A Silence That Hums

A steady stream of hums and starts and stops, the goddess of non-verbal communication spoke of oceans and too-large moons, of tides and weariness and the swaying of trees, of dust motes that settle in lavender carpet dots and how light plays on window blinds through trees. I told Sophie, if you could talk this morning you would be positively chatty.

In my spare time, while lounging,

I helped to produce a webinar that was recorded in January with Project Access and The Epilepsy Foundation of America. Using Technology to Communicate with Your Developmentally Disabled Child ** features my friend and colleague, Jennifer Bertram (the mother of a child with both autism and epilepsy) and Cindy Cottier, an extraordinary speech pathologist who specializes in augmentative communication technology here in southern California. Jennifer and I share our personal stories and successes with Cindy, who provides an in-depth view of various communication tools and explains how the iPad, in particular, is used as a communication tool for children and youth with developmental disabilities. There are wonderful resource pages and tips on portability and hardware. You can listen to the pre-recorded webinar by clicking this link (there is no need to pre-register, and it's free!):

http://connect.epilepsyfoundation.org/p32641212/http://connect.epilepsyfoundation.org/p32641212/

On February 14th, we will host a live Question and Answer session -- Cindy, Jennifer and yours truly. The Q&A is also free, but you do have to pre-register. Here's the link to do so with information:

 http://ncpawebinar2.eventbrite.com/

Finally, Julia Roberts (not THE Julia Roberts, but a far more interesting one!) has been kind enough to help spread the news on her wonderful website SupportforSpecialNeeds.com . You can access the webinar and the Q&A links there as well!

Finally, please share this information with as many people as you can who might benefit. I would so appreciate that -- and will allow you some time on my couch with homemade bonbons if you do so.

** I apologize for the less than stellar sound quality of the recording. Project Access is working on improving the link, and hopefully it will be soon.

What I've Been Working On -- Please Spread Around and Attend

I work part time for Project Access with my friend and colleague Jennifer Bertram. We've been busy organizing and working on the following webinar. I would really appreciate you spreading the word to all those you know who have children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. And if you don't, but just want to hear how goofy I sound, register (it's FREE!) and listen!

December 13, 2011 1:30PM - 3:00PM pm EST

Strategies for Success:

Communicating with Your Developmentally Disabled Child

During Adolescence and Puberty

Parents of children with severe epilepsies not only deal with the issues associated with epilepsy as a condition, but they may also face challenges with their child being unable to communicate verbally or having cognitive and developmental issues. Despite having a severe form of epilepsy, children continue to grow and will enter puberty and adolescence as any child would. Parents may be unsure how they are going to handle this stage of their children’s lives. Two parents, Elizabeth and Jennifer, will share their stories and our certified expert, Courtney, will provide helpful information for parents and youth on ways to communicate effectively during the pubescent stages and adolescent years. Also, the latest addition is Dr. Janelle Wagner, a psychologist who will provide information and data on the effects of epilepsy and relative conditions in adolescents and young adults.

Moderator: Elizabeth Aquino, Parent

Presenter: Jennifer Bertram, Parent

Featured Speaker: Courtney Kowalczyk, M.Ed.

Scientific Expert Dr. Janelle Wagner, PhD (Just Added)

Some topics that will be addressed: 

Communicating with your child about his/her body changes

Social appropriateness and private behaviors

 Assisting your pre-teen/teen with proper hygiene and care

.

If you are a parent who has questions or concerns about your child, please join us for this very informative webinar.

Link to register

At the end of the webinar there will be an extended live Q & A session on the Epilepsy Founda-tion's eCommunities website.

Have questions? Submit your questions to the Forum before the webinar. Selected questions will be answered during the live event.

The information presented during this webinar is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician about all clinical care and treatment decisions.

Hosted by the National Center for Project Access of the Epilepsy Foundation. This event is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau under grant # U23MC08582.