Our children and adults with Down syndrome are the heart of our organization and our most

precious gifts.
Volume 4 2011

UPCOMING EVENTS
GRADSA Annual Christmas Party First General Baptist Church 620 Maple Avenue, Owensboro, KY 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Come join the fun. We will have a gift for each family, door prizes, children's activities and a wonderful dinner. Most important, Santa will be here. We will also be sharing some important announcements for GRADSA in 2012. RSVP to Carla at 925-0195 or info@gradsa.org
We are currently working on an event for December so watch your mail and emails.

December 16th, 2011

2012 Our next newsletter will be out in January. Make sure you check out the upcoming events at that time. We are currently working on some educational workshops along with some events. If you have any suggestions of what you would love to see GRADSA do in 2012 please let us know ASAP.

Comments from Carla...

Hello Everyone WOW, first I want to apologize for this edition being so late. Between DSAW and being sick afterwards I have not accomplished a whole lot. I cannot believe the Holidays are quickly approaching. Are you ready? Check out the article inside on Less Stress for the Holidays. Come on guys, I am confident there are still a lot of email address that I do not have. Please remember, this is the best way to keep updated so send those emails to me. We do have a lot of In our Community in this issue but I still want more! Some inspirational stories would be awesome. DSAW 2011 was a huge success. Thanks so much to everyone who made this happen. There is more information and some pictures inside so check it out. As always Thank You so much for allowing me to be a part of GRADSA.

WELCOME
Below is the BIO I promised you on Renea Estes. We have not received one for Kim Hartman but I can assure you we are blessed to have her on the board. Renea Estes was born and raised in Evansville, IN but spent the last twelve years in Bowling Green, KY. In 2010 she moved to Owensboro with her husband Jonathon and 3 children Mason 5, Luke 3, and Chapel 2 to be closer to the family. She graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Health Care Administration. She has spent thirteen years in the healthcare industry, the last eight as a pharmaceutical representative. Renea enjoys spending time with her three children, helping others and volunteering her time at church. She is excited and honored to serve on the board to help other families with Down syndrome children. She hopes to learn more about resources available to Chapel and others with Down syndrome and help increase development and appreciation of their talents in the community. On a lighter note It is with remorse that I announce Dwight Beyke has resigned from the board. Dwight has served several years on the GRADSA Board and has helped in so many ways. He was a huge asset in corporate funding for DSAW and also the Lions Club eyeglass program among others. The board will truly miss Dwight and hope his future brings nothing but good things for him and his family. Hopefully we will see Dwight, Becky and Will at GRADSA events.

Whats Appening
Apps, Apps and more apps...check these out:

I Touch I Learn Life Skills...for toddler, preschool and special need kids. Features learning thru music
and engaging activities. Available at Itunes.

I Touch I Learn Words...How to recognize and pronounce words thru short, narrated animations that teach
the context of words. Available at Itunes.

Count and Write Numbers 1-30...Teaches kids how to count and write numbers in a fun effective way in English and Spanish. Available at Itunes. Calm Counter...Anger Management. A visual and audio tool to help people calm down when they are angry
or anxious. Available at Itunes.

Life Skills Winner...Teaches life and social skills in an interactive way with positive feedback thru a mobile
device. Available at Amazon and Android App Store.

Discover My Voice...Alternative and augmentative aide designed to help non-verbal, low cognitive people communicate their needs and desires. Available at Android App Store. Wheres Mommy?...Teaches basic searching and motor skills. Available at Android App Store and Itunes. Vocal Slides...Able to create image libraries: every picture can be related to a vocal message and visualized. Available at Android App Store.

iPad Funding Sources Directory...

A4cwsn

by SNAPPS4KIDS.com

Apps for children with Special Needs would like to provide iPads to as many families dealing with Special Needs as possible. All you have to do to be eligible is register with A4cwsn, follow them on Twitter and/or Facebook then send a letter detailing why your family needs an iPad and how it will help. http://a4ewsn.com/ipad2-4u/ Special Kids Therapy Special Kids therapy is a non-profit Section 501(3) charity that is dedicated to assisting special health care needs children and their families obtain alternative therapies or necessities that have the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for the child. This support is in the form of a scholarship to be used for those therapies or activities that are not funded by public insurance, other charities or government agencies. http://www.specialkidstherapy.org/forms.php Babies with iPads Babies with iPads will be granting iPads 16gb to deserving children as often as funds allow. http://babieswithipads.blogspot.com/p/babies-with-ipads-grant-application.html Parkers Purpose As individuals of Parkers Purpose we commit as part of our team to provide the highest level of service to ill, disabled children who are in an immediate financial crisis. We will perform our service with integrity and respect while also hoping to foster a positive self worth and self esteem to the individuals giving. We will strive to provide funds and professional services, regardless of race, color and/or religion, as representatives of Parkers Purpose. http://parkerspurpose.net.undes.php?page=application-for-assistance Small Steps I Speech The mission of Small Steps in Speech is to help children with speech and/or language disorders take the steps needed to be better communicators. This is achieved through grants and donations to service providers and qualifying charitable organizations. http://www.smallstepsinspeech.org/application

Book Reviews...
The Shape of the Eye by George Estreich

Down syndrome News Volume 34 2011 #4

George Estreich, a poet and stay-at-home dad, writes movingly and beautifully about his family after Laura arrives on the scene with an unexpected extra chromosome and a significant heart defect. George revisits his familys journey, from those first days of shock to life with Down syndrome being ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. Blessings come in the most unexpected ways. Off We Go! Children Series by Avril Webster Trips to the grocery store, haircuts, dentist, etc. The author created these social stories to help her own son who has an intellectual disability. The illustrations are colorful but simple. The text uses simple sentences in large type. These books will be helpful for both children and parents. Children will better understand what to expect and parents will better understand all of the little things that add up to make these events overwhelming and what to do to help keep these things manageable.

Mock My Pants, Not My Sister...by Children's Hospital Boston staff on 07/18/11

published in DSSRI August 2011

The following was written by Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, a Physician at Childrens Hospital Bostons Down Syndrome Program. Its in response to a feature in GQ magazine that used insensitive language.

On July 15th, John B. Thompson of GQ magazine slammed Bostonians as the worst dressed in the nation. Evidently, our beloved Beantown is actually a bad-taste storm sewer where all the worst fashion ideas come to stagnate and putrefy. He further decries, Boston suffers from a kin of Style Down Syndrome, where a little extra ends up ruining everything. Go ahead, GQ, and mock my blue whale-emblemed Nantucket-red pants. Laugh if you want at the loud argyles that I prefer to wear with my black suit. I dont even care if you dismiss the sexy pink polka-dotted tie that I like to wear with my blue-checkered shirt in clinic. But, whatever you do , do not mess with my sister. My sister, Kristin, has Down syndrome, and let me explain what Style Down Syndrome really is. Style Down Syndrome is smiling when everyone else prefers to frown. Its spending three summers, in sheer determination, learning to ride a bike because you want the freedom to be like everyone else. Its singing tunes from Grease at the top of your lungs with your friends. Its celebrating a third place victory at a swim meet with as much gusto as the gold medalist. Style Down Syndrome is strong-willed, persevering, and forgiving-because it has to be. People with Down syndrome are ridiculed on a daily basis. Although not as obvious as GQs sport, children with Down syndrome do not always get invited to birthday parties just because they have Down syndrome. Young adults, freshly minted from high school, sometimes have trouble finding post-secondary opportunists. And, adults with Down syndrome are often the first to be fired when the economy tanks. All of this comes at a time when people with Down syndrome are achieving previously unimagined successes. They are graduating, working, living and loving within our communities. So, why do people underestimate their abilities? It must be because they do not know someone with Down syndrome. Because, if they did, they would come to appreciate the life lessons that accompany their extra chromosome. If my friends who are black were mocked, the would not take it. If my friends who are gay were slurred, they would not take it. My 400,000 Americans with Down syndrome have been cheapened, and I will not take it. I invite GQ magazine to introduce its readers to real people with Down syndrome through the My Great Story campaign of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information on Dr. Skotko and Childrens Down Syndrome Program, visit their Facebook page.

COMING SOON...
If any of you have visited our website lately you will see that it is Under Construction. Most of the information has been updated. The only thing now being worked on is uploading the newsletters and pictures. We are hoping to have this completed by the end of the year so be sure and check it out at www.gradsa.org A very special thank you to Eric Kyle at Red Pixel for the time and training he donated to make this happen. We could not have done it without him!

Ask the Expert...from Common Bonds Vol 9 Issue 2

How do I know if my child has sleep apnea? Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are both breathing disorders that occur during sleep due to narrowing or total closure of the airway. Snoring is a noise created by the partial closure of the airway, which may often be more problematic than the noise itself. However, consistent, loud, heavy snoring has been linked to medical disorders such as high blood pressure. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition where the airway totally closes many times during the night and can significantly reduce oxygen levels in the body and disrupt sleep. In carrying degrees, this can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and occasionally heart attack and stroke. Individuals who have Down syndrome have a number of risk factors that contribute to this challenge. Some of the anatomical structures of the face can be one contributing factor. Weight is another factor that can affect the flow of air through the airway, and Thyroid disease is another component that can contribute to the level of risk. According to a Journal of Sleep Medicine article, children who have Down syndrome have a 30-50% prevalence, and adults with Down syndrome have even more factors for sleep apnea. How do you know if you have sleep apnea? A sleep physician needs to diagnose this, based on the results of an overnight sleep study (polysomnogram). How do I treat sleep apnea? There are a few ways to improve this condition. A weight management program may be beneficial. Avoiding alcohol and tobacco is also helpful. Sleeping on your side can decrease the severity of the problem. If it has been determined by a physician that a patient has sleep apnea, medical dn dental treatments can be helpful. Do not ignore it! Sleep is good; proper sleep is great!

Guide to Disability Services...

Disability Scoop 10-07-11

A new website launched in October and with backing from the federal government is offering a on-stop overview of the services available to people with developmental disabilities in each state. The site offers a breakdown of the various Medicaid benefits-including medical and social services-offered to those with disabilities based on where they live. This site is designed to help families wade through the bureaucracy, according to officials as The Arc, who created the new website with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to providing basic information about each states offerings, the reference desk also features a glossary of common terms and a selection of frequently asked questions about Medicaid benefits. This website helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others access and gain knowledge about Medicaid, which is an essential lifeline for millions of individuals with disabilities and their families. said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc. www.thedesk.info/

DSAW 2011...
DSAW 2011 was a huge success and so much fun. Donations totaled $32,769.88 which is up about $11,000.00 from last year. A large part of this is due to Corporate Sponsors and we would like to give a big shout out to Dwight Beyke for his help in this. We would also like to thank all of you that attended, volunteered and made donations. A special thanks to all the booths that were there to offer information on special services, Owensboro Photography Club, Owensboro Balloon Twisters, Jay Velotta, BG Rockers and St. Joe & Pauls cooking team. I cannot even attempt to name and thank everyone but please know if you were involved in anyway, we so appreciate it. At last a huge thanks for the DSAW committee: Brenda Walker, Harry Walker, Stephanie Smith, Les Smith, Jonathon Estes, Renea Estes, Kim Hartman, Deanna Honeycutt, Deanna Isbill, Kim Hartman, Lori Marksberry, Beth Ewing and Brandi Frazier. I have put in a few pictures. Be sure and attend the Christmas Party for a slide show of DSAW 2011.

DSAW 2011 continued...

In Our Community...

Laura Whitfill is a winner of the Growing Awareness Art Contest. This contest celebrates artists with Down syndrome. Lauras artwork, Stained Glass Window, along with the artwork of 4 other winners is featured on note cards available for purchase at www.downsyndromefootprint.org . As a winner Laura received a $25 gift certificate to be used at the online store. Laura loves to draw and make designs. She does this everyday and dreams of being an artist.-so for Laura her dream has been fulfilled. Thanks to GRADSA for making us aware of this contest. We read about it in the newsletter. Laura is the 16 year old daughter of Ron and Jamesetta Whitfill of Hawesville, KY.

In Our Community...

Less Stress for the Holidays...NDSC Communicator November 2011

Ahh...the holidays. Relaxing with family and friends. Great food and fellowship. Shopping for just the right gifts...Or..."AHH! The Holidays! How long are these relatives staying? Stop eating so much! I've never seen so much food in my life! Are you kidding me? I'm not going to the mall!" The holiday season can provide some of the most joyful times in our lives, but they also undoubtedly can cause loads of stress. Is there anything we can do to make them less stressful? Planning and perspective. Here are some ideas:

1. Lower your expectations. No one really has a holiday that looks like a magazine photo shoot, with
the possible exception of Martha Stewart. (And we suspect there's a little stress happening in that house, too.)

2. Look at your calendar with the rest of your family and make realistic plans for shopping, baking and traveling. Say no to requests or events that put you over the edge. 3. Be flexible. How often do things really go according to plan? Be ready to go with the flow. 4. Ask for help. You can't be all things to all people all the time.
5. Try to get enough sleep and exercise. It's good for you mentally and physically. And how about for your family member with Down syndrome?

1. Prepare for new places and new people by talking about where you'll be going and who you'll be seeing. Showing pictures will be helpful, too. "We're driving a long, long way to Aunt Peg's house. This is a picture of her dog named Molly. You'll be sleeping in a sleeping bag in your cousin Emma's room." 2. Expect a disruption to normal routines, but try to keep to as many routines as practical. Especially when it comes to getting enough sleep and making healthy food choices. Too much sugar and too little sleep makes everyone miserable. (But, it is a holiday, so it's okay to ease up a little, right?)

3. You know your child best - what can trigger a behavior problem or cause anxiety - so do your best
to plan ahead to avoid those triggers.

4. If you'll be seeing people who are unfamiliar with your child, educate them ahead of time, too.
Let them know if there are safety concerns, sensory issues, or food allergies that could present a problem during a visit.

5. Plan for alternate activities and enlist help from family and friends. If you know all of your relatives will want to go bowling, but the bowling alley is just too loud and chaotic, plan another activity for your child with Down syndrome. (A walk to the park with Uncle Jim? Hot chocolate at the coffee shop with Grandma?) Planning ahead and preparing for both the expected and unexpected really does help. Enjoy these next few weeks as we wind down 2011. Take lots of photos and help create fun memories for your whole family!

Volunteering is so important...
The importance of volunteering cannot be underestimated. GRADSA relies you to become involved with the organization in a variety of ways to increase its ability to better meet the needs of our community. Whether serving on one of the many GRADSA committees, helping with an event, sharing your expertise with others or supporting another family who could benefit from your knowledge and experience, volunteers keep GRADSA vital and dynamic. Please consider getting involved with GRADSA the rewards are immeasurable! For more information on getting involved, contact Carla at 270-925-0195 or info@gradsa.org

Happy Birthday!!!
October 14 Blake Lamb 19 Lily Gray 28 Kenneth Douglas 28 Kenneth James December 6 Christina Martinez 8 Tammy Sears 15 Lukas Mahoney 16 Alan Wood 17 Zeb Wells 17 Clayton Eddings 26 Paxton Hocker 27 Hannah Hardesty 28 Ann Switzer 28 Mark Vollman 30 Max Engineer November 4 Jonathon Whittaker 8 Ana Lilia Desillo 10 Matthew Huston 10 Elijah Hale 18 Ben Pace 25 Joey McAtee 30 Steven Ballard

This is the day which the Lord has made: Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Fazolis Birthday Club: Fazolis, 5060 Frederica St., is treating individuals with Down Syndrome to a free meal to celebrate their special day. Children ages 12 and under can choose a kids meal while teens and adults have their choice of a small spaghetti with marinara or meat sauce. To receive you free meal, show this column to the cashier during the month of your Birthday.

MISSION STATEMENT GRADSAS mission is to enable families enriched with the Down syndrome connection to share resources, build friendships and advocate together for the future of individuals with Down syndrome. SERVICES GRADSA is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society and the National Down Syndrome Congress. GRADSA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides its members with a bimonthly newsletter, educational workshops, social activities, a website, a parent outreach program and a hospital outreach program. There are no membership fees to join. POLICY STATEMENT

GRADSA P. O. Box 2031 Owensboro, KY

GRADSA does not endorse any specific therapy, treatment or educational setting. We provide a variety of information and viewpoints, however, each family must make an individual choice. PRINTING OF ARTICLES GRADSA welcomes articles from parents, professionals and other interested parties. Material for consideration should be sent to Carla Renfrow at info@gradsa.org. Articles written for HeartStrings may be reproduced if credit is given to the original author and GRADSA. Permission to reprint articles not original to HeartStrings should be acquired from the original source.

info@gradsa.org www.gradsa.org

Brenda Walker, President Phone: 270-316-7219 Email: Brenda_walker@daviess.kyschools.us Board Members: Landon Barrowclough Tony Hamilton Lori Marksberry Anji Edge Beth Wimsatt Deanna Isbill

Carla Renfrow, Executive Director Phone: 270-925-0195 email: info@gradsa.org Deanna Honeycutt Harry Walker Jonathan Estes Renea Estes Kim Hartman

Stephanie Smith, Past Pres.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Owensboro, KY Permit No. 120