Sponsored By:

&

The Sleep Disorders Center
Of Cooper University Hospital

South Jersey A.W.A.K.E. Support Group

“Alert, Well, and Keeping Energetic”

Please R.S.V.P. Before Each Meeting
At 856-669-6440

September 16th 2010

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Cooper @ Voorhees
900 Centennial Road Voorhees, NJ 08043
Conference Room A
Directions Below

Cooper at Voorhees Directions - Mapquest Directions

Topic of Discussion:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Restless Leg Syndrome

Featured Speaker: Jonathan E. Kass, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Critical Medicine Cooper University
Director of Sleep Disorder Center

Bring your CPAP machines to have your pressure checked by a Respiratory Therapist and Registered  Sleep technician. New OSA equipment will be displayed by Manufacturer Representatives.

Please call 856-669-6440 for additional information and to register for the meeting.

All people with OSA and those with an interest in learning more about OSA are welcome.

NBN AUTISM PROGRAM AUGUST NEWSLETTER

“Life is what we make it. Always has been. Always will be.”   ~ Grandma Moses

Autism Speaks staff and committee members can be visited throughout the day at the Autism Speaks booth located near the main entrance. They will have general information about autism and the programs and services of Autism Speaks, as well as Autism Speaks merchandise.

For park-specific questions, visit www.clementonpark.com. Contact Autism Speaks with additional questions at 856-858-5400.

Thanks for your continued support, and we hope to have fun with you and your family on the 15th!

-Christina, Ann, Kelly & Our 2010 Walk Committee

The NBN Autism Program Summer Camp begins August 2nd

The NBN Autism Program is so excited for our Explorer’s Summer Camp to begin! We have created a fantastic curriculum for children with Asperger’s, Autism, PDD, severe ADHD and related behavioral challenges. Our amazing team of professionals will work on enhancing social skills, positive peer interactions, making friends, all while having a grand time!

Some of our modules are:

~ How to start a conversation with someone you know

~ Personal space

~ Hygiene and passing gas – when is it ok?

~ Safety

We have fun activities planned for the children including S.M.Art kids Yoga and swimming as well! The Explorer’s Summer Camp will work on skill building but each child will have a blast!!!!

Call 856-874-1616 for more information!!

“The time to get ready is now,” said Colonel Fuentes. “Make an evacuation plan for yourself, your family, and your pets. Prepare a readiness kit of things you’ll need to have with you if you must evacuate or shelter in place for an extended period of time. Talk now to friends and family who can help you get to safety when a crisis hits,” Colonel Fuentes added.

People with special needs (or caregivers on their behalf) are encouraged to register electronically, if possible, by accessing https://www13.state.nj.us/SpecialNeeds/. Alternatively, they can call New Jersey’s toll-free 2-1-1 telephone service. This service will register people, offer free translation, and provide TTY services for the hearing-impaired. Paper registration forms are also available at all 21 county offices of emergency management via: http://www.ready.nj.gov/about/association.html

The Explorers Club is the brainchild of Cherry Hill-based The New Behavioral Network, which has been serving at-risk and special-needs children and families in South Jersey and Delaware since 1994.

Kelly Rogers, director of business development of New Behavioral Network, believes learning good social skills is essential for making friends and necessary for succeeding in life.

Skills vital

“Studies show that children with good social skills do well in school,” says Rogers. “We want to teach these children better social skills so they can make friends and be more successful in school.

“Children on the spectrum have trouble with this. They don’t have the abilities to recognize the social cues we use in daily interactions. These programs are for children on any developmental level, from low- to high-functioning.

“We make sure there’s always enough people on staff who are there to work with the children,” says Rogers. “If a child is lower functioning, we can provide them with one-on-one time.”

During the session, children perform activities that involve role playing or doing tasks. For example, a simple game of pretending to be in a restaurant helps a child learn to greet people, clearly communicate their needs and make eye contact. Other activities stress the importance of working together and taking turns.

“In one activity we have the children make “dirt’ pudding,” says Rogers. “We have one kid pouring in the milk and another kid crushing the Oreos. But they each did their tasks separately and everybody had to wait for the other person to finish before they could start. The kids really liked this one and waited patiently for their turn,” says Rodgers.

Learn tasks

The food-related exercises can help children learn tasks they can do at home. Children in these groups learn table manners, pick up how to set the table and discover simple foods they can make on their own.

“Things like learning to set the table or make their own breakfast can help children feel much more involved at home,” says Rogers.

“Some children aren’t able to do these things on their own and learning how to do them gives the youngsters a feeling of accomplishment and can make things less stressful at home.”

A happy time

Debra Green of Mount Laurel enrolled her 5-year-old son William. Green said she and her son both were happy with the experience.

“I think the program was very well run and I’m sure my son enjoyed himself,” says Green.

“It was a positive experience for him. At first, he had a somewhat rough time adjusting, but now he can have fun with the other kids. Now during the social functions, he can interact well with the other children there.”

The camp will be held at Westfield Friends School in Cinnaminson, NJ.  The half day option is from 9a-12p and the full day option is 9a-3p.   Please call Sandi or Kelly to inquire about our camp!!

Download the PDF for more information

We had such a blast!!

Social Skills for Pre-teens and Teens

The NBN Autism Program offers a variety of experiences for children on the spectrum, regardless of their ages. The groups for pre-teens and teens focus on skills that contribute to greater success in adult life. The Spring 2010 Social Skills Group meets for 6 consecutive weeks and introduces a new topic each week with basic skills practiced and reinforced. Basic skills include, but are not limited to, sharing, engaging in reciprocal conversation, asking and answering questions, recognizing and responding to feelings, and taking turns. The specific topics are as follows:

- Week #1: Making Friends

- Week #2: My Best Skills and Qualities

- Week #3: When I Get Angry

- Week #4: Dealing with Bullies*

- Week #5: Feeling Anxious

- Week #6: The New Me

*This topic may be changed to better meet the needs of the group members; suggestions are Learning to Be Calm, Healthy Behaviors, and Safety First.

Methods/modalities for exploring topics include games, role playing, music, worksheets, conversations, opportunities for creative expression, and gross and fine motor activities. Our staff will provide a safe and supportive environment in which they will guide activities, model appropriate behaviors, facilitate peer interactions, assist individual group members with challenging tasks/behaviors/activities, and modify tasks/activities/behaviors to meet group needs.

General format for each group is:

- ‘Meet and greet’

- Introduction of topic

- Related activity(ies)

- Topic summary

- Closing activity and farewell

The main goals of NBN and our professional staff are to offer programs that build on strengths, support social competencies, and facilitate growth and positive change. We appreciate the opportunity to work with your child and family!

The social skills program is designed for children on the Autism Spectrum, Aspergers and PDD-NOS. (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified) Each class has a learning module theme, so there is different activities each class. The class has a schedule of activities for every 15 minutes, throughout the hour. This way we can always work on following a schedule and transitioning in addition to all the other benefits of the social program.

In the beginning of the hour chaos is a good way to describe the scene at the discovery museum. There were 5 kids in our last class at the discovery museum and we have a one to one staff to child ratio. The age ranges are from 3 to 5. In the beginning of the first class one child is screaming so loud it sounds as if an old woman is being stabbed. This affects some of the other children bringing them to tears. Within the first fifteen minutes a behavior interventionist is working and negotiating with the child who is overloaded and screaming. The deal is go play for 5 minutes by your self, and then join the group for five minutes to see if you have fun. The child agreed, which was a domino affect of good things happening. The other children were able to settle down. Story time was the first stop! Every body has to file out of the classroom into the castle for story time. Next stop, the diner! (the discovery museum has a little silver diner inside with fake food ) The kids took turn being a customer and the waiter taking orders, giving orders, getting food for one another. Working together to fill orders, all of sudden you look around and the kids are playing together, looking one another in the eye asking “what would you like” – it is a small victory.

Next stop the medical clinic! During this activity all the kids take turns getting their temperature taken, blood pressure taken, playing the operation game, again all of which facilitates group play, eye contact and manding (asking questions) which are important skills to work on for children with autism. The key is they have fun while doing it.

By the end of the hour everyone has to go back to the classroom and sit in their chairs. Every starts the rhythmic clap for the “good bye song” We all sing, Good bye Johnny, good bye Johnny, good-bye Johnny, we’re sad to see you go! It is a powerful experience to watch the transition from the top of the hour when complete chaos is ensuing to the bottom of the hour when all the kids are sitting at their seat at the table together, participating in the good-bye song. The joyful expression on our parents faces watching their child participate in the Good-bye song is extraordinary.

The class has been successful in helping children on the Autism Spectrum, Aspergers, and PDD-NOS become more proficient in transitioning, scheduling, manding, relating with other peers, eye contact, and generally improving social skills. The really interesting part? They all have a blast!! Call 856-874-1616 for more information about the next class.