I just received this update from the SPD Foundation regarding the Newtown, CT murders and the young man identified as the shooter Adam Lanza.  (See my December blog:  Autism Speaks Out About Newtown Tragedy).  PBS's Frontline has released a riveting documentary on Adam, his apparent diagnosis of SPD and his early years as his family ...

I recently came across this lecture on the TED Talks series.  If you are not familiar, TED (Technology Entertainment, Design) is a non- profit organization designed to foster the spread of great ideas. Since its inception in the 1980's it has hosted a platform of some of the world's leading  scientists, visionaries and educators with the ...

As my year as your peds blogger comes to a close, I thought I would give you a rundown of the top 5 most popular posts.   5.  Weighing in at the fifth spot was the final update on the DSM-5 due out next May: SPD Excluded from DSM-5. 4. The AJOT published study on Speed and Legibility with Pencil Grasp had some surprising ...

 As many of us head out this week on travels for the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought you might find this story from a few months ago food for thought on your journey.  Seems there was an incident aboard an airline flight where a teen was asked to turn off her iPad during takeoff.  This was not your typical teen ...

A colleague recently sent this YouTube link and I felt compelled to share it. Although titled What Autism Feels Like, it is actually a brief clip on what a day probably sounds like in the life of a child with ASD. As peds therapists, it often becomes our role in the school, clinic or our community to educate teachers, parents and/or other staff ...

I know I have been blogging frequently on the topic of autism, but given the media attention it seems to be getting these days, along with the proposed definition changes in the upcoming DSM-5, it just seems fitting to keep current in this ever expanding field. This past week I took a quick trip to San Diego to check out the Autism Society of ...

I recently came across this Research Study ongoing here in Orlando at the University of Central Florida.  UCF's Anxiety Disorders Clinic has teamed up with Virtually Better, an Atlanta based interactive technology company to develop a computer simulation program that allows children to practice social skills in a safe environment through the ...

In my years as a clinic and school therapist, I have had the delightful privilege of meeting some amazing fathers of children with special needs.  So, in honor and tribute for this Sunday's Father's Day here is a blog from Ellen Seidman at Love That Max on Why Dads with Kids with Special Needs Rock! I find these dad quotes refreshing ...

Lately I keep finding articles in the news about the importance of oxytocin. Our bodies release this neurotransmitter naturally from the hypothalamus through touch, warmth and/or close proximity to someone with whom we feel a deep connection.  Often considered the antidote for our sympathetic nervous system, it can help lower stress and ...

I received an update last evening from the desk of Lucy Jane Miller. Seems the APA (American Psychiatric Association) has announced the third and final opportunity for public feedback on the upcoming DSM- 5 to be published in 2013.  In the newsletter, Dr. Miller gives an update on the status of her research on SPD and ...