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PLUK eNews April 12, 2005
http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Apr_12_05.htm
Volume 3 Issue 18

Welcome to PLUK's electronic newsletter! 
(Download the printable pdf version at: http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Apr_12_05.pdf )

We are proud to present news of interest for Montana families of children with disabilities and special health care needs, and for the professionals and educators who serve them; however, it does not constitute an endorsement.

Highlights:

OPTIMIST SPECIAL CHILDREN'S CAMP FUND RAISER April 30
Join us for dinner and entertainment with a Hawaiian theme (featuring Calamity Entertainment with a possible special guest appearance by Brenda Williams and Steve Repac) at the lower level of Shrine Auditorium
WHEN: April 30, 2005, doors open 6 PM with no host cocktails. Dinner served at 7 PM.
COST: $45.00 includes entertainment, appetizers, and dinner. Trivia contest prizes and door prizes will be awarded.
This is a fundraiser for Optimist Special Children's Camp. This camp is attended by 45-60 Children ages 6-18 every year. Wear your grass skirts, muumuus, and Hawaiian shirts. Come prepared to dance the Hula, or to learn how. Tickets and information are available from any Optimist member, or call 252-1048 or 247-4704.

Free Tickets Available for Vigilante Player's "Water Bingo" May 4
PLUK is pleased to announce that tickets are available for the Yellowstone County Deputy Sheriff's Association presentation of the Vigilante Player's production " Water Bingo." This mystery play (about a vial of water stolen from the moons of Venus) is suitable for all ages.
WHEN/ WHERE: May 4, 2005, 7:00 PM at the Lincoln Center.
Interested? Tickets are available at the Billings PLUK office-call 406 255-0540 or 800 222-7585 for more information.

Billings Associate Board planning Kids at Heart Gala, May 13
The event will be at the Sheraton in Billings Friday May 13th and will feature the band The Midlife Chryslers. This band consists of Billings' area doctors who participate in 4 or 5 performances a year for local nonprofits. The Committee is excited about their involvement and is looking forward to the Gala. In addition to the band's performance, the event will include heavy hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction, a live auction (featuring auctioneer Bill Holt), and much more. For information on sponsorships or tickets, call PLUK's office at 406 255-0540 or 800 222-7585.

Benefit Concert for PLUK-May 20, Kalispell
Flathead Valley PLUK presents:
Rob Quist and the Great Northern Band with Jack Gladstone in concert, present their newest collaboration May 20th at 7pm at the Kalispell Christian Center. Quist and Gladstone, two of the West's most celebrated entertainers and songwriters, have united in an unforgettable new show, Odyssey West, commemorating Lewis and Clark's epic journey into the western frontier.
Jack Gladstone and Rob Quist bring the West to life with the rich historical content of their original songs and narratives, presented with dramatic live footage, as well as haunting photographic and artistic images of the Old and New West.
Celebrate Our Heritage while supporting local children and adults with disabilities. Proceeds also benefit Special Friends Advocacy. Ticket purchases call 406 756-6159.
http://www.robquist.com/promopage.htm 

Mental health: Kids benefit from parenting 'EQ'
Holly Kadesh
"Mrs. G." called and wanted counseling for her 9-year-old son "Tommy." (Both are fictitious composite characters).
When I asked why the boy needed counseling, she said, "Tommy won't do anything I ask him to do. I ground him for weeks at a time and it doesn't seem to faze him. He argues about everything, and I have to nag him over and over to do the few chores he's responsible for. The rest of the family can't do anything because Tommy is grounded all the time."
Read complete article at: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/04/06/build/health/65-mental-health.inc 

Fragile X divides, entwines MSU student and sister
By Evelyn Boswell - MSU News Service - 04/05/05
Ring the doorbell at a Bozeman duplex, and you'll find two sisters whose lives are both separated and entwined by a mutation in a single gene.
Amy DeBernardis, 28, lives downstairs with her yellow Lab, Beauty. She has Fragile X Syndrome, the most common form of inherited mental retardation. Symptoms vary by person, but they occur because one gene can't produce enough of a protein that's needed by cells, especially brain cells.
Marie DeBernardis, 22, lives upstairs. She doesn't have Fragile X, but spreads the word that Fragile X carriers can be detected with a simple blood test. A senior at Montana State University, Marie spent the last two summers at Stanford University, helping researchers study Fragile X. Results of one study will be published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Results of the second have been submitted to the American Journal on Mental Retardation.
Read the complete article at: http://www.helenair.com/articles/2005/04/05/health/c01040505_03.txt 

OPI Parents Page: Indian Education
"The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity." Montana Constitution -- Article X, Section 1(2)
Visit at http://www.opi.state.mt.us/parents/IndEdParent.html 

MSU-Billings Equity Project April Newsletter Now Available Online
This project is a model to increase equity in the education of young women with disabilities, especially in regard to their successful transition to post secondary education or employment.
Download a PDF of their newest newsletter at http://www.msubillings.edu/equityoutreach/Newsletter4.05.pdf. 
Find out more about the project at: http://www.msubillings.edu/equityoutreach/. 

Legislative Update #12-From C. Briggs
Appropriations. The 59th Regular Session of the Montana Legislature is coming down the home stretch with about two weeks left. The main issues remaining mostly involve budgeting and taxation. HB-2 was passed out of the Senate finally on Saturday (the 9th), as amended. The bill is now transmitted back to the House to concur with the Senate amendments. Of course, the House will not accept the changes, and a joint conference committee will be appointed to reach agreement on the differences between each chamber's versions. The conference committee should begin meeting by mid-week. It's still a question whether it will be a "closed" conference meeting or a "free" conference, which would mean anything in the bill would be open to negotiations. A closed conference would limit their negotiations only to the differences between the two versions. I'm told each chamber have already selected their conferees - four for the House, three for the Senate. Once I get more details, I will pass them on.
It's good news that the Senate did not alter any of our funding priorities, which includes the developmental disabilities services increase using I-149 tax dollars, though with Cobb's amendment that uses general funds the first half of Fiscal year 2006, until sufficient revenues are generated by the new tax. The increased general fund appropriation for early intervention for developmentally disabled children (FES) is still there. The general fund half of the increase for extended employment remains, as does the general funding increase for independent living, and the new technology position at Blind & Low Vision Services remains. We will see how these all fare in the conference negotiations.
Also, within HB-5, which earmarks funds for long-range building, an interesting amendment was added in Finance & Claims late on Wednesday, whereby Sen. Cooney introduced an amendment that moved $75 million out of HB-2 and put it in HB-5, to begin new construction of Highway-93 from Evaro to Polson, ostensibly because the project will take longer than the next biennium and there should be federal replacement funds. What is significant is that this action reduced the appropriations well below the now famous spending cap, allowing considerably flexibility for the final funding of HB-2. In addition, the bill as amended and passed by Finance & Claims provides $2.5 million to build a "secure housing unit" for "housing for high risk behaviors" among developmentally disabled adults, which means it could be provided almost anywhere.
Other Legislation. Numerous other appropriations measures will either be killed or added into appropriations for the next two years. Finance & Claims already has nine bills scheduled for Monday morning. Two bills of interest to the disability network will be heard at that time: HB 336 (Lange), appropriates $287,000 over the biennium to provide services to youth with developmental disabilities who have graduated, until they reach age 19; and HB 438 (Buzzas), will establish Braille literacy for blind or visually impaired children throughout Montana schools. Also for their consideration-and considerably modified-is HB 745 (Matthews), the primary supplemental appropriations act for the remainder of this biennium.
Here is the most recent update of other bills we've been following:
· HB 197 (Jayne) - making it a felony for anyone convicted of abusing, neglecting or exploiting an older adult or person with a developmental disability, at the request of DPHHS. It is scheduled for 2nd Reading in the House the 11th.
· HB 336 (Lange) - (noted above)
· HB 438 (Buzzas) - (noted above)
· HB 513 (Raser) - this will extend state tax credits to citizens who donate to developmental disabilities programs. It has been approved by the Senate and returned to the House.
· HB 550 (Windy Boy) - Appropriates $100,000 over the biennium for the leadership forum for youth with disabilities. It has not yet been acted upon by Finance & Claims.
· HB 687 (Mendenhall) - This is an important companion to the I-149 tobacco tax initiative, as it makes provision to track tobacco sales, and compliments the actions of the sub-committee that funded six auditors for tax collection. It was approved last week by the Senate and returned to the House with amendments.
· HB738 (Kaufmann) - Will establish an advisory commission to study all provider rates and services provided by DPHHS. The bill still awaits House concurrence on Senate amendments.
· SB 41 (Keenan) - Establishing "funding principles" for Medicaid; it's one of several the Senator offered as part of a larger Medicaid redesign. It has been approved by House Human Services, as amended and awaits 2nd Reading.
· SB 78 (Harrington) - This bill raises the minimum wage in Montana to $6.25 per hour. It failed to pass 2nd Reading in the House on a tie vote and is most likely dead.
· SB 93 (Cobb) - Requires DPHHS to report monthly to the Legislative Finance Committee updating Medicaid cost estimates. It was concurred this past week in House Appropriations and now faces 2nd Reading.
· SB 110 (Cobb) - As mentioned previously, this bill is arguably the most potentially significant piece of the Medicaid redesign legislation. The bill passed House 3rd Reading last Friday and has been returned to the Senate.
· SB 127 (Keenan) - Another of the Medicaid redesign bills, this focuses on restructuring home & community-based waiver services. It passed the House, as amended, and returned to the Senate.
· SB 146 (McGee) - Based on a lawsuit, this bill intends to redesign - and fund - Montana's public defender system, which could be a good thing for people with disabilities on limited incomes. The House did on concur with Senate amendments and a joint conference committee was appointed on Saturday.
· SB 150 (Keenan) - Establishes cost sharing for community-based Medicaid services. The bill was tabled by House Human Services the 9th, one month after its hearing before the committee.
· SB 153 (Cobb) - Establishes performance measures for DPHHS. It has been transmitted to the Governor for his signature.
· SB 415 (Tester) - A significant bill drawing lots of attention designed to mandate utilities access alternative energy, such as wind. While seen as progressive energy policy, a number of non-profit organizations have raised questions whether it could potentially raise costs to consumers, since many of the alternative sources are not necessarily cheaper than existing ones. It will be heard in House Federal Relations, Energy, and Telecommunications, Room 303, 3pm, Monday, the 11th.
· SB 428 (Stapleton) - Establishes the 211 emergency human services system statewide. It passed out House Federal Relations, Energy & Telecommunications Committee, the 5th, failed to pass 2nd Reading the 8th, but approved for reconsideration on the 9th, awaiting another 2nd Reading.
· SB 433 (Lind) - Creates a Medicaid pilot project for 50 developmentally disabled individuals, providing retention of unspent funds in their annual cost plan for future services, as well as a portion to the DDP "risk pool." It was finally passed by House Human Services and awaits 2nd Reading on the 11th.
· SB 485 (Ellingson) -This bill establishes for citizens a "next-of-kin" registry, for purposes of hospital or long-term care facility visitation and disposition of one's remains upon death, and be housed in the Attorney General's Office. It was effectively killed by House Judiciary on the 5th.
· SB 500 (Cobb) - Revises state election laws to facilitate voting accessibility for people with disabilities. It was approved in the House on the 6th, and will probably be sent soon to the Governor after it returns to the Senate.
It should certainly be an interesting week ahead.

Charlie Briggs, CEO
CWB Consultation
511 Fifth Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
PH: 406/449-4075/406.431.9732(mobile)

National Autism Association's Helping Hand Program Provides One-Time Grants
(Courtesy of NAA)
NAA's Helping Hand Program is now awarding a grant of up to $1,500 to families in need of financial assistance in getting biomedical treatments, supplements, therapies, basic living expenses, etc. for their child with autism. Priority is given to single parents.
For more information, please visit http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/helpinghand.php. 

IDEA Public Meetings
John H. Hager, assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), U.S. Department of Education, is pleased to share with you the schedule of a series of public meetings to be held during calendar year 2005 to receive comments on the proposed rules to implement programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.
Schedule:

"Riding the Bus with My Sister" to air on TV May 1
Rachel Simon's book Riding the Bus with My Sister has been made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie. The film will air May 1 on CBS stations around the country.

The Sibling Slam Book: What It is Really Like to Have a Brother or Sister with Special Needs!
Over two years in the making, The Slam Book was a labor of love. It features the candid, funny, and insightful observations of 80 teen sibs of kids who have wide range of special developmental and health needs from five countries. The book also features an introduction by David Gallagher, star of WB's Seventh Heaven, brother to a young man who has autism, and CAN Youth Ambassador.
To learn more about the book, please visit www.woodbinehouse.com/main.asp_Q_product_id_E_1-890627-52-6. 

ASBJ Special Report: School Nurses
(From Health Care Transition for Youth Digest)
About 13 million children in kindergarten through 12th grade take medication in any two-week time period, according to a study by Ann Marie McCarthy, an associate professor at the University of Iowa -- and the number of children who take medication at school continues to grow. At the same time, the number of school nurses is falling.
For more information, go to http://www.asbj.com/specialreports/0305SpecialReports/S1.html. 

SAMHSA Family Guide Web Site
(Courtesy of Monday Morning in Washington, D.C.)
The Family Guide Web site ( http://family.samhsa.gov ) offers ideas and support for adults who interact with youth to promote mental health and prevent substance abuse. SAMHSA developed A Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free to support adults/parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, and other youth mentors in their efforts to help children aged 7 to 18 make good decisions, feel safe and protected, and have successful lives. The ultimate goal is to promote youth mental health and discourage youth drug use.
"Together, We Can Stop Underage Drinking" is the theme of the 19th Annual Alcohol Awareness Month in April. Thus, we have collected articles and resources that focus on underage drinking and the destructive effects it can have on youth. Please share them with your family, friends, colleagues, and listservs.

Educational Resources Offering Educators Access to Free 30-Day PC Software Trials
(Courtesy Educational Resources)
Educational Resources has provided educators and schools with the tools and services necessary to achieve their instructional technology goals since 1985. As the nation's largest source of educational software, hardware, accessories, and supplemental products, the company serves educators in more than 16,000 school districts grades K-12. Educational Resources represents more than 300 vendors with over 5,000 educational software titles, supplemental software, and mixed-media curriculum courseware, as well as peripherals and accessories.
Free Trial Details

Check out the list of free trials at http://www.edresources.com/trials.aspx?Afid=ERhomepage_trials. 
Can't find the software you'd like to try? Contact Educational Resources Customer Service at ftrial@edresources.com. 

New CCD Fact Sheets on Social Security
(From CCD)
The CCD Task Force on Social Security has prepared a set of seven fact sheets on Social Security and people with disabilities. The fact sheets are intended to assist people in understanding what benefits people with disabilities receive from Social Security and the potential impact of privatization.
These are all available now on CCD's website (in both PDF and Microsoft Word format) at http://www.c-c-d.org under "What's New in CCD."

Autism News and Resources from Exceptional Parent
(Courtesy of EP News)
EP Magazine's April Issue: Highlighting Autism Awareness Month
To highlight Autism Awareness Month, Exceptional Parent Magazine's April issue has devoted an entire section to the topic of autism. Some of the articles are: Amazing Brother by Chris Zainey; A Different Kind of Road Trip, about a man inspired by his daughter with autism, who will bike hundreds of miles to raise money for autism awareness; A Family Odyssey, by Carol Huhn, where a monther details the long road to independence traveled by her daughter; The Genre of Inclusion: Painting the World As It Is by Nancy Bea Miller; and Visual Strategies Leverage Autism's Strengths to Improve Lives by Desiree McClimon. http://www.eparent.com/  

Introducing Max and Friends
Max and Friends: Volume 1 is a multimedia skill-building program for children with autism and related disabilities. The innovative package uses a children's television program (on DVDs), storybooks and music to present proven therapy-based exercises in a fun, simple format for children with special learning needs.
"Max and Friends is a wonderful product. So many videos and children's programs go by at breakneck speed. Max has a wonderful pace for all children, especially those with ASD, for whom the slower learning pace is essential," said Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Editor-in-Chief, Autism Spectrum Quarterly. Developed by a team of autism therapists and children's media professionals, Max and Friends can be used to help children with special learning needs develop core skills, but is fun and entertaining for children of all developmental levels. Max and Friends is organized into volumes of related skills. Volume 1 focuses on Imitation, Commands, and Matching. Each skill is the focus of a DVD and an accompanying storybook. The package also includes an instructive manual designed to train parents in teaching, maintaining and generalizing the skills as well as a CD of eighteen children's songs. To order, visit www.launchintolearning.org or call 1-800-559-9751.

Overboard-New Software for Communication Symbols
Overboard, the alternative to Boardmaker, is available now. Overboard is a communication board design package containing over 5,500 high-resolution communication symbols Create professional looking communication displays in minutes. Quickly search over 55,000 words in the keyword library and instantly retrieve the respective communication symbol(s).
Age appropriate for children, teenagers and adults. No stick men. Resize symbols and pictures to fit any page size.
Print and/or save your work to disk, flash drive or floppy disk. Print displays in black & white or color (requires a color printer). Copy/paste symbols to (or from) Boardmaker. Make worksheets, symbol instruction sheets, books, journals, or calendars. Paste in digital photographs or any of Microsoft 130,000 clipart images and symbols.
Download a free trial copy!
You may download Overboard and evaluate the FULL version at no charge by going to www.gusinc.com/Overboard/index.html  (63MB - 5 minute download with Cable/DSL connection).

What are little monsters made of? Early support, stimulation help stop kids from bullying later
By Helen Fields
Although many of us think of bullying as a normal part of growing up, it is increasingly seen as a public-health problem. Research has found that bullies and their victims may end up with long-term psychiatric problems, including addictions, and may grow up to abuse their spouses. A new study from the University of Washington looked at what factors early in childhood might lead kids to become bullies later.
Read the complete article at: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/briefs/childrenshealth/hb050405a.htm?track=rss 

Dyslexic prof writes book on overcoming her disability
By Kelly McBride For the New-Herald
"It was survival," she said. "Either I learned, or I was out."
Upham has become a key player in advocating for and counseling UWSP students with learning disabilities, said Sue Slick, associate professor of education at UWSP. Her uncanny ability to identify potential learning disorders has helped many students who couldn't quite get a handle on the problem, Slick said.
In addition, Upham's book, "Making the Grade: Reflections on Being Learning Disabled" can be a valuable resource for teachers who have learning disabled students, Slick said.
Read complete article at: http://www.wisinfo.com/newsherald/mnhlocal/288647893013502.shtml 

Secretary Spellings Announces More Workable, "Common Sense" Approach To Implement No Child Left Behind Law
April 7, 2005 Contact: Susan Aspey, Samara Yudof, (202) 401-1576
Under a new approach to implementing the No Child Left Behind law, states will have additional alternatives and flexibility if they can show they are raising student achievement and closing the achievement gap, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today. Secretary Spellings made the announcement during a meeting with the nation's state education chiefs and other education leaders at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate near Washington, D.C.
Read complete article at: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/04/04072005.html 

Math Learning Disabilities
Kate Garnett, Ph.D., Division for Learning Disabilties Journal of CEC. November 1998
While children with disorders in mathematics are specifically included under the definition of Learning Disabilities (Federal Register, August 23, 1977), seldom do math learning difficulties cause children to be referred for evaluation. In many school systems, special education services are provided almost exclusively on the basis of children's reading disabilities (Badian, 1983). Even after being identified as learning disabled (LD), few children are provided substantive assessment and remediation of their arithmetic difficulties (Goodstein & Kahn, 1974).
Read the complete article at: http://www.ldonline.org/article.php?max=20&id=974&loc=70 

Antioxidant Levels May be Linked to Autism
Research suggests children with disorder suffer higher oxidative stress.
By Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter
SUNDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Could oxidative stress, a suspected contributor to many disease processes like heart disease and cancer, also play a role in autism?
"Glutathione is the major antioxidant in cells important for detoxification and elimination of environmental toxins, and its active form is reduced in about 80 percent of the kids with autism," said the study's lead author, S. Jill James. She is director of the biochemical genetics laboratory at Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute and a professor of pediatrics at the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
James presented the study findings Saturday at the American Society for Nutritional Sciences' scientific sessions at the Experimental Biology conference in San Diego.
While this study is just a first step, she said, it wouldn't be unreasonable for parents of autistic children to talk with their child's doctor about giving them antioxidant supplements since these supplements are non-toxic.
…
"This is an interesting study and worth some more follow-up, but for parents or clinicians, it's an item of note, not a call to action," said Craig Newschaffer, director of the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "There are no leaps to be made about using antioxidants as a therapeutic agent."
Read the complete article at: http://www.drkoop.com/newsdetail/93/524907.html 

Second Life Teaches Life Lessons
By Daniel Terdiman 02:00 AM Apr. 06, 2005 PT
As a massively multiplayer online game, many people think of Second Life as little more than a virtual playground. But an increasing number of people and organizations are employing the game in applications that are useful for far more than entertainment.
Second Life was crafted as an open-ended environment that would allow players to fly, drive fantastical vehicles, dress up in outlandish outfits and build just about anything they could imagine. The game's developers at San Francisco's Linden Lab, however, didn't expect it to be used as a way for business school students to test entrepreneurial talents or for abused children to rediscover social skills.
According to a woman who goes by the in-world name of Gwyneth Llewelyn, a British organization called ARCI is using Second Life to help abused children in Portuguese safe houses by bringing them into the game and then working on socialization, collaboration, team building, computer skills and more.
"They easily get in touch with people that they don't personally know," said Llewelyn, explaining how the children, who are forced into hiding to get away from abusive parents, benefit from the game. "This means we seem to break a barrier of socializing."
Another project, called live2give, was undertaken by nine adults with cerebral palsy, and seeks to provide a forum in which they can share in the everyday personal interactions that most people take for granted. The group of nine, who share a single Second Life avatar known as Wilde Cunningham, get to experience being around other people without being judged.
"Many of the real-world challenges are bypassed in Second Life," said June-Marie Mahay, who works with the nine at an adult day-care center in Mattapan, Massachusetts. "Fewer folks have a problem hanging out with them, which is quite the opposite in real life. Also, due to their speech challenges, many would need help understanding them in real life, but in Second Life, I just type what they say and do what they want."
Added Mahay, "They felt stigmatized by their disabilities, (which) kept them from the normal social integration we take for granted. Second Life removes both of these things."
Read the complete article at: http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,67142,00.html?tw=rss.TOP 

Iowa Baby Is World's First To Receive Life-Saving Robotic Surgery
Surgeons in Children's Hospital of Iowa at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City recently repaired a potentially lethal disorder in a six-day-old Iowa girl, making her the first patient to have this type of defect corrected with a robotic surgical system as a neonate, and the smallest person to ever receive robotic surgery of any kind anywhere in the world.
Read complete article at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050326100204.htm 

Car Talk Special Needs Zone
Remember the old slogan, "It's not just a car, it's your freedom?" If you've got a physical challenge of some kind, finding a car you can drive can be an ordeal.
Fortunately, there are all sorts of ingenious adaptations that can be made to assist people in overcoming these challenges. And, there are lots of organizations and web sites out there who are willing to help.
So, we decided to sort through all the resources we could find, and present it all in a logical, coherent fashion. (Not qualities we possess. We had our lackeys do it.)
Here are the results. We hope you find this information useful!
Go to http://cartalk.com/content/features/Special-Needs/ 

Effective Therapies For Bipolar Children Sought Through TEAM Study
March 14, 2005 - Child psychiatry researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are investigating the effectiveness of several therapies for children with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness.
The study, called TEAM (Treatment of Early Age Mania), builds on previous research that showed bipolar disorder can occur in children as young as 7. During the manic phase of the illness, children may experience an inflated sense of power and self esteem and inappropriately behave as if they are in charge at home or school. They may seem extremely happy, silly and giddy, but their moods can change rapidly. A decreased need for sleep and excessive chatter also are common. Some bipolar children experience depression at the same time.
Diagnosis is difficult because the manic phase can be confused with the more common attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The confusion arises because mania and ADHD both involve hyperactivity, irritability and distractibility. However, researchers have developed a diagnostic interview that differentiates bipolar disorder from ADHD and other psychiatric illnesses. All children eligible for the TEAM study will be evaluated using that interview.
Read the complete article at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050326003303.htm 

Catching up without letting go
By Stacy A. Teicher | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
What spells "success" for native American students? Certainly one answer would be improvement in their reading and math scores, which lag significantly behind those of their white peers. But many educators also seek to give native students a solid grounding in their unique cultural traditions and history. And some worry that this is a goal that will lose out as an unintended consequence of the 2001 federal education law known as No Child Left Behind.
Native Americans fought hard to regain a say over their own education in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and '70s. But now that school staff members need higher-education credentials, what will happen to native-language classes taught by community elders? If schools are sanctioned for not meeting attendance goals, but not offered funding to cut down on truancy, how will they avoid coming under state control?
Read the complete article at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0329/p11s01-legn.html 

Prof films life on wheels
BY KAT HUANG
Research scientist Galen Buckwalter, disability rights activist Vicki Elman and screenwriter Ernie Wallengren shared 18 months of their lives on camera hoping to get the public to see eye to eye -- three feet off the ground.
"Rolling: life in a wheelchair," is a documentary produced by Dr. Gretchen Berland, an internal medicine professor at the School of Medicine. Berland has distributed over 15,000 copies of "Rolling" and is currently in negotiations to broadcast it on PBS in the hopes of reaching a larger audience and promoting awareness of neurological disorders. She said she wants the film to influence health policy decisions, and a screening for members of Congress in Washington, D.C. is scheduled to take place May 24.
Read the complete article at: http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=28946 

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Creates Disability Awareness Coloring Book
Mon Mar 28, 6:34 PM ET
Contact: Denise LeBloch, 630-462-4127 or dlebloch@marianjoy.org, Char Mufich, 630-588-7882 or cmufich@marianjoy.org, both of Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
WHEATON, Ill., March 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has created a coloring book for children that addresses the awareness and acceptance of individuals living with disabilities and emphasizes the respect and dignity of all people, regardless of their physical appearance or limitations.
The coloring book, entitled The Amazing Colors Within, tells the story of a young boy's first encounter with a child in a wheelchair. The reader is taken on a journey with the main character as he questions what it means to have a disability and ultimately realizes that he and the disabled child can do many of the same things - and that there are even things the disabled child can teach him. The story helps emphasize the importance of recognizing individuality, celebrating differences and not allowing physical appearances to overshadow an individual's abilities.
Read the complete article at: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usnw/20050328/pl_usnw/marianjoy_rehabilitation_hospital_creates_disability_awareness_coloring_book148_xml 

Citizens' Group Wants Hyperactivity Drug Taken Off the Market
By GARDINER HARRIS Published: March 25, 2005
30-year-old drug to treat hyperactivity made by Abbott Laboratories should be banned immediately because of its toxic effects on the liver, a citizen's group said yesterday in a petition to federal drug regulators.
At least 13 patients have died since 1975 taking the drug, known as Cylert or pemoline, according to the group. Reports given to the Food and Drug Administration show that at least 193 patients have suffered serious consequences from the drug, said Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director of the group, Public Citizen.
Read the complete article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/25/business/25warning.html?ei=5088&en=6dd2b5c7f0f90286&ex=1269406800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&adxnnlx=1111929872-L8aoXg7PEd6+/SPvHpFmng 

Free web hosting for US public schools
LA HABRA, CALIF. - JAN. 18, 2005 - Lunarpages, a provider of web hosting services and support, today announced it will offer free web hosting to all K-12 public schools in the U.S., effective immediately.
"Educating our youth is extremely important and donating web space to schools is a small contribution that could potentially make a big impact on students, teachers and parents across the country," said Ron Riddle, CEO and co-founder of Lunarpages. "We welcome any district administrator, school principal or classroom teacher to participate in this unique program."
Schools and districts can take advantage of this program to create websites that serve a variety of purposes, including:
- Increasing visibility for the school within its own community and beyond
- Facilitating communication between teachers and parents
- Sharing information between schools within a district or classrooms within a school
- Providing valuable information about daily schedules and events
- Serving as a bulletin board for homework assignments and class projects
As part of the program, Lunarpages will provide 1000 MB storage, unlimited email addresses, 40 GB data transfer, and unlimited phone and email support for each new account.
There is no restriction on the use of the account opened in conjunction with this program, provided it is opened by a school official and is used for educational purposes. Private schools, colleges, churches, day cares and schools outside of the United States are not eligible to participate.
http://lunarpages.com 

Rubella Eliminated from United States, CDC Says
Mon Mar 21, 2005 02:36 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rubella, a virus that once caused tens of thousands of birth defects and deaths in a single outbreak, has been eliminated from the United States, health officials said Monday.
But Americans still must vaccinate their children, and women who might get pregnant must still ensure they are immune because the disease exists elsewhere, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
"A disease that once seriously harmed tens of thousands of infants is no longer a major health threat, thanks to a safe and effective vaccine and successful immunization programs across the country," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told a Washington, D.C. news conference.
Read the complete article at: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=7962919&src=rss/healthNews 

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