Consumer Health Tip Sheets

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) offers many consumer health resources, including:

20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors
Patient Fact Sheet
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tips.htm

20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children
Patient Fact Sheet
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tipkid.htm

Quick Tips—When Getting Medical Tests
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/quicktips/tiptests.htm

Quick Tips—When Talking with Your Doctor
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/quicktips/doctalk.htm

Dr. Enid Wolf-Schein: Structured Methods in Language Education workshop

Time sensitive

Enid Wolf-Schein, Ed.D., CCC-SLP; Adjunct Professor University of Alberta
SMILE: Structured Methods in Language Education
August 14 & 15, 2008, Vancouver

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Enid Wolf-Schein

What is SMILE? SMILE jump-starts literacy and encourages the development of functional language. A systematic, multisensory communication development program, SMILE engages children as they progress through basic attending, phonemic awareness and sound–letter knowledge to the use of language in a descriptive and conversational manner. SMILE is a method of teaching speech, reading and writing to children with severe language and communication delays. It begins with phonemes (the building blocks of speech) and progresses to the development of short stories. It also incorporates development of attention, specific and consistent teaching methodology, use of structure, routine and immediate reinforcement. Ongoing attention to generalization ensures that the pupil does not end up with a series of splinter skills that are not functional. SMILE is based on the Association Method, which uses a combination of visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic associations.

Who Should Attend this Workshop? ACT has brought Dr. Wolf-Schein back to BC because of the very positive response to her previous workshops. Teachers, SLPs, educational assistants and parents have reported that SMILE is an effective low-tech, multisensory methodology that can be individualized for students who are speaking or reading very little or not at all. It can be easily adapted for students who are using an ABA approach in their early intervention program. While it has been used extensively for pre-schoolers, it is also useful as an approach to teaching reading for students who need a more individualized approach.

For Which Students is this Method Appropriate? This method can be used successfully with any pupil who has a severe language-learning disability who is still struggling despite intensive efforts to encourage speech and language. Generally these children do not imitate easily or generalize readily. They often seem to have problems with auditory memory, and they may lack expressive speech in the presence or absence of language comprehension.

Children with an inability to express or to understand language symbols are a diverse group with respect to their disorder. They may be classified as aphasic, or have ASD, Down Syndrome, central auditory dysfunction, impaired hearing, or a mental handicap.

The Workshop The program is taught in five language modules. Module 1 begins with attention-getting exercises, goes on to the teaching of single sounds and letters, and then consonant–vowel combinations. As the program progresses, pupils develop increased phonemic awareness, sound–letter knowledge, auditory and visual discrimination, sound and letter sequencing skills, word recognition, picture–word association, short sentences, and finally, concept stories using speech, reading and writing. The workshop will cover the manuals and materials and include simulations. Extensive videos of students with both autism and other challenging conditions will be utilized.

The Presenter Enid Wolf-Schein, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, has her Doctorate in Special Education and is a certified Speech Language Pathologist. An ASHA Fellow, Dr. Wolf-Schein has published extensively in academic journals and provides training internationally. One of her current efforts is consulting to programs for special populations in Broward County, Florida, where she is in private practice.

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Full Registration Brochures: see www.actcommunity.net or see contact information below.
Online Registration: Go to www.actcommunity.net
Bursaries: If you are low income and / or traveling to attend a workshop, ACT has some bursary funds available. Please apply for a bursary before registering. See website for more information.
Support & Information: ACT’s team of Information Officers can provide support and information on a wide range of autism-related topics and can advise on whether a workshop is appropriate for your needs. Contact ACT by email at info@actcommunity.net, or by phone at 604-205-5467 or 866-939-5188.

Planning for the Future workshop series--Down Syndrome Research Foundation

New from the Down Syndrome Research Foundation
Planning for the Future workshop series 2008

From the website:
"The Down Syndrome Research Foundation (DSRF) is pleased to offer a series of workshops designed to provide relevant information to assist families who have a child with special needs prepare for the future.

Workshops will be presented in Burnaby the 2nd Thursday of each month and in Surrey on the 3rd Thursday of each month. In July and August, no workshops will be held.

The primary presenters are Robert Melrose and Joy Hayden"

For details, visit the DSRF website:
http://www.dsrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=programs.planningFutureWorkshops

“Suicide & Young Children (under 12)” Workshop

Time sensitive

“Suicide & Young Children (under 12)” Workshop
Sponsored by the Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC

The youngest recorded suicide in North America involved a 5-year old. Statistics Canada reports that some 300 children under the age of 19 years – and more than 50 under the age of 14 years – take their own lives each year. And that only includes those officially identified as “suicides”; it omits dozens of questionable deaths, and doesn’t even begin to deal with other incidences of self-harm among the young.

The Training Workshop will cover such topics as:

• the reality of young child suicide – who, how often and what does it look like
• the signs and the risk factors for young child suicide and self-harm
• a brand new professional’s guide tool has been developed to assist with the identification of the dangers and endangered”
• the professional guide provides insight into intervention strategies when working with at-risk children and their families

Workshop leader, John Dube, will draw on his 20 plus years of experience in dealing with the signs, causes, and the aftermath of a suicide.

The workshop is interactive – with dialogue, sharing of ideas and opportunities to discuss real and theoretical case studies –so we can build the kind of learning that we can take home to our own agencies and our own children to try to keep them safe.

We have room for a maximum of 35 people

WHEN: February 22, 2008

WHERE: Vancouver Public Library – Alma VanDusen Room

COST: $200.00

REGISTRATION PROCESS: Phone 604-873-5013

Note: Lunch will not be provided


ABOUT JOHN DUBE
John Dube is a registered clinical counsellor and a registered social worker. He completed his Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1986 and completed his Masters Degree in Education in 2005 with a thesis focused on Suicidal Children and the development of a professional guide to assist in determining the suicidality of children.
For more, visit: http://www.ltlc.bc.ca/about/counsellors.htm

Talking Back to Grownups: Healthy Children, Healthy Communities

Talking Back to Grownups: Healthy Children, Healthy Communities: A Report on the Social Determinants of Health And Middle Childhood in Canada 2007

"The United Nations Association in Canada’s Healthy Children, Healthy Communities (HC²) project is a community based engagement and research project which aims to identify and examine the perceptions and priorities of young people between the ages of 9 and 12 years of age from a “social determinants of health” perspective."--Executive Summary

The 80 page report covers self-reported health of Canadian young people and adults, emotional well-being and young people, defining health, impact of the social determinants of health, healthy lifestyle and risky behaviour, and health and sexuality.

"Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly" Fall '07 issue available

Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly is produced by the Children’s Health Policy Centre at Simon Fraser University.

"The Quarterly provides updates on the best currently available research evidence in children’s mental health. This issue’s theme is attention problems in children, with particular focus on the assessment and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Themes for The Quarterly are chosen in consultation with Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) staff at BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). ... The theme for our Winter 2008 Quarterly will be building on children’s resilience with particular focus on programs addressing supportive relationships."--from the website

The Art of Advocacy for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Time sensitive

February 2, 2008 Surrey
Early Bird deadline January 11, 2008

March 1, 2008 Nanaimo
Early Bird deadline January 25, 2008

April 5, 2008 Castlegar
Early Bird deadline February 28, 2008

April 26, 2008 Kitimat
Early Bird deadline March 13, 2008

Clair Schuman, E.D., ACT - Autism Community Training

Many parents are confused and frustrated by the complexities of systems they must navigate to find help for their child with special needs. This workshop offers parents an overview of how to develop skills they need to navigate successfully through the hurdles they may sometimes encounter. Using the school system as an example, parents are guided through the components of empowerment necessary to become an effective advocate for their child. Specific guidelines and tips will be provided in this positive, practical, user-friendly and interactive seminar. This workshop is not disability specific but will be especially helpful for parents of children with "invisible" disabilities.

Bursaries: ACT has bursaries available for low-income registrants. View the bursaries page on our website for more information.

Information and Support: ACT offers extensive support and information on autism related topics through our office both by telephone and email. Contact us at info@actcommunity.net or 604-205-5467 or toll-free at 1-866-939-5188. Web: http://actcommunity.net/.

ACT - Autism Community Training is looking for interested individuals or groups in BC outside Vancouver to help in planning our autism training workshops. Please contact Simon Ladell, ACT's Website/Marketing Officer, at sladell@actcommunity.net or phone us toll-free at 1-866-939-5188.

Understanding Adolescent Sexuality & Teaching Sex Ed

A workshop on implementing sex education for groups

April 11, 2008
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Quality Hotel
Regina, SK

"Many teachers are required to teach sexuality education in one capacity or another. Trends in sexuality change over the years and adults can often be left at a loss for understanding the needs of their students. This intensive workshop will explore new trends in sexuality and provide teachers with accurate information on some of the risks involved in adolescent sexuality as well as allow teachers to become more familiar with the issues and more comfortable presenting sex education materials to their students. Participants will be given practical tools to teach this subject to grade levels 7-11, although discussion and exercises may be modified for elementary levels as well. Topics include:
* Anatomy
* Understanding adolescent sexual behaviours
* Why teens have sex
* Predictors of adolescent sexual activity
* Current trends with teens
* Sexual myths
* STI information & update
* Birth control and condom information
* How to answer difficult questions
* Values awareness
* Tools for teaching"

Register online at http://www.sexpressions.ca/
Phone 514-730-7123
Email info@sexpressions.ca
or register online: http://www.sexpressions.ca/upcoming-training.asp

Parent Discussion Group--Vancouver School Board

New Discussion Group
for parents of Vancouver School Board (VSB) students with special needs

Possible topics:
navigating the VSB system, accessing outside agencies, finding summer programs
special guests will be invited to speak at meetings

Facilitator:
Pam Neuman
VSB Inclusion Consultant (and parent of a student with disabilities)

First Tuesday of each month
7:00-8:30 pm
Contact Pam Neuman
pneuman@vsb.bc.ca
phone 604-713-5213

Contact Pam if you wish to bring your children with you.

Using stories to facilitate family centred care education

Family Centred Care Learning Vignettes is a new resource produced by the Southern Alberta Family & Community Resource Centre. Available in PDF format, the 178 page document capitalizes on the power of story in communication and learning.

From the Preface:
"The cornerstone of family centred care is real partnerships between children, youth, families, staff, professionals, and health organizations. ... We build on the strengths and knowledge of families and make programs and services better by working together." (p. ii)

Themes include:

* Communication
* Roles
* Collaboration
* Information Sharing
* Support
* Patient Safety
* System Policies and Procedures
An appendix includes the full transcripts of "family, Child and Youth interviews."

Interviews addressed four questions:

1. What do children and families want to tell health care professionals?
2. What worked well in their patient, their child's or their sibling's health care experience?
3. What could have gone better?
4. What are their ideas and suggestions for improvement?

View or download the Family Centred Care Learning Vignettes from the Southern Alberta Child & Youth Health Network website.

Autism Community Training Workshops

Time sensitive

ACT Autism Community Training Workshop announcements from
Fall - Winter Event Update
Selected workshops below. See website for complete listing of workshops

Bursaries: ACT has bursaries available for low-income registrants and those traveling from outside their home region. For more information contact us at info@actcommunity.net or 604-205-5467 or toll-free at 1-866-939-5188.

Information and Support: ACT offers extensive support and information on autism related topics through our office both by telephone and email. Contact us at 604-205-5467 or toll-free at 1-866-939-5188.

The Art of Advocacy for Parents of Children with Special Needs
October 27, 2007 - Prince George / February 16, 2008 - Surrey /
March 1, 2008 - Nanaimo / April 5, 2008 - Castlegar

Clair Schuman E.D., ACT - Autism Community Training

Many parents are confused and frustrated by the complexities of systems they must navigate to find help for their child with special needs. This workshop offers parents an overview of how to develop skills they need to navigate successfully through the hurdles they may sometimes encounter. Using the school system as an example, parents are guided through the components of empowerment necessary to become an effective advocate for their child. Specific guidelines and tips will be provided in this positive, practical, user-friendly and interactive seminar. This workshop is not disability specific but will be especially helpful for parents of children with
"invisible" disabilities.

Early Bird Deadlines September 28, 2007 - Prince George / January
11, 2008 - Surrey / January 25, 2008 - Nanaimo / February 27, 2008 - Castlegar
Information and registration form: http://www.actcommunity.net/


Transitioning from High School to Work - Preparing Students with Autism for Adulthood
January 12, 2008 - Nanaimo / March 8, 2008 - Surrey

Vicki Lundine, M.Ed., & Catherine Smith, M.Ed.

The emphasis on transition from high school to work is a focus in Grades 10-12 but the process should begin much earlier for students with ASD. Attitudes toward work combined with decisions we make for children with autism can significantly influence the path they may
choose to follow. The workshop will define the roles and responsibilities for individuals supporting students as they mature, including parents, and will provide participants with information and strategies which help promote meaningful participation for
students with ASD in the work world.

Early Bird Deadlines November 30, 2007 - Nanaimo / January 25, 2008 - Surrey
Information and registration form: http://www.actcommunity.net/


An Introduction to Autism Treatment - A Case Management Survival Guide for Parents & Community Professionals
September 29, 2007 - Prince George / October 27, 2007 - Gibsons / January 30, 2008 - Vancouver

Jill Calder, M.D. Clinical Director of Rehabilitation Services, Thompson Cariboo Shuswap Region

Dr. Calder provides important insights on how parents can develop their skills as knowledgeable team leaders for their child's intervention program - a case management approach. With a decade of experience parenting her own son with autism, Dr. Calder builds on her expertise as a respected rehabilitative medicine specialist and combines this with her own practical grasp of autism treatment. Her focus is on how parents can learn to manage their child's treatment.

Early Bird Deadline October 4 - Gibsons / Regular Rate Deadline September 21 - Prince George
Information and registration form: http://www.actcommunity.net/

Community Brain Injury Program for Children & Youth event

Time sensitive: Registration deadline September 28, 2007

The Community Brain Injury Program for Children & Youth,
BC Centre for Ability
10th Anniversary Celebration presents
Innovative Evidence-based Interventions for Individuals with ABI
Friday, October 12, 2007
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel
1128 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC

featuring Dr. Roberta DePompei
Professor and Clinical Supervisor at the University of Akron, Ohio. She has conducted leading edge research on the impact of assistive technology for people with acquired brain injury and on the reintegration of children and youth with brain injuries into home, school and community.

Morning session: 9:00-12:00
Students with TBI: Recognizing and Treating Cognitive-communicative Behaviours that Affect Learning

Afternoon session:
1:00-2:15 pm - The Use of Personal Data Assistants for Persons Who Have ABI/Cognitive Challenges
2:30-4:00 pm - The Research and Best Practices for Youth: Transitions to the Adult World

$85.00 Full day
$50.00 Half day
Registration deadline September 28, 2007

Contact Dinali de Fonseka
phone 604-451-5511, ext. 238
email ddefonseka@centreforability.bc.ca

Toy Library Opens September 30, 2007

The Vancouver Supported Child Development Program Toy Library grand opening is Thursday, September 20th 3:00-8:00 pm. According to the August 2007 newsletter, the Toy Library has "over 750 books and toys that have been hand-picked by ... consultants." Categories include:

• fine motor
• large motor
• language
• sensory
• social-emotional
• cultural
• cognitive
• cause-and-effect
• specialized
• parent/teacher resources

Part of the BC Centre for Ability, "The Supported Child Development (SCD) Program assists families requiring child care, preschool, or out-of-school care for their children aged 0 - 19 years of age. These children may have a developmental delay, disorder, or extra support needs and would benefit from additional program support." Read more at the BC Centre for Ability website.

Storytime Yoga for Learning and Health

A storytime yoga event was held in Louisville's Yoga Elements recently to promote Sydney Solis' new book entitled Storytime Yoga: The Treasure In Your Heart: Yoga and Stories for Peaceful Children.

"Families learned to start a yoga and storytelling hour in their home to increase peace, health, literacy and communication among family members during the July 15 Storytime Yoga family class ..." wrote Lisa Bell on YourHub.com.

"Children and parents ... acted out the story with yoga poses as the story was retold. Participants had a relaxation and visualization exercise, followed by a session of learning to tell stories to each other at home, as well as a lesson in communicating feelings."

For information about Storytime Yoga, visit the website: http://www.storytimeyoga.com/

From: "Storytime yoga event gets international attention" contributed by Lisa Bell on 7/17/2007 on YourHub.com (A community produced by The Denver Newspaper Agency)
http://denver.yourhub.com/Louisville/Stories/Family-Friends/Activities/Story~335907.aspx

"brainbridge" Newsletter July 2007 Issue

"brainbridge" newsletter published by the BC Centre for Ability's Community Brain Injury Program for Children & Youth in BC (CBIPCY) is out. In the July 2007 issue:

• [How to] Use your summertime wisely and well
• Summer [safety tips] boating and all-terrain vehicles
• Life--outside of school [tips for community participation]
• [Tips for learning about] Asking for help
• "Voices of the Families" 2007 User Evaluation Project report
• Library Resources
• US CDC announces updated information to help physicians recognize and manage concussions early
• Childhood Cancer Survivor's Society of BC support group info

Contact CBIPCY at http://www.mybrainonline.com/ or call 604-630-3009 or 604-630-3026.

Newsletters will soon be available on the website.