The Power Of Therapeutic Music Through The Eyes Of Compositional Legends

BY MARTHA SUMMA-CHADWICK & STEVE WEISER A spectacular series of concert performances, lectures, and workshops to advocate for a very special musical cause is scheduled in the beautiful city of Erie, Pennsylvania, during the week of April 13 to 17. The Erie Chamber Orchestra (ECO) has designed a distinctive week long festival to promote the idea of music for therapeutic as well as aesthetic use. To create this unique musical tapestry, the ECO has woven a network of local, regional, and national partners to […]

Bullying … What Can Be Done? – Part 3 of 3

ANNUAL EDUCATION ISSUE BY SUZANNE PEARSON Nationwide, more than one quarter of the students in grades 6 through 12 are victims of bullying. News stories about the problem make regular appearances on television and newspaper outlets, sometimes with tragic endings. Bullying has moved from an adolescent rite of passage to a serious obstruction that is affecting the success of our entire education system. To further exacerbate the problem, students who are being bullied are likely […]

Bullying: Prevalence & Resources – Part 2 of 3

ANNUAL EDUCATION ISSUE BY LAUREN AGORATUS In each state there is a Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center which provides technical assistance to families as well as professionals. PTIs provide information about the rights of the students and the responsibilities of the districts. Research shows that children with disabilities are even more likely to be the victims of bullying than their peers without special needs. Special initiatives have been created to address this issue. Families […]

Taking A Small Step Back To Take A Giant Leap Forward – Part 1 of 3

BY WALTER MAYER, L.M.S.W. Proactively emphasizing and teaching positive expectations and values such as respect, acceptance, empathy, positivity, cooperation and peaceful coexistence can serve to establish a new climate. Lately it seems that, for better or worse, we have all become more aware of ‘bullying’ and its negative impact on children and school culture. Unfortunately, some have gone so far as deeming it an ‘epidemic’. Also unfortunate is the vagueness of the term ‘bullying’ and, […]

Prevention, Evaluation, And Management Of Low Bone Density – PART 1

BY PHILIP MAY MD  Prevention, Evaluation, and Management of Low Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Encountered in Adults with Developmental and Intellectual DisabilitiesClinical experience and published reports have shown that low BMD is especially common in adults with developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, and cerebral palsy. Abstract For various reasons, high frequency of low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk for fracture are often encountered in adults with “medically complex developmental disabilities” […]