Feb 21, 2018, (Ireland) Tipperary Star: Littleton NS unveil 'state of the art' sensory room thanks to local community https://www.tipperarystar.ie/news/home/298362/littleton-ns-unveil-state-of-the-art-sensory-room-thanks-to-local-community.html Littleton NS has proven that community spirit is alive and well after banding together with the local community to self fund a sensory unit for children with special needs. Over 18 months the community of Littleton organised everything from cake sales to bingo nights to raise a total of €15,000 for a state of the art sensory room at the school. … The idea for a sensory room arose after staff felt it would provide additional supports for children with special needs at the school. However with no funding available, the school took matters into their own hands and with the backing of the staff, Board of Management and Parents Council were determined to raise the money themselves. … Dublin company Adam and Friends, who specialise in fitting out facilities for children with special needs, worked with the school to provide a play area suitable for the needs of every child in the school and according to Principal Clancy the results speak for themselves: “Every single child has benefitted from the addition of this room - it acts as a mindfulness zone, gives kids a chance to reflect and is a relaxing zone for children struggling with emotional difficulties.” Earlier this month the school also received exciting news that they have been sanctioned for a new one ASD unit, set to open next September. …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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