No Amount of Lead Is Safe for Kids

No amount of lead exposure is safe for children, and stricter regulations are needed to protect youngsters from this serious health threat, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says. There's growing evidence that even low levels of lead exposure previously considered safe can cause permanent mental, behavioral and school problems in children, according to the pediatricians' group. Identifying and eliminating lead sources before exposure occurs is the only reliable way to protect children from this danger, the AAP said. This requires stricter regulations, more federal resources and joint action by government officials and doctors, according to the updated AAP recommendations. Read More

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:

What is Juan Pablo Bonet (1573-1633), a Spanish priest, is credited by many historians as being the first to publish a treatise about what area of study (titled "Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudo")?

If you know the answer, send an email to contactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, July 4, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.

Poor Sleep May Worsen Thinking Problems in MS Patients

Researchers report a link between sleep apnea and thinking problems in people suffering from multiple sclerosis. "Since obstructive sleep apnea is a treatable condition that is also commonly seen in MS, we wondered, 'What if some of the thinking and processing difficulties that MS patients experience do not stem directly from the MS itself, but from the effects of sleep apnea or other sleep problems?'" said study co-first author Dr. Tiffany Braley in a University of Michigan news release. Braley is an assistant professor of neurology at the university. The study included 38 MS patients who underwent thinking and memory tests and were also assessed for sleep apnea. The results showed that 33 of them had the disorder, in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Read More

Folic Acid Now Added to Corn Masa Flour: FDA

Adding folic acid to corn masa flour could help reduce birth defects among Hispanic babies in the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. The FDA recently approved the addition of folic acid, a B vitamin, to corn masa flour, which is used in foods such as tortillas, tacos, tortilla chips and tamales. "By adding folic acid to corn masa flour, we have the opportunity to impact a large segment of the U.S. population and protect parents and their children from the devastating birth defects that are linked to insufficient folic acid consumed by the mother before and during pregnancy," said Dr. Jonca Bull, director of the FDA's Office of Minority Health. Read More

Autism At Center Of New TV Drama

One family's experience with a child on the spectrum is at the heart of a drama premiering on television this summer. The British show "The A Word" will debut in July on SundanceTV. The one-hour drama, which aired on BBC One earlier this year in the United Kingdom, focuses on a "messy, extended family with a child with autism at its center," the cable network says. Read More

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

'Ergo Kid' Chairs, Tables Developed for Comfort of Students

A researcher in Malaysia has developed an adjustable tables where the front portion can be tilted for easy reading and writing in order to minimize the ergonomic health risks among school children. The designs of tables and chairs that fit with one's physical form is important in creating comfort and convenience and to minimize the possibility of being exposed to ergonomic risks that can affect one's health. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Shamsul Bahri Md Tamrin who is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), children, especially, should use chairs and tables that could suit with their physical form or bodily posture. Read More

Tele-Psychiatry Reaches Rural Kids in Need

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimates that as many as 1 in 5 children in the United States have behavioral health issues. However, of these children, only 20 percent receive mental health services. Of those 20 percent, approximately half end treatment prematurely because of issues such as lack of access, lack of transportation and financial constraints. In rural states such as Missouri where almost 40 percent of the population lives outside urban areas, children usually have even less access to timely psychiatric care. Now, a study by the University of Missouri School of Medicine shows that video-based mental health services are bridging the gap by providing care to underserved areas. Read More

Families Face Indefinite Wait For Services

Abbey Etling lifts the sippy cup to her lips and drinks from it. It's a small gesture, but one that is laden with meaning for her mother, Sandy Etling. Being able to lift a cup, drink from it, and set it down without dropping it or spilling it - it's something that most adults do without a second thought dozens of times every day. But for Abbey, 22, who has an intellectual disability and autism, it is a skill that took years to learn and master. She still struggles with putting the cup down. Read More

People with Low Birthweight Due to Genetic Factors are More Likely to Develop Type 2 Diabetes

A genetically lowered birthweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research shows. Since low birthweight represents restricted intrauterine growth (fetal growth), it cannot be ruled out that it is in fact the risk factors for this restricted growth that are causing the low birthweight and in turn causing the type 2 diabetes to develop. Risk factors for restricted intrauterine growth include malnutrition, anemia, infections and placental insufficiency. Read More

Impulsive Children Raised in Caring Families Drink Less During Adolescence

Years of research have shown that impulsivity in childhood is among the individual vulnerabilities leading to substance abuse, delinquency, as well as aggressive and antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood. Yet researchers from the CHU Sainte-Justine Mother-child Research Hospital and University of Montreal have discovered a reversal of this trend for those children when raised in a less coercive environment. "According to our results, labelling impulsive children as "vulnerable" should be reconsidered. Indeed, those who were raised in less coercive families at the age of 6 actually drank less alcohol than their less impulsive peers at the age of 15. Their supposed vulnerability actually turned into an advantage," says Charlie Rioux, PhD candidate in psychology and first author of the paper published inDevelopment and Psychopathology. Read More

Doctors Urged to Address Needs of Females with Disabilities

Pediatricians are being encouraged to take a more active role in helping families prepare for and adapt to the changes that come with puberty for girls with disabilities. In a clinical report that will be published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that doctors should be ready to address the unique needs of adolescents with physical and intellectual disabilities surrounding puberty and menstruation. Read More

Researchers Link Childhood Hunger to Developing Impulse Control Problems and Violence Later in Life

Children who often go hungry have a greater risk of developing impulse control problems and engaging in violence, according to new UT Dallas research. The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that people who experienced frequent hunger as kids were more than twice as likely to exhibit impulsivity and injure others intentionally as adolescents and adults. Thirty-seven percent of the study's participants who had frequent hunger as children reported that they had been involved in interpersonal violence. Of those who experienced little to no childhood hunger, 15 percent said they were involved in interpersonal violence. The findings were strongest among whites, Hispanics and males. Read More

Low Attention Control in Early Adolescence is a Genetic Risk Factor for Anxiety Disorders

University of Texas at Arlington researchers have found that low attention control in early adolescence is related to a genetic risk factor for four different anxiety disorders. Young teens who suffer from anxiety are also more vulnerable to additional problems like depression, drug dependence, suicidal behavior and educational underachievement. The National Institutes of Mental Health reports that 8 per cent of teens ages 13 to 18 have an anxiety disorder, with anxiety-related problems often peaking during this time. Most adults diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders also report the presence of symptoms earlier in their lives. Read More

In Hollywood, Diversity Tends To Ignore Disability

The story at the heart of Warner Bros.' recently released film "Me Before You" is what fairy tales are made of. An adaptation of Jojo Moyes' 2012 book of the same name, the movie follows the relationship between a young banker ("The Hunger Games' " Sam Claflin) left paralyzed after an accident and his caregiver ("Game of Thrones' " Emilia Clarke). But to some, the choice of the able-bodied Claflin is yet another example of the film industry limiting the roles actual actors with disabilities get to play. Read More

'Map' of Teenage Brain Provides Strong Evidence of Link Between Serious Antisocial Behavior and Brain Development

The brains of teenagers with serious antisocial behavior problems differ significantly in structure to those of their peers, providing the clearest evidence to date that their behavior stems from changes in brain development in early life, according to new research led by the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, in collaboration with the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" in Italy. In a study published today in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to look at the brain structure of male adolescents and young adults who had been diagnosed with conduct disorder -- persistent behavioral problems including aggressive and destructive behavior, lying and stealing, and for older children, weapon use or staying out all night. Read More

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET

*Special Education Teacher - Primary Responsibilities:  Responsible for planning and providing for appropriate learning experiences for students based on the district's AKS curriculum as well as providing an atmosphere and environment conducive to the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of individuals. To learn more - Click here

*Special Education Teacher (2 Positions) - For Job Description please visit www.swsd.k12.wa.us and click on Employment; Job Postings; FastTrack and search for Job Postings #160426001 and 160323004. To learn more - Click here

*Special Education Teacher - The International Community School (ICS) is an International Baccalaureate World School that educates refugees, immigrants and local children, and provides a rigorous and holistic education in an intentionally diverse community of mutual learners. To learn more -Click here

*Intervention Specialist- Breakthrough Schools is looking for Intervention Specialists committed to urban education to join our team at E Prep Woodland Hills. Teaching at Breakthrough Schools is a rewarding experience where you will work on a staff dedicated to making an impact on the lives of Cleveland students. To learn more- Click here

*Assistant Principal - Provide leadership to ECF Kayne Eras School staff. The Assistant Principal will work as part of a team along with the Director of School Programs and the Principal to promote, enhance, and effectively manage all school related programs and activities. To learn more - Click here

*Resource and Functional Skills Teacher - Approved to operate a high school by the Achievement School District, Frayser Community Schools provides local leadership that instills pride, transforms poverty-mindsets, and creates economic avenues for the Frayser community - all through highly compassionate and accountable schools that foster a passion and hunger for learning in students. To learn more - Click here

*Highly Qualified Teacher- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a valid Special Education Teaching Credential.  Master's Degree preferred.  Two years teaching experience in special education classroom; expertise in high school math and science. To learn more - Click here

*Middle School Teacher at Capstone Education Center - Cornerstone Prep seeks highly skilled Special Education teachers to serve students in an urban school, working in a self-contained classroom for students in grades k-5 for the 2015-2016 school year. To learn more - Click here

*Gestalt Community Schools SPED Teacher - GCS is a great place to work, and much of that is due to our scholars as well as the great people who work here who are mission-driven. We hire talented, diverse staff members and foster a culture of achievement, community, innovation, and leadership. To learn more - Click here

*Special Education Teacher- NYTPS is currently seeking monolingual/bilingual New York State Special Education Teachers to provide Services for Preschool and/or School Age Children. We offer placements throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island).Choose the locations and schedules that work for you! To learn more - Click here

*Upper School Teacher - The Mary McDowell Friends School, a K-12 college preparatory school for students with learning disabilities, is expanding its upper school and is seeking to fill positions for the 2016-17 academic year. To learn more - Click here

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

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

Anthony D'Angelo