CNS NEWS

Children's
Welcome Spring !! Neurotherapy Services
It is hard to believe that it is spring al- and other group activities. Their mission is
ready. The Lenoir office is quickly receiv- to support and nurture children and adults Volume I, Issue 2

ing referrals for new children. A new occu- who are mentally and physically challenged
pational therapist has been hired to cover by providing team building opportunities to Newsletter Date:April 2008
the majority of the caseload in the Lenoir build self-esteem and confidence in individ-
clinic. You can read more about her fur- ual performance in a nurturing atmosphere.
ther along in the newsletter. T-ball began on March 15, 2008. The final
game is scheduled for May 24, 2008 at
9:30 at the Crawdad’s Stadium. You can
April is Autism Awareness Month, Occupa-
check out their calendar of events and
tional Therapy Month, and Child Abuse Pre-
schedules on their webpage at
vention Month. You can learn more about
www.walkinroll.org or by calling 828-326-
each of these topics within the newsletter.
5193, if you
have any ques-
With spring, comes beautiful weather and tions. This is
outside activities. CNS is proud to work great opportu- Inside this issue:
with Walkin’ Roll Activities League to spon- nity for your
sor the Braves T-ball team. The Walkin’ children to par-
Staff Changes 2
Roll Activities League is for physically and ticipate in
mentally challenged individuals. They offer sports activi-
T-ball, Bowling, swimming, choir, dancing, ties. PT Students 2

Employee of the 2
Quarter

OT Month 3
Scheduling Policy Change
OT and Children 3
Many of you that are patients of CNS sign an updated copy of this new scheduling
Clinic may already be aware that we have agreement and providing you with a copy of
recently updated our scheduling agree- the new agreement. The policy has always Encouraging Play 3
ment. The new policy states that if an been that three missed appointments with-
appointment is missed or cancelled with out prior notification or excessive cancel- Autism Awareness 4
less than 24 hours prior notification, a can- lations even with notification, may result in
cellation fee of $25 will be charged. The your child being discharged and a new pre-
Treatment of Autism 5
fee must be paid prior to the child’s next scription from the physician will be needed
visit. The front office is having parents before services can resume.
Guest Speaker 5
Staff Changes
We are excited to have Sheri Toner, OTR/L as a
new member of our team. She is working primarily
out of the Lenoir office but is also seeing children
in the Hickory office one day a week. Sheri is
joining the team after gaining pediatric experi-
ence from Grace House Pediatric Rehab where she
has worked for the past two years. She has a
Bachelors degree in Psychology from North Caro-
lina State University and received her Master’s
degree in Occupational Therapy from Virginia
Commonwealth University. Sheri lives in Morgan-
ton with her husband, two dogs, and a bunny.
PT Students
CNS Clinic was fortunate to have a PT student for
six weeks at the beginning of the year. We will
have four more Doctor of Physical Therapy stu-
dents interning with us throughout the year from
the University of St. Augustine for Health Sci-
ences.
These students will be with us for the following
dates: Raechel Bradford from April 28-June 20,
Employee of the Quarter
The Employee of the Quarter is determined by all
the employees at CNS Clinic. Everyone votes for the
co-worker whom they feel is the best team player
for that quarter. The chosen employee gets a spe-
cial parking place, a gift card, and a certificate con-
taining comments their co-workers wrote.
The Employee of the Quarter is Kim Barlow, SLP.
Comments written about Kim were that she cares
about her teammates well being; always has a smile
Volume I, Issue 2
Dorie Evans, PTA, resigned from her full time po-
sition in March. We are still fortunate to have
her working on an as needed basis for CNS Clinic.
So you may still see her floating around from time
to time.
LeeAnn Kemp from June 30-August 22, Bekah
Caldwell Aulbaugh from August 25-October 17,
and Marisa Ball from October 27—December 19.
This is an invaluable part of their learning experi-
ence. Stephanie Ross, DPT and Glen Neal, MPT
will be notifying you of their arrivals and if they
will be working with your children. Please make
them feel welcome.
on her face and a kind word to say; has been wonder-
ful with training and helping new employees to learn
procedures; excellent team player; and is always will-
ing to work with you and a patient.
Kim has been with CNS since August of 2007. She
previously worked for Caldwell County Schools for 8
years. She graduated from Appalachian State Uni-
versity. Kim is married and has a four year old son
named Austin.
Page 2
Occupational Therapy Month
April is Occupational Therapy
Month. Many of your children
may receive occupational ther-
apy, but do you really know what
it is. People of all ages receive
OT to help them participate in
the activities of their daily life.
Sometimes people need OT to do
things we take for granted, like
getting dressed, being produc-
tive at school or work, eating
unassisted, even socializing.
They don’t just treat medical
conditions, it helps people stay
Occupational Therapy and Children
The primary goals of childhood
are to grow up and play. It is
often through play that children
learn to make sense of the world
around them. It is a child’s “job”
to play to develop physical coor-
dination, emotional maturity, so-
cial skills to interact with other
children, and self confidence to
Encouraging Play
As parents or caregivers there are sev-
eral things that you can do to facilitate
play with your child or children. En-
courage exploratory play by using balls,
sand and water toys, slides, swings, fin-
ger paints, and magnets. During ex-
ploratory play, children use their senses
as they explore, discover, examine, and
organize their activities. Try manipu-
lative play by asking the child to per-
form a task, such as stacking cereal
Volume I, Issue 2
engaged in the ac-
tivities that give
them pleasure or a
sense of purpose,
despite challenges.
Occupational ther-
apy is “outcome-
oriented,” which
means therapists Information obtained
help people work to- www.aota.org
ward achievable per-
formance goals like
working, driving, shopping, even
preparing a meal. OT addresses
try new experiences and explore
new environments. Occupational
therapists have expertise in
evaluating children’s neurologi-
cal, muscular, and emotional de-
velopment; and determining the
effects of infant and childhood
illness on growth and develop-
ment. An OT can evaluate a
boxes, slipping coins in a bank, or playing
with a deck of cards. Handling items
such as puzzles, pegboards, beads, and
lacing cards test the child’s eye-hand
coordination and dexterity. Suggest
imaginative or symbolic play that in-
cludes role-playing, playing with dolls
and stuffed animals, and telephones.
This type of pretend play encourages
good social skills and positive self-
image. Choose toys that are appropri-
one of the important
aspects of rehabilita-
tion and recovery-the
return to a normal life.
In recognition of all
the ways occupational
therapy contributes to
society’s well-being,
from April has been desig-
nated as Occupational
Therapy Month.
child’s motor (movement), cogni-
tive (thinking, reasoning), social-
emotional, and behavioral devel-
opment; recommend toys and
play activities that promote
healthy development and provide
stimulation to the child; and in-
tervene when needed to promote
development and skills for living.
ate for the child’s age. Common ob-
jects, such as pots and pans, empty
boxes, spools of thread, shoelaces, and
wooden spoons can stimulate activity. A
child’s inability to play well could indi-
cate another problem, such as a learning
disability or behavioral problem.
Information obtained from
www.aota.org.
Page 3
World Autism Awareness Day
Autism is a complex neurobiological
disorder that typically lasts
throughout a persons lifetime. It is
part of a group of disorders known
as autism spectrum disorders
(ASD). It is estimated that as
many as 1 in 150 individuals is af-
fected by autism, making it more
common in most countries than pe-
diatrics cancer, diabetes, and AIDS
combined. It occurs in all racial,
ethnic, and social groups and is four
times more likely to strike boys
than girls. Autism impairs a per-
son’s ability to communicate and
relate to others, it is also associ-
What is Autism?
Autism is a general term used to
describe a group of complex devel-
opmental brain disorders known as
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
(PDD). The other pervasive devel-
opmental disorders are PDD-NOS
(Pervasive Developmental Disorder-
Not Otherwise Specified), Asper-
ger’s Syndrome, Rett Syndrome and
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
The Importance of Early Intervention.
It is important that you start early.
There are a variety of services avail-
able to treat and educate your child.
Early Intervention is your child’s best
hope for the future. Early attention
to improving the core behavioral
symptoms of autism will give your
child and the rest of the family– sev-
eral important benefits that you will
not gain if you take a wait-and-see
Volume I, Issue 2
ated with rigid rou-
tines and repetitive
behaviors, such as ob-
sessively arranging
objects or following
very specific routines.
Symptoms range from
very mild to quite se-
vere. World Autism
Awareness Day which Www.worldautismawareness embraced in community
is April 2nd will shine day.org
a birth light on autism
as a growing global
health crisis. WAAD activities will
help to increase and develop infor-
mation regarding the impairment of
Many parents and professionals re-
fer to this group as Autism Spec-
trum Disorders.
The cause of autism is unknown.
There are different levels of sever-
ity and combinations of symptoms in
autism. There are probably multiple
causes. The best scientific evi-
dence available today points to-
approach until your child enters
school at age four or five. A good
early intervention program will pro-
vide your child with instruction that
will build on his or her strengths to
teach new skills, improve behaviors,
and remediate areas of weakness. It
will help you with information that will
help you better understand your
child’s behavior and needs. It will of-
daily diagnosis and early
intervention. Addition-
ally WAAD will cele-
brate the unique talents
and skills of persons
with autism and it will
be a day when individu-
als with autism are
warmly welcomed and
events around the globe.
For more information go to
www.AutismSpeaks.org
wards various combinations of fac-
tors such as multiple genetic com-
ponents on their own or possibly
when combined with exposure to
undetermined environmental fac-
tors. There is growing interest
among researchers about the role
of the functions and regulation of
the immune system, both within the
body and the brain in autism.
fer resources, support, and training
that will enable you to work and play
with your child more effectively. It
will improve the outcome for your
child.
Taken from Does My Child Have Au-
tism? By Wendy L. Stone, PhD, with
Theresa For DiGeromino, Med from
the AutismSpeaks.org website.
Page 4
Treatment for Autism
Treatment for autism is usually a
very intensive comprehensive un-
dertaking that involves the entire
family and a team of professionals.
Intensive treatments for autism’s
Core Systems address the Social,
Communication & Cognitive Issues
at the heart of autism. Occupa-
tional Therapy or Speech & Lan-
guage Therapy are often integrated
into one of the intensive therapy
programs to address the Core Sys-
tems. Many children benefit from
receiving multiple therapies pro-
vided in the same learning format.
Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month.
This year, Toys “R” Us is serving as
the national sponsor of the Autism
Speaks Walk for Now Autism pro-
gram, which is a series of more than
75 walk events to raise funds and
generate awareness for autism. In
addition, they are conducting a
nine-week, in- store fundraising
campaign in conjunction with Autism
Guest Speaker for Support Group Meeting
The Sensory Integration Support
Group is having a special guest
speaker for the April 29th meeting.
Dr. Jean Corbier, a pediatric neu-
rologist at NorthEast Medical Cen-
ter in Concord, NC. His specialty
areas of clinical and research inter-
ests include: Autism, pediatric
stroke, epilepsy, metabolic disor-
ders and nutritional neurology. The
Volume I, Issue 2
It requires research
on the part of the
parents before begin-
ning any treatment.
Whenever possible,
observe the therapies
in action. Talk to ex-
perienced parents and
make sure that you
have a thorough un-
derstanding of what is www.AutismSpeaks.org
involved before begin-
ning any therapy for
your child. Many par-
ents are eager to try new treat-
ments, even those that have not
Awareness month. You can make a
cash donation beginning Sunday,
March 2 through Friday May 2 at
any Toys “R” Us na-
tionwide or online at
www.Toysrus.com/
AutismSpeaks.
title of his presentation is “Autism
and the RESTORATION Model”.
This is a comprehensive model that
can be used to understand and
treat complex problems such as au-
tism and related disorders.
The meeting will be held on the
campus of Lenoir-Rhyne College in
the McCrorie Center on April 29th
been scientifically
proven to be effec-
tive. It’s important to
remember that just as
each child with autism
presents differently,
so is their response to
treatments. It is
helpful to collect in-
formation about a
therapy that you are
interested in and dis-
cuss it with your pe-
diatrician and inter-
vention team for potential risks/
benefits.
Carolinas Walk Now for Autism will
be held in Concord, NC at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway on Saturday Octo-
ber 4, 2008. You can find out more
information and register to walk by
going to
www.walknowforautism.org/
carolinas
from 6:30—8:30. Childcare will not
be provided this month due to the
change in location. Anyone is wel-
come to attend. Please call 828-
267-1688, to register if you plan to
attend.
The support group meets the last
Tuesday of every month at CNS
clinic in Hickory from 6:30 to 8:30.
Page 5
Children's Neurotherapy Services

Children's Neurotherapy Services

1087 13th St. SE Are you looking for something for your child or chil-
Hickory, NC 28602 dren to do this summer. Family Support Network of
Phone: 828-267-1688 North Carolina is a statewide organization dedicated
Fax: 828-267-1690 to promoting and providing support for families with
children who have special needs. They put together a
Lenoir Clinic
144 Tremont Park Drive resource guide each year for family members and ser-
Lenoir, NC 28645 vice providers looking for day or residential summer
Phone: 828-754-5550 camp experiences for children with special needs. You
Fax: 828-754-5558 can view a copy of the 2008 Summer Camp Directory
E-mail: help4kids@cnsclinic.com online at www.fsnnc.org or call to receive a hard copy
by mail at 800.852.0042.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Last year in North Carolina, over
100,000 children were reported to
Child Protective Services as alleged
victims of child abuse or neglect. In
2006, 34 children were victims of
child abuse homicides in NC.
Children who are physically abused
may: be nervous around adults; be
watchful as though preparing for
something bad to happen; have diffi-
culty playing; act aggressively to-
wards adults and other children; sud-
denly underachieve or overachieve at
school; find it difficult to trust peo-
ple and make friends; or arrive at
school too early or leave after the
other children.
Children who are neglected or emo-
tionally abused may: have difficulty
learning to talk; find it hard to de-
velop close relationships; be overly
friendly with strangers; be unable to
play imaginatively;
think badly of them-
selves; or under-
achieve at school.
None of these signs
prove that child mal-
treatment is present,
since any of them may
be noticeable at one
time or another. But
when they occur repeatedly or in
combination with one another, the
child may be suffering abuse.
To help prevent child abuse, you can:
be a nurturing parent; help a friend,
neighbor, or relative who is having
difficulty with family; educate par-
ents you know about healthy child
development and healthy parenting;
get involved-advocate
for services that help
families; ask for help
for yourself; tell par-
ents in your commu-
nity that parenting is
hard; offer your sup-
port for parents in
your community.
If you suspect a child
is being maltreated, the child must be
protected. Call social services or 911.
You can find more information on rec-
ognizing and preventing child abuse at
www.preventchildabusenc.org or
www.preventchildabuse.org.