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Students with special needs create art at Q-C studio

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Jan 04 2011
Kay Luna, Quad-City Times The Quad-City Times | Posted: Tuesday, January 4, 2011 2:00 am With slow, deliberate movements of her paintbrush, Becca Keim adds strokes of red, blue and yellow to her canvas. In a room full of other young people, talking, laughing and carrying on around her, the 18-year-old Moline High School student stays quiet as she works. And she smiles to herself as the painting evolves into a picture of a flower. "I like to paint," she tells a visitor. "I like drawing shapes." She likes to draw animals, too, adds Mark Smith, co-founder of the Hand-in-Hand organization in Bettendorf. That's where Keim and many other teens and young adults with special needs get together once a month to create artwork through a new program called Inspiration Studio. During classes led by Qua...

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Autism Research: Breakthrough Discovery on the Causes of Autism

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Dec 21 2010
From Huffington Post, By Mark Hyman, MD; practicing physician www.huffingtonpost.com; posted Dec. 11 2010 Imagine being the parent of a young child who is not acting normally and being told by your doctor that your child has autism, that there is no known cause, and there is no known treatment except, perhaps, some behavioral therapy. That is exactly what Jackson's parents were told as their 22-month-old son regressed into the non-verbal psychic prison of social withdrawal, disconnection, and repetitive behaviors typical of autism. While we don't have all the answers, and more research is needed to identify and validate the causes and treatment of autism, there are new signs of hope. A study just published in The Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers from the University of California, Davis called "Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism" (i) [see EFTV's episode on...

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WIN A Brand New XBOX 360 4G Console + Kinect Contest/Giveaway

Posted by Renee Burton Charlan on Dec 15 2010
This is an awesome opportunity to enter to win something SUPER COOL and also help out a family who is looking for suggestions. Be sure to scroll down and click the link to offer your suggestions and enter to win at prayfornathan.org   "I (Nathan Dorje's Mom) promised an awesome giveaway so here it is. And when I mean awesome I mean AWESOME because the Kinect ROCKS. And why, oh why, might you think, am I giving away a kinect? There are 2 reasons: 1. Because it is SO MUCH FUN for the whole family! This is a giveaway that even the mommies can enjoy. Most of us don’t ever have time to go to the gym or exercise. With the kinect you can work out, lose weight, stay healthy…all from the comfort of home. It is so much more fun than the WII! Typical kids will love it and the SN kiddos that are mobile can exercise and therapize while having fun. 2. Because I need some help. We have been working with Nathan’s Dynavox for about 6 months now, and have made progress but...

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Holiday Shopping Made Easier for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Dec 06 2010
Released: 12/6/2010 12:10 PM EST Source: Kennedy Krieger Institute Newswise — Holiday shopping is overwhelming – especially for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. Yet, with a few smart shopping tips, fulfilling holiday gift lists can be a breeze. Purchasing toys and games for a child with special needs does not have to be more complicated than buying a toy for a typically developing child. Cost, safety, educational value, age-appropriateness – and of course, your child’s interest – are all factors that don’t change. Look for toys that help build skills that meet therapeutic goals and those that balance a child’s developmental age with her/his chronological age. Avoid toys that needlessly put a child in a win or lose situation. “It is possible to find many good toy options for children with special needs in any toy store,” says Elisa Mintz Delia of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, an institution devoted to improving the lives of chi...

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International Day of Persons with Disabilities - December 3, 2010

Posted by Renee Burton Charlan on Dec 03 2010
International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December 2010 The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December was established by the International Year for Disabled Persons (1981). The Day aims to promote a better understanding of disability issues with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities and gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities. The goal of full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society and development was established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982.   Through the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1982) and the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with D...

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Georgia special needs organization wins $50,000 from Pepsi

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Dec 01 2010
by Sarah Bleau Fox31Online www.mysouthwestga.com LEESBURG, GA -- Butterfly Kisses won a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Money will go toward a playground for these kids as a part of the organization, Butterfly Kisses. Leesburg Church of God donated approximately one acre of land, free of charge. Other businesses are planning to donate some playground equipment. Butterfly Kisses Founder Traci Henry says winning the money still feels like a dream. “It feels good! This is my playground! There’s no equipment yet but we’ve got the land clear and ready to go,” says Henry. Henry says the idea for the playground came from taking her son who has Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy to a playground Leesburg and him not being able to safely use the equipment there. She says equipment at the new playground will be safe for children with any type of disability or handicap; there will also be equipment family members can use while they play alongside....

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Grandview's Spirit Squad Gets Thank You From Oprah

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Nov 23 2010
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The Spirit Squad from Grandview High School will get a heartfelt "thank you" from Oprah on her show Friday. They are one of a kind in Colorado -- champions of making sure all students are included and respected. Grandview's got a big football game on Saturday -- the Wolves are in the semi finals. They take on the Mullen Mustangs on Saturday. Grandview is hoping to go on to capture the 5-A championship, but they've already stolen the hearts of anybody who's watched a game. Grandview's Spirit Squad is energetic, enthusiastic and excited for the home team. But the squad is also all about rooting for each other. It started with Grandview's athletic director Jon Hoerl. "We like to live by the mantra here that we always do what's best for kids and that's all of our kids," Hoerl said. Hoerl's wife Marcia is the cheerleading coach. She suggested a special spirit squad she'd seen at another school. "So we borrowed and stole what they were doing," she said. This year, varsity cheerleaders embraced eight students with special needs. "You teach them the cheer once an...

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Group Offers Dreams to Special Kids

Posted by Nathan Charlan on Nov 18 2010
By 8NewsNow.com LAS VEGAS -- You've heard of the Special Olympics -- kids with special needs who win medals for track and field. But, what about those special needs kids who just want to sing, dance and perform on Broadway someday? Lifelong Dreams is group that helps those kids with special needs achieve those dreams, and those dreams are coming true. James Alovea has always dreamed of singing in front of an audience. "I like that you can get to be free with your voice and let it all out," he said. His life has been confined to this wheelchair. Cerebral palsy made James believe his love for music would never be heard, until now. Lifelong Dreams has given dozens of kids with special needs the chance to sing, dance and perform. "They should have an opportunity to express themselves. That's what inspired us," said Lifelong Dreams co-founder Tshlene Henreid. Henreid and co-founder Cathy Warriner started Lifelong Dreams three years ago. Henreid used to be a dancer herself, before rheumatoid arthritis shattered her d...

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Exceptional Family TV on 9NEWS in Denver, CO

Posted by Renee Burton Charlan on Nov 16 2010
written by: Jeffrey Wolf  Tom Cole ARVADA - There is a reality show in Arvada and it does not involve loosing weight or surviving on an island. There are no stars, except for one: Zach Charlan. He is 3 years old and the reason his parents came up with the idea for an online reality show. Zach was diagnosed with cerebral palsy early in his life. "We have had a lot of feedback for the exact same reason that we wanted to do this, which was for the community to be able to make friends going through the same thing as us," Renee Charlan, Zach's mother, said. The idea behind the show, Exceptional Family...

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