Monday, July 26, 2010
We Are Now On Wordpress!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
This week's featured app: iWriteWords
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Free App! "Autism Xpress"!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
We Love ACC apps for the iPad!
Proloquo2Go, the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system that has taken the world by storm, is now available on iPad. Proloquo2Go is latin for speak out loud and that’s exactly what it helps people do! It is pronounced “Pro” as in professional, “lo” as in low, and “quo” as in quotation. The “2Go” means mobile.
Proloquo2Go version 1.3 has been optimized for the iPad and will be a free update for existing users.
Because the iPad has a significantly larger screen than the iPod touch and iPhone you will be able to use grids of up to 64 items. Proloquo2Go 1.3 also supports all device orientations allowing you to hold the iPad any way you like. Proloquo2Go 1.3 is a universal App allowing you to use the exact same application on an iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Now you can use it on an iPad at home, at work or at school and use it on an iPod touch or iPhone when going to the movies, a restaurant or hiking.
Information for this article found here: http://www.proloquo2go.com/About/article/ipad
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Legislators vote to mandate autism coverage
New York lawmakers have approved legislation to require health insurance companies to provide coverage for screening, diagnosis and lifetime treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
The bill passed in the Senate last week and in the Assembly on Monday night.
Citing a federal Centers for Disease Control estimate that one out of 110 children is diagnosed with the disorder, sponsors say the measure could increase overall health insurance premiums by as much as 2 percent in New York. The state would join 20 others that already require coverage.
Affected children struggle with social interaction and communication, ranging from mild to severe symptoms.
Sen. Roy McDonald, a Saratoga Republican, said he has two grandchildren with autism. “My guys don’t talk, and it’s a very serious thing,” he said.
Under the bill, which still needs Gov. David Paterson’s signature, state health officials will identify minimum coverage options for clinically proven treatment and therapy. Paterson will review it, spokesman Morgan Hook said Tuesday.
“The new law will prevent denial of coverage on the basis that treatments are educational rather than medical in their necessity, the most common grounds for refusal,” said Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, a Rochester Democrat and bill sponsor. “To that end, it allows families to appeal denials to an independent review panel if an initial grievance to the insurer is unsuccessful.”
Therapies covered by the new scope of insurance must be clinically proven and peer reviewed, Morelle said. Some parents had urged coverage of experimental treatments as well.
The Health Plan Association, which represents insurers, generally opposes mandates because they increase the cost of health care, spokeswoman Leslie Moran said.
“This bill is particularly troubling because it is so far-reaching,” she said Tuesday. “There is no age limit on coverage. There’s no annual or lifetime cap on the amount that would have to be paid for services.”
Moran said many of the services are currently available in more appropriate settings like schools, and insurers don’t believe they should pay for services such as teaching daily living and academic skills. They also think the 2 percent estimate is low - New Yorkers already pay almost $28 billion in annual health care premiums, and that would mean at least another half-billion dollars.
Judith Ursitti, the regional director for Autism Speaks whose son Jack was diagnosed in 2005, said her family’s out-of-pocket costs have ranged from about $60,000 a year initially to about $25,000 to $30,000 now that he is in school and almost 7 years old. “It’s rare that parents are able to access coverage for children or adults,” she said.
Jack, who was diagnosed at the severe end of the spectrum, is speaking after many thousands of dollars and years of therapy, Ursitti said. She and other advocates stressed the importance of early diagnosis and said it should happen between 18 and 24 months, though only about half of insurers reimburse for a simple screening test.
Info from this article found here: http://libn.com/blog/2010/06/23/legislators-vote-to-mandate-autism-coverage/
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Another iPad Success Story!
Shannon Rosa @shannonrosa (on twitter) posted an amazing article on her blog: http://www.blogher.com/ipad-nearmiracle-my-son-autism It is about her son Leo who has autism and all the success he has found with the iPad. Here is a small part of the article:
"My son Leo's life was transformed when a five-dollar raffle ticket turned into a brand-new iPad. I'm not exaggerating. Before the iPad, Leo's autism made him dependent on others for entertainment, play, learning, and communication. With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skills. People who know Leo are amazed when they see this new boy rocking that iPad. I'm impressed, too, especially when our aggressively food-obsessed boy chooses to play with his iPad rather than eat. I don't usually dabble in miracle-speak, but I may erect a tiny altar to Steve Jobs in the corner of our living room."
Read more of Shannon's article here: http://www.blogher.com/ipad-nearmiracle-my-son-autism Below is a clip of Leo using his iPad :) Go Leo!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wonders of the iPad with Danny!
-This article was written directly by Danny's sister Kristina.