Exceptional Family Member Program Bldg. 219 October 2018

This is a month to celebrate the abilities of

our friends and family members with Down

Syndrome. It is also an opportunity to raise

awareness of Down Syndrome in the local community and

amongst your friends, co-workers, and anyone else you may

come in contact with.

Down Syndrome is the most common genetic condition in

America occurring in 1 in every 691 births. This accounts for

approximately 6000 babies born with Down Syndrome

annually or 400,000 people with Down Syndrome currently

living in the United States. Chances are that we all know

someone who has been affected by Down Syndrome, most

often in a very positive way.

The most common form of Down Syndrome is Trisomy 21.

Trisomy 21 occurs when there 3 sets of the 21st chromosome

where there should only be 2, one taken from each parent.

While Trisomy 21 is the most common, it is not the only form

of Down Syndrome.

With advances in medical technology, individuals with Down

Syndrome are becoming increasingly integrated into society,

communities and the work force. With this increase comes an

increased need for education and awareness!

Want more information on Down Syndrome?

Check out the National Down Syndrome Society–

http://www.ndss.org/

In this issue:

October is Down Syndrome

Awareness Month

EFMP Special Needs Advisory

Forum & Trick-or-Treat

A Conversation about Bullying

Spouses Corner: Start a new

hobby or learn a new skill at

The Base Library

Cooking Corner: Scary Fun

Halloween Treats!

Lending Library Pick of the

Month:

Upcoming Events Calendar

Contact EFMP

Program Manager

(808) 257-7773

Training, Education, &

Outreach Specialist

(808) 257-0290

Family Case Worker

(808) 257-8894

Family Case Worker

(808) 257-7782

MCCS and EFMP will be hosting our 4th annual sensory-friendly trick-or-treating event. We encourage all families

to come out, in costume (optional), and trick-or-treat around buildings 219 & 220. We will have candy and other

give-a-ways for all the kids to enjoy!

Be kind. Be Patient.

With Halloween upon us, please keep in mind, a lot of

children will be visiting your home.

The child grabbing more than one piece of

candy may have poor fine motor skills

The child who takes a while to pick out one

piece of candy may have motor planning

difficulties

The child who does not say trick-or-treat or

thank you may be non-verbal

The child who looks disappointed when they

see your bowl may have an allergy or may be

diabetic

The child not wearing a costume may have a

sensory sensitivity or Autism

Children with disabilities—such as physical, developmental, intellectual, emotional, and sensory disabilities—are at an increased risk of being bullied. Any number of factors— physical vulnerability, social skill challenges, or intolerant environments—may increase the risk. Research suggests that some children with disabilities may bully others as well. Kids with special health needs, such as epilepsy or food allergies, also may be at higher risk of being bullied. Children and youth with special needs are impacted by their conditions in a variety of ways. Every child is unique, and so are the ways that their health condition affects them. Some impairments, such as brain injuries or neurological conditions, can impact a child’s understanding of social interactions and they may not even know when they are being bullied.

Special considerations are needed when addressing bullying in youth with disabilities. There are resources to help kids with disabilities who are bullied or who bully others. Youth with disabilities often have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 plans that can be useful in crafting specialized approaches for preventing and responding to bullying. These plans can provide additional services that may be necessary. Additionally, civil rights laws protect students with disabilities against harassment.

Strategies to address student’s special needs at school can also help to prevent bullying and have positive outcomes for all students, especially tactics that use a team approach, foster peer relationships, and help students develop empathy. Talk to your child’s teacher or caregiver about some of these strategies:

Engaging students in developing high-interest activities in which everyone

has a role to play in designing, executing or participating in the activity.

Providing general up-front information to peers about the kinds of support

children with special needs require, and have adults facilitate peer support.

Creating a buddy system for children with special needs.

Involving students in adaptive strategies in the classroom so that they

participate in assisting and understanding the needs of others.

Conducting team-based learning activities and rotate student groupings.

Implementing social-emotional learning activities.

Rewarding positive, helpful, inclusive behavior.

Resource: StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on

what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond

to bullying.

Use vanilla instant pudding mix & a few

drops of green food coloring to make these

pudding cups. Decorate Frankenstein’s face

on a plastic cup before filling it with green

pudding. Add chocolate sprinkles or

crushed Oreo cookies on top for his hair.

Sensory tips: Have your child stir in the

green food coloring & watch it turn from

white to green. If using Oreo cookies, place

cookies in a ziplock bag & use a rolling pin

to crush cookies. Stop every so often &

have your child feel the texture.

Use marshmallows and yogurt-covered

pretzels to build a skeleton on

store-bought or homemade cupcakes,

we recommend red velvet!

Sensory tips: The various textures of the

finished product will allow your kids to

taste spongy moist cake, crunchy

pretzels, and soft silky marshmallows.

Use pre-made or homemade crescent

roll dough to wrap hotdogs like

mummies. Two drops of mustard will do

as eyes after you bake your mummies.

Sensory tips: Don’t be afraid to get a

little messy and let your kids work the

dough with their hands.

Enhance your creativity, learn a new skill, and make something you can use! The Base Library Makerspace is designed to give you the tools you need to create something, whether it’s technology oriented or hands-on crafting. Technology available for use in the library: Laptops loaded with the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, Intuos Pen and Touch tablets, a 3D scanner, and a high quality photo scanner. 3D Printing: create a design, and library staff will print it for you. Take it, Make it: Borrow kits designed to teach you a new skill. Kits include:

Origami

Knitting

Little Bits

Arduino

Raspberry Pi

Makey Makey

Robotics

Squishy Circuits

You can also borrow specialty cake pans, GoPros, and coloring books with colored pencils. Go to the Base Library website for more info: http://mccshawaii.com/library/

Wonder Pick of the Month

“When given the choice between

being right or being kind, choose

kind”

August Pullman was born with a facial

difference that, up until now, has

prevented him from going to a mainstream school.

Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing

more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his

new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary

face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller

and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master

list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon

switches to include his classmates, his sister, her

boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in

a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy,

compassion, and acceptance.

The EFMP Lending Library offers great books, DVDs, learning tools,

& sensory resources for our families to enjoy & learn from. Contact

your Family Case Worker for more information & resources.

The kids will sure love making & eating these fun Halloween treats! Cooking with children is a great opportunity for teaching

moments & sensory exploration. Take time to have them feel, smell, and taste ingredients as you go along.

(the book)

Ongoing— Story Time at the MCBH Library. Thursdays from 9-10AM, for children ages 3-5;

Tuesdays from 9-9:30AM for children ages 1-2. Call 254-7624 for more information.

http://mccshawaii.com/library/

Oct 6—Access Surf; A Day at the Beach at White Plains Beach from 9AM-1PM; adaptive surfing,

shoreline floatation & swimming for any person with a disability. Call 808-236-4200 for more

Information

Oct 6— LDAH Traveling Mini Conference from 9AM-2PM at Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union. See

LDAH website for more details: http://www.ldahawaii.org/

Oct 6— Special Olympics Hawaii Windward Singles Bowling tournament at K-Bay Lanes. For

volunteer opportunities email OahuAD1@sohawaii.org

Oct 8—Golfing for Keiki hosted by Never Quit Dreaming & ELS for Autism, offering free golfing

sessions to children with special needs. Contact Kris Dung at 808-722-6843 to register.

Oct 11—Talk Story by The Epilepsy Foundation Hawaii: Ketogenic Therapies & Seizures, 5:30

PM-7:30 PM. RSVP at EFH@epilepsyhawaii.org or call 808-528-3058

Oct 11 —EFMP at Camp Smith (By appointment– call 257-0290 to schedule.)

Oct 19 &20— Hawaii Afterschool 4th Annual Summit 2018– University of Hawaii at Manoa-Campus

Center Ballroom. Register at www.hawaiiafterschoolalliance.org

Oct 20—Footsteps to Transition Fair 8:30 AM-11AM at Radford High School .Take the first step in

developing a transition plan! Registration recommended, walk-ins welcome. To register or request

accommodations: http://footstepstotransition.weebly.com or call 586-8126

Oct 20—Hawaii Adaptive Paddling Association (www.hawaiiadaptivepaddling.com)

Kailua Beach park 10AM—1PM. Participants can enjoy a day at the beach with canoes,

paddles, safety equipment, boogie boards, beach toys, & free lunch is provided. No cost to

participate, please visit HAPA website for info & waiver form.

Oct 23—Coffee Hour. Building 219 courtyard near the Lava Java cart at 8:30AM—9:30AM.

Opportunity to support and network with other EFMP families and receive information on

programs and services pertaining to EFMP.

Oct 25—EFMP at Camp Smith (By appointment– call 257-0290 to schedule.)

Oct 27– Special Olympics Hawaii Young Athletes Program at Kaiser High School. Get more info.

here: http://www.specialolympicshawaii.org/events.html

Oct 31-EFMP Special Needs Forum & Sensory Friendly Trick or Treat at Bldg 219 & 220.

2:00-2:30 PM-Special Needs Forum

2:30-2:45 PM-EFMP 101 (optional)

2:30-3:45 PM– Sensory Friendly Trick or

Treat (While Supplies Last) Start at EFMP-

Bldg 219

16 spiders can be found in this issue!

Exceptional Family Member Program

BDG 219, MCBH

808-257-0290

Hours of Operation M-F 0730—1630

www.mcchawaii.com/efmp