Ryan at his summer landscaping job at BNI
The first question I asked when learning that my son Ryan had an autism spectrum disorder was “What would his future look like?” Up until then, I presumed that he would attend the University of Notre Dame, as my father, brother, sister and cousins had. This dream was probably not possible, but what would happen when Ryan graduates high school? Now that Ryan is 18 and a senior in high school, we continue to address the same question.
For those of you in the Erie area, my brother Dr. Joe Barber will be presenting Tuesday night, May 22, his first lecture at the Barber National Institute Forum from 6:00-7:15 p.m. His topic, “Upcoming Changes in the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders,” is a “hot” issue as many have expressed concerns about the impact of the changes in DSM V.
He will discuss common issues experienced by children with ASD and associated medical and mental disorders. He will provide an overview of past, present and future diagnostic categories and the effects proposed changes will have on child and parent. Be sure to come and hear his perspective and have your questions answered.
The program is free; however registration is appreciated. Free babysitting is also offered with advance registration. Call (814) 408-6831 or visit http://bit.ly/HD5olI to register.
Now that you have thought about the kind of summer experience that’s best for your child, here are some suggestions to help you narrow down your choices. These ideas are tailored for recreation camps, but many of these tips can be applied elsewhere.
– Make a list of what you are looking for in a camp. What type of camp might best suit your child? Day or residential camp? What is your camp budget?
– Start your camp search by researching some resources.
American Camp Association, www.acacamps.org Continue reading
The Barber National Institute holds “Ready, Set, Ride!” each summer to help children with disabilities learn to ride a two-wheeler.
As I walk outside and see that sunshine, I realize that summer is right around the corner. I really encourage parents of children with special needs to begin planning early on to ensure that you find the appropriate program for your child. As this is something I have been doing for the past 15 years, I have a few suggestions you might want to consider:
• What do you want your child to accomplish this summer? What skills and lessons would you like to be reinforced?
• Are you interested in a continuation of his/her educational program? If you are responding yes to this question, you would want to first consider if your child is eligible for Extended School Year (ESY). Based upon your child’s IEP, he/she may be eligible for a part-time or full-time program throughout the summer. Continue reading
Over the past several years, more than $100 million has been spend trying to find the cause of autism. While this research is very important, I believe that we also have to invest in trying to find more effective treatment options. That is why we were so excited today to join the University of Notre Dame in announcing our collaboration on a new research project. Over the next 24-36 months, we will be evaluating the effectiveness of using a humanoid robot in clinical therapy for children ages 13-17 with autism.
The pilot phase of the project began in April at the Barber National Institute with four children from the Elizabeth Lee Black School. The initial study involves two 5-year old boys and two 3-year old girls. As the research moves Continue reading
April 22nd-28th is the annual celebration for the Week of the Young Child. Its purpose is to focus attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize early childhood programs and services which lay the future success of our very young children.
We as a society can ensure that children have a solid foundation for the future. Quality early education is essential to healthy brain development and is the necessary first step in a child’s education. When at risk children receive quality early education, they can make up developmental gaps from the early years and enter kindergarten at the grade level. In Continue reading
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