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FACTS
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Unicef estimates there are 200 million children with disabilities globally ~ 10 per cent of the
world's children.
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BOOKS OF INTEREST
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Rachel in The World: A Memoir, Jane Bernstein, 2007
Being The Other One: Growing Up With A Brother or Sister Who Has Special Needs, Kate Strohm, 2005
This Lovely Life, Vicky Forman, 2009
Rex: A Mother, Her Autistic Child, and the Music that Transformed Their Lives, Cathleen Lewis, 2008
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ONLINE
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'Your questions come,
I sense, from your loneliness'
Last year, Ian Brown shared with Globe readers his confusion and wonder as the father of a boy with extraordinary disabilities. He found some answers in the work of Jean Vanier, the founder of the L'Arche network of communities. This spring, the two met for the first time. Today, they renew their dialogue.
Sept. 27, 2008
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Welcome to the first BLOOM e-letter. BLOOM addresses the joys and challenges of parenting kids with disabilities by combining firsthand family insights and advice from leading experts at Bloorview Kids Rehab and beyond. This is an update to give you a sneak peek at articles coming up in our June 2009 issue and links to other resources. Please e-mail us with your ideas and visit us online at www.bloorview.ca/bloom!
Louise Kinross, BLOOM Editor |
| Bloorview scientists read minds with infrared scan
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 Researchers at Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital have developed a technique that uses infrared light brain imaging to decode preference - with the goal of ultimately opening the world of choice to children who can't speak or move.
In a study published this month in The Journal of Neural Engineering, Bloorview scientists demonstrate the ability to decode a person's preference for one of two drinks with 80 per cent accuracy by measuring the intensity of near-infrared light absorbed in brain tissue.
Read more in the June issue of BLOOM or click here to read a related Toronto Star article.
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| Getting from A to B
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 Learning how to use public transit is part of growing up."It represents independence," says Sarah Keenan, life-skills coach with the Skills for Transition program at Bloorview. Tips from Bloorview life-skills coaches on how to teach your child to use public transit. More >
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| Save for your child's future
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 Canada's new Registered Disability Savings Plan is a tax-free vehicle to help parents save for the long-term needs of children with severe disabilities. More >
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A different approach
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A behaviour analyst responds to a BLOOM article about self-injury, suggesting other ways to reduce self-harming behaviour. More >
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RESOURCES
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It's About Ability
A booklet that explains the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to children, and how they can use it to advocate for equal treatment.
deafplanet.com
The first TV show and website in American Sign Language.
5minutesforspecialneeds.com
Support and insight from bloggers who are parents of kids with special needs.
Living with Autism Study
An American study by Easter Seals found that more than 80 per cent of adults with autism between the ages of 19 and 30 are living at home. Only one-fifth of children 16 and over with autism are employed, compared to 75 per cent of people that age without developmental disabilities.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/Adapted_Integrated/index.htm
The City of Toronto's Adapted Programs and Integrated Services Recreation Resource Guides for People with Disabilities are available in regular and large print, as well as Braille.
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Parent Picks
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Please tell us about activities and places you've found welcoming and accessible to children with disabilities - anywhere! We'll post some on our web site.
· Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough, Ont. is a small-scale zoo with 27 exhibits and 40 species of animals, including camels, cougars and otters, suitable for younger children. It's wheelchair-accessible and includes an integrated playground with equipment for children with physical disabilities. Admission is free and a ride on the vintage miniature train is $1 per person.
Click here for more www.peterboroughutilities.ca/Park_and_Zoo
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Articles in BLOOM are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Community and web resources listed in BLOOM do not necessarily signify endorsement by Bloorview Kids Rehab. Where appropriate, please consult your physician.
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