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[Stella Li]

Hi everyone,

Do you know any good dentist for autistic kids in Burnaby or Vancouver? New Westminster, Coquitlam, Richmond or Surrey are okay too. Please email me stellali888@shaw.ca or post here. Thanks.

I know an excellent Pediatric Dentistry but they are located in Langley:

Child's Play Pediatric Dentistry in Langley
604 514 3884

Stella

[Joelle and Leighton]

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

For those with an interest in Education, Special Needs Children, Psychology, or any other career involving children:

We are seeking people that would like to join our Team to work with our son, Jordan. Jordan is 12 years old. He really likes the computer and math. He has some difficulty learning. Jordan has high functioning Autism. He is involved in a Treatment Program called Lovaas-Type Applied Behavior Analysis. He’s been in this program for 8 ½ years. If hired, you would be helping Jordan carry on conversations; you would help him with his homework, social skills and help him with other learning deficiencies.

The job of Therapist/Tutor would require a commitment of 6 – 12 hours per week. Each shift would be 2 ½ – 3 hours long. Therefore, you could easily work around your university schedule. Experience working with autistic children would be preferred but is not mandatory. Training will be provided.

Enthusiasm, dedication, reliability and a willingness to learn are required. Energy and a positive attitude is a must.

We’re looking for people that are available to work after school hours and on weekends.
Therapy/Tutor sessions will take place in our home located in East Chilliwack, B.C. A minimum of a one (1) year commitment is required. A current criminal record check will be required. Wages will depend on experience.

Our current Consultant is Catherine (Sharpe) McConnell. We will be transitioning to a new Consultant, Sara White in the next few months.

If interested, please send a copy of your resume by facsimile at the Fax number listed below, or email it to joelle10@shaw.ca

Lovaas Therapy Job Offer

Abbotsford Facsimile: 604-853-5281 ATTN: Leighton

[Peter Wong]

Dear parents:

I am planning to take my boy to do an Asia trip at the end of the year or beginning of next year. It will be his first time on the airplane. I am considering that we need to do a short trip first. If you have any experiences/suggestions regarding to trip plan or which airline, please share with me.

I assume that I need to let the Airline know about my boy’s condition when I book the ticket.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Peter

vancouverpeter@gmail.com

[Stella Li]

Hi everyone,

We have been busy putting together new library materials in the last couple of months. The following list of new books, manuals, DVDs are finally ready for loan to ASBC members!

Note that we have started to use a new library materials shipping system. If you have borrowed books or videos from us, please return them in person or using the old return slip and nylon envelopes ASAP before the old system expires. Thanks!

Let me know if you want to borrow the new library materials. I will put you on our waitlist accordingly…

Cheers :-)

Stella Hui
Librarian and Information Worker
Autism Society of BC
shui@autismbc.ca

ASBC New Library Resource Materials (January 2007)

DVDs:

1. Storymovies (Social Concepts and Skills at School) Volume 1 – by Carol Gray and Mark Shelley 2006
DVD includes 25 Storymovies based on 9 movies plus Overview with Carol Gray & Mark Shelley. Also includes a Guide to Storymovies Booklet.

2. Strategies for Organization: Preparing for Homework and the Real World (2 Disks) – by Michelle Garcia Winner, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding 2005
Michelle presents 10 steps for organizing and producing homework. While this DVD focuses specifically on many of the skills needed to complete a night of homework, the skills learned apply far beyond this one task. We use these same 10 steps throughout our lives to manage our jobs, chores and even planning and going on vacations.
Michelle encourages us to start the process of teaching towards more abstract homework assignments in early elementary school, rather than waiting until all the hard lessons hit at once.

3. The Boy Inside – 2006
Local filmmaker Marianne Kaplan tells the personal and often harrowing story of her son Adam, a 12-year-old boy with Asperger Syndrome.

4. Autism Every Day – 2006
A documentary and interviews of parents who have autistic children: how autism affects their every day lives, their family, their relationships, their dreams, and how they deal with the daily issues.

Books, Workbooks, Manuals

1. Strategies for Organization: Preparing for Homework and the Real World – Workbook – by Michelle Garcia Winner, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding 2005
A workshop to explore the process of getting organized for school and life… and how to start teaching more about it!

2. The Incredible 5-Point Scale – by Kari Dunn Buron and Mitzi Curtis, Autism Asperger Publishing Company (AAPC) 2003
This is an amazing strategy to assist students with autism spectrum disorders in understanding social interactions and controlling their emotional responses. Resource for parents and teachers.

3. Exploring Feelings – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy To Manage ANXIETY – by Tony Attwood 2004
The program was designed to encourage the cognitive control of emotions. Students will have activities and information to explore the feeling of being anxious. There are sections to record individual comments and responses to questions. The program was designed as a treatment for anxiety disorder in children with Asperger’s syndrome but it can be equally applied to children with high functioning autism and PDD-NOS.

4. Exploring Feelings – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy To Manage ANGER – by Tony Attwood 2004
The program was designed to encourage the cognitive control of emotions. Students will have activities and information to explore the feeling of being angry. There are sections to record individual comments and responses to questions. The program was designed as a treatment for anger management problems in children with Asperger’s syndrome but it can be equally applied to children with high functioning autism and PDD-NOS.

5. Achieving Best Behavior for Children with Developmental Disabilities – A Step-By-Step Workbook For Parents and Carers – by Pamela Lewis 2006
The Workbook offers practical, hands-on advice and step-by-step instructions to encourage positive behavior in children with developmental disabilities. It uses interactive checklists, strategies and activities to help parents and carers monitor and assess behaviors in everyday situations and track a child’s development.

6. Send In The Idiots – Stories From The Other Side Of Autism – by Kamran Nazeer 2006
This book was highly recommended by a top notch local behaviour consultant.
Kamran Nazeer was enrolled in a small New York City school when he was 4-year-old, alongside a dozen other children diagnosed with autism. Calling themselves “the Idiots,” these kids received care that was at the cutting edge of developmental psychology. Two decades later, Nazeer undertook a mission to try to reconnect with four of his schoolmates. He wanted to understand what it meant to grow up with autism – to see the many obstacles his classmates had cleared, and to understand the ones they couldn’t.

7. Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum – A Parent’s Guide to the Cognitive, Social, Physical, and Transition Needs of Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorders – by Chantal Sicile-Kira 2006
This practical guide offers parents strategies for helping their children, whatever their ability level, through the physical and emotional changes of the teenage years and preparing them for adulthood.

8. Think Social! – A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students – by Michelle Garcia Winner 2005
This curriculum demonstrates how to develop a social thinking vocabulary with which to teach children, parents and teachers across the years. It starts with lessons on ‘Being Part of A Group’ and continues into self-monitoring behavior, the development of language-specific skills, awareness of language meaning, and the development of imagination and wonder towards play/conversation. It introduces ways to explore complex issues of problem solving, hidden curriculum, and social rules as they change during our lifetimes. Eight sections incorporate more than 100 detailed lessons that can span years of treatment.

9. Worksheets! – for Teaching Social Thinking and Related Skills – by Michelle Garcia Winner 2005
The Worksheets! Book provides parents and educators with ways to explore breaking down abstract social thinking concepts into concrete ways for teaching students with High Functioning Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Nonverbal Learning Disability, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The lessons includes: friendship, perspective taking, self-monitoring, being part of a group, effective communication, making plans to be with others, problem solving and more.

10. The Quality of Life in Families of Children with Autism: A Comparison with Family of Children who do not have Autism – by Heather Church 2006
A research paper/ thesis for a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies at the University of Victoria.

[Janet Lirenman]

REMINDER

Next in the North Shore ASBC Parent Support Group series: Social
Skills / Bullying

Michelle Shilvock, a local ABA Consultant, will give a presentation on
Social Skills groups for both preschool and elementary school aged
children. The topics will include how to facilitate peer interactions,
strategies for providing opportunities during the school day, and
other tips on successful peer plays. Also, there will be an
opportunity to discuss bullying – how to avoid it and looking at
information at what to do if it happens.

This meeting is open to parents, school aides, teachers and others
with an interest in social skill groups.

Date: Tuesday, January 23

Time: 7 -9 p.m.

Location: Peters Room in the West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950
Marine Drive in West Van. (between 19th and 20th Streets). The library
is easily accessible via Highway #1 Upper Levels), taking either the
15th Street or
20th St. exits.

Coffee/Tea and snacks provided.
Donations are greatly appreciated.

Please RSVP to Andrea at andreafinch@shaw.ca or to Eva at 604-218-3298

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Cheers,

Eva, Andrea, Janet and Debra

[Courtney Mapson]

Hi everyone – a therapist brought to my attention a FANTASTIC (free!) website which could be used as reinforcement if you have a child who is a VIDEO nut!

http://www.youtube.com – and plug in your child's favorite video name into it and choices will pop up below. You'll get to play a 3-5 minute clip of the video and no downloading involved.

Because this is not a child-specific website, I would suggest parental/therapist supervision b/c there will be some choices that are not the actual cartoon/movie. Or try plugging the ones they like into your favourites list on your internet browser.

Will probably save some families huge in renting and buying costs of videos and should decrease satiation b/c the video clips are short and can pick novel ones each time!!!

[Nicole Patrick]

I am looking to sign my 5 year old boy up for a martial arts program. If anyone has experience with any martial arts schools in/near Port Coquitlam, I would appreciate your feedback (good or bad).

Thank you in advance.

Nicole
nicolepatrick@telus.net

[Diane T]

Mid-Island ASBC Community Group Meeting
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
7-9 p.m.
SOS Building, 245 W. Hirst Avenue, Parksville

Weather permitting, we will meet for an evening of discussion and socialization. Come learn something new, share what you know, and spend time with others walking a similar path.

Please email diane_t @ shaw.ca (without the spaces) if you plan to attend so that we may arrange for seating and refreshments.

Hope to see you there.

Diane

[Dione Costanzo]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for any parent groups located in Delta/Surrey/White Rock areas. Please contact me if you have any information.

Thank you

Dione

dionec@shaw.ca

[Brent Jordan]

As tax season is approaching I have a question which has likely been covered before but as a parent of a recently diagnosed child, everything is new to me. My question is, can my wife claim the cost of therapy provided in a home based program (above the level of government funding) as child care expense if the result is that my wife is able to work from home during therapy? On a logical level I think the answer should be yes but I am far from certain. My guess, however, is that someone else has already run in to this before me. Any information would be appreciated. Please e-mail me at btefz@telus.net.

Thanks.

[Author]

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