| New This Week on NASETWhat is a Functional Behavior Assessment and Why is it Necessary?
Introduction
There may be times when a functional assessment of behavior is required and the parent may have no idea what is involved in this process. ThisParent Teacher Conference Handoutsimply explain what it is and why it is necessary. Functional behavioral assessment is an approach that incorporates a variety of techniques and strategies to diagnose the causes and to identify likely interventions intended to address problem behaviors. In other words, functional behavioral assessment looks beyond the overt topography of the behavior, and focuses, instead, upon identifying biological, social, affective, and environmental factors that initiate, sustain, or end the behavior in question. This approach is important because it leads the observer beyond the "symptom" (the behavior) to the student's underlying motivation to escape, "avoid," or "get" something (which is, to the functional analyst, the root of all behavior).
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| ADHD Tied to Higher Risk of Eating Disorder in Kids and Teens
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an increased risk of a certain type of eating disorder, according to a new study. The eating disorder is called loss of control eating syndrome (LOC-ES). As the name implies, people with this disorder sometimes can't stop eating, even if they want to, according to the researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. Their study included 79 children between the ages of 8 and 14. The kids were assessed for ADHD and the eating disorder. Those with ADHD were 12 times more likely to have the eating disorder than those without ADHD, the study revealed. To read more,click here |
| Depression, Weapons May Be More Common for Bullied Teens
Bullied high school students have greater odds for depression and suicidal thoughts than others, and they're also more likely to take weapons to school, according to three new studies. "Teens can be the victim of face-to-face bullying in school, electronic bullying outside of the classroom and dating violence," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, senior investigator of the studies. Each experience is associated with a range of serious adverse consequences, he added. Researchers analyzed data from a 2013 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey of teens in grades 9-12, and found that depression and suicidal thoughts are much more common among teens who have been bullied electronically or at school. To read more,click here |
|  NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT - Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET MembersThrough 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 |
| Gene Therapy Shows Promise for Inherited Eye Disease
A new study finds that gene therapy quickly improves eyesight for patients who've lost their vision from an inherited condition called Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). But the improvements aren't permanent: Researchers said the gains began to diminish after one to three years. "Gene therapy for LCA demonstrated we could improve vision in previously untreatable and incurable retinal conditions," study leader Dr. Samuel Jacobson, of the University of Pennsylvania's Scheie Eye Institute, said in a U.S. National Eye Institute release. "Even though the current version of the therapy doesn't appear to be the permanent treatment we were hoping for, the gain in knowledge ... is an opportunity to improve the therapy so that the restored vision can be sustained for longer durations in patients," Jacobson added. To read more,click here |
| Pediatricians Issue New Guidelines for Hospital Release of Newborns
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just released updated guidelines for judging whether or not a newborn is ready to leave the hospital. The decision to allow a healthy newborn to go home is made after careful review by health providers, but there can be wide variation in the degree of an infant's readiness to leave the hospital, and a number of factors need to be considered, according to the AAP. The new guidelines outline specific criteria for determining whether a mother is ready to care for herself and her baby at home, including the mother's health, the level of support she has at home, the health and stability of the baby, and access to follow-up care. To read more,click here |
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| TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEKTHE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK WILL RETURN ON FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015 |
| Kids' Eye Injuries From Air, BB and Paintball Guns on the Rise
Eye injuries in children from certain types of guns -- such as air guns, BB guns and paintball guns -- increased dramatically between 2010 and 2012 in the United States, according to new research. The study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that injuries from "non-powder" guns surged a 511 percent during that time period. A non-powder gun is one that doesn't use gunpowder to fire. Instead, these guns use compressed air, springs, and other methods to fire, according to information from Nationwide Children's Hospital. More than 3,000 children were treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2012 for eye injuries related to air guns, BB guns, pellet guns and paintball guns, according to the researchers. To read more,click here |
| More U.S. Newborns Enduring Drug Withdrawal: Study
The number of U.S. infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units to treat symptoms of drug withdrawal has nearly quadrupled since 2004, researchers report. Neonatal abstinence syndrome -- a drug-withdrawal syndrome that often occurs after exposure to prescription narcotic painkillers during pregnancy -- affected only seven babies for every 1,000 admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2004. By 2013, that number had jumped to 27 infants for every 1,000 babies in the NICU, the study revealed. The Baylor University Medical Center researchers also found that the percentage of days spent in a NICU attributed to drug withdrawal went from 0.6 percent to 4 percent over that decade. And eight neonatal centers reported that more than 20 percent of NICU days were spent caring for these infants in 2013. To read more,click here |
| Moms' Pre-Pregnancy Obesity Tied to ADHD, Other Issues in Kids
Children whose mothers were very obese going into pregnancy may face an increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems, a new study suggests. Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that when moms were severely obese before pregnancy, their kids were more likely to have issues like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental delays at the age of 6. But the findings do not prove that moms' obesity is to blame, noted study researcher Laura Schieve, an epidemiologist at the CDC. To read more,click here |
| Pediatrics Group Advises Doctors on How to Spot Child Abuse
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just released new guidance to help primary care doctors recognize the signs of child abuse. "Minor injuries in children are incredibly common, and most are not the result of abuse or neglect," report lead author Dr. Cindy Christian, past chair of the AAP Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, said in an agency news release. "But sadly we also know how common it is for physicians to miss cases of child physical abuse. When these injuries are not correctly identified, children often return for medical care later with more severe or even fatal injuries," she explained. To read more,click here |
| Dropping One Sugary Soda a Day Could Cut Diabetes Risk: Study
People who love sugary sodas and flavored milk may have a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of their body weight, a large new study finds. The good news, the researchers said, is that swapping just one of those drinks each day -- for water or unsweetened coffee or tea -- could lower diabetes risk by up to 25 percent. The findings, reported online April 30 in the journal Diabetologia, add to a large body of evidence linking sugary drinks and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, and often affects people who are obese. To read more,click here |
| NASET - Members Only SavingsNASET 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 |
| Teens With History of Self-Poisoning Face Greater Suicide Risk
Teens who survive self-poisoning with drugs are at a significantly increased risk for suicide over the following decade, a new study shows. "Self-poisoning in adolescence is a strong predictor of suicide and premature death in the ensuing decade, and identifies a high-risk group for targeted prevention," study co-leader Dr. Yaron Finkelstein said in an American Academy of Pediatrics news release. "Suicide risk is markedly increased for many years after the first hospital presentation, emphasizing the importance of sustained prevention efforts in this vulnerable population," added Finkelstein, a staff physician in the divisions of emergency medicine and clinical pharmacology and toxicology at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. To read more,click here |
| Curbing School Bus Pollution Might Reduce Absences
Reducing diesel air pollution from school buses could lead to 14 million fewer student absences each year in the United States, a new study predicts. Researchers followed 275 elementary school students in the state of Washington who rode on school buses. Air pollution from 188 school buses was measured during nearly 600 trips made between 2005 and 2009. During that time, school districts adopted cleaner fuels and better emission control measures on the buses. Use of cleaner fuels was linked to an 8 percent drop in student absences from school, and improved emission control measures were tied to a 6 percent reduction in student absences, the researchers said. To read more,click here |
| Phone-Focused Parents a Danger to Their Kids at Playground
Young children are more likely to suffer playground injuries when their parents are texting or talking on a cell phone, a new study shows. Even chatting with other caregivers ups the odds your kid will get hurt, the study found. Researchers from the Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York observed 50 parent/child pairs at seven playgrounds. The children were between 18 months and 5 years old. For 10 to 20 minutes, one researcher watched the parent while another researcher watched the child. Parents were distracted 74 percent of the time, but most of the distractions were mild, with the majority of the parent's attention focused on the child, they found. To read more,click here |
| 3D 'Printout' Device Keeps Very Ill Babies Breathing
An implant created with a 3D printer has saved the lives of three baby boys near death from a rare airway disease. University of Michigan researchers are calling the implant a "4D" device because they successfully engineered it to adapt to the children's growth over time. The boys -- from 3 months to 16 months old -- suffered from a condition called tracheobronchomalacia, which occurs when the airway walls are too weak and collapse during breathing. "It's hard to convey how very sick these children were," said senior author Dr. Glenn Green, an associate professor specializing in pediatric otolaryngology. To read more,click here |
| Childhood Abuse, Neglect Linked to High Blood Pressure in Adulthood
Children who suffer abuse or neglect are at increased risk for high blood pressure when they're adults, new research suggests. The study included nearly 400 white and black students in the Richmond County public school system in Georgia whose blood pressure was measured an average of 13 times over 23 years, until they reached a median age of 30. When the participants were 18, they were asked if they had experienced what the researchers called "adverse" childhood events, which include emotional, physical or sexual abuse, emotional or physical neglect, or substance abuse or domestic violence at home. To read more,click here |
| Milder Autism Typically Diagnosed Later in Girls
Girls on the milder end of the autism spectrum tend to be diagnosed at a later age than boys, possibly because their symptoms are less severe, a new study has found. Doctors diagnosed girls with Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder months later than boys who had the same disorders, according to the study. This appears to be because mild autism in girls takes the form of social awkwardness, and is less readily apparent than the physical symptoms that boys with mild autism display, said study co-author Dr. Paul Lipkin, director of the Interactive Autism Network at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. To read more,click here |
| Prices of MS Drugs Soaring, Study Finds
The prices of multiple sclerosis drugs have skyrocketed in the past two decades, in some cases rising more than 700 percent, a new study shows. The huge price increases have occurred even though newer drugs have been introduced, something that normally stabilizes or lowers the cost of older drugs, Oregon State University researchers noted. "The issue of astronomical drug costs, especially for newer drugs or rare conditions, is more and more common," study author Daniel Hartung, an associate professor at the university's College of Pharmacy, said in an Oregon State release. To read more,click here |
| Bullying May Take Bigger Toll Than Child Abuse, Neglect
Being bullied as a child may take a larger toll on a young adult's mental health than being abused or neglected at home, a new study suggests. Kids who are the victims of bullies are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and to try to hurt themselves as young adults than children who were mistreated by adults, British researchers found. "Until now, governments have focused their efforts and resources on family maltreatment rather than bullying," study author Dieter Wolke, from the University of Warwick, said in a journal news release. To read more,click here |
| Divorce May Increase Psychosomatic Symptoms in Teens: Study
Teens may have an increased risk for psychosomatic symptoms -- physical problems caused by mental distress -- if their parents separate or divorce, a new study suggests. Those who lived mostly with one parent due to a family breakup had the most psychosomatic symptoms, while those who lived in the same home with both parents had the fewest. Children whose parents had joint custody arrangements had fewer psychosomatic symptoms than those who lived mostly or only with one parent, but still had more than those who lived with both parents in the same home. Although this study found a connection between teens' symptoms and their family living situations, the study wasn't designed to prove cause-and-effect. To read more,click here |
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