Vestibular Processing: A Key to Visual Function and Balance

Vestibular Processing: A Key to Visual Function and Balance

Speakers: Curtis Baxstrom, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, FNORA and Jason Clopton, OD, FCOVD.

Friday, February 19- Saturday, February 20, 2010

Seattle/Tacoma, WA

For more information and to register, call 877-372-2567.

TACA (Talk About Curing Autism) Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk

Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families.

February 20, 2010
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Location to be announced

The Seven Steps to a Special Needs Plan

Where: At Albertson Law Group's Kent office classroom

When: Thursday, February 11, 2010

Time: 6:30 pm - 8 pm (with time for questions afterward)

Cost: Free

RSVP: to mark@albertsonlaw. com or call Albertson Law Group at 253-852-8772 (space is limited to 25 people)


Parents who have children with special needs understand that planning of any kind is very different than with typically developing children. Estate and financial planning is a particular challenge, and the government doesn't make it easy to understand. Mark Albertson, Senior Counsel at Albertson Law Group, has created this workshop for parents, caregivers and professionals who work with families with children with special needs, to present in a clear way the steps that are needed in order to prepare properly.

The workshop will cover:
* Getting the right advisors to help you
* Understanding how to create a "lifecare" plan
* Drafting a will or living trust
* Understanding how goverment benefits work
* Establishing a special needs trust
* Determining how to fund a special needs trust
* Considering a guardianship and exploring the alternatives

Free Dyslexia Presentation by Susan Barton

Date:Monday, February 22

Time:6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location:Mt. View Christian School2810 NE 259th Street
Ridgefield, WA 98642

To sign up, call Renee LaCombe at (360) 980-0317

Learn about dyslexia at a free 3-hour presentation featuring leading dyslexia expert, Susan Barton.

Dyslexia affects 20% of the population, and is the most common reason a bright child will struggle with reading, writing and spelling. Find out why these children struggle and what you can do to help.

Celiac Clinic - Auburn, WA

Celiac Clinic - Auburn, WA

This group education program is designed especially for persons newly diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten intoelrances, or those needing a refresher course. Spouses are welcome. Parents/guardians should attend for/with children under 14. Course is not appropriate for young children.

Course covers:
What is celiac disease?
In-depth review of gluten-free diet
Finding gluten-free products
Meal planning and dining out
Cooking with gluten-free products
Other sources of gluten
Living healthy and happy with celiac disease
Individual 1-hour consultation (optional)

Clinic is taught in one 4-hour session (10 am to 3 pm – includes 1 hour lunch), with the option of an individual consult.

Pre-registration required.

Location: GIG Office, Auburn, WA

To register call: 253-833-6655, Mon - Fri 8:00 to 4:00 pm

A registered dietitian will teach the clinic. GIG does not process insurance claims.

“Way To Be Gluten-Free” Kids Day Camp

Way To Be Gluten Free Workshop for Kids

February 13, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm (9:30 check-in)

Cost: $15 per child

This workshop is intended for children aged 6 to 10 years old. Parents are welcome.

PCC Natural Market, Greenlake7504 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA

This fun and practical workshop is designed to empower kids with gluten intolerance to participate in meal planning and preparation. Kids will learn which foods contain gluten, where to look on labels for gluten information and what key words to look for, and then they will apply that knowledge by shopping for gluten-free ingredients in the PCC store. Our goal is to help kids work towards self-sufficiency and to become proactive in their own care. Please make sure that long hair is tied up and use close-toed shoes.

Way to Be Gluten-Free" will be conducted by TAGS teen volunteers (Teen Advocates with Gluten Sensitivities) and Cynthia Kupper, executive director of Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG).
Space is limited to 15 kids. Cost: $15 per child.

To register for the workshop: Click here, call 253-833-6655, or email Rebecca.Powell@gluten.net

Speaker Cyndi Kershner, Yoga Instructor and Autism Mom

Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 10:30 am - 12:30pm
Shoreline Library, Small Meeting Room, 345 NE 175th Street, Shoreline, WA 98155. For directions visit:
http://www.kcls.org/shoreline/

Cyndi will speak about yoga and its many benefits for the special needs community and for caregivers.
For more information please view her website at: http://www.fullcircleyogaarts.com/

The last half of our February meeting will be for general autism related discussion between our members.


RSVPs are always appreciated. Contact: Janelle tallcedars@comcast.net OR Sarah buggy2005@comcast.net.

MOCHA is a great group, oriented toward upbeat talk about our lives, ourkids, and how to help our children develop and heal. We provide supportand exchange information. Membership is free, just come! We discusswhatever the members are interested in discussing at any given meeting.Many in the group do successful biomedical interventions toadvance/recover their children. Biomedical intervention is not arequirement, but open discussions and sharing of resources for those whowould like to learn more, occurs regularly. Come join us at a meeting to learn more!

Classes at Fort Nisqually

Classes at Fort Nisqually
This type of class is excellent for all students, but it can especially be beneficial for students who are struggling because of it’s hands on nature.

Pacific NW History Series
Ages: 10 Yrs. to 14 Yrs.
Fees: $60.00
Tuesdays February 2, 2010; February 9, 2010; February 16, 2010; February 23, 2010
10:00AM - 12:00PM
"Great Room" in Fort Nisqually Ed. Bldg.-Point Defiance

Can you think of a better classroom than Fort Nisqually Living History Museum in which to teach your young student about the history of the Pacific Northwest? Each class in this series of four features a theme that leads students down the path toward discovering what life was like at Fort Nisqually, the first permanent settlement on Puget Sound. Exploring the fort, examining old documents and participating in hands-on projects will show your student that studying history really can be fun. The four themed classes are: "The Company of Adventurers and Its Outpost on Puget Sound "The Many Faces of Fort Nisqually "Farming the Frontier "Digging Deep to Put It All Together For more information, contact Mike McGuire at Fort Nisqually (253) 591-5339.

You can register online at: http://www.metroparkstacoma.net/onlineregistration/Activities

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Before There Were Video Games
Ages: 8 Yrs. to 10 Yrs.
Fees: $15.00
Saturday, February 6, 2010
12:00PM - 2:00PM
"Great Room" in Fort Nisqually Ed. Bldg.-Point Defiance

Before there were video games, children's toys were homemade. Learn about toys that were common during the 1800s and make a couple to bring home with you! The class includes patterns, materials and rules for making toys that were available in the 1800s.

You can register online at: http://www.metroparkstacoma.net/onlineregistration/Activities

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Basket Class: Make Your Own Tea Caddy
Ages: 16 Yrs. and over
Fees: $50.00
Saturday, February 20, 2010
11:00AM - 4:00PM
"Great Room" in Fort Nisqually Ed. Bldg.-Point Defiance

The conversation piece at your next tea party could be a tea caddy you made yourself! Make your own tea caddy basket using cedar, dyed cedar and raffia. You'll learn plaiting and twining techniques, as well as how to craft a Lummi-style rim. Materials included in class price. Instructor: Judy Bridges.

You can register online at: http://www.metroparkstacoma.net/onlineregistration/Activities

High School Essay Seminar

High School Essay Intensive
A One-Day Seminar for High School age students and teachers
Wednesday, February 7, 2010
8:30 – 3:30 pm
Cost: $50.00/participant (parents $25 if attending with student)

The High School Essay Prep class is an excellent way to get immediate experience and inside tips on how to do your best on the timed, 25 minute response to a prompt required on the new SAT test. Participants will actually write two full essays, carefully study and then apply the College Board evaluation criteria to sample essays, while receiving a detailed booklet of resources and suggestions for continued practice.Additionally, students will learn special structure and style tools for use in composing the college application "personal essay"—an entirely different type of writing task. The complete process will be presented: choosing the question, creating the outline, and polishing a final version. Participants will leave with a clear concept of the task, their own outline for an actual personal essay, and several new tricks and techniques to add to their repertoire. Although this seminar is specifically designed for those who will be taking the SAT or submitting college applications within the next 1-2 years (and especially those teaching such students), it is also useful for general writing practice, tools and tips. It is open to all students, regardless of their experience with IEW courses or materials. A lot of actual writing is done during this six-hour class.

Meet Andrew PudewaOur presenter is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing and father of seven. Leading seminars and workshops throughout North America, he addresses issues relating to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His courses for parents, students and teachers have helped transform many a reluctant writer and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students’ skills. Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan student who called him “the funny man with the wonderful words.” He and his beautiful, heroic wife Robin currently teach their three youngest children at home in Locust Grove, Oklahoma.

To register go to: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/events

Questions? Call IEW: 800-856-5815

Teaching Writing Seminar

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style A

This program is a great way to help students struggling with writing. The challenges of organization are remedied through this process. This is one of the resources we use in our clinic when working with children with writing issues.


Two-Day Seminar for Teachers, Parents, Tutors, College Students
Friday & Saturday, February 4-5 8:30 – 4:15 pm
Cost: $89.00/participant (2nd family member half price)

The structure and style syllabus teaches models and techniques for English composition which logically build upon each other, allowing students to become familiar and competent with a variety of writing formats and styles. As opposed to many "creative" writing approaches, this more classical system stresses modeling and builds a firm foundation of specific skills. Students first learn to make a "key word outline" and then rewrite from their notes, thus being freed from the problem of what to write about, so they are able to clearly focus on how to write well. As they master each structural model and stylistic technique, they develop great confidence, and consequently great creativity. The syllabus then gradually moves the student from dictated content toward "the blank page" using:

Eight different structural models, including:

* Note making and summarizing from notes; limiting skills.

* Summarizing narrative stories with the story sequence chart.

* Summarizing references (without copying the encyclopedia).

* Library research reports using multiple references and fused outlines.

* Topic - clincher paragraph format, techniques for titling.

* Creative writing, letters and writing from pictures.

* Formal essays and critique formats.

The Syllabus in Style introduces specific techniques to help students:

* "Dress-up" each paragraph with six different tools.

* Use a variety of sentence "openers."

* Judiciously choose literary "decorations."

* Learn English grammar in the context of USING it, rather than just memorizing terms and identifying parts of speech.

To register go to: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/events

Questions? Call IEW: 800-856-5815

Healing the Brain Conference - Autism

HEALING THE BRAIN

February 19-22, 2010
Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Seattle area
Dietrich Klinghardt, MD PhD

Invited Guests including Neurologist and Author Eric Braverman, MD, Daniel Amen practitioner Brian Goldman, MD, Master Herbalist Donald J. Yance, Lab Analysis Expert Mark Schauss, Australian Brain Integration Expert Charles Krebs, Coagulation Expert David Berg, MAPS (system to repair brain dysfunction) creator Claudie Gordon-Pomares, Color and LIght Therapy Expert Alice Nixon, LCSW and More...

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Healing the Brain Post Conference Workshop with Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD,:
Autism: The Integrative Protocol,


Sunday, February 21, 2010
3 PM to 7 PM
Hyatt Regency Bellevue (Seattle area)
Following the Healing the Brain seminar (Feb. 19-21, 2010)

In the last few years, a unified Protocol for Autism Spectrum Disorders has emerged. This will be presented by Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD. Price: $200 for practitioners Family Price: $100 (includes students and non-practitioners). Use Code HTBFP when checking out.

Coffee Talk with TACA (Talk About Curing Autism)

Coffee Talk with TACA (Talk About Curing Autism)

Saturday, February 20, 201010 a.m.-12 p.m.Forza Coffee Company1520 Wilmington, DuPont, WA 98327

Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families.

Sensory Friendly Film: The Tooth Fairy

Sensory Friendly Film!

The Tooth Fairy

February 6, 2010
10 a.m. local time

AMC Kent Station 14
426 Ramsay Way, Kent, Wash. 98032

AMC River Park Square 20
808 W Main Ave Spokane, WA 99201

AMC Woodinville 12
17640 Garden Way NE, Woodinville, WA 98072

AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the "Sensory Friendly Films" program.

In order to provide a more accepting and comfortable setting for this unique audience, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down, families will be able to bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie.

Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing - in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Tickets are $4-6 depending on location and can be purchased on the day of the event.

Please call ahead to confirm that these details are correct.

The 7 Steps to a Special Needs Plan

FEBRUARY 1st, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Topic: “The 7 Steps to a Special Needs Plan”

Speaker: Mark Albertson, Esq., Albertson Law Group, P.S.

Meeting Location: Pierce County Library Processing and Administration CenterConference Room B3005 112th St. E., Tacoma, WA 98446-Located at 112th St. E. & Waller Rd. E., off the Hwy 512 Portland Ave. exit