I've listened enough. It's time for me to speak, however it may sound. Through an electronic device, my hands, or my mouth. Now it's your time to listen. Are you ready? Neal Katz, Self-advocate A few weeks ago, Ryan, with his fuzzy PJ pants on, galloped into the kitchen with a determined look in his eyes. He approached the drawer that holds his GoTalk device so he could request his …
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Early Treatment for Autism Is Critical, New Report Says
Citing 12 years of research and clinical study, the American Academy of Pediatrics as issued a new clinical report on autism that urges early identification and referral for treatment, even if a formal diagnosis has not been confirmed. Although the average age of diagnosis is age four, the new goal is to obtain a diagnosis by age two. In addition, diagnostic categories such as Asperger's syndrome …
Why I Wanted Vaccines to Cause Autism*
*Controversial Blog Post Title On Purpose Last year, yet another study of over 650,000 kids showed no link between vaccines and autism. This article from Business Insider is thorough in the review of the study and the reason it is so important--mainly because we need to vaccinate kids. Parents who fear that vaccines cause any form of birth defects are not getting their children …
“Apraxia…What is that?”
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a challenging and complicated neurological speech disorder which makes speaking difficult. Generally, kids who are diagnosed with CAS have an understanding of language and what they want to say; however, they have difficulty carrying out the complex sequenced movements that are necessary to create intelligible speech. This creates the challenge to accurately …
Meet Expressable, An Affordable Alternative for Speech Therapy
Everyone deserves access to amazing speech therapy. Unfortunately, between insurance coverage denials, ridiculously high out-of-pocket costs for non-covered services, and access issues for rural residents, too many families go without the care they need. At the Orange Effect Foundation (OEF), we’re dedicated to providing grants to children who desperately need consistent speech therapy …
We Spend a Lot of Time Waiting. One Mom’s Thoughts.
I’m starting this post during the holiday season (you’re reading it after). I tried this year to shop small and shop local, so I’ve been standing in a lot of lines. It got me thinking about time and how much waiting one person might do in their lifetime. It could be waiting for a friend to show for lunch. Waiting for a call from a loved one. Waiting for a store to open to get a limited edition …
Leaning into Being Different: How One University Got My Autistic Son’s Attention
My son Joshua recently turned 18 and is now formally applying to colleges and universities. It’s hard to believe. He (and his mother) worked so hard to get him to this point. I remember when he was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at age two. The doctor said that Joshua would never go to a regular school. We are all so excited for him to begin his college experience. Like most high …
Highlighting Orange Effect Kids
As 2019 has come to a close we want to share with you just a few of the amazing kids that we have been able to help because of you. Liam Age 5 His family’s insurance covers less than two speech therapy visits a month, but 2x/weekly sessions were recommended by his therapist. OEF helped close that gap. His family is over the moon with his progress with the additional …
Orange Effect Foundation 2019 Grants Exceed $130,000
Communication devices and therapy provided for dozens of children across the United States CLEVELAND - Dec. 17, 2019 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation Board of Directors is proud to announce that in 2019, more than $130,000 was awarded to children in need across the United States. These grants for speech therapy and speech devices will ensure that the recipients, …
My New Year’s Resolution This Year is Simple
This article was featured on the Autism Speaks blog in January 2019. It’s only the first week of January, and I’m already wavering on my “reduce chocolate” resolution. Maybe some things are for the best. Generally I am a person who takes New Year’s Resolutions seriously. The holiday reminds me of my teaching days, when the end of August usually found me setting up my classroom, excited …
Surrounding Yourself with the Right Stuff (and the Right People) in 2020
The Orange Effect Foundation had an amazing 2019. We added additional board members who brought the group full circle on being able to help with application review, feedback, and fundraising. We had two amazing fundraising events! Our annual golf outing and a fun night at Platform Brew Co. We set some big goals for fundraising and although we didn’t hit them yet, we are well on our …
Don’t Always Listen to the Professionals
When she was about 16 months old, we noticed that our daughter’s language was not developing in the same way that her older sister’s had. We were concerned, but were told not to worry as she was so young at the time. As time passed and her language still was not emerging as one would expect, our pediatrician recommended early intervention services through our local Board of Developmental …
