Greetings Everyone ~

Happy Palm Sunday for those here in the US that celebrate it. Growing up in New Jersey I always made Irish Soda Bread for various holidays. Speaking of NJ - the high school I attended is holding their 30th year reunion this year. I have no plans of taking my kids on a plane to attend.

Matthew is currently starting his spring break with Nicholas the following week. Matthew, his aide and I are visiting the Middle School on Friday to observe the autism class. This is a year round school so he will be starting July 1st and missing out on summer camp. Nicholas and I will be visiting the Zoo during his week off and signing up for four private swimming lessons at a nearby heated pool, since that is a skill we can achieve while Matthew is in school and help Nicholas feel more confident going on field trips with summer camp.

Here's the latest article from the Autism Spectrum Disorders site at BellaOnline.com.

Stanley Greenspan Online Course
Registered participants will have access for a two-week period from April 25 - May 9, 2008

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art56002.asp

Autism Awareness Events 2008
Here are the events taking place across the country that will be promoting Autism Awareness Month in April for 2008

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art55996.asp

If you have a specific event during April please send me the link and details so I can include that as well in this article.


How to wreck a boy's life
Experts say an Oakland County detective ran roughshod over a 13-year-old in a sexual abuse case against his parents
BY BRIAN DICKERSON • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • March 16, 2008

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

I have not seen this video yet and will when my kids are busy and not able to come in and view until I have done so. Note from Carolyn Gammicha sent to yahoo group:

This young man has Asperger Syndrome, was lied to by police, and not provided his rights as a person with a disability, as a juvenile, nor as a suspect. The videos of this interrogation are hard to watch, but this is something the family has shared to allow others to see what damage can be caused by incidents of this nature. The videos are available as well as this on the Detroit Free Press website. It is also interesting to see how the public comments to this story.

The family in this case will now try to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward. But the harm caused to everyone involved will take many years to repair. I am not personally saying that this case should not have gone uninvestigated. However it should be learned from and people should use this as an example of what can happen as well of how appropriate protocol and understanding of ASD needs to occur.


Please visit http://AutismSpectrumDisorders.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Autism Spectrum Disorders.

To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Autism Spectrum Disorders located here -

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=365

I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!

Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!

Bonnie Sayers, Autism Spectrum Disorders Editor
http://AutismSpectrumDisorders.bellaonline.com

One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com