Autism-related Events

April 26, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences, Saguaro Room A
Mesa, Arizona

Who should attend?
PT’s, OT’s, SLP’s, DSI’s, and anyone interested in taking a closer look at development in the first year of life.

This seminar will present the foundational sensory motor skills that develop during prenatal and neonatal time periods. Five key principles will be discussed for building a solid sensory motor foundation. This information can be applied to create environments that will enhance children’s development. Considerations in building these environments include lighting, sound, play surfaces, and toys. While the focus will be on babies in the first year of life, the principles are applicable to older children as well. The practical activities can also be used to enhance the bonding process between parent and child.

NOTE: Although the focus is the first year of life, the principles apply to children of all ages.

Click here here for more details.

Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Venue: McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
(southwest corner of Indian Bend & Scottsdale roads)

FREE train rides, carnival activities, carousel rides, games, activity booths, clowns ,face painting, petting zoo, plus lots of food and ice cream…all for FREE!

Register on day of event.

Questions? Contact Dan McAuliffe 480-948-9400 or Al Chavez (En Espanol) 480-314-4729.

Sponsored by Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary Club, Phoenix, El Puente Rotary, Raising Special Kids & Scottsdale Unified School District Service Learning Classes.

If you would like to stop paying out of pocket, please come join us this Tuesday evening for an informative discussion about insurance coverage for any and all autism treatments (as long as they help your child). This includes therapies such as SIRRI, HBOT, Neuro Feedback AND biomedical treatments such as DAN! and homeopathy.Yes, you can get your questions answered about Steven’s Law (private insurance coverage for ABA, ST and OT), but this discussion will go beyond Steven’s Law for those of you who have Medicaid coverage for your children. If you have been denied Medicaid for your ASD child, you might consider (again) fighting that decision after hearing this presentation.

Please join board members of the ASA & ROK (an ASA affiliate) for this important discussion:

Tuesday, March 25 at 6:30 pm at Coco’s Restaurant (banquet room);
located in the parking lot of the Paradise Valley Mall

Hope to see you all there, Susan & Cynthia

SARRC is expanding its applied behavior analysis (ABA) training to include three workshops created specifically for parents, habilitators and professionals working with individuals with ASDs. Participants will learn evidence-based strategies for supporting individuals of all ages with varying levels of ability. Participants will also learn valuable information about communication skills, positive behavior support, how to structure the environment and reinforcement procedures. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for professional development.

Where: SARRC, 300 N. 18th Street, Phoenix When: Introduction to ABA: Friday, April 4; Advanced ABA: Friday, May 2; Decreasing Problem Behaviors and Increasing Appropriate Social Skills: Monday, May 19
Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $40/session or $100 for all three sessions. *Discounts are available for groups of five or more.

To register, please contact Karen Schultz of SARRC at (602) 340-8717.

Session 1: Introduction to ABA - Friday, April 4
This training will cover the basic components of ABA, including the ABCs of behavior, reinforcement and prompting strategies and the importance of understanding typical child development for designing effective interventions.

Session 2: Advanced ABA - Friday, May 2
This training will provide information on evidence-based interventions for working with individuals with ASDs. Topics will include Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT), Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Positive Behavior Support (PBS).

Session 3: Decreasing Problem Behaviors and Increasing
Appropriate Social Skills - Monday, May 19
Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBSs) are essential to identifying the reasons behind difficult behaviors and to the development of effective behavior support plans. This presentation will detail information regarding the use of structured interviews, observation techniques and data collection procedures necessary for successful assessments. Practice exercises also will be conducted to assist participants in the development and implementation of behavior support strategies.

Learn practical ways to use imaginative play to help children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) develop creative and interactive play skills. Designed for parents/caregivers of children age 6 or younger, this three-hour workshop uses interactive hands-on activities to teach fun and silly ways to explore play with young children. Join us in comfortable clothes for either the morning or afternoon session, ready to learn and play.

Where: SARRC, 300 N. 18th Street, Phoenix

When: Friday, April 11
Time: 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m.
Cost: $25/person *This workshop is designed for adults only. Childcare is not provided.

To register, please contact Karen Schultz of SARRC at (602) 340-8717. Space is limited and morning or afternoon workshop selections are processed on a first-call basis. Register by Friday, April 4 if you would like to attend.

Join Tim Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music critic for The Washington Post and an adult with Asperger’s syndrome, for a roundtable discussion about how Asperger’s shaped his life. Page has worked as the chief music critic and culture writer for The Washington Post since 1995. Page also has written several books, including the forthcoming Parallel Play, a memoir of living with Asperger’s syndrome, and is currently a visiting professor of journalism at University of California, Annenberg.

Where: SARRC, 300 N. 18th Street, Phoenix

When: Friday, March 28 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $20/person, $10 for students or grandparents

To register, please contact Kate Jones of SARRC at (602) 218-8173 or kjones@autismcenter.org.

WHEN: Saturday, April 12th

WHERE: McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road (Scottsdale & Indian Bend)

TIME: 12:00 - 4:00 pm

LOCATION: Papago Ramada (South End of the Park past the Tunnel)

ASA-Greater Phoenix will be providing GFCF Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, condiments, and paper products (plates, napkins, utensils). The Ramada has been paid for by Little Chops (Steve & Krista Schwartz). There are BBQ Grills and Covered Picnic Tables. Bathroom facilities are located nearby for your convenience. There will be BOUNCERS and other fun activities for the kids as well as the train and carousel! This is a wonderful opportunity for our families to get together and socialize as well as network with other autism families in their communities!

We are asking families to bring an item to share by last name:

A-H: Drinks (Water/Juice/Soda) with a cooler to store them in

I-Q: Desserts

R-Z: Side Dishes

We encourage you to bring a GFCF or special diet item to share if your family follows one!

Please RSVP by April 1st to Shelly at shelly@phxautism.org or at (480) 940-1093 so we have enough food for everyone!

Where:
Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 W. Dunlap, Phoenix

When:
May 3-4, 2008, 8:30AM-4:30PM

Who:
Keynote Speakers include Jenny McCarthy (author of “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism” ) and Kathleen Quill (author of “Do-Watch-Listen- Say” and editor of “Teaching Children with Autism”), and there are many other great speakers too.

Visit website to download a brochure or to register online (coming soon) or print the registration page out and mail it to:

P.O. Box 10543, Phoenix, AZ 85064-0543

Any questions, send email to info@phxautism.org or call (480) 940-1093.