Week in Review - May 15, 2015

WEEK IN REVIEW

NewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This Week

May 15, 2015 - Vol 11, Issue 20


 

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In This Issue

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK


Dear NASET News,

Welcome toNASET'sWEEK in REVIEWHere, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASETto read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles that have happened this week in the field of special education. We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about theWEEK in REVIEWatnews@naset.org.Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,


NASETNews Team

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New This Week on NASET

NASET ADHD SERIES
Part # 17
Brain Training May Bolster Visual Attention

Introduction

People are bad at staying focused. We've all had our minds wander when we try to concentrate on a task that requires paying close attention but isn't all that engaging. But a new NIH-funded study suggests that one's capacity to stay focused can improve with real-time feedback. "The reason we are bad at staying focused is because we are bad at monitoring our attentional state," explained Nicholas Turk-Browne, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Princeton University. Dr. Turk-Browne's lab led the study published in Nature Neuroscience. This issue ofNASET'sADHDseries comes from the National Institute of Health and will focus on brain training that may bolster attention
To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)

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Bullying of Children Series
Prevention at School and Community Involvement


Introduction
Bullying can threaten students' physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn. The best way to address bullying is to stop it before it starts. There are a number of things school staff can do to make schools safer and prevent bullying. Assess school prevention and intervention efforts around student behavior, including substance use and violence. You may be able to build upon them or integrate bullying prevention strategies. Many programs help address the same protective and risk factors that bullying programs do. This issue ofNASET'sBullying of Childrencomes from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and will focus on prevention of bullying at school and community involvement

To read or download this issue - Click here (login required)

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SeeNASET'sLatest Job Listings

Preemie Girls Feed Sooner Than Boys, Study Finds

New research supports the theory that girls born prematurely fare better than preemie boys in the first weeks of life. The study of 2,700 premature infants found that females were able to breast-feed or bottle-feed one day earlier than males. This is an important measurement because preemies need feeding tubes if they can't suck, swallow and breathe at the same time. Infants can't go home until they can eat without a feeding tube. On average, premature infants learned to eat independently at the equivalent of a gestational age of 36 weeks and four days, the researchers said. To read more,click here

ADHD in Preschoolers: Overmedicated and Undertreated

An estimated 194,000 toddlers and preschoolers (age 2-5 years) in the United States have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and about 1 in 2 of them is not receiving the recommended treatment according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yes, that is correct - about half of the young children diagnosed with ADHD are not receiving the appropriate treatment. Since 2011, the treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended that preschoolers diagnosed with ADHD receive behavioral therapy first before medication. But, almost 50% of diagnosed preschoolers received no behavioral therapy. Too many are being treated with stimulants and other psychoactive medications as the sole form of treatment. To read more,click here

AASEP Logo

NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

Through an agreement with The American Academy of Special Education Professionals(AASEP), NASET members now have the opportunity to achieve AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) at a reduced fee.  AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidate. The candidate for Board Certification wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. From the standpoint of the Academy, board certification will demonstrate the highest professional competency in the area of special education. Board Certification in Special Educationestablishes a much needed standard for professionals, across disciplines, who work with exceptional children.

 

For more information on Board Certification in Special Education,click here

Many Young Football Players Get Concussions at Practice, Study Says

Most concussions among high school and college football players occur during practice, a new study finds. Data on more than 20,000 young football players across the United States revealed that more than 57 percent of concussed high school and college players were injured at practice, not games. Among youth football players, almost half of concussions were sustained during practice, according to the study published online May 4 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. To read more,click here

Childhood Should Not Be Treated Like a Disease

Psychiatrists are so busy labeling every normal variation in the experiences of growing children as signs of mental illness it appears they have decided to steal the exciting experience of simply being a child from as many kids as possible for huge profits. TIME reported on April 23, 2015, on the ADHD fallacy and why it's time to stop treating childhood as if it is a disease. This article was written by Marilyn Wedge who is the author of "A Disease Called Childhood: Why ADHD Became an American Epidemic." It has been shocking that our image of childhood has evolved in such manners as to leave us considering behaviors we once considered normal as being signs of mental disorders because of psychiatrists. As soon as there is any type of problem for a child in school which is brought to their attention psychiatrists are quick to label the child's behavior as signs of mental illness. To read more,click here

NASET Applications for iPhone & iPad

PTCH
Impartial Review of IEP App - Click here - To learn more about these Apps click on the image

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Guess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
According to the latest research in the field from Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an increased risk of a certain type of eating disorder. What is the name of this eating disorder?
If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, May 18, 2015 at 12:00 p.m.

For Gay Children, Bullying Begins Early, Happens Often: Study

Bullying starts as early as elementary and middle school, and occurs more frequently for students who later identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, a new study suggests. The study found that from fifth through 10th grade, children who later identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual were nearly twice as likely to be victims of weekly bullying during the previous year. "There's been a history of saying 'kids will be kids' and that they just have to learn to deal with bullying, but we've recognized more and more that bullying has serious short-term and long-term consequences," said study lead author Dr. Mark Schuster, chief of general pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital. To read more,click here

New Disability Liaison On Board At White House

There is a new staffer at the White House tasked with addressing the needs of the disability community. Maria Town took over this week as an associate director in the White House's Office of Public Engagement. In the post, she will focus on incorporating the needs of people with disabilities in Obama administration activities. The new hire comes just over a month after Taryn Mackenzie Williams left the role. Williams wasin the position temporarily and has since returned to the U.S. Department of Labor where she was stationed previously. To read more, click here

Autism Speaks Sees Leadership Change

The longtime chair at the nation's largest autism advocacy group is stepping aside. Bob Wright is leaving his post as chairman of Autism Speaks after 10 years leading the organization he founded with his wife, Suzanne, after their grandson was diagnosed with the developmental disorder. Both Wrights will remain on the nonprofit's board as co-founders. Effective immediately, Brian Kelly, 53, has been elected to replace Wright. Kelly is an original member of Autism Speaks' board whose 18-year-old son, Patrick, is on the spectrum. Officials with Autism Speaks said that Wright, 72, felt that with the organization strong, the timing was right to ensure a smooth transition. To read more,click here


Preemies May Be Wired For Developmental Disorders

Differences in brain wiring could help explain why children born premature are at greater risk for autism and other developmental disorders, researchers say. Preterm birth appears to change the level of activity in key areas of the brain, according to findings published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to look at 66 infants, 47 of whom were born before 33 weeks and the rest who were delivered at term. They found that babies born at term exhibited mature brain connectivity that is similar to what's seen in adults. To read more,click here


NASET - Members Only Savings

NASET is pleased to provide our members with exclusive access to discounts on products and services. These savings are available to all currentNASETmembers. To find out more about savings from Life Lock, Avis, Budget, Cruises Only, Orlando Vacations and more -Click here

Psychiatrists Unveil Plain English Guide To DSM

As mental health professionals, policymakers and advocates focus on taking steps to mend the fragmented mental health care system, the role of patients and their friends and families is sometimes overlooked. That's why the American Psychiatric Association is releasing a first-of-its-kind book to decode in plain English the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - a guide for mental health providers that is also used to determine insurance coverage. The resource, Understanding Mental Disorders: Your Guide To DSM-5, includes in-depth explanations of risk factors, symptoms and symptom management, treatment options and success stories. To read more,click here


IDEA Applies To 'Twice Exceptional' Students Too

Students with disabilities are entitled to special education services, even if they are cognitively gifted, federal officials say. In a memorandum to state directors of special education, the U.S. Department of Education is reminding educators not to leave behind students considered "twice exceptional." This group includes individuals who have a disability who are also intellectually gifted. "We continue to receive letters from those who work with children with disabilities with high cognition, particularly those with emotional disturbance or mental illness, expressing concern that some (school districts) are hesitant to conduct initial evaluations to determine eligibility for special education and related services for children with high cognition," wrote Melody Musgrove, director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the Education Department, in the recent correspondence. To read more,click here


Light in Sight: A Step Towards a Potential Therapy for Acquired Blindness

A promising new therapeutic approach for hereditary blindness based on a technology termed 'optogenetics' is to introduce light-sensing proteins into these surviving retinal cells, turning them into 'replacement photoreceptors' and thereby restoring vision. However, several factors limit the feasibility of a clinical optogenetic therapy using traditional light-sensitive proteins, as they require unnaturally high and potentially harmful light intensities and employ a foreign signaling mechanism within the target retinal cells.To read more,click here


Child Behavior is Worse When Dads Feel Unsupported

Children are more likely to display troublesome behaviour in families in which the father feels unsupported by his partner. The findings by Doctoral Researcher Rachel Latham from the University of Sussex will be presented today, Thursday 7 May 2015, at the Annual Conference of the British Psychology Society being held in Liverpool. The ways in which parents work together in their roles has been shown to be an important factor in relation to the behavior of their children. However, few studies have distinguished between mothers' and fathers' perceptions of the support they receive from their partners. To read more,click here


Strategy Found for Safely Prescribing Antidepressants to Children and Adolescents

A multidisciplinary team of Johns Hopkins researchers has developed two new strategies to treat depression in young people using the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of medications. These strategies, published May 5 in the journal Translational Psychiatry, incorporate a new understanding of how to mitigate the risk of suicide while on SSRI treatment. "These medications have to be dosed in a careful way," says senior investigator Adam Kaplin, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry and neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Just as with medications for high blood pressure, diabetes and anti-coagulation therapy, Kaplin says careful dosing of SSRIs is "exactly what psychiatrists have been doing for a long time in adults" to mitigate the negative effects of the medications. To read more,click here


Study Points to Possible Treatment for Lethal Pediatric Brain Cancer

Using brain tumor samples collected from children in the United States and Europe, an international team of scientists found that the drug panobinostat and similar gene regulating drugs may be effective at treating diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), an aggressive and lethal form of pediatric cancer. The study, published in Nature Medicine, was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and more than 25 nonprofit foundations devoted to finding cures for childhood brain cancer.To read more,click here


Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

Omega-gamma-chi-logo

To learn more -Click here

 


Toxic Combination of Air Pollution and Poverty Lowers Child IQ

Children born to mothers experiencing economic hardship, who were also exposed during pregnancy to high levels of PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), scored significantly lower on IQ tests at age 5 compared with children born to mothers with greater economic security and less exposure to the pollutants. The findings by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health appear in the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology. PAH are ubiquitous in the environment from emissions from motor vehicles, oil, and coal-burning for home heating and power generation, tobacco smoke, and other combustion sources. To read more,click here


Young Adults Born Preterm May Live with Lungs of Elderly

Adult survivors of preterm births may have a lung capacity that resembles the healthy elderly or casual smokers by the time they reach their early 20s, according to a University of Oregon study. The study, led by Andrew T. Lovering, a professor of human physiology, compared the lung function of adults born after fewer than 32 weeks to adults born full-term. It was published in the December issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. The study found premature infants are at increased risk for contracting bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic respiratory condition mainly affecting infants born less than 28 weeks of age. BPD primarily affects preterm infants who receive oxygen therapy to help them breathe. The higher levels of oxygen, as well as the increased pressure from the ventilator used for treatment, can result in tissue scarring in their lungs in addition to other complications from an early birth. To read more,click here


Brain Differences Seen in Children with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia

University of Washington research shows that using a single category of learning disability to qualify students with written language challenges for special education services is not scientifically supported. Some students only have writing disabilities, but some have both reading and writing disabilities. The study, published online in NeuroImage: Clinical, is among the first to identify structural white matter and functional gray matter differences in the brain between children with dyslexia and dysgraphia, and between those children and typical language learners. The researchers say the findings underscore the need to provide instruction tailored to each of these specific learning disabilities, though that is currently not mandated under federal or state law. To read more,click here

jobs

NASET's Latest Job Listings

* Special Education Teachers beginning the 2015/2016 School Year- Various Levels - Demonstrates understanding and is committed to each student's learning, taking into account each individual student's unique background and experiences, To learn more - Click here


* Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Teacher (Math) - SEED Miami is unlike any other school in South Florida. Its unique, college-prep learning and living environment affords a variety of benefits to both students and employees. To learn more - Click here


* Special Education Team (Elem, Middle, or High) - The Special Education Coordinator or Teacher is passionate about supporting the students who are at-risk for academic under-performance due to emotional and/or physical challenges so that they can succeed in the school's rigorous academic program.  To learn more -Click here


* Disability Program Coordinator - Full Time position in Silver Spring, MD for contractor to federal job training program. Requires strong analytical and computer skills. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Teachers, Full time or part time - Catapult Learning is seeking Special Education Teachers in New Jersey and New York for the 2015-16 school year. Locations are in New Jersey (throughout state) and New York - Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island. To learn more - Click here


*Special Education Teachers for 2015-2016 - Lighthouse Academies is a growing, national network of charter schools that is dedicated to providing transformational opportunities in underserved urban areas. Our K-12 model is distinguished by rigorous, arts-infused academic programs complemented by social and cultural foundations needed to succeed in and graduate from college. To learn more -Click here


Food For Thought..........

The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.

Mark Van Doren
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