PLUK News feed

Early humans may have cared for disabled young

Link: Disabled Child's Skull A recently unearthed ancient human skull shows signs of a disorder that might have caused mental retardation. This offers the earliest evidence that ancestors of Homo sapiens did not abandon young with severe birth defects. The 500,000-year-old skeleton belonged to a five to 12-year-old child who suffered from craniosynostosis. The rare congenital condition occurs when two of the flat bones that make up the skull fuse together along their margins (sutures) too early during fetal development, hindering brain growth.

Effects of Weighted Vests on Appropriate In-Seat Behaviors of Students with Autism and Other Disabilities

Link: Effects of Weighted Vests Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy may be more helpful than weighted vests in keeping children with autism calm and in their seats. Sensory therapies are one common occupational therapy approach to the treatment of autism. The study was designed to see if the use of weighted vests during a group activity would increase the amount of time that three school-aged children with autism would stay in their seats.

Choice autism treatment offers benefits, has limits

Link: Autism Behavioral Treatment For 8-year-old Ryan Mohar, an elevator isn't just an elevator. He spends hours pressing the buttons and riding up and down, preferring this to the slew of alternatives that his teachers offer -- even candy. At the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Ryan and other children with communication and behavior difficulties get help through a rigorous empirical method called Applied Behavior Analysis.

Youth Support Groups in Billings

YOUTH SUPPORT GROUPS! For Youth with a Mental Illness Do you struggle sometimes with feeling different because others don’t have Bipolar Disorder or Depression or ADHD/ADD, etc? Do your medicines give you side effects? Support from others with similar experiences can help! Happening now! Tuesday Evenings, 4-5 PM (12-14 year olds) and 5-6 PM (15-17 year olds) Offered Free of Charge Presented BY NAMI-BILLINGS In Partnership with TUMBLEWEED Pre-registration required CALL NAMI-Billings at 256-2001 FOR INFORMATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION

ABLEDATA—35,000 AT Products!

Link: AbleData Looking for a piece of assistive technology? A screen magnifier? AAC? An eye-gaze system? Audio books? Or even disposable clothing? Then be sure to visit ABLEDATA today. ABLEDATA is a terrific online database loaded with all sorts of valuable resources and product information about an enormous range of assistive technology from low- to high-tech and everything in between. ABLEDATA provides information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States. ABLEDATA serves the nation's disability, rehabilitation, and senior communities. Although ABLEDATA does not sell any products, it can help you locate the companies that do.

Scoop Essentials: Searching For The Perfect Gig

Link: Getting Employed Doreen Rosimos of IncomeLinks, LLC., employment specialist, answers your questions on everything from identifying a positive work situation to interviewing and what’s out there for caregivers needing flexibility.

Taking Time to Focus on You, For Parents of Children with Special Needs

Link: Taking a Break Life with a child with special needs presents constant challenges and stress. Inevitably, you get wrapped up in the stresses and strains of everyday life. Marriage and family relationships are impacted. Communication problems, lack of time and energy for personal, marital, and family activities, and social isolation affect many families. It seems obvious that parents need to refresh and recharge. How does a parent get a break?

Kids.gov, the Official Kid's Portal for the U.S. Government

Link: Kid's Portal Kids.gov, the Official Kid's Portal for the U.S. Government, is an excellent tool for kids of all ages to learn about people, policy, careers, and more. The information is categorized in a format that is easily navigated, with sections: Grades K-5, Grades 6-8, and Educators. Additionally, kids.gov reviews other websites and provides a monthly profile for another resource in their "site of the month" section. Visit their website and explore!

AbleNet Impulse Switch

Link: Impulse Technology Imagine an access product that responds to the slightest of movements. Now remove the wires. Now integrate this product with software and tools you already own. Now make it light and stylish enough to wear every day, anywhere. Now you have Impulse. AbleNet –Impulse Switch is an EMG (Electromyography) sensing electrode that senses tiny muscle contractions. The Impulse detects and wirelessly transmits the EMG signal to a Bluetooth receiver. Software then processes the activity as a traditional switch “click”. Combined with programs such as EZ-Keys this allows users to fully control their computer with the smallest of muscle activity. Contact AbleNet for information on loaners and evaluation discounts.

Visual Learners Convert Words To Pictures in the Brain and Vice Versa

Link: Brain Study A University of Pennsylvania psychology study, using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to scan the brain, reveals that people who consider themselves visual learners, as opposed to verbal learners, have a tendency to convert linguistically presented information into a visual mental representation. The more strongly an individual identified with the visual cognitive style, the more that individual activated the visual cortex when reading words. The opposite also appears to be true from the study’s results.