure medi-cations are only effective at pre-venting seizures. They do not cure epilepsy. Knowing the cause does not help. In fact, people with unknown causes of epilepsy actually have the best prognosis and less severe epilepsy. “It’s one of those funny things,” Dr. Shin-nar said. “Parents always want to know a cause, but it’s better if we don’t find one – those are the better cases.” And because seizure medi-cations don’t help long-term prognosis, medication becomes

a very individualized process. Side effects of seizure medi-cation, which can range from behavioral, to causing weight gain, hair loss, bone density loss, or causing potential birth defects in pregnant woman – may dissuade some patients from taking medication. In ad-dition, while approximately 2/3 of patients will respond well to medication, about 1/3 will not, and their seizures will not be fully suppressed. “You have to do the risk benefit [analysis] – if you’re a 30-year-old truck driver, dependent on your job, it may skew you toward taking medication,” Dr. Shinnar said. “For a 35-year-old woman in NYC who takes the subway and never drives, and she wants to have children, you would be heavily skewed towards not treat-ing.” The bottom line is that there

is no clear answer, and it’s a very individualized choice, he said. More than half of children with epilepsy will outgrow it, so de-pending on a child’s profile, Dr. Shinnar thinks carefully before treating them or not. “If he has a syndrome, where we know there’s a 95% chance he’ll outgrow [epi-lepsy], and he has one brief sei-zure every six months to a year and gets it before he goes to sleep, I might wait before medicating. If he has daytime seizures in school, though, I’ll treat it.” Dr. Shinnar said that although he thinks twice about using med-ication, there are many who pre-fer to medicate right away. “There are good people in both camps,” he said.

Rachel Wizenfeld is a frequent con-tributor to the Jewish Press and the founder of PopWriter.net. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

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Editor's Note: For a personal story of a mother's journey see page 32.

54 December 2012

TREATMENT

Back in the day, before the advent of home gaming sys-

tems, it was more common for kids and adults to take to the streets or the local parks where they played, socialized, and ex-plored the world around them. Typical activities which created opportunities for various types of body movement included a game, a bike ride, or perhaps a stroll on a walking path. In addition, years ago, infants were placed on the floor more often than the infants of today. Infants and children were also held more often by a caregiver, and had more frequent physical contact with the envi-ronment. But does this matter? Is it just a reflection on the past or has this change in our children’s ac-tivity possibly impacted their de-velopment and future academic achievement? If we were to stop for a moment and look around us, we would see that all living things are in constant motion. Even remain-ing perfectly still – an act that is actually one of the most difficult movements - requires a balance of muscle contraction, good pos-ture and balance skills from our vestibular and vision centers, to find a point zero or a centering point for our bodies to come back to. Further assessment shows that difficulties in this area arise many times in the classroom and at our dining room tables when chil-dren are “on the go”, frequently readjusting their position, or per-haps compensating by sitting on their knees or slouching. These compensations may be just due to fatigue, but they may signal a deeper issue with balance and motor control. In utero, one of the first forms of movement are primitive reflex-es. After we are born, they assist us as infants with head control, exploration of our environment,

hand eye skills, visual motor in-tegration, balance and posture skills, and hand development. During the first year of life, these reflexes are integrated and mature into higher centers of the brain. During this transition, we devel-op more voluntary control over our bodies. We can see examples of these primitive reflexes in an infant under six months of age.

Whenever their head turns to one side, an arm and leg will typically extend outward whilst the other arm and leg will have a tendency to flex closer to the body. This is a form of involuntary control. Here is another example: As the head is lifted up, the arms and legs ex-tend outward, and as the head is tucked in the arms and legs will also be tucked in. Over the course of the first year of life, these responses should no longer be part of an automatic re-sponse. If, for some reason, these primitive reflexes remain in place without integrating and maturing into the child’s overall develop-

ment appropriately, they can in-terfere later on with abilities that a child needs to read, such as track-ing smoothly across a page. Chil-dren who retain their primitive reflexes have a tendency to trip or bump into objects. They can have difficulty sitting or standing still, or learning to distinguish between right from left, and suf-fer from poor handwriting skills,

poor copying skills, disorganization, toe walking, “W” sit-ting, and attention deficits. Recently I treated a 7 year old girl and a 14 year old boy who presented with similar concerns, including decreased attention, difficulty with focusing, trou-ble following multi-step directions, poor eye tracking, poor reading comprehen-sion and reduced spatial awareness. Both were clumsy, had poor confi-dence, academic underachievement, were “on the go” and had difficulty sitting

and standing still. On assessment, they were asked to stand with their feet together, their hands at their side and looking straight ahead, and they nearly toppled over just after a few seconds of doing so. They had difficulty moving their eyes smoothly from left to right without moving their head, and had difficulty with reading and reading comprehension. Both had received services addressing their issues with bal-ance, posture, and sensory inte-gration. But their parents report-ed that as one issue was resolved, there was another one right be-hind it to be addressed, like a

never ending line of problems that the parents felt should have been addressed in their child’s prior years of services. Research has demonstrated that an average of 33% of children in mainstream classrooms will have many of these issues, while in special education classrooms they affect more than 90% of the students. Many of these children have received related services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, SEIT’s, and modified instruction.Our development of these skills as babies is facilitated by early forms of free movement- from being on the floor on our tummy and back, being rolled or from rolling over, lifting our heads up off the floor and grabbing a toy within our reach, bringing our hands together, pushing our chests off the floor with our hands, and crawling through obstacles such as a tunnel or an obstacle course. We learn through movement. Our visual motor skills, fine mo-tor skills, gross motor skills, sen-sory motor skills are matured and developed from movement. But it also requires the matura-tion of our reflexes and develop-ment of our balance and posture to provide a strong foundation and maximize our abilities in the years to come.

Paul Stadler is an occupational therapist with over 14 years of expe-rience working with children from birth to 21 years of age with varied diagnoses. He is adjunct professor for Daemen College for infant and child-hood development, a speaker at the 2012 American Occupational Therapy Association national conference on Neuro Motor Immaturity, a licentiate of INPP (inpp,org.uk), an instructor of the INPP school-based program for Assessing Neuromotor Readiness for Learning: The INPP Developmental Screening Test and School Interven-tion Program. He can be reached at 347.247.6835, [email protected] or by visiting www.paulstadler.net.

By Paul Stadler, MS OTR/L

Does Movement Really Matter?

TREATMENT

December 2012 55

It was more than 25 years ago when 10-year-old Chaim* went

outside to play with his brother. Across the street from Chaim lived the Friedman family. The Fried-mans’ daughter Chana was born with Down syndrome. Chana was a friendly and lovable girl who was the same age as Chaim. One day Chana crossed the street and sat down on the lawn to watch Chaim and his brother play, something that delighted Chana. After a while, Chaim began a conversation with Chana, who responded in kind. The beginnings of a friendship took hold. Although old enough to understand that Chana was “dif-ferent,” Chaim was not fazed in the least by Chana’s differences. In fact, Chaim would try to involve Chana in the games and athletics that he played with his brother. Chana loved the interaction and partici-pated as much as she was able. Chana was overjoyed to be friends with Chaim. Up to that point her friends, were all from her class, which was for children with Special Needs—at the time there was no concept of “main-stream” classes that included both typically developing children and children with developmental dis-abilities. As Chaim and Chana grew older, their paths in life sep-arated. Both, however, learned important lessons that they have carried with them to this day. Chaim is now married with a family and remains involved in the special needs community. Chaim has raised his children to be sen-sitive to the needs of others and has opened his home and heart to those with special needs. Chana lives in a group home setting and has a job in the community. She interacts with customers from all backgrounds and cultures. She is able to do this, in part, due to her relationship years ago with Chaim. Being involved in athletics is

beneficial to all who participate. Health benefits are the most ob-vious perks—increasing partici-pants’ heart rate, staying in shape, and losing or maintaining a healthy weight, are helpful to all. Another major benefit to athlet-ics is increased self-esteem. En-couraging children who are not inclined to participate in sports can yield tremendous growth in their self-awareness. Why? Because participation in athlet-ics can often make a child more popular. When children who are not naturally drawn to sports, or those who are not confident in their abilities, are encouraged to participate, it allows all the chil-dren to experience their peers in a different light. This works when done in a non-patronizing way, so that all the children are par-ticipating as equals. There are many benefits from integrating typically developing children and those with special needs in sports. The child with special needs will experience an increase in self-esteem as well as an overall feeling of belonging. Oftentimes such a child may feel as if he/she does not belong—ei-ther because of assumed or actual perceptions by other children. Spending quality time with a typically developing child gives a child with special needs that sense of belonging, of being part of the group and enjoying that group’s successes and setbacks. On the flip side, the benefits for the typically developing child are also immense. Foremost is the child learning lessons in sen-sitivity that no class can teach. It is this experience that can shape children for the rest of their lives. This interaction will help reduce the stigma that is, unfortunately, still prevalent within our com-munity. The typically developing child learns that he/she is not so

different from the child with spe-cial needs. In fact they often learn that they share more commonali-ties than differences. Integrating the typically devel-oping children and the children with special needs in athletics can teach all of us “adults” the true meaning of Achdus. We know that it is easy to feel close to those who are similar to ourselves, be it the way we dress or the shul we may go to… The true mean-ing of Achdus, however, is the sense of togetherness we can feel among all Jews from all walks of life. It does not matter what type of Yarmulka one wears or the shul where one davens, or even if one goes to shul at all. The true meaning of Achdus is a together-

ness we can feel as children of the same Father in Heaven. Bringing the typically developing children and those with special needs to-gether in this way can bring the entire community together. * Names throughout the article have been changed. ** We have just experienced Hurricane Sandy where many people lost all their pos-sessions, were, and in some cases, remain displaced, and some who, R’L, lost their lives. Through this crisis I personally, as I am sure most of you as well, experienced and witnessed the true Achdus that our great nation is capable of. The help that came from communities within the greater New York area, as well as communities far away is astounding. Let us merit the con-tinuation of this Achdus.

Avrohom Adler is the Manager of Mishkon Programs for JBFCS.

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The Art of PlayThe Benefits of Athletics for Children of All Abilities.

56 December 2012

TREATMENTBy Paul Stadler, MS OTR/L

This past summer I taught an infant and child develop-

ment course for a group com-pleting their master’s program in education. After I asked one of the students to read the sylla-bus out loud, I soon realized that while he was reading without er-rors, his head was moving from side to side as he read. When I stopped him and asked him if he was moving his head, he replied ‘If you’re asking me I guess I am.’ I then asked him to continue read-ing without moving his head and only move his eyes. By the second line he started to laugh, realiz-ing that he was moving his head despite being asked not to do so; he simply could not complete the task of reading without mov-ing his head. The third time he tried, he sat up straight; holding the paper rigidly and proceeded to read without moving his head. I then asked him to explain what he had just read and, incredibly, he was unable to do so. His read-ing comprehension seemed to have been lost when he was told that he could not move his head. This accomplished student, who was completing his Masters de-gree, was unable to maintain his reading comprehension when reading by moving his eyes in-stead of his head. When I asked him about his childhood history, he revealed that he had difficulty sitting still in class, fatigues easily when reading, that reading can bring on headaches, and that he always performed better as a lis-tener rather than a reader. We did a basic eye screening and found that his eyes were un-able to complete a left to right or right to left movement without jerking his eyes when he crossed the midline of his face. He then admitted that he had difficulty as a child learning right from left and catching a ball. He also revealed that he was disorga-

nized as a child, which made his schooling years difficult and was a source of criticism from teachers and parents due to his resulting academic under-

achievement. He was incredibly cooperative in allowing himself to be used as an example for the class, by giving them an insight into his earlier years. There were indications that motor stages of his development were either skipped or did not mature compared to typical in-fants. He further revealed that he was difficult to soothe as an infant in the first 3 months of his life, and was a late talker. This case proved to be of great interest to the rest of the class for the remainder of the semester. We soon started to talk about cognition. Where does it start, what are the stages? Jean Piaget’s

theory of cognitive development suggests that the basic building blocks of cognition arise from the primitive reflexes an infant is born with. What are some of

these primitive reflexes and how and in what capacity can they in-terfere with a child’s performance in the school years?

WHAT AREPRIMITIVE REFLEXES?

A reflex is an automatic move-ment that always occurs the same way following the same stimulus. Think about a newborn infant when an object is placed into their hand - they will automati-cally close their hand around the object – this is known as the palmer reflex. Primitive reflexes are the au-tomatic responses that develop in utero. They are present in the full term infant, and should be

integrated into more developed reflexes by the time a child is 6 months of age. By this time, for example, a child should have voluntary control and no longer automatically close their hand when an object is placed in it.

WHAT ASSISTS IN THEINTEGRATION OF

PRIMITIVE REFLEXES? Movement. Integration or in-hibition of the reflexes takes place as a result of an action or motor response. We need movement to help the reflexes integrate and allow our nervous system to ma-ture. Further, our motor skills are linked to balance and posture, which also depend on a mature reflex system. Reflex maturity provides a measure of the maturi-ty of the central nervous system. When the nervous system is in a state of immaturity, senso-ry processing, balance, posture, attention, behavior, and motor skills can be negatively affected and can cause the child diffi-culties at home and especially in the classroom. These can include organization difficul-ties, reading problems, writing problems, copying problems, behavior problems, atten-tion problems, and academic underachievement. Opportunities for movement should be made available as early as possible to a newborn. The best playground for the develop-ing infant is the floor, in all po-sitions, on their back, on their tummy and on their sides. These provide the infant a chance to de-velop their motor, visual, sensory, and cognitive skills.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT REFLEXES MAY BE INTER-

FERING WITH MY CHILD’S SCHOOL PERFORMANCE?

Here is a look at some primi-tive reflexes that may interfere with your child’s performance if they are still present and not

Are Primitive Reflexes Affecting Me?

TREATMENT

December 2012 57

integrated. Before making a link between primitive reflexes and school performance, a detailed

evaluation should be completed by someone who is licensed and/ or certified in reflex inhibition programs. Also, it is necessary to establish the presence of a cluster of reflexes, rather than a single one, before making a link between primitive reflexes and academic difficulties.

THE ASYMMETRICALTONIC NECK REFLEX

(ATNR) The role of this reflex is to help develop movement in utero. Whenever the head is turned to right, the right arm and leg will extend outward and the left arm and leg will flex. It also assists in the birth process, ensures a free airway when the child is on their tummy, and helps with the devel-opment of hand-eye coordination. If this reflex does not integrate, balance is affected. It also causes difficulties with crossing the midline and horizontal tracking, a necessary skill for reading and writing, as in the case of the stu-dent mentioned above.

SYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX (STNR)

This reflex assists the infant in defying gravity and is thought to assist in visual accommodation. We see this movement when the infant begins to lift their tummy

off the floor in preparation to creep. The head is bent toward the floor, and the arms automati-

cally bend as the legs extend and lift the bottom off the ground. As the head is extended, the arms will extend and the legs will bend as if the infant is sitting on their knees while supported on their extended hands. If this primitive reflex does not integrate, problems arise with posture in sitting and standing, upper and lower body integra-tion, swimming, hand-eye coor-dination, visual accommodation (skills necessary for catching a ball and copying from a black board) and vertical tracking and “W” sitting. Finally, There Is The

TONIC LABYRINTHINEREFLEX (TLR)

The role of the TLR is to assist in building the extremes of flexor and extensor tone and to act as the prim-itive response to gravity before more mature posture reactions develop. If this reflex is retained, then a child may have difficulty with balance, motion sickness, eye movements (convergence), visual perceptual skills (figure ground), and difficulty with spatial skills. During a typical well-visit to the pediatricians’ office, your infant will often be checked for the presence of these reflexes but probably will not be checked for

the integration of the reflexes. Movement is an essential in-gredient to learning, sensory pro-

cessing, and motor development. The primitive forms of move-ment, in the form of the primitive

reflexes that initially serve a vital role to our development, require integration facilitated by move-ment to allow higher centers of motor maturity to develop. They provide the child with a concrete foundation for academic achieve-ment in the years to come.

Paul Stadler is an occupational therapist with over 14 years of expe-rience working with children from birth to 21 years of age with varied diagnoses. He is adjunct professor for Daemen College for infant and child-hood development, a speaker at the 2012 American Occupational Therapy Association national conference on Neuro Motor Immaturity, a licentiate of Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP), an instructor in the INPP school-based program for Assessing Neuromotor Readiness for Learning: The INPP Developmental Screening Test and School Interven-tion Program. He can be reached at 347.247.6835, [email protected] or by visiting www.paulstadler.net

58 December 2012

TREATMENTBy Dr. Chrystalla Orthodoxou

Dentistry for Children with Special Needs

A recent study from the Tufts University School of Den-

tal Medicine found that people with intellectual and other de-velopmental disabilities are more prone to dental disease than the general population and that fur-ther research is required to iden-tify effective interventions. The study, based on the elec-tronic dental records of 4,732 patients who receive dental care from Tufts Dental Facilities Serv-ing Persons with Special Needs, found that even when provided with access to care, some individ-uals are unable to tolerate com-plex dental procedures, which compounds the problem. By sensitizing children with special needs to dental and other medical procedures, some practitioners are able to implement best practices at an early age, eliminating the costly need to perform routine den-tal cleanings in hospitals while under anesthesia. Children with special needs have higher rates of poor oral hy-giene, gingivitis, and periodontal disease than the general public. According to the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, parents identify preven-tive dental care as the most prev-alent of these children’s unmet health care needs. Most dentists are unwilling to treat youngsters with special needs because they lack the nec-essary training. Low Medicaid re-imbursement rates create another barrier to care. This is a typical case: A year ago, no one could have imagined that Joel would be able to sit in a dentist chair. The 10-year-old, who has an autism spectrum disorder, has benefited from a sensory integra-tion and desensitization program from a team of professionals at Premier HealthCare (PHC), a

member agency of YAI. Joel really isn’t that differ-ent than most children. Just the thought of a dental visit in-creases his anxiety. Even walk-ing by a dental room upset him.

In the past, he had to be anes-thetized or wear a restraining device to limit his movement in the dentist’s chair. “Working with children with special needs early on is really going to help in the long run,” said Dr. Beth Diviney, Ph.D., BCBA, is a Behavior Consultant who is part of a multi-disciplin-ary desensitization team at PHC which has had success working with special needs children at an early age. “We’ve seen that after they ob-serve a sibling or peer sitting in a dental chair, and then learn-ing what the routine is and what the expectations are . . . they are gradually willing to do what needs to be done to tolerate a procedure without the use of re-straint or medication. We make it fun.”

The desensitization program is tailored to the individual pa-tient. A comprehensive assess-ment identifies psycho-social history, abilities, skills set, fears and potential sensory issues. Ob-

servation is another critical com-ponent, especially if the child is non-verbal. The team develops a strategy and formulates a plan before implementation begins. “Sensory integration calms the patient down,” said Abigail Tayamen-Macatangay, OTR/L, Supervisor of Occupational Therapy at PHC. “Knowing that Joel responds to sensory stimu-lation has helped us make the experience of going to the den-tist, less frightening.” An OT Assistant worked with Joel for over a year. She would bring Joel to an OT Treatment Room prior to his dental appointment. She found that putting on a weighted vest and rocking on a therapy ball comforted Joel. He also would squeeze some putty or a hand-ball. Joel perceived the occu-

pational therapy as fun and he felt safe with OT in the familiar treatment room. After months of sensory inte-gration, Joel moved from the OT room to just outside the dental

room. He rocked on a therapy ball and he had a favorite puzzle to ease his anxiety. Later, the therapy ball was moved inside the dental room. While Joel was ini-tially frightened by the chair, he finally sat on the edge of the chair after a string of sensory lights were placed around his shoulders and in his lap. Eventually, Joel sat in the dental chair with the dentist and her as-sistant in the room. He tolerated the instruments and even seemed to enjoy the vibrating sensation in his mouth. Of course, it was comforting for him to know that his OT Assistant was just a few steps away. Dr. Sun Won was then able to give Joel a mild dental cleaning, thanks to the team approach. “I never thought I’d see him

Orthodoxou Continues on Page 60 ➘

TREATMENT

December 2012 59

Pets need people. We provide food, facilitate care, and ad-

dress their daily needs. Pets pro-vide companionship and dogs are among the most lovable. It is no wonder that the Hebrew word for dog is kelev - from the heart. Dogs keep secrets and are our best friends, but they are friends who depend on us, albeit not al-ways exclusively. Sometimes we depend on them for protection and even for mobility. People with visual disabilities can be guide dog users which reverses depen-dency roles as the dog serves as the eyes of the master. While they are still pets who depend

on masters for food and medi-cal care, they are also working or service animals and masters rely on them. There are many dynam-ics inherent in the relationship between masters and guide dogs including physical reliance and emotional attachment. There are three tiers of visual

disabilities. Total blindness, (congenital or adventitious) is self-explanatory. Legal blind-ness is visual acuity not greater than 20/200 in the better eye with the best correction, which ranges from shadow vision to functioning without the usual array of visual diagnosis indica-tors, such as a guide-dog, mo-bility cane, extra thick glasses, or physical damage to the eyes. A second definition is a periph-eral visual field of no greater then 20degrees - tunnel vision, despite good distance vision. Vi-sual impairment is visual acuity no greater than 20/60 in the bet-

ter eye with the best correction. Those who are totally or legally blind and are good cane travel-ers, engage in daily activities where travel is involved, and can take care of an animal, are good candidates for a guide dog. Ap-plications are made to guide dog schools where dogs are trained

for about six months, learn how to focus, receive mobility com-mands, and gain confidence guiding people. The application process reflects applying to col-lege or a job in the sense of sub-mitting completed forms or doc-uments with basic information, forwarding recommendations to support candidate suitability for the opportunity, and writing an essay about self. Specifically, candidates submit a completed application form, an eye report, medical and other forms, write a statement of need, and forward letters of reference which sup-port the need and express confi-dence that the applicant can care for the animal. Dogs continue to belong to the school and reports

of mistreatment may necessitate removal. Usual breeds for guide dogs include labrador retrievers, black labradors, german shep-herds, and sometimes boxers. There are four guide-dog schools in the suburban New York City area and in most cases applicants go for a two week peri-od to the school site. The schools match dogs to masters based on temperament, walking pace, height, and compatibility, among other variables. Once all variables are satisfied, masters learn how to work their dogs, teach com-mands, and provide rewards for intelligent disobedience, a situ-ation when dogs determine that it is unsafe to proceed against

Fogelman Continues on Page 61 ➘

By Faith Fogelman

Glimpses into Guide Dogs

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60 December 2012

TREATMENT

in the chair; it was such an or-deal,” she added. “He didn’t want to be there.” Collaboration among the nurs-ing team, dentist, dental assistant, behavior analyst, occupational and possibly a physical therapist was critical to the program’s suc-cess, and even some of the profes-sionals had their doubts. “None of us were trained to collaborate in this way,” Dr. Diviney said. “Each discipline is accustomed to doing its part; if you’re a dentist, you may have a dental assistant in the room, but not a room full of other professionals.” It takes a tremendous amount of time and patience, but the re-sults are nothing short of amaz-ing when the professionals col-laborate on such a close level. Parents or the person ac-companying the child to the dentist’s office also play a major role in desensitation. Parents

or caregivers can help prepare a child for the visits by show-ing pictures of the dentist, tooth brushes and other dental

instruments, and gently mas-saging the face near where a dentist may eventually be work-ing. They even stay in the den-tal suite with the child during a cleaning or dental procedure.

Today, Joel no longer needs the therapy ball before his dental appointments. He still enjoys the sensory lights, a

vibrating toothbrush in his hand, and a container filled with raw rice, beans and beads, known as a rice bath to get him through procedures. Josefina, Joel’s mother, couldn’t

be happier with the results. “He’s much calmer now,” she said. “He’s OK with going to see the dentist.” During one dental visit, the team invited Josefina into the room, where her son was sitting calmly in the chair, ready for his appointment. As Dr. Won examined Joel, she kept saying, “I can’t believe it.”

Dr. Chrystalla Orthodoxou, Chief of Dentistry for Premier HealthCare, has over 15 years experience treating individuals with developmental dis-abilities. She has developed and imple-mented the use of desensitization and behavior techniques to help children and adults patients with special needs. She has lectured extensively on using these techniques to deliver quality den-tal care to patients with severe anxi-ety, phobias, and sensory processing disorders. She currently serves on the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Task Force for Specialty Care Dentistry and is a clinical faculty member of the dental department at North Shore Long Is-land Jewish Hospital.

“By sensitizing children withspecial needs to dental and other

medical procedures, somepractitioners are able to implement

best practices at an early age,eliminating the costly need to

perform routine dental cleanings in hospitals while under anesthesia.”

Orthodoxou Continued from Page 58 ➘

Drop foot is a condition of weakness or motor control

that interferes with a person’s ability to lift their foot while walking. It causes stumbling and tripping, and affects the safety and efficiency of their gait. Drop foot can occur as a side effect of many conditions, among them cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, incomplete spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain in-jury. Where there is lower leg paralysis or weakness, there is the potential for drop foot. Physical therapy is the usual course of action for correcting drop foot. Ankle foot orthoses (AFO’s), are traditionally pre-scribed in addition to therapy. AFO’s are custom molded plastic shells that stabilize the leg and foot, and hold it in a corrected position. This has proven to be very effective.

For growing children, how-ever, AFO’s can present some difficulties. AFO’s are often bulky, and can only fit into spe-cific footwear. They need to be replaced fairly often to accom-modate a child’s changing height and weight. Compliance can be an issue as well, as discomfort, both physical and psychological, can come into play. The idea of neuroplasticity has been around for many years. Research has shown that nerves are always changing and regrow-ing, and that muscles can be re-trained. FES (Functional Electri-cal Stimulators) technologyorhas been used successfully in physical therapy for decades. This tech-nology applies low level electri-cal currents to nerves, promoting muscle use. In recent years, advances have been made that now allow us to

package FES in compact devices for everyday use. In the case of foot drop due to the aforementioned conditions, FES directly applied to the pe-roneal nerve prompts a muscle contraction that lifts the foot while walking. The benefits of this technol-ogy over the traditional AFO are many. These devices are small and unobtrusive, achieve optimal gait with minimal exertion, and can actually retrain and strength-en muscles during use. Bioness and Walkaide are two such FES systems currently on the market. Certified physi-cal therapists and/or orthotists trained in both gait analysis and the programming of these devices determine the appro-priate timing for stimulation with every step. In a study conducted by the

American Academy of Cere-bral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, Walkaide was shown to successfully improve mobility with increased ankle control and dorsiflexion (ability to raise the foot). Over four months of use, participants continued to benefit, suggesting improved response to the Walkaides FES over time.

Herschel Sauber is a licensed and certified prosthetist orthotist with over 20 years experience in his field. His brooklyn office services patients in all 5 boroughs and long island, as well as parts of new jersey and the hudson valley.Shmuel heifetz is a board eligi-ble prosthetist and recent graduate of the newington oandp program. His up to the minute knowledge of technique and technology coupled with innova-tive thinking round out the company's multi-faceted approach. Orthocraft inc. Specializes in com-plicated cases, and sees patients of ev-ery age. The practice can be reached at 718.951.1700.

FES and DropfootBy Herschel Sauber

TREATMENT

December 2012 61

the command of masters. If the master and the matched guide dog are working well together, a guide dog trainer accompanies them back to the master’s home to teach the dog frequent routes of the master and assess how the master is working the dog in the neighborhood. When on-site orientations are deemed unnec-essary, a dog is brought to the applicant’s home and training commences immediately. In both cases, dogs learn how to shift al-legiance from trainers to masters.There are advantages and dis-advantages to both approaches. Dogs trained in suburbia may be frightened by big city noise and regress. On the other hand, there may be a lack of compat-ibility when dogs are assigned to masters without a compatibility process. In both cases, unfore-seen circumstances may surface.

Masters may prove reluctant to care for the dog; guide-dogs may not get along with other dogs, or may be too distracted in crowded environments to guide well, and so on. Masters should tell fam-ily, friends, and others not to pet guide dogs, provide treats, or try to grab the leash, thereby educat-ing about the differences between pets and guide dogs. Although most establishments accept guide dogs, there are loca-tion restrictions for service ani-mals including pools, biology and chemistry laboratories, rides in amusement parks, and so forth, for the safety of other people. Additionally, dogs and masters may need to separate for those with conditions triggered by pro-longed dog exposure. Asthmatics can have attacks near dogs and that possibility trumps dogs and masters being together. As noted above, dogs can be

removed for abuse and other variables including decreased ability to work well. Removal is traumatic for masters and even separation for prolonged periods of time can be difficult. Many guide dog owners, especially those who reside alone, develop a couple identity with the animal. When guide dogs are removed or die, the grief is beyond pet loss. Masters in good standing with the guide dog school can apply for a second dog and fall back on their mobility and orientation cane skills in the interim, as they do when dogs are hospitalized; supporting that only good cane travelers or those with residual vision are viable candidates. Although people with visual disabilities who use guide-dogs comprise the largest population of service animal users, minia-ture horses are emerging as sub-stitutes for guide-dogs, although

not in urban areas. People with other disabilities may use trained monkeys to substitute for limi-tations with grasping or reach-ing. Even still, no service animal engenders love like guide dogs which underscores the loss for both when guide dogs and mas-ters must permanently separate. The master has depended on the guide dog and the loss is both for the animal and for its guiding abilities. The majority of guide dog users who lose dogs due to death are inclined to apply for another one. Guide dogs are a choice; they are not necessarily the preference of all people with visual disabilities.

For over a decade, Faith Fogelman has directed programs for disadvan-taged students, including students with disabilities, at CUNY colleges. She is a licensed social worker and an adjunct professor in human services at NYC College of Technology.

Fogelman Continued from Page 59 ➘

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62 December 2012

By Yitty Rimmer, MA OTR/L

Q: My son was di-agnosed with low muscle tone. Will

he outgrow this condition? And what should I do at home to help him?

A: Hypotonia is the medical term used for low/weak mus-

cle tension, or a loss of muscular tension. There is a range of nor-mal muscle tension that every person is genetically disposed to. Those on the higher range of normal muscle tension have an easier time playing sports, ap-pear better coordinated, and de-velop their fine and gross motor skills earlier. Those on the lower range of normal muscle tension appear to have difficulty moving themselves against gravity, have a harder time playing sports, and develop their fine and gross mo-tor skills much later. The reason I specified the normal muscle tension range, is that children who have extremely high muscle tension are those who are di-agnosed with neuromuscular disorders such as Spastic Cere-bral Palsy. While those with an extremely low muscle tension,

are highly flaccid, for example this condition is found amongst

infants who are born very pre-mature, or have suffered a trauma during birth. Muscle tone increases with age and in a foot to head direction, both

for passive tone at rest, and for active tone. Some young infants, especially premature infants who exhibit unusual muscle patterns, will eventually outgrow these presentations as they mature and physically grow stronger. Oth-ers require intensive therapy to strengthen their muscles in or-der to develop oral motor, fine motor, and gross motor skills. To summarize and answer your question, your child will al-ways have a genetic disposition to low muscle tone. However, with proper therapy, not just Oc-cupational, but also Physical and Speech if indicated, your child will be able to strengthen his muscles in order to develop the

skills needed to function at home, in school, in his daily life, and to move forward and become a pro-ductive member of society. In the meantime, try these ideas at home to help him develop prop-er fine motor skills in conjunction

with therapy as indicated: Children with hypotonia, or low muscle tone, tend to have difficulty moving against grav-ity, and often they sit slouched in a chair. Try to encourage your child to maintain a good posture when sitting with 90 degrees at the hip, 90 degrees at the knees, and 90 degrees at the ankles. Use step stools, books, rolls of paper towels, or rolled up towels to help your child into this position, and be able to maintain it. This will allow your child to strengthen muscles in his shoulder, back and stomach during everyday ac-tivities. (Such as eating at a table, playing a computer game, doing homework at a desk, etc.)

Give your child an oppor-tunity to help carry heavy items, such as 1-2 ½ gallon bottles of milk, or orange juice contain-ers, a 5lb. bag of potatoes, a pile of books etc. This will help him strengthen muscles in his arms,

shoulders, back and even abdom-inal (stomach). Often children with low muscle tone have difficulty with a neutral wrist posture that is needed for handwriting skills. Have your child color a picture that was placed vertically on the wall. This will “force” him to strengthen his wrist through wrist extension while coloring against the wall. For a more personalized, ex-tensive exercise regiment, consult an Occupational Therapist.

Yitty Rimmer has a Masters in Oc-cupational Therapy from New York Uni-versity. She currently has her own private pediatric practice in Brooklyn, NY.

Expert Answers to Real-Life Questions

ASK THE EXPERT?

Here are the answers to serious questions raised by parents and caregivers of special needs individuals in a variety of real-life situations. These answers are valuable to all of us, not only for the practical guidance they offer for the specific circumstances described, but also for revealing the approach of professionals in the field based upon their knowledge, training and experi-ence. Please note answers are for information purposes only, and are not a substitute for an actual evaluation. If you have any questions for a future issue you can contact us at [email protected]. Compiled by Chaya Ilene Klass

Ask theOccupational

Therapist :

December 2012 63

By Rachel Soroka-Teller, MA, CCC/SLP, TSHH

Q: My two and a half year old son can only say one word

at a time and doesn’t put any words together. I had him evalu-ated and was told that he is not eligible for services. What can I do at home to help improve his speech and language?

A: A speech-language provider is the best person to assist

your child in increasing his lan-guage skills. However, a mother/caretaker can use some tech-niques in order to facilitate com-munication. Here are some tips to fast-track your education.

TALK, TALK, AND WHEN YOU GET TIRED, TALK

SOME MORE Children learn by absorbing what is in their environment. A child who is always spoken to be-gins to pick up the words that are constantly repeated to him. The more exposure the child has to a word, the more likely he will at-tempt to use it. Make activities in your daily routine becomes your lesson plan. When getting your child dressed in the morning, label each cloth-ing item. Once your child begins to label clothing items, expand your language to include two words, such as color + clothing. You can then use words to de-scribe the sequence (“First put on your shirt, then your pants.”) Children love to cook. Cook-ing time is a great opportunity to use action words. Your child can stand next to you at the coun-

ter. Together, you can mix, pour, cut, open, and even eat (!) your

way through making dinner. Make sure to take safety pre-cautions. A plastic knife can enable even the youngest chil-dren to cut foods safely.

Similarly, laundry becomes fun again. Name and describe each item, to who it belongs to (Mom-my’s shirt, Daddy’s pants), and whether it is wet or dry.

THE WORLD IS ONE BIG THERAPY ROOM

Even outside your home, you can incorporate language every-where. Rather than sitting on the bench while your child plays in the park, stand by his side. Nar-rate what your child is doing: “go up, up, up” the ladder, and “dow-wwwwwn” the slide. Sing a cute nursery rhyme, while going back and forth on the swing. When shopping at a grocery store, give your child a shopping list of one or two items to remem-ber. With an older child you can talk about the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. Younger children love to look at the col-ors of the fruits and the differ-ences between each one. Each aisle presents an opportunity to categorize foods. For example, “It says this is the pasta aisle, do you think we can find milk here?”

Walk through your neigh-borhood. Children love to talk about the flowers and the leaves. “Can you smell a flower, crunch a leaf?”

BOOKS ARE YOURTHERAPY ASSISTANT

I will repeat that: books are amazing! They expose children to new words and concepts. Sim-ple books with small sentences become familiar to a child if read

often enough. A story, such as “Good Night, Moon,” becomes a favorite because it is simple to understand. Later on, your child can “read” the book to him-self. Books with no words, but which have engaging pictures, invite a child to create his own story. “Good Night, Gorilla,” is an amazing example. Children’s imaginations go wild when fol-lowing the sneaky gorilla. When reading a story to your child, tailor your words based on your child’s level of under-standing. Look at each picture first. Discuss what you see in each picture. Try making pre-dictions, as to what will happen next, based on the pictures and storyline. Ask your child simple questions: “What happened?” “Where did the mommy go?” When you finish reading the book, have your child “read” it

to you. There are no wrong an-swers, which empowers a child to use his imagination.

PLAYTIME ISLEARNING TIME

Have you ever watched your child play? You will feel like you are watching a “mini me.” Ev-erything you do is mimicked in his play (even yelling!). A child who loves construction will build huge towers. A little girl will cook at her toy stove and care for her dolls. Play along side your child and provide the words for his ac-tions. “Oh, let’s wash your baby and then feed her dinner.” Occasional use of television and videos can be educational, as well. Sit next to your child and talk about what is happening on the screen. What animals did Un-cle Moishe see at the zoo? What steps does Dora need to take to get to school?

THE FINAL WORD Up your level of expectation once a skill, such as using one word, is mastered. Expand on his sentences. He says, “Ball,” you respond, “It’s a big ball.” Comment on what he says. “Oh, you see a dog. That’s right. It says, ‘woof!’” Highlight the word that he may not use consistently, “The boy is crying.” By incorpo-rating language into every part of your day, your child learns naturally. He is not aware that he is learning as he goes about his daily routine. Make it fun, excit-ing, and natural, and watch the language develop. Finally, if you do not see a sig-nificant improvement in your child’s language skills within six months, request a reevaluation.

Rachel Soroka-Teller, MA, CCC/SLP, TSHH is a speech-language patholo-gist. She is a center-based provider at StrivRight, where she services children from newborn to age 5. She specializes in treating children with hearing impair-ments and auditory-processing difficul-ties. Rachel can be reached at [email protected]

ASK THE EXPERT ?

Ask theSpeech

Therapist :

64 December 2012

By Marc R. Katz

Q: I am a single father of a forty four year old adult with a de-

velopmental disability. As I am nearly 70 years old, I have been thinking about my adult child’s future. My other two children are preoccupied with their own families and live “out of town”. Since I lost my wife eight years ago, I have been contending with mixed feelings about residential placement for my son, but I am now seriously considering his fu-ture. I want to be the one to move my son into a home of his choice and be included in the process as well as maintain an ongoing rela-tionship with him because I am still his father. Furthermore, the fear of the unknown, as who will take care of my son when I am no longer here, is more than a worri-some thought. Although my son receives various OPWDD fund-ed services at home, please offer me some guidance to better meet the everyday needs of my son as well as alleviate my own feelings of anxiety.

A: You are not alone, as I have personally been involved with

many situations where an adult child lives with an aged parent or sibling, who despite being dedi-cated and loving, did not make plans for their future. There are many reasons for this. Often the parents will feel that it is in their child's best interest to live with them for as long as he or she pos-sibly can, and they will "hope for

the best" about the future. They may be unfamiliar with the resi-

dential opportunities that are available for their child or how to access them. They may find it difficult to face their own mortality by making plans for

the future. In many situations, the parent has become so accus-tomed to the companionship of their child, that it is understand-ably too painful to relinquish it.

While undoubtedly well-inten-tioned, this reasoning comes with natural consequences. It usually results in an emergency situation where siblings or others are forced to assume caregiving responsibilities that they may not be interested in or prepared for. On the other hand, if a residential placement is found, the individ-ual is forced to adjust to a brand new living environment, with new caregivers, without the ben-efit of a transition period to yield positive desired outcomes. In ad-dition, the emergency nature of the placement often denies both the individual and his family the choice and input that they would ordinarily have been entitled to

in selecting his next home. In making the decision to move forward with planning for your son’s future, it is important to keep these points in mind: In addition to your son, your other children are a big part of the decision and should be con-sulted. In some instances, siblings will feel comfortable committing to assume responsibility for the care of their family member after

their parents can no longer pro-vide it. Plans should be should be revisited periodically to ensure that they continue to be realistic.-Individuals who move into a new home will be much more comfortable if they can exercise choice regarding the selection of this home. This includes famil-iarity with their roommates, and input into the type of home, loca-tion, staffing, and furnishings, all of which is routinely done with a proactively planned placement. Frequent and regular visi-tation, including overnight and on weekends, is encouraged be-tween individuals who live in a residence and their families. Agencies cannot "hold a

place" in a residence in an open-ended manner for an individual until such time that they need it. The Office for People with Devel-opmental Disabilities (OPWDD), who oversees service providers in New York, will not allow agen-cies to have vacancies in certified residential settings that are capa-ble of serving another individual who would greatly benefit from it. Therefore, any family pursuing residential placement needs to be prepared to move forward with it. Although your son is a re-cipient of OPWDD services, he needs to be enrolled in Medicaid Waiver (if not already), as tra-ditional residential services are also funded by Medicaid. Thus, there are some additional steps that need to be taken with regard to housing services. In the back pages of this issue, you will find a resource directory that consists of various agencies that provide assistance with residential place-ment (even during these fiscally challenging times). Specifically, an agency’s intake specialist will be able to assist you in success-fully navigating the maze of the enrollment and eligibility process for housing services. In short, many parents report mixed feelings when making plans for their children's future: love, pride, sadness at impending change and anxiety about the fu-ture. Universally, parents report feeling a great deal of protective-ness over their child with a dis-ability. Yet there is no better way to protect them than to plan for their future.

Marc R. Katz, a NYS Certified School Psychologist, is an Assistant Director at Ohel Bais Ezra. For more information about evaluations, in-take, or referral of services, please call 1.800.603.OHEL, visit www.ohelfam-ily.org, or e-mail [email protected]. OHEL delivers a breadth of communi-ty services through OHEL Bais Ezra, OHEL Lifetime Care, OHEL Foster Care, OHEL Mental Health Services, OHEL Institute for Training, and Camp Kaylie.

ASK THE EXPERT?

Ask theEligibilitySpecialist:

December 2012 65

By Dr. Stephen Glicksman

Q: Is it ever okay to bribe my kids?

A: The quick answer is, “no, it is never a good idea to bribe your

kids”; but, to truly understand the question, we first need to define some terms. Namely, we need to understand the difference between a “bribe” and a “reward”. Put sim-ply, a “reward” is a reinforcer given in response to a child engaging in a positive behavior. By being re-warded, children learn that certain behaviors are viewed positively by adults and that engaging in these behaviors will lead to positive out-comes. In other words, you give a reward to a child who is engaging in a behavior you want to see continue. A “bribe”, on the other hand, is

a reinforcer given in response to a child engaging in, and then stop-ping, a negative behavior. You give a bribe to a child who is engag-ing in a behavior you want to see stop. From an adult’s perspective,

a bribe is given to show the child that if he stops engaging in the negative behavior, he will be given a positive outcome. From the child’s perspective, however, giving a bribe only reinforces the negative behav-ior, as the child has just learned that, “If I want a reward, I first need to behave inappropriately and then stop behaving inappropriately when I’m ready to be rewarded.” For example, let’s say that you are in a grocery store, and your child is having a hard time. He starts touch-ing everything on the shelves, asking for things he knows you never buy, whining, crying, and generally get-ting more and more out of control. At first, you might choose to ignore the behaviors (thus providing no reinforcement for the inappropri-ate behaviors at all). After a while, though, as he is getting louder and louder, and you are getting more and more frustrated and embarrassed by the behavior, you finally say, “Listen, if you just stop whining and yelling, we can go for ice cream when we’re

done here.” That is a bribe, because the situation entails you giving him something (providing a reinforcer) in exchange for him ceasing a nega-tive behavior (yelling, whining, an-noying, embarrassing…). In the short term, that may work to get through the shopping experi-ence with the least amount of em-barrassment; in the long term, how-ever, what bribing has taught your child is that, if he wants ice cream, he needs to first whine, yell, and embarrass you in the store and then stop. Furthermore, he has learned that he has the power to get you to do something (like buying ice cream even though you have a million chores to take care of) that you were not necessarily planning on doing; in other words, you have taught him how to control your behavior. Contrast this with providing a re-ward in a similar situation: You are taking your child shopping. In the past, especially when he was in the kind of mood he seems to be in to-day, taking him to the store has led to whining and yelling. Knowing that, before you enter the store, you turn to your child and say, “I know shopping can be hard for you some-times, so listen: If you behave nicely while we are in the store, we can go

for ice cream when we’re done.” That is a reward, because the situation en-tails you giving him something (pro-viding a reinforcer) in exchange for him engaging in a positive behavior. You set up the rules. You remained in control. He has learned that, in order to be rewarded, he needs to behave appropriately. Remember: Our power as par-ents lies not in our ability to control our children’s behavior (at the end of the day, if a child wants to whine and scream and embarrass you, he has the power to do so); rather, our power like in our ability to control the environment. By really paying attention and knowing our chil-dren’s moods, signals, likes, and dis-likes, we can usually predict pretty accurately when there is a higher likelihood of negative behavior and then plan accordingly. By preempt-ing negative behaviors by offering rewards for positive behaviors, we should be able to avoid falling into the bribery trap altogether.

Stephen Glicksman, Ph.D. is the De-velopmental Psychologist at Women’s League Community Residences and Jumpstart Early Intervention. He can be reached by calling Women’s League at 718.853.0900, or at [email protected].

ASK THE EXPERT ?

Ask thePsychologist :

By Dr. Zvi Gutman, DPT

Q: I noticed that my three-year old son likes to sit with his

knees bent widely and his legs tucked under. My pediatrician told me to discourage him from sit-ting in this ‘W’ position. Is it really problematic? And how can I help my son to avoid sitting this way?

A: Your pediatrician is right – when your child is sitting in

the ‘W’ position, it prevents him from moving his upper body properly and from learning to

twist and turn to reach toys and ob-jects on either side of him. It is im-portant for your son to learn to ro-tate his ‘trunk’ and shift his weight from one side to the other in order to strengthen his core muscles and balance. By sitting in the ‘W’ posi-tion, your child could eventually develop hamstring tightness, tibial torsion or hip dislocation. Often children choose to sit this way be-cause of poor muscle tone. The best way to discourage

your son from ‘W’-sitting is to prevent it from becoming a habit. Show him how to sit with his legs in other positions, such as straight in from of him or crisscrossed. Be consistent about reminding him to change his position. You can also provide him with more support while he is sitting by having him sit against a couch. To improve his tone, try activi-ties that strengthen trunk mus-cles and stability such as sitting on a yoga ball or playing catch while standing. Completing a puzzle will also encourage him to twist his upper body to reach puzzle pieces and sit properly.

Q: I often put my daughter in her ex-ersaucer while I’m

doing chores around the house. The other day a friend told me that being in the exersaucer could hurt my daughter’s development. Is that true?

A: An exersaucer is a stationary play gym that allows a child

to sit upright, bounce and spin. It’s also a source of much debate among physical therapists. In my opinion, it does interfere with a child’s development for many reasons. It holds your child’s hips in an unnatural extended posi-

Ask thePhysical

Therapist :

Gutman Continues on Page 66 ➘

66 December 2012

By Herschel Sauber, Certified Orthotist (CO)

Q: My daughter is starting to stand and she is very unstable

on her feet and it looks like her arch is collapsing?

A: This is only a prob-lem if the foot is se-verely displaced or

pronated. It is completely normal for a pre- walker to have flat feet.

The arch starts to develop slowly as the child starts to walk. When this does not occur and the arch is collapsed and toes are pointed outward then some bracing inter-vention may be appropriate. We are now seeing many early walkers around 1 year old who have low muscle tone. This doesn’t mean they are weak. It simply means their muscles at rest are very floppy. This can cause a condition known as hyper pronation of the foot and ankle.

Excessive or hyper pronation puts undue stress on the knees and

hips by changing the align-ment of the lower extremi-ties, taxing the muscles of the legs greatly. This often results in complaints of fatigue and

“tired legs”. Due to the techno-logical advancement in materials and plastics that orthotists now have at their disposal, short ankle height SMO braces can be used to help support this weakness and correct the early walkers balance. This allows for strengthening and proper modeling of the bones as they grow. One such SMO commonly used is the SureStep SMO. While there are many different types of or-thoses that attempt to correct low tone pronation, the SureStep system uses the unique, patented principle of compressing the foot into alignment. Through the use of an extremely lightweight, thin and flexible plastic, SureStep al-lows for more natural movement of the foot and ankle while still maintaining proper alignment in standing, walking and running. Usually the child has to wear these devices from six months to a year, sometimes longer, if their low muscle tone continues. These very thin devices easily fit into the child’s existing shoes. In con-junction with an early interven-tion physical therapy program, these can help the child grow out of this problem.

Q: I am a new mother and my pediatri-cian explained to

me the importance of having my son sleep on his back and also for him to have tummy time during the day and I was wondering why it is so important?

A: There are some very common orthopedic disorders that appear

in children that can be easily corrected and treated through orthopedic brac-ing. One of these is plagiocephaly. Babies need tummy time be-cause they are spending more and more time on their backs. In the early 90s, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Back to Sleep pro-gram successfully decreased the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the United States by 40 percent by encourag-ing parents to place their babies on their backs to sleep. Around the same time, a number of infant carriers that doubled as car seats became widely used. This combi-nation of back sleeping at night and daytime pressure on the in-fant’s head can create a flattening of the skull. When a baby develops flat ar-eas on the back of the head and possibly the forehead, it’s called plagiocephaly. Often, this flatten-ing is made worse by a condition called Torticollis or wry neck. Torticollis is a single muscle or group of muscles that are tight or weak on one side of the neck, causing a baby to tilt or turn to one side. The muscle fibers can shorten because of continued resting in one position. It is very important that an infant be placed on his back to

sleep. However, it is also impor-tant to a baby’s development that he get supervised tummy time and constant repositioning throughout the day. When the condition is caught early, it can be treated very well with physical therapy. In severe cas-es a custom cranial remolding or-thosis can be used to gently correct the problem. It is worn 23 hours a day and gently guides the baby’s head into a more normal shape. This intervention does not hurt as it only promotes corrective growth, and has to be started early.

Herschel Sauber is a licensed and certified prosthetist orthotist with over 20 years experience in his field. His brooklyn office services patients in all 5 boroughs and long island, as well as parts of new jersey and the hudson valley.Shmuel heifetz is a board eligi-ble prosthetist and recent graduate of the newington oandp program. His up to the minute knowledge of technique and technology coupled with innova-tive thinking round out the company's multi-faceted approach.Orthocraft inc. Specializes in compli-cated cases, and sees patients of every age. The practice can be reached at 718.951.1700.

tion. This is not conducive to the development of good body align-ment. Also, an exersaucer does not allow your child to see his or her feet which inhibits their learning to move and walk. Ex-ersaucers force children to push

off on their toes and makes them walk on their toes – which causes many more problems later in life.Exersaucers may also cause dam-age to your child’s ligaments in the hips, knees and ankles if he or she is dangling in the seat and not fully supporting their weight

through their legs. Instead of placing your daughter in an exersaucer, it is much better to give her some ‘floor time’ and allow her to pull herself up and build her own muscle strength.

Dr. Zvi Gutman, DPT is a licensed NY physical therapist specializing in adult and pediatric physical therapy and works with Gutman Physical Therapy, P.C. He can be reached at 646.481.7854 or [email protected] for appointments or questions. www.gutmanpt.com.

ASK THE EXPERT?

Ask theOrthotist :

Gutman Continued from Page 65 ➘

December 2012 67

By Juby Shapiro

Q: My daughter has a medical condition and she was given a

1:1 full time health para through-out the school day to help her and make sure her health, safety, feed-ing and hygiene needs are taken care of at school. Given the nature and severity of her needs, she is unable to attend school without her para. My daughter is attend-ing a general education private school program and receives all mandated IEP services at school. Last year, contracted agencies came to provide occupational and speech and language thera-pies and my daughter received an RSA for a health para. I found a health para who was willing to work with my daughter and I trained her on how to work with my daughter. Last year everything worked out well. In the spring, the district held an IEP meeting and continued to recommend the same services. When school began in September, I rehired the same para. After several weeks of waiting for the RSA to come in the mail, I contacted the person at the district who deals with RSAs and told her that I have not received an RSA for my daughter’s health para and that she has been work-ing since the beginning of the school year and needs to be paid. The woman put me on hold for a few minutes. When she returned to the phone, she told me that no RSA would be issued because my daughter’s case had been sent to a contracted agency. I asked for the name and number of the agency and I called them. They looked up my daughter’s name on their

computer and confirmed that they had been assigned to her case several weeks prior how-ever, they had not yet located a para for her. They asked me who has been my daughter’s

para up until now and would she be interested in working for them. I also asked them if she agrees to work for them, will she be com-pensated for the time she worked from the beginning of the school year up until now. They replied, “we are only able to compensate her from the date she begins working for us.” I spoke to my daughter’s para and she agreed to contact the agency. She soon called me back and said that she is unwill-ing to work for them because she would then have to take a substantial pay cut be making 8 dollars an hour less that she had before for performing the same job. She was also concerned about being compensated for the hours she has worked since September. I called the women at the district and told her the situation. She said since the case was contracted out, there is nothing she can do. I am worried my para will quit soon if she not paid, which I understand. After all, it is unreasonable to ask someone to work for free and I cannot afford to pay her. I’ve been told that if I ask for a hearing, the process could take months and my daughter cannot afford to sit out of school for months because she has no health para. Help!

A: The IDEIA is the law that students who have been

found to have educational dis-

abilities are guaranteed a Free and Appropriate Public Education- FAPE- in the least restrictive en-vironment with the supports and services necessary for the student to learn and make meaningful progress in school. Your child cannot obtain an appropriate education if she is not able to at-tend school because the full time health para on her IEP has not been provided. This is a breach of service on the DOE’s part. When

the DOE has recommended ser-vices on a student’s IEP, it is not enough to mandate services but not make reasonable efforts to insure they are implemented. In your daughter’s case, whether through contract agency or RSA, the DOE had a responsibility of providing a para from the first day school began in September. Your daughter cannot attend school without a para. The district’s po-sition that simply contracting the service out to an agency fulfills their obligation is incorrect. If it is on your child’s agreed upon IEP, then they are responsible for making sure it is provided. Ad-ditionally, your daughter’s para has no obligation to work for the agency and accept a large pay cut. You were correctly informed that the impartial hearing process can

take months. However, in cases such as your daughter’s, and other cases involving other related ser-vices, a specific type of hearing called a “pendency” hearing can be requested. Pendency hearings are expedited and can typically be held within days or a week or two after the request has been re-ceived. Once a request for a pen-dency hearing has been made, the hearing officer can immediately order the release of the RSA in the interim dating back to the date the hearing request was filed. This will help with paying your daughter’s para going forward. As far as back pay and the whole is-sue of whether you are entitled to this relief till the end of the school year, these points need to be ad-dressed in the hearing request: Request for an expedited pendency hearing to order an RSA for the health para as per the last agreed upon IEP. The health para should be able to continue on the RSA for the duration of the school year. The health para should be compensated wither through a backdated RSA or through direct pay for the time she worked from the day school began in Septem-ber till the day pendency began as per the hearing officer’s order. After the pendency hearing, when the resolution period has ended (30 days after the hearing request was filed.), there will be at least one additional hearing date to address issues 2 and 3 above. While parents can represent themselves, it is strongly advised to bring an advocate or attorney who is well versed in the law and your child’s rights.

Juby Shapiro is a special educa-tion advocate and the parent of two children with special needs. She is the founder and director of TAFKID, a not-for-profi t organization dedicated to helping families whose children have a variety of disabilities and spe-cial needs. TAFKID can be reached at 718.252.2236 or [email protected].

ASK THE EXPERT ?

Ask theAdvocates:

68 December 2012

PRODUCT REVIEWS

More than just a stuffed animal for the child who needs his security teddy bear! This stuffed animal provides your

child with a variety of sensory stimulations. Tactile through textures and a secret rough patch to help stimulate a child’s sense of touch. Visual through contrasting black, white and red colors throughout the toy that even benefits the child with impaired or low vision. This toy provides auditory stimula-tion through parts that squeak, crinkle, and rattling of bells, allowing the child to play and explore sound. Oral stimula-tion is provided through a teething ring. The teething ring can also be pulled, as the “animal’s tail”, and will then cause the

entire toy to vibrate, providing the child with a calming vibra-tion. This toy is not just engaging for the young infant and early toddler, but can also provide stimulation to a child with developmental disabilities, who has sensory needs, through non-invasive exploration of different senses complete with a calming vibration that almost acts like a massage.

Available atwww.playabilitytoys.com

$28.95

The world of special needs children has grown tremendously over the past few years. New diagnoses, new therapiesand a while range of new products and books to make life a little bit easier. It’s hard to know which product or book &

what is best for your child and their specific needs. That’s where we come in with our unique review section. Therapistsand educators in the field have reviewed all of the items in these reviews. We hope you enjoy!

Chaya Ilene Klass Yitty Rimmer Breindy Rosenblatt

Buddy

Cushy Beans Sit CushionThis product is like a mini beanbag for a

child with three interchangeable, ma-chine washable tactile covers. One cover is satin, the other is a velvet corduroy material, and the third cover is a fluffy cotton material. This cushion is very appealing for the child who is hypo-responsive. The one, who constantly slides off his chair, squirms, wriggles, kicks, fidgets, and just cannot seem to stay seated. This cushion can be used either for the child to sit on, or placed on the child’s lap. The choice of textures accommodates the child who has either tactile defensiveness and may prefer one texture to another, or the child who simply seeks tactile input and will enjoy hav-

ing a choice to accommodate his day-to-day tactile needs. Each of the three covers open

and close with Velcro, giving the children the ability to set up the cushion for themselves in-dependently. The white inner cushion is also waterproof and the surface is washable, making it ideal for use within a class-room setting where it can be used to help as many children

as needed. The cushion is small, and light-weight, making it a portable option for home use as well.

Available at www.achievement-products.com

$29.95THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Helps a child process tactile input through a choice of different fabric cushion covers. Helps a child calm down through deep pressure by using the cushion as a lap buddy. Helps a child focus by being able to sit on a moveable surface, thereby reducing the child’s need to fidget. Helps a child develop fine motor skills by being able to open the Velcro of the cushion cover, place the cushion inside (like a pillowcase), and then seal it by pushing the Velcro fasteners together.

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Increases fine motor coordination skills through grasp and release. Encourages the young child to focus and engage in playing with the toy attachments, increasing cognitive awareness.

Encourages visual perceptual skills through bright, contrasting colors and mirrors that help the child focus on specific toy attachments. Increases sensory awareness through touch (tactile), visual, sound (auditory), oral, and calming vibration input.

December 2012 69

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Extensive product lines • Custom mobility van conversions

New and Pre-owned Wheelchair accessible vehicles

(877) 346-7987 • bussanimobility.com

w e g e t t h e r ey o u

Let’s Go Together!

If You Can Dream It, We Can Get You There

Q-Bitz

Qbitz from Mindware is an exciting visual agility

game that is beautifully crafted. The game comes with 120 pat-tern cards and 16 cubes. Each player has their own color cod-ed set of cubes, with a wooden tray to hold the pieces in place. The players need to recreate the patterns as fast as possi-ble. There are 3 different challenges here that play to different strengths. The first is based on speed alone. The second challenge intro-duces the element of luck (roll the cubes). The third requires memory skills. The first player

in each round to match the pat-tern keeps the card and the most cards wins the game. It can be played with 2 to 4 players and the suggested age is 8 and up, though kids as young as 6 can understand this. It can also be a tool for those with short-term memory loss issues.

Available at Double Play4115 14th Avenue,

Brooklyn, New York$23.00

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Develops visual perceptual skills through copying pattern cards Encourages speed and timing, in the race to be the first to correctly solve their board Pattern recognition and recreation skills are strengthened Increase fine motor skills Increases hand eye coordination

3” Benbow Learning Scissor forLeft Handed Children

Leave it to a company – Pocket Full of Therapy- that special-

izes in therapy products, to come up with this idea for young children. This scissor helps left handed children learn to hold a scissor and cut properly. It has safe rounded edges and rubber coated metal holes to make sure that small hands do not get hurt, or inflict damage on others while undergoing the “learning to cut” process. The concept is great but there is just one limitation. This scissor is only accommo-dating for the very small, young child. Once a child is past 5 years old, they are unable to fit their fingers into this scissor. This product

was actually tested on young children. One of the testers, a child who is 5 ½ could not use these scis-sors comfortably because the holes were too small for him. If you have a young child who is left handed and finds it frustrating to use regular safety scissors, then it pays to purchase this scissor in order to help the child develop proper use of scissors and cutting

skills. These scissors are available in right handed as well.

Available at www.pfot.com$4.95

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Develops fine motor coordination skills through learning to hold and use a scissor. Develops strength in the hand muscles through being able to use a scissor to cut out items. Encourages visual motor skills through various activities that can be done with cutting out shapes/pictures with scissors.

70 December 2012

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Super Duper StoryMaker is another fantastic App that uses pictures to create

and retell stories. You can record your own voice to accompany pictures in the book as well as insert text. You can insert personal photos as well. When you’re finished creating, you can print or email your story to share with family and friends. When cre-ating picture scenes, you can select pictures from a variety of categories (e.g. Foods, transportation, people, places) so you can target semantic aspects of language, including categori-zation and sorting. This app can be used in many different ways, depending on your language goal. For example, this app can be used to target retell-

ing stories, following directions, expanding ut-terances, spatial terms, quantitative terms, vocabulary, story compre-hension, print awareness, sequenc-ing, predicting, and so much more. The pictures are child-friendly and cover a variety of themes (e.g. home, beach, store). It can be used with children with auditory processing delays, receptive language delays, ex-

pressive language delays, word retrieval difficul-ties, and reading comprehension difficulties.

Available atwww.superduperinc.com

Super Duper StoryMaker

The Adaptive Clothing Showroom is a long overdue, and much needed re-

source for children and adults with adaptive needs. This company sells clothing, that has been manufactured or adapted to provide a person with disabilities the ability to dress independently. For the child or young adult with difficulty manipu-lating a zipper, and button on a pair of pants, elastic pants provide the optimal solution. Elastic pants can be easily donned, or removed, mak-ing the child or young adult inde-

pendent in dressing throughout the day. This is particularly exhilarating for the school day, where a lack of independent dressing skills can turn a trip to the bathroom into a cum-bersome experience. Not anymore though,

for when a child has elastic pants he can independently take care of his personal needs.

Available at www.adaptive-clothingshowroom.com

$22.99

Elastic Waist Pants

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Increases fine motor coordination skills through grasp and release. Encourages independent dressing skills throughout the day

Promotes self-esteem through the abil-ity to take care of oneself without relying on others.

To have your book or product reviewedcontact us at 347.466.6960

or [email protected]

You can also mail items to:Jewish Press

Building Blocks - Review Dept.4915 16th Avenue • Brooklyn, New York 11204

December 2012 71

PRODUCT REVIEWS

How many kids hate repeating sounds for articu-lation practice? Why struggle getting kids to do

their articulation practice when we have these exciting therapy books to use! Early Developing Sounds Artic-ulation Flip Books are exciting and colorful and keep children engaged and laughing throughout the whole session. There are five different books in all. Each book contains three "flip-able" panels that allow students to change one or all three sections of amusing and fun sentence stories i.e. the rabbit/ ate a strawberry / on the caboose. Each panel is divided and color-coded by sound and word position (initial, medial, final) for quick and easy identification. The books are divided in to “entire world of _____” series and each book focuses on a different group of sounds, i.e. p, b; m, n; s, r, l; wh, l; t, d; sh, ch; k, g; s, z; f, th, v. Sounds can be practiced in single words, phrases, sentences, struc-

tured and spontaneous conversation. In addition to articulation, these books can also be used for receptive and expressive language tasks including vocabulary de-velopment, verb tenses, pronouns, prepositional phras-es, syntax, sentence formulation, prediction and word retrieval. In addition, ‘wh’ questions- what where and who questions can be targeted as well as story compre-hension. These books will be an exciting addition to any therapy session or at home practice of speech and lan-guage goals. The children feel like they are making their

own sentences as they flip the pages thereby making it easier for them to practice the sounds they need to. No boring articulation therapy ses-sions here!!!!!

Available at www.therapro.com$79.99

This exciting App is a “today” version of Super Duper’s famous ‘wh’ card decks. It can be used on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You

can choose which ‘wh’ card decks to use- who, what, when, where, why (28 questions each)-you can choose one deck or multiple decks to contrast different question forms. In addi-tion you can select which specific questions you want to use from each deck. It has clear, colorful pictures and it consists of four games: Multiple Choice- choice of 3 answers OR choice of 3 questions Decoder game- select your answer choice (also choice of 3) and slide the decoder over your choice to see if it’s right

Matching game- you pick a question from one side and answer from the other side and decide if they match

Drag and match game- drag card to the matching answer- can choose set size This app can also be shared via email, facebook, twitter, or message. It’s great for kids who need extra reinforcement, and/or visual choices while working on increasing their lan-guage skills.

Available atwww.superduperinc.com

Early Developing Sounds Articulation Flip Books

“Ask and Answer” WH Questions App

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Auditory processing- question form discrimination, visual cues, set size can be manipulated to increase levels as the child progresses Language comprehension- learning different question forms, understanding concepts and descriptions

Expressive language- expansion of sentences (you can have the question read aloud or you can read it- visual or auditory presentation), work on asking questions, use appropriate syntactical forms can describe the pictures, learn concepts- all language tasks (vocabulary)

Playstix from Popular Playthings is a reimagining of Lincoln Logs. It comes with 150 pieces in seven different sizes and each size

is color coded (warning – choking hazard – keep away from very small children). It also includes a 25 page booklet that pro-vides various ideas so you can create many interesting things. The pieces fit together and are sturdier than other log build-ing sets. In fact, there is a snap and lock feature depending on the design. Therapeutically, this helps in a number of areas like

hand eye coordination, bilateral hand use, and fine motor skills. This is great for social interaction and problem solving as well. The set is sure to keep your little ones busy for quite a long time.


Brooklyn, New York$20.00

Playstix

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Social Engagement and Interaction Creative Thinking and Imaginative Play Helps with Sensory Motor Development

Communication and Social Interaction Develops Cognition and Problem Solving Problem Solving and concentration Helps with hand eye coordination and bilateral hand use

72 December 2012

PRODUCT REVIEWSWeighted Lap Blanket Candy Construction Building Set

This is a weighted lap blanket that is perfect for your fidg-

ety child or student! This lap pad is large enough to cover a child like a blanket, provid-ing an even yet gentle distribution of pressure throughout the covered area. This pressure, while gentle, is enough to give the child a sense of where their body is positioned relative to their surrounding. This

helps the child focus better on a tabletop activity or just calm

down and unwind. This weighted lap pad is easy to clean by wip-ing down with any san-itizer. It folds easily for compact storage too.

Available atwww.sensorycrav-

er.com$120.00

This is Tinker Toys reincarnat-ed. This toy is very appealing

to the young preschool child since it looks like large pieces of candy. Don’t worry though; none of these pieces can go into a child’s mouth! They are too large. The young testers of this toy had fun building and easily connect-ing the sticks, circles, squares, even a “bar of chocolate” to create their own candy wonderland. This toy easily lends itself to a child’s imagi-nation. Who wouldn’t want to “drive” a car, build houses, or “ride”

a Ferris wheel out of candy? This toy is highly recommended to help

young children develop their fine motor coordi-nation and strength, as well as their imagination. This toy is also ideal for a

child with motor coordination dis-abilities who would benefit from being able to utilize large pieces to construct objects.


Brooklyn, New York$30.00THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS:

Increases proprioceptive and tactile sensory input through deep yet gentle pressure. Increases calming and focused behavior through deep yet gentle pressure. Can increase strength if used with an activity that encourages movement.

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS: Develops fine motor coordination skills. Develops strength in the hand muscles through manipulation of connecting pieces. Develops imaginative play Helps develop cognitive skills through color recognition

December 2012 73

PRODUCT REVIEWS

225 Arlington StreetFramingham, MA 01702

Tel: (800) 257-5376Fax: (800) 268-6624www.therapro.com

Parent-centered Activities

Speech & Language

Sensory Integration

Early Learning

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The Therapy Resource forFamilies & Professionals!

Webber Hear Builder ™ Phonological Awareness is an interactive software program that helps children improve their phonologi-

cal awareness and increase their auditory processing skills. Phonologi-cal awareness is the ability to understand the relationship between writ-ten and spoken language, and to be able to reflect upon and manipulate these abilities. It also includes the knowledge of, or sensitivity to, the sound structure of spoken words. This evidence based program includes 9 different games that help children (ages 4-11) increase their awareness of sounds, syllables, and words. The program features exciting graphics that keep the children entertained as they learn to segment, blend, and manipulate sounds as they earn instruments and band members to form the band The Phonemix.The 9 areas targeted include: Sentence segmentation- click on the one with 2 words Syllable blending- click on the word made by blending these syllables Syllable segmentation- Click on the bass for eachsyllable in the word; hit thecowbell when you are finished. Rhyming- click on the word that rhymes with this word Phoneme Blending- click on the word made by blending these sounds Phoneme Segmentation and Identification- click on the sound you hear at the beginning of this word Phoneme Deletion- click on the word you get when you remove

the ____ sound Phoneme Addition- click on the word you get when you add the a ____sound Phoneme Manipulation- click on the word you get when you change a sound

Each game has many levels that can be individual-ized for each child that is playing. Data is saved after each game and used for tracking of progress and generating prog-ress reports. The CD’s come in home edition (1-4 students) as well as the professional edition which can be used for an unlimited number of students and has more specific indi-vidualized instruction. In addition, the professional edition has the ability to add background noise to each game (none,

low, or high). It is also SMART Board compatible so you can use it with your whole class. Research has shown that children who begin reading instruction with sufficiently developed phonological awareness under-stand the instruction better, master the alphabetic principle faster and learn to read quite easily. Using the Hear Builder Phonological Aware-ness will give your children or students the skills they need to become proficient readers and good listeners.

www.hearbuilder.com$69.95

Phonological Awareness

74 December 2012

BOOK REVIEWS

ADALYN’S CLAREBy Kari Dunn Buron

Illustrator: Lou WisniewskiPublisher: AAPC (Autism Asperger

Publishing Co.) Publishing,Shawnee Mission, KS,

aapcpublishing.net 2012

When too much anxiety consistently over-whelms a child, so much is at stake. The

out of control behavior that accompanies out of control emotions is a debilitating. The ability to naturally create and sustain relationships with teachers and especially other children is negative-ly affected. Social functioning, an integral part of school life, becomes elusive even for very bright fearful children. The first issues that must be ad-dressed in such a case is building trusting rela-tionships and learning how to calm down when everyday events cause excess anxiety. Author Kari Dunn Burton has worked through these issues herself, and has seen in her work how highly anx-ious children benefitted from learning calming techniques and making friends. Written with the idealistic goal of helping chil-dren understand what school life is like for very anxious classmates, Adalyn’s Clare by Kari Dunn Buron is a partially illustrated story in twenty two

short chapters. Adalyn, an academically capable but socially awkward fourth grader is helped tremendously through her therapy dog, Clare. Adalyn learns how to work through her big anxieties and floods of emotion and hold herself back from out-of-control explosions over daily frustrations. Clare learns to be a calming presence for Adalyn, and other animals in the science room at school offer Clare wise ad-vice about other needs Adalyn has. Adalyn’s extreme special interest,

or, as some may call it, obsession, in science is used to help her socially as well. More an insight into the inner world of children like Adalyn than a how-to manual for preventing temper tantrums in fearful children, this easy-to-follow story, without being preachy, helps other children see fearful children as children just like them. This story will resonate with adults in anxious children’s lives, and the adult reader will relate to the understanding adults in the story as well as those willing to learn new ways. As more children with special needs rightfully take their places in our classrooms, we need to partner with everyone that can contribute to their success, and that includes the other children in the room. As we all know, children may gravitate away from and even tease those that don’t blend in, but those same children also have the power to accept and even embrace those with differences. Read-ing this story to or with a class can go a long way toward sensitizing a class to making sure that we take care of everyone as best as we can.

DAVID’S WORLD - A PICTURE BOOK ABOUT

LIVING WITH AUTISMBy Dagmar Mueller

Illustrator: Verena BallhausPublisher: Sky Pony Press, New York, NY

skyhorsepublishing.com 2012

The young storyteller, a brother of the David in the title, tells what it is like to have an autistic brother. He explains what David does

that makes it seem as though he is living in his own world. Our very honest narrator knows his brother’s likes and dislikes, and really wants to communicate with him. Their mother explains the problem as David speaking a ‘different language’ and that’s why there are misunderstand-ings. The narrator poignantly expresses his wish that he could under-stand his brother’s language and his brother could understand every-one else’s. He sincerely wishes to understand what it is like to be David, or at least how to help him. The narrator compares how much better things are now that David and the family learn with a therapist, and relates ways that David is amazing, so the reader can see how a sibling could love a brother who presents such great challenges. The retelling of how only David was able to help calm a very agitated puppy in a creative way is fascinating, and gives a welcome glimpse into the blessings that come along with the special talents an individual with autism can have.

Ballhaus’s illustrations are artsy and unusual, even zany. David’s body is drawn with bricks - as if he’s literally built differently, or pro-tecting himself from the world he cannot understand. Noises are de-picted as physical things coming out of mouths, helping the reader visual-ize what the autistic character may be perceiving. David’s World is an interesting pic-ture book that sib-lings or classmates of autistic children can relate to, and can open the door to helpful discussions that deepen under-standing and empa-thy, and the illustra-tions are certainly the types of pictures that are worth 1000 words!

By Bracha Holczer Bracha Holczer is part of a family that relishes books, especially after lights out. She is a reading specialist in an elementary school.

She can be reached at [email protected].

December 2012 75

BOOK REVIEWSGRANDPARENT’S GUIDE TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS - MAKING THE MOST OF THE TIME

AT NANA’S HOUSEBy Nancy Mucklow

Publisher: AAPC (Autism Asperger Publishing Co.) Publishing,Shawnee Mission, KS, aapcpublishing.net 2012

Grandparents are an integral part of their grandchil-dren’s lives. Whether grandchildren spend long

hours each day or short visits every now and then in their grandparents’ care, the unique cross-generational love is a blessing. But what happens when a grandchild seems unwilling or unable to bask in the glow of the grandpar-ents’ affection? Or if the grandparents feel a grandchild’s extreme behavior is too much for them to handle? This is often the case when symptoms of ASD (Autism Spec-trum Disorders, including PDD-NOS and Asperger Syn-drome) get in the way. When grandparents understand the specific chal-lenges their grandchild with ASD faces in everyday life, the grandparents become part of the solution. Most par-ents of a child with ASD would love their own parents to be capable and reliable members of their support network! To that goal, author Nancy Mucklow, noted author of books clarifying life for people with symptoms on the autism spectrum and their families and caregivers, presents a practical, easily understandable resource. A very effective tool she uses at the beginning of each chapter is presenting the reader with a vignette depicting a real problem that occurs when grandchil-

dren with ASD spend time at with grandparents at home or out and about. The chapter then thoroughly explains in a clear way, with help-ful charts, the factors that contribute to the problems and how to avoid the seemingly inevitable meltdowns. Grandparents are guided to set up the time spent together and even the whole relationship for success. At the end of each chapter, the reader is in for a treat - a new vignette about the same people, but this time, the strategies and tips Mucklow

described in the chapter are implemented, and the out-come is heartwarming! All the biggies in ASD are addressed in Grandpar-ent’s Guide: sensory issues, assessing new situations for difficulties the grandchild may have, executive function, rules for behavior, and encouraging good communica-tion, and all in concise book of about 120 pages! Muck-low has thoughtfully included a list of resources and books that interested grandparents can read to further educate themselves about ASD and also children’s books that grandparents can share with grandchildren to en-hance understanding and provide common language to what is going on. Grandparents are encouraged to get the rest of the

family in line with creating a supportive, safe environment for all members of the family. Others in the family who wish to be a valuable resource for the parents and child can also do well with the strate-gies and suggestions explained in this book. Every member of a family is precious, and Mucklow guides grandparents in choosing the right techniques to work toward a comfortable, supporting and loving rela-tionship with their grandchildren.

AUTISM AS CONTEXT BLINDNESSBy Peter Vermeulen, PhD

Publisher: AAPC (Autism Asperger Publishing Co.) Publishing,Shawnee Mission, KS aapcpublishing.net 2012

As more children receive diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders, the medical, educational and therapeutic communities strive to

come up with sources for the symptoms and match ap-propriate therapies. Autism seems to affect so much of an affected person’s functioning, ranging widely from individual to individual, and researchers keep trying to discern a common thread clarifying the nature of this spectrum of disorders. With symptoms affecting the sen-sory processing functions, communication, learning, and other life systems, autism is difficult to sum up as a single type of problem. Many researchers and practitioners fo-cus on the behaviors that are problematic, but others feel the focus should be on the thought processes which are the root of the behavior. Previously, Dr. Vermeulen wrote about autistic thinking as being too detail focused, and not able to connect details into meaningful wholes, but has since found this not to be absolute. In this book, Autism as Con-text Blindness, Dr. Vermeulen presents a nuanced explanation of how autistic thinking is characterized by a deficiency in a key area - differ-entiating understanding of words, objects, instructions, etc. according to a situation’s context. This, he believes, leads to the atypical behav-iors, and may explain why some current approaches to cognition and social skills training in individuals with autism encounter difficulty. The beginning portion of the book patiently and thoroughly ex-

plains the way context is a crucial element in typical successful percep-tion, communication, social behavior, and reasoning. Dr. Vermeulen masterfully explains this multifaceted and complicated concept of un-derstanding the same information in different ways corresponding to changing situations with many illustrative examples and backs it all with scientific research. It is fascinating to learn about the ways autis-tic thinking differs from the typical in a uniform sort of way. Typical

thinking can often clear up unclear situations by using the context (i.e., does the comment, “Oh! Great!” mean a sincere expression of how great a situation is, or a sar-castic remark exclaimed when something goes wrong?), while autistic thinking may rule this comment as only being one way all the time, as if ‘blind’ to the changing context. All aspects of life where context plays a role are carefully examined and illustrated so the reader comes away with a broad appreciation for the huge amount of flexibility required for functional thinking and reason-ing. Autistic thinking about those same situations is dis-cussed, which can help focus a care provider’s efforts. The latter part of the book is devoted to describ-ing many aspects of autism through the lens of context

blindness. Bringing context to the attention of autistic individuals has been done and the results are shared. Dr. Vermeulen offers general suggestions about clarifying context through modifying environments and specific training which can directly benefit autistic individuals and drastically improve problematic behavior. Autism as Context Blindness offers a valuable glimpse into autistic thinking which every teacher, therapist, doctor, and parent of autistic individuals can benefit from.

76 December 2012

BOOK REVIEWS1,001 TIPS FOR THE PARENTS OF AUTISTIC BOYS

By Ken SiriPublisher: Skyhorse Publishing, New York, New York

skyhorsepublishing.com 2010

Parents of children with any diagnosis are most likely a well-read bunch. Armed with information from the plethora of books avail-

able about theories, treatments, strategies, philosophies, schools of thought, etc. about every diagnosis, not to men-tion all the periodicals, online resources, and discussions with other parents, teachers and professionals, this bunch of parents can end up writing their own books just with the notes from all these resources! Ken Siri, parent of a boy with autism, coauther of Cutting-Edge Therapies for Au-tism, has culled through the latest books and information and compiled this wide-ranging book listing 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Boys. He sets out to tell everything parents of an autistic boy “...need to know about diagnosis, doctors, schools, taxes, vacations, babysitters, treatments, food, and more,” in hopes of spurring parents to “take ownership” of all aspects of life with autism. His goal is to arm parents with the in-formation they need to go out and fight for their child, and his book

accomplishes all that and more. Reading this book is sort of a shortcut to encyclopedic knowledge required when one is an informed parent of an autistic boy. Contents are organized by topics occurring chronologically and the tips are numbered. They include all the various ways researchers, parents, au-thors and professionals refer to children with autism. And what a re-source this book is! Any need, any question, any planning for the future

- one of the 93 chapters is designed to address each specific concern. Chapters are devoted to symptoms, dealing with a diagnosis, evaluations, IEPs, therapies, and supporting the family unit, preparing for emergency room visits, clothing issues, gift ideas, special needs trusts and, last and longest of all, taxes. Each chapter is a starting point to help get a grip in one area, and parents are then well equipped to direct further research and questions in a targeted way. Some tips are here to educate, some to inspire. Some are super practical, some are idealistic overviews. Some apply to many children, some to just a few. Many tips include websites for further research, all have sources cited clearly.

Ken Siri did a tremendous service to parents of autistic boys, and readers of 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Boys will reach for this ambitious book again and again.

41 ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR THEINCLUSIVE CLASSROOM (GRADES 6-12)

By Diane Casale-Giannole and Linda Schwartz GreenPublisher: Corwin, A SAGE Company, Thousand Oaks, California

corwin.com 2012

With many years of experience teaching students from kin-dergarten through graduate school, the authors have a lot to

offer teachers who want to teach effectively. With the reality that students at the middle school and high school levels are pre- and actual adolescents, characterized by a unique combination of learn-ing tendencies, the authors persuasively argue for the need to engage students actively. The last thing a teacher wants to see is a sea of disinterested faces with dull eyes. Especially with adolescents who experience learning deficits (academic, cognitive, social, organiza-tion, or motivation), actively involving students in intentional learn-ing ensures a heightened interest. This in turn ups the motivation factor which immediately enhances learning and long-term reten-tion of the learned information. With so much information avail-able about brain-based learning, it would be a shame to continue out-dated practices in adolescent classrooms, especially when more students with classifications are working their way through the grades. Teachers need more tools than ever to engage and hold stu-dents’ interest and efforts. Lessons need to allow for diverse learning styles and various methods of responses to make sure we catch all students. A master chart and dedicated chapter help guide strategy choice appropriate for various goals, and a thorough chapter about grouping helps plan “who goes where with whom to do what.” Finally, the main course is served - the active learning strategies encountered in this book are each presented in an accessible way, with stories of how it is implemented in the classroom and ideas about matching it to curriculum areas. One intriguing strategy offered is #3 - Barometer, where after studying a situation that has many sides (ex, nature and nurture during a DNA unit), students present their

opinion and try to find others in the class who share their convictions, or try to convince those on the other side to switch over. Another use-ful and engaging strategy is #14 - Jigsaw. This is a great way to have a whole class prepare and review large amounts of information. Each student is assigned a part of a whole set of information to prepare. All students who prepared the same part conference to rein-force learning, then are assigned to teach it to their study group, each of whom prepared and re-viewed a different part of a set of information. Using active and social methods (preparation, group reviews, peer teaching) has been proven to help adoles-cents learn, allows even weaker students to own their learning, and is well worth the switch from older techniques such as dry lecturing. Another strategy has the typical lecture handout revamped and designed to force students to pay attention (it involves true/false statements the stu-dents answer throughout the lesson with designated space for stu-dents notes near each statement. Using this book will feel like consulting a master teacher as a men-tor, or a coach devoted to improving your teaching craft and making your classroom a place where real learning goes on. With so much benefit resulting from a good education in today’s times, ensuring all students feel invested in learning is a worthy accomplishment. The strategies in 41 Active Learning Strategies are the tools you need for that kind of classroom where that happens every day. (Don’t worry, teachers of younger grades, the authors have a book for you as well - 40 Active Strategies - Grades K-5).

December 2012 77

BOOK REVIEWSDIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION FOR

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES - NEW AND BEST PRACTICES FOR GENERAL AND

SPECIAL EDUCATORSBy William N. Bender

Publisher: Corwin, A SAGE Company, Thousand Oaks, California, corwin.com 2012

Traditional teaching models are just not enough to ensure that all students in a class can succeed, and old practices of ignoring or

worse - shaming those that don’t succeed, or simply demanding that parents hire tutors to make up the slack, guarantees failure and some-times acting out. Even the very bright students’ needs are not always met in traditional lesson formats, and often their vast potential is left untapped. Even when the brightest students are achieving high marks, it is nearly effortless, no real learning habits are developed, and behavior problems crop up when bright children are bored. Students have always known what they need, and often complain bitterly that their teachers are going too slow or too fast, or are not explaining things well, or are making them write the answer when they can’t possibly do justice to their knowledge when writing. “If only I could just show the teacher what I know instead of writing it!” Teachers must be open to changing practices if the students require it, and also be knowledgeable about how to asses learning in ways that students can successfully demonstrate actual learning and needs. Dr. William N. Bender, the author of Differenti-ating Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities uses current research to update instructional tactics with a focus on RTI - Response To Intervention, a widely used initiative discussed extensively in this book to individually screen all students to assess achievement of skill benchmarks, identify students who can benefit from supplemental instruction (= intervention) and more intense progress monitoring. These are usually the students with learning disabilities or other defi-cits that may hinder learning. The supplemental instruction changes according to the response, becoming more intense or less as progress monitoring dictates. Research-based instructional programs are used exclusively, leaving guesswork out of deciding what will work.

Dr. Bender does teachers of every subject a tremendous service by depicting in great detail what goes on in a classroom taught tradi-tionally (whole class lesson format, no differentiation of instruction or assessment) and why many students are failed by this approach. Differentiated instruction models of various degrees and intensities are carefully explained, giving novice through experienced teachers’ choices about how much to change. A game-changing factor to dif-ferentiating instruction is incorporating current technology into the classroom, instruction design, information sourcing and assessment models. While some schools in this audience may not wish to allow 21st century technology to invade the classrooms, others are using it extensively and can harness its appeal to today’s students with the

many exciting practices described in Chapter 3. Other broad ranging learning strategies that do not require technology are presented as well. Perhaps the most important chapter in the book is the last (Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Differ-entiated Classes). Here, a motivated teacher will find strategies for teaching students how to set themselves up to learn, self-monitor and self-regulate, along with helpful charts and teaching tips. Cognitive strategy in-struction is the most important teaching for children with learning disabilities. It is the glue that makes ev-erything else stick. Many learning disabled students are burdened with deficits in executive functioning and organizational difficulties. These alone can doom

the most capable student, let alone one who also has ADD, language or processing disorders, or other difficulties. Cognitive strategies help students understand and complete tasks, and can make a difference in a child’s life far beyond memorizing a few facts. Every good teacher hopes their guidance has life-long affects, and teachers feel gratified and validated when students come back years later and still remember what they were taught. Parents of students who need help in this area will find their jobs as homework enforcers and retrievers easier when they help the students learn these strategies to become as responsible for their own learning as possible. The Corwin publishing company’s motto of “Helping educators do their work better,” is evident throughout the informative chapters of this ambitious book which offers teachers, staff developers and parents practical skills to accomplish their crucial missions.

To have your book orproduct reviewed

contact us at 347.466.6960or [email protected]

You can also mail items to:Jewish Press

Building Blocks - Review Dept.4915 16th Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11204

ABOUT OUR REVIEWERS Chaya (Ilene) Klass, MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist who works for the NYC Department of Education and treats children in the community. She can be reached at [email protected]. Bracha Holczer is a reading specialist. She has taught reading with the New York City Department of Education and currently acts as a consultant while raising her children. She can be reached at [email protected]. Breindy Rosenblatt MS CCC-SLP TSHH is the Speech Supervisor at the Auditory Oral School of New York/StriVright to Succeed. Yitty Rimmer has a Masters in Occupational Therapy from New York University. She currently has her own private pediatric practice in Brooklyn, NY. Rachel Soroka-Teller is a speech-language pathologist at Strivright/Au-ditory-Oral School of New York. She services children from birth to age 5 with a variety of speech-language delays and developmental disorders. She uses technology to engage children in fun and interactive therapy sessions. She can be reached at [email protected].

78 December 2012

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

Advanced Professional ResourcesAddress: 224 Franklin Ave., Hewlett, NY 11557Phone: (516) 791-6200Fax: (516) 791-6026Location: HomeServices Provided: Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapy, Special Instruction, Social Work, Nutrition, Vision, Ongoing Service Co-ordination, Evaluations

AHRC NY Address: 83 Maiden Lane,New York, New York 10038Phone: (212) 780-2500Website: www.ahrcnyc.orgLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: ABA, Family Training, PT, OT, SLP, Psych, Evaluations

The Auditory Oral School of New York/StriVright to SucceedAddress: 3623 Avenue LBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 531-1800Website: www.auditoryoral.orgLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: Sensory integration, speech language therapy, auditory-verbal therapy, audiological testing and central audi-tory processing evaluations, OT, PT, special instruction home-based/center-based hearing education services.

Center for Hearing and Communication (formerly League for the Hard of Hearing)Address: 50 Broadway, 6th floor,New York, New York 10004Phone: (917) 305-7700Website: www.chchearing.orgLocation: CenterServices Provided: Auditory oral speech and language therapy (individual and group)

Challenge Early Intervention CenterAddress: 649 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11232Location 2: 70-14 141st Street,Flushing, New York 11367Location 3: 1911 Richmond Avenue,Staten Island, New York 10314

Phone: (718) 972-0880 Location: Home & CenterServices Provided: ABA, sensory integration, Medek, multidisciplinary evaluations, speech therapy, special instruction, occupational ther-apy, physical therapy, family counseling, social work services, family training, nutrition servic-es, psychological services, vision services, assis-tive technology, audiology, service coordination, individual and group developmental services

Donna Klein and Associates, Inc.Address: 690 North Broadway, Suite GL2White Plains, New York 10603Phone: (914) 686-3116Website: Donnakleintherapy.comLocation: HomeServices Provided: Sensory integration

EIS LAASOIS/WIECDCAddress: 22 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 303-9400Website: www.EISLAASOIS.orgLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: Floor time, Sensory Inte-gration and NDT

Hamaspik of Rockland County Address: 58 Route 59, Suite 1,Monsey, New York 10952 Phone: (845) 356-8400

Hand in Hand Development, Inc Address: 465 Grand Street, 2nd Floor,New York, New York 10002 Phone: (212) 420-1999 ext. 149Location: Home and Center

Hebrew Academy for Special Children –HASC PreschoolAddress: 1311 55th StreetPhone: (718) 851-6100Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: Sensory integration, Me-dek, assistive technology, therapeutic yoga, music therapy, computers, family counseling, play therapy, feeding therapy, parent support groups; nursing

EARLY INTERVENTION APPROVED PROGRAMS

The listing below is intended to serve as a starting point for family members, professionals and care givers seeking programs, institutions and service providers designed for special needs individuals and their families within the Jewish community. Building Blocks does not specifically endorse any of those listed. Readers are urged to contact them individually for more information. You must make your own determination as to whether the services and programs they offer are appropriate for your specific case. Also note, that languages are in addition to English.

DIRECTORY LISTINGS Compiled by Suri Greenberg

TO REFER YOUR CHILD TO THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM CALL 311.This Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a public program for children under the age of three who are either suspected of having or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. EIP is funded by NYS and NYC. All EIP services are provided at no cost to parents. Health insurance may be used for approved services. A child’s eligibility for the program can be determined only by state-approved evaluators under contract, and all services must be authorized by the NYC Early Intervention Program.

Early InterventionServicesFor children birth - 3 years w/special needs.

Services Providedl Evaluationsl Feeding Therapy l Special Educationl Nutrition Counseling l Service Coordinationl Family Support/Counseling l Speech/Language Therapyl Physical & Occupational Therapy l ABA Program – Center & Home ServicesRoutines Based Interventions & Collaborative Coaching

For more information about CHALLENGE: T. 718.851.3300 W. Challenge-ei.com

December 2012 79

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

HASC Spring ValleyAddress: 46 Grandview Avenue,Spring Valley, New York 10977Phone: (845) 356-0191Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: ABA, OT, PT, SP, Sensory Integration, Family Counseling, Music Therapy

HASC Woodmere Address: 321 Woodmere BoulevardWoodmere, New York 11598 Phone: (516) 295-1340 Location: Home, ClinicWebsite: www.hasc.netServices Provided: ABA, Floor time, Sensory Integration, Play therapy, Parent support groups

Jumpstart Early Intervention ProgramAddress: 3914 15th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 853-9700 Location: Home Services Provided: OT, PT, Speech, Special Instruction, Nutrition, Sensory integration, Medek, family counseling, play therapy

Little Wonders, Inc.Address: 88-66 Myrtle AvenueGlendale, NY 11385Phone: (718) 850-0400Website: www.littlewonders-ei.orgServices Provided: OT, PT, ST, Family Coun-seling, Play Therapy, Music Therapy, Parent Support Groups, Service Coordination, Multi-disciplinary Evaluations.Languages: Spanish, Polish, Russian, Italian, French, Creole, Greek, Tagalog, Hindi, Pun-jabi, Hebrew, Urdu and Yoruba.

Los Niños Services Address: 535 8th Avenue, 2nd floor,New York, New York 10018Phone: (212) 787-9700 Location: Home Website: www.losninos.comServices Provided: ABA, Speech therapy, PT, OT, Special Ed teachers, Social work, Psychol-ogy, Parent training, Development and Parent/child groups, Parent support groups

McCarton CenterAddress: 350 East 82nd StreetNew York, New York 10028Phone: (212) 996-9019Website: www.mccartoncenter.comLocation: Center Services Provided: ABA, sensory integration, S & L therapy, educational testing

Omni Childhood CenterAddress: 1651 Coney Island AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 998-1415Website: www.omnirehab.comLocation: Home Services Provided: ABA, Floor time, Sensory integration, Medek

Shema Kolainu – Hear Our VoicesAddress: 4302 New Utrecht AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 686-9600Website: www.shemakolainu.orgLocation: HomeServices Provided: ABA, Special Instruction, Speech, OT, PT, Counseling, Social Work, Audio, vision, Evals, Service Coordination

Step By Step Infant Development CenterAddress: 1049 38th StreetPhone: (718) 633-6666Website: www.stepbystepny.comLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: ABA, sensory integration, Medek, OT. PT. ST, special instruction, parent training, nutrition, vision, auditory training, family counseling, music and art therapy, par-ent support groups, swimming, respite.

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (866) 2-YAI-LINKWebsite: www.yai.orgLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: ABA, Floor Time, Sensory Integration

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill RoadChestnut Ridge, New York 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgLocation: Home Services Provided: Counseling, play therapy, music therapy, parent support groups

Yeled V’Yalda Early Childhood CenterAddress: 1312 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218 Phone: (718) 686-3700Website: www.yeled.orgLocation: Home and CenterServices Provided: ABA, Sensory integration, Medek, play therapy, parent support groups

EARLY INTERVENTION APPROVED PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

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80 December 2012

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

The Ability CenterAddress: 3521 Avenue SBrooklyn, NYPhone: (718) 336-3832Website: Theabilitycenter.netLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, ADD/ADHD, Visu-ally Impaired, Hearing Impaired, Learning Disabled, Multiply HandicappedServices: Speech therapy, OT, PT, Sensory Integration, MEDEK

AHRC NYCAddress: 83 Maiden LaneNew York, New York 10038Phone: (212) 780-2500Website: www.ahrcnyc.orgLocation: CenterServices Provided: ABA, Fam-ily Training, PT, OT, SLP, Psych, EvaluationsPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Emotionally Disturbed, Multiply HandicappedServices: Speech therapy, Play therapy/counseling, ABA, Senso-ry Integration, TEACCH, PECSLanguages: SpanishAdd’l. Info: State approved

Aim High Children’s ServicesAddress: 202 Foster AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 853-1750Website: www.aimhighchild.orgLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schools Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally Disturbed, Multiply HandicappedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/counseling, ABA, Floor time, sensory integrationLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, Rus-sian, SpanishAdd’l. Info: State approved

The Auditory Oral School of New YorkAddress: 3623 Avenue LBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 531-1800Website: www.auditoryoral.orgLocation: Home, Center, will send providers to private schools Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impairedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/counseling, HES, ABA, Sensory integration, Speech-language therapy, Au-ditory-oral therapy, Audiologi-cal testing & central auditory processing (CAPD) evaluations, Multidisciplinary evaluations for children birth to five years, Fam-ily counseling, Play therapy, Mu-sic therapyLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Cantonese, Manda-rin, French, ASLAdd’l. Info: State approved

Center for Hearing and Com-munication (formerly League for the Hard of Hearing)Address: 50 Broadway, 6th floorNew York, New York 10004Phone: (917) 305-7700Website: www.chchearing.orgLocation: CenterPopulation: Hearing impairedServices provided: Speech, Au-ditory oral speech & language therapy

Comprehensive KidsDevelopmental SchoolAddress: 99 Essex StreetNew York, New York 10002Phone: (212) 566-8855Website: www.comprehensive-center.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PPD, Speech & Language impaired,

Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbedServices: SEITLanguages: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Yiddish, Greek, Russian

EIS LAASOIS/WIECDCAddress: 22 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 303-9400Website: www.EISLAASOIS.orgLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emo-tionally disturbed, Visually im-paired, Multiply HandicappedServices Provided: OT, PT, Speech, Floor time and Sensory Integration Languages: YiddishAdd’l. Info: State Approved

Gesher Early Childhood CenterAddress: PO Box 649Cedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 730-7377Website: www.gesher-ecc.orgLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild developmental delays, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning DisabledServices Provided: Sensory Inte-grationAddl. Info: Privately funded

Hand in Hand Development, IncAddress: 465 Grand Street, 2nd FloorNew York, New York 10002 Phone: (212) 420-1999 ext. 149

Hebrew Academy for Special Children – HASCAddress: 1311 55th StreetBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 851-6100Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsPopulation: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply handicappedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech,

Play therapy/counseling, Sensory Integration, Medek, Yoga, Aug-mentative communication, As-sistive technology, music therapy, nursingLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, SpanishAddl. Info: State approved, Breakfast provided, Kosher meals, Transportation provided through the Dept. of Ed

A Helping HandAddress: 703 East 4th St., Suite 3Phone: (718) 435-7464Location: Home, Will send pro-viders to private schools Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHDServices: ABA, SEIT, State Ap-provedLanguages: Yiddish, English

Imagine AcademyAddress: 1458 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 376-8882Website: www.imagineacademy.comAges Served: 3-21 Hours: 8:30AM-3:30PM Classes: MixedPopulation Served: Moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDDServices: OT, PT, Speech, Play Therapy/Counseling, ABA, Floor time, Pre-vocational, Art, Music, Yoga, Therapeutic SwimLanguages: HebrewAddl. Info: Privately Funded, Transportation provided through the Department of Education, Lunch provided

JCC Therapeutic NurseryAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Location: CenterServices Provided: OT, Speech, Play Therapy/Counseling, Sen-sory Integration, Parent Counsel-ing, Parent Support GroupPopulation Served: Mild devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD,

CPSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (3-5)

December 2012 81

RESOURCES DIRECTORYCPSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (3-5)

Speech and Language Impaired, Learning Dis-abled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally DisturbedAddl. Info: Privately Funded

Kiryas Joel Pre-School(Part of Kiryas Joel UFSD)Address: 1 Diner RoadMonroe, New York 10950Phone: (845) 782-7510Location: Center, Will send providers to pri-vate schoolsPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing Im-paired, Visually Impaired, Multiply handi-cappedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play Therapy/counseling, ABA, Sensory Integration, ME-DEKLanguage: Hebrew, YiddishAddl. Info: State Approved. Full/Half Day Classes

Los Niños Services Address: 535 8th Ave, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10018Phone: (212) 787-9700Website: www.losninos.comLocation: Home Population: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Vi-sually impaired, Multiply handicappedServices Provided: SEIT, ABALanguages: Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Ital-ian, Portuguese, French, and others

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th fl.New York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Website: www.njcd.orgLocation: Center, Will send providers to Pri-vate SchoolsPopulation: Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Hearing impairedServices Provided: Audiological

Omni Childhood CenterAddress: 1651 Coney Island AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 998-1415

Website: www.omnirehab.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schools Population: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Multiply handicappedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/counseling, Sensory Integration, MedekLanguages: Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, He-brew, PolishAddl. Info: State approved

Otsar Family ServicesAddress: 2334 West 13th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 946-7301Website: www.otsar.orgLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbedServices: OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/coun-seling, ABA, Floor Time, Sensory Integration, Music therapy, Dance therapy, Parent work-shops & Support groups

Sesame Sprout, Inc.Address: 96-08 57th AvenueCorona, New York 11368Phone: (718) 271-2294Website: www.sesamesproutschool.com Population: Mild developmental delaysServices: OT, PT, SpeechLanguages: SpanishAddl. Info: State approved

Small Wonder PreschoolAddress: 90-45 Myrtle AvenueGlendale, New York 11385Phone: (718) 849-3002Website: www.smallwonders.orgPopulation: Moderate to severe developmen-tal delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, Hearing im-paired.Services Provided: OT, PT, Speech, Play ther-apy/counseling, ABA, Parent Support Groups, Miller Method (for children on the Autism Spectrum).Languages: Spanish, Polish, Creole, Guajarati, Tagalog, Bengali, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and American Sign Language, Bilingual staff.

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82 December 2012

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th FloorNew York, New York 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgLocation: Center Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Speech & Lan-guage impaired, Learning Dis-abled, Multiply handicappedServices: Floor Time, Sensory IntegrationLanguages: Spanish Additional Info: State Approved, Privately Funded

Addl. Info: State Approved, Pri-vately Funded

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgLocation: Home and CenterPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Multiply handicappedServices Provided: SEIT, OT,

PT, Speech, Play therapy/coun-seling, ABA, Floor Time, Sen-sory integrationLanguages: Spanish, Chinese, Mandarin, CantoneseAddl. Info: State Approved & State Funded

Yeled V’Yalda Early Childhood CenterAddress: 1312 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218 Phone: (718) 686-3700Website: www.yeled.orgLocation: Home Based, Will send

providers to private schoolsPopulation Served: Mild-severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-pairedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/counseling, ABA, Sensory Integration, MEDEKLanguages: Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, Spanish

C.A.H.A.L.Address: 540-A Willow AvenueCedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 295-3666Website: www.cahal.orgPopulation: Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHDAges: 5-18 Gender: Boys & Girls Classes: Separate & mixed Hours: 8:00 – 5:00 Services: OT, PT, SPEECHAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Lunch provided, Kosher Meals, Transportation through Dept. of Ed. Ezra Hatzvy AcademyAddress: 2555 Nostrand AvenueBrooklyn, New York Phone: (718) 975-1041Website: Ezrahatzvy.comAges: 5-21 Gender: Boys/Girls Classes: MixedHours: 9:00-4:00PMPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Hearing impaired, Emotionally disturbed, Vision impaired, Mul-tiply handicappedServices Provided: ABA, Floor time, Aquatics, OT, PT, SP.Languages: YiddishAddl. Info: Privately funded, Handicapped accessible, Thera-pies provided on site, Transpor-

tation through Dept. of Ed.

Gesher Early Childhood CenterAddress: PO Box 649Cedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 730-7377Website: www.gesher-ecc.orgPopulation: Mild developmental delays, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning DisabledAges: 3-6 years old (nursery, kin-dergarten, PRE-1A)Gender: Male & FemaleClasses: MixedHours: Mon-Thurs: 8:30-3:30, Fri: 8:30-12:15Services: Classrooms run by Early Childhood Special Educa-tion Teachers providing a dual curriculum, Related Services are provided on site thru CPSE agen-cies or the BOE Addl. Info: Privately funded

Gesher Yehuda YeshivaAddress: 49 Avenue TBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 714-7400Population: Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ADHDAges: 5-13 Gender: Male & Fe-maleClasses: Mixed Hours: 8:45-4:15Services: ST, OT, CounselingAddl. Info: Privately funded, Transportation provided through Dept. of Ed.

Girls’ Program – An Alternative Educational Program for Girls Ages 5-9 Address: 2221 Avenue RBrooklyn, New York 11229Phone: (718) 336-5296 Fax: (718) 336-5298Ages: 5-9 Gender: Girls Hours: 9-3:45Population: Mild developmental delays, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning DisabledServices: OT, PT, Speech, Coun-selingAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Lunch Provided, Meals kosher, Transportation through Dept. of Ed.

Ha’or Beacon SchoolAddress: 2884 Nostrand AvenueBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 951-3650Population: Autism/PDD, Learning Disabled, Speech & Language Impaired, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbedAges: 5-13 Gender: MaleHours: 9:00-4:00Services: Speech, OT, PT, CounselingAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Privately funded, Lunch provided, Kosher meals, Trans-portation provided through Dept. of Ed

HASC School Age ProgramAddress: 6220 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 331-1624Ages: 5-21 Gender: Male & FemaleClasses: Separate & MixedHours: 8:30-2:45Population Served: Moder-ate to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Multiply handicappedServices: ABA, Carbone, OT, PT, Speech, Counseling, Vision, Hearing, Medically Frail, NurseLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, RussianAddl. Info: State Approved, After School Program, Kosher Break-fast and Lunch, Transportation provided through the Board of Education

HASC@RemsenAddress: 555 Remsen AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11236Phone: (718) 495-3510Website: www.hasc.netPopulation: Mild to Moderate to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Emotionally dis-turbed, Multiply handicappedAges: 5-12 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: MixedHours: 8:45-2:15Services: SP, OT, PT, CounselingAddl. Info: State Approved

CPSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (3-5) CONTINUED…

CSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (5-21)

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RESOURCES DIRECTORY

CSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (5-21) CONTINUED…HASC Spring ValleyAddress: 46 Grandview AvenueSpring Valley, New York 10977Phone: (845) 356-0191Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Home and CenterPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Hearing impaired, Vision impaired, Multiply handicappedServices Provided: ABA, Sensory integration, SEIT, OT, PT, SP, Play therapy/CounselingLanguages: YiddishAdd’l Info: State approved

HASC Woodmere Address: 321 Woodmere Blvd.,Woodmere, New York 11598Phone: (516) 295-1340Website: www.hasc.netPopulation: Mild to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedServices Provided: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech, Play Therapy/Counseling, Parent TrainingAddl. Info: State approved

HASC Center, IncAddress: 5601 First AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11220Phone: (718) 535-1953Website: www.hasccenter.orgLocation: Center Population: Mild to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired

A Helping HandAddress: 703 East 4th StreetPhone: (718) 435-7464Ages: 5-21Population: Moderate to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHDServices: ABA, SEIT, PendencyLanguages: Yiddish, English

Imagine AcademyAddress: 1458 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 376-8882Website: www.imagineacademy.comAges Served: 3-21Hours: 8:30AM-3:30PM

Classes: MixedPopulation Served: Moderate to severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDDServices: OT, PT, Speech, Play Therapy/Coun-seling, ABA, Floor time, Pre-vocational, Art, Music, Yoga, Therapeutic SwimLanguages: HebrewAddl. Info: Privately Funded, Transportation provided through the Department of Educa-tion, Lunch provided

IVDU Elementary School for Girls Address: 1277 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 758-2999Website: www.NJCD.orgAges: Kindergarten-grade 5Gender: GirlsPopulation: Learning Disabilities, Mild de-velopmental disabilities, Speech & Language Delays, ADD/ADHDServices: OT, PT, SEIT, Speech, counseling Addl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Trans-portation provided from all 5 boroughs

IVDU Upper School Boys Division Address: 1305 Coney Island AvenueBrooklyn, NYPhone: (718) 372-7203 Website: www.NJCD.org Ages: 13-21 Gender: BoysPopulation: Learning Disabilities, Mild-mod-erate developmental disabilities, Speech & Language Impaired, ADD/ADHD, ED, broad range of needs (students grouped by ability level)Services: Speech, Therapy, OT, Counseling, Travel Training, Vocational TrainingAddl. Info: Transportation provided from all 5 boroughs

IVDU Upper School Girls Division Address: 1277 East 14th streetBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 677-4279 Website: www.NJCD.org Ages: 13-21 Gender: GirlsPopulation: Learning Disabilities, Mild-mod-erate developmental disabilities, Speech & Language Impaired, ADD/ ADHD, ED, broad range of needs (students grouped by ability level)Services: Speech, Therapy, OT, Counseling, Travel Training, Vocational TrainingAdd’l. Info: Transportation provided from all 5 boroughs ➘

84 December 2012

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

Kinor Dovid - HarmonyAddress: 3820 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.org Population: Mild to Moderate developmental delaysAges: 18+ Gender: MaleClasses: SeparateGroups: Small groups, separate for men & womenHours: M-Th: 9-3, 3-7:30; Fri. & Sun: 9-1:30Services: OT, PT, Speech, Coun-seling, Pre-vocationalLanguages: Yiddish, HebrewOptional Beis Medresh Pro-gram.

Kinor Malka - HarmonyAddress: 1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.org Population: Mild to Moderate developmental delaysGroups: Small groups, separate for men & womenAges: 18+ Gender: Female Classes: SeparateHours: M-Th: 9-3, 3-7:30; Fri. & Sun: 9-1:30Services: OT, PT, Speech, Coun-seling, Pre-vocationalLanguages: Yiddish, HebrewOptional Seminary Program.

The Manhattan Children’s Center Address: 124 West 95th Street,New York City 10025 Phone: (212) 749-4604Website: www.manhattanchild-renscenter.orgPopulation: Autism/PDDAges: 3-18Gender: Males/FemalesGroups: MixedSchool Hours: 8:30-2:45PMServices: ABA, OT, SpeechAdd’l. Info: Privately funded, Therapies provided on site, Transportation provided through Dept. of Ed

Ohr HaLimud – The Multi-Sen-sory Learning CenterAddress: 1681 42nd StreetBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (718) 972-0170Website: www.ohrhalimud.orgAges: 7-14 Gender: GirlsHours: 8:30-4:00Population Served: Dyslexia

Omni Childhood CenterAddress: 1651 Coney Island Ave.Brooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 998-1415Website: www.omnirehab.comAges: 0-21 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: SeparatePopulation: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Multiply handicappedServices: ABA, Pre-vocationalLanguages: Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, PolishAdd’l. Info: State approved, Ther-apies provided on-site, Handicap accessible, Transportation pro-vided through Dept. of Ed

P’TACHAddress: 1428 36th Street #211Brooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 854-8600Website: www.ptach.orgPopulation: Learning DisabledAges: 6-18 Gender: Boys & GirlsSchools: Separate schoolsHours: 8:45-5:00Services: Speech, CounselingLanguages: YiddishAddl. Info: Therapies provided on-site, Transportation provided through Dept. of Ed.

PS/IS 226-BiYAddress: 6006 23rd Ave Brooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (646)339-9041Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Speech & Lan-guage impaired, Learning Dis-abled, ADD/ADHD, Multiply Handicapped

Ages Served: 11-15Gender: Boys and GirlsSchool Hours: 8:00-3:00PMLanguages: Yiddish, HebrewAddl. Info: Transportation Pro-vided through Department of Education, Kosher Breakfast Pro-vided, Handicapped AccessibleServices: OT, PT, Speech, Guidance and Pre-vocational

SEAD - Special Education Academy of DealAddress: 1 Meridian RoadEatontown, New Jersey 07724Phone: (732) 460-1700Website: www.seadschool.orgPopulation: Mild developmen-tal delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language Impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHDAges: 3-14 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: Mixed Hours: 8:30-4:00Services: OT, PT, Speech, Social Skills

Shema Kolainu – Hear Our VoicesAddress: 4302 New Utrecht Ave.,Brooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 686-9600Website: www.shemakolainu.orgPopulation: Moderate-severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, ADD/ ADHD, Emotion-ally Disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicappedAges: 5-11 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: Mixed Hours: 8:30am-2pmServices: ABA, OT, PT, SpeechAdd’l Info: State Approved, Handicap Accessible, Therapies provided on-site, Transportation through Dept. of Ed.

Sinai SchoolsAddress: 1485 Teaneck Road, Suite 300, Teaneck, NJ 07666Phone: (201) 833-1134Website: www.sinaischools.orgPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired,

Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impairedAges: 6-21 Gender: Boys & GirlsLanguages: HebrewClasses: Separate & MixedHours: 8:00am-4pmServices: OT, Speech, Psycholog-ical, behavioral, Floor timeAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Privately Funded, Handi-cap Accessible, Breakfast and Lunch provided, Kosher Meals, Private Transportation & Trans-portation provided through Dept. of Ed depending on place of residence.

STEP (Special Torah Education)Address: 3005 Ave LBrooklyn, New York 11210 Phone: (718) 252-8822 Population: Moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply handi-capped, Emotionally disturbed, Speech & Language impairedAges: 5-21Gender: Boys and GirlsClasses: Separate Hours: 9-4Services: OT, PT, Speech, Coun-seling, AquaticLanguages: Hebrew, YiddishAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Lunch provided, Kosher meals, Transportation through Dept. of Ed.

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgPopulation: Moderate to severe developmental delays, Multiply handicappedGender: Boys & GirlsClasses: Mixed Hours: 8-2Services: OT, PT, Speech, Play therapy/counselingLanguages: SpanishAddl. Info: State Approved, Pri-vately Funded, Therapies pro-vided on site, Handicap Acces-sible, Breakfast & Lunch Provided, Transportation through Dept. of Ed.

CSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (5-21) CONTINUED…

December 2012 85

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

The Yaldeinu SchoolAddress: 1600 63rd StreetBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (718) 851-0123Population: Autism/PDDAges: 5-11 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: Separate Hours: 9–3Services: ABA, OT, SpeechLanguages: YiddishAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Lunch provided, Kosher meals, Transportation through Dept. of Ed.

Yeshiva Bonim LamokomAddress: 425 East 9th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 693-9032Population: Mild developmental delaysAges: 5-21 Gender: BoysHours: 9–5Services: OT, PT, SpeechLanguages: Yiddish Addl. Info: Privately funded, Therapies pro-vided on site, Pre-vocational, Breakfast & Lunch provided, Kosher meals, Transporta-tion provided through Dept. of Ed.

Yeshiva Binyan OlemAddress: 68 Franklin AvenueBrooklyn, New York

Phone: (718) 302-5222Population: Mild to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, ADD/ADHD, Learning Disabled.Ages: 12-18 Gender: BoysHours: 8-6PMServices: OT, PT, Speech, CounselingLanguages: Yiddish Addl. Info: Privately funded, Therapies pro-vided on site, Breakfast & Lunch provided, Ko-sher meals, Transportation provided. Handi-cap Accessible.

YESS! Yeshiva Education for Special Students Address: 147-37 70th RoadFlushing, New York 11367Phone: (718) 268-5976Website: www.yessyeshiva.orgPopulation: Mild developmental delays, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Dis-abledAges: 5-14 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: Mixed Hours: 8AM-3:45 & Fri. 8AM-1:30Services: OT, PT, speech, counseling Addl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Pri-vately Funded, Handicap Accessible, Breakfast & Lunch Provided, Kosher Meals, Transporta-tion through Dept. of Ed.

CSE SCHOOLS OR CENTERS (5-21) CONTINUED…

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THERAPY & EVALUATION SERVICES

The Ability CenterAddress: 3521 Avenue SBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 336-3832Website: Theabilitycenter.netLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, ADD/ADHD, Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, Learning Dis-abled, Multiply HandicappedServices: Speech therapy, OT, PT, Sensory In-tegration, MEDEKAddl. Info: Accepts RSA’s, Handicapped Accessible

Advanced Professional Resources Early In-tervention ServicesAddress: 224 Franklin Ave., Hewlett, NY 11557Phone: (516) 791-6200Fax: (516) 791-6026

Location: HomeServices Provided: Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapy, Special Instruction, Social Work, Nutrition, Vision, Ongoing Service Coordination, Evaluations

Ahava Medical & Rehabilitation Urgent Care Center Flatbush Location:Address: 2555 Nostrand AvenuePhone: (718) 951-8800Williamsburg Location:Address: 16-18 Sumner PlacePhone: (718) 336-9500Website: www.ahavamedical.comLocation: CenterServices: Speech Therapy, PT, OTAddl. Info: Transportation available, Accepts Medicaid, Managed Care Medicaid, Medi-care and Most Insurances, Same Day Ap-pointments

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

86 December 2012

Arrowsmith ProgramAddress: 245 St. Clair Ave, West, TorontoPhone: (416) 963-4962Website: www.arrowsmithschool.orgPopulation: Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ADHDServices: It is available to public and private schools. It Identifies, Intervenes and Strengthens the weak cognitive capacities that affect learning through a program of spe-cific cognitive exercises. For over 30 years the Arrowsmith program has proven effective for students hav-ing difficulty with reading, writing and mathematics, comprehension, logical reasoning, problem solving, visual and auditort memory, non-verbal learning, attention, process-ing speed and dyslexia.

The Auditory Oral School of New YorkAddress: 3623 Avenue LBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 531-1800 Website: www.auditoryoral.orgLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsAges: Birth to school age (EI – CSE)Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impairedServices: SEIT, OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special Ed, Counsel-ing, Sensory Integration, Hearing Education Services (HES)Languages: English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, ASLAddl. Info: Accept RSA’s & P3’s, For audiological evaluations pend-ing acceptance of insurance, Hand-icap accessible, Private evaluations

Blanche Kahn Diagnostic CenterAddress: 1121 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 434-4600E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.hasccenter.org/center.phpServices: Uniquely Designed to meet the Medical Needs of People with Disabilities, In-ternal Medicine, Podiatric Medicine, Physiatry, Neurol-ogy, Psychiatry, OT, PT, Speech Therapy, Women’s Health, Ge-riatric Medicine, Dermatology, Psychosocial EvaluationsLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian Addl. Info: Accepts Medicaid and Medicare, Handicap acces-sible, Extended Hours

Comprehensive Children’s Ther-apy ServicesAddress: 99 Essex StreetNew York, New York 10002Phone: (212) 566-8855Website: www.comprehensive-center.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schools Ages: 3-16Services: OT, PT, Speech, Coun-selingLanguages: Spanish, YiddishAddl. Info: Accepts RSA’s

Comprehensive Evaluation ServicesAddress: 460 Grand StreetNew York, New York 10002Phone: (212) 566-8853Website: www.comprehensiveevalu-ations.comLocation: Home, Center, School Ages: 3-5Disciplines: Speech, OT, Physi-cal, Developmental, Psychologi-cal, Social HistoryLanguages: Spanish

EIS LAASOIS/WIECDCAddress: 22 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 303-9400Website: www.EISLAASOIS.orgLocation: Home and Center Ages: 0-18Population: Mild-severe develop-mental delays, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled,

Emotionally disturbed, Visually impaired, Multiply HandicappedServices Provided: OT, PT, Speech, Floor time and Sensory Integration Languages: YiddishAddl. Info: Accept RSA’s

Euro-Peds National Center for Intensive Pediatric PTAddress: 461 W. Huron Street #406Pontiac, MI 48341Phone: (248) 857-6776Website: www.europeds.orgAges: 1-21 Location: CenterPopulation: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Multiply HandicappedServices Provided: PT, Euro-pean-based Intensive PT for the treatment of non-progressive neuromuscular disorder.Addl. Info: Accepts most major health insurances

Gutman Physical Therapy, P.C.Address: 860 Cranford AvenueValley Stream, New York 11581Phone: (646) 481-7854Website: www.gutmanpt.comLanguages: English, Hebrew and YiddishLocation: Home/CenterAges: 2-99 years Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PPD, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply HandicappedServices Provided: PT, Sensory Integration, Will conduct private evaluationsAddl. Info: Accepts RSAs and most Insurances, Handicapped accessible

Hands on OT Rehabilitative Services, P.C.(Amy Guttman, OTR/L, Evelyn Guttman, OTR/L)Address: 1679-58th StreetBrooklyn, NY 11204Phone: (718) 621-3385Website: www.handsonotrehab.comAges: Birth-21 Location: Center

Population: Mild-severe develop-mental delays, Autism/PDD, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed. Services Provided: OT, Sensory Integration, Neuro-developmental training and Neuro-technology pro-grams, Home Programs, Family Ed-ucation, Staff training, School Edu-cational Training and consultations.

HarmonyAddress: 1070 East 17th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230 &1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 986-7648Location: Home, Center, Will send providers to private programs Ages: 18+ for therapy, 3+ for psychological and psychosocial evaluationsPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech/Lan-guage, private evaluations, Coun-seling, ABA, Sensory Integration, Augmentative CommunicationLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, Spanish, Russian Addl. Info: Accepts RSA’s and Insurance, Handicap Accessible, Full service Article 16 Clinic Providing on-site and homecare services.

Hebrew Academy for Special ChildrenAddress: 1311 55th StreetPhone: (718) 851-6100Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Home, Will send pro-viders to private schools Ages: Birth – 5Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech & Lan-guage, Special Ed, Psychological, Audiological, MEDEK, ABA, Sensory Integration, Floor Time.Languages: Hebrew, Yiddish, RussianAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible

THERAPY & EVALUATION SERVICES CONTINUED…

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

December 2012 87

Otsar would like to thank its dedicated sta� for all their hard work and devotion to

our children and adults.

➘

5 Hanover Square Suite 1201New York, New York 10004


HASC@RemsenAddress: 555 Remsen AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11236Phone: (718) 495-3510Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Center Ages: 3-5Population: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special Ed, ABA, Sensory IntegrationAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible

HASC Center, IncAddress: 1221 East 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11230Administration Offices: 5601 First AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11220Phone: (718) 434-4027Website: www.hasccenter.orgLocation: CenterPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emo-tionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special Ed-ucation, Primary Medical Care, Neurology, Po-diatry, Endocrinology, Psychiatry, Psychology Languages: Yiddish, HebrewAddl. Info: Medicaid/Medicare, Handicap Accessible

The Haven for Stuttering, PLLCAddress: 17 Pennington WaySpring Valley, New York 10977Phone: (845) 517-0965Website: www.stutteringhaven.orgLocation: Center Ages: 3-adultPopulation: Mild to severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, Emotionally disturbed, Hear-ing impairedServices Offered: Speech Language, Evals, Counseling, Refresher SessionsLanguages: Hebrew, Spanish

HorseAbility / Center for Equine Facilitated ProgramsAddress: SUNY College at Old Westbury / PO Box 410-1 / Old Westbury, New York 11568Phone: (516) 333-6151Website: www.horseability.orgLocation: Center Ages: 3+Population: Mild-severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Dis-abled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing

Impaired, Visually Impaired, Multiply handicapped.Services Offered: Speech Language, Private Evaluations, OT/PT, Hippotherapy, Therapeu-tic Riding, Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy.Languages: AMSAddl. Info: Therapists are independent con-tractors and payment is submitted directly for Hippotherapy (PT, OT, ST) and EFP (Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy). Services may be re-imbursed depending on which insurance the therapist’s practice accepts, Handicap Accessible.

Jumpstart Early Intervention ProgramAddress: 3914 15th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 853-9700Location: Home, Will send providers to pri-vate schools Ages: 0-3 yearsServices: OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special Ed, Sensory Integration, MEDEKPopulation: Mild-severe developmental delay, Speech & Language impaired, ADD/ADHD, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicapped

Los Niños Services Address: 535 8th Ave., 2nd FloorNew York, New York 10018Phone: (212) 787-9700Website: www.losninos.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsAges: 0-5Population: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Vi-sually impaired, Multiply handicappedServices Provided: ABA, Private EvaluationsLanguages: Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Ital-ian, Portuguese, French, and others

McCarton CenterAddress: 350 E. 82nd StreetNew York, New York 10028Phone: (212) 996-9019Website: www.mccartoncenter.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsAges: 2-13Population: Mild-severe developmental delay, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, ADD/ ADHDServices: ABA, OT, Speech/Language, private evaluations

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

88 December 2012

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th Fl.New York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Website: www.njcd.orgLocation: Center, Will send pro-viders to Private SchoolsAges: 5-21Population: Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, Hearing impairedServices Provided: Audiological, Will Conduct Private EvaluationsAddl. Info: Accepts Insurance, Private Evaluations provided.

Omni Childhood CenterAddress: 1651 Coney Island AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11210Phone: (718) 998-1415Website: www.omnirehab.comLocation: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schoolsAges: 0-21Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech/Lan-guage, Special Ed, Private evalu-ations, ABA, MEDEK Languages: Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, PolishAddl. Info: Accepts RSA’s, P3s, and all Major Insurance, Handi-cap Accessible

Pesach Tikvah-Hope DevelopmentAddress: 18 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 875-6900Website: www.pesachtikvah.orgLocation: Center Based, Will send Providers to Private SchoolsAges: 5+Population: Autism/PDD, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedServices: Psychiatric and phar-macologicalLanguages: Hebrew, Yiddish, Spanish

Addl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Ac-cepts insurance

Shema Kolainu – Hear Our VoicesAddress: 4302 New Utrecht Ave.Brooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 686-9600Website: www.shemakolainu.orgLocation: Home and Center Based, Will send Providers to Pri-vate Schools Ages: 0-5Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply handicappedServices: ABA, OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special EdLanguages: Hebrew, Yiddish, SpanishAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible

Social Learning InstituteAddress: 2127 59th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (718) 331-3601Website: www.behavior4kids.comLanguages: English and YiddishLocation: Home/CenterAges: 2-24 years Population: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PPD, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply HandicappedServices Provided: ABA, Red and Green Social Skills System, Eclectic Behavioral Approach, Will conduct private evaluationsAddl. Info: Accepts RSAs and most Insurances, Handicapped accessible

Sweet Dream Therapy Farm, Delta Society FacilityAddress: Sweet Dream Therapy Farm, 826 Green Valley Road, Jackson, New Jersey 08527 on the border of Lakewood NJPhone: (732) 806 - 7370Website: sweetdreamtherapy-farm.webs.comLocation: Home and CenterPopulation Served: Mild-severe

developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, multiply handicapped.Ages: 1-Adult Services Provided: Animal As-sisted Activities and Therapies. We use a wide diversity of gentle, trained animals, Sensory Inte-gration, Emotional stabilization, Speech assistance and progres-sion, physical developmental as-sistance, developmental learning assistance. Work with OTs, PTs, Speech, Drs, Schools.Languages: Hebrew, Yiddish and EnglishAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, does not accept insurance.

Therapy in Motion Address: 856 - 46th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11220 Phone: (718) 435-7000Location: Center Services: MEDEK, PT

Tikvah at OHELAddress: 2925A Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11210 Phone: (718) 382-0045Website: www.ohelfamily.orgLocation: Center Ages: 3+Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, emotional challengesServices: Family, Couple, & Indi-vidual counseling, Child & Adult counseling, Psychotherapy, Psy-chiatric Evaluation, Medication Treatment Addl. Info: Accepts Medicaid, Medi-care & Many other ins. On a sliding scale, Handicap Accessible

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Floor,New York, NY 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgLocation: Center Ages: 3-21Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Speech & Lan-guage impaired, Learning Dis-

abled, Multiply handicappedServices: Floor Time, Sensory Integration, OT, PT, Speech/Lan-guage, Special Ed

Watch Me GrowLocation 1 Address: 162 West 72nd St., Suite 5, NY, NY 10023Location 2 Address: 361 East 19th St., Suite 2, NY, NY 10003Phone: (212) 721-5220Website: www.WatchMe-GrowNYC.comLocation: Center, Will send providers to private schoolsAges: 0-21Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing Impaired, Visually ImpairedServices Provided: OT, PT and Speech Therapy, Sensory IntegrationAddl. Info: Accept RSA’s, Private evaluations

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgLocation: Home & CenterAges: AllPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Multiply handicappedServices: OT, PT, Speech/Lan-guage, Special Ed, ABA, Floor Time, Sensory integration, All therapies for children and adults of all agesLanguages: variesAdditional Info: Private evalua-tions, Autism evaluations, Hand-icap Accessible

Yeled V’Yalda EarlyChildhood CenterAddress: 1312 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218 Phone: (718) 686-3700Website: www.yeled.org


RESOURCES DIRECTORY

December 2012 89

THERAPY & EVALUATION SERVICES CONTINUED…Location: Home, Center, Will send providers to private schools Ages: 0-21 years Population: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired,

Visually impaired Services: ABA, Sensory Integration, Medek, OT, PT, Speech/Language, Special Ed, play therapy/counselingLanguages: Yiddish, Hebrew, SpanishAdd’l Info: Accepts RSA’s and P3s

AHRC NYCAddress: 83 Maiden LaneNew York, New York 10038Phone: (212) 780-2500Website: www.ahrcnyc.orgLocation: Camp Anne - Ancramdale, NY and Harriman Lodge - East Jewett, NYDuration: 3 weeksType: Sleep-Away campAges: Children 5-20 & adults 21+Gender: Male & Female, mixedPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Emotionally Disturbed, Multiply handicappedSpecial services: Daily Living SkillsAdd’l Info: Handicap accessible, NY State ap-proved, accept children not toilet trained

Bonim LamokomAddress: 425 East 9th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 693-9032Website: BonimLamokom.comLocation: Liberty, NYDuration: 8 weeksPopulation: Mild developmental delaysAges: 12-25 Gender: BoysHours: 9–5Add’l Info: Privately funded, Therapies pro-vided on site, Kosher Food Provided

Camp HASCAddress: 5902 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 686-5930Website: www.hasc.net/campLocation: 361 Parksville RoadParksville, NY 12768Duration: 7 weeks Type: Sleep-Away campAges: 3-Adulthood Gender: Male & Female Groups: MixedPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ADHD, Hearing Impaired

Addl. Info: Therapy provided, Kosher food provided, We also offer a day camp option for campers who wish to stay with their family in their summer home, Accept children not toilet trained, Camp after Camp program for one-week after camp (All female staff for females 5-12). Therapy not provided on-site.

Camp Kaylie @ OHELAddress: 4510 16th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (800) 603-OHELWebsite: CampKaylie.orgLocation: Wurtsboro, New YorkType: Fully integrated campAges: 10-16 Gender: Male and FemaleGroups: SeparatePopulation: Typical kids with no disabilities and kids with developmental disabilitiesPrograms offered: A groundbreaking camp offering an exhilarating camp experience of unmatched sports and activities, leader-ship programming, state of the art facilities, magnificent grounds and a camp for kids of all abilities where campers thrive in a diverse environment nurturing personal leadership, self-confidence and an inclusive spirit

Camp Mishkon-SternbergAddress: 1358 56th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 851-7100Website: www.jbfcs.orgLocation: NarrowsburgDuration: 6 weeksType: Sleep-Away camp Ages: 3+Gender: Boys under 9, girls 3+Groups: SeparatePopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, Multiply HandicappedAdd’l Info: Kosher food, handicap accessible, state approved, special ed and therapy provid-ed, accept children not toilet trained

CAMPS & END OF SUMMER PROGRAMS

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90 December 2012

RESOURCES DIRECTORYCAMPS & END OF SUMMER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

Chai Lifeline / Camp Simcha SpecialAddress: 151 West 30th StreetThird Floor, NY, New York 10001Phone: 877-CHAILIFEWebsite: www.ChaiLifeline.orgLocation: Glen Spey, NY Type: Sleep-away Ages: 7-17Duration: 2 weeksGender: Male and Female Groups: SeparatePopulation: Multiply HandicappedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Physical therapy provided on-site, Accept children who are not toilet trainedNote Camp Simcha Special ac-cepts children with medical ill-nesses and disabilities resulting from illness whose cognitive functioning is at age level. All ap-plications must be approved by the camp’s medical director.

Ezra Hatzvy AcademyAddress: 2555 Nostrand AvenueBrooklyn, New York Phone: (718) 975-1041Website: Ezrahatzvy.comType: Day CampDuration: 6 weeks Ages: 5-21 Gender: Boys/Girls Groups: Separate/Mixed Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Hearing impaired, Emotionally disturbed, Vision impaired, Mul-tiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicapped accessi-ble, Special Education and related services provided on sire, accept children not yet toilet trained.

Hand in Hand Family Services Address: 390 Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 336-6073Website: www.hihfs.orgLocation: FlatbushType: Day campAges: 5+ Gender: Boys & Girls Population: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-

tism/PDDAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, NY State Ap-proved, Special Education and re-lated services not provided on-site.

HarmonyAddress: Kinor Dovid:3820 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New YorkKinor Malka: 1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.org Location: at Camp Manavu and at Camp ChedvaDuration: 8 WeeksType: Sleep-away camp Ages: 18+Gender: Male and Female Groups: SeparatePopulation: Mild-severe develop-mental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech and Language Impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ADHD, Hearing impaired, Visually impairedAddl. Info: Kosher food provided

HASC Woodmere Address: 321 Woodmere BoulevardWoodmere, New York 11598Phone: (516) 295-1340Website: www.hasc.netLocation: Woodmere, New YorkDuration: 6 WeeksType: Extended School Year Ages: 3-10 Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: MixedPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Special education and related services (therapy) provided on site, Kosher food provided, NY State Approved, Accept children not toilet trained

Camp HorseAbililtyAddress: SUNY College at Old Westbury / Old Westbury, NY 11568Phone: (516) 333-6151Website: www.horseability.org

Duration: 1 weekType: Day camp Gender: Male/FemaleGroups: Mixed *Separate programs may be of-fered if there is sufficient de-mand.Population Served: Mild-severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Multiply handicapped Addl. Info: Handicap Accessible, accepts children who are not toi-let trained.

JCC of the Greater Five TownsAddress: 207 Grove AvenueCedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 569-6733Website: www.fivetownsjcc.orgLocation: JCC / North Wood-mere ParkDuration: 6 WeeksType: Day CampHours: 12:00-4:30Ages: 5-16 Groups: Mixed

JCC Therapeutic NurseryAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Ages: 3-6 Gender: Male/Female Group: MixedDuration: 6 weeksType: Day CampPopulation Served: Mild devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech and Language Impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Emotionally DisturbedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, accepts children who are not toi-let trained, kosher food not pro-vided, not NY state approved, Special Education and Related services provided on site.

Kaplan JCC on the PalisadesNeil Klatskin Day Camp/Camp TikvahAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448/

201-567-8963Website: www.JCCOTP.org/NKDCKaplan JCC on the PalisadesCamp HaverimAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Ages: 3-21Gender: Males & Females Groups: MixedPopulation Served: Mild to Se-vere developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD and Learning disabled.Addl. Info: Kosher Food, Handi-cap Accessible, NJ DDD Quali-fied Provider

Kaplan JCC on the PalisadesOn Our OwnAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Ages: 16-30Duration: 6 weeksGender: Males & Females Groups: MixedPopulation Served: Mild to Se-vere developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD and Learning disabled.Addl. Info: Kosher Food, Handi-cap Accessible, NJ DDD Quali-fied Provider, Special Education and related services not provided on site.

Kids of CourageAddress: 13158 Broadway, Suite 207Hewlett, New York 11557Phone: (888) 9-KIDSOCWebsite: www.kidsoc.orgLocation: TravelingAges: 5-Young AdultPopulation Served: Multiply Handi-capped, Serious Illness & DisabilityAddl. Info: Kosher Food, Handi-cap Accessible

Kulanu Torah Academy Address: 620 Central Ave.Cedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 569-3083Duration: 8 WeeksType: Day campAges: 3-21 Gender: Boys & Girls

December 2012 91

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

is a not-for-profit organization services are free of charge to all families.

For more information call TAFKID at (718) 252-2236 or

e-mail: [email protected]

TAFKID assists families whose children

have been diagnosed with a variety of disabilities and special needs.

Services provided by TAFKID include: Family Support Services & Information Educational Advocacy Individual Case Consultation Referrals to Doctors, Therapists,

Schools and Government Programs Parent Matching Family Recreation Programs Parent Training and Meetings Guest Lecturers Community Sensitivity and Training Informational Publications Pediatric Equipment Lending Program Tape/Video Lending

CAMPS & END OF SUMMER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…Groups: MixedPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHDAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, NY State Approved, Accept children not toilet trained

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th FloorNew York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Website: www.njcd.orgLocation: PA, NY, IsraelDuration: 6 weeksType: Sleep away campAges: 9+ Gender: Male, Female Groups: Sep-arate and MixedPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Hearing impairedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Accept children not toilet trained.Special education and therapy can be arranged in certain locations

OHEL Children’s Home &Family Services, Bais EzraAddress: 4510 16th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (800) 603-OHELWebsite: www.ohelfamily.orgLocation: Bklyn, Queens, Long IslandDuration: 2 weeksType: Sleep away & Day CampAges: 5-21 Gender: Male, FemaleGroups: Separate & MixedPopulation: Mild developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Multiply handicappedServices: Family, Couple, & Individual coun-seling, Child & Adult counseling, Psycho-therapy, Psychiatric Evaluation, Medication Treatment Addl. Info: Kosher food provided, Handicap Accessible, NY State Approved, Accept chil-dren not toilet trained

Otsar Family ServicesAddress: 2334 West 13th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 946-7301

Website: www.otsar.orgLocation: Otsar Center in Bklyn Duration: 2 weeksType: Day campAges: 5-15 Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: MixedPopulation: Mild-severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD

Pesach Tikvah-Hope DevelopmentAddress: 18 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 875-6900Website: www.pesachtikvah.orgDuration: 2 weeks Type: Day CampAges: 5-21 Gender: Male and FemaleGroups: MixedPopulation: Mild developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, NY State Approved

Camp Ruach HachaimAddress: 266 Penn StreetBrooklyn, New York 11211Phone: (718) 963-0090Website: www.campruachhachaim.orgLocation: Bloomingburg, NYDuration: 8 weeksType: Sleep-Away campAges: 7-30 Gender: Male Population: Mild to moderate to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Down Syn-drome, Speech & Language impaired, Learn-ing disabled, ADD/ADHD, Hearing ImpairedAddl. Info: Kosher food provided, take children from all over the world

Sesame Sprout, Inc.Address: 96-08 57th AvenueCorona, New York 11368Phone: (718) 271-2294Website: www.sesamesproutschool.com Duration: Six weeksType: Day campAges: 2-12 Gender: Male & FemaleClasses: MixedPopulation: Mild developmental delaysAddl. Info: Therapies provided on-site, Handicap accessible, NY State approved, Ac-cept children not toilet trained

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RESOURCES DIRECTORY

92 December 2012

CAMPS & END OF SUMMER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

AhivimAddress: 6 Mountain Rd #204Monroe, New York 10950Phone: (845) 774-7000Email: [email protected]: www.ahivim.orgGender: Male and Female Groups: SeparateHours: 9-3Population: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delaysAddl. Info: Day Hab Without Walls

AHRC NYCAddress: 83 Maiden LaneNew York, New York 10038Phone: (212) 780-2500Website: www.ahrcnyc.org Location: CenterAges: 18+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: MixedHours: 9-5Population: Mild-severe develop-mental delaysAddl. Info: Handicap accessible,

Transportation provided, Voca-tional Services provided, Day-Hab Without Walls

Hand in Hand Family Services Address: 390 Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718)336-6073Website: www.hihfs.orgLocation: CenterAges: 18+ Gender: Male & Female Groups: SeparateProgram Hours: 9-5PM Population: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delaysAdd’l Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Transpor-tation Provided, Day Hab without walls, Vocational Services offered.

HASC Center, IncAddress: 1221 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, NY 11230Phone: (718) 434-4027Website: www.hasccenter.org

Gender: Men’s Yeshiva and Young Women’s ProgramsGroups: Separate & MixedHours: 9:00 – 3:00, Extended hours until 7PM.Locations: Boro Park, Flatbush, Williamsburg.Language: Yiddish, HebrewPopulation: Mild-severe develop-mental delaysAddl. Info: Vocational services offered, Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Transpor-tation provided, Center Based, Work Readiness and Supportive Employment Offered.

Human Care ServicesAddress: 1042 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11229Phone: (718) 854-2747Website: www.humancareser-vices.orgAges: 18+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Separate

Hours: 9:00 – 5:00Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delaysAddl. Info: Yeshiva and Semi-nary day program, Yeshivas Lev Tahor and Machon Lev Seminary. Pre-Vocational services offered, Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Transportation provid-ed from Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx, Center Based

Kaplan JCC on the PalisadesAdult Day ProgramAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Ages: 21+ Gender: Males & FemalesHours: 9:15-2:15PMGroups: Mixed Group Size: 14Population Served: Moderate to Severe developmental delaysAddl. Info: Kosher Food, Handi-cap Accessible

The Special Children’s CenterAddress: 1400 Prospect StreetLakewood, New JerseyPhone: (732) 367-0099Duration: Four weeksType: Day campAges: 0-22 Gender: Male & FemaleClasses: MixedPopulation: Mild to Moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally Disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicap accessible, Kosher food provided, Accept children not toilet trained

STEP (Special Torah Education Program)Address: 3005 Avenue LBrooklyn, New York 11210 Phone: (718) 252-8822 Duration: 7 weeksType: Day Ages: 5-21 Gender: Boys and GirlsClasses: Separate Population: Mild to moderate to se-

vere developmental delays, Autism/PDD, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply hand-icapped, Emotionally disturbed, Speech & Language impairedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher meals, Accept children not toilet trained

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Floor, NY, New York 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgLocation: 175 Lawrence AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11230Duration: 3 weeksType: Day camp Ages: 13-21Gender: Male and Female Groups: MixedPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, OMRDD-funded, Accept chil-dren not toilet trained

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001

Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgType: Day camp & Sleep-away camp Location: Sleep away camp in Claryville, NY in the Catskills; day camp in Rockland CountyDuration: Sleep away camp 2-4 weeks, day camp 4-6 weeksAges: Sleep-away camp: 8-18; day camp: 8-14 Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Separate sleeping quar-ters, mixed activitiesPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ADHD, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicap accessible, Kosher food provided at sleep away camp

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgLocation: Monsey, New YorkDuration: 2 separate weeks

Type: Day campAges: 3 & aboveGender: Male & FemalePopulation: Mild-severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, NY State Approved, Accept children not toilet trained

Yeshiva Binyan OlemAddress: 68 Franklin AvenueBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 302-5222Population: Mild to severe de-velopmental delays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, ADD/ADHD, Learning Disabled.Camp Location: MonticelloAges: 12-18 Gender: BoysType: Sleepaway campDuration: 8 weeksAddl. Info: Therapies provided on site, Kosher meals.

DAY HABILITATION PROGRAMS

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December 2012 93

DAY HABILITATION PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

Kinor Dovid - HarmonyAddress: 3820 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.org Population: Mild to Moderate developmental delaysAges: 18+ Gender: MaleGroups: Small groups, separate for men & womenHours: Mon-Thrs: 9-3, 3-7:30; Sun. & Fri: 9-1:30Languages: Yiddish, HebrewAddl. Info: On-site therapies, Center based, DayHab without walls, Vocational Services, Hand-icap Accessible, Kosher food pro-vided, Transportation providedOptional Beis MedreshProgram.

Kinor Malka - HarmonyAddress: 1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.orgPopulation: Mild to Moderate developmental delaysAges: 18+ Gender: Female Groups: Small groups, separate for men & womenHours: Mon-Thrs: 9-3, 3-7:30; Sun. & Fri: 9-1:30Languages: Yiddish, HebrewOptional Seminary Program.

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th Fl., New York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Website: www.njcd.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & Female Groups: Mixed Group Size: 30 Hours: 8:30-3:30

Population: Mild to moderate developmental delaysAddl. Info: Handi-cap Accessible, Vocational Services,Transportation provided, Kosher Food Provided, DayHab Without Walls, Supplemental Day Hab also available.

OHEL Children’s Home &Family Services, Bais EzraAddress: 4510 16th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (800) 603-OHELWebsite: www.ohelfamily.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Separate & Mixed Size: 3-5 Hours: 8am-4pmPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays. Special pro-gramming for adults & seniorsAddl. Info: Center Based, Hand-icap Accessible, Transportation Provided, Vocational services of-fered, Kosher food provided, Em-ployment training and placement services.

Otsar Family ServicesAddress: 2334 West 13th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 946-7301 Website: www.otsar.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Mixed Hours: 8:45-2:30Population: Mild-severe develop-mental delaysAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Transpor-tation provided, Vocational ser-vices not provided

Sinai Schools (Netivot)Address: 1485 Teaneck Road, Suite 300,

Teaneck, NJ 07666Phone: (201) 833-1134Website: www.sinaischools.orgPopulation: Mild-moderate de-velopmental delaysAges: 18-40 Gender: Boys & GirlsClasses: MixedHours: 10-4PMAddl. Info: Day Hab without walls, vocational services offered.

The Special Children’s CenterAddress: 1400 Prospect StreetLakewood, New JerseyPhone: (732) 367-0099 Ages: 18+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Separate Group Size: 5+Hours: 9:00-3:00Population: Mild to Moderate to severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emo-tionally Disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Center based, Vo-cational Services, Handicap ac-cessible, Kosher food provided, Transportation provided

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Flr.NY, New York 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & Female

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & FemaleGroups: Mixed Hours: 9-3

Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delaysAddl. Info: Center-based, Day-Hab Without Walls, Handicap Accessible, Transportation Pro-vided, Vocational services offered

Women’s League Community Residences – CBR, Creative Business ResourcesAddress: 1556 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 853-0900Website: www.womensleague.orgPopulation: Individuals with Learning and/or Developmental DisabilitiesAddl. Info: Vocational services, Job placement, Job coaching, & training

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill RoadChestnut Ridge, NY 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgAges: Post high schoolGender: Male & Female Groups: SeparateGroup Size: 16 Hours: 9 – 3Population: Moderate to severe developmental delaysAddl. Info: Vocational services offered, Center Based, Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provid-ed, Transportation provided

Yeshiva Bonim LamokomAddress: 425 East 9th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 693-9032Website: www.bonimlamokom.comAges: 19-26 Gender: MalePopulation: Mild to moderate developmental delaysAddl. Info: Vocational Services offered

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Hand in Hand Family Services Address: 390 Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718)336-6073Website: www.hihfs.orgPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Emotionally Dis-turbed

Addl. Info: IRA’s and Supportive Apartments

HarmonyAddress: 1070 East 17th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230 &1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 986-7648

Ages: 21+ Gender: Male & Female Population: Mild developmental delaysAddl. Info: Supportive Apart-ments

HASC Center, IncAddress: 5601 First AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11220

Phone: (718) 535-1953Website: www.hasccenter.orgGender: Male & FemalePopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, emotionally disturbed, Hearing impaired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apartments

RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES

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RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUED…

Human Care ServicesAddress: 1042 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11229Phone: (718) 854-2747Website: www.humancareservices.orgAges: All Gender: Male & Female Hours: 9:00 – 5:00Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Hearing Impaired, Visually Im-paired, Multiply HandicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apartments

Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services/MishkonAddress: 1358 56th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 851-7100Website: www.jbfcs.orgAges: All Gender: Male, FemalePopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDDSpecialization: Emotionally dis-turbed, Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, Multiply HandicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, ICF

OHEL Children’s Home & Fam-ily Services, Bais EzraAddress: 4510 16th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (800) 603-OHEL

Website: www.ohelfamily.orgAges: 13+ Gender: Male & Female Groups: Separate & Mixed Size: 3-5 Hours: 8am-4pmPopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDDSpecialization: Emotionally dis-turbed, Hearing impaired, Visual-ly impaired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apts.

Pesach Tikvah-Hope DevelopmentAddress: 18 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 875-6900Website: www.pesachtikvah.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & Female Population: Mild to Moderate to Severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emo-tionally disturbed, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: Supportive Apartments

Sinai SchoolsAddress: 1485 Teaneck Road, Suite 300, Teaneck, NJ 07666Phone: (201) 833-1134Website: www.sinaischools.orgAges: 18+ Gender: Male Population: Mild developmental delays

The Special Children’s CenterAddress: 1400 Prospect StreetLakewood, New JerseyPhone: (732) 367-0099 Ages: Any Age Population: Mild to Moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally Disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually im-paired, Multiply handicapped

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Flr, New York, New York 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgAges: infants-adults Gender: Male & FemalePopulation: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD Specialization: Hearing impaired, Vi-sually impaired, Multiply handicappedAdd’l Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apts.

Women’s League Community Residences, Inc.Address: 1556 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 853-0900Ages: All agesGender: Male & Female

Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDDSpecialization: Emotionally dis-turbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: ICF’s and Supervised IRA’s, Supportive Apartments

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgAges: 21+ Gender: Male & Female Population: Mild-severe devel-opmental delays, Autism/PDD, Multiply HandicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apartments

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgAges: post high schoolGender: Male & FemalePopulation: Moderate to severe developmental delaysSpecialization: Emotionally dis-turbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicappedAddl. Info: IRA’s, Supportive Apartments

MEDICAID WAIVER, RESPITE & OTHER PROGRAMSThe Ability CenterAddress: 3521 Avenue SBrooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 336-3832Website: Theabilitycenter.netServices: Children and Parent Groups to address the needs of families.

AhivimAddress: 6 Mountain Rd #204 Monroe, New York 10950Phone: 845-774-7000Email: [email protected]: www.ahivim.orgServices Provided: Medicaid Waiver, Parent Support Groups, Sibling Support Groups, Respite, Overnight Respite.

Chai Lifeline, Inc.Address: 151 West 30th St., Third Floor, New York, NY 10001

Phone: (877) CHAI LIFEWebsite: www.chailifeline.orgServices Provided: Offers emotion-al and social support groups for chil-dren with life threatening or chronic medical illnesses and their families.

Friendship Circle ofCrown Heights, New YorkAddress: 792 Eastern ParkwayBrooklyn, New York 11213Phone: (718) 907-8835Website: www.fcbrooklyn.com

Friendship Circle of theUpper West Side, NYAddress: 166 West 97th StreetNew York, New York 10025Phone: (646) 789-5770Website: www.ChabadWestSide.org/FCWS

Friendship Circle of theUpper East SideAddress: 419 East 77th StreetNew York, New York 10021Phone: (212) 717-4613Website: www.fcues.com

Friendship Circle ofLower Manhattan, New YorkAddress: 121 W19th StreetNew York, New York 10011Phone: (646) 688-5300Website: www.friendshipnyc.com

Friendship Circle ofQueens, New YorkAddress: 211-05 Union TurnpikeQueens, New York 11364Phone: (718) 464-0778

The Friendship Circle of theFive TownsAddress: 74 Maple AvenueCedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 295-2478 ext. 13Website: http://www.fc5towns.com

The Friendship Circle ofSuffolk County, New YorkAddress: 318 Veterans HighwayCommack, New York 11725Phone: (631) 543-1855Website: www.thefriendshipcircle.com

The Friendship Circle ofDix Hills, New YorkAddress: 501 Vanderbilt ParkwayDix Hills, New York 11746Phone: (631) 351-8672

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Friendship Circle ofGreat Neck, NYAddress: 400 East Shore RoadGreat Neck, New York 11024Phone: (516) 487-4554

The Merrin-Bienenfeld Friend-ship Circle, Lake Grove, NYAddress: 821 Hawkins AvenueLake Grove, New York 11755Phone: (631) 585-0521 ext.103Website: www.fcstonybrook.com

Friendship Circle ofRoslyn, New YorkAddress: 75 Powerhouse RoadRoslyn, New York 11577Phone: (516) 484-3500

Friendship CircleWest Hempstead, New YorkAddress: 223 Windsor LaneWest Hempstead, NY 11552Phone: (516) 564-1012

Friendship Circle of theRiver Towns, New YorkAddress: 303 BroadwayDobbs Ferry, New York 10522Phone: (914) 693-6100Website: www.chabadrt.org

The Friendship Circle ofWestchester County, New YorkAddress: 20 Greenridge AvenueWhite Plains, New York 10605Phone: (914) 437-5762

Friendship Circle ofBedford, New YorkAddress: 16 Old Village LaneKatonah, New York 10536Phone: (914) 666-6065

Friendship Circle ofRockland County/Monsey, NYAddress: 123 Route 59Suffern, New York 10901Phone: (845) 368-1889

The Friendship Circle ofMetrowest, New JerseyAddress: 66 W. Mt. Pleasant Ave. #205Livingston, New Jersey 07039Phone: (973) 251-0200Website: www.fcnj.com

Friendship Circle ofUnion County, New JerseyAddress: 193 South AvenueFanwood, New Jersey 07023Phone: (908) 898-0242

The Ari Kraut Friendship Circleof Central JerseyAddress: 26 Wickatunk RoadManalapan, New Jersey 07726Phone: (732) 536-2319Website: www.friendsnj.com

The Friendship Circle ofBergen County, New JerseyAddress: 310 South DriveParamus, New Jersey 07652Phone: (201) 262-7172Website: www.BCFriendship.com

Friendship Circle ofGreater Mercer County, NJAddress: 103B Kingston Terrace DrivePrinceton, New Jersey 08540Phone: (609) 683-7240Website: www.mercerfriends.com

The Goodness Group ofWayne, NJ (Passaic County)Address: 194 Ratzer Road Wayne, New Jersey 07470Phone: (973) 694-6274

The Friendship Circle ofFairfield County, ConnecticutAddress: 770 High Ridge Rd, Stamford, Connecticut 06905Phone: (203) 329-0015 #414Website: www.friendshipCT.com

Friendship Circle ofHartford, ConnecticutAddress: 2352 Albany AvenueWest Hartford, Connecticut 06117Phone: (860) 232-1116Website: www.friendshipcir-cleCT.com

For all other Friendship Circles:Friendship Circle InternationalAddress: 816 Eastern ParkwayBrooklyn, New York 11213Website: www.friendshipcircle.comTo Find A Friendship Circle Near You:http://www.friendshipcircle.com/friendship_circle_locations.asp

Programs Offered: Friends @ Home, Sunday Circle, Parents Webinar, Holiday Programs, Clubs, Sports Nights, Mom’s Night Out, etc…….

HaMercaz at Jewish Family Ser-vice of Los AngelesAddress: 12821 Victory Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91606Phone: (866) 287-8030Website: www.hamercaz.orgPrograms and Services Offered: Family Support Services for parents and siblings, Respite when available, Sunday Program for birth to 19, mixed program for Males/Females, Handi-cap Accessible, Kosher food provided, will accept children not toilet trained, Monthly Recreation program from Birth to 18, Program is open to fami-lies, Fee dependent on event. Population served: Mild to Mod-erate to severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Lan-guage impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emotionally Dis-turbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicapped.

Hand in Hand Family Services Address: 390 Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 336-6073Website: www.hihfs.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Service Coordination, Commu-nity Habilitation, Respite, Sunday Program for ages 5-15, separate program for Males/Females, Af-terschool Program 5 days a week for ages 5-15, separate program for Males/FemalesPopulation: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDDAddl. Info: Handicap Accessible, Kosher food provided, Transpor-tation Provided, No Fee

Harmony - Kinor Dovid/Kinor MalkaAddress: Kinor Dovid: 3820 14th Ave.Brooklyn, New YorkKinor Malka: 1467 39th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218

Phone: (718) 435-8080Website: www.harmonyservices.org Programs Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Sunday Program, After School Program, Respite, Family Support Services

HASC Center, IncAddress: 1221 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 434-4027Website: www.hasccenter.orgGender: Male & FemalePrograms and Services Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Respite, Over-night respite, Holiday Respite, After School Program, Sunday Autism Program, Family support services for parents and siblings

HASC School Age ProgramAddress: 6220 14th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 331-1624Website: www.hasc.net/campPrograms Offered: No-fee after school program 4 days a week for male & female ages 5-21, mixed groups, handicap accessible, transportation provided, Kosher food provided, take children not toilet trained

HorseAbility / Center for Equine Facilitated ProgramsAddress: SUNY College at Old Westbury / PO Box 410-1 / Old Westbury, NY 11568Phone: (516) 333-6151Website: www.horseability.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Family Support Services for siblings, Respite, Sunday Pro-gram, 5-day a week After school Program and 7-day a week Recre-ation Program serving all ages.Gender: Male/FemaleGroups: Mixed *Separate programs may be of-fered if there is sufficient demand.Addl. Info: Handicap accessible, Ac-cepts children not yet toilet trained.

MEDICAID WAIVER, RESPITE & OTHER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

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96 December 2012

MEDICAID WAIVER, RESPITE & OTHER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…Human Care ServicesAddress: 1042 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11229Phone: (718) 854-2747Website: www.humancareser-vices.orgPrograms and Services Of-fered: Community Habilitation, Medicaid Service Coordination, Family Reimbursement Pro-gram, Behavior Management Program, Respite, Separate Sun-day Program for Males/Females Ages 3-20 for Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Hearing Impaired, Multiply Handicapped, handicap accessible, transportation provid-ed, Kosher food provided, No fee.

Imagine Academy Address: 1458 East 14th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230 Phone: (718) 376-8882Website: www.imagineacademy.comPrograms Offered: Family Sup-port Services for Parents & Sib-lings, Respite, No-Fee Sunday Program for Ages 5-21, No-Fee After School Program 3 days a week for ages 5-21, Handicapped Accessible, Transportation pro-vided, take children not toilet trained

JCC of the Greater Five TownsAddress: 207 Grove AvenueCedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 569-6733Website: www.fivetownsjcc.orgPrograms Offered: Provides many different programs for people with special needs (children – adults), including a Snoezelen Room, af-ter-school and Sunday programs.

Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services/MishkonAddress: 1358 56th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 851-7100Website: www.jbfcs.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Family Support Services, Respite, Res-Hab

Kids of CourageAddress: 13158 Broadway, Suite 207Hewlett, New York 11557Phone: (888) 9-KIDSOCWebsite: www.kidsoc.orgPrograms Offered: Family Sup-port services to parents and sib-lings, Respite, Overnight respite

Kaplan JCC on the PalisadesAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Ages: 3-21Programs Offered: After School Program three days a week (Sun-day, Tuesday and Thursday)Gender: Males & Females Groups: MixedPopulation Served: Mild to Se-vere developmental delays, Au-tism/PDDAddl. Info: Kosher Food, Handi-cap Accessible, NJ DDD Qualified Provider, Special Education and re-lated services not provided on site.

Kulanu Torah Acadamy Address: 620 Central AvenueCedarhurst, New York 11516Phone: (516) 569-3083Programs Offered: Respite, Sun-day program, Family support, Recreation, services for parents and siblings

Los Niños ServicesAddress: 535 8th Ave, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10018Phone: (212) 787-9700Website: www.losninos.comPrograms Offered: Provide Service Coordination in NYC and Westchester County, NY & trainings. We present the Annual Young Child Expo & Conference with Fordham University’s Grad-uate School of Education. We of-fer other trainings.

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th FloorNew York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Website: www.njcd.org

Programs Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Respite, Overnight re-spite, Sunday Program: males and females ages 8+, mixed groups, Handicap accessible, Transporta-tion provided, Kosher food provid-ed, Take children not toilet trained, There is a fee for the program.Population: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Speech & Language im-paired, Learning Disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Multiply HandicappedRecreation: Males and Females ages 3+, mixed groups, Transpor-tation provided at times, Kosher food provided, fee for program, open to families as well as special needs children, Program is once a month in Brooklyn, NY, NJ.

OHEL Children’s Home &Family Services, Bais EzraAddress: 4510 16th AvenueBrooklyn, New York 11204Phone: (800) 603-OHELWebsite: www.ohelfamily.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Respite, Overnight re-spite, After School Program, Sunday Program, Family support services for parents & siblings, Recreation

Otsar Family ServicesAddress: 2334 West 13th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 946-7301 Website: www.otsar.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Parent Support Groups, Respite, Overnight Respite, Par-ent Information WorkshopsSunday Program: For male & female ages 5-21, Mixed groups, Handicap accessible, Transporta-tion provided, Kosher food pro-vided, Take children not toilet trained

Pesach Tikvah-HopeDevelopmentAddress: 18 Middleton StreetBrooklyn, New York 11206Phone: (718) 875-6900Website: www.pesachtikvah.org

Programs Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Camp Reimbursements, Respite, Overnight Respite, Ho-locaust Survivor Program/Geri-atric Programs.Sunday Program: for male & female ages 5-21, Mixed groups, Handicap accessible, Transportation provided, Kosher food provided, there is a fee for the program.Population: Mild to moderate to severe developmental delays, Au-tism/PDD, Multiply HandicappedAfter School Program: for male & female ages 5-21, Mixed groups, 4 days a week, Handicap accessible, Transportation pro-vided, Kosher food providedPopulation: Mild to moderate to se-vere developmental delays, Autism/PDD, Multiply Handicapped

Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc.Address: 116 E. 16th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003Phone: (212) 677-4650Website: www.resourcesnyc.org, www.resourcesnycdatabase.orgPrograms Offered: Information and advocacy center for parents and professionals looking for any type of help pertaining to chil-dren birth to 26 with any disabil-ity. Holds a Special Camp Fair ev-ery January and we conduct many workshops throughout the city.

Shema Kolainu –Hear Our VoicesAddress: 4302 New Utrecht Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11219Phone: (718) 686-9600Website: www.shemakolainu.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Residential Habilitation

The Special Children’s CenterAddress: 1400 Prospect StreetLakewood, New JerseyPhone: (732) 367-0099 Ages: Any Age Programs Offered: Respite, Overnight respiteSunday Program: males and females ages 0-22, separate and

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December 2012 97➘

mixed groups, Handicap acces-sible, Transportation provided, Kosher food provided, Take chil-dren not toilet trained,After School Program: Males and Females ages 0-22, separate and mixed groups, Transporta-tion provided, Handicapped ac-cessible, Kosher food provided, fee for program.Population: Mild to Moderate to severe developmental de-lays, Autism/PDD, Speech & Language impaired, Learning disabled, ADD/ ADHD, Emo-tionally Disturbed, Hearing impaired, Visually impaired, Multiply handicapped

Special Care for Families and Children’s ServicesAddress: 1421 East 2nd Street Brooklyn, New York 11230Phone: (718) 252-3365Programs Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Respite

STEP (Special Torah Education)Address: 3005 Avenue LBrooklyn, New York 11210 Phone: (718) 252-8822 Programs Offered: Sunday Program

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Family support services for parents, In-home respite for individuals on Medicaid waiver, Overnight Respite, After School Program, Recreation

UCP of New York City: The Par-ent’s PlaceAddress: 160 Lawrence AvenueBrooklyn, NY 12230, Room 205Phone: (718) 436-7979 xt. 704Website: www.ucpnyc.orgPrograms Offered: Free weekly workshops for parents and fami-lies, translation in Spanish is available.

Women’s League Community Residences, Inc.Address: 1556 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218Phone: (718) 853-0900Website: www.womensleague.org Programs Offered: Medicaid Waiver Community Habilitation and Supported Employment

Yad Hachazakah – The Jewish Disability Empowerment Cen-ter Inc.Address: 25 Broadway,Suite 1700, New York, NY 10004Phone: (212) 284-6936Location: Office, Agreed upon locationAges: 12 through older adulthood Population: Self-directing peo-ple with obvious or hidden dis-abilities/conditions and their loved ones.Services: Personal Coaching and Mentoring, Peer Networking, Ad-vocacy, Resource Navigation, Dat-ing and Marriage ConsultationAddl. Info: Led by professionals and lay persons with disabilities under Orthodox Rabbinic Supervision.

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Family Support Services for parents and siblings, Respite, Overnight Respite, Sunday Pro-gram, After School Program

YAI NetworkAddress: 460 West 34th StreetNew York, New York 10001Phone: (212) 273-6182Website: www.yai.orgPrograms Offered: Medicaid Waiver, Family Support Services for parents & siblings, Respite, Overnight Respite, Sunday Pro-gram for all ages, male & female, After school program in Queens 5 days a week for boys & girls ages 6-17, Recreation for male & female ages 6-adult on various weekdays, weekends, and holidays, Medical/Dental/specialty practice for peo-ple with developmental and learn-ing disabilities and their fami-lies, Clinical and family services, parent support groups, in-home training, rehabilitation programs, employment training and place-ment programs, socialization pro-grams, travel, and much more.Yeled V’Yalda Early Childhood CenterAddress: 1312 38th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11218 Phone: (718) 686-3700Website: www.yeled.orgPrograms Offered: Respite

MEDICAID WAIVER, RESPITE & OTHER PROGRAMS CONTINUED…

Beineinu-Connecting Parents of Children with Special NeedsAddress: 48 West Maple Avenue Monsey, New York 10952Phone: (347) 743-4900Website: www.Beineinu.orgServices Provided: Parent Match-ing, Internet research for medical information for internet-free fami-lies, Translation of medical infor-mation into Hebrew, Zichron Yehu-da Equipment Exchange, Growing International database of Resourc-es, Information of Interest to those dealing with various special needs, Library of Chizuk and Inspirational articles, pictures and videos.

Dovi’s Playhouse for Children with Special NeedsAddress: P.O. Box 290-524,

Brooklyn, New YorkPhone: (646) 736-2816Services Provided: Tutoring Services for Children with Spe-cial Needs – provides tutors after school to children at home.

E-treeAddress: 736 Lakeview RoadCleveland, Ohio 44108Phone: (877) 865-5235Website: www.treeofknowl-edge.usServices Provided: Interactive Online Learning System for k-12

Euro-Peds National Center for Intensive Pediatric PTAddress: 461 W. Huron St. #406Pontiac, MI 48341Phone: (248) 857-6776

Website: www.europeds.orgServices Provided: European-based model of therapy for treat-ing children with non-progres-sive gross motor disorders such as Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury and Spina Bifida. It was the first clinic outside of Eu-roped to offer this type of therapy when it opened in 1999 out of a Michigan hospital, Doctor’s Hos-pital of Michigan.

Hand in Hand Family Services Address: 390 Kings HighwayBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 336-6073Website: www.hihfs.orgServices Provided: Psychologi-cal and Psychosocial Evaluations

HorseAbility / Center for Equine Facilitated ProgramsAddress: SUNY College at Old Westbury / PO Box 410-1 / Old Westbury, New York 11568Phone: (516) 333-6151Website: www.horseability.orgServices Provided: HorseAbility is the only PATH International Premier Accredited Center on Long Island, and the only one at a convenient driving distance from the five boroughs of NYC. PATH International is the Profes-sional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International - pathintl.org.

OTHER SERVICES

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98 December 2012

ADVOCACY

AHRC NYCAddress: 83 Maiden LaneNew York, New York 10038Phone: (212) 780-2500Website: www.ahrcnyc.orgRegion: Five boroughsProvides representation: IEP meetings, impartial hearings, and appeals

Imagine Academy for Autism Address: 1465 East 7th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230 Phone: (718) 376-8882Website: www.imagineacademy.comRegion: AllProvides representation: IEP meetings, impartial hearings, and appeals

Michael Inzelbuch Esq. Address: 555 Madison AvenueLakewood, New Jersey 08701Phone: (732) 905 2557 Region: New JerseyProvides representation: IEP Meetings, Impartial Hearings, and appeals

National Jewish Council for Disabilities/Yachad (NJCD)Address: 11 Broadway, 13th FloorNew York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 613-8229Hotline: (212) 613-8127Website: www.njcd.orgRegion: NY, NJ, NationalProvides representation: IEP, Im-partial Hearings

Otsar Family ServicesAddress: 2334 West 13th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223Phone: (718) 946-7301 Website: www.otsar.orgRegion: NYCProvides Assistance: IEP meet-ings, Impartial Hearings

Project LEARNSpecial Education Affairs – Agudath Israel of AmericaAddress: 42 Broadway,New York, New York Phone: (212) 797-9000, ext. 308/325Region: Primarily NY City and State, available to consult on questions on a national levelProvides representation: IEP meetings, Impartial Hearings, and Appeals

Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc.Address: 116 E. 16th St. 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003 Phone: (212) 677-4650Website: www.resourcesnyc.org, www.resourcesnycdatabase.orgRegion: All 5 boroughsProvides representation: IEP meeting, Impartial Hearings, and Appeals

SEAD - Special EducationAcademy of DealAddress: 1 Meridian RoadEatontown, New Jersey 07724Phone: (732) 460-1700Website: www.seadprogram.orgRegion: New York & New JerseyProvides representation: IEP meetings & Impartial Hearings

TAFKID Address: 977 East 17th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230 Phone: (718) 252-2236Website: www.tafkid.orgE-mail: [email protected]: New YorkProvides representation: Educa-tional planning and case consulta-tion, assistance with letter writing

and paperwork, IEP Meetings and Impartial Hearings

Thivierge and Rothberg, P.C.Address: 5 Hanover Square,Suite 1201New York, New York 10004Phone: (212) 397-6360Website: www.trspecialedlaw.comRegion: New York & New JerseyProvides representation: IEP Meetings, Impartial Hearings, and Appeals

Yedei ChesedAddress: 48 Scotland Hill RoadChestnut Ridge, NY 10977Phone: (845) 425-0887Website: yedeichesed.orgRegion: Rockland CountyProvides representation: IEP Meetings

UCP of New York CityAddress: 80 Maiden Lane, 8th FloorNew York, NY 10038Phone: (877) 827-2666Website: www.ucpnyc.orgRegion: Bronx, Bklyn, Manhat-tan and S.I.

JCC Therapeutic NurseryAddress: 411 East Clinton AvenueTenafly, NJ 07670Phone: (201) 408-1448Location: CenterServices Offered: Toddler Social-ization Group Mommy & Me for ages 2-3 years old, not an early in-tervention program. Program offers sensory integration, age appropriate group activities, help with parenting skills, facilitation of age appropriate play, social interactions and com-munication skills, Mondays and Wednesday 9:30AM-11AM.

Kids of CourageAddress: 13158 Broadway, Suite 207Hewlett, New York 11557

Phone: (888) 9-KIDSOCWebsite: www.kidsoc.orgServices Provided: Fully medical-ly supervised travel and recreation program for seriously sick children and young adults. All participants are cognitively appropriate for age. Trips include resort, door to door travel, touring and shabbatons. There is no cost to participants. It is all volunteer. They provide ad-vocacy for medical treatment as well as medical accompaniment to medical treatment destinations on commercial airlines.

BInuryni Parent Support NetworkAddress: HASC Center Inc5601 First Avenue

Brooklyn, New YorkPhone: (718) 436-4087Programs Offered: Monthly Sup-port Groups for Mothers, Special Events, Guest Speakers, Open to all parents with special needs.

Orthocraft, Inc.Address: 1477 E. 27th StreetBrooklyn, NY 11210Phone: (718) 951-1700Website: www.orthocraftinc.comServices Provided: Orthotic and prosthetic evaluation, fabrication of durable medical equipment. Pe-diatric, geriatric, and everyone in between. Most insurances accept-ed. Providers go to home, school, therapy and doctors' offices.

Paul Stadler MS OTR/L NDT (INPP)Address: 359 Ridgewood AvenuePhone: (347) 247-6835 Website: paulstadler.netServices Provided: Sensory In-tegration Certified (SIPT) Cer-tified, Licentiate of INPP, INPP one day course Instructor. Works with children diagnosed with Dyspraxia, DCD, Aspergers Syn-drome, Dyslexia, ADD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, agora-phobia, and children with read-ing problems, writing problems, copying problems, academic un-derachievement.

OTHER SERVICES CONTINUED…

RESOURCES DIRECTORY

December 2012 99

ISRAEL LISTINGSAcha/ADI: The Israeli Associa-tion for the DeafMain Office & Tel Aviv Branch: 13 Sderot Yad Lebanim,Yad Eliyahu P.O.B. 9001 Tel Aviv, 61090 Tel/Fax: 03-730-3355 Website: http://www.deaf.org.il/ A voluntary organization, which creates special Deaf Clubs where activities take place on a regular basis for the membership. ACHLA: Association for the Quality of Life for Individuals with Special NeedsPhone: 02-650-5276 Website: www.achlah.org.ilACHLA runs the HEYANUT Center, a holistic center in Israel that provides support for individ-uals with complex special needs and their families. AKIM: National Association for the Habilitation of the Mentally Handicapped in Israel19 Yad Harutzim St., Suite 304 P.O. Box 53409, Jerusalem 91533Phone: 02-672-8731 Website: www.akim.org.il/They are a nonprofit organization that provide services for children and adults with mental disabilities and other developmental disorders. Aleh12 Aharonovitz St., POB 435 Bnei Brak 51103 Phone: 03-617-1888 Website: http://www.aleh.org/Provide top quality medical, edu-cational and full-time rehabilita-tive residential care to severely disabled Jewish children in Je-rusalem, Bnei Brak, Gedera and the Negev. They care for children with medical conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome, as well as genetic dis-orders including Tay-Sachs, Can-avan disease and Rett syndrome. Alut: Israeli Society for Autistic Children1 Corazin Street

Givatyaim, 53583, IsraelPhone: 03-571-8188Website: http://www.alut.org.il/They are a nonprofit organiza-tion that work with autistic or PDD children and provides sup-port services for their families.

ALYN: Pediatric & Adolescent Rehabilitation Center Shmaryahu Levin Street Kiryat HaYovel P.O.B. 9117, Jerusalem 91091Phone: 02-649-4222Website: http://www.alyn.org/They are an official registered non-profit organization treating physi-cally handicapped children and adolescents, and offers services for a broad range of physical disabilities. The organization has helped chil-dren who have been injured in road accidents and terror attacks, children suffering from congenital conditions and children suffering from physical limitations due to various illnesses. BeineinuBeineinu is an organization that connects Jewish parents of children with special needs. Phone: 072-230-5368 (Israel Office) Website: www.beineinu.org

Beit Issie ShapiroIssie Shapiro St. P.O. Box 29,Ra'anana 43100, IsraelPhone: 09-770-1222Website: www.beitissie.org.ilThey are an organization that provides a range of services for children with developmental disabilities and their families. These services include therapeu-tic daycare and treatment, spe-cial education and paramedical treatment, and innovative new approaches such as hydrotherapy, complementary medicine and multi-sensory treatment.

Beit Ofek/Beit Eckstein - Job Training for Olim with Asperg-ers Syndrome Phone: 03-648-6477They are an organization whose

goal is to improve the quality of life for people with Aspergers Syndrome, with a goal of pre-paring members for indepen-dent living and training them for a role in the work-force. Chimes Israel Executive Offices Yehudit and Meir Rubanenko Campus 13 Ha'Arad Street Tel Aviv, Israel 69710 Phone: 03-644-2427Website: www.chimesisrael.org.ilThey are an international, multi-service agency for individuals of all ages with developmen-tal delays and other disabili-ties. Branches in Tel-Aviv, Ariel, Yafo, Kfar Saba, Herziliya and Taybeh, with different branch-es serving different needs. Gan Sulam116 Sanhedria MurchevetP.O.B. 18206 Jerusalem, 91181 Phone: 02-633-8400 Website: www.sulamisrael.orgThey are an acknowledged leader in the treatment of de-velopmental and learning dis-abilities, PDD/autism, Down syndrome, and other rare and debilitating medical conditions. They currently has six branches in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, and the surrounding areas. These include a rehabilitative daycare program for babies and tod-dlers, an observation kinder-garten program for children for children aged 3-7, and elemen-tary school, and a high school.

ILAN-Israel: Association for Handicapped Children & Adults Main Office: 9 Rechov Gordon Tel Aviv 63458Phone: 03-524-8141Website: www.ilan-israel.co.ilILAN, Israel's Foundation for the Handicapped, cares for thou-sands of physically impaired adults and children suffering from diseases that affect the muscles and nerves such as cere-

bral palsy, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular diseases. The Institute for the Advance-ment of Deaf Persons in Israel 63 Laguardia StreetP.O. Box 9235Tel Aviv 61091Phone: 03-631-1595Website: www.dpii.orgThey provide professional, edu-cational and rehabilitation ser-vices for deaf and hard-of-hear-ing children, youth and adults.

Israel Elwyn 20 Henrietta Szold St.Jerusalem, 96502Phone: 02-641-5448Website: www.israelelwyn.org.ilThey are an organization that helps children and adults with spe-cial needs integrate and become active partners in Israeli society. LESHEM: Association for the Ad-vancement of Learning Disabled Students in Higher Education P.O.B. 4403 Jerusalem 91044 Phone: 052-365-9956 Website: leshem.telhai.ac.il Multi-Service Center for the Blind (Mercaz Rav Sherutim L'Eiver) Mercaz Rav Sherutim L'Eiver is dedicated to the mission of mak-ing life easier in every aspect for individuals who are blind. Jerusalem Office: Binyan Sha'arei Hair 216 Rechov Yaffo Phone: 02-538-8955 Tel Aviv Office: 10 David Hachmi Street Tel Aviv 67778 Phone: 03-791-5555 Website: http://www.blinds.org.il/ Tishma, School and Centerfor AutismAddress: Kanaei Hagalil 31/Even Haezel 21 / P.O.B 57329 Jerusalem 91573Phone: 02.6483042,[email protected]: www.Tishma.org

100 December 2012

Compiled By Elisheva Stein

During our recent conference in Jerusalem, our speakers from all

over the world covered a vast array of topics including research and education. Initiating the research findings, Dr Eric Hollander, chairman of ICare4Autism Advisory Committee, from the United States, spoke about a study in which evidence showed that intravenous and intranasal adminis-tration of oxytocin show promise in enhancing social cognitive and im-proving repetitive behaviors. It is known that autism is a complex heterogeneous neurodevelopmental dis-order characterized by deficits in social interaction. Dr. Mike Snape of the United

Kingdom indicated that autism appears in many cases to be a disorder of neuronal or synaptic connectivity and potentially involves neuroinflammatory processes. Dr. Hakon Hakonarson, of the US, in-dicated that although autism is strongly heritable and several variants have been associated with autism, they only ex-plain a small fraction of the disease. In addition, Agatino Battaglia, M.D., of Italy, spoke about increasing evi-dence that autism spectrum disorders can arise from rare highly penetrant mutations and genomic imbalances. Dr. Eli Hatchwell, of the UK and Israel

claims that despite the relatively high heri-tability of Autism Spectrum Disorders, only a small percentage of the heritability is cur-rently explained on the basis of known genes. Population Diagnostics has implemented a general and powerful approach to the prob-lem of ASD genetics and has uncovered sub-stantial number of novel causal genes. Dr. Mady Horning of the United States discussed how growing evidence sug-gests that the environment plays a role in the pathogenesis of autism, while Kamila Markram of Switzerland said that autism covers a wide spectrum of disorders for which there are many views, hypotheses and theories. She spoke about how the Intense World Theory aims to be a uni-fying neurobiological theory of autism. Dr. Jose Humberto Nicolini-Sanchez of Mexico gave a lecture on the current state of research into the genetics of compulsive behaviors in autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Sagiv Shifman from Israel spoke on studies into the genetics of ASD have implicated both common and rare variants, including de-novo mutations, as risk factors for ASD. On the educational side, Dr. Pamela Wolf-berg of the US, spoke about how children on the autism spectrum face significant chal-lenges in social, communication and play development, which places them at high risk for being neglected and rejected by peers. Dr. Robert Didden, of the Nether-lands, discussed that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has contributed sig-nificantly to the literature on improving functioning and well-being of children with asd and/or intellectual disability. Dr. James Partington, of the United States, went on to say that specific tech-niques used to develop effective programs in both the home and school settings will be presented for individuals at both the early learner and more advanced student levels. Dr. Stephen Shore, professor at Adelphi

University, focused on children with au-tism in the music curriculum and teaching them how to play a musical instrument. That music can be used as the means of communication or to help organize verbal communication skills. It also leads to iden-tifying talents and abilities that can help a person with ASD join the workforce. Dr. Joshua Weinstein of the United States opened the conference talking about how ICare4Autism is a global non-profit orga-nization headquartered in New York City with branches throughout the world and the organization’s mission is to drive the worldwide research necessary to discover the etiology of autism and its biologic and environmental causes. The organization is currently focusing on the development of the Global Autism Center, which will be located in Jerusalem at Mount Scopus. A major part of the Center’s activities will be the world’s first global comprehensive au-tism workforce development initiative. The initiative will encompass four components: (1) workforce entry services for high school stu-dents and college entrance exam training (2) vocational and employment services for semi-skilled (3) vocational and employment ser-vices for high functioning and (4) high level employment services for persons with Asperg-er’s Syndrome to obtain jobs in the technology sector. The initiative will occur in Israel but is expected to create an urgently needed repli-cable model that can have a global impact.

2012 ICare4Autism InternationalAutism Conference in Jerusalem

(L.-R.) Dr. Eric Hollander, Chairman of the ICare4Autism Advisory Council, Dr. Shekhar Sax-ena, Director, Dept of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization (WHO), Mrs. Marta Linares de Martinelli, First Lady of the Re-public of Panama, Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem

(L._R.) Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem, Mrs. Mar-ta Linares de Martinelli, First Lady of the Republicof Panama and Dr. Joshua Weinstein, CEO & Founder of ICare4Autism.

BULLETIN BOARD

December 2012 101

BULLETIN BOARD

HASC Center acknowledged their very dedicated staff during Staff

Recognition Week. This is an annual event during which the dedicated staff of this premier agency recognizes the dedication, commitment and hard work of all its’ employees. The kick-off for the week took place amidst a wonderful spirit and socialization at a catered reception for the entirety of the HASC Center agency. The assem-blage was addressed by Samuel Kahn, Executive Director, Dr. Chaim Wak-slak, Clinical Director and Abe Eisner, President of the Board of Directors. HASC Center was honored by the presence of several senior OPWDD representatives headed by Donna Limiti, Associate Commissioner who expressed her special admiration for the staff and the work that HASC Center does on behalf of those they

serve. Special awards were presented to the outstand-ing staff members who were selected by their peers for this recognition. Penina, one of the people who reside at a HASC Cen-ter residence addressed the audience from the perspective of what her years at HASC Center have meant to her. HASC Center Recognition Week places value upon every staff member

regardless of their posi-tion, title or responsibility. It is clear that the success, growth and advancement of every man, woman or child who either lives in a HASC Cen-

ter residence or attends one the various program offerings is a consequence

of an integrated team ef-fort, with everyone play-ing a vital role. Staff Recognition Week, at HASC Center, is a time where the focus is upon expressing grati-tude and appreciation

for the hard work that often times goes unacknowledged or is taken for granted. On a daily basis, during this special week, staff will receive sur-prise treats placed at their desks, or at their place of work. A photographer taking the employee’s picture, a cari-caturist illustrating the employee and their special interest, hourly raffles,

coupons for discounted merchandise and servic-es all represent small to-kens which reinforce the appreciation that HASC Center has for these hard working individuals.

HASC Center Recognition Week

Integration of the special-needs community in mainstream society

reached new heights this summer when ten young men with special needs per-formed in front of a 10,000 strong audi-ence at the English Siyum Hashas which took place this summer in Yerushalayim. The Pirchei Seeach Choir, a choir under the auspices of Seeach Sod, a pioneering special ed. organization in Israel, was honored to perform at the English Siyum HaShas on August 5th in the Binyanei Ha’muah auditorium. As the choir got on stage and began sing-ing Carlbach’s classic “Tov L’hodos”, the crowd started singing, dancing and clapping along with avid enthusiasm.

Believe it or not, the main soloist in the choir is severely autistic. Avemel is not verbally responsive, yet he carries a tune beautifully and his melodic voice moves listeners from all walks of life. One member of the audience remarked, “The performance last night was noth-ing short of magnificent. The singing electrified the crowd. Everyone was clapping, singing, dancing… It was one of the most heartwarming sights I have ever seen.” A woman who watched the perfor-mance on a live hookup in the women’s hall relayed the following message to the choir members: “Your singing was beautiful and very inspiring. The Seeach

Sod choir was one of the best parts of the Siyum HaShas for me! Thank you for being there and singing for everyone. I hope to see the choir at other events.” What an incredible achievement and merit to have special boys participate in the Siyum Hashas along with the rest of Klal Yisrael! Who could have imagined such an achievement, just three decades ago? Society has certainly come a long way in mainstreaming the special-needs community!

The Pirchei Seeach Choir:Making Major Inroads in Community Integration

102 December 2012

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:DECEMBER 30, 2012Ohel Sibshops Chanukah PartyYeshiva of Flatbush1609 Avenue JBrooklyn, New [email protected] 718.686.34972:00-4:00 pmPost Chanukah party and carnival for the boys and girls who attend all branches of Ohel’s Sibshops or who would like to join.

DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 10, 2013YACHAD Birthright Trip to Israel212-613-8266 Nichole [email protected] YACHAD and Taglit Birthright have joined to provide an opportunity for participants with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities aged 18 to 26 to enjoy a 10 day supervised group trip to Israel. This fully accessible trip will visit Jerusalem, North-ern Israel, Masada, ride camels, and other exciting activities around the country.

JANUARY 6, 2013OHEL Sibshops for Boys—BrooklynBrooklyn, New Yorkwww.ohelfamily.orgalyse_applelaum@ohelfamily.org718.686.34974:30-7:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish boys ages 7-12 from Brooklyn. Reservations requested.

Down Syndrome Support Group for Parent of Infants & Toddlers at Gigi’s PlayhouseNew York New York [email protected] www.gigisplayhouse.org/newyork 10:00 amJoin other new parents to discuss their ex-periences. Make connections, receive sup-port and learn about resources helpful to the Down syndrome community. This is for anyone with a child in Early Interven-tion (ages 0-3). Future dates - February 3, March 3, April 7, May 5 and June 2.

JANUARY 12, 2013 / NEW YORK CITYOhel Sibshops for Teen Girls—Five Towns: Far Rockaway, New York718.686.3497

[email protected] 7:30-10:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish teenage girls ages 13-16 from the Five Towns.Reservations requested.

JANUARY 13, 2013OHEL Sibshops for Girls—BrooklynBrooklyn, New Yorkwww.ohelfamily.orgalyse_applelaum@ohelfamily.org718.686.34974:30-7:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish girls ages 7-12 from Brooklyn. Reservations requested.

JANUARY 16, 2013Neurofibromatosis / SchwannomatosisSupport Group Meeting Portland, Oregonwww.ctf.org 212.344.6633

JANUARY 19, 2013Ohel Sibshops for Teen GirlsBrooklyn, New [email protected] 7:30-10:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish teenage girls ages 13-16 from Brooklyn.Reservations requested. JANUARY 20, 2013OHEL Sibshops for BoysFive Towns: Far Rockaway, New Yorkwww.ohelfamily.orgalyse_applelaum@ohelfamily.org718.686.34974:30-7:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish boys ages 7-12 from the Five Towns.Reservations requested.

JANUARY 27, 2013 OHEL Sibshops for GirlsFive Towns: Far Rockaway , New Yorkwww.ohelfamily.orgalyse_applelaum@ohelfamily.org718.686.34974:30-7:00 pmSibling support group for Jewish girls ages 7-12 from the Five Towns.Reservations requested.

International Conference onEating DisordersJerusalem, [email protected] Conference sponsored by the Israeli As-sociation of Eating Disorders, featuring a number of experts in the field.

APRIL 15-17, 2013ARC Disability Policy SeminarWashington DCwww.disabilitypolicyseminar.org

APRIL 17-19, 2013Young Child Expo & ConferenceNew York, New York212.787.9700 ext 333www.youngchildexpo.comThe Young Child Expo & Conference will provide early childhood professionals & parents the latest information about early childhood development, services, resourc-es, and products to help all children reach their full potential. In one unique event, this conference integrates learning about a wide variety of important topics affect-ing typically developing children as well as those with special needs, including autism.

APRIL 18-21, 2013Neurofibramatosis ForumNashville, Tennessee www.ctf.org 212.344.6633The NF Forum is a weekend-long patient and family support meeting open to all people living with NF and their families. NF Forum attendees learn about he latest medial advancements in neurofibromato-sis, get practical advice on NF related is-sues, and learn about resources provided by the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

MAY 2-3, 2013Abilities Expo—New YorkEdison, New Jerseywww.abilitiesexpo.com Abilities Expo is the place for people with disabilities to find solutions. They show-case the latest in products and services, as well as solutions for physical, sensory, learning, and developmental disabilities. Vendors are on hand to demonstrate their products. Activities include workshops and sports demos. Free admission.

Connecting Parents of Children With Special Needs

COURTESY OF

BULLETIN BOARD

SensoryCritters.com and With a Brush of Love can design your

new Multi-Sensory room for any bud-get. Their experts have designed thou-sands of rooms, and are now offering to include Sensory Designer / Color Consultant Lauren S. Henry to com-plete their design team for your home or facility. From a Relaxation room designed to calm and de-escalate people who are agitated or upset, to an Interac-tive Multi-sensory room to aid in the development of life skills includ-ing switching, gross and fine motor skills, cause and effect, color, num-ber and shape recognition, track-ing, hand to eye coordination and much more, the experts assist in de-signing and creating the ideal sen-sory room for your requirements. The purposes and aims of a sen-

sory room are to provide a welcom-ing environment that can promote interaction, relaxation and calm but can also provide: Sensory Stimulation Relaxation Development of skills Improved hand/eye coordination Explore cause and effect Encourage communication and the use of language The MSR environment is safe and nonthreatening. Children and adults with disabilities or other limiting con-ditions enjoy gentle stimulation of the primary senses. Participants experi-ence self-control, autonomous discov-ery, and exploration – achievements that overcome inhibitions, enhance self-esteem, and reduce tension. Multi-Sensory Rooms have been used in the following areas:

Profound Multiple Disabilities Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) Pediatrics Physical Disabilities Mental Health Alzheimer’s/Dementia Call Today to get started! SensoryCritters.com 866-749-2737 www.SensoryCraver.com With a Brush of Love 240-506-1716 www.brushoflove.com.

SensoryCritters.com

December 2012 103

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RELATEDSERVICES

ASPERGER

THERAPY

IEP

AUTIS

M

SENSORYPROCESSING

DISORDER

EARLYINTERVENTION

MEDICAID WAIVER

SPECIALEDUCATION

RES-

HAB

EVALUATION

ADHD

SERVICECOORDINATION


A Supplement of theJune 2013June 2013

REDEFININGSPECIAL NEEDS


ALSO FEATURING: DOWN SYNDROME UPDATE

PLACES TO GO ALL ABOUT PREEMIES and muchmore…

Join Us AgainFor Our

Next Big IssueJune 2013

Visit us at: www.buildingblocksmagazine.com

104 December 2012

• Outpatient counseling centers • Male & female staff needed• Evening and Sunday hours available • Full or part-time, fee-for-service providers• Post-graduate training & supervision providedResponsibilities include:• Providing psychotherapy to children and adults in individual, family, couples, and group treatment modalities • Maintenance of clinical charts Job requirements:• LMSW/LCSW, PsyD, or PhD, Licensed Psychologist• Computer competency for all positions • Bilingual in Yiddish, Russian, Spanish, or Hebrew preferred To apply, send resumes to [email protected] or fax (718) 854-5495

FRUM SOCIAL WORKERS & PSYCHOLOGISTS NEEDED

After-School HoursPositions available for Community Habtrainers with experience. Well payingjobs with special needs individuals.

P/T late afternoon hrsMon-Thurs & Weekends:

Email resumes to [email protected]

RECRUITMENT

Apply online at www.mksalomon.com

Positions available for E.I., preschool & school-aged children: SLPs, OTs, PTs Licensed Psychologists Special Educators—ABA Service Coordinators

BILINGUAL A PLUS

Geographical Areas: Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn

$100 Sign-on bonus!

Celebrating 15 years of service!

Helping kids do their best!

December 2012 105

Spend just one hour per week with a child or adult with disabilities.

Boro Park/Flatbush group home settings.

Read, learn, play a game/music, walk together, be a friend, share a hobby, etc.

Male and Female volunteers welcome, ages 16 and up.

Want to make a huge difference - in someone else’s life? - in your own life?

Contact ShaindyWomens League Community Residences718-853-0900 ext. 308

BECOME A VOLUNTEER!

RECRUITMENTTo advertise in this

section of the June 2013Building Blocks,

please contact David at:[email protected] or 718.330.1100 ext. 372

106 December 2012

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

For further information or to advertise please contact: Moshe Klass at 718.330.1100 ext. 352 or [email protected]* All submissions become the property of Building Blocks and may not be returned. Publication is subject to the discretion of the editors. Please do not submit previously published material.

BECOME A PART OF THE NEXT

To Be Published June 2013

ASK THE EXPERT

To ask a question of one of ourtherapists, advocates or educators.Contact Chaya Klass at: [email protected]

BULLETIN BOARD

To have pictures of your events postedfree of charge in this section.

Contact Eli Stein at: [email protected]

FAMILY FORUM & SIBS SPEAKFor a member of a family with a special

needs individual to submit an anecdote, advice, or comment.

Contact Ruchi Eisenbach at: [email protected]

ORGANIZATIONAL LISTINGSTo be included in the next directory freeof charge, request a submission form at

[email protected] - a form must be submitted to update any previously published listing.


RELATEDSERVICES

ASPERGER

THERAPY

IEP

AUTIS

M

SENSORYPROCESSINGDISORDER

EARLYINTERVENTION

MEDICAID WAIVER

SPECIALEDUCATION

RES-

HAB

EVALUATION

ADHD

SERVICECOORDINATION


A Supplement of the

June 2013June 2013


REDEFININGSPECIAL NEEDSALSO FEATURING: DOWN SYNDROME UPDATE PLACES TO GO ALL ABOUT PREEMIES and muchmore…

2nd Nature Acupuncture 89Abilities Expo 59The Ability Center 85AdaptiveClothingShowroom.com 68Ahava Medical & Rehabilitation 4, 104American Discount Medical 73APR - Advanced Professional Resources 79, 105Beineinu 35Blanche Kahn Medical Center 43Bussani Mobility Team 69Camp Kaylie 50Camp Ruach Hachaim 24CBR - Creative Business Resources 81Challenge Early Intervention Center 78EDUC.A.R.E 89eTree / Tree of Knowledge 37Gutman Physical Therapy, PC 78Hamaspik 2Hand in Hand Family Services 83HASC Center 21, 104HASC Pre-School Programs 8HASC School Age Program 39

Human Care Services 7, 104JBFCS - Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services 25, 104Jumpstart Early Intervention 104Rabbi Reuven Kamin MA 91Kaplen JCC on the Palisades 79Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Camp Tikvah 87Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Therapeutic Nursery 83Kew Gardens SEP 31, 105Ilene Klass MS, OTR/L 89Dana Ledereich, MA OT/L 87Marion K. Salomon & Associates, Inc. 105Maxi-Health Research Inc. 107Ohel Bais Ezra 3, 20Ohel Children’s Home & Family Services 89Orthocraft, Inc. 83Otsar Family Services 87, 104Paul Stadler - INPP Method See InsertPaul Stadler - INPP Method 57Portable Wheelchair Ramps 70

Preferred Services Back PageP’TACH 42SensoryCritters.com 69, 72Shema Kolainu/Hear our Voices 49Special Care for Families & Children’s Services 105Spirit! Magazine 85Tafkid 48, 91Therapro 73Thivierge & Rothberg P.C. 87Touro College Speech & Hearing Center 11TTI - Testing & Training International 9, 55Women’s League Community Residences 105Yachad / National Jewish Council for Disabilities 15, 85Yachad / NJCD 104Yachad Family Shabbaton 53Yad B’Yad Academy 33Yedei Chesed 81Young Child Conference 61

December 2012 107

Building Blocks Magazine December 2012

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