Category: Autism


Dec
2014

“The Power of Yoga”

categories: Autism, Health

A child in a seated yoga pose with his eyes shutIntroduction

Yoga has been a constant part of my life as I grow personally and professionally. It has been even more important as I find myself in a new city and on a new career path. I currently work in the field of autism and health services research. Recently, I took a yoga class that unexpectedly brought these two parts of my life together: yoga and learning about autism.

A Personal Story

My friend and I had taken this yoga class a couple of times together. It is a restorative yoga class, and the main purpose of it is to relax. In past classes, we had noticed that the teacher of this class was very thorough with her cues. She was also patient and thoughtful and had a very calming voice and presence. Near the end of the class, the teacher explained how much yoga has helped her as a person on the autism spectrum.
I was instantly struck by how brave she was for sharing that she has autism. At the same time, I was bothered that this felt inspirational. Sadly, the stigma associated with autism is such that someone may be seen as being brave for telling a group of people that she is on the autism spectrum. I admire this small, perhaps unintentional, effort to chip away at the stigma connected to autism.

Yoga for Autism

I am also amazed by the power of yoga. I knew about yoga practices for pregnancy, depression, victims of trauma, weight loss, and for those recovering from addiction, but I had never heard about yoga for autism. Based on what I know about autism, it makes perfect sense. Yoga focuses on quieting the mind and unifying the mind and body to bring peace.
Radiant Child Yoga is one organization that runs trainings for learning how to teach yoga to children with autism, ADHD, and different abilities. They believe that yoga helps children with special needs by:

    • activating calming hormones
    • giving children self-regulation tools by focusing on breath and movement
    • balancing brain hemispheres and improving mood
    • organizing and relaxing the nervous system
    • building self-confidence & self-affirmation

Even after ten years of practicing yoga, I am constantly reminded of the awesome power of yoga to clear the mind, open the heart, and strengthen the body. I believe the practice can truly benefit anyone and everyone and wish that yoga could be accessible to everyone who wants to try it.

For more information on this topic, please see the following websites:
Radiant Child Yoga https://childrensyoga.com/yoga-for-adhd-add-and-differently-abled-children/
Yoga Movement Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder https://www.yogamovementtherapy.com/classes-workshops/yoga-for-children-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/
“Classroom Yoga Helps Improve Behavior of Kids with Autism” by Eliza Barclay https://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/12/162782583/classroom-yoga-helps-improve-behavior-of-kids-with-autism


Dec
2014

Autism Insurance What to do if you receive a treatment denial No doesn’t always mean no

categories: Autism

a soldier at a castle saying, News from the battlefield, sire. Out army was declared victorious. However, the Huns have challenged that ruling and it is currently under review….As a project director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center of Massachusetts, I work with families who try to get autism therapies covered by insurance. The good news is when a family finds out their insurance covers autism services. The bad news is when this same family gets a denial for the autism services they thought were covered.

What should you do if you receive a denial?

1.    Find out exactly what is being denied.
Make sure you know what service is being denied or not approved and why.

2.    Get the reason in writing.
If you get your answer over the phone, that’s not good enough.

3.    Request your claim file. This is free. These are your records the insurance company keeps about your insurance claims. Your insurance company has 30 days to send you your claim file.

4.    Request a copy of your insurance company’s Medical Necessity Guidelines.  These are free too.

What is medical necessity and what does it have to do with an appeal?

Most insurance denials are due to “lack of medical necessity”.
It is the standard used to decide whether a treatment or service is appropriate and effective based on the diagnosis. For example, pain medication would be considered an appropriate and effective prescription for a patient with chronic migraines. However, a prescription for an antibiotic would not be considered an appropriate and effective treatment for migraines. The insurance company would not pay for the antibiotic prescription because it is not medically necessary to treat the migraines.

How do I file an appeal?

1.    File your appeal in writing. This is absolutely the #1 thing people don’t want to do. No one writes letters anymore. But if you want any chance at winning an appeal, you are going to put your phone down and get on your keyboard.

2.    Write down everything and anything that is related to this denial; your insurance number and plan information, the date of service denial, the provider name and the treatment that was denied.

3.    Quote directly from the denial letter, state the reason used by the insurer (medical necessity is usually the reason) and explain why it is medically necessary.

4.    Be clear and provide references to your medical records.

5.    Include your doctor’s letter of support.

6.    Write a Personal Statement about your loved one and why they need this treatment.

How long does this take?

The insurance company must issue a decision within 30 days for a service that hasn’t yet been received and 60 days for a service that has already been received, but then denied. If there is a medical emergency, you can ask for a faster review. You will either receive a notice that your appeal has been approved or you will receive a denial of your appeal. Don’t give up.  NO may turn in to approved!

More information on appeals can be found through the Office of Patient Protection (OPP).   www.mass.gov/hpc/opp.
A Guide to Appeals can be obtained for FREE from Health Law Advocates.
www.healthlawadvocates.org


Aug
2014

When You Need A Friend

categories: Autism, Community
happy young girls raising hands together in park.
Childhood friendship

Making and keeping friends is hard for anyone. This seems to become more difficult when people have a disability involving communication, the characteristics of which are “deficits in using communication for social purposes” or “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts.” Most kids can say they have friends in the neighborhood, school friends or church friends. For kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Social (pragmatic) Communication Disorder, developing friendships requires a lot of effort and provokes anxiety. It appears that the parents or teachers must make efforts to create friendships. I have been creating such friendship opportunities for my children all through their lives. When my daughter was young and attending an inclusion classroom, I called parents of typically developing children to arrange play dates for her. Some parents were really nice and met me half way by bringing their child to play with mine or meet her at the playground. I also called parents of the other children with special needs in the classroom. Those were the ones that happily met me all the way, for they were experiencing the ostracism that comes from having social skills challenges. Of course, that was possible as long as we were attending the local school. When my child was placed out of district, it became more difficult to have play dates and it required a lot of effort and strategic planning. Teachers had to be convinced of the need for friendships so that they would share our telephone number with a child that my daughter talked about at home. Then, we needed to call the parent, introduce ourselves, explain our situation and suggest a meeting place that was neutral and equidistant. Seeing a friend involved travelling, visiting, travelling and avoiding a meltdown.
Many times I questioned who really wanted the friends – my daughter or me? Did I want for her something that I thought all other kids had? Was she happy with one or two friendly acquaintances or did she need several friends? She is now an adult and still friendships continue to be hard. She needs help navigating the adult social world, where there are more unspoken conventions than in the children’s world. Participation in activities that are not located in our town means that she meets people from other towns and since she doesn’t drive, she needs transportation to and from meeting places. However, now that she is an adult, she can tell me that friendships are important to her and we make all possible efforts for her to see friends. That is something we can all understand as we all need friendships. What is hard to understand is that as children with disabilities become adults the opportunities that they have to make friendships with neurotypical individuals are almost nonexistent. There are programs organized by disability organizations to encourage socialization. Such activities are usually attended by people with disabilities and not many neurotypical individuals attend. Furthermore, those neurotypical individuals who do attend are often younger – they notice less the symptoms of socially and communicationally challenged persons, especially their lack of maturity. Yet younger neurotypical children do not serve as peer with age-appropriate interests. We must continue to look for opportunities to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunities to make meaningful social interactions in the communities where they live. I am not sure how to accomplish this but I think the Real Lives bill might be a step forward.


Jul
2014

A Day at the Symposium

categories: Autism
Image of Young Adult Panel at 2013 Autism Consortium Symposium
Young Adult Panel at 2013 Autism Consortium Symposium

On a chilly November morning, I took the Green Line train over to the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School for the annual Autism Consortium Symposium. This isn’t the first time I have attended the research symposium, but this past year is one that I will never forget. There were the usual sessions around the latest and exciting cutting-edge findings in autism research from the giants over at Harvard and MIT, but a panel of 3 remarkable young adults with autism having a conversation about their transition to adulthood – “In their Own Words” ¬– left me feeling inspired and energized. The moderator opened with introductions from the panel – Michael is at Mitchell College for Sports Management; Kush is at UMass Lowell pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering; and Darcie is in the Threshold Program at Lesley University. They chatted briefly about their work experiences. Michael talked about his first job as a baseball coach and when he had the opportunity to work in the classroom as a City Year member. Kush explained how he is part of a team of researchers testing the chemical properties of packaging materials for solders. Darcie expressed how she loves working with animals and children, and the time she was “forced” to answer the phone as part of her job. With a constellation of experiences that led them to where they are today, the most powerful words spoken to a 100+ crowd of researchers, providers and parents were the advice and wisdom they had to share. On to topic of friendships, Kush noted it got easier as he got older since people were “willing to accept differences and not make a big deal out of it.” When offering advice to teens about transitions, Michael said to “find your strength and go for it!” Darcie asserted, “keep your options open because you are going to make changes in this world,” while Kush concluded, “use your supports because you can’t do it alone,” and “surround yourself with a great team of people.” Perhaps, the most insightful perspective for me was when the issue of bullying was mentioned, and Kush said of his offenders, “it was due to a lack of understanding, and it was for them to deal with, not me.” These incredible young adults had the audience grabbing for tissues by the end of the session. I was humbled as I walked out of the conference center on that wintery November day, and all I can remember thinking I wish I had those same insights in my early twenties. To borrow from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” For more information about the Autism Consortium, please visit the website: www.autismconsortium.org For more information about the author, Katherine Blakeslee, follow her rumblings on Twitter @kbswoon


May
2014

When Behavior is a Means to Communicate Pain in a Nonverbal Individual with Autism

categories: Autism
unhappy child on floor with mom comforting
Behavior as a mean of communication for nonverbal individuals with ASD

As a parent of a nonverbal child with autism it has been critical that members of my son’s medical team understand and appreciate the connection between his physical pain and his uncharacteristic behavior. Early on in my journey to secure appropriate medical care for my son, I was given a critical piece of advice from our pediatrician. He once told me “whenever there is a dramatic change in my son’s behavior that could not be readily explained by some known cause, to pick up the phone and bring him in to be seen.” I did not realize at the time how rare and how invaluable this piece of medical advice would be for our family. In fact, I can recall an occasion when my son started to randomly bite his hand. In an effort to stop the biting, the educators working with my son immediately began formulating a behavior plan to address this self-injurious behavior. But I thought, what if there’s more to it. I remember calling my pediatrician about the biting and bringing my son in to see him. As it turned out, my son had a raging sinus infection. Once the infection was treated, the biting behavior vanished.

To an inexperienced physician, especially in an emergency department (ED), assumptions on how to treat an initial presentation are often made based on an assessment map for a typical child. During a recent trip to the ED with my son, the physician on duty made a determination that my son’s pain level was low based on his behavior. He was not crying in pain and was not showing any other signs. My son was simply curled up on a stretcher, lethargic and weak. The imaging studies suggested that he had a small bowel obstruction and a CT scan was needed to confirm this diagnosis. The ED physician stated that “with children with challenges like your son, we do not think a CT scan would be feasible.” All I could think of was, if a CT scan was the standard of care for children presenting with abdominal pain and persistent vomiting, then my son would have a CT. A CT scan was eventually done and did confirm his diagnosis.

I see it as critical that ED medical staff get a complete picture of a child’s profile before jumping to assumptions about the level of pain or the degree to which a child with autism may cooperate on an exam. We as parents are key members of the treatment team that must educate providers that each child on the autism spectrum is unique. We have to work together to make sure that assumptions aren’t made based on previous experiences with other individuals on the spectrum. My son is so fortunate that his medical team is composed of exceptional professionals who understand that a child with autism is a child first and that behavior often serves as a way to communicate. Other medical professionals need to learn how to translate uncharacteristic behaviors. Understanding that each child with autism is unique, and that medical comorbidities exist. Each and every child needs to be comprehensively evaluated in an effort to provide the highest quality of medical care for individuals on the autism spectrum. For more information regarding medical comorbidities and autism see: https://nationalautismassociation.org/pdf/MedicalComorbiditiesinASD2013.pdf


Apr
2014

What’s in a Diagnosis? The Neuro-diversity Movement

categories: Autism

neurodiversityToday I sat in a feedback session, giving news to a family that their child met the criteria for having an autism spectrum disorder. I took in their mixed sense of grief and relief, because in many ways they had already suspected this diagnosis. I went on to talk about the unique strengths of that particular child and how specific services would address his challenges. I have gone through this process now many times with many different families; however, with each family, I ask myself again “What’s in a diagnosis” for this particular child? For this particular family?

I am a pediatrician who works with children who have an autism spectrum disorder and their families. Our first contact is often one where the family describes the behavioral concerns that led them to seek an evaluation. The simpler part of what I do is to pull together these concerns and my testing results to provide a diagnosis. The more challenging and rewarding part is to walk with families through their journey of recognizing and building upon the unique strengths of their child as they advocate for him through a myriad of systems.

We often express the need to define a diagnosis for the purposes of initiating services. A diagnosis can also help families, educators, and community members appreciate the neuro-developmental basis for seemingly ‘negative’ and difficult behaviors. By explaining why certain behaviors happen, we can start to identify specific areas to work on with the child and family.

I bring up the strengths of that particular child, and emphasize the uniqueness of every child with an autism spectrum disorder. I acknowledge the spectrum, and how even the ‘strengths’ that I defined are through the lens of what should be ‘neuro-typical,’ rather than a true recognition and celebration of uniqueness. It is exactly this spectrum of diversity and the remarkable strengths of individuals with autism spectrum disorders that have brought about the neuro-diversity movement. The neuro-diversity movement, although controversial, celebrates that autism, as well as other developmental disabilities, are less about disorders/illnesses to be cured, than they are about different ways of being. This movement, however, is challenged because in its extreme form, it undermines the value of research and interventions aimed at curing autism and minimizes the problems and struggles that an individual with autism faces.

The neuro-diversity movement is only one aspect of how autism has perhaps catapulted change in policies and practice among several social systems, including education, employment, and healthcare. The broader reaching implications of these changes may then have an impact across all disabilities. Ultimately, the social changes initiated by a better understanding of autism spectrum disorders, may be leading those of us caring for individuals with disabilities down a path of better inclusion, more appropriate accommodations in education and employment, and comprehensive access to healthcare services.


May
2013

The Massachusetts Act Early Campaign: Because Early Identification is Important to Us

categories: Autism, Education, Family

Female and baby girl reading book, baby is pointing at bookThroughout the month of April, we’ve heard from members of the Massachusetts Act Early state team who have shared heartfelt stories about why identifying autism and other developmental disorders matters to them.

Who We Are

Our team is made up of parents, medical professionals, educators, autism resource specialists, human services program managers, public health practitioners, university faculty and many others.

We lead an interdisciplinary, collaborative statewide effort “to educate parents and professionals about healthy childhood development, early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders, the importance of routine developmental screening and timely early intervention whenever there is a concern.”

What We Do

Our statewide coalition works to strengthen state and community systems for the early identification and intervention of children with signs of developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders.

The coalition envisions a future that uses a family-centered model that overcomes geographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic barriers to assure equal access to developmental screening for all children in the Commonwealth. This mission and vision drives every action Mass Act Early takes to make a critical difference in the lives of children and their families.

Our current goals include:

    1. Public outreach to increase awareness of autism spectrum and related disorders.
    2. Training for early childhood, health care, and educational professionals.
    3. Shortening the wait times between screening and diagnosis as well as diagnosis and intervention.
    4. Developing culturally competent autism screening materials and training curricula for early childhood educators, community health centers and pediatric practices across Massachusetts.

How We Do It

Our web site at www.maactearly.org  contains free downloadable materials about healthy developmental milestones in young children for families, early childhood professionals, and health care providers.

Most of these materials were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC developed them for the national “Learn the Signs. Act Early” public awareness program, of which the MA Act Early initiative is the local state chapter.

Additionally, the CDC‘s online Autism Case Training (ACT) course covers identifying, diagnosing, and managing autism spectrum disorders.
There are three modules, which can be taken separately or together. They are based on real-life scenarios and include up-to-date information, illustrative videos, and pertinent references and resources.

Free continuing education credits (CME, CNE, and CEU) are available for each of the modules.

Our Priority: Cultural and Linguistic Equity in Massachusetts

The MA Act Early state team has set a priority of reducing early identification disparities for families who are from culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly if their primary language is not English.

To that end, we have developed the “Considering Culture in Autism Screening” guide and toolkit which includes a clinician’s tips guide, a Massachusetts resource sheet “Referrals at a Glance”, and the validated M-CHAT screening tool in five languages. It also comes with instructions, a scoring sheet and the follow-up interview.

Make Early Identification Your Goal Too!

Visit the MA Act Early website often. “Like” us on Facebook and help spread the word!

Early identification may be important to any of us. It could be due to skyrocketing prevalence rates, a beloved family member living with an autism spectrum disorder, a sense of profound professional purpose to improve the quality of life or any number of other reasons.

Whatever raises your own concerns about early identification, please join us in making a lasting difference. Positive outcomes are within our reach!

About the AuthorElaine Gabovitch

Elaine Gabovitch, MPA serves as state team leader for the Massachusetts Act Early program and as one of 25 national ambassadors appointed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” public health program in Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.maactearly.org . She is also the Director of Family and Community Partnerships for the UMass Medical School-Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, family faculty in the Shriver Center’s LEND program, and an instructor in the UMMS Department of Family Medicine & Community Health.


Apr
2013

Early Identification Makes a Difference: An Educator’s Perspective

categories: Autism, Family

ToddlerThis week we are pleased to introduce Jason Travers PhD, BCBA-D, an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Jason will share his personal experience with early identification and the impact it made on his life.

My Work Begins

I began my work in autism while studying for my Bachelor’s degree in Special Education at UNLV in 2000. I had quit a construction job to return to college and the decision was taking a financial toll on me and my new wife.

There were many fliers in the hallways of the College of Education requesting candidates to help with early intensive behavior intervention in home-based programs for children with autism. I figured it would be a great way to get some experience and make a little money.

Soon I was working for and with three families which included sons with autism. It was a decision that would come to define me as a professional.

Meeting Alex

Perhaps the most influential moment was my experience with Alex and his family. Alex had recently been diagnosed with autism when his parents contacted me about starting up an intervention program.

A couple of weeks later, I arrived at their home with a few other behavior therapists and an experienced consultant. The family was desperate for help and needed support.

For several months prior to our arrival, Alex struggled to communicate with his parents and relied primarily on inappropriate behavior to get his needs met. I could tell they were a loving family, but they were also unsure of what to do to improve the situation.

Beginning Our Treatment

I was eager to begin our effort and over the next couple of days we began teaching play, communication, and other behaviors. Initially I found it very challenging as Alex refused hand over hand prompting.

The other children I had been working with had established these skills before my arrival. I was unsure what to do and so were Alex’s parents.

The consultant, however, continued with the procedures and by the morning of the second day things had changed dramatically.

Making A Breakthrough

There were six of us in a small bedroom when Alex began to respond to our spoken directions. We spread around the room and took turns asking him to “come here.” We cheered every time he went to the person who called him and he loved our cheering.

A few minutes later he completed a puzzle, played with some blocks, and said “buh” to request bubbles. Alex’s parents were overcome with tears of joy as they felt they were witnessing nothing short of a miracle.

Just two days before their son was unable to answer to his name, had never “asked” for anything, and couldn’t follow simple directions. I was amazed at the quick transformation and still get emotional whenever I think about it.

Committing To Help

I was immediately convinced that day that I would base my career around autism and began planning accordingly. I continued to teach Alex for 9 months and documented his progress before leaving to start a job as a special education teacher.

During those months, Alex began speaking to communicate, drawing and writing, playing appropriately, and went to the movies and other places in the community with his family.

Goals for the Future

This experience was a defining moment in my life and has fueled my career. While working as a special educator for students with autism, I earned my Master’s degree in special education with an emphasis on autism and developmental disabilities. Eventually I earned a PhD in special education. I now conduct research and teach courses related to behavior analysis and autism at UMass Amherst.

After 13 years, the memory of those first days with Alex remains vivid and powerful. Alex and many other children like him have inspired my professional goal: to help all families affected by autism gain access to quality services that will allow their child to achieve their full potential.

Early identification and early intensive behavior intervention is critical to this goal and the reason why I am involved with Massachusetts Act Early.

About the author

Jason Travers, PhD, BCBA-D is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He researches the efficacy of technology to prevent contextually inappropriate behavior and promote early literacy skills of learners with autism. Jason also investigates the disproportionate representation of diverse children with autism.


Apr
2013

One in a Million: A Physician’s Perspective

categories: Autism, Family

Baby-in-green-bathThis article is the next in our series on Early Identification and was written by Dr. Stephanie Blenner. Dr. Blenner is from Boston Medical Center and is a member of the MA Act Early Steering Committee. She is also a LEND alum.

Three in One Thousand

She had long hair and unyielding eyes. I was only a resident at the time, so I sat to the side while the attending physician told the mother that her child had something called autism.

He explained it was a neurodevelopmental disorder. When she asked what to do, he told her to spend time with her at home.

At 3, she was too young for school or formal intervention. When we left the room, he told me I was lucky to meet a child with autism because it was so rare.

One in Eighty-Eight

Over 15 years later, we see children with autism every day in our clinical program. We never tell families it is rare or that they should wait to intervene. Instead we talk about how common autism is, how many other families have sat in their shoes, and the importance of early intervention.

We do this in English, in Spanish, in Vietnamese, sometimes with both parents, sometimes with just the mother or another family member. As clinicians, we do this so often the packets of printed information for families need to be restocked weekly.

This is our job as health professionals, to assure children are screened, diagnosed and receive the intervention that can make such a difference.

One in Fifty

Autism awareness requires more than just describing what autism is, explaining that it is common and that early treatment is critical.

We also need to to let people know that while autism is all too common, children with autism are not.

That each is singularly unique and special. That the chance to identify a child with autism early means that, through intervention, their community will have a unique opportunity. They will be able to know and appreciate that child as possibly only those closest know them; as the individual behind the disorder.

In this way, as we work together on autism awareness, we remind ourselves why this work is important. That the most recent sobering 1 in 50 statistic belies what each of us privileged to do this work knows, that each child is more truly one in a million.


Apr
2013

Why Early Identification is Important to Me: A Parent’s Point of View

categories: Autism

Picture of a BabyThis month we are pleased to introduce Elaine Gabovitch, a respected professional in the field of disabilities. Elaine has many titles; State team leader, Faculty Member, and Director to name a few. Yet this month, she shares a personal view from one of her most important roles in life, parent of a child with autism.

It’s personal

Every year in April, people who care about autism observe and even celebrate Autism Awareness Month. One thing I personally celebrate is how far we’ve come in identifying autism spectrum disorders in young children.

It was 18 years ago when early identification became vitally important for our son. Back then, I didn’t know a thing about autism, but I knew our son wasn’t meeting his developmental milestones on time. When we shared our concerns with his pediatrician, he advised us to “wait and see.”

Instead, I self-referred to Early Intervention who evaluated my son and sent us to specialists. Soon he received a diagnosis, Early Identification services started, and our long trip forward began. Over time, I met other parents whose pediatricians also reassured them to “wait and see.”

It was a growing problem in need of a solution.

That was back in the 90’s, and while early identification has come a long way since then, it still has a long way to go with heightened public awareness.

It’s Prevalent

Only last year, the CDC estimated that every one in 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder. That’s one in every 54 boys and one in every 252 girls. This past month, a parent telephone survey study reported one in 50 children may be diagnosed on the spectrum.

That’s 2% of all children!

It’s Urgent

Early intervention works. The earlier the screening, the better the results for children and families. But for children who have families from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds, real disparities exist. We can and must do better.

By teaching all families about healthy developmental milestones and what to do when concerned, we can do better. And by training all pediatric clinicians about screening, we can change the conversation from “let’s wait and see,” to “let’s do a routine screen,” leveling the playing field for all children.

It’s Treatable

Take it from me, autism spectrum disorders are treatable. Over the years I have met many children with autism and their families and each has a different story to tell. Early intervention was a crucial part of those stories, as it helped beyond what those families could possibly have imagined at the time of diagnosis.

Identification is the key to getting help. Let’s build awareness here in Massachusetts by getting everyone on board through education, participation and identification.

Over the month of April, we’ll hear from other members of the Massachusetts Act Early state team about why early identification is important to them too.

About the authorElaine Gabovitch

Elaine Gabovitch, MPA is the Director of Family & Community Partnerships for the UMass Medical School-Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, family faculty in the Shriver Center’s LEND program, and an instructor in the UMMS Department of Family Medicine & Community Health. She currently serves as state team leader for the Massachusetts Act Early program and as one of 25 national ambassadors appointed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” public health program in Massachusetts. For more information, visit the Massachusetts Act Early Web Site