Free webinar on helping your child prepare for college

FREE webinar tomorrow:

Karaoke Fundraiser for CARD: All ages welcome

This event is FREE and has NO COVER CHARGE!

You only pay $5.00 to Karaoke (sing), of which ALL PROCEEDS will go to benefit Autism Programs.

Portions of Food and Drinks purchased will ALSO be donated.

National Kids to Parks Day

City of Delray Beach Parks and Recreation, National Kids to Parks Day, Pompey Park.
May 19, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm FREE
The entire family is welcome to join us for a variety of recreational games, swimming, and general play at Pompey Park! Pompey Pool (free admission): games, water safety, cannonball contest
Arts and Crafts
Field Events: Sack Race, Water Balloon Toss, 3-legged race
Football Throw, Soccer Slalom
Basketball: H.O.R.S.E., 3-point contest, spot shooting
Karate
Crazy Games

Playground, Free Snacks Mayor Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie recently proclaimed National Kids to Parks day in Delray Beach and encourages locals to participate by exploring Pompey Park.A special commemorative National Kids to Parks Day is being planned for 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at Pompey Park, and all are invited to start their day of play there and adventure out to all Delray Beach's other outdoor spaces throughout the day.For more information on National Kids to Parks Day at Pompey Park, please contact Danielle Beardsley at (561) 243-7277 or beardsleyd@mydelraybeach.comAbout National Kids to Parks Day Thousands of children nationwide, including here in Delray Beach will take part in a grassroots movement to reclaim America’s parks through play on Saturday, May 19, to commemorate National Park Trust’s (NPT) second annual National Kids to Parks Day.At a time when an obesity epidemic touches nearly 1 in 3 children who are either overweight or obese, communities are witnessing sky-rocketing rates of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated cholesterol levels in children. Like Delray Beach, other cities across the nation are committing to a simple motto: “active kids are healthy kids” and encouraging their residents to use National Kids to Parks Day as the first of many days spent outdoors, at local parks and recreation sites, to develop more active, healthy lifestyles.NPT is working with numerous cities and towns included those affiliated with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Cities and Towns program, which is designed to encourage mayors and elected officials to adopt policies and programs that create systemic changes, reducing childhood obesity. Mayor McDuffie joins mayors across the country, from Le Paso, to Santa Fe, to Reading and to Orlando, Florida, who have signed official proclamations declaring May, 19th National Kids to Parks Day in their city or town. This growing list of mayors has committed to urge their citizens to make time on May 19 to take the children and grandchildren in their lives to a neighborhood, state or national park.We encourage residents to visit www.kidstoparks.org and sign up so that local families can be counted in the national tally. Then, on May 19, families are encouraged to visit a park or recreation area and submit photos of their adventures to Buddy@BuddyBison.org for possible inclusion in NPT’s national map commemorating the day.National Kids to Parks Day has been endorsed by Department of Interior’s Youth in the Great Outdoors, America’s State Parks, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, Children’s National Medical Center, Boy Scouts of America, US Army Corps of Engineers, Children & Nature Network, National Environmental Education Foundation and officially in support of the First Lady’s Let Move Outside! initiative to get more youth and families to be active and live healthier. ABOUT NATIONAL PARK TRUST

National Park Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow. As people spend more time indoors and as successive generations grow up with less of a connection to nature, NPT wants to build a greater awareness and appreciation for the importance of our country's public lands and parks. To learn more about our work visit, www.parktrust.org or our website for children www.buddybison.org.

AMC Sensory Friendly Movie Pirates! Band of Misfits!

Sensory Friendly Version Coming to AMC Coral Ridge 10!

AMC Entertainment® and the Autism Society of America have teamed up to bring families affected by autism a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis.
With Sensory Friendly Films, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up, the sound turned down and no previews.  For those families who don’t get to go to the movies because it’s too difficult, this is the movie for you!!! It’s an event that the entire family will enjoy!!!!

Here's the "When and Where" for this event...

Saturday, May 5, 2012
10:00am until 12:00pm
AMC Coral Ridge 10
3401 NE 26th Ave
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33306
(Just east of Federal Highway, north of Oakland Park Blvd – Behind Target)
            954-566-9677    

For tickets to this unique experience, please visit the theatre’s box office the day of the event. Tickets are $5

Upcoming Shows
June 16 - Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

*Please note all dates and films are subject to change
Never miss a movie!
Sign up for the Autism Society's free e-newsletter for updates on upcoming Sensory Friendly Films, as well as the latest info on autism news, advocacy, research, education, conferences and resources!

Jonathan is absolutely going to LOVE this...
Update...
We're here and Jonathan is REALLY into the music!

insync with autism 

A Harmonious Experience For Individuals With Autism

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TO RSVP CLICK HERE
Please include name, phone, and # of seats in email.

*** NEW Insync With Autism WebStore

Help us support future concerts by purchasing gift items!

CHECK OUT THE PHOTO GALLERY

INSYNC With Autism is pleased to announce their sixth event to be held at the New Horizon United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 31st, 2010.

We are excited to present "The Florida Youth Orchestra" for this event. 

***Please come in costume for Halloween!

***Pre-Concert Trick-or-Treating and Art Activities start at 2:30PM, concert from 3-4:15PM

The hands-on musical program, INSYNC With Autism – A Harmonious Experience for Individuals with Autism, will feature an interactive musical performance that can be enjoyed by the entire family. This musical performance will be presented free of charge to individuals affected by autism and their families through funding by The Rotary Club Of Weston in partnership with UM NSU Center For Autism and Related Disabilities.

INSYNC With Autism aspires to improve the quality of life for families affected by autism by providing them with a safe, fun community experience.

The concert series is specifically tailored to be “autism friendly” and will enrich the lives of those with autism through the power of music. INSYNC With Autism provides a unique opportunity for individuals affected by autism, their families, and friends from the community to experience the concert in a relaxed environment. The theatre provides an open space for individuals to dance, jump, or relax to the music without the difficulties that a larger venue might bring. Audience members will be given the opportunity to learn how music can enrich the lives of individuals with autism by actively participating with different percussion instruments.

TO RSVP CLICK HERE
Please include name, phone, and # of seats in email.

Epsom Salt for Autism?

We're always looking for light reading between tasks on what we can do for our son to overcome the negative effects of Autism, and so I was intrigued when I found an article on Epsom Salt.  I guess what kind of stuck out in my mind was the fact that lately, we've had to give him Miralax for constipation and I know that the active ingredient in Miralax is actually Magnesium.  Well, Epsom Salt is not really salt, it's really just Magnesium Sulfate.  Not to go too much into another subject, but another article we wrote here, about a Tylenol and Allergy Link, it turns out that the Sulfates in Epsom Salts, can replenish the Sulfates used up in the Liver, due to taking Tylenol.  It should be noted however, that some studies make it unclear if both should be taken at the same time, so talk to your doctor.

To make a long story short, I've been putting a cup in Jonathan's bath every other day and I've found that he sleeps better, has less allergic outbreaks and seems to be able to concentrate on tasks we give him a bit longer than before.  The only thing I would like to say though, before continuing on to read the article, is to double check with your doctor, since the Magnesium or the Sulfate might interact negatively with Medication your child might be on.

Here's the Article, and you decide.

My mother taught me about Epsom salts for aches and pains. She would swear by it and I would ignore it; chalking it up to another old wives tale she told me. But then autism entered our lives and suddenly I was reading about the magic of Epsom salt baths. Could my mom actually have been right about this? Well, yes.

The reason I learned about Epsom salt baths for my son with autism was due to the research I was conducting on some of his physical and behavioral symptoms he displayed. It turned out that he has trouble with his PST (phenol-sulfotransferase) system and the processing of phenols and salicylates.

Symptoms of PST/sulfate deficiency (problems with phenols/salicylates) are reddened ears, hyperactivity, inappropriate laughter, night sweats, black under eyes, excessive thirst, eczema, facial flushing, trouble falling to sleep, disturbed sleep and odorous bed-clothes.  Your child doesn’t have to exhibit all of these symptoms in order to have trouble with phenols.  My son gets most of these symptoms and he not only becomes very hyper, but he starts to stim and he has trouble with emotion regulation.

Ready for the medical science behind this? One very important sulfotransferase enzyme is the one that attaches sulfate to phenol compounds, called phenol-sulfotransferase (PST). The PST is under active in the majority of autistic children. Without the PST enzyme working properly, the liver will have trouble eliminating the phenols in food.  PST is a Phase 2 liver enzyme that detoxifies leftover hormones and a wide variety of toxic molecules, such as phenols and amines that are produced in the body (and even in the gut by bacteria, yeast, and other fungi) as well as food dyes and chemicals.

OK, so what are phenols?  Phenols are present in food dyes, artificial flavors, preservatives and in highly colored fruits and vegetables, in bioflavonoids, and in carotenoids (carotene, lutein, lycopene, xanthophylls, and zeaxanthin).  Almost all foods have phenols, but in varying amounts. Salicylates are a subgroup of phenols.Salicylate is a group of chemicals related to aspirin. There are several kinds of salicylate, which plants make as a natural pesticide to protect themselves.  Foods high in natural salicylates are tomatoes, apples, peanuts, bananas, oranges, cocoa (chocolate), red grapes, coffee, all berries, peppers (bell & chili) to name a few.  My son can’t tolerate too many phenols/salicylates. He reacts to tomatoes (yes, ketchup and pasta sauce!), chocolate, red grapes, and artificial colors/flavors.

Most children on the autism spectrum are very low in sulfate due to a deficiency in this PST pathway.  Since sulfur intake is low, and its oxidation is slow in many autistic children, phenols and salicylates that requires or uses up sulfate ions during its metabolism, will make the situation worse.  Tylenol is phenolic and one or two minutes after a dose of  Tylenol, the entire supply of sulfate in the liver is gone!

So, what’s a mother to do? Well, listen to their mother. Epsom salt baths. One way to enhance detoxification is to supply more sulfate.  This increases the amount of toxins processed out. Sulfate ions may not be absorbed well from the gut, so simply giving more sulfur directly by swallowing supplements may not produce satisfactory results.  This may be because their body is unable to convert the sulfur to the needed sulfate form. Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate which is readily available to support the PST pathway. You can purchase Epsom salts at Costco, Wal-Mart or your local grocery and health food stores. Be sure to purchase U.S.P. (United States pharmaceutical grade).

When given an Epsom salt bath, the magnesium and sulfate in the salts are absorbed into the body through the skin. Because the sulfur is already in the sulfate form, it does not need to be converted like other forms of sulfur do. Sulfate is thought to circulate in the body up to about nine hours. Any Epsom salts left on the skin may continue to be absorbed as long as it is still on the skin, offering continuous ‘timed-released’ input into the bloodstream.

I put 1.5 to 2 cups of Epsom salts in hot bath water to dissolve and then add the cold water to balance the temperature. My son will soak for about 15 minutes before I use natural soaps or shampoos. Others add baking soda and lavender oil to enhance the relaxation effects.  I give my son an Epsom salt bath at least 5 nights a week, others do less.  It really soothes and calms him for bedtime.

I’ve finally decided to take heed to my mother’s old wives tales she’s been sharing with me for the past 40 years. There is something to be said about listening to your mother.  But perhaps we should refer to them as “old wise tales” from now on.

Milk Egg and Soy Free Cake

I found this FANTASTIC Recipe at Milk Allergy Mom

Milk and Egg Free Cake

This is our go-to cake recipe every time! It's yummy, moist cake that nobody will know is dairy/egg free.

Known as 4-H cake/depression cake/crazy cake/wacky cake.

This recipe is for 12 cupcakes, a 9x9 cake, and an 8x8 cake.

Double ingredients for 24 cupcakes, double layer round cake, or 9x13" cake.

Heat oven to 350.

Grease pan(s) with an allergy safe food if you are making this for someone with food allergies. We have luck with most Pam sprays and Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine Sticks.

1.5 c flour
1 c sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil
1 c cold water

Combine ingredients and pour into greased pan or muffin tin. Bake in oven until done, when cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean. Time varies on the pan you use, 15 to 30 minutes possibly.

Our favorite icing for this cake is Pillsbury Creamy Supreme from a tub. It comes in flavors of Chocolate Fudge, Classic White, and Cream Cheese, and for now they are all dairy free. They all contain soy. Check labels because Pillsbury WHIPPED icings DO contain milk.

Substitutions:

Vanilla Cake: Omit cocoa. Double the vanilla. Add 1/4 more cup flour. 

Spice Cake: Omit cocoa. Add 1 Tb pumpkin spice. Add 1/4 more cup flour. 

Orange Cake. Omit cocoa & vinegar. Use orange juice for the water. Add 1/4 more cup flour. 

Lemon Cake: Omit cocoa. Use lemon juice for vinegar. Can add some lemon extract. Add 1/4 more cup flour.

Tylenol May Not Be Safe For Our Kids

We need to use our brains with this research, obviously if your kid has a high fever, you don't want to risk brain damage, but at the same time for a little boo-boo, try to avoid the Tylenol.

Acetaminophen May Cause Asthma in Children

The huge rise in Asthma among kids may be caused by
excessive acetaminophen usage.

Summary
A comparative study involving children from many countries across the world was conducted to investigate the increased risk of asthma and other allergic disorders like rhinoconjunctivitis (characterized by itchy watery eyes and a runny nose) and eczema (skin rashes) upon intake of acetaminophen. The results suggested a dose-dependent increase in the symptoms of asthma when acetaminophen had been used in the past 12 months.

Introduction
The use of acetaminophen to treat fever is very common and has been practiced for more than 30 years. Although acetaminophen is easily available and commonly used, it has been previously reported that its frequent use could increase the risk and severity of asthma in young children. Hence, a study was done on adolescent children aged 13 to 14 years, to assess the impact of acetaminophen use on asthma and related symptoms. According to the findings, “acetaminophen use may represent an important risk factor for the development and/or maintenance of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in adolescents.”

Methodology
•    This study was conducted as a part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).
•    More than 300,000 children aged between 13 and 14 years from 50 countries were asked to complete three questionnaires: one video and two written questionnaires.
•    The first written questionnaire was designed to obtain data on the symptoms of asthma and the general prevalence of asthma in that particular region. The second questionnaire gathered information about the risk factors as well as protective factors for asthma. The questions were simple and were either “yes/no” type or a “multiple-choice” type. The video questionnaire had a video presentation of asthma and its symptoms.
•    The answers from each questionnaire were sorted and interpreted with respect to certain statistical methods.

Key Findings
•    There was a significant increase–almost two-and-a-half times–in asthma (specifically, wheezing) on exposure to acetaminophen at least once a month.
•    A dose-dependent correlation was also seen between the use of acetaminophen and symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in some children.
•    A few children had eczema–skin rashes and itching, which again were related to the acetaminophen medication.

Next Steps
This study theorizes on the association between acetaminophen use and asthma-based responses of adolescent children. Although there are some ideas on scientific explanations for this association, they have yet to be confirmed. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further investigate this connection. Additional research in this area can be helpful in advising consumers on use of acetaminophen and other fever-reducing drugs.

Conclusion
This study significantly linked the worsening of asthma symptoms with acetaminophen use. Acetaminophen was also shown to increase symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. This information was already available for younger children aged 6 to 7 years. This report extended the findings to adolescent children. Thus, use of acetaminophen may not be safe in all patients and it should be taken with caution and under medical supervision.

Read the entire report

Read more at FYI Living: http://www.fyiliving.com/health/allergy-asthma/is-tylenol-safe-for-kids/#ixzz1szuib4HM

Boca's TOPSoccer Program Could Become a National Model

Created 01/12/2011 - 15:51

Giving back to a larger community

By Cynthia Thuma SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

January 8--The Soccer Association of Boca Raton's TOPSoccer program [1], part of the U.S. Youth Soccer's [2] national outreach program for special-needs youth, has a strong state and national reputation.

Now the local program has been asked to provide details for U.S. Youth Soccer regarding how such a successful program began, as well as outlining how to start such a venture in communities around the nation.

Continued from Page One

The program has turned to its coaches and other volunteers to come up with video and editorial expertise. The group plans to produce a manual of about 100 pages and several short videos.

The groups will work under the direction of Earl Starkoff, the past president of SABR [3], through mid-April to complete the project. Starkoff, a community activist, has both marketing and publications experience.

"With Earl's background, that has made all the difference," said Susan Vogelgesang, a TOPSoccer administrator and the newest member of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District. "It's a big project, but if anyone can do it, SABR can. This is really a neat situation."

The game plan is to include the essentials of setting up a TOPSoccer program, fundraising for new clubs, the special roles of the volunteer coaches and buddies, and game-day practices. Much of the video footage will be shot during SABR's TOPSoccer season, which begins Jan. 15.

Cynthia Thuma can be reached at cindythuma@ yahoo.com.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

Mr. Starkoff is Co-Publisher of SouthFloridaSunrise.com, and serves a volunteer at the Soccer Association of Boca Raton. He also is a Commissioner of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District.

-2

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Source URL: http://www.southfloridasunrise.com/article/bocas-topsoccer-program-could-become-national-model-0

Hang On to Your Treat Receipt | Starbucks Coffee Company

You guys know me, I'm always looking for the "Deals" ... LOL!!!

Hang On to Your Treat Receipt | Starbucks Coffee Company

Hang On to Your Treat Receipt

Jun 28, 2010

From June 29 to October 4, make any purchase before 2pm and enjoy any Grande cold beverage for just $2 (plus tax) after 2pm the same day at participating U.S. stores. Just remember to show us your receipt when you return and have a cold one on us!

Jonathan Riding His Bike

After SIX MONTHS of back breaking work, (basically manually keeping my hands on his feet so they stayed on the pedals, while hunched over!) Jonathan is finally riding on his own!

 WOOHOO!!!

After reading research showing that Cycling reduced tremors in Parkinson patients and increased motor function, I felt that it was imperative that Jonathan learn how to ride a bike.  While Autism isn't Parkinson's disease, they have a lot of similarities, and I felt either way it couldn't possibly hurt.