http://www.leagueschool.com/blog We hope you find the information, opinions and recommendations appearing on our blog to be helpful, educational and, hopefully at times, inspiring. We always welcome your insights, comments and questions related to our postings. en-us Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:06:45 EST info@leagueschool.com info@leagueschool.com http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/06/23/ive-got-a-boy-with-autism-one-parents-emotional-journey/ Here is a link to an article that appeared earlier this month in Parade Magazine.  It details the struggle of a parent, in this case, a famous professional golfer, coping with the fact that his son has autism, and how that challenge affected him both emotionally and professionally.  It is compelling reading.  We encourage you to read it and see if it in any way reflects any similar feelings/struggles that you might have experienced.  Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:06:45 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/06/23/ive-got-a-boy-with-autism-one-parents-emotional-journey/#18 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/26/league-school-receives-prestigious-naset-award/ Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} I am pleased to announce that League School of Greater Boston was recently selected by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) as a NASET School of Excellence for the 2010-2011 school year.  Each year, this honor is bestowed on private special education schools across the nation that meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education.   This year League School was one of only four Massachusetts private special education schools to to be selected.  We are honored by this award.  It recognizes the dedication of our teachers and the caliber of our programs while underscoring our commitment to providing League School students with the highest quality education.  To paraphrase the NASET website, “These are exceptional teachers teaching exceptional students.” Wed, 26 May 2010 10:05:07 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/26/league-school-receives-prestigious-naset-award/#17 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/14/home-depot-helps-league-school-students-build-birdhouses-and-communication-skills/ On Tuesday, March 30th, the League School, in conjunction with Home Depot, sponsored a special Kid’s Workshop at which Home Depot employees visited the school to teach students in the CAT Program how to build their own birdhouses. This was the first in a series of workshops run by Home Depot focusing on instructing students across all programs in the basics of woodworking. During the workshop, students were provided their own orange Home Depot aprons, tee shirts, and pins. With the assistance of Home Depot and League School staff, students were taught how to fit pre-cut wooden blocks of various shapes in a step-by-step process, using nails, small hammers, and wood glue. Workshops such as this provide a multidisciplinary approach to addressing student’s skills in executive functioning, social communication, fine motor, and bi-lateral integration. The workshop proved so successful that students were still talking about their experience weeks later, and one student even expressed an interest in obtaining employment at Home Depot. The volunteers from Home Depot worked enthusiastically with our students and are looking forward to returning in the future. League School wishes to thank Home Depot’s Norwood store manager, Renee, and volunteers Brad, Kathy and Shirley for their efforts with the students. We look forward to Home Depot’s next workshop at the school on June 2nd. Fri, 14 May 2010 02:05:55 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/14/home-depot-helps-league-school-students-build-birdhouses-and-communication-skills/#16 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/13/exam-week-at-league-school/ Next week, the Massachusetts DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) will be reviewing the League School as part of a scheduled assessment of our school and programs called a Comprehensive Program Review (CPR). Every six years, all public and private schools receive a visit from a staff of evaluators who analyze their offerings, procedures and students’ levels of achievement. It is the state’s way of ensuring that the monies dedicated to student tuitions are being well spent. We confidently await their visit and their findings. Thu, 13 May 2010 09:05:37 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/13/exam-week-at-league-school/#15 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/05/use-of-vision-therapy-in-autism-spectrum-disorders/ The occupational therapy department recently attended a conference titled Visually Enhanced Therapy presented by Dr. Stan Appelbaum, OD, FCOVD and Barbara Bassin, OTR/L, BCP. This presentation brought to light many new ideas regarding the impact of vision on performance of everyday activities. Eyesight is the ability to see clearly at 20 feet and is only a small portion of vision (20/20 eyesight does not mean perfect vision). Good vision incorporates using the eyes together to “see” everything in the environment effortlessly. It is the ability to focus on all stimuli, both centrally and peripherally, while using both eyes together.  It also includes processing visual information and the ability to retrieve and manipulate it in your mind. For example, when spelling a word, we often picture the word in our mind and then scan left to right naming the letters in sequence as we spell the word.    Optometrists specializing in vision therapy are servicing an increasing number of patients with ASD due to specific visual issues that have become consistent in many individuals with the diagnosis. Vision therapy is a progressive form of exercises for the eyes and brain and is individualized for the patient based on their visual difficulties. Various forms of treatment devices are used under the care of the optometrist and are often paired with home programs to achieve the most efficient results. Because the visual system is very plastic, there is always room for improvement and positive results are typical.   Signs of visual problems in individuals with ASD can include: Squints or closes one eye Stairs at certain objects or patterns Flaps hands or flicks objects in front of eyes Sensitivity to light Looks at objects sideways or with quick glances Pushes or rubs eyes Confused at changes in flooring or stairways Widens eyes or squints when asked to look Bumps into objects or touches walls when walking Vision therapy can be a useful tool in treating visual deficits (remember, this is different than needing glasses to see more clearly). Many optometrists specializing in behavioral or developmental optometry offer vision therapy.   There is more information on vision therapy, including many useful research articles and testimonials, at www.visionhelp.com.   We'd love th hear from any parents or other individuals who have experienced vision therapy and what it can offer. Wed, 05 May 2010 10:05:32 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/05/05/use-of-vision-therapy-in-autism-spectrum-disorders/#13 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/26/preparing-your-child-for-summer-camp/ Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:04:32 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/26/preparing-your-child-for-summer-camp/#12 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/16/services-for-adults-with-autism-in-massachusetts-addressing-a-critical-need/ Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:04:42 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/16/services-for-adults-with-autism-in-massachusetts-addressing-a-critical-need/#14 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/15/finding-respite-and-afterschool-services-for-your-child/ Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:04:11 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/04/15/finding-respite-and-afterschool-services-for-your-child/#11 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/31/light-it-up-blue-for-autism-awareness/ April is Autism Awareness Month and Friday, April 2nd is the third annual World Autism Awareness Day!   World Autism Awareness Day is a global effort to raise awareness about autism.  The day was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 2007.  Autism is one of only three health issues to be recognized by the UN with its own “day.”  Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:03:33 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/31/light-it-up-blue-for-autism-awareness/#10 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/16/part-2-of-a-2part-series-transitioning-a-student-a-success-story/ Normal 0 false false false st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }Last entry, we provided an overview of how League School staff members helped Paul enroll in Bristol Community College. This entry, we explore the additional challenges Paul faced in taking the first step in becoming a college student – finding his classroom. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:03:37 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/16/part-2-of-a-2part-series-transitioning-a-student-a-success-story/#9 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/12/part-1-of-a-2part-series-transitioning-a-student-a-success-story/ This is the first of a two-part series discussing the challenges that Andy Zides, Program Coordinator at the League School, and his team overcame in their efforts to enroll one of the school’s students, Paul, into Bristol Community College (BCC). Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:03:59 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/12/part-1-of-a-2part-series-transitioning-a-student-a-success-story/#8 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/09/some-thoughts-on-a-touchy-situation-boston-globe-3110/ On March 1, 2010, The Boston Globe featured an article entitled “A Touchy Situation” by Karen Weintraub in its Health news section. This article described, via example, sensory processing disorder (SPD). It outlined Ana’s story. She is an 11-year old girl who is receiving occupational therapy services to address difficulties including high levels of distraction and a constant need to move. The sensory differences that Ana experiences greatly impact her ability to function throughout her daily life; thus making symptoms more than just a nuisance, but a disorder. It is for this reason that SPD is on the front line for consideration as a stand-alone diagnosis. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:03:25 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/09/some-thoughts-on-a-touchy-situation-boston-globe-3110/#7 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/04/enjoy-the-fun/ st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}Does your child demonstrate interest in computers? Maybe he or she enjoys watching videos, playing games, being creative, or simply looking up information. If so, we invite you to check out the following websites listed below: FreeRice: This is a great website for school-aged students, elementary all the way through high school. Its goals are to provide free education and to provide rice to people in need all over the world. There are a variety of different subjects from vocabulary and grammar to foreign languages to chemistry. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:03:11 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/03/04/enjoy-the-fun/#5 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/02/26/asperger-and-autism-spectrum-disorders-separate-or-part-of-one-continuum/ /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} In May of 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is planning to publish an updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the authoritative manual for identifying psychiatric conditions. One of the proposed changes for the DSM-V is to drop the diagnostic category of Asperger disorder. While first described by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger in the 1940s, the APA did not recognize Asperger disorder as a distinct diagnostic category until 1994. Since that time, the Asperger label has expanded people’s understanding and conceptualization of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) by highlighting a subgroup of individuals who do not exhibit language and cognitive delays that are typical of the majority of people with ASD. The inclusion of Asperger Disorder in the DSM-IV not only prompted more autism research, but enabled many people to access supports and services that were previously unavailable to them because they were not identified as having any disability. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:02:11 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2010/02/26/asperger-and-autism-spectrum-disorders-separate-or-part-of-one-continuum/#4 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2009/12/17/preparing-for-the-holidays/ st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}The Holidays can be a stressful and confusing time for many children – they are seeing family members they may not be very familiar with, going to unfamiliar places, smelling and tasting new foods and being exposed to noisier environments. There are a lot of unexpected things that can occur around the holidays that can disrupt your child’s schedule and create anxiety for the child. In order to plan for a smooth holiday season and school break, here are a few suggestions from the Clinical Staff at League School: Preview events in advance with your child using schedules, checklists or first/then boards Use social stories Review family photos of unfamiliar relatives and look at photos of past holiday celebrations Use a visual timer to help your child understand how long they may have to wait or sit Map out routes if you have to travel far and provide the child with landmarks and rest-stops Identify places in a new setting where the child can go to take a break or decompress Bring foods that are familiar to the child or preview a menu if you will be going out to eat. Bring sensory tools and other regulating activities Bring motivating items such as videos, game systems, a favorite food or toy to reinforce desired behaviors Speak with family members ahead of time about your child’s needs (sensitivity to loud noises, sensitivity to touch, etc) so that they will be prepared Practice any holiday routine/rituals such as opening presents, passing items around the table, lighting candles, etc. with your child before an event Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:12:46 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2009/12/17/preparing-for-the-holidays/#3 http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2009/12/07/toys-and-games-for-the-holidays/ The Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Departments at the League School of Greater Boston hope that you find this list of suggested toys and games useful this holiday season. We have chosen to group the items into two main categories: promoting independent play and promoting cooperative (i.e., group or social) play. Within each category, you will find items that address a variety of motor, sensory, and language areas and a broad range of abilities. Please use your knowledge of your child’s strengths and challenges when investigating these suggestions before purchasing. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:12:46 EST http://www.leagueschool.com/blog/2009/12/07/toys-and-games-for-the-holidays/#2