News and Notes from The Johnson Center
Q & A: What is a nutrient intake analysis?
JCCHD | Thu, June 28, 2012 | [Autism Treatment][Healthcare][Q and A ]Most people recognize the importance of eating well and addressing nutritional deficiencies. In the autism and developmental disorder community, talk of appropriate diets and nutritional supplementation is common. But getting the most accurate and beneficial information on what your child needs is often difficult. Parents (and some clinicians) often alter a child’s diet and add nutritional supplementation without information, or baseline data, on what that particular child might need.
One of the first steps that should be taken when addressing health …
Family and Food: Get Eggstatic Over Eggs
JCCHD | Wed, June 27, 2012 | [Family and Food][Healthcare]Humans have been eating eggs since the Neolithic age. The word “egg” comes from the Indo-European root words for “bird.” The most commonly eaten are chicken and ostrich eggs, but there are many other sources. For example, the Romans most often ate peafowl eggs. Pigeon eggs were popular in China, and the Phoenicians were partial to Ostrich eggs. Today, in both the United States and Japan, quail eggs are eaten regularly and duck eggs are increasing in popularity among European and US chefs. Other less common options include: turkey, goose, turtle, and even pelican eggs.
Eggs are associated with …
Read moreQ & A: What resources are available from the state of Texas for people with disabilities?
JCCHD | Tue, June 26, 2012 | [Community][Q and A ][Webinars]The state of Texas currently has eight different 1915(c) waivers, each with different administrative units and rules, service array, rates, monitoring requirements, and billing guidelines. Originally developed to provide alternatives to institutionalization, the demand for Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services’ (DADS) community-based services and supports often outweighs available resources. Applicants’ names may be placed on a waitlist until services become available, and the wait can last from months to nine or more years. However, some needs may be met through other programs until your name comes to the …
Read moreQ & A: What is reinforcement and where do I start?
JCCHD | Mon, June 25, 2012 | [Applied Behavior Analysis][Autism Treatment][Q and A ]In ABA (applied behavior analysis) terms, reinforcement is any stimulus or item that increases the likelihood of a behavior recurring in the future. Commonly in ABA programs, the reinforcers that are used to increase behaviors are toys, access to games or activities, and praise. Reinforcement can be used for ANY behavior you want to increase, from the identification of colors to appropriate social interactions with peers. A smart ABA program will use reinforcement as an extremely powerful tool.
To utilize reinforcement to promote positive behaviors and decrease negative behaviors …
Read moreQ & A: Can autism be cured?
JCCHD | Thu, June 21, 2012 | [Applied Behavior Analysis][Autism Treatment][Q and A ]As every parent of a child with special needs knows, the moment when someone tells you your child has a disorder that will make the road ahead a challenge—one that may mean isolation and hardship—that is the moment when everything changes. That is the moment when we can find our fear, our courage, our strength, our weakness, our despair, and our truest love. And it is the moment when we all ask, “Is there a cure?”
We all want our children to have happy, rewarding lives, and it is only natural to try …
Family and Food: Savory Summer Squashes
JCCHD | Wed, June 20, 2012 | [Family and Food][Healthcare]Summer squashes, all belonging to the species Cucurbita Pepo, have been harvested since at least 8000 BCE. The word “squash” was derived from a combination of several Indian words for vegetables, all meaning “something eaten raw.” Summer squashes include cousa squash, pattypan squash (also known as scallop squash), yellow crookneck squash, yellow summer squash, and zucchini (also known as courgette).
Summer and winter squashes differ not only by name, but also in the timing of …
Read moreQ & A: Are all supplements the same? Does brand name matter?
JCCHD | Tue, June 19, 2012 | [Autism Treatment][Healthcare][Q and A ]Along with a healthy diet, the use of nutritional supplements can provide a strong foundation to build and promote health. At The Johnson Center, we do our best to ensure that any supplements we recommend are of the highest quality. Ingredients, delivery method (liquid, powder, or tablet), and potency of vitamin supplements can vary dramatically from brand to brand.
The nutritional supplement industry has been growing rapidly over the past …
Q & A: How can we use our summer break to help our child with ASD?
JCCHD | Mon, June 18, 2012 | [Community][Q and A ]For many families, summertime can bring more stress than relaxation. Losing the school routine can be disruptive for both kids and parents, because of the surplus of free time. For all children, it’s important for parents to remember that a break can be just as beneficial as continuing the structured learning schedule… and that it’s possible to achieve both during those summer months.
One of the first things that comes to mind for many when they think of their childhood summers is camp. There are endless options for summer camps, with a focus on everything from horseback riding to painting to social skills. If you have a child …
Read moreSex Matters! (The Importance of Gender-Based Research in Autism)
JCCHD | Thu, June 14, 2012 | [Research]Autism affects at least four times as many boys as girls—maybe more; in fact, the higher number of males diagnosed with autism is the most common autism research finding. Gender-based differences are not limited to autism. Other neurodevelopmental disorders such as learning disabilities, ADHD, ADD and oppositional defiant disorder also occur much more frequently in boys than in girls.
Several theories have been proposed to explain this gender bias. Boys might be more …
Read moreFamily and Food: Avocado - King of Fruits
JCCHD | Wed, June 13, 2012 | [Family and Food][Healthcare]One of the most unique fruits in terms of texture, shape, appearance, and flavor, the avocado (a.k.a. the alligator pear) is also one of the oldest of fruit varieties—it’s been around for thousands of years. Evidence of the avocado dates all the way back to 900 AD, when it was considered the fruit of kings.
Avocado is certainly packed with nutrition fit for a king. Just one cup of puréed avocado has …
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