STAYING FOCUSED, INFORMED AND HOPEFUL

I ChildHEALTHTALK • W i n t e r 2 0 1 1 3 Holly Robinson Peete: Her Family`s Journey with Autism 5 A Community That Gets It: On the Ground in… Milwaukee, Wisconsin 7 What’s In Season for Winter 8 Talking with kids about the economy, money & unemployment 10 Between The Covers: Culturally Responsive Literature for Young Hands and Minds 16 Recipe: Taco Soup www.nbcdi.org STAYING FOCUSED, INFORMED AND HOPEFUL Holly Robinson Peete Speaks About Autism in Her Family, and In America ctress, author, activist and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete visited the National Black Child Development Institute’s 40th anniversary conference in Anaheim, CA this past November to talk about her family’s journey with autism. With grace and humor, Robinson Peete engaged the audience of over 600 people in a presentation and discussion about how her family has come together since her son R.J.’s diagnosis of autism more than 10 years ago. It wasn’t – and isn’t – easy. Robinson Peete spoke candidly about the initial denial that she and her husband, Rodney Peete, a former NFL football player, experienced upon hearing the diagnosis, and the toll it had taken on their marriage. She spoke about the challenges of R.J.’s non-verbal years and the difficulty of navigating social relationships. But more than despair, Robinson Peete focused on the hope and optimism with which their family approached this journey and the supportive network they have formed for R.J. His twin sister, Ryan, for example, co-wrote a book entitled “My Brother Charlie,” to share the sibling’s perspective, and because, as Robinson Peete noted, “no such book existed for us in 1999.” Ryan and her mom, however, aren’t the only authors in the family. Rodney Peete also wrote a book called “Not My Boy,” to help share the often-overlooked father’s perspective, and the challenges that come with learning to change “the idea of who you thought you were going to have for a son.” Inspirational though it was to hear her story, Robinson Peete’s presentation went beyond her family. As she noted, 1 in 110 children in America will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) this year – which includes 1 in 70 boys. Indeed, more children are diagnosed with autism than AIDS, juvenile diabetes and cancer combined. And in a situation where early intervention is key to successful treatment, African American children are diagnosed, on average, 2-5 years later than children of other races. Do you have questions about autism? There are many resources out there to help. Information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) tells us that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) affect each person in different ways. People with ASDs share some similar symptoms, such as difficulties with social interaction, but there are differences in when the symptoms start, how severe they are, and the exact nature of the symptoms. If you are concerned about your child, or about a child that you work with, here are some “red flags” that a person with an ASD might display: • Not respond to their name by 12 months of age • Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months • Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months • Avoid eye contact and want to be alone • Have trouble understanding other people`s feelings or talking about their own feelings • Have delayed speech and language skills • Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia) • Give unrelated answers to questions • Get upset by minor changes • Have obsessive interests • Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles • Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel continued on page 4 N A T I O N A L B L A C K C H I L D D E V E L O P M E N T I N S T I T U T E • C H I L D H E A L T H T A L K • W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 3 NBCDI MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Become a NBCDI Member today for as little as $35 and help give every child a chance! NBCDI members include people who share a commitment to the positive development of children and youth, regardless of race, religion, gender, or creed. NBCDI memberships can be obtained by contacting NBCDI. Visit our website at www.nbcdi.org for more membership information and to learn about the programs of NBCDI. Become part of the NBCDI family and help us to improve and protect the lives of our children. As a member of the America’s Charities federation, NBCDI is eligible to receive your charitable contribution from the Combined Federal Campaign (#11574) or state and local employee campaigns. NBCDI is a member of SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Child Health Talk is produced by the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI). A subscription to NBCDI’s newsletter will comprise four issues of Child Health Talk. Send your request to: Child Health Talk, 1313 L Street, NW, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20005. Subscriptions: $8.00 per year The photographs used in NBCDI’s publications are intended to highlight the beauty and diversity of children in a variety of settings. Unless specifically noted otherwise, the photographs come from NBCDI’s library of stock photos, and the children do not represent the topic discussed in the text. Staying Focused, Informed and Hopeful continued from page 3 If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your child’s doctor, and share your concerns. If you or the doctor is still concerned, ask the doctor for a referral to a specialist who can do a more in-depth evaluation of your child, such as: • Developmental Pediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs) • Child Neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves) • Child Psychologists or Psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind) At the same time, call your state’s public early childhood system to request a free evaluation to find out if your child qualifies for intervention services. You do not need to wait for a doctor’s referral to make this call. • If your child is not yet 3 years old, contact your local early intervention system, which you can find by calling the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) at 1-800-695-0285 or by visiting www.nichcy.org. • If your child is 3 years old or older, contact your local public school system and ask to speak with someone who can help you have your child evaluated. Resources There is some conflicting and confusing information about autism and its causes. NBCDI, in keeping with decades of scientific evidence, does not believe that there is a link between autism and vaccination, but we have included links to organizations that come from a range of different positions and perspectives: HollyRod Foundation http://www.hollyrod.org/ CDC – Autism Spectrum Disorder http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html Autism Science Foundation http://www.autismsciencefoundation.org/ Autism Speaks www.autismspeaks.org Autism Society of America www.autism-society.org 4 N A T I O N A L B L A C K C H I L D D E V E L O P M E N T I N S T I T U T E • C H I L D H E A L T H T A L K • W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 A COMMUNITY THAT GETS IT On The Ground In… MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN t the heart of Milwaukee’s central city lies Metcalfe Park, where over 60 percent of families live below the poverty line. Here, African- American children and families experience overwhelmingly poor health outcomes, with the greatest health disparities compared to any other community in the Milwaukee area. Faced with these obstacles, Metcalfe Park community members have decided to take their health into their own hands, reaching out to several core partners for support, including the Black Child Development Institute-Milwaukee, the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and the Next Door Foundation. Founded over 40 years ago, the Next Door Foundation serves more than 2,150 children, youth and parents each year through a range of early childhood education, after-school, parenting, home-visiting, adult education, literacy and health programs. The Next Door Foundation is committed to the idea that “a child who isn’t healthy can’t learn,” which has led the organization to develop a strong partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Since 1998, the hospital has provided an on-site medical care facility which works to improve the health of the children in the Metcalfe community. In October 2010, construction began on a new, 7,700 square foot clinic located on the Next Door Foundation’s campus, which will significantly expand and improve current medical facilities – while also providing a promising solution to the extreme scarcity of dentists in the area. Data demonstrates that of the 111,000 Medicaid eligible children in Milwaukee County, only 21,000 have received even one dental exam. Oral health is an extremely important and valuable piece of overall health; in fact, dental decay is the most chronic common infectious disease among low income children – five times more common than asthma! Because chronic dental pain interferes with eating, sleeping and school performance, addressing children’s dental health needs is part of the Next Door Foundation’s integrated strategy to ensure that children are healthy and have the opportunity to be successful in school and in life. continued on page 6 N A T I O N A L B L A C K C H I L D D E V E L O P M E N T I N S T I T U T E • C H I L D H E A L T H T A L K • W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 5 ... - tailieumienphi.vn