Here's the latest article from the Special Needs Children site at BellaOnline.com.

New Medicaid Limits on Diabetes Testing Supplies
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62701.asp
Medicaid limits on diabetes testing supplies for children and teens with insulin dependent diabetes will cause far greater expense in medical care, including emergency events requiring paramedics, emergency room visits, and hospitalization. Best practices advise regular and frequent monitoring.
New limits in Washington State became effective on August 1, 2009. However, other states have already set lower limits for diabetes testing supplies, and those with adequate allowances for frequent testing have been considering reduced limits. Medicare and some private insurance companies already have set limits lower than is necessary for active, growing children, especially those who have unpredictable blood sugar, communication problems or developmental disabilities.
There are DME forms available for doctors to request an exemption to the new limit in Washington state; families and advocates should be aware that pharmacies will not be reimbursed without an exemption in place.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62701.asp

You can follow us on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/DownSynAdvocacy
for news about childhood disability, developmental delays or health issues

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Make the most of fabulous food, families and friendships this August, I am wishing you all the best this summer and hope you enjoy the eighth month of the year so much the memories will warm you throughout next winter. We are having uncharacteristically hot weather in the Pacific Northwest - temperatures from 80F to 103F are uncomfortable here where only 14% of households have air conditioning. If hot weather is a struggle for you and yours, or you've just had too much of it, I am sending virtual icy drinks and cool shade, and a basketful of short but refreshing naps. Hang in there.

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Terri Mauro says it's not too late to salvage those 'top five' summer projects... and offers help on seeing them through
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/needinspiration/tp/summerproject.htm
Toilet Training, Starting a Reading Routine, Getting Your Records Together, Keeping a Journal, Making a Behavior Plan
If you have a Top Five, share them at the Bellaonline forum for the Special Needs Children website! Mine fall woefully short of those above... but I am inspired, nonetheless.
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Help End Waiting Lists for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities -
Please sign the NoEwait petitions at http://www.noewait.net
and follow advocates at http://twitter.com/NOEWAIT
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Celebrate!
The 19th Anniversary of the ADA, and U.N. Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Twelve representatives of the disability community invited by President Obama to meet privately with him, Attorney General Holder, Secretary of Labor Solis, and senior White House officials on July 24, in advance of the ADA 19th Anniversary ceremony and the announcement of the decision to sign and seek Senate ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
” … All in all, we felt that this historic meeting represented a very important step forward for our community and for the country.”
Read more about the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the National Association of the Deaf website.
http://www.nad.org/news/2009/7/president-obama-honors-ada-anniversary
“The CRPD is a shift from the medical to a human rights model of disability."
http://www.nad.org/issues/international-advocacy/crpd
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Want to reassure your neighbors and families?
Healthcare Reform:
From Patricia E Bauer's Disability News website:
http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2009/08/01/healthcare-provision/
Washington Post: "A campaign on conservative talk radio ... has sparked fear .. that the health-care bill moving through Congress will lead to end-of-life “rationing” and even “euthanasia.” ..."
Pat wrote:
"Defenders of the legislation, including lawmakers, the American Medical Association and the AARP respond that the accusations are untrue, offensive, and even cruel."
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Reach out to families who represent the full diversity of our communities, advocating for children and teens with developmental disabilities -
TASH People of Color Initiative - 2009 Partnership Projects
http://www.ndsccenter.org/news/events.php
Autism Society of America
National Council on Independent Living
National Down Syndrome Congress
The ARC of the United States
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Project Goals include:
Enable 20 new individuals of color with disabilities and/or a family
member to participate at each national disability advocacy organization
(including TASH) conference
Enhance disability advocacy organizations’ recognition of the disparities
that persons of color with disabilities face
Facilitate the development of leadership skills in families of color and
their participation in national and local disability advocacy
organizations
Reduce disparities related to health and access to disability services in
communities of color
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Read the latest news on diabetes or celiac disease at
What's New at ChildrenwithDiabetes.com
Diabetes in the Popular Press
Breakthrough in diabetes treatment
Celiac News
Celiac Disease Insights: Clues to Solving Autoimmunity
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/whatsnew/d_01_100.htm
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Please visit specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com for information, resources and support while raising children with developmental delays, chronic health conditions, or childhood disabilities.

Avoiding Heat Illnesses and Other Hazards
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32522.asp

Back to School with Diabetes
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52832.asp

Advocating in Multicultural Communities
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art11304.asp

Encouraging Fussy Babies and Sensitive Toddlers
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62765.asp

Inclusive P.E. and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46155.asp

Transition to Preschool from Early Intervention
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49696.asp

Inclusion Benefits Classmates
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6157.asp

IEP Preparation and Teacher Support
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44746.asp

Effective Reading Instruction for Children with Autism,
Down Syndrome or Learning Disabilities
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57331.asp

Kindergarten Transition
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49718.asp

Teaching Handwriting Before or After School
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51022.asp

Teaching Math Skills Before or After School
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38411.asp

Universal Design for Learning - Access
to General Education Curriculum
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50363.asp

Interviewing Caregivers for Your Child
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62519.asp

Back to School with Celiac Disease
http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art52323.asp

Teaching Relatives to Care for a Disabled Child
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62563.asp

Encouraging Late Talking Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art55867.asp

Service Animals and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art61552.asp

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

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

To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Special Needs Children located here -

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=57

Pamela Wilson, Special Needs Children Editor
http://specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com

Pain Management for Children at Clinics and Hospitals
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51895.asp

Teaching Children about Money at Home
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art58960.asp

Amazon Kindle 2 and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60812.asp

Easing Pain with Childhood Blood Draws, IV Lines and Injections
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51944.asp

Child Safety - Pills, Purses, and Suitcases
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62309.asp

Dentists, Oral Health, and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art55319.asp

Symptoms of Childhood Onset (Insulin Dependent) Diabetes
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32583.asp

Encouraging Children with Cancer
http://http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33503.asp

Friendship and Inclusion for Children with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48700.asp

Teaching Children to Cook and Plan Meals
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38064.asp

Prenatal Diagnosis: Down Syndrome
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32686.asp

iPhone and iPod Touch Apps - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62136.asp

Disability and Future Planning for Parents
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art59032.asp

Anxiety and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art59924.asp

Sensory Integration and Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48942.asp

Sensory Processing Disorder in Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art960.asp