Scottish researchers say babies born in April have higher risk of MS

From The Telegraph in the UK:

Scientists found mothers who were pregnant during the autumn and winter were most likely to give birth to those who would suffer from the debilitating neurological disease.

The researchers, based at Glasgow university and the city's Southern General Hospital, believe the spike in cases among children born in the spring may be due to a shortage of vitamin D because during a vital developmental stage their mothers are exposed to less sunshine.

Vitamin D, which is largely gained through sunlight and food, is known to regulate a gene that can predispose individuals to MS. If the gene is passed on to the unborn child, without being regulated by a sufficient amount of vitamin D, it could "hard wire" them to develop the disease in later life.

The new study, published in the European Journal of Neurology, is the biggest yet carried out in Scotland, which has the highest rate of MS in the world.

MS affects about 85,000 people in the UK and 10,500 in Scotland. While the cause is not known, experts believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the condition.

The Glasgow researchers examined data on about 1,300 MS patients born in the west of Scotland between 1922 and 1992. They found that about 400 people born in March, April and May went on to develop MS, 22per cent higher than expected. Almost half of all male and a quarter of female sufferers were born in April.

By comparison, there were about 16per cent fewer MS births in the autumn months. Those born in November had the lowest incidence of the disease.

Dr Colin O'Leary of the institute of neurological sciences at the Southern General and co-author of the study, said several theories about the condition were being explored.

"It's a very interesting observation and springtime seems to be a period of relatively high risk," he said.

"Seasonal risk may be a reflection of adverse events that occurred at the time of birth, in utero in the preceding nine months, or during the months following birth, when the central nervous system continues to undergo rapid development.

"There could be an association between reduced sun exposure and vitamin D levels." O'Leary now plans to carry out a UK-wide study with scientists in Oxford.

Professor George Ebers, from Oxford University's department of clinical neurology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, said: "The difference [in developing MS in Scotland] between being born in April versus November is an astounding 50per cent. This is real, there's no doubt of a seasonal link. There are different theories, but I think the April excess of births could be linked to a sunlight deficiency.

"The focus is on trying to prove what the environmental effect is and, pending conclusive demonstration of that effect, some people might view it as prudent to conceive at certain times of the year to lower their child's MS risk if there is a history of the disease in the family."

Ryan McLaughlin, 14, from Glasgow, whose mother has MS, launched a campaign for all pregnant women and young children in Scotland to be given Vitamin D supplements.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government, said: "Much of the evidence of a link between vitamin D and MS is still at a very early stage. We will continue to review all well-conducted research across the world. If the recommendations on vitamin D change we'll make the appropriate arrangements."

Wisconsin YMCA adds accessible gym equipment

From Chippewa Falls Herald:

As Sarah Schemenauer (pictured) makes her way through the Chippewa Valley Family YMCA in Chippewa Falls, many people stop and say hi or chat a minute with her. They’re familiar with the Chippewa Falls woman as she’s become a staple at the local gym.

A year ago, Schemenauer, who uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy, was sitting at home and out of shape. Now, thanks to efforts by the YMCA at 611 Jefferson Ave. and a donation from Rutledge Charities, she works out five days a week.

“Sarah, when I started working with her last year, she weighed 138 (pounds), now she weighs 120,” YMCA trainer Kari McCanna said.

The organization recently received a $30,000 donation from Rutledge Charities for five pieces of equipment to help Schemenauer; Kathryn Wolfe, another woman with cerebral palsy; the elderly; and anyone else with mobility problems.

Schemenauer and Wolfe began working out at the YMCA earlier this year. Schemenauer has her membership paid by Community Health Partnership, and Wolfe is covered by by the YMCA’s Strong Kids program.

But helping them get in shape was a struggle.

“What we realized was when they were back there (in the gym), there was only one piece of equipment for everyone,” YMCA Executive Director Jennifer Sherbinow said.

Schemenauer has limited use of her legs, so she needs a bike that has no barrier in the center. Wolfe has some movement in her legs, but she cannot walk, so she needs McCanna or another trainer to lift her onto the machines.

In hopes of having new opportunities at the gym, McCanna, Schemenauer and a physical therapist from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls wrote letters seeking funds from the Rutledge Charity.

“We thought, wouldn’t it be great if we could get more equipment for my girls,” McCanna said.

The charity sent the donation, and the YMCA was able to purchase another bike like the one Schemenauer had been using, two bikes with video machines and one hand bike machine. Another machine with a swivel seat was purchased, so users like Kathryn can be easily lifted on to it, and wheelchairs can be attached as well.

ITW Engineered Fasteners also donated a wheelchair accessible weightlifting machine.

The new machines are open to anyone who wants to use them. But for Schemenauer and Wolfe, the new pieces have been very beneficial.

“It’s amazing,” Schemenauer said. “It’s helped me in more ways then one. I’ve been able to bear weight and get in shape.”

Wolfe now has boots on the swivel seat machine that hold her legs in, and she’s increased her endurance.

“I think it’s fun, and it lets me use my leg muscles,” Wolfe said.

“When she first started, she could do maybe five minutes, and now we’re up to 30, 40 minutes,” McCanna said.

Schemenauer can now use most of the machines by herself because she can lift herself up and swing her legs onto the bike petals. That gives her an opportunity to workout five days a week even though she only has trainers available three of those days.

“When we can do it on our own, it’s amazing,” she said.

Other YMCA users have taken notice of Schemenauer’s effort

“We have so many members that say, ‘I have no excuse,’” after seeing Schemenauer workout, McCanna said. “She’s been an inspiration to everyone.”

More elderly people and those who may be recovering from injury are also using the machines. And the new video bikes are popular because two people can race against each other on virtual courses. They’re the first bikes at the YMCA with TVs.

“It’s accessible to anyone. We have plenty of people who don’t have health issues that use them,” Sherbinow said.

New play in Utah explores themes of mental illness, family

From The Deseret News in Utah. Pictured are Kelly Hutchinson and Jennifer Joan Thompson as the sisters.

Pioneer Theatre Company is boldly going where very few theater companies do these days: It's mounting a full production of a brand new work — "Touch(ed)," by Bess Wohl.

"It just doesn't happen very much," said the playwright during a phone interview. "It really says a lot about their (PTC's) commitment to new work and their confidence in their taste."

In today's theater world, the more common approach to new works is through a series of "readings." Actors sit onstage with the script, without costumes or sets, and read through the play.

"Nowadays, you have to do reading after reading after reading," said Wohl, who splits her time between New York and Los Angeles. "But plays are meant to be seen, to have life. For PTC to take a play like this and to give it a full production, when it's new, is amazing. And it's incredibly exciting."

The play is part of the theater's New Play Initiative Program, led by Elizabeth Williamson, the company's literary manager and dramaturg.

"I wear so many hats," Williamson said. "As literary manager, I'm reading lots of new plays, and I just fell in love with "Touch(ed)."

The play, described as being both comic and dramatic, is about two sisters. The older sister, Emma, has battled a mental illness for years, putting her in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Her younger sister, Kay, hopes a week at a cabin in the woods will help restore and heal.

"I think it's more about family than mental illness," Williamson said. "It's about how much we owe our family members and about what happens within the relationships of immediate family."

"I'm always inspired by everything around me," Wohl said. "I've seen people around me struggle with things like mental illness, definitely. And I've certainly experienced family stuff. I was really trying to write about the balance between what we owe each other and what we owe ourselves. And how you carve out your own freedom within the context of your family. And that becomes exponentially harder when one of your family is ill."

And Wohl, who is in Salt Lake City for rehearsals, has been pleased with what she's seeing.

"As a playwright you learn so much when the script gets on its feet. I've learned from the actors and their interpretations," she said. "It's actually my favorite moment, that moment of surprise when you sit in rehearsals and go, 'I didn't know that!' It's great."

The show, which contains mature themes, will be directed by artistic director Charles Morey. "He has brought so much," Wohl said, "from the beginning he's had such a clear vision."

"After I got the phone call, I came out in May and saw 'Miss Saigon' and met with Chuck (Morey), and I just thought, 'Are you sure?' But he had so much confidence and such a clear vision," Wohl said.

This is the first play of the New Play Initiative, and Williamson, who has been at PTC for a year, couldn't be happier. "It was very exciting to give this play to Chuck, and he just said, 'This play doesn't need a reading, it needs a production.' "

"One of the things that first struck me about the play was the quick banter and give and take," Williamson said. "It's funny, it's deadpan, it's very of this generation. Also the freshness," she added.

"The humor and humanity. It's really a chance to hear and see the first full production of a playwright who will become one of the most important of our generation," she said.

Even with mandatory autism insurance coverage in Wisconsin, some families still struggle to pay for treatments

From Channel 3000.com:

MADISON, Wis. -- After years of debate, state lawmakers passed mandatory autism insurance coverage in June, but some families are now finding out they're still left in the cold and with some big bills as their children need more help.

The new state insurance requirement was thought to be one cure for those with autism. The condition is a broad spectrum neurological disorder the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said afflicts one in every 110 children.

Many Wisconsin families said that they're learning the new help is no help at all, WISC-TV reported.

Alex Tarnutzer, 5, has good days and bad days. His higher functioning form of autism, called Asperger's syndrome, means one minute he can play quietly with his dad and the next meltdown into a potentially dangerous outburst.

"He'll kick, he'll scream, he'll throw. It's just completely uncontrollable anger," said his mother, Renee Tarnutzer.

Parents Renee and Troy Tarnutzer, who are both full-time workers, last year spent $17,000 on therapy for their son, but they said they know he needs more to control aggression that poses risks to him and others and cope with a sensory processing disorder that makes him shutdown in chaotic situations.

"We still haven't done the intensive intervention sort of services. Those cost between $40,000 and $50,000 a year," Renee Tarnutzer said.

So, like so many others, the couple cheered when the state earlier passed mandatory insurance coverage of autism treatment earlier this year.

Now the only problem is, they're not covered. The law applies only to state-regulated insurance companies. Their employer-based one, AETNA, is federally regulated and when the Tarnutzers tried to buy state-based insurance, numerous companies denied them, citing Alex's pre-existing condition.

They are among many families who are still falling through the cracks, WISC-TV reported.

"Everyone in governmental power needs to start taking a look at how they can fill that crack. Because these kids need help and they need help now," she said.

State Rep. Scott Newcomer, R-Pewaukee, voted against the mandate. He said he wanted the state to fully fund its current Medicaid autism program that serves such families. There's still a waiting list for that program.

"You're talking at least half the people, if not up to 70 percent of the people, will not have coverage under this program and I mean that's just crazy!" he said. "We need to fund all of these families. The insurance mandate -- all it did was fund a few of the families and increase the cost."

Newcomer said a special session for a budget repair bill might be necessary. If so, he said he promises to push for that program funding. He said it's cost effective and that the state can afford it.

Nebraska Supreme Court to decide if alcoholism is a mental illness when deciding on treatment of sex offenders

From The AP:

OMAHA, Neb. -- The Nebraska Supreme Court has been asked to decide if alcoholism can be considered a mental illness in determining whether to commit sex offenders.

The case involves a man found by the state's mental health board to be a dangerous sex offender in need of inpatient treatment. The board's decision to commit the man was based largely on a psychiatrist's finding that the offender suffered from alcohol dependence.

The man's lawyers argue, among other things, that the Douglas County District Court erred in considering a diagnosis of alcohol dependence as a mental illness. The court noted that alcohol dependence is not among the definitions of mental illness in the Nebraska's Sex Offender Commitment Act.

The high court is set to hear the appeal on Jan. 6.

New book in 2010 to explore neurodiversity

From the description of Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and Other Brain Differences at Amazon.com. The author, Dr. Thomas Armstrong, has a blog on Neurodiversity - the book, where you can find out more about his writings. The book is scheduled for release May 2010.

A new term has emerged from the disability movement in the past decade to help change the way we think about neurological disorders: Neurodiversity.

ADHD. Dyslexia. Autism. The number of categories of illnesses listed by the American Psychiatric Association has tripled in the past fifty years. With so many people affected by our growing “culture of disabilities,” it no longer makes sense to hold on to the deficit-ridden idea of neuropsychological illness.

With the sensibility of Oliver Sacks and Kay Redfield Jamison, psychologist Thomas Armstrong offers a revolutionary perspective that reframes many neuropsychological disorders as part of the natural diversity of the human brain rather than as definitive illnesses. Neurodiversity emphasizes their positive dimensions, showing how people with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and other conditions have inherent evolutionary advantages that, matched with the appropriate environment or ecological niche, can help them achieve dignity and wholeness in their lives.

Ohio volunteer with Asperger's named community hero of 2009

From The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio:

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A tree trimmed out of green construction paper lay on a table at Happy Days School. Colorful miniature marshmallows filled a nearby bowl, destined to become sugary ornaments. Cutout paper stars awaited tip-top placement.

Patricia Cole (pictured) talked slowly and surely as she guided a 4-year-old boy with developmental disabilities into the craft project.

First, she grabbed Drew's attention. Then she refused to let go.

Why? Because she knows.

The Kent woman has Asperger's Disorder, a condition similar to autism and typically characterized by limited social skills. The 24-year-old found a comfort zone, though, at Happy Days and the Hattie Larlham Center in Portage County. Cole shines working with children -- particularly those with developmental disorders.

"She has gone past some of the same hurdles," said LeAnne Embick, who worked with Cole while supervising the youth volunteers at the Hattie Larlham Center. "She understands the struggles, and she's using that information to help others."

Cole easily logs more than 100 hours a year volunteering at Hattie Larlham. Once a week, she typically stops in for a few hours of one-on-one time with young residents at the center outside Mantua. She gives even more of her time during the center's summer camp season, devoting entire days to children with autism.

The young woman who once withdrew from personal interaction now even helps welcome new volunteers at Hattie Larlham.

"She came out of her shell," said Bill Wahl, the center's communications coordinator.

It's the same at Happy Days, run by the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Cole began volunteering at Happy Days while a student at Kent Roosevelt High School. Happy Days hired her a few years ago through a local non-profit organization that finds jobs for adults with disabilities. She clocks in five days a week, offering an extra hand in toddler, preschool and school-aged classrooms and the pool.

Early next year, she'll sit down with the staff at Happy Days to offer insight into the frustrations of living with Asperger's so they can better understand the children in their care. Basically, she's speaking up for those who can't make their own voice heard.

"She's not the one who needs the help anymore," said her mother, Karen Cole. "She's helping."

BBC report shows abuse of disabled people in Wales

From BBC News:

Some disabled people in Wales are suffering abuse and threats for no other reason than their disability, an investigation by BBC Wales has found.

Secretly recorded footage for the documentary Why Do You Hate Me? shows a wheelchair user being mocked and threatened in a bar.

In another incident a mother and daughter film an attacker smashing every window on their mobility car.

In Wales in 2009, police recorded 116 such incidents, with 18 convictions.

The programme, to be shown on BBC One Wales on Monday evening, reveals how many such incidents go unrecorded.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kier Starmer QC, admitted that the justice system did not always get it right when dealing with so-called disability hate crime.

He said: "I think there are lots and lots of incidents of disability hate crime.

"I think we haven't collectively picked them up and investigated and prosecuted them in the way we should."

The programme is presented by Simon Green (pictured), a wheelchair user from Bridgend, who secretly filmed a couple of his nights out to expose the hostility and abuse he sometimes experiences.

During one evening he was confronted by a group of men who verbally abuse him, swearing at him and calling him a "cripple", and suggesting he could really walk.

Mr Green, who has been a wheelchair user for six years, says during that time he has been physically, as well as verbally, assaulted because he is disabled.

And though the law has got tough on people who abuse others on the grounds of their race or religion, the attitude towards often low-level but continued abuse of disabled people seems far behind, the programme found.

Mr Green also met Irene Miles, 77, who was born disabled. She and her daughter Lorraine, who is her full-time carer, say they have suffered years of abuse at their Newport home.

The most recent attack was captured by a CCTV camera and shows a hooded man running around their vehicle, smashing every window before disappearing down the road. The vehicle is a lifeline for the family.

They said they have contacted police 60 times in the last five years, but only this latest incident, which happened last November, has been categorised as a hate crime.
Lorraine said: "I feel as though the police think we're a nuisance to them. I think now they're sitting up and taking note but the help for me and my mum has come far too late."

The family believe their case has similarities with the horrific story of Fiona Pilkington.

She killed herself and her disabled daughter, 18, in Leicestershire in 2007 after years of persistent abuse.

Gwent Police are now reviewing the handling of Lorraine and Irene's case.

Chief Supt Paul Symes says, "I will do my upmost to ensure that this is not a Pilkington case for Gwent Police. I'm aware of what the learning was within Pilkington, part of that involved some criticism around some perception that agencies weren't working together."

Campaigners say disability hate crimes are too often unreported by victims and under recorded by police but that this needs to change.

Handicap International's disability awareness game: Handigo

The Games Press release:

Ubisoft has joined forces with Handicap International to create a ‘serious game’, as part of the charity’s new campaign “AbilityTogether”. The game’s objective is to make young and old aware of the difficulties encountered by disabled people on a daily basis, and of the realities of disability in today’s world.

The game is made up of a main menu and 3 mini-games, each representing a different impairment which puts the player in the shoes of someone with a physical disability, a sensory disability or learning difficulties.

Each level of the game ends on an awareness-raising message. The audience therefore learns, in a fun way, to distinguish between different types of disabilities, and to identify the obstacles encountered by disabled people on a daily basis.

A ‘serious game’ is a game in which the goal is not necessarily to win or lose, but to learn about an issue

The game is a key tool of “AbilityTogether”, and the graphics are inspired by the campaign. Like the campaign, the game is trilingual (French, English and German), and it is hosted on the website www.abilitytogether.com.

In order to ensure that our games are accessible to deaf or hard of hearing gamers, Ubisoft has made a commitment to including subtitles in all of our in-house produced video games. This commitment entails modifications to some of our game engines, as well as the inclusion of subtitles in the conception phase of game development. For our games that are already well into production, Ubisoft will include subtitles in all games in which it is technically possible. The first games with subtitles included will be Far Cry 2, Prince of Persia and Shaun White Snowboarding.

To play, visit http://www.abilitytogether.com/.

MH/MR jobs cut in Pennsylvania, client care disrupted

From The Tribune-Democrat:

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Client advocate Wendy Stewart has a quick reply when asked what she thinks of the elimination of two therapists from Cambria County’s mental health program.

“Most providers are overextended as it is, and this truly is a crisis,” said Stewart, executive director of the local National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, an advocacy organization.

Cambria County Commissioners recently cut two therapists in the 2010 budget in a cost-cutting move.

This is how the decision will shake out:

• Several dozen clients with Mental Health/Mental Retardation are being disrupted – given new counselors within the agency.

Patients who have contacted The Tribune-Democrat complain they have made progress through the years with the therapists who are being let go and now feel they must start over with their treatment.

• The agency is not accepting new clients with private insurance. These folks are being asked to take their business elsewhere, to – for example – Nulton Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

• The agency will continue to take in those with mental health needs who are covered by Value Behavior Health, a public provider for the needy.

• MH/MR says clients already with the agency will not be kicked out.

Less state cash

MH/MR Administrator Peter Kosanovich defends to the public the county’s decision to scrap the two positions.

“As far as budgetary stuff, they need to call the state. That’s where it all comes down,” he said.

“In order to stay open, we had to make some adjustments. Unfortunately, there’s not a good time to do that.”

Kosanovich – whose agency serves about 2,700 residents overall – said all the affected clients have been called and are receiving letters. They’re encouraged to call in to their caseworkers with questions, and call him if they’re not satisfied.

He denied the system is in crisis: “We’re not the only game in town. It would be a crisis if no one else is available.”

Nonetheless, he said state lawmakers need to understand that – as the economy tanked as societal stress increased – the need for mental health services rose, not fell.

In e-mails to The Tribune-Democrat, affected clients expressed their frustration:

• “It has taken me a year to establish a healthy, trusting relationship with my therapist,” one woman wrote. “I have just started the healing process from a horrific tragedy. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. I do not wish to start over with my healing.”

• Another patient wrote: “The mentally ill are cut off from treatment that helps prevent more Virginia Techs, Columbines and the like.

“I still think it is inhumane that this place chose to wait until days before Christmas to notify us,” she wrote, “instead of at least letting us have notice in our therapist’s office, where we could have some guidance on protecting our mental health from the stress of this action.”

She signed her name, adding, “AKA ChildPerson.”

Stewart noted other shortcomings in the system, including the Cambria County crisis line being down two positions. And she mentioned the recent layoff of four city police officers, three of whom are on a crisis intervention team and equipped to deal with the mentally ill.

High cost of neglect

Stewart said the potential loss of services – even during a transition period – could be costly to society as well as to the patients themselves.

“These are just really scary situations with people with mental illness,” she said. “It puts vulnerable people’s lives at risk. People’s lives should be a priority. When people go untreated, there are repercussions.”

That fallout can include increased criminality, homelessness, joblessness and suicide.

“It makes the problems for the community even worse,” Stewart said.

She noted the sporadic attendance of a psychiatrist at MH/MR. “People can’t afford to wait when it comes to their psychotropic medications, and they certainly can’t afford to wait if they need a med change,” Stewart said.

Kosanovich said the agency can’t help when someone gets sick, and that MH/MR is looking for a fourth psychiatrist.

As far as the clients go, he said, “I realize their anxiety. When I heard about it, I was anxious.” But, he said, everyone will be taken care of.

On the plus side, he said, Cambria remains one of only a few counties in Pennsylvania that continues to provide case management. Most other counties contract treatment out to private providers.

San Francisco filled with more service animals than ever before

From C.W. Nevius' column in the San Francisco Chronicle:

It is not your imagination. There really are more dogs strolling through public spaces with their owners. Animals are going where they have never gone before.

"In San Francisco, it is just so much more in your face," says Emily Simone, a senior field manager for Guide Dogs for the Blind. "In the '80s and especially in the '90s, I've just seen an explosion. We've become animal obsessed. The East Coast and San Francisco are particular hotbeds for advocacy."

San Francisco has become a city filled with "service animals," meaning the owner has a permit that allows him or her to take their dog, cat, or snake (seriously) into restaurants, libraries, and often even rental properties that don't allow pets. In 2004 the city's Animal Care and Control Department issued 244 permits. In 2008 the number was 500, and interim director Rebecca Katz speculates that 2009 numbers are at least as high.

Unfortunately, the practice of granting service animal permits so generously is undercutting the intent of the law. Permits that allow an animal full access to buses, restaurants and public places should go only to service animals that perform a specific task and it seems too often that's not happening. That needs to change.

A good example of the problem can be seen on Haight Street. Residents complain that many of the street bullies have intimidating dogs, often pit bulls, which they take into restaurants and stores.

"They go into a restaurant, sit down with the dog, and when the owner says he doesn't allow dogs, they show him a service animal tag," says Bill Herndon, who works for the SFPD's Vicious and Dangerous Animals Unit. "The police are called, they see the tag, and that's the end of the discussion."

Actually, Katz says, they don't even need a permit.

"The Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't require the animal to have a tag," she says. Owners just need to say, "This is a service animal."

The ADA legislation, enacted in 1990, is so vague that it has created two classes of service animals. The first is for animals that perform a specific task - Guide Dogs for the Blind, wheelchair assistance, hearing dogs, and animals that can detect medical emergencies, like seizures, and summon help.

The problem is the second classification - emotional support animals. All animals - lizards, chickens and snakes - have been designated service animals because they lend emotional support to the owner. In most cases they have no task-specific training.

"People can't believe there isn't some kind of official licensing or training," Herndon says. "I think the policy is misused and abused."

Technically, there is a licensing process, but it is hardly restrictive. Katz says her office requires a valid license, a local address, a signed affidavit saying the owner needs a service animal, and a letter from a doctor. After that, the permit is issued with no questions asked.

Katz says that in the case of vicious or aggressive behavior, an officer like Herndon can cite the owner, confiscate the dog, and even have the animal put down after a hearing. That's fine, but it leaves enforcement for after the fact. What if the dog just growls? Is that enough to lose the service animal designation?

What's really needed is a change in the ADA legislation. No one is saying there shouldn't be an allowance for emotional support, but it should be a different kind of permit. It is terrific that your hamster makes you feel better, but you shouldn't get to take him on the bus.

Simone says organizations like the Coalition of Assistance Dog Organizations have been lobbying to change the ADA to narrow the definition of a service animal. She thinks federal changes could come as soon as this summer.

Until then, watch your fingers. That service animal on the bus may have no more training than a squirrel. And in this city it might be a squirrel.

The wonderful journey of the Ohio blind school marching band to the 121st Rose Bowl parade

From the Pasadena Star-News:

PASADENA, Calif. - Their journey to the 121st Rose Parade is a marvel even to the Ohio State School for the Blind's marching band (pictured) leader Dan Kelly.

"It's very exciting," said Kelly, who also teaches technology at the school. "It started small, but it's grown and snowballed - and here we are."

Back in 1998, the Ohio State School for the Blind's music program involved only vocal music. Now, just over a decade later, the school's marching band will perform in one of the world's top showcases for marching bands - the first blind band ever to march in the Rose Parade.

The band was one of 19 that performed at the two-day Bandfest, which ended Wednesday at Pasadena City College's football field. It featured all of the marching bands that will appear in the Rose Parade.

But the event also gives the bands a chance to showcase their performance abilities in a larger arena, performing formations they will not be able to do at the parade.

On Dec. 30, the Ohio State School for the Blind marching band practiced a formation in the shape of the four letters of their home state. The 32 band members, who range from age 13 to 24, are assisted by 36 seeing assistants who help them stay in formation.

The school serves students from all over Ohio, but some of the older members are alumni who came back to play in the parade, said Kelley.

The marching band program at the school is only a few years old; it started in 2005. But its roots go back to 1998, when music director Carol Agler discovered that the school owned various musical instruments that had never been used before.

"They were just sitting around in a closet," said Agler. "And suddenly we had a band program."

In 2005, the school was invited as the marching band for a football team for a state school for the deaf located next door. The football team had just been formed and wanted a band to support it.

Agler and Kelley then worked to develop the school's marching band program, receiving assistance from the Ohio State University band.

That makes the school's visit to Pasadena even more special - Ohio State, along with its band, will be playing in the Rose Bowl game against the University of Oregon.

The school for the blind's marching band members will attend the game to cheer the Buckeyes on, sitting behind the university's band.

But first they have to make it through the parade. The band hasn't yet walked a full 5.5 miles, the length of the Rose Parade route down Colorado Boulevard.

Making it through the entire march without injury and heat exhaustion is frequently a challenge for high school marching bands.

Kelley said the group has done 4-mile marches before, and that should be enough practice to make it through the Rose Parade.

"If you can do four, you can do five and a half," said Kelley.

No matter what happens, for the students of the Ohio State School for the Blind, the benefits of being in its marching band go beyond just getting to perform.

"It's cool to get to travel with the band," said Bria Goshay, a 16-year-old who plays the snare drum. "You get to do a lot of things you usually wouldn't get a chance to do."

Nebraska teens with autism show brotherly love as they run toward cross-country success

From the Omaha World-Herald:

Asked to spell their last name, Jerome Hopkins IV and younger brother Jerome “BJ” Hopkins V take turns, each saying every other letter.

They do that sort of thing a lot, said John Kaup, a teacher and coach at their school, Nathan Hale Middle School.

The boys, both autistic, like to dress alike and always call each other “bro.” When they were young, they often communicated in a language no one else could understand. Now, when they play video games, it’s two against the computer or game console.

Their father, Jerome Hopkins III, recalled that when his sons were diagnosed with autism, “We were told all of this stuff they can’t do.”

That’s what makes what happened at the city cross-country finals so amazing to him — an inspiration, he says, not only for the new year but for the rest of his life. He saw his sons’ commitment pay off for themselves and also inspire others to apply that same tenacity to their own lives.

Even now, midway between the cross country season the boys finished and the track season they’re looking forward to, people still talk about that day. Hale Principal Sue Colvin said the adults who were there were touched because Jerome’s action on behalf of his brother “was just out of love.”

The brothers, now 13 and 14, were born 15 months apart.

By the time the boys were 3 and 4, Hopkins and his wife, Tina, were told to expect their sons to struggle academically, have a hard time making friends and often to seem disengaged.

“It was like they were telling us this is the worst possible situation you could have,” Hopkins recalled. “Your child isn’t going to have a shot to fulfill that potential.”

Autism describes an array of developmental disorders that affect brain development, and social and communication skills. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and the diagnosis is much more common today than it was when the Hopkins boys were diagnosed.

Jerome and Tina Hopkins have worked diligently with doctors and educators to support their sons, but they took the arguably unconventional approach of not telling their boys they had autism until earlier this school year.

“We didn’t want them to have in their minds: ‘I’m different and I can’t do this,’” Hopkins said. Instead, the parents always have encouraged the boys to “just take it step by step and see what they can do.”

The boys are doing well in school. They’re described as “nice to everybody.” They both speak thoughtfully and very literally, usually Jerome first with BJ piping in.

They have their own small groups of friends in their respective seventh- and eighth-grade classes, but they often prefer to stick together.

So, when BJ wanted to try cross-country this fall, Jerome was there, too.

Sometimes during practice, Coach Kaup recalled, the boys seemed like they were daydreaming. But they showed up to practice every day — committed, as their parents had taught — and never complained.

Coach Kaup spent more than four weeks of practice during the short Omaha Public Schools middle school season convincing the boys that it was OK to run separately.

To help, he shared something from his college running days. During practice, his coach would have all runners who finished the race run back to the teammate who still had the farthest to go. They all then would finish together.

“Jerome would say it didn’t feel right to run without his brother,” Kaup recalled.

All year, the team focused on personal victories — learning that finishing is winning, and how positive support for teammates can make a big difference.

As the season went on, training became a family affair. On Saturdays, the boys would come to Hale, near 61st Street and Sorensen Parkway, to stretch and run with their dad.

Every day at practice, without hesitation, Jerome and Coach Kaup would run back for BJ. But it never happened in a race.

City finals finally arrived. The last 1.75-mile race of the season, at northwest Omaha’s Tranquility Park.

It was a hot day. Mom and Dad were there to watch and cheer on their boys, as they were for every race. Grasshoppers were jumping all around the course as the 125 or so middle schoolers took off.

The path was dusty, the other runners were packed in close.

Jerome started near the front of the pack and ran his best race, more than a minute faster than his previous best. The colors of people’s shirts seemed to encourage him to run fast, Jerome recalled. He finished in the top half of the throng of runners for the first time all year.

Crossing the finish line, Jerome felt like he’d won. Really won. But after a few steps, he thought about his brother.

BJ gets exhausted sometimes. When running makes his side hurt he slows down.

Jerome didn’t want his brother to be last, didn’t want him to be alone. So, he backtracked the course, looking for BJ.

In the clamor of runners that day, Kaup said, he didn’t notice that Jerome wasn’t in the pack of Hale students watching the finish.

As the stream of finishers became a trickle, there still was no sign of BJ.

“It was a million miles,” BJ said of that race. He remembers being about halfway through the course in a flat area with trees.

“Then I saw my bro come. He said we could both win the race together.”

So they did. They kept running, together, encouraging each other. For another eight minutes.

As the boys came into view, the crowd began to cheer. Those who knew them both got even louder as they saw the brothers running side by side. Kaup, other Hale staff and the Hopkinses were shocked at what was happening.

“I yelled louder for those two coming to the finish line than I ever have for two runners in any race,” Kaup said.

BJ still remembers the look on his father’s face as he crossed the finish. “I could tell he was proud.”

“They finished it together,” Hopkins said of that late September day, a bit choked up all these months later. “It was — it was almost unreal. I can’t tell you how proud I was. ... Those are my boys. They’re winners. A race will come and go, but the impact that that race is going to have is going to live on.

“It’s an inspiration. It tells you what is possible if you only believe” in yourself.

No matter what anyone else says you cannot do.

Kaup said the students realized they were seeing in action what they had talked about all year: that personal victories matter and encouragement of each other makes a difference.

Jerome put it this way: “I had a choice. I could take the credit (for finishing the race) or I could help someone in need.”

He chose to help his “bro.”

Colorado legislators draft new medical marijuana bill

From The Mountain Mail in Salida, Colo.:

State legislators Sen. Chris Romer and Rep. Tom Massey are drafting a new medical marijuana bill to present to the Colorado General Assembly during their session beginning Jan.13.

Massey said the bill will be bi-partisan with Romer introducing the proposed bill to the Senate mid-January, and Massey presenting the bill to the House mid-February, if approved by the Senate.

Voters approved the small-scale use of medical marijuana in 2000.

After the federal government said in 2009 that they would not prosecute medical marijuana users in states where it is legal, the state saw an onslaught of medical marijuana applicants and caregivers.

Massey said between 2001 and 2008 there were about 1,600 applicants for medical marijuana. Since 2009, the state has had 21,000 applicants.

"The flood gates were opened, and then there's a proliferation of applicants. We need to regulate that proliferation," Massey said.

He said before 2009 most medical marijuana applicants suffered from acquired immune deficiency syndrome, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Currently, the average age of an applicant is between 24 and 29, he said.

The law enforcement model put forward by Attorney General John Suthers, Massey said, would limit caregivers to five patients and impose tighter controls on physicians who recommend medical marijuana for patients.

Five doctors are responsible for 49 percent of medical marijuana permits, while 15 doctors are responsible for 75 percent of permits, Massey said.

Of those 15 doctors, seven have sanctions on their licenses. "That just doesn't smell real good," he said.

While the new bill is "a work in flux," Massey said the framework includes regulating physicians and requiring them to be in good standing.

Physicians should have a "legitimate doctor-patient relationship," Massey explained, which means patients should undergo a physical with the doctor.

An article in the Denver Post dated Dec. 11 and written by Romer and Massey outlined some details of the proposed bill:

• Dispensaries would be subject to regular auditing and reporting requirements.

• There must be a limit on the amount of marijuana produced and sold at any licensed premise.

• Eliminating non-medical dispensaries as well as the loopholes through which patients can purchase from multiple dispensaries.

A non-medical dispensary, Massey said, has no link to a medical professional. Dispensaries in Salida are non-medical, he said.

Massey said medical marijuana is intended for a "legitimate patient with a real need, and dispensaries should not be a "profit center."

By limiting caregivers to five patients, Massey said potentially half of the dispensaries in Colorado could be driven out of business.

"There's not as much money in it. It's less cost effective if dispensaries only serve five patients," Massey explained.

Massey said he attended a Colorado Municipal League meeting earlier this month, and a town manager for Fort Collins said there are 1,700 dispensaries in the area.

Salida officials approved dispensaries and are allowing them to do business only in areas zoned Commercial 1.

Poncha Springs imposed a moratorium until July 27 on the acceptance, processing and approval of medical marijuana dispensary permits.

Both municipalities said they are waiting until the state general assembly meets to make further decisions.

Massey said, "There will be a new legislative model in place this year, but it will be tested through litigation no matter what model we use."

Australian woman with Down syndrome sues Catholic schools with charges of 14 years of bullying

From Adelaide Now in Australia:

A Down Syndrome student who was allegedly subjected to "violence and bullying" over 14 years during her education is suing her former school.

The former student, now 27, has lodged Supreme Court action against Catholic Special Schools Incorporated which runs St Ann's Special School at Marion.

In her statement of claim, the woman says she was repeatedly assaulted by another student and on one occasion he fractured her leg in two places by pushing her off play equipment.

The documents claim the school failed to take any "adequate steps" to prevent the bullying at the school between 1988 and 2002.



She also claims she was advised by staff to "simply push" the bully away. She says this was an "inadequate and inappropriate response to the risk" he presented to her.

The woman claims she now walks with a limp, has difficulty with physical exercise and suffers from depression, nightmares and anxiety attacks.

In the documents, the woman says she was "misled and deceived into believing the school had the appropriate services to provide a safe environment".

The former student claims the school did not have a sufficient policy to prevent school violence and it "knew or ought to have known the likelihood of him perpetrating violence against her".

The woman is seeking unspecified costs. However, lawsuits filed with the Supreme Court only deal with sums of more than $40,000.

Catholic Schools Association spokeswoman Jenny Brinkworth yesterday said that it would be inappropriate for them to comment on a matter before the courts.

The school is yet to file its defence.