Asia stocks fall on weaker US housing data

BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets fell Friday after the latest data on U.S. housing dimmed hopes of improvement in an industry that is crucial to recovery in the world's No. 1 economy.

The National Association of Realtors' index of sales agreements showed Thursday that the number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose only slightly in September from August. That suggests sales may level off in the coming months after solid gains in the past year.

The figures were a letdown for investors whose hopes had been bolstered by data Wednesday that showed new home sales rose last month to the highest annual pace in the past two and a half years.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.9 percent to 8,973.97. South Korea's Kospi slid 1.5 percent to 1,896.70. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.9 percent to 21,620.87. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.7 percent to 4,478.60.

A mixed batch of U.S. corporate earnings did little to kindle interest in risky assets. Infant formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition reported revenue well below what analysts expected. Profits at United Airlines slid with fewer people flying. But consumer products company Procter & Gamble posted earnings that beat analysts' estimates.

Investors preferred to book profits on recent gains while waiting for additional data to confirm recent signs that China's manufacturing slowdown may be close to bottoming out.

"The Hong Kong market is at a relatively high level. We need more data to confirm what is our next move, so now it's time for profit-taking," said Linus Yip, strategist at First Shanghai Securities in Hong Kong.

Among individual stocks, Kia Motors Corp. tumbled 5.8 percent after the company reported a third-quarter net profit that was below expectations. The company, South Korea's second-largest carmaker, was hobbled by a labor strike over the summer and weak domestic sales.

Samsung Electronics fell 2 percent, even though the company posted a record third quarter profit as concerns over long-term growth weighed stocks down.

But Hong Kong-listed Bank of China rose 1 percent after announcing its quarterly profit rose 17 percent despite an economic slowdown.

On Wall Street on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.2 percent to 13,103.68. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 0.3 percent to 1,412.97. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.2 percent to 2,986.12.

Benchmark oil for December delivery was down 57 cents to $85.48 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained 32 cents to finish at $86.05 in New York on Thursday, its first rise in four days.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.2934 from $1.2949. The dollar fell to 80.07 yen from 80.29 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-fall-weaker-us-housing-data-032848441--finance.html

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Surface pre-order deliveries delayed in the UK and Canada, Microsoft offers coupon for the inconvenience

We began hearing grumblings of delayed Surface deliveries in the very early hours of this morning, and it seems it's not an unlucky few that are suffering, but an unlucky many. There were reports of delays to shipments in the UK and Canada less than a week ago, but Microsoft was quick to dismiss the claims as an error and put minds at rest. Now, it seems, the white flag has been waved and blame acknowledged. Eager to appease disgruntled customers, the company is offering a £50 or $50 Canadian coupon (depending on your accent) to spend in the Windows Store as recompense. While it provides little relief to those who had a shut-in weekend planned, at least you can trick out your new toy when it finally arrives, at Microsoft's expense. And, if you've received neither a Surface nor a coupon, we suggest you reach out for the freebie -- if your fingers aren't hitting tiles, they might as well be hitting keys instead.

[Thanks to Daniel and all others who sent this in]

Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft

Surface pre-order deliveries delayed in the UK and Canada, Microsoft offers coupon for the inconvenience originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Is Aphasia In Children? ? An Overview | Speech Therapy

Any injury to the head is considered as a serious matter and the person is kept under observation for the first 24 hours to see if he or she develops any signs and symptoms of any condition that might result in complications. Aphasia In Children and in adults is also a result of damage, injury to the head, or could be due to some brain disease, infection, dementia, or tumor etc.

It is a language disorder and it reduces the ability to read, write, speak, understand, or use words to communicate effectively. In some cases aphasia in children also results in complete lack of the above mentioned communication skills. Let us learn more about this condition in general and its symptoms in children and adults.

What Is It?
Aphasia is a language disorder that adversely affects an individual?s ability to communicate his feelings, ideas, or thoughts either verbally or in written form. Any person with this condition finds it very difficult to understand what is being said, finds it hard to spell, write, or speak, and express his or her needs.

This condition results when that part of the brain is damaged or negatively affected which controls and manages the language and communication abilities.

What Are The Causes Of This Condition?
A few of the reasons that could lead to this problem are:

• Stroke
• Injury or damage due to accident or any other reason
• Lack of blood supply and oxygen to the brain cells
• Dementia
• Trauma
• Infection
• Seizures
• Brain tumor
• Disease
• Alzheimer?s
• Parkinson?s
• Lesions on brain
• Delay in acquiring language skills
• Other language disorders like verbal apraxia, dysarthria etc.

Symptoms:
The signs of this condition are:

• These individuals find it very difficult to understand language.
• They have a very hard time speaking and it is very hard to reply instantly.
• Forming words, simple phrases, and small sentences that can make sense or convey the message properly.
• Their verbal ability is very limited and is restricted to a very few words.
• Their pronunciation is very poor and others can hardly comprehend.
• It is very bothering and troubling for them to name objects, people, and places.
• Repeating a phrase or a simple sentence is also difficult.
• They speak grammatically incorrect phrases.
• Their ability to read is also vastly affected in a bad way.
• Writing and spelling is also difficult and is adversely affected.
• Long and odd pauses can be seen when these sufferers try to speak.
• Processing language is difficult.
• Difficulty in understanding what others are talking to them is witnessed etc.

Types Of Aphasia:
This disorder can be divided into the following types:

1. Receptive:
   Any damage or trauma or injury to the Wernicke?s part of the brain results in the symptoms. It is further divided into three subtypes.
   • Pure Word Deafness:
     Injury, damage or lesions to the posterior superior temporal lobes of the brain result in this condition.
   • Alexia:
     Damage to the left hemisphere of the brain affects the ability to understand the text and this condition is also called as Text Blindness.
   • Visual Asymbolia:
     This condition happens when the words are hard for the sufferer to recognize.
2. Intermediate:
   Intermediate aphasia results in a condition where the sufferer finds it difficult to remember names of object, people, and places. These individuals also find it hard to find words to express themselves clearly.
3. Expressive:
   In this condition the patient finds it hard to initiate a conversation, it is a full of grammatical mistakes, is full of awkward pauses, and is very slow. Lack of oxygen to the brain cells is the main reason for this type of aphasia.
   • Fluent:
     This type of aphasia does not affect the speech but hinders the process of comprehending the information. It could be due to auditory problem, or due to some injury to the brain.
   • Non-fluent:
     The audibility is good, comprehension is fine, but the speech is affected in this subtype of aphasia.
   • Pure:
     Recognizing words, reading, and writing is hindered in this type of aphasia. In some cases only reading could be affected while in others only writing, etc.
4. Primary:
   Primary aphasia is related to the mechanics of processing the language.
5. Secondary:
   This type of aphasia occurs because of deficit in attention span, reduced memory, problems with perception and understanding.

Treatment Options:
Depending upon the cause different treatments are designed for each patient to aid in reducing the severity of the symptoms and correct the problem to a major extent. Neuropsychologists, physicians, speech language therapists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists are a few of the specialists that can help a child or an adult with this problem.

• There are some cases the blocked supply of blood and oxygen to the brain cells was restored on its own and the problem was effectively cured, but it is not so in every case.
• In other cases the condition is not cured completely and hence a speech and language therapist?s assistance is required.
• Substitute Skill Model (SSM) helps speech and writing skills.
• (DTM) Direct Treatment Model aims at addressing the core issues and problems with certain exercises.
• (VCT) Visual Communication Therapy targets improvement in speech with the help of symbols and index cards.
• (VAT) Visual Action Therapy aids patients in using gestures for specific objects and help communicate.
• (FCT) Functional Communication Treatment helps individuals improve their conversational, expressional, functional, and social activities.
• PACE (Promoting Aphasic?s Communicative Effectiveness) encourages and assists the patient in having a normal communication between them and the therapists.
• Alternative Methods use different methods like drawing, gesturing, and using symbols to communicate and express.

These are some of the types, symptoms, causes, and treatment options available for aphasia in children and adults. If you notice some of the signs in any child or an adult it is better to consult a psychologist for further diagnosis and eventual treatment.

Source: http://speechtherapy.ygoy.com/2012/10/26/what-is-aphasia-in-children-an-overview/

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East Coast readies for 'Frankenstorm' monster

Map shows path of Hurricane Sandy

Map shows path of Hurricane Sandy

This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 10:45 AM EDT shows Hurricane Sandy over the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and moving toward the north. Farther north, a cold front moves into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley with showers and thunderstorms. (AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)

A woman cries out in front of her flooded house caused by heavy rains from Hurricane Sandy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy rumbled across mountainous eastern Cuba and headed toward the Bahamas on Thursday as a Category 2 storm, bringing heavy rains and blistering winds. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

A fallen tree and toppled light poles block a road in Kingston, Jamaica, after the passing of Hurricane Sandy, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Sandy, which made landfall Wednesday afternoon near Kingston, crossed over Jamaica killing an elderly man when a boulder crashed into his clapboard house, police said. (AP Photo/Collin Reid)

Residents wade through a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Hurricane Sandy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy rumbled across mountainous eastern Cuba and headed toward the Bahamas on Thursday as a Category 2 storm, bringing heavy rains and blistering winds. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The pre-Halloween hybrid weather monster that federal forecasters call "Frankenstorm" is looking more ominous by the hour for the East Coast, and utilities and local governments are getting ready.

Meteorologists expect a natural horror show of high wind, heavy rain, extreme tides and maybe snow to the west beginning early Sunday, peaking with the arrival of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday and lingering past Halloween on Wednesday.

With a rare mix of three big merging weather systems over a densely populated region, experts predict at least $1 billion in damage.

The stage is set as Hurricane Sandy, having blown through Haiti and Cuba, continues to barrel north. A wintry storm is chugging across the country from the west. And frigid air is streaming south from Canada.

And if they meet Tuesday morning around New York or New Jersey, as forecasters predict, they could create a big, wet mess that settles over the nation's most heavily populated corridor and reaches as far west as Ohio.

Utilities are lining up out-of-state work crews and canceling employees' days off to deal with expected power outages. From county disaster chiefs to the federal government, emergency officials are warning the public to be prepared. And President Barack Obama was briefed aboard Air Force One.

"It's looking like a very serious storm that could be historic," said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the forecasting service Weather Underground. "Mother Nature is not saying, 'Trick or treat.' It's just going to give tricks."

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecaster Jim Cisco, who coined the nickname Frankenstorm, said: "We don't have many modern precedents for what the models are suggesting."

Government forecasters said there is a 90 percent chance ? up from 60 percent two days earlier ? that the East will get pounded.

Coastal areas from Florida to Maine will feel some effects, but the storm is expected to vent the worst of its fury on New Jersey and the New York City area, which could see around 5 inches of rain and gale-force winds close to 40 mph. Eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania and western Virginia could get snow.

And the storm will take its time leaving. The weather may not start clearing in the mid-Atlantic until the day after Halloween and Nov. 2 in the upper Northeast, Cisco said.

"It's almost a weeklong, five-day, six-day event," he said from a NOAA forecast center in College Park, Md. "It's going to be a widespread, serious storm."

It is likely to hit during a full moon, when tides are near their highest, increasing the risk of coastal flooding. And because many trees still have their leaves, they are more likely to topple in the event of wind and snow, meaning there could be widespread power outages lasting to Election Day.

Eastern states that saw outages that lasted for days after last year's freak Halloween snowstorm and Hurricane Irene in late August 2011 are already pressuring power companies to be more ready this time.

Asked if he expected utilities to be more prepared, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick responded: "They'd better be."

Jersey Central Power & Light, which was criticized for its response to Irene, notified employees to be ready for extended shifts. In Pennsylvania, PPL Corp. spokesman Michael Wood said, "We're in a much better place this year."

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday said the city was striking a tone of calm preparedness.

"What we are doing is we are taking the kind of precautions you should expect us to do, and I don't think anyone should panic," Bloomberg said. The city has opened an emergency situation room and activated its coastal storm plan.

Some have compared the tempest to the so-called Perfect Storm that struck off the coast of New England in 1991, but that one hit a less populated area. Nor is this one like last year's Halloween storm, which was merely an early snowfall.

"The Perfect Storm only did $200 million of damage and I'm thinking a billion" this time, Masters said. "Yeah, it will be worse."

As it made its way across the Caribbean, Sandy was blamed for at least 20 deaths. The 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season hit the Bahamas after cutting across Cuba, where it tore roofs off homes and damaged fragile coffee and tomato crops.

Norje Pupo, a 66-year-old retiree in Holguin, was helping his son clean up early Thursday after an enormous tree toppled in his garden.

"The hurricane really hit us hard," he said. "As you can see, we were very affected. The houses are not poorly made here, but some may have been damaged."

___

Associated Press writers Tony Winton in Miami, Fernando Gonzalez in Cuba, Ken Thomas on Air Force One, Michael Rubinkam in Harrisburg, Pa., and Karen Matthews in New York contributed to this report.

___

Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-26-Super%20Storm/id-75e19c9193044578866740d5b9c57177

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Magnetic brain stimulation treats depression independent of sleep effect

ScienceDaily (Oct. 26, 2012) ? While powerful magnetic stimulation of the frontal lobe of the brain can alleviate symptoms of depression, those receiving the treatment did not report effects on sleep or arousal commonly seen with antidepressant medications, researchers say.

"People's sleep gets better as their depression improves, but the treatment doesn't itself cause sedation or insomnia." said Dr. Peter B. Rosenquist, Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University.

The finding resulted from a secondary analysis of a study of 301 patients at 23 sites comparing the anti-depressive effects of the Neuronetics Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy System to sham (placebo) treatment in patients resistant to antidepressant medications. TMS sessions were given for 40 minutes, five days a week for six weeks. Initial findings, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry in 2007, were the primary evidence in the Food and Drug Administration's approval of TMS for depression. The secondary review reaffirmed TMS's effectiveness in depression but revealed no differences in rates of insomnia or sleepiness among those who got actual and sham (placebo) therapy. Patients in the treatment group were also no more likely to request medication for insomnia or anxiety.

"It's important for us to understand the full range of the effects of any treatment we give," said Rosenquist, corresponding author of the study in the journal Psychiatric Research. The new findings will assuage worries of sleep-related side effects and remind physicians to remain alert to residual insomnia in depressed patients they are treating with TMS, the researchers report.

Sleep problems are a common side effect of major antidepressants: some drugs sedate patients while others stimulate them and increase insomnia. Insomnia occurs in 50-90 percent of patients with major depressive disorder. Other depressed patients complain they sleep too much. The good news is that TMS does not contribute to insomnia or oversleeping.

"One of the many bad things about depression is that often patients cannot sleep. We think it's a significant symptom," Rosenquist said. "If patients can't sleep, it really adds to their distress, and even increases the likelihood of suicide. We need antidepressant treatments that patients can tolerate so that they will stay with the treatment, which takes weeks to fully achieve. Our study adds to the evidence showing that TMS has remarkably few side effects." Patients often seek TMS as an option or adjunct to medication to avoid medication side effects.

"Mood disorders are associated with widespread structural and functional changes in the human brain, which can be reversed with successful treatment," Rosenquist said. "Clinical researchers are working to find the optimal way to restore normal brain function."

TMS targets the prefrontal cortex of the brain, involved in mood regulation as well as other higher-order functions like planning, evaluating and decision-making. In this procedure, patients sit in a recliner and receive brief pulses of a MRI strength magnet held against the front of the head. The magnetic energy of TMS causes the brain cells closest to the surface of the brain to increase their activity which in turn influences the activity of the brain as a whole.

Major Depressive Disorder affects approximately 14.8 million, or about 6.7 percent of American adults in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It's the leading cause of disability in ages 15 to 44. Despite the numbers, Rosenquist concedes that it's not clear what causes depression or exactly how antidepressants and other therapies, such as TMS, work. "It's an important puzzle and the work continues. We are excited to be a part of this effort at Georgia Health Sciences University."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Georgia Health Sciences University. The original article was written by Toni Baker.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Peter B. Rosenquist, Andrew Krystal, Karen L. Heart, Mark A. Demitrack, W. Vaughn McCall. Left dorsolateral prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): Sleep factor changes during treatment in patients with pharmacoresistant major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Research, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.09.011

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/mental_health/~3/rbjAuZ2nTCI/121026125015.htm

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Assisting Children with High-Functioning Autism: Parenting Tips

If you've recently learned that your youngster has - or might have - High-Functioning Autism (HFA) or Asperger?s Syndrome, you're probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No mother or father is ever prepared to hear that their youngster is anything other than happy and healthy, and a diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism can be particularly frightening for some parents. You may be unsure about how to best help your youngster or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Also, you may have been told that High-Functioning Autism is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make a difference.

While it is true that High-Functioning Autism is not something a child simply "grows out of," there are many treatments that can help kids learn new skills and overcome a wide variety of developmental challenges. From free government services to in-home behavioral therapy and school-based programs, assistance is available to meet your youngster's special needs. With the right treatment plan, and a lot of love and support, your youngster can learn, grow, and thrive.

Here is a comprehensive list of things to consider:

1. Accept your youngster, quirks and all. Rather than focusing on how your HFA youngster is different from other kids and what he or she is ?missing,? practice acceptance. Enjoy your kid?s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your youngster to others. Feeling unconditionally loved and accepted will help your youngster more than anything else.

2. Be consistent. Kids with High-Functioning Autism have a hard time adapting what they?ve learned in one setting (e.g., a therapist?s office or school) to other settings, including the home. Creating consistency in your youngster?s environment is the best way to reinforce learning. Find out what your youngster?s therapists are doing and continue their techniques at home. Explore the possibility of having therapy take place in more than one place in order to encourage your youngster to transfer what he or she has learned from one environment to another. It?s also important to be consistent in the way you interact with your youngster and deal with challenging behaviors.

3. Become an expert on your youngster. Figure out what triggers your kid?s ?bad? or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your HFA youngster find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your youngster, you?ll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing situations that cause difficulties.

4. Caring for a youngster with High-Functioning Autism can demand a lot of energy and time. There may be days when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. Parenting isn?t ever easy, and raising a youngster with HFA is even more challenging. It?s essential that you take care of yourself in order to be the best mother or father you can be. Don?t try to do everything on your own. You don?t have to! There are many places that families of HFA children can turn to for advice, a helping hand, advocacy, and support.
?

5. Create a home safety zone. Carve out a private space in your home where your youngster can relax, feel secure, and be safe. This will involve organizing and setting boundaries in ways he can understand. Visual cues can be helpful (e.g., colored tape marking areas that are off limits, labeling items in the house with pictures). You may also need to safety proof the house, particularly if he is prone to tantrums or other self-injurious behaviors.

6. Don?t give up. It?s impossible to predict the course of High-Functioning Autism. Don?t jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your youngster. Like everyone else, people with High-Functioning Autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.

7. Don?t wait for a diagnosis. As the mother or father of a youngster with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger?s Syndrome, the best thing you can do is to start treatment right away. Seek help as soon as you suspect something?s wrong. Don't wait to see if your youngster will catch up later or outgrow the problem. Don't even wait for an official diagnosis. The earlier kids with HFA get help, the greater their chance of treatment success. Early intervention is the most effective way to speed up your youngster's development and reduce the symptoms of HFA.

8. Every mother or father needs a break now and again. And for moms and dads coping with the added stress of High-Functioning Autism, this is especially true. In respite care, another caregiver takes over temporarily, giving you a break for a few hours, days, or even weeks.

9. Figure out the need behind the temper tantrum. It?s only natural to feel upset when you are misunderstood or ignored, and it?s no different for kids with High-Functioning Autism. When kids with High-Functioning Autism act out, it?s often because you?re not picking up on their nonverbal cues. Throwing a tantrum is their way communicating their frustration and getting your attention.

10. If stress, anxiety, or depression is getting to you, you may want to see a therapist of your own. Therapy is a safe place where you can talk honestly about everything you?re feeling?the good, the bad, and the ugly. Marriage or family therapy can also help you work out problems that the challenges of life with an HFA youngster are causing in your spousal relationship or with other family members.

11. HFA infants and toddlers through the age of two can receive assistance through the Early Intervention program. In order to qualify, your youngster must first undergo a free evaluation. If the assessment reveals a developmental problem, you will work with early intervention treatment providers to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). An IFSP describes your youngster?s needs and the specific services he or she will receive. For High-Functioning Autism, an IFSP would include a variety of behavior, physical, speech, and play therapies. It would focus on preparing HFA children for the eventual transition to school. Early intervention services are typically conducted in the home or at a childcare center. To locate local early intervention services for your youngster, ask your doctor for a referral.

12. Joining a support group is a great way to meet other families dealing with the same challenges you are. Moms and dads can share information, get advice, and lean on each other for emotional support. Just being around others in the same boat and sharing their experience can go a long way toward reducing the isolation many moms and dads feel after receiving the youngster?s diagnosis.

13. Keep in mind that no matter what treatment plan is chosen, your involvement is vital to success. You can help your youngster get the most out of treatment by working hand-in-hand with the treatment team and following through with the therapy at home.

14. HFA kids over the age of three may receive assistance through school-based programs. As with early intervention, special education services are tailored to your youngster?s individual needs. Kids with HFA are often placed with other developmentally-delayed children in small groups where they can receive more individual attention and specialized instruction. However, depending on their abilities, they may also spend at least part of the school day in a regular classroom. The goal is to place children in the least restrictive environment possible where they are still able to learn. If you?d like to pursue special education services, your local school system will first need to evaluate your youngster. Based on this assessment, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be created. An IEP outlines the educational goals for your youngster for the school year. Additionally, it describes the special services or aids the school will provide your youngster in order to meet those goals.

15. Learn about High-Functioning Autism. The more you know about HFA, the better equipped you?ll be to make informed decisions for your youngster. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.

16. Look for nonverbal cues. If you are observant and aware, you can learn to pick up on the nonverbal cues that kids with High-Functioning Autism use to communicate. Pay attention to the kinds of sounds they make, their facial expressions, and the gestures they use when they?re tired, hungry, or want something.

17. Make time for fun. A youngster coping with High-Functioning Autism is still a kid. For kids and their moms and dads, there needs to be more to life than therapy. Schedule playtime when your youngster is most alert and awake. Figure out ways to have fun together by thinking about the things that make her smile, laugh, and come out of her shell. Your youngster is likely to enjoy these activities most if they don?t seem therapeutic or educational. There are tremendous benefits that result from your enjoyment of your youngster?s company and from her enjoyment of spending un-pressured time with you.? Play is an essential part of learning and shouldn?t feel like work.

18. Pay attention to your youngster?s sensory sensitivities. Many kids with High-Functioning Autism are hypersensitive to light, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Other kids are ?under-sensitive? to sensory stimuli. Figure out what sights, sounds, smells, movements, and tactile sensations trigger your kid?s ?bad? or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your HFA youngster find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your youngster, you?ll be better at trouble-shooting problems, preventing situations that cause difficulties, and creating successful experiences.

19. Reward good behavior. Positive reinforcement can go a long way with kids with High-Functioning Autism, so make an effort to ?catch them doing something good.? Praise them when they act appropriately or learn a new skill, being very specific about what behavior they?re being praised for. Also look for other ways to reward them for good behavior (e.g., giving them a sticker, letting them play with a favorite toy, etc.).

20. Stick to a schedule. Kids with High-Functioning Autism tend to do best when they have a highly-structured schedule or routine. This goes back to the consistency they both need and crave. Set up a schedule for your youngster, with regular times for meals, therapy, school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to a minimum. If there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepare him for it in advance.

21. Under the U.S. federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), kids with disabilities?including those with HFA?are eligible for a range of free or low-cost services. Under this provision, kids in need and their families may receive:

• assisted technology devices
• medical evaluations
• parent counseling and training
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• speech therapy
• other specialized services

Kids under the age of 10 do not need a diagnosis to receive free services under IDEA. If they are experiencing a developmental delay, including delays in communication or social development, they are automatically eligible for early intervention and special education services.

22. With so many different treatments available, it can be tough to figure out which approach is right for your youngster. Making things even more complicated, you may hear different or even conflicting recommendations from other moms and dads ? and even doctors. When putting together a treatment plan for your youngster, keep in mind that there is no single treatment that will work for everyone. Each child with High-Functioning Autism is unique, with different strengths and weaknesses.

23. Your youngster?s treatment should be tailored according to his or her individual needs. You know your youngster best, so it?s up to you to make sure those needs are being met. You can do that by asking yourself the following questions:

• How does my youngster learn best (e.g., through seeing, listening, or doing)?
• What are my youngster?s strengths?
• What are my youngster?s weaknesses?
• What behaviors are causing the most problems?
• What does my youngster enjoy and how can those activities be used in treatment?
• What important skills is my youngster lacking?

24. Know that a good treatment plan will:

• Actively engage your youngster's attention in highly structured activities
• Build on your youngster's interests
• Offer a predictable schedule
• Provide regular reinforcement of behavior
• Involve the moms and dads
• Teach tasks as a series of simple steps

25. Know your youngster?s rights. As the mother or father of an HFA youngster, you have a legal right to:

• Seek an outside evaluation for your youngster
• Request an IEP meeting at any time if you feel your youngster?s needs are not being met
• Invite anyone you want?from a relative to your youngster?s doctor?to be on the IEP team
• Free or low-cost legal representation if you can?t come to an agreement with the school
• Disagree with the school system?s recommendations
• Be involved in developing your youngster?s IEP from start to finish

The Aspergers Comprehensive Handbook: Help for Parents with HFA ans AS Children and Teens

Source: http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2012/10/assisting-children-with-high.html

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Forecasters warn East Coast about 'Frankenstorm'

Map shows path of Hurricane Sandy

Map shows path of Hurricane Sandy

This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 10:45 AM EDT shows Hurricane Sandy over the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and moving toward the north. Farther north, a cold front moves into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley with showers and thunderstorms. (AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)

A woman cries out in front of her flooded house caused by heavy rains from Hurricane Sandy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy rumbled across mountainous eastern Cuba and headed toward the Bahamas on Thursday as a Category 2 storm, bringing heavy rains and blistering winds. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

A fallen tree and toppled light poles block a road in Kingston, Jamaica, after the passing of Hurricane Sandy, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Sandy, which made landfall Wednesday afternoon near Kingston, crossed over Jamaica killing an elderly man when a boulder crashed into his clapboard house, police said. (AP Photo/Collin Reid)

Residents wade through a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Hurricane Sandy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Hurricane Sandy rumbled across mountainous eastern Cuba and headed toward the Bahamas on Thursday as a Category 2 storm, bringing heavy rains and blistering winds. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? All the spare parts appear to be coming together to create what forecasters are calling "Frankenstorm," a monster combination of high wind, heavy rain, extreme tides and maybe snow that could cause havoc along the East Coast just before Halloween next week.

Hurricane Sandy, having blown through Haiti and Cuba on Thursday, continues to barrel north. A wintry storm is chugging across from the West. And frigid air is streaming south from Canada.

And if they meet Tuesday morning around New York or New Jersey, as forecasters predict, they could create a big wet mess that settles over the nation's most heavily populated corridor and reaches as far inland as Ohio.

With experts expecting at least $1 billion in damage, the people who will have to clean it up aren't waiting.

Utilities are lining up out-of-state work crews and canceling employees' days off to deal with the power outages. From county disaster chiefs to the federal government, emergency officials are warning the public to be prepared. And President Barack Obama was briefed aboard Air Force One.

"It's looking like a very serious storm that could be historic," said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the forecasting service Weather Underground. "Mother Nature is not saying 'trick-or-treat.' It's just going to give tricks."

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecaster Jim Cisco, who coined the nickname Frankenstorm, said: "We don't have many modern precedents for what the models are suggesting."

Government forecasters said there is a 90 percent chance ? up from 60 percent two days earlier ? that the East will get pounded starting Sunday and stretching past Halloween on Wednesday. Things are expected to get messier once Sandy, a very late hurricane in what has been a remarkably quiet season, comes ashore, probably in New Jersey.

Coastal areas from Florida to Maine will feel some effects, but the storm is expected to vent the worst of its fury on New Jersey and the New York City area, which could see around 5 inches of rain and gale-force winds close to 40 mph. Eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, western Virginia and the Shenandoah Mountains could get snow.

And the storm will take its time leaving. The weather may not start clearing in the mid-Atlantic until the day after Halloween and Nov. 2 in the upper Northeast, Cisco said.

"It's almost a weeklong, five-day, six-day event," he said from a NOAA forecast center in College Park, Md. "It's going to be a widespread, serious storm."

It is likely to hit during a full moon, when tides are near their highest, increasing the risk of coastal flooding. And because many trees still have their leaves, they are more likely to topple in the event of wind and snow, meaning there could be widespread power outages lasting to Election Day.

Eastern states that saw blackouts that lasted for days after last year's freak Halloween snowstorm and Hurricane Irene in late August 2011 are already pressuring power companies to be more ready this time.

Asked if he expected utilities to be more prepared, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick responded: "They'd better be."

Jersey Central Power & Light, which was criticized for its response to Irene, notified employees to be ready for extended shifts. In Pennsylvania, PPL Corp. spokesman Michael Wood said, "We're in a much better place this year."

Some have compared the tempest to the so-called Perfect Storm that struck off the coast of New England in 1991, but that one didn't hit as populated an area. Nor is this one like last year's Halloween storm, which was merely an early snowfall.

"The Perfect Storm only did $200 million of damage and I'm thinking a billion," Masters said. "Yeah, it will be worse."

As it made its way across the Caribbean, Sandy was blamed for at least four deaths in Haiti and Jamaica. The 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season hit the Bahamas after cutting across Cuba, where it tore roofs off homes and damaged fragile coffee and tomato crops.

Norje Pupo, a 66-year-old retiree in Holguin, was helping his son clean up early Thursday after an enormous tree toppled in his garden.

"The hurricane really hit us hard," he said. "As you can see, we were very affected. The houses are not poorly made here, but some may have been damaged."

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Associated Press writers Tony Winton in Miami, Fernando Gonzalez in Cuba, Ken Thomas on Air Force One, and Michael Rubinkam in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.

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Online:

NOAA's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/index.shtml

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

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Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-10-25-US-SCI-Super-Storm/id-226d4b4e46944241b52b6528a815d0fc

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