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.

http://medicaidwaiver.org/index.html

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. 

 

 http://www.homeschoolshare.com/lapbooking_resources.php

 

http://www.pinterest.com/JustJamerrill/free-homeschool-lapbooks/

 

http://lapbooklessons.com/

 

Many blessings,

Robin

 



Arkansas Autism Alliance

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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. 

 

http://www.3of21.com/2014/01/homemade-elderberry-syrup.html

 

 

3.  Thieves in the diffuser.

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/129905-thieves-essential-oil-benefits/

 

 

4.  Pushed the Potato Peel Broth every thirty minutes. 

 

http://www.3of21.com/2012/12/give-your-child-healthy-advantage-with.html

 

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.

http://bakersguide2essentialoils.blogspot.com/