Biomed 101 - Two Part Series

Geri Brewster, RD.MPH, CDN
Speaker: Geri Brewster, RD.MPH, CDN

Wednesday, May 4th, 6:30-8:30 pm (session 1)
Thursday, May 19th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm (session 2)

Location: Beth Israel Medical Center
10 Union Square East
2nd Floor Conference Center
New York, NY 10003

If you have ever wanted to learn about the nuts and bolts of Biomedical Interventions, then this is the event for you.

Geri Brewster plans to pack as much teaching as she can into two evenings. During one session, she will go over all the different dietary interventions including GFCF (Gluten Free Casein Free), SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet), Feingold, Allergy Free (soy, yeast, etc). And if that's not too much information for you, she will also go over all the testing that will help you and your practitioner decide which diet and supplements might be best for you or your child. Then during the next session, Geri will walk you through the most common and poplular Biomedical Treatments beginning with some simple supplements such as Vitamin D and B12 continuing down the list to chelation and Hyperbaric Chamber. So no matter what the diagnosis is or isn't, this is an event for everyone.

Come even if you can only make one night. You can get the power point for the other night you miss.

Geri Brewster RD MPH CDN began her clinical career nearly 30 years ago, specializing in pediatric and young-adult developmental disabilities, including metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders; specialized tube feedings; dysphagia; autism; behavioral, attention, sensory and oral-motor integration disorders; and eating disorders. In her current practice, she develops comprehensive individualized lifestyle, nutritional and supplement programs for each client's specific conditions. Ms. Brewster earned her Masters in Public Health Nutrition from New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York . She lectures extensively on nutrition issues and practices in the NYC-Westchester area.

How Therapeutic Listening Enhances the Social Nervous System

Speaker: Sarah Gayle Shoenbaum, MA, OTR/L

Date: Monday, May 16
Time: 7:00 - 9:30 pm
Location: Washington Engine Fire Company, 130 White Plains Rd / Rte 119, Tarrytown, NY 10591

Sarah Gayle Shoenbaum, MA OTR/L will present how therapeutic listening enhances the social nervous system. Sarah will provide information on the therapeutic program, Solisten®, which is the portable application of the Tomatis® Method. It is a revolutionary sound training program that strengthens the ear and energizes the brain, improving many areas including auditory and sensory processing, stress, speech and balance.

Sarah Gayle Shoenbaum, MA OTR/L has been in the field since 1979. Sarah is an instructor and clinician of occupational therapy, craniosacral therapy, neurodevelopemental treatment (NDT) and sensory intergration.

Oxytocin and Autism: New Research

The Feb. 16, 2011 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) has a news article about Oxytocin and Autism reported by Bridget M. Kuehn.

The reporter interviewed Sue Carter PhD (University of Chicago) and Lowell Getz PhD (University of Illinois). These two scientists are working on prairie voles (a kind of mice) that are monogamous and live lifelong as pairs. These animals have complex family structure and express strong mother to offspring’s and mother to father bonds. Carter's group was able to demonstrate that giving oxytocin to a female vole promoted bonding with her mate, and that blocking the oxytocin receptors in females prevented them from forming bonds with their mates (Carter CS et al. Prog Brain Res. 2008;170:331-336). Ms, Kuehn goes on to say that oxytocin has long been known as a key factor in bonding between a mother and infant. It also has important physiological effects on pregnant women during and after delivery. A synthetic version of oxytocin is widely used to induce or augment labor. Intranasal oxytocin has also been used to promote the release of breast milk. Now, basic research on an unusual animal model has allowed scientists to understand the wider physiological effects of oxytocin. In the past several years, scientists have learned that oxytocin plays an important reinforcing role in social interactions that goes far beyond the previously documented effects of the hormone in female reproduction. Still, a host of questions remain about the hormone's wider physiological effects on humans, which range from aiding lactation to potentially promoting healing, noted Dr. Sue Carter, PhD, professor of psychiatry and co-director of the Brain-Body Center at the University of Illinois, in Chicago. According to Larry J. Young, PhD, director of the Center for Translational Social Neuroscience at Emory University, in Atlanta, humans exposed to intranasal oxytocin make more eye contact (which is essential to reading social cues), feel increased trust in social interactions, and are better able to infer emotions from other people's facial expressions.
We realized that oxytocin isn't just a bonding hormone,” he said. “Oxytocin tunes the brain in to social cues.” Oxytocin's role in enhancing social interaction led researchers to wonder whether it might be a useful therapy for individuals with disorders that involve social deficits. For example, patients with autism spectrum disorders often fail to pick up on social cues, Dr.Young noted.
The data on the safety and effects of chronic use of oxytocin are limited because many human studies have involved only a single intranasal dose or several weeks of administration. “Oxytocin research is exciting and promising, but how the information should be applied is not clear,” Dr. Carter said in her interview. “What we have now are fragments of knowledge, and we can't yet see the full picture.”

Posted by Khalid Rehman.

Super Soccer Stars

In cooperation with Watch Me Grow and Super Soccer Stars Special Needs, NAA NY Metro Chapter held its second soccer event on Saturday, February 12, 2011. Over forty registered children and their families made this event a true success.

Dara Berger, Chair of the Parent Mentoring Committee greeted the families together with Sabeeha Rehman, the Chapter’s President. There was lots of love and fun even before the game began, with many children running around and playing in the large sensory gym.

The coaches presented the 8-steps that a typical soccer class includes, and then divided the children into two groups with those aged up to 6.5 playing first. The children engaged in singing at the start of the game, with the parents joining and clapping their hands.

Several playful drills followed, including flipping plastic cones, touching the soccer nets, chasing, jumping, and even collecting cones and placing them on one of the coaches’ feet. The Big Game at the end of the drills, gave the children an opportunity to kick numerous balls into the nets. The coaches also gave every child stickers in recognition of their participation and achievements.
The indoor setting was perfect for a winter weekend activity. Thank you for everyone who organized and took part in making this event a success!

By: Yaniv Gafner

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