Stars event postponed due to threat of rain

Due to the threat of rain this morning (Monday, April 7), Little Star Center has moved its autism awareness month event to Wednesday, April 9 instead of this morning.

On Wednesday, April 9 Little Star learners and professionals will be placing signs that demonstrate the impact of autism at Little Star Center facilities in Carmel and Lafayette.

  • Carmel Stars Placement by Learners                April 9 at 10:30 a.m.
  • Lafayette Stars Placement by Learners            April 9 at 2:30 p.m.
In March, the Centers for Disease Control announced updated autism prevalence rates. According to the CDC report, the prevalence rate for autism is now 1 in 68, which is an increase of over 30% from the 2008 CDC report of 1 in 88. A total of 68 stars will be placed: one yellow star for each child diagnosed with 67 surrounding blue stars for each unaffected child. 

The Stars are being placed in conjunction with the Big Stars for Little Star program in recognition of April’s national autism awareness month.

Conversation with a Big Star for Little Star

 

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, we will feature comments from the Little Star Center Board of Directors. This week’s Q&A is with board member Bill Brunner. Brunner was appointed to the Little Star Center Board of Directors in 2009. He is the former Chief Financial Officer for J.D. Byrider. In 2013, he was named a CFO of the Year by the Indianapolis Business Journal.

What makes you most proud about serving on Little Star Center’s Board of Directors?

The work we do to serve our children with no distractions from our mission of serving the most children we can with uncompromised quality treatment.

During your time as board member, what do you think has been one of Little Star Center’s biggest success stories?

The biggest success story occurs frequently when we share the success of the children.  This can take the form of a child learning a skill that he/she previously could not perform up to transitioning to traditional education programs.

From a more grown up perspective, I take pride in management and the board’s reaction to a challenge that presented itself which likely could have impacted the quality of Little Star’s programs; the mission prevailed.  Like in many organizations revenue and profit can become a cancer on the organization’s mission.  Yes, the board does have the responsibility to assure the organization’s survival, but parents can be assured that the quality of service to their children will not be compromised.

What is one thing you want people to know about individuals with autism?

Having autism is not a shortcoming or a bad defect; it is a neurological condition. As individuals they have many beautiful traits that often are expressed in a level of love that those of us that are “normal” cannot understand or express.

What do you see for the future of autism services in Indiana? Which areas of service are in need of growth?

I wish I could be optimistic on this topic, but I see the environment surrounding the ability to serve children will continue to be challenging for the foreseeable future.  The challenges will come from the ability to pay for services as well as groups trying to profit from this population.

The outlook from a clinical perspective, however, is bright.  I am encouraged by the increasing amount of research in treatment methods and tools for aiding in treatment.  In particular, tools like electronic tablets (i-pads) offer the chance to improve communication for individuals with autism.

How has being a part of LSC impacted you personally?

This is simple; having the opportunity to serve the autistic community reminds me that serving our fellow persons and particularly our children is imperative to fulfilling our social responsibilities.

 

Wyatt and I are in this wonderful world together

 

By Brett Eastwick

Someone once said never underestimate what a parent is willing to do for his child. Parents of children with autism know this maxim all too well. It is not easy being a parent, even with unlimited resources, family members, and a supportive spouse. But bring into the fold a diagnosis of autism, and suddenly you feel as if the world has swallowed you up.

And any parent who has gone through this five years ago, 10 years, 20 years ago, it was even more difficult. Today, the level of awareness is high. It seems as if everybody knows someone that is on the spectrum. That has not always been the case, nor has it always been that people accept our children for who they are. We all have experienced “the look.” The look of confusion as to why our child is making odd sounds, why they are flapping their hands, why a sudden noise sends them into hysterics. We are at fault. They just need to behave. They need more discipline. We are coddling them. I have heard all of this before, as I am sure you have. It makes you want to cry. It makes you want to lash out. It makes you want to hide away from the world.

I have lived in the world of autism for 10 years. My son, Wyatt, brought me into it. He is why I left my previous career as a veterinary assistant and became an ABA therapist. He could not speak. Learning was aversive and almost impossible for him. He could not communicate with us. I refused to let him stay trapped in his own world by himself.

The methods of verbal behavior analysis did not take him out of that world, so much as it allowed me to enter into it with him. Wyatt has hundreds of signs, and knows how to compel those around him to engage him that way. After six years of continued therapy, he has learned so much. But this is where the rest of the world still lags behind. It is not over. He will not be “cured”, especially since he is not sick. He has autism. He will always have autism. I will always be a parent of a child with autism. I do not think about the magic day Wyatt will be like typically developing children, when I no longer work with children of autism. Wyatt and I are in this wonderful world together. We all are in this community of parents with autism. And I would not have it any other way.

Brett Eastwick is a therapist at Little Star Center. His son, Wyatt, has autism.

 

The awesomeness of riding a tricycle…or not!

 

By Siovhan Lawrence

In our family, April 2 is not just World Autism Awareness Day. It’s also the two-year anniversary of our son Bradley’s autism diagnosis. So far, we’ve learned many things on this journey. One lesson, in particular, we learned very early is setting realistic goals for Bradley while celebrating every single milestone – both big and small.

After a battery of tests with four-and five-letter acronyms and countless labs, we finally received an autism diagnosis for Bradley. The next step: Setting goals for our newly diagnosed son.  We were asked, “What are your specific goals for Bradley in the next six months?” How do you answer that?  We knew our son was delayed in every aspect and missed milestones. He was developing new interfering behaviors and was also showing regression. We answered with things we thought would be achievable. Roll a ball back and forth during play. Push a toy car around. Say the words “hi”, “bye”, “mommy”, “daddy” and “sissy.” We said we wanted him to wave, smile, respond to his name when called. Also added to our list were eye contact and an expanded food repertoire. WOW! Looking back now, we realize what a tall order that was.

In the following months we learned more about autism and the challenges Bradley would face.  Needless to say, during his next evaluation Bradley had not met any of our goals. Subsequently, we became less specific about our goals and focused more on understanding all of the intricate parts of each of those tasks.

After coming to Little Star Center (nearly 18 months after Bradley’s diagnosis), Brian, one of Bradley’s therapists, casually mentioned he was working on something with our son. He told us it would be a surprise.  At Christmastime, we were asked to come to LSC and receive our “gift.”  With all of the progress, setbacks, therapy and undeniable hard work, we had no idea what to expect. We walked into LSC and in came Bradley, riding around the corner on a tricycle. ALL BY HIMSELF! There he was pedaling, smiling and focusing. He lost a grip on the pedal, but he regained his footing. It was AMAZING! The best Christmas present ever!

As we celebrate Bradley’s progress over the last two years, we have learned to see the development of new skills and goals being met under a whole new light. Each and every moment of dedication from both the LSC staff and Bradley is monumental. Whether he is flashing one of his giant, infectious smiles or communicating one of his needs, we appreciate each moment and it fills our hearts with hope and pride.

Siovhan Lawrence is a mother of two. Her son, Bradley is a learner at Little Star Center.

 

 

 

 

We found our perfect match at Little Star

By Onya Jones

When Kaleigh was 3 years old, we searched for the perfect ABA facility to address her needs. At the time, she wasn’t ready for developmental preschool. She needed more one-on-one assistance.

I began searching for therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and came upon Little Star Center’s website. It was very informative and looked exactly like what Kaleigh needed.  After touring the center and meeting with staff, I knew this was where she needed to be.

Four years later, I remain convinced that Little Star is the best place for Kaleigh. The staff is devoted to Kaleigh’s progress. It’s evident that they want the kids to succeed in life. They work hard to make that happen. It’s clear they love every single one of those kids and, at the same time, provide great support to the parents.

We are truly grateful we found Little Star.

Onya Jones is mom to Kaleigh, a learner at Little Star Center. 

 

 

 

 

 

Updates about the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

By Michele Trivedi, MHA

Citizens who need health coverage to start on Jan. 1 have more time to apply. The federal government has extended the deadline to Dec. 23.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides navigators to assist those who have questions or need help signing up for a plan. To find a local navigator, call 1-800-318-2596 or go to www.healthcare.gov.  Help can also be found at Covering Kids and Families of Indiana.

For more information about how ACA covers autism and developmental disabilities, visit the following websites: The Arc of Indiana,  Autism Society of Indiana,  and Autism Speaks.

Michele Trivedi is The Arc Insurance Project Manager and a member of the Board of Directors at Little Star Center. She is available to answer your questions regarding ACA coverage for individuals with autism. She can be reached at 317-977-2375.

Little Star Center Opening in Bloomington

Little Star Center is expanding services for families and children affected by autism to Bloomington. The new Little Star Center Bloomington will open spring 2014. Center leaders will begin accepting applications for evaluations for learners and staff in January.

Application Process and Open House
Applications will be accepted from families with children affected by autism in January. A parent information meeting and open house is scheduled for:

Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014
4 to 8 p.m.
Terry’s Catering, 3116 Canterbury Drive
Interested families can also email or call for more information.

New Hire Process
At least 10 professionals will be hired for the new facility. Available positions for the Bloomington center are for professionals with education or backgrounds in child psychology, special education, education, speech sciences and child development. Experience with autism or ABA is preferred. Interested professionals can email a cover letter and resume

 

 

Great speakers, informative sessions at ASHA convention

By Kasey Philpott, MS, CCC-SLP

I recently attended the annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) convention in Chicago.  With over 12,000 attendees, the ASHA convention provides a plethora of learning opportunities for speech language pathologists and audiologists alike covering a variety of topics, including speech sound disorders, autism, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), hearing loss, swallowing disorders, stroke and language science.

This year’s theme was The Magic of Teamwork: Science and Service Delivery, which offered several opportunities to hear from other professions including behavior analysts!

I had the pleasure of attending many sessions discussing autism treatment specific to AAC, social skills, feeding/swallowing and others. I also had the opportunity to see a few familiar faces, including Oliver Wendt, Ph.D, from Purdue University, who presented a case study on Experimental Evaluation of a Parent-Implemented AAC Intervention Protocol for Children with Severe Autism. Thomas Zane Ph.D., a Little Star Center advisory board member. He presented a poster session that looked at the evaluation of efficiency and preference for communication modalities.

Overall it was a great experience!  I’m looking forward to next year’s convention in Orlando, Fla.!

Kasey is a speech language pathologist & director of related services at Little Star Center.

 

Young student is a fan of Little Star Center

William, the 10 year-old son of Tim Courtney, research and training director at Little Star Center, wrote the following letter to his school to request a grant for Little Star Center. This is a great reminder that our learners  success is important to even our youngest citizens.

Did you know one out of every 88 kids has autism? It’s for that reason I think we should choose Little Star Center for one of our lollipop drop charities.

Little Star Center is right here in our community helping kids with autism. Little Star is 100 percent non-profit. With the money we raise for (the school), it would be able to purchase therapy supplies for the kids who go there. The supplies would help the kids in learning to communicate and be independent.

I think it’s important to help everyone as much as we can, and it’s a great feeling to be able to help kids in our very own community. My dad is one of the directors at Little Star Center. I know the work they do is changing kid’s lives, and I hope we can assist them in continuing to do that.

Emma is autistic. And Emma is awesome.

 

By Kerry Blankenship

I knew before the diagnosis came in. Someone gently suggested having Emma evaluated for autism, and I started researching. I knew when I read the list of common characteristics that I was reading about my 3-year-old daughter.

When the diagnosis confirmed what I knew, I thought, in those first days, that everything had changed. That “autistic” meant strictly defined limitations and endless struggles, that one word could tell me what her future would (or wouldn’t) be. I was scared of what I imagined to be a long, lonely road, and I wondered whether I’d be “mom enough” to shepherd her down it.

I know better now.

Emma is as she always was. She loves penguins and quesadillas, she seeks thrills and she brings sunshine to everyone that knows her. And she is autistic.

It’s not a word I’m afraid of anymore. She processes the world in a way that I can’t—and her perspective is beautiful. Sure, there are challenges, but there are also amazing milestones and a whole lot of joy.

Emma has taught me to rejoice in the little things, like the voice from the backseat piping up with a request for “donut!” every time we drive past Target. That she can tell me what she wants is always cause for celebration.

The diagnosis gave us resources and a community. It didn’t change my daughter or her potential.

Emma is autistic. And Emma is awesome.

Kerry Blankenship is a mom of one beautiful girl. Her daughter, Emma, is a learner at Little Star Center.