Sunday, February 23, 2014

Camp Aldersgate

 
 
 

 
In the summer of 1947, Camp Aldersgate was formally dedicated. The original purpose of the camp was to serve as a place for interracial fellowship, meetings and Christian training. Seeing a need for social change and racial harmony, a group of women of the Little Rock Methodist Council requested a grant of $25,000 from the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries to purchase a 120-acre turkey farm to provide a place to accomplish this mission. As one of the first integrated facilities in the United States, the camp’s role in race relations led to challenges for the board, staff and participants during the 1950’s. Gunshots were fired into camp, board members and staff received threatening phone calls and the dam at the lake was dynamited. However, the leadership of the camp continued the programs in the midst of these challenges. Their perseverance enabled the camp to remain open and it now serves over 850 persons each year.

The camp held its first programs in a renovated farmhouse and turkey brooder houses. A one-lane dirt road led to the camp located four and one-half miles outside the city limits of Little Rock. Original land improvements included the creation of a new lake and trails through the hardwood forests. In the early 1950s, a site plan called for the demolition of some the old structures on the 120-acre site and the creation of new buildings for the growing programs. Eight new concrete cabins were built, four for boys and four for girls. Between 1947 and 1960, a new conference center was built, a dining hall added, the cabins were completed and the director’s home was renovated. Camp Aldersgate still occupies the original site, is one of the few urban camps in the nation, and is considered by many to be an oasis in the center of Arkansas’s largest city.

As the camp grew, new social service programs were added in response to community needs. One of the South’s largest programs for seniors was begun. The camp hosted environmental education programming in cooperation with the local public schools, specialty camps for persons with disabilities and a residential program for youth with drug and substance abuse problems. Two of the camp’s programs led to the creation of significant programs off-site. Although administered by other organizations, they are still in existence today: the programs for youth at risk at Joseph Pfeifer Camp in Little Rock and the Good Shepherd Ecumenical Retirement Center, located across the street from Camp Aldersgate.

During the 1970s, Dr. Kelsy Caplinger, a Little Rock physician, organized the first summer medical camp for 12 children who had medical conditions that prevented them from attending other camps. During this decade, the Respite Weekend Care camps were started for children with disabilities whose parents need an occasional break, or “respite.” Space was also made available for a free medical clinic operated by the Catholic Social Services.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Camp Aldersgate creates life-changing experiences for individuals with special needs, enabling them to expand their worlds and express their unique voices.
 
 

 

Camp Aldersgate is an active champion for youth and adults with special needs.  They maintain a high standard of excellence in all aspects of our programming, service, environment and operations.  
 
 
 

They offer camping experiences for people who have conditions such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, epilepsy, kidney disorders, autism, Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities. Hundreds of campers come each year from across Arkansas and from surrounding states to enjoy an experience of a lifetime.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
http://www.campaldersgate.net/



Also held at Camp Aldersgate:


A-Camp is an awesome therapeutic summer day camp that is accepting of all kids with autism and their friends. Our goal is to create memorable experiences and promote relationships through an engaging, nurturing and adventure based program.



http://www.acamp4kids.com/a-campinformation.html
 
 
 
 

 

 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Give Kids The World



The story of Give Kids The World begins with a little girl with a wish and the desire of one man to make that wish come true.

The little girl's name was Amy. Amy had leukemia and one wish - to visit the theme parks in Orlando. To facilitate Amy's wish, the request of a complimentary stay was made to a respected hotelier. As he had done many times before, the hotelier gladly obliged and Amy's wish was that much closer to being realized. Sadly, the remainder of Amy's travel plans took too long to arrange and her wish was never granted; Amy had passed away. Time simply ran out.


 
 
This unfulfilled wish inspired a man, the hotelier, to make a vow that no child in need would ever be failed again. That man was Henri Landwirth and his desire to ensure that Amy's story would never repeat itself is where the story of Give Kids The World begins.


 
 


 

Give Kids The World is a non-profit organization that exists only to fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world to experience a memorable, joyful, cost-free visit to the Central Florida attractions, and to enjoy the magic of Give Kids The World Village for as long as there is a need.
         


 

          
Landwirth enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality industry, including our world-famous theme parks, to assist him in bringing these special families to Central Florida within 24 hours if need be. He called the project “Give Kids The World,” because that is just what he intended to do - provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.



As the program expanded and the number of families continued to grow, it was apparent that Give Kids The World would need to create a place that could better serve the special needs of our families. The gates of Give Kids The World Village opened in 1989.




Today the Village is a 70-acre resort complete with over 146 Villa accommodations, entertainment attractions, whimsical venues, and fun specifically designed for children with special needs.
With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 127,000 families from all 50 states and over 74 countries.



No child in need has ever been turned away – and no child ever will. Give Kids The World is a place where families find joy, laughter, serenity, and a lifetime of memories. Through the tireless support of volunteers, employees and generous partners, Give Kids The World dedicates each and every day to these special families.




Give Kids The World Website

 
Give Kids The World Blog

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Help Getting Labs YOU Want?

 
 
 
 
Getting labs drawn is priority number 1 around here.  We are very fortunate to have the support that we need and are able to get the necessary labs drawn for Emmalin and Presley.  If you are unable to get labs drawn that you feel are necessary you do have other options.
 
 

DirectLabs is the leader in direct access laboratory testing. They offer a wide variety of important health and wellness blood chemistry tests directly to you online at extremely discounted prices. Confidential results are available online in as little as 24 hours for most tests.
 

DirectLabs offers their customers private and secure online accounts called "MyDLS" where you will access your orders, print your lab requisition, and retrieve your results.
 

 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

It is not going to be okay...It is going to be INCREDIBLE!!


If we could change her in any way-we would not.  Down syndrome became a part of our family in June of 2011 and we have all been forever changed and blessed.

Thank you God.

 
 
 
Robin and I had the honor of meeting with the amazing group behind this:
 
 
What an amazing ministry!  We reached out to ask what we could do to help.  We have always been saddened by the abortion rate, but even more saddened by the abortion rate of children with Down syndrome.  If only people really understood what Down syndrome really looked like, things just might be different.
 
 

 
 

 



Statistically, every 20 seconds in America, an innocent child loses their life at the hands of an Abortionist. 

Abortion will NOT be stopped at the voting booth and history has shown this time after time. It will take local grassroots movements from God's people in every city across the country. We as Christians can no longer feel satisfied simply voting Pro- Life, we must live Pro-Life.
Every20seconds.org is not a protest group. It is a rally cry for the church to stand up and love outside the walls. 

God clearly defines his love for children in the Bible, and now we have to ask ourselves, what is the life of a child worth to us?


http://www.every20seconds.org/

It only takes a few to make a big difference.

 

Emmalin at age 2.
 

 
 
 

 
 
Presley at age 2.
 

 

 
 
 
To everyone that says
SHE WON'T
Well,
SHE IS:
 
reading
running
dancing
singing
counting
identifying shapes and
colors and
letters and
numbers
playing house
and dress up
and doing all the things other toddlers do.
 
 
"Congratulations, you are one of the lucky ones.  You are about to experience the most amazing journey that only a parent of a child with Down syndrome gets to experience."
 
Jane Mier, Emma's pediatrician
 
 


Medicaid Waiver

Forty-four (44) states and the District of Columbia have received waivers to provide home- and community-based services to people with developmental disabilities (DD). Depending on each state's DD definition, these waivers may cover services to people with autism.

Colorado, Indiana, Maryland, and Wisconsin have waivers specifically addressing autism. They all limit waiver services to children. The first three states' waivers are only for children with autism. Wisconsin provides intensive in-home autism treatment under two broader waivers, one for children with DD and the other for children with social and emotional disorders. In Indiana and Wisconsin, children eligible for autism-specific services are also eligible for services under other Medicaid waivers.

All 50 States where interviewed about their programs for persons with developmental disabilities and asked the same 10 questions:                             
  1. What Programs Are Available To Assist People With Disabilities in your state?
  2. What number do you call to start getting services?
  3. Who Qualifies For Assistance? (disability, age, and financial requirements)
  4. How many people are currently waiting for services, and how many years should they expect to wait?
  5. How many people are currently receiving services?
  6. What assistance is available while you wait?
  7. Does the state offer group homes and supported living?
  8. Are there still state owned institutions? How many people are living in institutions
  9. Do you have choice in providers?
  10. What is the process to become a provider?

You can see the answers to these questions by clicking on the state you have questions about.

Medicaid Waiver

Forty-four (44) states and the District of Columbia have received waivers to provide home- and community-based services to people with developmental disabilities (DD). Depending on each state's DD definition, these waivers may cover services to people with autism.

Colorado, Indiana, Maryland, and Wisconsin have waivers specifically addressing autism. They all limit waiver services to children. The first three states' waivers are only for children with autism. Wisconsin provides intensive in-home autism treatment under two broader waivers, one for children with DD and the other for children with social and emotional disorders. In Indiana and Wisconsin, children eligible for autism-specific services are also eligible for services under other Medicaid waivers.

All 50 States where interviewed about their programs for persons with developmental disabilities and asked the same 10 questions:                             
  1. What Programs Are Available To Assist People With Disabilities in your state?
  2. What number do you call to start getting services?
  3. Who Qualifies For Assistance? (disability, age, and financial requirements)
  4. How many people are currently waiting for services, and how many years should they expect to wait?
  5. How many people are currently receiving services?
  6. What assistance is available while you wait?
  7. Does the state offer group homes and supported living?
  8. Are there still state owned institutions? How many people are living in institutions
  9. Do you have choice in providers?
  10. What is the process to become a provider?

You can see the answers to these questions by clicking on the state you have questions about.

Medicaid Waiver



Forty-four (44) states and the District of Columbia have received waivers to provide home- and community-based services to people with developmental disabilities (DD). Depending on each state's DD definition, these waivers may cover services to people with autism.

Colorado, Indiana, Maryland, and Wisconsin have waivers specifically addressing autism. They all limit waiver services to children. The first three states' waivers are only for children with autism. Wisconsin provides intensive in-home autism treatment under two broader waivers, one for children with DD and the other for children with social and emotional disorders. In Indiana and Wisconsin, children eligible for autism-specific services are also eligible for services under other Medicaid waivers.

All 50 States where interviewed about their programs for persons with developmental disabilities and asked the same 10 questions:                             
  1. What Programs Are Available To Assist People With Disabilities in your state?
  2. What number do you call to start getting services?
  3. Who Qualifies For Assistance? (disability, age, and financial requirements)
  4. How many people are currently waiting for services, and how many years should they expect to wait?
  5. How many people are currently receiving services?
  6. What assistance is available while you wait?
  7. Does the state offer group homes and supported living?
  8. Are there still state owned institutions? How many people are living in institutions
  9. Do you have choice in providers?
  10. What is the process to become a provider?

You can see the answers to these questions by clicking on the state you have questions about.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

LAPBOOKS: an easy way to learn

Lapbooks are easy to make and convenient to take with you.  Basically, you take a regular file folder, open it up, place a piece of cardstock inside the middle and fold in the edges to create a book.  Older children can pick their favorite topic, do the research, and place what they learned about in it.  For smaller children, you can tailor it to their learning needs and interests. The possibilities are endless.

My 4 year old just make a lapbook about Minnie Mouse cakes.  With my help, she picked out her favorite cake pictures online, cut them out and glued them into her book by herself. We then printed out an ingredient list that she could write over for practice.  She was very proud of her book.

We have a bird feeder just outside the window of our playroom.  I decided to do a lapbook on the birds we see each day. .  We have seen everything listed in the lap book except the owl and eagle.  I have already done the research, so if you would like, you can just print and assemble your own Backyard Bird lapbook.  I placed it in a sharing file for download at:

http://www.2shared.com/file/5lom3LnD/Backyard_birds_lapbook.html

 
Here is the cover.  I traced an outline of a bird on felt to give my 2 year old some texture to play with.  

 
 
Here is the lap book open.  I already had paper that had a blue sky with clouds as the background.  I printed off the various birds and my 4 year old helped glue them in place.  I laminated this page to make it more sturdy.  This also allows them to mark on it with a dry erase marker showing which birds they see at the bird feeder. 


 
Here is the information about eagles.  I had some leftover circle Velcro pieces that I cut in half to ensure the flap stays closed.  Also another texture for play. 

 
This is a mini reading book for early readers.  I made a pocket for it so I could replace the book with something more advanced later.  The book was too large initially, so under printing preferences, I printed "4 to a page" and it came out the perfect size.
 


This is what took the most time for me.  I looked up facts about each bird and tried to keep it small and relevant.  I glued each piece onto a piece of cardstock and then glued just the top 1/2 inch of each one as I stacked them on the inside flap.  You have to start with the bottom one first.  I numbered each one to coordinate with the main laminated photos of birds.
 
 
 Not sure if we are supposed to put things on the back or not, but there was just a little more information I wanted to share.  Each piece is glued onto colored cardstock and then glued onto the file folder. 


There are a few websites that offer a variety of lapbooks for free.  Just print and assemble.  They did not have the one I was looking for, so I made my own.  I hope you can benefit from this information too. 
 
 
 
 
Many blessings,
Robin

 



Saturday, February 8, 2014

Arkansas Autism Alliance

 
IMG_1154
 
 
Each year, children are diagnosed with autism, a complex developmental disability characterized by impairment in social interaction and language accompanied by social withdrawal and repetitive hyper-focused behaviors. Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism. The disorder appears to have increased tenfold over the last 15 years. Although both genetic and environmental factors are believed to contribute to the development of autism, no firm causal evidence exists.

The Arkansas Autism Alliance (AAA) is a unique multidisciplinary group that tackles the many different behavioral, medical, social, and educational challenges that children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder experience. This group is aimed at creating a collaborative and integrated approach to understanding the causal complexities associated with an ASD, treatment interventions to promote symptomatic recovery, and dissemination of what is learned treating these disorders to the medical community at large. The AAA has developed a mission to create an autism center of excellence to not only better serve the state of Arkansas, but to also be a model of excellence in translating research findings into meaningful clinical care for families of loved ones affected by an ASD for not only the state of Arkansas, but also facilities across the world to model their management of these children and how to promote hope and healing to those that are afflicted.
 
For appointment scheduling, contact the Dennis Developmental Center/Autism Treatment Network (ATN) Clinic by telephone at
(501) 364-1830
 
http://www.arkansasautismalliance.org/clinical-care
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Fighting The Flu

Life here in Arkansas seems to be a constant battle with allergies.  Add Down syndrome congestion to the mix and welcome the perfect storm.  Ever since Christmas Emmalin has fought and fought with her allergies.  Staying on top of it was priority with flu season coming to its peak.  I needed her immune system at 100%.  After fighting it for over a month the flu finally got a hold of her.

Now before I get started I know that we all have her own views regarding vaccinations.  I make my decisions based on the information that I have researched and the genetic makeup of each one of my children.  Because of Emmalin's genetic makeup and her bodies inability to methylate properly I choose not to give her the flu vaccination. 

http://www.3of21.com/2013/09/methylation-and-mthfr.html

For this very reason, it is my responsibility as her mother to take the extra steps to protect her.  Over the past two months we have visited with her ENT, PCP, Chiropractor and Cranial Sacral Therapist to give her body all the tools to stay healthy.  Last Friday I knew that something was different though.  When I changed her diaper I noticed that her skin was mottled, she was a little warm and irritable.  Now this may happen from time to time, especially on Friday after a long week of therapy but today was different.  I listened to "mommy instinct" and went to Arkansas Children's Hospital.  I knew it would be the quickest way to get the best assessment of what was going on.  Within an hour Emmalin was diagnosed with Flu A....this mother was very sad and immediately asked God to guide me through her healing process.  I quickly turned to people I trusted for guidance, together we successfully got Emmalin healthy very quickly.

Below is what worked for us.

1.  Turned on the humidifiers in the house.  Confined Emma to the upstairs bonus room with the cool mist humidifier going.  I added 4-5 drops of Lugol's Solution of Iodine 2%.   This will kill anything in the air.  You want a clean environment add this too it.

 
 
2.  Everyone in the house got Elderberry Syrup every 2-3 hours. 
 
 
 
3.  Thieves in the diffuser.
 
 
 
4.  Pushed the Potato Peel Broth every thirty minutes. 
 
 
5.  Started Emmalin on Tamaflu.
 
6.  Essential oils:  I used Sacred Frankincense on soft spots, down the spine and on the bottom of the feet.  Eucalyptus on the chest and lavender on the face around sinus area.  All of the oils were combined with coconut oil.
 
7.  Used a bulb to suck out any mucus and sprayed saline in the nose.
 
Day one:
 
The first part of the night was hard for Emma.  She refused to eat or drink.  I used a syringe to get broth down her.  We did everything above and I was prepared for a long night.  The only part of the equation that I did not have yet was the Frankincense.  Dear friend Jessica brought this to me and within 20 minutes of application Emmalin was a completely different kids.  I would not have believed it had I not seen it.  Before applying she was so lifeless and soon after she was standing on the chair jumping up and down.
 
I reapplied oils one last time before bed and she slept through the night comfortably.  I kept the cool mist humidifier/iodine drops in her room all night.
 
Day two:
 
 
I will let you be the judge!
I continued with what we where doing.  Her hair was greasy from the oils but she sure did smell good. 
 
 
Day three:
 
 
 
Here she is that afternoon after a nice bath.  I continued with everything else for the next couple of days except oil on scalp.
 
The rest of us continued with Elderberry.
 
Our success with this was based on so many things.  Acting quickly and using everything I knew of to get her through it was key.  What was it that did it...who knows, but I can assure you this will be our future plan of attack.
 
Also, thanks Jessica and Robin for helping me help her.
 
For more information regarding essential oils.