(Whoever wrote in about the oranges, thanks. I’ve never heard of them. They were in the orange bin at Walmart this weekend. I’m always looking for adventures in food for the kids. The name “blood orange” is a bit obnoxious. Too bad they are not available around Halloween!)

While reading the news, I stumbled over this article. I can’t imagine taking children out in anything but a school bus with a professional driver. Ten years ago we met Miss Sandy. She’s been our driver ever since. Can’t think what we’d do without her. She has her own school bus and is a driver for the county schools.

We go farther than any school in the area. We travel three hours in one direction in the summer, and the idea that someone not used to driving something as big as a school bus would be “discovering” all the oddities and all the problems with 30-40 children aboard makes my skin go cold. We drive through a lot of wilderness. What happens if the “discovery” goes bad? In all the years, in all the miles we’ve traveled, Miss Sandy’s bus, new and energy efficient – for a bus – has never had a single problem.

The vans that are spoken of in this article are a target waiting to be struck in traffic. They are low, long, and built like a car. I doubt I would want one of my grandchildren to ride in one. I think they are horribly dangerous.

If a child is too young to travel by school bus, he is too young to take out. The very idea that he would benefit from a field trip is silly. The idea of field trip is to teach. How can a teacher teach a child who just wants to run?

If you are thinking of a series of field trips, hire a bus and a licensed insured driver. Pay her well and treat her well, and she will be there when you need her.

On the Go

What to Look for When Buying Transportation for Child Care Centers
By Joe Craver

Transportation for a child care center is a major investment. There are a number of options available, so it’s wise to do your homework before making any decisions. Below are a few key factors every administrator should consider before purchasing vehicles for use at a child care center.

In the past, 15-passenger vans were the vehicle of choice for many child care operations. That is changing as safety concerns have caused the federal government and many states to impose restrictions on the use of vans and other non-compliant vehicles for transporting children. In August 2005 President Bush signed the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which, among other things, prohibits preprimary, primary and secondary schools from purchasing new or used non-compliant vehicles for transporting school children.

While the federal law does not specifically address child care centers, center directors should be aware of the increasing restrictions and potential liability of operating noncompliant vehicles. It can be argued that a child care facility that promotes itself as a learning center or early childhood education center should meet the same transportation guidelines as a school. If you operate a non-compliant vehicle, be sure to check with your insurance provider and review state and federal regulations regarding the use of vehicles at your center.

A popular choice for a fully compliant vehicle is the multi-functional school activity bus (MFSAB). These buses meet the same federal safety guidelines as school buses but are not required to have stop-arms or traffic-control lights, and in most states are not required to be yellow. Studies have shown that school buses (including MFSABs) are the safest form of surface transportation. The National Safety Council estimates that the risk of death to a passenger traveling in a school bus is 172 times less than someone traveling in an automobile.

School buses are built with sturdy steel roll cages so they can withstand a rollover much better than other vehicles. In addition, seating is designed to compartmentalize passengers in the event of an accident and seat backs are engineered to absorb energy. School buses are also required to have multiple emergency exits and rugged body construction for side impact protection.

Start by determining how many children you need to transport. A type A small school bus, or MFSAB, often is the best choice. These mini-buses hold from 14 to 30 passengers (plus driver), depending on the length of the bus and seating configuration. Small centers can often get by using a single rear-wheel model with an 84-inch body width, which can hold up to 14 passengers plus the driver. For increased capacity, consider dual rear-wheel type A buses with a 96-inch body width, which typically seat from 19 to 30 passengers. For centers that need full-size school buses, type C conventional buses seat up to 81 passengers.

All of these vehicles are sold by full-service bus dealerships, while some of the smaller units can be found at a local car dealership. Keep in mind that, if the vehicle carries more than 15 people, the driver must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which requires extra driver training and certification. Drivers with CDL certification often command a higher pay rate. The CDL is not required for vehicles designed to carry less than 14 passengers, but it is highly recommended that all drivers receive additional training and thorough background checks.

When pricing transportation options, be sure to consider the price of the vehicle plus the cost of insurance. Often the least expensive vehicles require the most expensive insurance. For example, the cost of insuring non-compliant vehicles has risen dramatically. On the other hand, mini-buses are recognized as being a very safe form of transportation so insurance rates can be quite reasonable.

MFSAB prices range from about $32,000 for a basic model to $50,000 for a model with options such as high-capacity air conditioning, integrated child seats, acoustical ceiling and shoulder/lap belts. Centers may want to consider a 30-passenger mini-bus instead of two 14- passenger buses to save on maintenance and driver costs if a one-bus plan meets their transportation needs.

Just as with buying an automobile, factor in the cost of maintenance and repair over the life of the vehicle. Compare warranties and check to see if the vehicle can be repaired locally.

When purchasing a mini-bus from an auto dealership rather than a bus dealership, inquire about the manufacturer of both the chassis and the body. Most mini-buses are built on GMC, Chevrolet or Ford chassis, which makes them easy to service at most auto or light-truck dealerships. The bodies, however, are made by various bus manufacturers, so ask about the nearest repair center in case the bus requires body work or replacement windows. Look for a body made by a reputable bus manufacturer and one that has repair facilities within a reasonable distance.

Finding vehicles that are just right for your child care center isn’t difficult. It just takes a little time, research and a dealer who will answer your questions and stand behind the product when it comes time for service.

Joe Craver is the small bus sales manager at Thomas Built Buses Inc. Thomas Built Buses manufactures a complete line of buses for the commercial transit, school bus and specialty-vehicle markets. For more information, visit Tomas Bus

The kids invented a new game today. They got a hold of two dozen Walmart bags and used them as kites. The light weight bags flew all over the playground, over the fences both ways, into the trees and out and delighted the children for an hour. Now if we had bought an expensive toy that did the same thing, they wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun. If you have a sack of sacks, why not bring them along tomorrow. Most of ours have fallen apart, and I know the kids will want to do that again tomorrow.

Alexa re-joined us for the morning. She’s such an excellent child. We miss her terribly.

Mrs. St. Louis is doing a section in Scholar’s Club about good and evil. It’s an interesting subject. There is the good and evil of nature, the choices of good and evil in the human mind, and the perfect good and evil of the supernatural world. The kids seem to like the subject.

It was Morgan’s birthday today, and we had an outside party. We had cupcakes Amy brought in which were delicious, and I had a bottle of soda that we broke open and shared. The kids loved it. Parties are such wonderful business. Morgan is such a treasure. She is big now, you know, and she wants to be in Miss Judy’s class.

We are doing math sheets now. The children proved without a shadow of a doubt that they can write their numbers. We practiced today, and all of them could do a reasonable job. Then we did a long math sheet. It was a follow the directions work sheet, and most of them did a fair job.

It’s so interesting to see the children who really want the perfect papers and those who couldn’t care less. I wonder if this will follow them right along through the years. The class is really divided.

We are going to intro the letter e as an “air sound” (vowel) stuck between two “mouth sounds” (consonants) and make words. If they can read the words they make they get a penny for each. Parents are welcome to count the pennies in their boxes.

The project lately is to draw a complete picture. No sloppy stuff. I want to see sky, clouds, sun, grass, mountains, desert, a character “clothed” with arms and legs – no people bugs, no people blobs, no hairless, armless, toe-less creations. It’s time to begin to draw for real.

We had tacos for lunch with rice and beans and about a quart of sour cream. This group is sour cream nuts. I once mixed it with peanut butter, and the kids loved that. Goes to show the children have exquisite taste. We had a salad, bananas, grapes and a new orange that is black when you cut it open. I suppose it was “fused” with a plumb. I can’t tell you how alarming it was to cut into a lovely orange and find a black center. I almost threw out the first one, but I realized it was not rotten, just odd. So I sampled one – peal and all of course, and it was plumby. The juice is red. Dawson wore it across his face for about an hour, so I know it stays on the skin with great charm.

Tomorrow it’s pot roast and mashed potatoes.

All in all a splendid day.

Here’s a little movie you need to watch if you are intersted in Autism. My husband found it and sent it. Just click the word Autism.

I love this article.

Kid’s Home Care School Open
By Evelyne Toa – The Vanuatu Independent
Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Two toddlers already enjoying the outdoor basin for water activities and cooling off before each nap time.

The Vanessa Quai Music Foundation has taken a step forward in promoting interest in music. One way of doing that is through children, and they have opened a day care school for the purpose, at Avenue Edmond Colardeau, Independence Park.

“We offer a very high standard syllabus for day care which allows toddlers to enjoy their learning in a very creative environment,” said the center manager Christian Quai.

It is no surprise as the center glows with energy from current art work on the walls and final touches by the center’s carers before the school opened this week.

Bright wall to wall cartoon characters keep a lively and interesting brightness throughout the center. Office space, the classroom area, a small outdoor swimming basin, separate toddlers rest rooms for boys and girls, and wide verandahs for practical exercises and a huge backyard for sport activities are all part of the center.

The major sponsor behind this new day care school is none other than Vanessa Quai and for good reason, too, as one main focus is the arts.

“We hope to give these kids the chance to experience as much practical aspect of learning as possible so music, dancing, painting, puppet lessons and sport activities are as much a part of our syllabus as class work,” says Mrs Quai.

The area surrounding the day care center is for kids to enjoy free space within the property, and as the manager explained, “There is huge space and we will have a proper playground and sport ground and there is still room to expand.”

Designed to provide a safe and good nursery children’s home for busy and working parents to utilise, the school also specialises in preparing early aged kids pre-school and formal education.
The school offers a bonus for top performing child with a trip to New Caledonia for the child and a parent at the end of each year.

Here’s a map of the area.

Watering Can Press Announces Upcoming Release of The Autism Acceptance Book

New York, NY – Watering Can Press will release The Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone with Autism in March 2006. This interactive book uses engaging narrative, activities, conversation starters and journal exercises to help children ages 6 to 12 learn more about autism, develop understanding for people different from themselves and embrace the power they have to be kind, compassionate and helpful through their actions.

Half of all profits from the book’s sale will be donated to Autism Speaks, a leading nonprofit organization that raises awareness of autism and supports research for a cure. All Watering Can books are built to be appealing to children with colorful illustrations, upbeat narrative, engaging activities and journal and scrapbook pages that allow children to customize their book. Previous Watering Can releases have won numerous awards and been recommended by parents, teachers, community leaders and media outlets including Parenting Magazine, Parents Magazine, The Associated Press and Learning Magazine.

The Autism Acceptance Book helps children understand how the challenges, likes and dislikes of a person with autism may be different from their own. It encourages them to “walk in someone else’s shoes” and to imagine how they would like to be treated in various situations. As with all Watering Can titles, it also empowers children to help others through their actions.

According to Autism Speaks, 1 in 166 people is diagnosed with autism, a neurobiological disorder that impairs a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. This project began when the father of a child with autism approached Watering Can founder Ellen Sabin and asked her to use the proven format of her books to communicate information about autism to children. Sabin has pledged to donate half of all profits made from the book to Autism Speaks. “All our books are about building character in children by letting them express their thoughts, feelings and ideas about certain topics,” says Sabin. “As I researched this book, I learned that autism can be a very hard concept for young people to understand and so we created activities that let children use their personal experiences and imagination to empathize with the challenges individuals with autism might face.”

The Autism Acceptance Book is ideal for use at home or in the classroom. Watering Can offers free teacher’s guides that link the book’s content to state and national curriculum standards on its Web site. More information about Autism Speaks is available at Autism Speaks .Watering Can books are available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon and other major retailers across the country. The books can also be purchased directly at Watering Can Books .

Interesting idea to put all a child’s needs under one roof.

Publisher:
Keith Hall
Published: 20/02/2006

Multi-million boost for child care in Liverpool

Multi-million pound plans have been approved for eight new Children’s Centres in the most disadvantaged parts of Liverpool.

Over £5 million is to be spent across the city on facilities in Anfield, Croxteth, County, Tuebrook/Stoneycroft, Knotty Ash, West Derby, Allerton/Hunts Cross and Belle Vale.

These will offer a wide range of services for families under one roof, including child care, health and parental support, as well as advice on training and employment.

The eight new centres are in addition to the 16 first phase Children’s Centres funded as part of the National Childcare Strategy by Sure Start.

Councillor Jan Clein, assistant executive member for children’s services, claims Merseyside is crying out for the extra facilities.

“Children’s Centres are a lifeline for parents and carers who have young children.

“This one-stop shop approach to childcare is much more convenient and means they no longer have to go to separate locations to access different services.

“By 2008 we will have a network of 24 children’s centres across the city serving more than 20,000 youngsters and their families.”

Consultation is currently underway on identifying suitable sites for the Children’s Centres. Where possible they will be linked to a primary school or nursery to link in with existing childcare provision.

The Executive Board of the city council today approved a report giving the second phase the go ahead.

Here’s a perfect example of a one sided argument out of favor with childcare. It can be bleak. But at the same time, it can be a gift. Suppose a mother is abandoned by the child’s father and has few means of support? What if mother finds a loving happy childcare and the child thrives on beacoup toys, a nice yard, good meals and treats, a good play environment with story time and lots of other children to play with while mom earns a wage?

It’s not happily ever aftering, but it’s better than a dank room someplace and hunger which is what the abandoned mother and child could face.

Childcare is a matter of perspectives.

News.com.au
Childcare Damaging Tots

PUTTING children under three in child care can damage their intellectual and emotional development, a parenting expert claims.

International best-selling author Steve Biddulph said children, particularly those placed in child care from the age of six months, could become anti-social and aggressive.

In his book, “Raising Babies: Should Under 3s Go to Nursery?”, Australian-born Mr Biddulph said childcare facilities were struggling to meet very young children’s needs.

“The worst were negligent, frightening and bleak, a nightmare of bewildered loneliness that was heartbreaking to watch,” he said.

More than a third of Australian babies are regularly cared for in their first year of life by people other than their parents, a study revealed this week.

Mr Biddulph said nothing equalled one-to-one care for a child under two.

“Infants’ brains need to be stimulated by loving interaction if they are to develop properly,” he said. “Nannies can work well as a halfway solution if parents are very lucky with the person they find.”

He said care by family or friends was “a much safer option”.

His greatest concern was for “slammers”, urban professionals who put their children in full-time child care, before the age of six months until school age.

In Australia, 36 per cent of babies and toddler are cared for regularly by someone other than their parents.

Of those in care, 30 per cent are looked after in formal care.

This week the manager of the Hallam Childcare Centre, Natalie Coomber, was convicted of assaulting children in her care.

Mr Biddulph’s book has outraged Australian parenting experts. Experts agreed child care could have a negative impact, but only if it was not done properly.

Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Joe Tucci said children who suffered high stress in a childcare environment often had difficulty learning and developing friendships. But a child’s experience depended on the quality of the childcare centre.

Early childhood researcher Margaret Sims said most of the research was done in the US, where child care was a poorer quality.

“There is no reason why someone who is paid to do the job in a good environment can’t provide a good or even better care than a parent,” she said.

MU Researcher Provides a Framework for Developing Social Strategies For Children With Autism
By Jill McDonnell

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Research shows that children with autism lack the social interaction skills needed to build and maintain friendships with their peers. The repetitive behavior they exhibit and the difficulty they find in initiating and responding to social interaction leads many of these children to become socially isolated. This negatively impacts the quality of the child’s life and leads to problems in other developmental skill areas, such as speech. A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher recently co-authored a book that provides a framework for increasing the quality and quantity of the social interactions of children with autism.

“It is essential to identify what combination of environments and level of instruction are most appropriate toward developing social competence,” said Janine Stichter, associate professor of special education in the MU College of Education and associate director of the Thompson Center for Autism and Other Developmental Disorders, whose new book is How to Teach Social Skills and Plan for Peer Social Interactions with Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Stichter suggests school professionals determine if the social problems experienced by children with autism are the result of an acquisition problem, a performance or fluency problem, or competing behavior. An acquisition problem occurs when a student is missing a step in performing a social skill sequence, while a performance problem occurs when a student has the skill but does not know how to use it or uses it incorrectly. Competing behaviors are ones that result in interference with the demonstration of social skills.

Once the type of problem is identified, a suitable strategy for intervention is devised. The strategies Stichter outlined rely on the cooperation of adults at home, teachers, peers and the child. Stichter gives the example of a child with a performance deficit. The child is able to successfully take turns playing a one-on-one game, such as checkers, but during less structured activities such as basketball with peers, they “hog the ball.”

“This type of deficit would be best supported by continued activities with peers in naturally occurring situations, as opposed to a one-on-one session with a counselor away from the very activities that create the challenge,” Stichter said.

Another intervention strategy is social reading techniques, which use situations from a child’s actual experience to visually present social information and teach social competence. A social script strategy uses short stories written by parents, professionals or peers that provide context cues for a directed behavior.

“These stories tap into an autistic child’s typical strength, visual processing, while creating a structure and predictability to an often unpredictable social situation,” Stichter said. “The techniques, suggested in the book, prompt this behavior that can help autistic children build the necessary social skills.”

Social autopsies allow students to diagnose specific problems they need to work on for the next interaction by reviewing a previous social interaction. In a school environment, incidental teaching is a technique employed that uses a person’s interests and natural motivation. There is a focus on following the student’s lead regarding interests within daily activities, because children with autism often have difficulty maintaining interest in teacher or peer-led activities, Stichter said.

Several articles have come my way about autism, and I saved Sunday for them.

Posted on Sat, Feb. 18, 2006
Struggling with Autism
Muscogee County Autism Support Group Aims for Local Treatment Center
BY MARK RICE
Staff Writer – Ledger Enquirer.com Columbus Ohio

Lisa Jenkins marveled at the change she has seen in her 3-year-old autistic son, George, since he began the special education preschool program at Johnson Elementary seven months ago.
“He still rages at home sometimes,” she said, “but for my child to come to school for six hours a day and not touch his body, it’s a miracle.”

The struggle to deal with an autistic child is becoming all too familiar to more and more families.
Two years ago, fewer than 50 children in Columbus schools were diagnosed as autistic; today there are at least 125. And more are coming, as statistics show 1 in 166 births in the U.S. produce a child affected by autism.

While the school system provides some assistance and relief for those families, the medical struggle is a different story. There are no pediatric neurologists in Columbus, forcing parents to drive to Montgomery, Ala., Macon, Ga., or Atlanta for diagnostic or medical treatment.

That’s why the Muscogee County Autism Support Group is trying to raise awareness of the need for a local facility to diagnose and treat autism. Perhaps the center also could help children with other special needs, Jenkins said.

Like many parents of autistic children too young to attend school, Jenkins had to develop ways to protect her child from himself. Among the techniques she learned was a “basket hold” to restrain George without hurting either of them during his rages that would last up to three hours.

“We don’t see that behavior anymore,” said Peggy West, the Muscogee County School District’s special education director. “Most people think of autism like ‘Rain Man’ or walking around flapping, but that’s not everyone. George doesn’t flap. He doesn’t wave his hands in front of his face or spin. We have autistic kids with 160 IQs.”

Jenkins drives George to Atlanta once a month so an Emory University psychiatrist can write him a prescription for the three drugs he takes daily. She can’t find a doctor in Columbus to do that. She also periodically takes George to the Marcus Institute in Atlanta for therapy sessions over several weeks.

Families of autistic children in Columbus say they often have to drive at least 80 miles to find proper care.

“If I were a parent with an autistic child, I would probably move out of town,” said Dr. Marvyn Cohen, a Columbus pediatrician. “It’s hard to give your kid a chance here.”

“The level of expertise in autism for the general practicing pediatrician is not sophisticated enough for what’s current for these kids,” Cohen said.

Columbus did have a pediatric neurologist until a few years ago, but he “got overloaded like crazy” and moved to the Atlanta area, Cohen said.

Dr. Jose Canedo is among the three neurologists listed in Columbus. He said he can diagnose autism, but it isn’t fair to autistic children for him or his colleagues to treat them without specializing in that area.

“You also need a combined effort, multiple people working with these children, like psychiatrists and counselors,” Canedo said. “These poor kids are bouncing back and forth from physician to physician, so having a center here would be wonderful.”

It isn’t unusual for a mid-size city like Columbus to lack a pediatric neurologist, Canedo noted.
“They’re needed all over, but they’d rather be in a large city or close to a university, so they can attract more patients,” he said.

Autism is the fastest-growing disability among the district’s approximately 4,400 special education students. Two years ago, the 33,000-student district had fewer than 50 children diagnosed with autism, West said.

“A lot of students that were probably diagnosed with some other disability a long time ago are now being recognized as following an autism spectrum,” she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates autism affects 1 in 166 national births. So the school district probably has about 75 more autistic children that aren’t diagnosed and, as a result, don’t receive proper care. And that doesn’t include the pending growth of Fort Benning, which officials project will bring 10,238 students through 2010, with about 65 percent of those expected to attend Muscogee schools. West welcomes the local support group’s effort.

“We can provide what we provide during the school day, but we can’t provide the medical support,” West said.

Meanwhile, she brings in autism experts from Emory and Auburn universities to help the school district.

“I want them to observe students to see if we are identifying them correctly,” West said. “The doctors here don’t have all the criteria. Unless someone is really autistic-looking, there are lots of subtle signs that a lot of doctors don’t realize.”

The outside assistance costs the district about $25,000 per year, West said. One diagnosis costs from $1,000-$2,000, she estimated. This year, the district also is bringing in professionals to help train teachers in autistic education, she said.

“There truly needs to be a lot more professional development in the educational community,” West said. “One child isn’t like the next, so you can’t always use the same bag of tricks. Plus, they’re constantly changing. You never know; what’s going to make them happy one day might set them off tomorrow.”

About half of the 125 autistic children in the district are in regular education classrooms, compared to one or two children two years ago, West said.

“That’s a great rate,” she said. “No Child Left Behind was a huge push, because students needed access to regular curriculum. We’ve had support from the principals, the superintendent and (other administrators). Everybody just got on board and agreed that we need to have these children where they need to be. They need all the advantages that every other child has.”

A district committee, along with the family, decides between regular or special education for autistic children.

“Sometimes parents want to protect their child,” West said. “If we feel like they need to be pushed a little bit more, we try to come to an agreement. If they totally disagree, the parents have a right to take us to a hearing. But we try not to get to that point. I like to build a partnership with parents. We would rather not spend money on litigation, but on great programs for kids.”

George and other special needs children can attend public school preschool programs at 3 years old — a year earlier than regular education students — because they are federally funded at that age.

The district has eight special education teacher openings out of about 300 slots, West said. For autism, the district has a half-dozen teachers trained in Applied Behavior Analysis.

“That’s a good number,” West said. “Most counties have but one or two.”

After-school programs and services before age 3 for autistic children are lacking in Columbus, said West.

“Parents need support in the home and in the community,” she said. “We can run a lot of things, but they’re geared academically. These kids also need social skills.”

The most common complaint West hears from parents of autistic children is that they don’t realize the resources that are available.

“They’re intimidated,” she said. “We have two mentors to help them through the process, but it’s not a simple process.”

The key for parents, Jenkins said, is to cooperate with the experts, but respectfully speak up for your child.

“Communication is the biggest thing,” she said. “We have a notebook that comes home with George every day. Every therapist and teacher uses that to communicate. I call them; they call me. I’d encourage any parent to try to build this relationship.”

West added, “When Lisa came to me, she may not have agreed with everything going on, but we sat down as a group and everyone was on the same page. It does take negotiation.”

Jenkins’ mother, Elsie Lucas, is president of the local autism support group. Her mission is clear.
“This is my goal in life: to get a facility in Columbus with the medical treatment these children need,” she said. “I don’t know when we’re going to do it, but we’ve got to hurry up and do it.”

Elsie Lucas, the support group’s president, wrote this open letter to her grandson, George, now 3, and posted it on the group’s Web site:
George,
You, Papa and I spent 17 wonderful months together when you were just an infant. We got to know, love and bond with each other. I felt that at times you thought I was your personal toy, which was fine with me. During this period of time, we noticed things that did not seem to be right, that you might have some problems.

In February 2004, my worst fears were confirmed. You were diagnosed as autistic and had other problems also. That was the moment we knew you were non-verbal, so I promised you and our Heavenly Father that I would be your voice and advocate and that you will be respected and be shown dignity at all times.

George, I want to thank you for being in my life and letting me be a part of your world. You bring to me such great pleasure and unconditional love when you let me cuddle you and hear that sweet laughter you have. This is the time all is right in Maw Maw’s world, and I am at total peace.

Therefore, George, my special angel, I dedicate this Web site to you. In some small way, it may also help others find support and know that they are not alone.

So, George, I will always be your advocate and your voice, until the day comes when you can speak for yourself.

— Maw Maw

Two more sessions — free and open to the public — are scheduled in the Muscogee County Autism Support Group’s series of educational programs:

7-9 p.m. March 14: “Training and Teaching Children at Home,” Columbus Public Library auditorium, 3000 Macon Road, featuring Amity Parr of the Emory Autism Center.

7-9 p.m. April 6: “Education for Teachers, Parents and Therapists,” Columbus Public Library’s CB&T-Synovus Meeting Room, 3000 Macon Road, featuring Sheila Wagner and Dr. Gail McGee of the Emory Autism Center.

Definition • A complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and comes from a neurological disorder that affects brain function, impacting social interaction and communication skills.

• Note that autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning it affects individuals differently, making early diagnosis crucial so a child can benefit from proper treatment and have a better chance of achieving normal functioning levels.

Symptoms Mildly affected individuals may show only slight delays in language and greater challenges in social interactions. For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments.

Severely affected individuals may show aggressive behavior or try to injure themselves.
Other symptoms may include:

• Resistance to change
• Difficulty in expressing needs
• Laughing, crying or showing distress for no apparent reason
• Preference for being alone
• Tantrums
• Not wanting to cuddle
• Little or no eye contact
• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
• Sustained odd play
• Spinning objects
• Obsessive attachment to objects
• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
• No real fears of danger
• Physical over-activity or under-activity
• Uneven gross or fine motor skills
• Acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range

Prevalence • Affects an estimated 1 in 166 births (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). This means as many as 1.5 million Americans have some form of autism.

• Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other agencies, autism diagnoses are growing 10-17 percent per year.

• Not related to any racial or ethnic group, but four times more prevalent in boys than girls.
Causes

• No known single cause

• Generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in shape and structure between autistic and non-autistic children.

• No one gene has been identified as causing autism, but many affected families appear to have a pattern of autism or related disabilities.

Treatment

• No known cure, but people with autism can learn and function normally with appropriate treatment and education.

• May include auditory training, discrete trial training, vitamin therapy, anti-yeast therapy, facilitated communication, music therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and sensory integration.

This is so cute.

Preschool Romances Can Be Sweet While They Last

With Valentine’s Day this week, love has been very much in the air around the Goble household.

My daughter, age 5, has met the man of her dreams. He has red hair — she calls it orange — and they play “American Dragon” together. She put TWO My Little Pony stickers on his Valentine.

She used to tell me that she was always going to stay with me and be my daughter. Now she tells me she won’t be living at home forever. She’s going to marry this boy as soon as they’re old enough, and she’s going to have twin babies — a boy and a girl, of course.

She remains committed to always being my daughter, at least.

My daughter’s had boyfriends before — lots of boyfriends. For a while there, I think she had a new one every week. That was just a game, though; there was no emotional attachment to those boys.

I’ve seen her look at this one. She really likes this young gentleman, and he seems to like her, too. I hear he even told his grandma about her — serious stuff.

I asked her if she’d kissed him and she says she’d like to but she hasn’t because they’re not allowed to do that at school. Score one for the preschool teachers.

It will all come to heartbreak, I suppose. They’ll both start kindergarten in the fall, and they’ll almost certainly be in different school districts. They probably won’t get to see each other after that.

Sure, it’s just a 5-year-old’s puppy love, but it means a lot to her. I can’t just dismiss it, because I still treasure the memories of my first boyfriend, back when I was 4.

Bryon Ray was just my age and lived on the next street over from us. I could follow a path through the big field next to my house and get to his back yard without ever stepping out on the street.

He had a big brother named Ray, a tire swing and a cherry tree that was just perfect for climbing. I never climbed a tree before or since, but I could make it way up that one.

Bryon’s parents let him do all sorts of cool stuff, like go to haunted houses and amusement parks. He could spell “Y-E-S” when I was still having trouble with “N-O.”

He was cute, too. He had white-blond hair and big brown eyes.

Bryon was, in short, the epitome of little-kid cool. And he was all mine. It was like living a dream.

Because I lived on a dead-end street on the outskirts of a quiet village, I’d never had a regular playmate before I found him. I was lonely. He changed everything.

Then, somewhere in the course of kindergarten, his parents announced they were moving to Florida.

Bryon and I were both heartbroken. We promised to love each other forever. Over the next year, our mothers wrote letters for us. I still have some of the pictures he sent me in the mail.
The next summer, he came back for a visit. We had one last, precious afternoon together. We played in my basement and when no one was looking, he kissed me.

Then he had to leave.

Eventually, the letters stopped. That was the normal course of things, I guess. If he hadn’t moved, we probably would have drifted apart anyway.

But I still remember him sometimes, when I come across one of those old photos or see kids climbing a tree the way we used to. Or when I see my daughter looking at her little friend.

I never really got over losing Bryon until I met another guy who was the epitome of cool and all mine. That guy, I married — so if he ever decides to move away, he’ll have to take me along.
If my daughter is incredibly lucky, she’ll find a guy like her daddy someday. Until then, she’ll have her memories of “American Dragon” to pull her through.
Ah, love.

Originally published February 18, 2006