PLUK eNews

When parents like me talk about our kids with disabilities and intense support needs, we have to be thoughtful. We need to make it quite clear that our kids are much-loved and very awesome human beings. We should never, ever state or imply that any challenges we face as a parent are our children's fault. We need to handle their privacy with delicacy. And we shouldn't accidentally enable disrespect towards children who are already too-frequent magnets for morbid fascination, and pity.

Fathers who read to their infants with autism and take active roles in caregiving activities not only promote healthy development in their children, they boost moms' mental health too, new research suggests. Mothers of children with autism reported fewer depressive symptoms when their children were 4 years old if the child's father engaged in literacy and responsive caregiving activities - such as soothing children when they were upset or taking the child to the doctor - when the child was 9 months old, according to a new study conducted at the University of Illinois.

Silberman chronicles the history of autism and examines some of the myths surrounding our current understanding of the condition in his new book, NeuroTribes. Along the way, he revisits Asperger's calculated efforts to save his patients.

Most people think of autism as a disease, a major impediment of which an increasing number of children are "victims." But over the past two decades, a growing number of adults on the autism spectrum, myself included, have rejected this frame and called for non-autistic "neurotypicals" to respect and accommodate "neurodiversity." We believe that autism is a natural and in many ways desirable variation in how people think, not a great evil to be stamped out.

Recent studies have exposed the benefit—even necessity—of spending time outdoors, both for kids and adults. Some argue that it can be any outdoor environment. Some claim it has to be a "green" environment—one with trees and leaves. Others still have shown that just a picture of greenery can benefit mental health. These nuances aside, most of the studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. While it's unclear how exactly the cognitive functioning and mood improvements occur, there are a few things we do know about why nature is good for kids' minds.

DPHHS has produced a community health program guide to make it easier to find health resources that are available across Montana.

Federal education officials are reminding schools not to skimp on needed speech and language services for children with autism.

A 20-year retrospective study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in the July 2015 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, suggests that kindergarten students who are more inclined to exhibit “social competence” traits—such sharing, cooperating, or helping other kids—may be more likely to attain higher education and well-paying jobs. In contrast, students who exhibit weaker social competency skills may be more likely to drop out of high school, abuse drugs and alcohol, and need government assistance. This brief provides an overview and major findings from this study and implications for further action.

Resilience Booster: Parent Tip Tool Parenting is hard work. Even with the best resources available, meeting the needs of family members in today's fast-paced society is difficult. The daily stress of making ends meet can take a toll on all family members, including children. The APA Public Interest Directorate Socioeconomic Status Office has created this tip tool for parents who want to build their children's resilience.

For college sophomore Matthew Walzer, simply putting on his shoes was an impossible task. Lacking the dexterity to get his foot in and out of his shoes, the Florida teen, who was born with cerebral palsy, had to enlist the help of his mother and father or others. While he could dress himself, Walzer, 19, told The Huffington Post, “shoes were the one issue” he had learned to deal with and accept.

On July 4, the ADA legacy bus tour stops at Caras Park in downtown Missoula. It's called the Road to Freedom Runs through Montana. The tour ends in Washington, D.C., July 26.Darren Larson, of Missoula, finds a reason to celebrate every day. He's a friendly, familiar face in the downtown business district he works in.

Parents are critical assets in education. Parents can be a voice for high expectations for children and for supporting educators in creating schools where all children receive what they need to succeed. An excellent education is every child’s civil right; and while our nation has made great strides—with a record high school graduation rate and college enrollment at all-time highs—we have much further to go to ensure that every child has equal opportunity to learn.