Autism Insider Newsletter Mar 2011

1 - Autism Insider Newsletter, March 2011 Issue

March 2011 - Issue #18

South Florida Autism Newsletter FREE

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Potential Tax Credits forDependants WithSpecial Needs

Helping Childrenwith Autism:Autism TreatmentStrategies andParenting Tips

Stem CellTreatmentFor Autism:

Restoring BrainDamage

GFCF BreadRecipes!!!

And Much More!!!

In this issue...


Inside This Issue...

GENERAL ARTICLES

The Super Swimmers Foundation Page 3

Potential Tax Credits For Dependants

With Special Needs Pages 4 & 5

Helping Children with Autism:

Autism Treatment Strategies and Parenting Tips

By Melinda Smith, M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.

and Ted Hutman, Ph.D Pages 6 & 7

Stem Cell Treatment For Autism:

Restoring Brain Damage Page 8

Autism Chatter:The Closest you will ever get to exotic butterflies!!!By Sarah Sweeney Page 10

Recipe Of The Month: Breads!!! Page 11

Workshops and Lectures Around Town!!! Page 11

Contact Us.For general information or advertisementopportunities, please call or email us [email protected]

Luciana C Leo (786) 306-4967

Sarah Sweeney (954) 258-1898

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The Super SwimmersFoundat ion is dedicatedto teach ing ch i ld renwi th aut ism to learn toswim both sa fe ly andsuccessfu l ly in thewater . Throughswimming the mind andbody are bo ths t imu la ted there foreimprov ing a ch i ld ’sspeech, muscu lar

deve lopment , and conf idence in a fun , lov ingenvironment. Ju l ie Gross a long wi th her dedicatedteam of professional swim instructors is making thedream of having a super center that promotes botheducat ion and physical f i tness for the communi ty areal i ty . They see the benef i ts of swimming on a dai lybasis and they are proud to provide swimming lessons,guidance and support to fami l ies wi th chi ldren wi thaut ism.

Jul ie Gross and the Swim wi th Mr. Blue team areCPR/Firs t Aid cer t i f ied, and L i feguard cer t i f ied. Theyprovide the mot ivat ion and encouragement needed tohelp swimmers learn to swim safe ly and successfu l lyin a safe gent le envi ronment. Through a var iety ofcolor fu l characters prov id ing v isuals, repet i t ive swim

safety songs, and associat ion tools Swim wi th Mr.Blue’s swim lessons are benef ic ia l for those chi ldrenrequ i r ing spec i f i c learn ing needs. She has awonderfu l ly enter ta in ing Learn to Swim wi th Mr. Bluebook and DVD f i l led wi th fun songs and a mot ivat ionalstory of a f ish named Mr. Blue that help capture achi ld ’s imaginat ion and make learn ing to swim fun.

Jul ie and her team are proud to be involved in thesupport and educat ion of aut ism. They understand thati t is the ef for ts of a communi ty work ing together thatcreates a healthy environment for chi ldren to learn andgrow. Through the Super Swimmers Foundat ion Jul ieand her team wi l l work wi th thei r communi ty to prov idefur ther resources for parents, ch i ldren and fami l ies ofchi ldren wi th aut ism.For more in fo rmat ion on The Super SwimmersFoundat ion, p lease call (561) 755-7254 or f ind us atwww.superswimmersfoundat ion.orgTwit ter account swimmers4aut ism

Jul ie Gross can a lso be reachedat Swim wi th Mr. Blue (954) 956-9955Email [email protected] www.superswimmersfoundation.org

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When a child has been identified with a learning difference andis placed in a program that addresses these needs, you areentitled to many income deductions as “Medical Expense”,provided the expenses are made to alleviate your child’scondition.You are entitled to deduct as medical expenses the cost of:

� Educational services

� Equipment and supplies

� Hospital Services

� Laboratory exams and tests

� Medical treatments

� Medicines and drugs

� Professional services

� Transportation

� Food expenses if your child is following a diet prescribed bya physician

� Other medical expenses incurred to alleviate your child’smental or physical condition

It is important to document all expenses by:

1. Keeping careful records of all expenses with receipts, dateof expense, for at least three years, for possible auditingpurposes.

2. Obtaining certification from your doctor that the expensehas been made for one or more of the following: diagnosis,cure, alleviations, prevention, treatment, or dysfunction ofyour child’s mental or physical condition.

Educational Services

The following educational services are tax deductible as medicalexpenses if they are incurred to alleviate your child’s physicalor mental condition:

� Tuition costs for a special education day school (Section213-1/e/Internal Revenue Code 1954) (Revenue Ruling58-280) (Revenue Ruling 69-499; C. B. 1969-239)

� Tuition costs for a special education class in a regular school(Revenue Ruling 70-285)

� Tuition, room and board costs for residential school(Revenue Ruling 58-280) (Section 213-1/e/InternalRevenue Code 1954)

� Tuition costs for special education class in a parochialschool (Revenue Ruling 71-347)

� Tuition and tutoring fees for learning-disabled child by aneurological disorder (Revenue Ruling 69-607, C. B 1969-2,40)

� Special instruction or training such as lip reading, signlanguage, speech instruction, Braille (Section-1/e/InternalRevenue Code 1954)

Transportation

Transportation costs that are deductible as medical expensesare those incurred. Transporting your disabled child and yourselfto and from:

� Special schools and institutions

� Hospital and clinics

� Doctor’s offices and pharmacists

(R. T. Olson 23-TCM-2008. Commerce Clearing HouseExplanation No. 2019-793)

If you provide transportation yourself, you may deduct 10 centsper mile, parking and toll fees, or actual cost of operating yourvehicle (Rev. Proc. 8261, C. B. 1982-2, 8+9)

If you visit your disabled child at a special school or institution,you may deduct transportation costs, but not meals and lodging,only if medical experts deem your visit a necessary part oftreatment (Revenue Ruling 58-533)

If you have a person accompany your disabled child who cannottravel alone (to a special school or institution, hospital, clinic ordoctor’s office) this cost is also tax deductible (Revenue Ruling58-110)

Transportation costs that are not deductible are:

� Transportation to and from work even if disability requiresspecial transportation

� Transportation incurred for non-medical reasons (such asoperation or medical care in a resort area when theseservices are available in your home area)

� Transportation as part of a vacation, even If taken toimprove general health, on the recommendations of a doctor.

Medical Treatments

Acupuncture, blood transfusion, diathermy, electric shocktreatment, hearing services, hydrotherapy (water treatments),injections, insulin treatments, kidney donor expenses, nursingoxygen, patterning (Revenue Ruling 70-170, C. B. 1970-1, 51),Pre-natal; post-natal treatments, psychotherapy, radium therapy,ultraviolet ray treatments, whirlpool baths, x-ray treatments.

Evaluations, laboratory Examinations, and Tests

Blood tests, cardiographs, diagnosis evaluations, metabolismtests, spinal fluid tests, sputum tests, stool examinations,Urinalysis, X-Ray examinations.

Potential Tax Credits for Dependants With Special Needs


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Medicines

Costs of prescription drugs.

Special food or drinks to treat an illness used as a supplementto normal diet; extra cost of special foods prescribed by medicalspecialists.

Professional Services

Alcoholic inpatient care cost, Ambulance, Anesthesiologists,Chiropractor (Licensed), Christian Science Practitioner,Convalescent home (Revenue Ruling 69-499, C. B. 1969-2, 39)(by analogy), Cosmetic surgery for medical purposes only,Dentist, Dermatologist, Drug treatment inpatient cost,Gynecologist, Halfway house (IRS letter ruling 7714016 C. B.1969-2, 39) (by analogy), Health insurance premium, Hospitalservices, Legal fees connected with determination of mentallyill persons (Revenue Ruling 71-281, C. B. 1971, 166),Neurologist, Nursing home services (including attendant care),Obstetrician, Occupational Therapist, Oculist, Ophthalmologist,Optician, Optometrist, Organ transplant (including transportationexpenses for donor), Orthopedist, Osteopath (licensed),Pediatrician, Physiotherapist, Plastic Surgeon, Podiatrist,Practical or other nonprofessional nurse for medical servicesonly, Psychiatrist, Psychoanalyst, Psychologist, RegisteredNurse (including room and board costs), Sanitarium, Shelteredworkshop (letter from Mortimer M. Caplin, U. S. Commissionerof Internal Revenue to Dr. Stafford L. Warren, Special Assistantto the President for Mental Retardation, July 8, 1964), socialworker, Speech Therapist, Sterilization, Surgeon, Wages forguides dos expenses for blind or deaf persons.

Equipment and Supplies

Abdominal supports, air conditioner where necessary for relieffrom an allergy or for relieving difficulty in breathing, arches,artificial teeth or eyes, autoette (auto device for disabled person)but not if used to travel to job or business, back supports, braces,Braille books less cost over regular editions (Revenue Ruling75-318, IRB 1975-88), contact lenses, cost of installing stair-seatelevator for person with heart condition, cost of making yourhome accessible less the increase in fair market value, crutches,elastic hosiery, eyeglasses, fluoridation unit in home, hearingaids, heating devices, invalid chair, iron lung, orthopedic shoesless the cost of regular shoes, oxygen equipment, prostheses,reclining chair if prescribed by doctor, repair of special telephoneequipment for the deaf, sacroiliac belt, special mattress andplywood bed boards for relief of arthritis, splints, swimming poolprescribed for physical therapy (and not used for recreation),telephone/teletype equipment and television adapter for closedcaptions, truss, wig advised by doctors as essential to mentalhealth of person who lost all his/her hair from disease.

Child Care for Employment Purposes

If you are gainfully employees or actively seeking employment,you are allowed a tax credit for a portion of child care ordependent care expenses for disabled adults during the timeyou work or seek employment - in the amount of up to 30% ofwork - related expenses.

Your work-related expenses for tax credit is limited to:

� $2400 per year for care of one disabled child or disabledadult

� $2800 per year for care of two or more disabled

� Payments to relatives qualify for the childcare tax credit aslong as the relative is not claimed as a dependent. You arenot allowed tax credit for home care payments made to yourdependent under 19 years of age (Reg. 1.44A-4(i)).

Please note: Child care and disabled dependent care expensesare claimed as a tax credit not as a deduction. This means thatyou do not have to itemize your tax liability dollar-to-dollar.

You must file Form 1040 or 1040A (not Form 1040EZ) to claimcredit.

Volunteer Expenses

If you work as a volunteer for a tax-exempt non-profitorganization, you are allowed to deduct as a charitablecontribution:

Travel expenses, including transportation to and from theorganization; parking and toll fees; meals and lodging whiletraveling for the organization. You may deduct the actualoperation costs of your car in volunteer work, or a flat mileagerate of $0.14 per mile.

Volunteer expenses that are not deductible are: Activitiesincurred as part of lobbying activities; and childcare costsincurred to enable you to do volunteer work.


There are many things parents can do to help children with autismovercome their challenges and get the most of life. From learningall you can about autism spectrum disorders to getting your childinto treatment right away, you can make a big difference.

It’s also important to make sure you get the support you need. Whenyou’re looking after a child with autism, taking care of yourself is notan act of selfishness—it’s a necessity. Being emotionally strongallows you to be the best parent you can be to your child in need.Read on to learn how to choose effective treatments for your child,and where to look for support. Plus, you’ll also find parenting tips tohelp make daily home life with an autistic kid easier.

A parent’s guide to autism treatment and support

If you've recently learned that your child has or might have an autismspectrum disorder, you're probably wondering and worrying aboutwhat comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child isanything other than happy and healthy, and a diagnosis of autismcan be particularly frightening. You may be unsure about how tobest help your child or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Oryou may have been told that autism is an incurable, lifelongcondition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make adifference.

While it is true that autism is not something a person simply "growsout of", there are many treatments that can help children learn newskills and overcome a wide variety of developmental challenges.From free government services to in-home behavioral therapy andschool-based programs, assistance is available to meet your child'sspecial needs. With the right treatment plan, and a lot of love andsupport, your child can learn, grow, and thrive.

Don’t wait for a diagnosis

As the parent of a child with autism or related developmental delays,the best thing you can do is to start treatment right away. Seek helpas soon as you suspect something’s wrong. Don't wait to see if yourchild will catch up later or outgrow the problem. Don't even wait foran official diagnosis. The earlier children with autism spectrumdisorders get help, the greater their chance of treatment success.Early intervention is the most effective way to speed up your child'sdevelopment and reduce the symptoms of autism.

Helping children with autism tip 1: Provide structure and safety

Learning all you can about autism and getting involved in treatmentwill go a long way toward helping your child. Additionally, thefollowing tips will make daily home life easier for both you and yourautistic child:

� Be consistent. Children with autism have a hard time adaptingwhat they’ve learned in one setting (such as the therapist’s officeor school) to others, including the home. For example, your childmay use sign language at school to communicate, but never thinkto do so at home. Creating consistency in your child’senvironment is the best way to reinforce learning. Find out whatyour child’s therapists are doing and continue their techniques athome. Explore the possibility of having therapy take place in morethan one place in order to encourage your child to transfer whathe or she has learned from one environment to another. It’s alsoimportant to be consistent in the way you interact with your childand deal with challenging behaviors.

� Stick to a schedule. Children with autism tend to do best whenthey have a highly-structured schedule or routine. Again, this

goes back to the consistency they both need and crave. Set upa schedule for your child, with regular times for meals, therapy,school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to aminimum. If there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepareyour child for it in advance.

� Reward good behavior. Positive reinforcement can go a long waywith children with autism, so make an effort to “catch them doingsomething good.” Praise them when they act appropriately orlearn a new skill, being very specific about what behavior they’rebeing praised for. Also look for other ways to reward them forgood behavior, such as giving them a sticker or letting them playwith a favorite toy.

� Create a home safety zone. Carve out a private space in yourhome where your child can relax, feel secure, and be safe. Thiswill involve organizing and setting boundaries in ways your childcan understand. Visual cues can be helpful (colored tape markingareas that are off limits, labeling items in the house with pictures).You may also need to safety proof the house, particularly if yourchild is prone to tantrums or other self-injurious behaviors.

Helping children with autism tip 2: Find nonverbal ways toconnect

Connecting with a child with autism can be challenging, but you don’tneed to talk in order to communicate and bond. You communicateby the way you look at your child, the way you touch him or her, andby the tone of your voice and your body language. Your child is alsocommunicating with you, even if he or she never speaks. You justneed to learn the language.

Helping Children with Autism: Autism Treatment Strategies and Parenting TipsBy Melinda Smith, M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Ted Hutman, Ph.D (UCLA Center for Autism Research &Treatment) contributed with this article

When your child has autism: Tips for parents

� Learn about autism. The more you know about autismspectrum disorders, the better equipped you’ll be tomake informed decisions for your child. Educateyourself about the treatment options, ask questions,and participate in all treatment decisions.

� Become an expert on your child. Figure out whattriggers your kid’s “bad” or disruptive behaviors andwhat elicits a positive response. What does yourautistic child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable?Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child,you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems andpreventing situations that cause difficulties.

� Accept your child, quirks and all. Rather than focusingon how your autistic child is different from otherchildren and what he or she is “missing,” practiceacceptance. Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebratesmall successes, and stop comparing your child toothers. Feeling unconditionally loved and acceptedwill help your child more than anything else.

� Don’t give up. It’s impossible to predict the course ofan autism spectrum disorder. Don’t jump toconclusions about what life is going to be like for yourchild. Like everyone else, people with autism have anentire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.


� Look for nonverbal cues. If you are observant and aware, youcan learn to pick up on the nonverbal cues that children withautism use to communicate. Pay attention to the kinds of soundsthey make, their facial expressions, and the gestures they usewhen they’re tired, hungry, or want something.

� Figure out the need behind the tantrum. It’s only natural to feelupset when you are misunderstood or ignored, and it’s nodifferent for children with autism. When children with autism actout, it’s often because you’re not picking up on their nonverbalcues. Throwing a tantrum is their way communicating theirfrustration and getting your attention.

� Make time for fun. A child coping with autism is still a kid. Forboth children with autism and their parents, there needs to bemore to life than therapy. Schedule playtime when your child ismost alert and awake. Figure out ways to have fun together bythinking about the things that make your child smile, laugh, andcome out of their shell. Your child is likely to enjoy these activitiesmost if they don’t seem therapeutic or educational. There aretremendous benefits that result from your enjoyment of yourchild’s company and from your child’s enjoyment of spendingunpressured time with you. Play is an essential part of learningand shouldn’t feel like work.

� Pay attention to your child’s sensory sensitivities. Many childrenwith autism are hypersensitive to light, sound, touch, taste, andsmell. Other children with autism are “under-sensitive” tosensory stimuli. Figure out what sights, sounds, smells,movements, and tactile sensations trigger your kid’s “bad” ordisruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. Whatdoes your autistic child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable?Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll bebetter at troubleshooting problems, preventing situations thatcause difficulties, and creating successful experiences.

Helping children with autism tip 3: Create a personalized autismtreatment plan

With so many different autism treatments available, and it can betough to figure out which approach is right for your child. Makingthings more complicated, you may hear different or even conflictingrecommendations from parents and doctors. When putting togetheran autism treatment plan for your child, keep in mind that there is nosingle treatment that will work for everyone. Each person on theautism spectrum is unique, with different strengths and weaknesses.

Your child’s treatment should be tailored according to his or herindividual needs. You know your child best, so it’s up to you to makesure those needs are being met. You can do that by asking yourselfthe following questions:� What are my child’s strengths?� What are my child’s weaknesses?� What behaviors are causing the most problems?� What important skills is my child lacking?� How does my child learn best (through seeing, listening, or

doing)?� What does my child enjoy and how can those activities be used

in treatment?Finally, keep in mind that no matter what autism treatment plan ischosen, your involvement is vital to success. You can help your childget the most out of treatment by working hand-in-hand with theautism treatment team and following through with the therapy athome.

Choosing autism treatments

When it comes to autism treatment, there are a dizzying variety oftherapies and approaches.

Some autism therapies focus on reducing problematic behaviors andbuilding communication and social skills, while others deal withsensory integration problems, motor skills, emotional issues, andfood sensitivities.

With so many choices, it is extremely important to do your research,talk to autism treatment experts, and ask questions. But keep in mindthat you don't have to choose just one type of therapy. The goal ofautism treatment should be to treat all of your child's symptoms andneeds. This often requires a combined treatment approach that takesadvantage of many different types of therapy.

Common autism treatments include behavior therapy, speech-language therapy, play-based therapy, physical therapy,occupational therapy, and nutritional therapy.

Helping children with autism tip 4: Find help and support

Caring for a child with an autism spectrum disorder can demand alot of energy and time. There may be days when you feeloverwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. Parenting isn’t ever easy,and raising a child with special needs is even more challenging. Inorder to be the best parent you can be, it’s essential that you takecare of yourself.

Don’t try to do everything on your own. You don’t have to! There aremany places that families of autistic kids can turn to for advice, ahelping hand, advocacy, and support:

� Autism support groups – Joining an autism support group is agreat way to meet other families dealing with the samechallenges you are. Parents can share information, get advice,and lean on each other for emotional support. Just being aroundothers in the same boat and sharing their experience can go along way toward reducing the isolation many parents feel afterreceiving a child’s autism diagnosis.

� Respite care – Every parent needs a break now and again. Andfor parents coping with the added stress of autism, this isespecially true. In respite care, another caregiver takes overtemporarily, giving you a break for a few hours, days, or evenweeks. To find respite care options in your area, see the box tothe right.

� Individual, marital, or family counseling – If stress, anxiety, ordepression is getting to you, you may want to see a therapist ofyour own. Therapy is a safe place where you can talk honestlyabout everything you’re feeling—the good, the bad, and the ugly.Marriage or family therapy can also help you work out problemsthat the challenges of life with an autistic child are causing inyour spousal relationship or with other family members.

Free U.S. government services for children with autism

Under the U.S. federal law known as the Individuals withDisabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with disabilities...

Article Continues in Next Page (Page 8)

A good autism treatment plan will:� Build on your child's interests.� Offer a predictable schedule.� Teach tasks as a series of simple steps.� Actively engage your child's attention in highly

structured activities.� Provide regular reinforcement of behavior.� Involve the parents.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health


Helping Children With Autism Articles Continues...

—including those with autism spectrum disorders—are eligible fora range of free or low-cost services. Under this provision, childrenin need and their families may receive medical evaluations,psychological services, speech therapy, physical therapy, parentcounseling and training, assisted technology devices, and otherspecialized services.

Children under the age of 10 do not need an autism diagnosis toreceive free services under IDEA. If they are experiencing adevelopmental delay (including delays in communication or socialdevelopment), they are automatically eligible for early interventionand special education services.

Early intervention services (birth through age two)

Infants and toddlers through the age of two receive assistancethrough the Early Intervention program. In order to qualify, your childmust first undergo a free evaluation. If the assessment reveals adevelopmental problem, you will work with early interventiontreatment providers to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan(IFSP). An IFSP describes your child’s needs and the specificservices he or she will receive.

For autism, an IFSP would include a variety of behavior, physical,speech, and play therapies. It would focus on preparing autistic kidsfor the eventual transition to school. Early intervention services aretypically conducted in the home or at a child care center.

To locate local early intervention services for your child, ask yourpediatrician for a referral or use the resources listed in the box below.

Special education services (age three and older)

Children over the age of three receive assistance through school-based programs. As with early intervention, special educationservices are tailored to your child’s individual needs. Children withautism spectrum disorders are often placed with otherdevelopmentally-delayed kids in small groups where they canreceive more individual attention and specialized instruction.However, depending on their abilities, they may also spend at leastpart of the school day in a regular classroom. The goal is to placekids in the least restrictive environment possible where they are stillable to learn.

If you’d like to pursue special education services, your local schoolsystem will first need to evaluate your child. Based on thisassessment, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be created.An IEP outlines the educational goals for your child for the schoolyear. Additionally, it describes the special services or aids the schoolwill provide your child in order to meet those goals.

Reprinted with permission from Helpguide.org © 2001-2010. Allrights reserved. For more information, visit www.Helpguide.org.

Locate free autism services:

Call the National Dissemination Center for Children withDisabilities at 1-800-695-0285 or go tohttp://www.nichcy.org/StateAgencies/Pages/Default.aspx

Search the Early Intervention State Contact List from theNational Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center:http://www.nectac.org/contact/ptccoord.asp

Visit the U.S. Department of Education’s IDEA web siteat: http://idea.ed.gov/

Autism is an abnormaldevelopment of brain functionthat affects 1 in 166 children. Theactual cause of autism isbelieved to be a combination ofgenetic and environmentalfactors that makes some kids tobe more likely to develop thiscondition. However, the rootculprit for autism remainsunknown, scientists can onlyguess at this point and carry out

more research in this field to help thousands of affectedfamilies.

Despite stem cells controversy and obvious opposition tosuch treatments expressed by some religious and publicorganizations, stem cells treatment for autism is a necessarydirection of modern scientific research that can potentiallyhelp reverse brain damage caused by multiple factors. Thereare two major malfunctions that need to be corrected withthe help of stem cell treatment for autism, shortage of oxygenthat reaches the brain and chronic autoimmune responseattacking patient’s own immune systems.

Modern advances in clinical studies allow autism affectedchildren to greatly benefit from the pros of stem cell researchthat offer great prospects of finally finding a cure for thislife-shattering disease.

Stem cells are basic and somewhat primitive forms of cellsthat are intended to develop virtually into any tissue, organor structure of a human body. There are two forms of stemcells, embryonic that can be obtained from a human embryoor aborted fetus and adult stem cells like umbilical cord bloodor bone marrow. Due to modern advances in medicalresearch, scientists are now able to support pros of stem cellresearch by using exclusively adult stem cells and reversethem to a basic state of embryonic cells within a course of afew days without the need to destroy a human embryo thatis considered inhumane in its nature.

During a course of a stem cell treatment for autism a patientgoes through a lumbar puncture to collect bone marrow forthe purpose of harvesting mesenchymal stem cells that laterget processed in a lab. Patient’s own umbilical cord stem cellspecimen could also be used to obtain a dose of the stemcells. The last stage of stem cell treatment for autism involvesan injection of the stem cells back into the patient’s spinalfluid that will later reach the brain and trigger a process ofbrain cell regeneration.

At this point it’s hard to judge if the stem cell treatment forautism is going to be possible at a large scale and evensuccessful at all, but let’s hope that this unique procedurecan help restore health to millions of autistic children in theworld.

Source: http://www.healtharticles101.com

Stem Cell Treatment For AutismRestoring Brain Damage


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I had the wonderfulopportunity to visitButterfly World with myfamily. I didn’t knowwhat reaction toexpect from my sonAndres (AS), since itwas a new anddifferent experiencefor him.

Butterfly World is a great attraction for kids. It has a greatselection of butterflies, flowers and birds. Relaxingclassical music plays throughout the facility, and there areplenty of benches and places to rest. The place is veryclean and well kept, and the staff if super friendly. If youare planning to go, you should reserve at least 2 to 3 hoursof your day.

My son had a very relaxing and good time. The classicalmusic and the serenity of the park, makes the environmentvery stress free. As soon as Andres stepped into thefacility, magic happened! His anxiety level went down andhis stimming behaviors as well as the screamingdisappeared. I could only see a very happy and curiouslittle boy watching everything around him. I was amazed!

Butterfly world is a very large butterfly house. There areseveral linking aviary style screened houses that you canwalk through at your own pace where you can seehundreds of butterflies flitting around.

The three-section butterfly area is simply astounding- aliteral blizzard of butterflies, you almost have to put yourhands up in front of you to ward them off. They wereeverywhere! Flying in the trees and all around us. You cansit on one of the many benches provided and just wait tosee what lands near you. You wander along a series of

winding paths to discoverwhat you can. All the plantsare selected to attractbutterflies. They sellguidebooks for $2 whereyou can check off thebutterflies you spot alongthe way.

There were also severalkinds of hummingbirds,some incredibly small.They also had exotic birdaviaries where you couldsee lots of brightly colored

birds flying around, perching in trees, eating and singing.Another area had a special lorikeet house where you cango in and feed them nectar ($1 a cup)... they will land onyou to drink it, so... “have your cameras ready for somegreat shots!”. There were also Macaws outside on a perchthat were easy to photograph up close.

For plant enthusiasts they had a passion flower vine walk,and a bug museum that was wonderfully gross. For mytypical son this was the highlight of the day... huge andgross bugs from all around the world!!!

I highly recommend the Butterfly world if you want to havea relaxing family time.

Autism Chatter: The Closest you will ever get to exotic butterflies!!!By Sarah Sweeney


An innovative, Saturday “Parent and Me” style classfor ALL children, regardless of exceptionality.

MOVE AND GROOVE Saturdays!Music and Dance Class - Ask for a FREE trial class!

9:00-10:00: Baby Boom! (6 months to 2 years)10:00-11:00: Tapping Tots! (2 years to 4 years)11:00-12:00: Marvelous Movers! (4 years to 6 years)12:00-1:00: Music Makers! (6 years to 9 years)

Program runs from February 5th through May 21st

All classes instructed byBoard-Certified Music Therapist & Board-CertifiedDance/Movement Therapist

RESERVE YOUR CHILD’S SPOT TODAY!Jillian Mehler, MT-BC, NMT

[email protected]

Classes offered at Crystal Academy110 Phoenetia Avenue Coral Gables, Florida 33134

Parent Educational Workshop Series at11155 Southwest 112 Ave, Bldg 2. Miami, FL 33176

March 10, 2011 at 7:00pmIpad tutorial

March 24,2011 at 7:00pmBuilding a better home life (structured activities andplay skills)Presented by Olga Ruiz, Founder and director ofLearning Links school and special needs educator

There is no cost to any workshops. To RSVP pleaselog onto the website:http://www.learninglinksfoundation.org/Upcoming-Workshops.html

March 24 of 2011 at 6:00 PMAutism Society of Miami General MeetingTopic: Summer Camps For Children With AutismAt the Miami Children Hospital in the MainAuditorium, 1st Floor

Support Group G.L.A.M (Girls Living with Autismin Miami): The group will meet on Wednesday,March 23 at Panera Bread, 13672 SW 88 Street -Miami, Florida. From 7 PM to 8 PM.

March 30 at 5:30 PM at GAIN 351 Minorca Ave.Coral Gables, Fl 33134Introduction to biomedical and dietaryinterventions. This is a great lecture for parentsthat want to learn more about biomedical treatmentsand diets such as the GFCF diet. For moreinformation call 305-461-8229

Workshops & Lectures

Around Town!!!

Banana BreadIngredients� 1 stick margarine or butter, softened� 3 large or 3 1/2 small very ripe bananas� 2 cups rice flour (or prepared GF bakingmix)� 1 cup sugar� 1 cup pecans, finely chopped or ground� 2 eggs� 2 teaspoons GF baking powder� 1 teaspoon GF vanilla

DirectionsIn a large bowl, cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla andbananas. In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Combine andbeat until dry ingredients are moist. Stir in pecans. Turn batter into 5 x9-inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 20 minutes or untiltoothpick comes clean out of center. Do not under bake. Yields one loafof 10 large slices. Toasts very well with pecans added as finely groundflour.

White Sandwich Bread

� 1 1/2 cups rice flour.� 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch.� 2 Tbsp sugar.� 1 Tbsp xanthan.� 1 Tbsp dry yeast.� 1 tsp salt.� 1 large egg.� 2 Tbsp oil.� 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.� 1 1/3 cup warm milk substitute.� vegetable oil (or melted margarine) for brushing on top.

Directions1. Preheat oven to 350 F.2. Combine rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, yeast, xanthan, and salt in

a heavy-duty mixer.3. Mix in egg, oil, vinegar and milk substitute. Beat on high speed for 3

minutes to increase air volume in the dough.4. Spoon dough into an oil sprayed 8x4 inch loaf pan.5. Let rise on top of warm oven for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in

size.6. Brush the top of the loaf with vegetable oil (Don't skip this step with

this recipe or the crust will be dry and chalky). Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes.

Note: If not eaten within 24 hours, bread may be sliced and frozen.Removed one slice at a time from freezer as needed. Defrost frozenbread (in microwave) before toasting.

Recipe of The Month: Breads!!!

Autism Insider Newsletter Mar 2011

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Transcript of Autism Insider Newsletter Mar 2011