We're Moving!

Well, sort of. The Pollard Memorial Library recently launched its new web site. In addition to a new design, the new web site now houses the Pollard Memorial Library's Autism Resource Guide. As such, this blog will no longer be maintained or updated. Instead, I will be updating it on the library's web site. It's the same information, just in a different format. To access the Autism Resource Guide via the library's web site, click here. Make sure to bookmark it!

Search This Blog


1 in 110

1 in 110: Autism Spectrum Resources for Families

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 110 children in the United States is on the autism spectrum. Youth Services Staff has compiled a list of autism spectrum resources for families. The best place to start, if you suspect your child might be on the spectrum, is to have your child screened. The earlier your child starts therapies, the better. If your child is under age three there are two local agencies, South Bay Early Intervention and Thom Anne Sullivan Center, that provide screening services. If your child is age three or older, contact the Lowell Public Schools for assistance.

Information contained in this blog does not constitute library endorsement of a treatment, agency or advocacy group. The library maintains that it is up to the parent/legal guardian to determine proper treatment for his/her child. This blog is solely a place of information for the huge array of materials related to Autism Spectrum Disorders.

If your family uses a service or has a favorite autism spectrum website that is not listed, please let us know so we can share with others in the community. Contact Molly Hancock, Coordinator of Youth Services at mhancock@mvlc.org.

Monday, October 31, 2011

KIDS Dances

From:

KIDS IN DISABILITY SPORTS, INC.

P.O. BOX 1397

LOWELL, MA 01853

1-866-712-7799

www.kidsinc.us



KIDS DANCE SCHEDULE 2011/2012

December 9, 2011 – Holiday Dance

February 10, 2012 – Valentine Dance

March 16, 2012 – St. Patrick’s Day

May 4, 2012 – Luau Dance

NEW: Attendance Door Prize Raffle @ every dance. Raffle at 8:30 p.m. (Must be present to get prize if you win). For every dance you attend your name goes into the final drawing to be held at the May Dance for $100 cash prize. Attend all dances, 6 chances to win.

Dances are held at Lowell Lodge of Elks, Old Ferry Road, Lowell

$5.00 Entrance Fee per person

No drinks can be brought in.

Donation of snacks/baked goods appreciated.

Dance Rules

Dances begin at 7:00 p.m. and end promptly at 10:00 p.m. Admittance begins at 6:45. No one will be allowed to enter the hall or wait outside before this time. Everyone must check in at the front table upon entering and pay the admittance fee. Your hand will be stamped at this time to acknowledge you’ve paid.

Attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No exceptions.

Attendees over the age of 18 must sign in at the front table and leave your name and the name and phone number of an emergency contact who can be reached during the dance. Please come prepared with this information.

Individuals responsible for picking up attendees over age of 18 must arrive by 9:30 and be present for the last half hour of the dance. Our volunteers are not responsible for anyone who remains after 10:00 p.m.

After you have entered the hall, you may leave only to use the restroom. There is no loitering in the main hallway or outside the front door. This is for the safety of all and courtesy of those who may be using the facility for another function.

Failure to abide by these rules may prevent you from being allowed to attend future dances, which will be at the discretion of K.I.D.S. Thank You for your cooperation.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Halloween Tips

Here are some Halloween survival tips from LifeLinks:

  • Plan out the evening and talk to your child about what to expect. Work with them on anxieties and fears they may have.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Bulldozer
  • Have your child practice wearing his/her costume before Halloween. Can they see? Are they able to climb stairs? Are they comfortable?
  • To ensure the candy and treats your child consumes are safe, have another trick-or-treat bag that is identical to theirs prepared at home with safe snacks and toys for them. Switch bags before allowing them to consume anything they received while trick-or-treating.
  • Is trick-or-treating too overwhelming? Plan your own party! Have a quiet area for your child to relax if he or she becomes overwhelmed. Invite your child's friends and prepare goodies your child can safely eat and that his or her friends can enjoy as well.
  • Participate in local Halloween events instead of trick-or-treating. The Chelmsford Library is doing Spooky Story Celebration and a haunted house. The Tewksbury Public Library is having a Costume-a-rama, Halloween Concert, and Trick-or-Treating!
  • Ensure your child knows proper etiquette for trick-or-treating. Social stories can help. Make sure the child knows it isn't the time to make small talk but does know the appropriate things to say.
  • Your child may just not like Halloween or want to trick-or-treat. S/he can help hand out candy or you can engage him/her in a different Halloween-themed activity.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Federation for Children with Special Needs Local Workshops

The Federation for Children with Special Needs offers various workshops for parents at different locations in Massachusetts. The workshops are free but registration is required. Here are some upcoming workshops that will be happening in the Lowell area:

November 8, 2011
6:45 PM
Memorial Hall Library
Andover, MA
Basic Rights in Special Education

November 10, 2011
7 PM
Dracut High School
Dracut, MA
Basic Rights in Special Education

November 17,2011
7 PM
Wynn Middle School
Tewksbury, MA
Transition 101: High School to Adulthood

December 1, 2011
6:30 PM
Professional Center for Child Development
Andover, MA
An IEP for My Child

December 1, 2011
7 PM
Wilmington High School
Wilmington, MA
Basic Rights in Special Education

December 8, 2011
7 PM
Dracut High School
Dracut, MA
Understanding My Child's Learning Style

January 12, 2012
7 PM
Tewksbury High School
Tewksbury, MA
Effective Communication and the IEP

For more details about these programs and to register, please visit the Federation's website.

Transistion Help

From the SPED Child and Teen website:

Easter Seals of Massachusetts Youth Transition Services: High School students with disabilities, their families and educators are given tools to help achieve their vision. Assistive technology, rehabilitation therapy, vocational evaluation, career skills development, job placement, on-the-job training, Independent living skills, social and recreational opportunities are just a few of offerings. For more information, contact info@eastersealsma.org, call 800-244-2756 or visit Easter Seals of Massachusetts.

Music Workshop

From the SPED Child and Teen web page:
Music & Activity Programs for Adolescents/Youth on the Autism Spectrum - Fall 2011: UMass Lowell's programs are designed for those 13 - 30 who are high functioning on the autism spectrum and include: SoundScape Music Program, The "Chapters" Book Club, Fit and Fun Physical Exercise and Relaxation Program, The Network monthly social and vocational skills program, Horizons College Preparation Mentoring Program with one-on-one mentoring with trained UMass Lowell students. Registration is required and space is limited. For enrollment forms or to register, ashleigh_hillier@uml.edu or visit http://faculty.uml.edu/ahillier

Friday, October 14, 2011

Focus Group

From LifeLinks:

Help Shape the Future of Family Support!

The Department of Development Services (DDS), together with local Citizen Advisory Boards and the Family Support Centers, wants to hear your ideas about the future of Family Support services in Massachusetts.

It's critical that we hear directly from you so that a plan for the future can be developed that really reflects your needs. This is not a presentation but an opportunity for us to listen to you and learn more about what you need. We encourage you to attend this meeting and make your voice heard.

Please come!

DATE: Friday, October 21, 2011

TIME: 1:00 - 3:00PM

LOCATION: Courtyard Marriott Billerica

If you need an ASL or language interpreter or other accommodations, please contact:

Rick Kalish, Assistant Area Director, DDS at 978-322-4309 or rick.kalish@massmail.state.ma.us.

Please RSVP to Rick Kalish by October 18.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Your Help Is Needed

Futures Behavior Therapy Center in Beverly, MA, was severely damaged by the recent flooding. All of the toys, games, area rugs, and many school supplies were lost due to water damage. They are soliciting donations of these materials. The school will even accept any gently used items that are in good condition.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Upcoming Conferences

From the Sped Child and Teen Online Newsletter:
Aspergers Syndrome - Connections 2011 Conference: October 14th & 15th, 2011, Marlborough, MA. The Aspergers Association of New England's annual conference features Keynotes speakers Dan Coulter, with Succeeding with Aspergers Syndrome, and Todd Drezern & Pricilla Gilman, Our Categoreis and Communities. Plus 57 workshops that cover: Bullying & Cyberbullying Prevention, Inclusion in Elementary School, Social Thinking, Executive Function Strategies for Children and Teens, Sibling, Behavior Challenges and Solutions, Healthcare, IEPS, Medication, Transition to Adulthood, Driving, and much more. For more information, contact lisa.graffeo@aane.org, call 617-393-3824, or visit the Aspergers Association of New England.

Autism Consortium Symposium & Family Resource and Research Fair – Free: October 25th, 2011, Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Hear top doctors, researchers, and other autism experts discuss advances in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), families and autism research findings, the future of autism genetic, and research related to the neurology of autism and synapse development. Experienced autism agencies will be on hand to discuss what they have to offer your child and family, learn about research studies designed to improve treatments and outcomes for people with ASD, and view an Autism Research Exhibit. Pre-registration required. Please visit https://autismconsortium.eventbrite.com to sign up or call 617-432-6961.

Upcoming LifeLinks Workshops

From LifeLinks:

Special Needs Financial Planning

On Wednesday, October 19 at 6:30PM, LifeLinks Family Support Center will be hosting Cynthia Haddad and John Nadworny of the Special Needs Planning division of Shepherd Financial Partners. They will be presenting an overview of important financial and legal issues in regards to your child with special needs.


The evening will start with parent support and networking time at 6:30 PM where resources and concerns are shared. Free gift, refreshments, and door prize for attending.


The presentation will begin at 7:00PM. All registrants will receive a copy of Ms. Haddad and Mr. Nadworny's book "The Special Needs Planning Guide: How to Prepare for Every Stage of Your Child's Life".


To attend this workshop, please RSVP to 978-349-3040.


Young Adult Relationships and Sexuality

We have a great Young Adult Social Group event planned for October, thanks to Paula Thompson, LICSW. The Family Support Center Young Adult Social Group is for teens and young adults ages 16-28(ish!) who want more social time with their peers and would like to improve their social skills.


The October session, on Saturday, October 15 from 9:00AM-2:00PM, will focus on young adult relationships. This one day workshop for young adults will focus on the goals of individuals in the group. Some topics will include talking about public and private relationships, decision making, and sexuality. Paula Thompson, LICSW will conduct this workshop and engage participants in fun games to help them learn about these important topics.


An accompanying workshop for parents will be held on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:00PM. This session will focus on sexuality and relationships for young adults with developmental disabilities and how to have conversations about these topics with your child. The training will also allow for parents to ask questions and will provide a variety of resources. If your child is attending the Saturday workshop, we ask that you (the parent) please attend this training.


Both of these workshops are FREE!


The Saturday workshop has limited space so reserve your young adult child's spot soon!


To RSVP for any of the aforementioned Young Adult Social Group events, please call Rachel at 978-349-3040.


LifeLinks, 285 Mill Road, Chelmsford

Monday, October 3, 2011

Lego Club!


Lego Club is this Saturday at 9:30 AM. All kids grade 1 and older are welcome. We supply the Legos, you supply the imagination. All creations are put on display to the public.
No sign up necessary.