Dr. Howard Shane, presenter at KiDA's 3rd Annual Summit on Autism

And as a presenter at KiDA’s third-annual Summit on Autism, the speech-language pathology specialist will share some of the insights he has gained working with children and families. Shane’s presentation, which is part of the “Technology and Its Impact on Autism” panel, is titled “Aligning the Features of Assistive Technology With the Characteristics of Autism”.

“The summit is important because the more information, the better for families,” says Shane. “It’s important to come to understand some of the benefits of technology. Technology is giving children with autism opportunities that weren’t available to them before.”

Many of those opportunities today are in mobile technology – namely, the iPad and other tablets, he says, which are making a major difference now and setting the stage for new possibilities for both the platform and the apps that run on them.

“The advent of the iPad isn’t the beginning of technology, it’s the next step, the next generation, but it’s a very important leap,” says Shane. “It’s going to make technology more accessible and more affordable. We’re moving into a next phase where the features of the mobile technology will allow for the next generation of apps that will go beyond what we’re used to seeing.”

Shane says his presentation will provide parents with a better understanding of what mobile technologies can do, as well as practical suggestions and the benefits from using the technology, such as more effective communication, learning, recreation and rewards. In doing so, he’ll discuss the following:

• Technologies for children who have difficulty in expressive communication;
• The ways technology can help children comprehend what’s being said by using visual tools to increase the understanding of language;
• And the apps that allow for the creation of visual schedules that help clarify and put in order, with symbols and pictures, the schedule of the day and the sequence of learning activities for children with autism.

“Basically, these are ways of doing things that are easier with technology than trying to create them in the old way with pencil and paper,” says Shane.

Many of the topics in his presentation come from his current research projects. Some of these include things like the development, for the iPad, of animation graphics to help children with the understanding of verbs, adjectives and prepositions. And Shane and his colleagues are creating a virtual world that will help individuals learn concepts that are often elusive to people with autism, he says. In a virtual kitchen, for example, characters will help the children grasp activities like setting the table and identifying the labels of objects in that room. The virtual world will feature similar learning-based environments for a bathroom, living room, playground and a doctor’s office.

“Our research is making language easier for children with autism to understand, and it’s the technology that provides such a good platform for them to learn about language in this way. There are so many aspects of this developing mobile technology that are going to be extraordinary for individuals to help improve their independence.”

**For a list of current research projects and a timeline of research projects since 1980, please visit the Web site for Children’s Hospital Boston’s Autism Language Program.

Tickets are available for KiDA’s third annual Summit on Autism, held September 17, 2011, at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center. To learn more, visit www.kida.com/summit or call 949.222.2214.

“We’re absolutely looking forward to the summit – the whole thing,” says a parent of a seven-year-old son who attends school at KiDA. “I think it will have things we can take home now and implement today to make his life and our lives better, as a family.”

The national conference, which is designed to be a community service to educate parents, family members and friends of those with autism, will feature panels that focus on autism and its impact on the family, and technology’s impact on autism.

And what’s the summit’s major buzzword? Technology, as in the panel featuring cutting-edge research from Children’s Hospital Boston’s Howard Shane and MIT’s Matthew Goodwin.

“Technology is the one thing that drew our family to the summit,” says a mother whose six-year-old daughter attends KiDA. “I’d love to see if there are new technologies that we should be looking at, or even if there are any new things we’re not doing on the iPad that could help my daughter.”

While many of the parents said their children are already using the iPad – which Shane calls a “game-changer” – they want to learn more about where the device is headed and how it’s making great strides toward helping children with autism gain cognitive skills, sociability and degrees of independence.

“Even though my son has been using the iPad for a while now, we’re not at the point where we’re comfortable yet, so I want to acquire more knowledge about technology,” says a parent whose six-year-old son attends KiDA. “Right now, we have the tool, but we need more help to get to the next level.”

And many parents we talked to felt the same about doing whatever they could to advance the development of their children. That’s why parents aren’t just coming to the event themselves – they’re bringing others.

“My parents are going, too. I think it’s important for them to see what we go through each day,” one mom says.

Another mom agrees, as her husband, brother and some of her friends are all planning to go. “I think it will help them understand that it’s not just us — we’re talking about everyone who has to deal with autism. It’s not just our family; it’s not just our problem or our issue.”

“I think the summit will help us create an even more supportive family,” says one parent whose mother, mother-in-law and sisters are going as well. “I’m trying to get everyone to go so they can learn more about what’s involved with families who have a child with autism.”

And that’s really the main point of the event, says Kristin Coates, manager at KiDA. “We are excited about the great learning opportunities this year’s Summit on Autism provides, especially for families affected by autism,” she says. “With technology improving so rapidly, it is hard to keep up with all of the advancements available for kids on the spectrum. Already, we have had an outstanding response from both families and professionals.”

-article written by David Lott

For more information and to register for KiDA’s third annual Summit on Autism, visit www.kida.com/summit or call 949.222.2214.

Irvine, CA—July 12—Kids Institute for Development and Advancement (KiDA), a premier center for autism treatment, hosts its Third Annual Summit on Autism Saturday, September 17, 2011, at the University of California, Irvine’s Bren Events Center, beginning at 8:00 am. The national conference on issues related to autism and mental health will have two themes: (1) Autism and its impact on family, and (2) Technology and its impact on autism. The Summit is aimed at parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, therapists, and other community members affected by autism.

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake, M.D. will open the Summit and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will deliver the keynote address, discussing the impact of autism on the entire family. For over three decades, Mrs. Carter, who founded the Carter Center’s Mental Health Task Force and has authored three books related to mental health and caregivers, has advocated for positive changes in the mental health field. She also will sign her new book, Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis.

“We hope that we can have a positive impact on both awareness of autism and potential solutions to help families impacted by autism in California and nationwide,” says Fariborz Maseeh, KiDA’s founder and a parent dealing with autism.

In addition to Mrs. Carter, the summit’s first panel on the impact of autism on the family will include the following nationally recognized autism experts: Dr. Wendy Goldberg, Professor of Psychology & Social Behavior and Education at UC Irvine; Dr. Connie Kasari, Professor of Psychological Studies in Education and Psychiatry at UCLA; and Alison Singer, President of the Autism Science Foundation.

The second panel will highlight technological advancements and their impact on autism, with expert presenters including: Dr. Howard Shane, Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Center for Communication Enhancement and Autism Language Program at Children’s Hospital Boston; and Dr. Matthew Goodwin, Director of Clinical Research at the MIT Media Lab and Co-Director of the Autism Technology Initiative at MIT.

Other participating experts include faculty from UC Irvine and CHOC Children’s Hospital.

Following the summit, attendees will have the opportunity to view and participate in an interactive showcase of the latest technological advancements related to autism, presented by Drs. Shane and Goodwin.

About Autism and KiDA®

Autism is a social epidemic that currently affects one in every 91 children.

Kids Institute for Development & Advancement (KiDA) is an integrated center of excellence for the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder located in Irvine, California. KiDA’s state-of-the-art facility provides education, therapy, and medical services by expert staff. In addition to social groups and individual therapy, KiDA offers a full-time school featuring individualized, comprehensive education for kids with autism. For more information or to schedule a tour (16832 Red Hill Avenue, Irvine, CA 92606), call 949.222.2214 or visit www.kida.com.

In addition to KiDA, Summit co-sponsors include:

University of California, Irvine:

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County’s largest employer, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion.

CHOC Children’s:

Named one of the best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report (2011-2012), CHOC Children’s is exclusively committed to the health and well being of children through clinical expertise, advocacy, outreach and research that brings advanced treatment to pediatric patients. Affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, CHOC’s regional healthcare network includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo, several primary and specialty care clinics, a pediatric residency program, and four centers of excellence – The CHOC Children’s Heart, Neuroscience, Orthopedic and Hyundai Cancer Institutes.

For OC Kids:

For over 10 years, For OC Kids Neurodevelopmental Center has provided comprehensive care for children with autism and a wide range of developmental, behavioral, and learning disorders. This UC Irvine/CHOC Children’s collaborative program offers assistance at early stages, including evaluations and diagnoses, and continued care throughout adolescence, including treatment, education, and support for both children and families.

The Autism Science Foundation:

The Autism Science Foundation provides funding and other assistance to scientists and organizations conducting, facilitating, publicizing, and disseminating autism research. This nonprofit organization also equips the public with information about autism and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism.

Contacts:

Kristin Coates
kcoates@kida.com
949.222.2214

Shami Abraham
sabraham@kida.com
949.222.2214

Jacob squeals with excitement as he dashes out the car door and into the lobby. He gives his classmate, Audrey, a hug and the two scramble around the corner into the gym. Jacob pauses in amazement as he contemplates where to begin. Trampoline? Swings? Climbing wall? Obstacle course? After nine months of coming into the gym every day, he still cannot get enough. Without hesitation, he slides his backpack into the cubby, and asks Audrey, “Audrey jump?” Her eyes light up and they are off to the trampoline. Jacob’s mom watches from a few yards back, with a tear rolling down her face.

For some parents, this sounds like a typical day. For Jacob’s mom, this day is exceptional. For the first time in his life, Jacob is excited to come to school. He feels safe and understood. He is initiating play with friends. He is even speaking meaningful words and phrases, something Jacob’s parents have dreamed of for three years, ever since they received their son’s diagnosis of Autism.

Jacob is one of six students at KiDA School, a full time private school specifically designed for kids with Autism. All six students have unique stories with similar threads – families that want more customized services than the school district is able to provide, with the firm expectation that an individualized, comprehensive program could unlock their child’s true potential for learning and language.

Enter KiDA School. Individual speech every day. Individual occupational therapy every day. Group OT every day. Master-level teachers work with students one-on-one to help them achieve their goals and earn motivating rewards. Teachers and therapists utilize tools that students understand and connect with, including iPads, Touch Screens, and XBOX Kinect, to teach math, reading, science, and leisure skills. Professional art lessons and music classes enhance students’ understanding of the arts. Put simply, students thrive and realize their potential in an understanding, comprehensive program.

Overwhelming relief is felt by parents upon realizing that IEP goals are finally a true reflection of their child’s potential and include all areas of learning, not just behavior management. Further repose arrives as teachers actually initiate discussions about revising goals that students met faster than expected.

The most valuable asset to these parents is their children. There is no question that they would do anything in their power to help their child thrive. Their passion is met equally with KiDA School’s founding family, who originally dreamed up and executed the vision of KiDA for their child with autism. They get it. These kids have unique needs, and a lot of places are not able to provide the expertise of staff, diversity of services, and quality of facilities needed to support those needs. KiDA School was created to fill the gap by providing all of the therapy and educational services by highly educated staff in a fully customized, 14,000 square foot facility.

KiDA School is an unparalleled investment with the highest rate of returns. Because of the school’s strategic organization, the value of services that students receive far outweighs the actual cost that parents pay. In fact, parents pay less than HALF of what it would cost to pay for the education and therapy separately. This is the substance behind the smile on Jacob’s mom’s face: kids receiving individual therapy and customized education from a team that truly knows and values them. She wanted Jacob to thrive in a challenging, understanding, and loving environment. A dream for her child’s success, once thought impossible, is now realized.

Learn more about how your child can thrive at KiDA School by visiting our website or calling KiDA at 949.222.2214.

by Maureen Hoch

The PBS NewsHour is launching a special series of reports, both on-air and online, about a puzzling disorder that touches many lives across the U.S.: Autism Now will take a unique — and uniquely personal — look at how the condition impacts families, schools and communities.

As former anchor Robert MacNeil explains, the subject that drew him back to the NewsHour is one that resonates deeply with his own family and the families of thousands of others. MacNeil’s 6-year-old grandson, Nick, has autism. View the 6-part series: Autism Now Series: A Viewer’s Guide | The Rundown News Blog | PBS NewsHour | PBS.

by JON HAMILTON, May 9, 2011

An exhaustive study of autism in one community has found that the disorder is far more common than suggested by earlier research. The study of 55,000 children in Goyang, South Korea, found that 2.64 percent — one in every 38 children — had an autism spectrum disorder.

“That is two-and-a-half times what the estimated prevalence is in the United States,” says Roy Richard Grinker, a professor of anthropology at George Washington University and one of the study’s authors.

I had some expectation that [autism prevalence was] going to be a little higher than the previous studies, because we’re including children from the general population that have been understudied in the past. But the extent — that was a surprise to us.”

- Young-Shin Kim of the Child Study Center at Yale University

The South Korean study probably produced such a high figure because it screened a lot of kids who seemed to be doing OK and included in-person evaluations of any child suspected of having autism, Grinker says.

“Two-thirds of the children with autism that we ended up identifying were in mainstream schools, unrecognized, untreated,” he says.

The team of Korean and American scientists who carried out the study, published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry, say the result doesn’t mean there’s something different about South Korean children.

“There’s no reason to think that South Korea has more children with autism than anyplace else in the world,” says Bennett Leventhal, another author of the study. Leventhal is also deputy director of New York’s Nathan Klein Institute for Psychiatric Research and a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University Medical Center.

The study’s primary message, Leventhal says, is that “if you really go look carefully among all children everywhere, you find that things are far more common than you previously expected.”

via South Korean Study Suggests Autism Rate May Be Underestimated : NPR.

Our vision behind this blog is to provide insight, direction, resources, and hope for all who stop by. To learn more about KiDA, visit www.kida.com.