Every week, the Special Needs Blog Week in Review gives you a brief description of all of the blogs that appeared there in the past seven days. This is a good way to find the blogs that you missed, but perhaps would have liked to read when they first appeared.
The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on April 2, 2012. This time, I’d like to point out an episode of NPR’s “All Things Considered”. The episode is called “N.Y. Preschool Starts DNA Testing for Admission”. If something in the child’s DNA makes the school think that he or she would be “unsuccessful”, the child will be denied admittance to this preschool.
Jack’s Helping Hand Reaches Out to Offer Support
An organization called Jack’s Helping Hand has created some toy lending libraries. These libraries help parents of kids who have special needs to find toys that will help their child with a particular skill. The toys can be checked out, and returned, for free, in the same way that one would borrow a book from a library.
Are Autism Rates on the Rise?
Recent federal data shows that there has been an increase in the number of children who have been diagnosed with autism. However, there is some question about the data that was used to make that determination. For example, some public schools might designate a child as having autism in order to enable that child to be eligible for special education services. In reality, the child might have a mixture of diagnosis. Does that child have autism, or not? This could alter the data.
Signs of Dyslexia Start Before a Child Learns to Read
A study done in Italy finds that kids who are dyslexic start showing signs of it long before they are old enough to begin learning how to read. It turns out that dyslexia is more than a language comprehension disorder, it is also a problem with the interpretation of visual symbols. The Italian study found a treatment that helps dyslexic kids who speak Italian, but, it might not work as well for kids who read English.
Reasons Why the DSM-5 Will Change Definition of Autism
The change to the definition of autism is not designed to exclude children and adults who have Asperger’s Syndrome from receiving the assistance that they currently are getting in school and at home. Instead, it is to ensure that they will be included in future laws and regulations that affect how services are distributed.
Bella Santorum is Back in the Hospital
Sadly, Rick Santorum’s youngest daughter, Bella, has been admitted to the hospital once again. She has Trisomy 18, which means that she has several health problems, many of which are serious. The family is asking for prayers and privacy at this time. Bella is 3 years old. Most kids who are born with Trisomy 18 do not live to see their first birthday.
Image by happy_serendipity on Flickr