AUTISM SPEAKS NEEDS YOUR END OF YEAR DONATION TO REACH THEIR GOAL! WILL YOU HELP?

Image by bonnieann1815 via FlickrThis is the time to make donations to benefit you on your taxes...but MORE IMPORTANTLY TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AUTISM SPEAKS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

It's not too late to make a year-end tax-deductible donation
to AUTISM SPEAKS.

With your support, we can continue to:

* Fund research into the causes of autism, more effective treatments, and better diagnostic procedures.
* Advocate for insurance reform to help families cope with autism's financial demands.
* Provide services and resources for families living with autism now.
* Raise awareness of autism.

Thank you if you have already made your gift this year.

Recommended reading on the NAMI site

AnnMarie Cunniff thought you might be interested in the following Web page from NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness:

"2008"

Follow the link below:

http://www.nami.org/ADVTemplate.cfm?Section=Advocate_enewsletter_2008&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=71053&lstid=274

This is what AnnMarie Cunniff has to say:

Order from the NAMI Bookshelp
to support the cause.

----------------
NAMI
National Alliance on Mental Illness
www.nami.org
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ARE YOU SAD IN THE WINTER?

Image via WikipediaI have friends who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and for a few years we took to reminding him/her in the winter, that they felt this same way the year before.

Not to minimize the impact this disorder puts on people, but just reminding them may ignite a spark bright enough to get them to their doctor and get the help they need. As it says in the article below, some people get relief from a little tanning or some particular lighting, but some may need medication and some extra help through these months.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

The holidays are a celebratory time for most people, but those affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) may experience continuing episodes of depression during the late fall and winter, alternating with periods of normal or high mood the rest of the year. While the environment can trigger the disorder in some people, a new study suggests that others may have a genetic predisposition to SAD.

People living with SAD may experience oversleeping, daytime fatigue, and weight gain. Others may show symptoms associated with depression, such as decreased sexual interest, lethargy, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, lack of interest in normal activities, and social withdrawal. Many people with SAD do not feel “normal” until May.

In the study, researchers observed 220 people, including 90 people without depression and 130 people diagnosed with SAD. In the latter group, seven people had two mutated copies of the photopigment gene in the eye, which helps detect colors. The mutation makes a person with SAD less sensitive to light.

This information one day may be used to predict whether a person may have a higher risk for developing SAD, or whether light therapy will be effective.

While researchers have not identified specific causes of the disorder, seasonal circadian rhythm interruption, as well as changes in serotonin and melatonin production, may also play a role in the disorder.

When seasonal changes trigger recurring mild feelings of depression, some people living with SAD find that light therapy—using bright lamps or scheduling more time outdoors in winter—helps to manage symptoms. If symptoms noticeably affect one’s daily living, he or she should consult a mental health professional who is qualified to treat SAD.

FREE ASA PIN WITH YOUR DONATION TO AUTISM

Image by Ravenelle via FlickrTime’s running out to get a Free ASA lapel pin with your year end gift!



THIS THURSDAY is your last chance to get a FREE Autism Awareness lapel pin when you
make a year end gift to the Autism Society of America to help families living with autism.

2 Autism Awareness Cloisonne Pins
This colorful ribbon pin will tell the world
you care about the growing autism crisis.
It’s yours FREE with your year-end gift
in support of our mission!
Offer ends this Thursday, December 18th.
DONATE HERE
TELL A FRIEND

Please remember that while you help the Autism Society of America to improve the quality of life for individuals on the autism spectrum, you will also get a valuable tax deduction in 2008 to the full extent allowed by law.

Thank you for being such a strong partner in our mission and please be as generous as possible and make a secure, online donation today to get your pin!

Thanks for all you do!

Lee Grossman
President and CEO
ASA Member since 1991
Parent of a son with autism

YOUR OPINION COUNTS

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeI think it is important that the government know that our children with disabilities should be a priority in our country and they should all, under whatever conditions, first be DIAGNOSED BY A NEURO-PSYCH DOCTOR, especially before they are started on any type of medication. It is time that Pediatricians, who are not specialized, stop diagnosing children without the right tools and tests. We have to let them know that schools and insurance companies must open their doors to these children. Having limitations on the available benefits are what is hurting our children the most.

The ASA is looking for suggestions to be offered to the new White House Team about what benefits are needed to improve the lives of families with Autistic family members. This is what they are saying:
It is time for aggressive action from the grassroots level. President-Elect Obama and the Transition team need to hear from ASA and our community in a VERY BIG way!
Tell the new administration
your ideas for Autism
VISIT CHANGE.GOV
TELL A FRIEND

Please visit the Change.gov Health Care page and advance the agenda to support individuals with autism and their families. Here, there’s a button where you can submit your ideas for change. The more people write in to tell the new administration their autism concerns, the bigger chance we have of improving the lives of all affected by autism.

Click here for some suggested language.

Please pass this information on to family, friends, neighbors and anyone else you know who has an interest in improving the lives of all affected by autism. Then, ask them to go to the site and do the same. Together, we can create positive change!

Sincerely,
Lee Grossman
President and CEO
ASA Member since 1991
Parent of a son with autism

HELP KEEP THE RESOURCES COMING!

If just half of everyone reading this donates online, NAMI can finance NAMI.org for the entire year.

Every day, NAMI.org provides infomation and support to tens of thousands of individuals, family members and loved ones affected by mental illness.

And every hour of every day, NAMI.org visitors dig down deep and find a way to make an online contribution which helps NAMI continue to be the nation's voice on mental illness.

Every donation, no matter how small, helps NAMI provide real support, to real people.

AUTISM SPEAKS-e-SPEAKS UPDATES

Image via Wikipedia e-Speaks || December 5, 2008
Illinois General Assembly Passes Autism Insurance Bill

In yet another key victory for children with autism, on November 20, the Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 934, an amendment that requires private health insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism treatments and therapies. To learn more about Senate Bill 934 and to find out what you can do to help the bill become law, click here. To stay informed about 2009 federal and state autism insurance reform legislation, sign up for action alerts here.
IAN REPORTS ON SPECIAL DIET
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN), which collects information via the Internet from families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) throughout the U.S., surveyed parents on the use of special diets as treatment. In this report, IAN researchers share data on what parents have reported about their use of special diets, including the gluten-free/casein-free diet. Read more.

2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Spotlights Autism Treatment
Washington, D.C. played host to more than 30,000 neuroscientists from around the world, including many Autism Speaks grantees, for the five-day Society for Neuroscience meeting November 15-19. Amidst many exciting developments in all fields of neuroscience, a theme of treatment of the component features of autism emerged. Read an overview of this year's conference here. Read more about progress in autism brain tissue research with highlights of Autism Tissue Program researcher projects here.

"Train 4 Autism" and Raise Money for Autism Speaks"
Running in a race or training for a triathlon? Join Train 4 Autism and help raise much-needed funds for autism research! Click here to learn more.
Share Your Holiday Tips with Our Community!
In our latest "In Their Own Words" essay, a mother tells how her son with autism spread a message of autism awareness and acceptance by starting an Autism Speaks Student Club at his middle school. Read more.
Share Your Holiday Tips with Our Community!
Do you have ideas or anecdotes that may help other families with autism prepare for the upcoming holiday season? Send them to us at editors@autismspeaks.org. We will include these in our next issue of e-Speaks.
DONATE NOW
CONTACT US

MEDICAL ALERT INFORMATION

Image via WikipediaI ran across some very helpful information today while researching Vagus Nerve Therapy (VNT) for Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD). Most people that take a range of medications must keep that information with them at times and usually do it through the use of a Medical Alert Bracelet, which usually costs about $40.00, but this fellow is suggesting a flash drive with all of the pertinent info loaded onto it for about $9.00. I thought that was a great idea and wanted to share it.