Dr. Tony Attwood International Authority on Asperger’s

Dr. Tony Attwood is the world’s foremost authority in Asperger’s Syndrome and he is coming to Orlando in October! – Aspergers Syndrome: Social Skills, Behaviors & Emotions

Dr. Tony Attwood will present Aspergers Syndrome: Social Skills, Behaviors and Emotions on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Double Tree Hotel, 5780 Major Blvd, Orlando, FL. The registration fee is $130. CEU approval pending.

By attending, participants can:

• Improve social understanding among individuals with Asperger’s & their peers
• Implement strategies to reduce bullying and teasing
• Help students manage anxiety, anger, and other emotions
• Recognize abilities and challenges in girls with Aspergers
• Utilize special interests to foster education
• Responsibly & effectively advise individuals with Asperger’s on friendships & relationships

Conference registration available on-line:
www.ucf-card.org or
www.pals-ucfcard.org
for more information:
Voice 888-558-1908
or
Voice 407-823-6001

More info on Dr. Attwood: www.tonyattwood.com.au

UCF CARD – What is CARD?

Florida is home to many individuals with autism and related disabilities. In response to the needs of these people and their families, seven regional, nonresidential resource centers have been established at the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida/Gainesville, the University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville, the University of South Florida, the University of Miami and Florida State University and Florida Atlantic University. The University of Central Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities provides services within the geographical region which includes Orange, Lake, Osceola, Sumter, Brevard, Volusia, and Seminole Counties.

The Center serves both children and adults of all levels of intellectual functioning who have autism, pervasive developmental disorders, autistic-like disabilities, dual sensory impairments, or sensory impairments with other disabling conditions. Our primary focus is to provide individualized, direct assistance to these individuals and their families. Services include technical assistance and consultation, professional training programs and public education activities. CARD services are designed to build on the capacities of state and local resources, not to duplicate or replace them. The Center is funded by the Florida Legislature through the Florida Department of Education and all services are provided free of charge.

The Center’s offices are located at the University of Central Florida. A constituency board comprised of family members representing persons with autism and related disabilities meets quarterly with the Center staff to provide guidance on policies, priorities and activities.

CARD is founded on the strong belief that:

• All people, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, have the right to live as full participants in society.
• All people have the right to be treated with dignity and understanding.
• People with disabilities are members of families. All families have strengths and capacities and have the right to be treated with sensitivity and respect, and as integral members of a person’s system of support.
• People with autism and related disabilities have the right to be regarded as individuals who need services and supports that are based on their unique characteristics

Florida es el hogar de muchos individuos con autismo y condiciones relacionadas. En respuesta a las necesidades de estas personas y sus familiares, seis centros regionales de recursos no residenciales han sido establecidos en la Universidad Central de Florida, la Universidad de Florida/Gainesville, la Universidad de Florida Centro de Salud y Ciencias/ Jacksonville, la Universidad del Sur de Florida, la Universidad de Miami y la Universidad del Estado de Florida. La Universidad Central de Florida – Centro para Autismo y Condiciones Relacionadas provee servicios dentro de la región geográfica de los Condados de Orange, Lake, Osceola, Sumter, Brevard, Volusia y Seminole.

El Centro ofrece servicios tanto a niños como adultos de todos los niveles de funcionamiento intelectual que tengan autismo, Desorden Disperso Inespecífico del Desarrollo (PDD-NOS, siglas en inglés), discapacidades con tendencias autísticas, impedimentos de dualidad sensorial o impedimentos sensoriales con otras condiciones relacionadas. Nuestro enfoque primordial es el de proveer asistencia directa e individualizada a estos individuos y a sus familias. Los servicios incluyen asistencia y consulta técnica, programas de entrenamiento profesional y actividades educativas al público. Los servicios de CARD están diseñados para construir en base a la capacidad del estado y los recursos locales, no para duplicarles o sustituirles. El Centro es financiado por la Legislatura de la Florida por medio del Departamento de Educación de la Florida y todos los servicios ofrecidos son gratuitos.

Las oficinas del Centro están localizadas en la Universidad Central de la Florida. Una junta directiva constitutita por miembros de familias de individuos con autismo o condiciones relacionadas se reúne cada tres meses con el personal del Centro para proporcionar guía direccional en pólizas, prioridades y actividades.

CARD se basa en la firme creencia de que:

• Toda persona, independientemente de sus habilidades o discapacidades, tiene el derecho de vivir plenamente como participante de la sociedad.
• Las personas con discapacidades son miembros de familias.
• Toda familia tiene sus destrezas y capacidades, además de tener el derecho a ser tratada con sensibilidad, respeto y como miembro integral del sistema de apoyo del individuo.
• Toda persona tiene el derecho de ser tratada con dignidad y entendimiento.

(source ucf-card.org)

Autism, Aspergers, PDD, ASD Awareness Necklace

Dichroic Glass Puzzle Piece Necklace for Autism, Aspergers, PDD, and ASD Awareness by RocknBauble Beautiful Dichroic glass puzzle piece pendant .Truly a spectacular piece. A sterling silver bail is securely attached to the back. Comes with an 18 in sterling silver box chain. Puzzle piece measures approx. 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch, and is signed by the artist on the back. 10% of proceeds will be donated to the Autism Society of Greater Orlando. Comes in a hand decorated cotton filled gift box. 1 out of every 150 children will be diagnosed with some form of Autism. Our son is one of these wonderful children. Purchase this Awesome Autism Awareness Necklace HERE

Cash for Good Ideas

Pepsi is putting out some cash for good ideas and  giving away $1,300,000 each month to fund great ideas. They are looking for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. Make sure to check out some of the other 1341 ideas competing. For more details go to the “how it works” page HERE

We browsed the ideas and one that we liked and voted for is:

Create an inclusive center to support the disabled and their families.

About Synergy Center Corporation
Synergy Center Corporation is the product of two individuals who wanted to make a real difference in the lives of people both young and old, regardless of ability, and/or presenting health conditions. Together they bring over 30 years of experience working with children, families, and communities.

Overview
Research states: the Autism prevalence rate is 1 in 110 and rising, the United States has one of the highest obesity rates in any of the industrialized countries, and Alzheimer’s currently affects 4.5 million people. With these conditions, and other health issues in mind, the Synergy Center will be a state of the art facility providing supportive therapies, education, entertainment, and sensory integration activities aimed at enhancing an individual’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical well being. The center will be an invaluable resource for individuals, parents, schools, therapy practitioners, community health agencies, and any other agency working with children and/or adults.  Interactive Technology, sensory integration/multi-sensory spaces, all-inclusive play areas, therapy suites, educational workshops, support groups, consultative opportunities, supportive adults, and a safe and quality environment will the cornerstone. You can vote for this idea here

Fragile X Syndrome Drug Shows Promise

Novartis Drug Shows Early Promise for the Fragile X Syndrome

Novartis recently announced results from a small clinical trial of a new drug which could help improve behaviors resulting from fragile X syndrome, an inherited genetic condition that can cause retardation and autism and affects one in 5,000 children. The study involved just a few dozen subjects, and only some of those responded to the therapy, but researchers are excited about any results for a condition that has been impossible to treat. “Just three years ago, I would have said that mental retardation is a disability needing rehab, not a disorder needing medication,” National Institute of Mental Health Director Dr. Thomas Insel tells the New York Times. “Any positive results from clinical trials will be amazingly hopeful.”

“The exciting thing about these results is that it is our hope that these same medications may have similar positive benefits for people with autism who don’t have fragile X syndrome,” Dr. Dawson said.

Between 10 percent and 15 percent of autism cases result from fragile X syndrome or some other known genetic defect. While fragile X is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation, Down syndrome — which also causes retardation — is more common but is not inherited. . The gene for fragile X was discovered in 1991. Work since then has found that fragile X patients seem to experience an overload of unchecked synaptic noise — synapses being the junctions between brain neurons. The Novartis drug and others like it are intended to lower the volume of this noise so memory formation and high-level thinking can take place, allowing children to develop normally.(source www.nytimes.com)

Organizations that may be of Interest Regarding Fragile X

From the About FRAXA Page
FRAXA’s mission is to accelerate progress toward effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X, by directly funding the most promising research.

FRAXA also supports families affected by Fragile X and raises awareness of this important but virtually unknown disease.

FRAXA was founded in 1994 by three parents of children with Fragile X, Katie Clapp, Michael Tranfaglia MD, and Kathy May, to support scientific research aimed at finding a treatment and a cure for Fragile X. Fragile X research is drastically underfunded, considering its high prevalence, prospects for a cure, and the promise that this research holds for advancing understanding of other disorders like autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and X-linked mental retardation www.fraxa.org

From the Fragile X Foundation Website
About – The National Fragile X Foundation , founded in 1984, provides emotional, informational and referral support, promotes awareness in the general public and medical professional communities, organizes international conferences, publishes and distributes educational materials, funds clinical and basic science research and conducts legislative advocacy in Washington, DC. www.fragilex.org

Autism and Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome can cause a child to have autism or an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) though not all children with fragile X syndrome have autism or an ASD.

FACT: For between 2% and 6% of all children diagnosed with autism, the cause is the Fragile X gene mutation.
FACT: Approximately one-third of all children diagnosed with fragile X syndrome also have some degree of autism.
FACT: Fragile X syndrome is the most common known single gene cause of autism.

Autism Awareness Month Extended

Autism Awareness Month and Autism Awareness Day

RocknBauble Awareness Jewelry

Autism Awareness Month is here and April 2nd was World Autism Awareness Day! RocknBauble.etsy.com supports Autism Awareness all year long with a 10 percent donation from the proceeds of its Handmade Autism Awareness Fashion Jewelry.

RocknBauble.com will support Autism Awareness Month by donating 10 percent of the proceeds from its dazzling Autism Awareness jewelry line to ASGO. We typically donate to ASGO being a member but you can advise your charity or society of choice when purchasing RocknBauble autism jewelry. High quality handmade Autism Awareness bracelets, necklaces, earrings and book thongs are available and being offered through the RocknBauble storefront located on ETSY.com (www.RocknBauble.Etsy.com). This months featured necklace is a handcrafted Dichroic Glass puzzle piece pendant on an 18 in sterling silver box chain. The Puzzle piece measures approx. 3/4 inch x 3/4 inches, and is signed by the artist on the back and includes a hand decorated cotton filled gift box. The necklaces are available with several different designs all unique unto themselves. “I am extremely excited to promote autism awareness with special autism jewelry creations and donations throughout the year to support our autistic community,” states Andi Vogel (RocknBauble Jewelry Artist). Jewelry for any awareness color or cause is also available with a percentage of the proceeds going to the cause the particular jewelry piece represents and although we place extra emphasis on Autism this month it is a top priority cause for us all year long. Additionally this year we will have a team in the Autism Society of Greater Orlando’s Autism Awareness 5k walk for ASGO on May 8^th inside the Orange County Convention Center ’s South Concourse.

RocknBauble Autism Awareness Month Necklace

About ASGO and Autism Awareness Month:

ASGO was founded in 1996 by a group of volunteer parents to better assist families of children and adults with autism in the Central Florida area. Everyone is encouraged to come out to support ASGO and the Central Florida families affected by autism. 100% of the proceeds will stay right in the Central Florida area. The mission or goal of ASGO is that all individuals within the autism spectrum will be provided a lifetime network of opportunities to become fully accepted, included, and actively participating members of our community, through family support, education, and advocacy, and public awareness. They are a wealth of information and support to families of children and adults with autism, offering social opportunities for individuals with autism to be included in the community. (www.asgo.org) The Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

About RocknBauble:

RocknBauble.com owner Andi states, “Wearing Autism Awareness Jewelry is one of many great ways to show your support for this important cause!” Andi crafts her fashionable awareness jewelry by hand and meticulously selects all materials to produce a truly original piece. Puzzle Pieces, Ribbons, Baubles, Stars, Lampwork Beads, Furnace Glass, Czech Republic Crystals, Swarovski Crystals, Fresh-water Pearls, Sterling Charms and Hearts are used in this superior quality jewelry, as well as some highly desirable bead variations and more unusual settings, most of which are crafted by local artisans. Her artistic sense of style and keen eye for color shines through in every awareness creation. Andi shows her confidence in the quality of her jewelry with a lifetime warranty and RocknBauble Awareness Jewelry has been showcased at many Autism events throughout the world. Visit her storefront to view and purchase her current offerings: www.RocknBauble.etsy.com

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RocknBauble Dot Com

DeBary, FL 32713

Beads(at)RocknBauble.com

www.RocknBauble.com

www.RocknBauble.Etsy.com

ASGO 5k Walk – 30th of May, 2009

RocknBauble Autism Awareness Month Extended Press Release PDF

MIT to Launch New Brain Research Effort

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to Launch New Brain Research Effort with Acquisition of Elekta MEG Technology

Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), Elekta Neuromag system will help MIT researchers unlock mysteries of normal and abnormal brain function

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Researchers at MIT are eagerly anticipating the summer delivery of Elekta Neuromag, a system that uses magnetoencephalography or MEG to explore brain function. MEG can detect the very weak magnetic fields arising from electrical activity in the brain, and allows researchers to monitor the timing of brain activity with millisecond precision. MIT researchers will use MEG to study normal cognition in children and adults, as well as the neural basis of autism, depression, schizophrenia and other brain disorders.

“MIT is exceptionally well positioned to benefit from a MEG facility on our campus,” says Charles Jennings, Ph.D., director of neurotechnology at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research. “MIT is among the country’s leading centers for neuroscience research, with a community of investigators that studies the brain at every level, from molecules and cells to human cognition and computational modeling. We also have strong programs to study a wide range of brain disorders, which will benefit greatly from access to MEG technology.”

“MIT’s worldwide reputation for advancing knowledge in science and technology for nearly 150 years makes its acquisition of Elekta Neuromag particularly gratifying, and we’re proud to be a part of it,” says Stephen Otto, Chairman of Elekta’s Neuromag Business. “And it is fitting that this institution, especially, will become Elekta’s latest MEG site, as MEG was invented by David Cohen at MIT.”

The Elekta Neuromag system will be housed in the Martinos Imaging Center within the Brain and Cognitive Sciences complex, home to the McGovern Institute of Brain Research, the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Delivery of the system is expected in June and it should be operational by the fall of 2010.

The following are examples of planned MEG research projects at MIT:

* Prof. John Gabrieli, director of the Martinos Imaging Center, will use MEG to study the neural and genetic basis of autism, dyslexia and other developmental disorders. By combining MEG with other brain imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), Dr. Gabrieli plans to search for differences in brain activation in subjects with different genetic variants that have been linked to these conditions. “Our goal is to correlate the changes in brain function with genetic risk factors, and in turn identify categories of patients for whom optimal treatment strategies could be tailored,” he says.

* Prof. Robert Desimone, director of the McGovern Institute, plans to study the neural basis of attention. Animal studies have indicated that high frequency brain waves known as gamma oscillations become synchronized across brain areas as these areas communicate with each other to control attention. He plans to extend this work to humans using MEG, and he hopes that this will provide new insights into the basis of diseases such as schizophrenia. “Gamma oscillations are disrupted in schizophrenia, and we think this may help explain why people with schizophrenia often experience difficulty organizing their thoughts and perceptions into a coherent and meaningful whole,” Dr. Desimone explains.

* Prof. Christopher Moore, an investigator at the McGovern Institute, seeks to understand how the cerebral cortex processes rapid sensory information. Based on his work on cortical circuitry, Dr. Moore has developed a biophysical model to account for the MEG signal. “Our aim is to link the signals that we can record from human subjects to the underlying brain mechanisms that give rise to those signals,” he says. “Arguably, we will never fully understand normal cognition or the ways that cognition fails in brain disorders unless we can achieve this deep circuit understanding.”

Other MIT faculty members expect to use the new MEG facility for a variety of studies, including MEG source localization; the neural basis of age-related changes in cognition; how individuals differ in their processing of social cues such as faces; cognitive deficits in autism spectrum disorder; the processing of complex visual scenes; neural mechanisms of speech and comprehension; how children and adults infer and reason about the mental states of other people; neural mechanisms of motor control and many other studies.

“In many ways the brain is a ‘black box.’ It is so complex — comprising 100 billion neurons and a trillion or more synapses — it’s not surprising it’s challenging to study,” Dr. Jennings notes. “But with MEG I think we’ll succeed in shining a little light in there.”

About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy and radiosurgery, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care.

Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both healthcare providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives, making the future possible today.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 5,000 hospitals globally, and every day more than 100,000 patients receive diagnosis, treatment or follow-up with the help of a solution from the Elekta Group.

Elekta employs around 2,500 employees globally. The corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. For more information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com.

About the McGovern Institute for Brain Research
The McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT is led by a team of world-renowned, neuroscientists committed to meeting two great challenges of modern science: understanding how the brain works and discovering new ways to prevent or treat brain disorders. The McGovern Institute was established in 2000 by Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp McGovern, who are committed to improving human welfare, communication and understanding through their support for neuroscience research. The director is Robert Desimone, formerly the head of intramural research at the National Institute of Mental Health. Further information is available at: mcgovern.mit.edu        (source Elekta)

Rethink Autism Web-Based Autism Treatment Platform

Rethink Autism Highlights Web-Based Autism Treatment Platform at CARD Conference

Rethink Autism, a web-based curriculum platform for children with autism, will be represented at Florida’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) 17th Statewide Annual Autism Conference January 29-31. Rethink Autism is committed to helping CARD fulfill its mission of providing professionals and families in the autism community with cutting edge treatment tools that are consistent with the leading research in the field of autism intervention.

“All of the parents I work with through our Center want to know how they can best interact with their children in a way that promotes their development and success,” said Dr. Mae Barker, BCBA-D, Clinical Director of UF-Jacksonville CARD. “Many ABA-home programs suffer from the lack of parent training, which I am glad to see Rethink Autism addresses through the use of video modeling that clearly breaks down how to teach children skills.”

The Rethink Autism platform offers a student-centered curriculum through 1,200+ video-based lesson steps that are consistent with applied behavior analysis (ABA). Endorsed by the US Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics, ABA is the only treatment for autism that has been consistently validated by independent scientific research.

“In Florida, more than 10,000 students under the age of 17 have been diagnosed with autism. Teachers, professionals, and parents struggle to ensure that these children have access to the most effective intervention available,” said Jamie Pagliaro, Executive Vice President of Rethink Autism. “The Rethink Autism platform enables professionals, like those at CARD, to offer every child with autism an ABA-based education.”

The online assessment tools offered by Rethink Autism can also assist professionals working with a child to formulate appropriate goals and objectives for that individual student. The system automatically tracks the individual student’s progress, reformulates the curriculum based on mastery of skills, and allows teachers and parents to measure the treatment’s effectiveness.

About the CARD 17th Statewide Annual Autism Conference:
The purpose of the CARD 17th Statewide Annual Autism Conference is to provide information on state of the art practices in areas that promote best practices in education, early intervention, and quality community based life-styles for individuals with autism, deaf-blindness, and related disabilities.

About Rethink Autism: Rethink Autism, Inc. seeks to ensure that every child on the autism spectrum has access to effective and affordable research-based treatment options by providing professionals, parents, and family members with the tools and information necessary to teach children with autism in a way that is easy to understand and apply. Rethink Autism was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters at 19 West 21st Street in New York City. For more information, go to www.rethinkautism.com.

“Love is the Drug” for Autism

‘Love hormone’ may reduce autism symptoms

NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (UPI) — The “love hormone,” released at childbirth and during sex, is being used in a U.S. trial of young adults with autism spectrum disorders, researchers say.

Dr. Eric Hollander, the center’s advisory board chairman and chairman of the psychiatry at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, says giving oxytocin may improve social functioning and repetitive behaviors — irrespective of the age of the patient.

“For the first time, certain core systems of autism may respond to treatment,” Hollander says in a statement.

In the trial, autistic patients age 18 and older, who were given oxytocin nasally for 12 weeks significantly reduced their repetitive behavior, and were better able to recognize anger or happiness in the tone of a speaker’s voice. Upbeat results were also provided in a similar age group who took the peptide intravenously, the study said. Autism spectrum disorders refers to a group of symptoms, like a profound inability to communicate and other developmental disorders.

Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

It is best known for its roles in female reproduction: it is released in large amounts after distension of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding, respectively. Recent studies have begun to investigate oxytocin’s role in various behaviors, including orgasm, social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety, trust, love, and maternal behaviors.

The Healthy Rhythm of Horses and Autism

The Certainty of Hippocrates

Today, to the joy of those who promoted the birth of such a singular project some six years ago in that same place, the La Loma farm, owned by the Vivo Picart family, is once again the scene of horseback riding for therapeutic purposes.

In spite of distance (it’s located in Capdevila, in the Havana municipality of Boyeros), children with disabilities and their parents go there each Friday by their own means, under the premise that this practice can help the quality of life of these children.

As special education expert and therapist Idida Rigual points out, in the year 460 BC, the Greek sage Hippocrates made reference to the healthy rhythm of horses, something that European medicine reintroduced in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, as some doctors at the time recommended trotting on a horse to keep healthy.

It wasn’t until the end of World War II, however, that the so-called equine therapy appeared in the Old Continent, mainly in Germany and in several Scandinavian countries.

The Road To Rehabilitation
Generally speaking, equine therapy consists of the use of horses for the physical and emotional rehabilitation of children and adults with autism, neuromotor disorders, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, changes of behavior, concentration problems, Rett’s syndrome, hyperkinesia and other pathologies.

sessions also include different exercises aimed at improving the patients’ coordination.

As referred to by world literature specializing in this topic, a horse trained for this activity transmits to the patients a certain amount of vibrations per minute during its pace. Those rhythmic impulses get to the pelvic belt, the spine and lower limbs, which provides a series of physiological stimuli that regulate the body tone and favor coordinated movement.

In order to have a better idea of the therapeutic effects, suffice it to say that when a person confined to a wheel chair rides a horse, they exercise the same muscles he or she would use if he or she was walking during that same time.

Generally, the modalities of passive and active riding can be used. In the first one, the person under treatment gets adapted to the movement of the animal without carrying out any other action, while the other one includes the performance of different exercises, among them doing circles with your arms, riding back to front or clinging to the horse’s body. Likewise, it includes an adapted program of sports horseback riding for disabled people.

Rehabilitation is also supported by the combination of activities like drawing, the use of didactic games, and music.

In the opinion of Vladimir Picart, a specialist in Zootechnics and responsible for the equestrian part of the project, animals used in equine therapy must be adult specimens, healthy and tame, and above all specifically prepared for this type of work.

I would go as far as to say that horses are very sensitive with disabled children. To me, they even recognize the limitations of the patients and are capable of not doing anything that can frighten them, he declared.

Today, there are several working groups using equine therapy, and despite difficulties of all kinds, the discipline is gaining space and credibility. It looks like Hippocrates was very much right when he spoke, in such remote times, about the horse-health link.

Beyond the aforementioned benefits, equine therapy encourages sensorial integration, develops vertical and horizontal balance, and also increases concentration, self-confidence, self-esteem and social interrelations. It also makes it possible to work on aspects referring to posture, language, space orientation and memory.

A specific working plan is devised for each case, explains Idida, according to medical assessments and the peculiarities of the condition

Autism Awareness Collection

From the Autism Awareness Collection that was Showcased at the AUSM Conference

Made with swarovski crystals and sterling silver, measure approx 7 1/2 inches in length and is 6mm at it’s widest point. A sterling silver puzzle piece charm really shows your support. Pretty enough for everyday and a great way to increase awareness. This is a true show stopper. This piece can be altered for size or color if you what to show your support for a different cause such as breast cancer, lupus, leukemia ect. Just email me (beads(at)RocknBauble(dot)com) with your ideas and together we can design the perfect piece for you. 10% of proceeds will be donated to autism research.  Purchase Here