Autism Psa

National Autism Association â€Å"One in 88 children and 1 out of 54 boys are born with ASD† (National Autism Association, 2012), autism spectrum disorder. Many people have heard of the disability called autism, but many do not know what it is exactly or the struggles it can bring. National Autism Association is an organization that provides knowledge to the community about autism, while providing help and hope so that all affected children can reach their full potential.NAA provides many programs to help support individual with ASD as well as his or her family, including the Helping Hand Program, Big Red Safety, and Progress Research. NAA strives to help the autistic community while offering opportunities to support this cause. Before knowing what NAA is, it is important to have a better understanding of the disability called autism. Autism is a bio-neurological development disability which impacts development of the brain and areas of social interaction, communication skills , and cognitive function.Individuals with autism often have physical limitations such as allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communications, social interactions, and much more. ASD is not just autism it includes other disorders such as â€Å"autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome† (Autism Speaks, 2012).There is much controversy as to why people have autism. The biggest argument is that autism is due to vaccinations because of the chemical exposure. Other exposures to the environment can cause autism if the immune system has certain conditions. Another argument is genetics, but the rate of increase of autism today makes genetics an unlikely reason. It was once believed the way a child is raised by their pare nts has an influence on autism. A few other arguments include: pesticide exposure, parental age, pharmaceuticals, freeway proximity, and limited prenatal vitamin intake.NAA suggests to families that if they have a child with autism, they should research various causes to become more aware and have a better understanding as to why a child might have autism. NAA has a mission statement that includes: â€Å"The mission of the National Autism Association is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential. † (National Autism Association, 2012) Having an autistic family member can be a challenge; NAA can help the family members as well as the person with autism in many different ways.NAA helps parents to understand â€Å"You’re Not Alone,† after explaining that they will help you find a support group close to you. This can be through the Yellow Pages or by going online to fin d a NAA chapter in your area. They also provide some links for support and discussions where you can ask questions, state concerns, or simply talk to others who may be in the same situation. In addition to providing sources to help families find support, NAA has many programs to help afflicted families.Through these programs, NAA’s goals are to strengthen autism families by providing support, giving them up-to-date information on research, funding research, and raising awareness. NAA provides support through the Helping Hand Program, Big Red Safety Box, and Progress Research. The Helping Hand Program is a program that helps families who cannot afford the medical expenses related to their family member with autism. NAA reaches out to families who make less than $50,000 a year by providing financial aid.This can be used for specialized medicines and therapy services for the treatment of autism. The Big Red Safety Box program, when funded, provides a life-saving tool kit at no c ost to families with a member with autism. A donor can pay $35 to have a Box provided to a family. The Box provides tools to help keep a person with autism safe in their home. Some items include: education materials and tools, two door/window alarms with batteries, personalized engraved shoe ID tag, five stop signs for doors and windows, safety alert window clings, and a safety alert wristband.NAA supports research for ASD because they believe that one day a cure will be found. NAA’s research fund supports studies which show promise for children suffering now. Research seeks cures, discovers new treatments, answers questions, and promotes progress. Among the many challenges of having a child with autism is keeping the child out of harms way is one of the most difficult. The Big Red Safety Box mentioned earlier provides tools to equip the home with safety accommodations, but there are other dangers to a child with autism.NAA provides information on how to keep the child from w andering, gives advice on how to respond to bullying, and suggests methods for suicide prevention. A California research team showed that mortality of people with autism has high numbers in drowning as a result of wandering; in addition, there are other wandering factors that are the cause of death. NAA provides twelve ways to prevent ASD wandering. First, the caregiver should understand wandering patterns and prevent anything that would cause the person to wander.Second, teach the child about safety by showing pictures or use simple explanations familiar to the child. Third, secure the home with door and window alarms or even fencing in the yard. Fourth, have the child wear a wrist band or anklet with a tracking device in case of emergency. Fifth, have the child wear a medical ID bracelet with his or her name and telephone number and other important information. Sixth, enroll the child in swimming lessons. NAA provides a list of YMCAs that are available for special needs swimming l essons.Seventh, alert neighbors that the child may wander, and who should be notified when they see this. Eighth, alert first responders, so that if something may happen, they can improve response with the information given to them. Ninth, have a â€Å"tag, you’re it† strategy, where the child tags the closest adult who then becomes the person watching the child closely. Tenth, secure external settings such as school or camp know policies and inform teachers about wandering. Eleventh, learn from others by researching or asking people who also have children with autism.Twelfth, never have s false sense; as the child grows up, he or she will learn new things and have more abilities, so be sure to make changes as they grow and learn. These twelve steps can help prevent ASD wandering, and keep the child safe. Bullying is a serious issue in schools, especially in relation to students with autism. Children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied. T here are multiple forms of bullying, and each one can be detrimental to a child’s learning and future. NAA has resources and provides information about bullying for parents of a bullied child and the student who is being bullied.NAA also provides information on suicide prevention and gives help via sources such as suicidepreventionlifeline. org. Whether a person has a family member with a form of ASD or ASD touches the heart, help can be provided in various ways. NAA helps the autistic community but they need donations and support to continue to do so. NAA provides a venue to collect donations. This can be done in honor of someone. The donor may choose to purchase items at NAA’s â€Å"Little Shop of Hope,† where the proceeds benefit NAA. It is possible to start an online fundraising site or choose rom other methods of raising funds. ASD affects more children than any other childhood disorder, yet it is the least funded disorder. Helping raise awareness of NAA ca n provide more resources for research to assist members of the autistic community. NAA is an organization that provides assistance to those in the ASD community. Because of NAA’s many ways of support, the autistic community is progressing to becoming more informed and supported. Autism is a large part of the world, and until there is a cure it will continue to be.It is important to remember that NAA needs the communities support to continue on in their Mission â€Å"to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential† (National Autism Association, 2012). Works Cited â€Å"National Autism Association. † National Autism Association. N. p. , 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Autism Speaks. † Autism Speaks. N. p. , 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. .

How to Identify the Larch Pine Tree

How to Identify the Larch Pine Tree Larches are conifers in the genus  Larix, in the family  Pinaceae. They are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the far north, and high on mountains further south. Larches are among the dominant plants in the immense boreal forests of Russia and Canada. These trees can be identified by their coniferous needles and dimorphic shoots which bear singular buds within clusters of needles. However, larches are also deciduous, meaning that they lose their needles in the fall, which is rare for coniferous trees. North American larches are typically observed as either tamarack  or western larch and can be found in many parts of North Americas lush deciduous  forests. Other conifers include bald cypress, cedar, Douglas-fir, hemlock, pine, redwood, and spruce. How to Identify Larches Most common larches in North America can be identified by their coniferous needles and single cone per shoot of needle clusters, but also by the larches deciduous quality wherein they lose these needles and cones in the autumn, unlike most evergreen conifers. The female cones are uniquely green or purple but ripen to brown five to eight months after pollination, however, northern and southern larches differ in cone size - those in colder northern climates have small cones while those in southern climates tend to have much longer cones. These differing cone sizes use to taxonomize this species into two sections - the Larix for the shorter and Multiserialis  for the long bracts, but recent genetic evidence discovered suggests these traits are merely adaptations to climate conditions. Other Conifers and Distinctions Larches arent the most common conifers in North America, cedars, firs, pines, and spruces - which also all happen to be evergreen - are much more common throughout Canada and the United States due to their ability to survive in harsher and warmer climates. These species also differ from larches in the way their shoots, cones, and needles are shaped and grouped.  Cedar  trees, for instance, have much longer needles and often bear cones in clusters with shoots containing multiple clusters. Firs, on the other hand, have much thinner needles and also bear one cone per shoot. Bald cypres,  hemlock, pine, and  spruce  are also included in the same family of coniferous plants, each of which is also evergreen - with only a few exceptions in the redwood family, which only contains a few larch-like genus.

Scanning the Environment DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scanning the Environment DB - Essay Example However, people may typically not want to compromise too much on cost for food items. These socio-economic trends in population has resulted in Aldi's strategy for high quality and low cost food products. The amount of television and internet advertisements for their respective products from Amazon and Aldi's will be a part of the marketing strategy of these companies. The target customer segments, their demographics and behavioral trends will determine the mode and volume of television and internet advertisements. It can be observed that the people having obesity problems tend to live a sedentary lifestyle with more number of hours in front of televisions or computers. No such observation can be made for target customers for high quality foods. Hence, in case of Amazon the amount of television and internet advertisements will be more as compared to Aldi's. While both, Amazon and Aldi's may have their advantages and disadvantages, considering their strategies, Amazon seems to be better positioned than Aldi's. The main reason for this being focused on a particular target customer segment i.e.

Societal role in advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Societal role in advertising - Essay Example This role can be both a reflection on the society or the probability of what is expected by the society in future. Recently, a range of companies have picked up advertising styles that incorporates social dimensions (Drumwright 71). This is attributed to the fact that the society is experiencing a lot of changes through the effects of fatal diseases like HIV/AIDS, cancer and lifestyle diseases. In addition, the third gender; homosexuality and immoral behavior like rape and drug abuse have had a huge influence on how adverts are framed nowadays. In real sense, marketers have no choice but frame their product adverts in a manner that can indicate a solution to what the society’s trends demand. For instance, in relation to HIV/AIDS, marketers already understand teenagers are sexually active and there is little they can do to change it. Therefore, the best solution they can offer is provide means that can help in reduce the spread of this deadly disease like through the use of con doms. This indicates how a society dictates how adverts frame the products (Drumwright 73). A society has power in dictating what they certainly expect from manufacturers. This means that every trend and lifestyle creates a problem that manufacturers are tasked with to solve as quickly as possible. Literally, a societal role is creating problems that adverts have to make sure they frame it in a manner that displays a solution. Through such problems though, companies come up with breakthrough innovations that turn out to be huge cash cows.

Lessons learned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lessons learned - Essay Example Unity is the focus on a single idea. Coherence is the intelligibility with the aid of logical and verbal bridges (Purdue OWL, 2007, para 5). Logical bridges are formed when the idea is carried from sentence to sentence. Verbal bridges are formed when keywords are repeated across the paragraph. "A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with" (Purdue OWL, 2007, para 8). This is a very good example of a topic sentence for a paragraph that describes the importance of the topic sentence. However, this need not necessarily be at the top of the paragraph. In a paragraph, transition sentences are used to connect ideas. A transition used at the end of a paragraph will help the idea flow easily to the next paragraph. Content is undoubtedly the most essential feature of writing, however, what makes the content presentable is grammar and mechanics. The mechanics deal with the conventional rules of writing while grammar with the forms of words and how they relate to each other. For example, using apostrophe in a plural or a singular word (boys' or boy's) is a matter of mechanics, not grammar. Also, choosing the right rhetorical strategy is essential for powerful writing. Exemplification is the strategy of using facts, and description is that of detailing (Shulman, 2004, para 2). Narration, process analysis, comparison, classification, definition, cause-effect analysis and argumentation are others that can be used in different appropriate combinations for different topics. Having chosen the topic, thorough research leads to in-depth knowledge which, again, adds conviction to your writing. Information can be gathered from what others have written (books, journals, etc.), said (interviews, discussions , etc.) and made (software, organizations, etc.) (Dix, 1997, para 16). You have to be aware of the limitations, authenticity and suitability of your chosen methodology. If written sources suit scientific research, it may be a survey that suits market research. The study of the techniques and strategies and the practical assignments have helped immensely in improving my writing from being just prosy to being more powerful, convincing, interesting and effective. References Dix, A, (1997). Research techniques. In Research and Innovation Techniques. Retrieved August 8, 2008, from http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/dixa/topics/res-tech/intro.html Shulman, L. E. (2004). Rhetorical strategies of essay writing. Retrieved August 8, 2008, from http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rhetoric.htm APA and Styles Academic writing is a result of in-depth research into already published sources, relevant references, logical interpretation and subjective summarization. There are several established and accepted styles for writing, the rules of which are to be diligently followed

Healthcare Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Healthcare Service - Assignment Example The vast services provided by the company consist of: brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, tracheotomy, long-term ventilator support, genetic neurological condition, Parkinson's disease, motor neuron disease, and palliative care needs. The centres primarily function to provide top notch assistance in the recovery of patients. Capio emphasises on the provision of comfort and maximisation of individual capabilities. To further improve its services, the company promotes unlimited duration regarding the recovery period necessitated by the patients. As a private healthcare provider, Capio is operated through investments. It is, therefore, logical for the administration to seek for higher profits. Basically, survival in the industry requires sufficient profits to ensure that operations are maintained. Meanwhile, the nature of the company suggests that managers have to provide their share. In fact, the efforts of managers in determining the problems and providing efficient solutions will determine the success of Capio. Although the company appears to have robust operations, there are several aspects that have to be analysed in the efforts to improve profitability. Indeed, strategies are required and plans are needed to set the firms in the right direction. Regularly, the clinical managers and finance executives gather to discuss profit enhancement schemes. Part of the meeting tackles the major concerns of the company specifically the detriment to high income. The highlights of the meeting detailed several alarming circumstances. Part of these is the rising cost in operating the centres. In this circumstance, the role of the manager is to appraise the situation and create possible measures to prevent and mitigate adverse effects. The manager has to constantly communicate with the different entities involved with the firm. Most instances suggest that problems have to be viewed holistically. This approach, however, appears to be limited as some concerns are better comprehended specifically. Overall, the manager has to ensure that the functions of the centre remain within the context of its existence while evolving to a profit driven section of the company (Davidmann, 1998). The manager is provided with several approaches to resolve the current demise. In particular, traditional methods appear to be effective boosting the revenues of the centre. Also, modern strategies are useful in increasing the profit of the centre (Blanchard, 1994). It has to be noted that the manager has to follow processes and procedures. In addition, cooperation derived from other entities of the company is a major boost in the profit maximisation initiatives. Primarily, the centre is concerned with the exceeding cost incurred because of the operations. The two major contributors to the increase are the staff cost and the medical consumable. Accordingly, the use of agency staff has increased the burden of the centre. In addition, medical consumables have increased by 64% compared with the figures registered during the previous year. Basically, these are problems that will adversely affect the outcome of the net profit. Increased costs both in materials and in labour are valuable reductions to the revenues obtained for the year. Other important aspects that were revealed as a result of an investigation involved procurement and stock management. Based on the results of the investigation, the procurement process is independent from the

Gender inequity in sports

Gender inequity in sports This essay will seek to describe the issue of women in sports, and discuss the reasons for this, with relevance to some of the concepts covered in this course. It will also go on to discuss the improvements and positives observed in recent years, and explore some other possible measures to improve the situation in the future. 2. Background In Ancient Olympics, competitive sports were masculine affairs. While males compete to show their prowess, women were prohibited to even watch competitions, much less compete. Quite simply, even in this day and age of supposed equality and meritocracy, sport still remains a male domain, especially on the community level. Even with improved opportunities and treatment, there is still an invisible barrier between sport and the everyday woman. In the next section, this essay shall explore some of the reasons for this situation. 3. Reasons 3.1 Introduction to Gender Ideology in sports The concept of ideology is one that we take for granted, or rather, something we do not even think about. It refers to the ideas and explanations we have been given since young, to explain personal and social life. We have been using our ingrained ideologies to make decisions and judgments ever since we could, without ever questioning or knowing them. In addition, Taylor (1994) mentioned that our identities are formed based on dialogical relations with our significant others. In other words, the complexities of our identities are not formed through cultural identification alone (monologic model) but through the interactions with people who are important to us. Gender, even more so than race or class, is a pivotal organizing factor in social life. While a persons sex is decided by physical characteristics such as genitalia, gender is a social construct formed and shaped by the society (James A. Banks).It is the fundamental way humans classify each other. Thus, we are especially reliant on gender ideology and it is extremely influential on how we organize our thoughts, actions and lives, and how parents bring up their offspring. The deep-rootedness of gender ideology means that everyone makes decisions based on it, from children, teenagers, parents to people in power. Gender ideology plays a big role in how sport has been carried out throughout the ages. The idea that men are supposed to be strong, aggressive, fast and competitive is reproduced in many sports. Conversely, women are not encouraged to play sports because the above traits are not associated with women (womens athletics: coping with controversy). Thus, a woman exhibiting the above traits would be going against the gender ideology that most people submit to, and this would make her an anomaly. A woman would have to cope not only with her community seeing her as not feminine, she also has to deal with lack of resources and financial support because her politicians also have the same ideology and do not support women in sport. Fortunately, the situation has considerably improved from the past. 3.2 Gender Ideology: dominance and stereotypes The fact that males are the dominant group is also accepted by most as part of their understanding of gender ideologies. This is correspondent to John Clammers point that social inequalities are seen as natural and hence not to be tampered with. Thus, sport has also suffered as a consequence of the dominant group pulling the strings and the subordinate group accepting it as it is. In the catalogue of marginality as discussed in Tatum (1997), gender is one of the categories of dominance and subordination. The dominant group, in this case male, are seen as the norm for sports. This element of identity is therefore taken for granted, giving males the power and authority to control females, who are members of the subordinate group. As a result, the inequities go unnoticed by the males. Furthermore, the stereotypical representations of the males may lead females to focus on their difference from the norm and lose belief in their own abilities and equal rights to sports. Tatums point about the catalogue of marginality is also relevant to the situation. Members of the dominant group, in this case males, take it for granted and do not notice the inequities. Whereas Tatum says that members of the subordinate groups, in this case females, further focus on their difference from the norm and lose belief in their abilities and equal rights to sports. Peoples submission to gender ideologies has led to the persistence of certain stereotypes. A simple example would be the one where girls are supposed to like pink and boys are not supposed to. This can be seen from the fact that the majority of girls schoolbags are sold in pink color, and boys bags can be in any other color but pink. This may seem harmless enough, but consider it that people also submit to the idea that boys like to do sports, girls do not. Or worse still, boys need to do sports to become manly, but girls do not need to, thus they do not need to do sports. This is a common idea perpetuated by many, unknowingly, due to their deep-rooted gender ideologies. As parents give a football to their sons and a doll to their daughters, they are again passing on the wrong message to their children. Although some may argue that parents are giving these gifts based on their childs interests, research has shown that girls and boys between the ages of six and nine are actually equal ly interested in sports. (XXX, intro section) The ideas that women are weak, vulnerable and susceptible have also led to other myths preventing women from taking part in sport. The media, another institution controlled by the dominant group in society, males, have assisted in perpetuating the following myths about women who play sports that they become unfeminine, develop eating disorders, suffer more knee injuries because of weaker female anatomy, and become lesbians. (XXX, intro section) These myths may sound ridiculous to the women of today, but these were real reasons women in the past were prevented from taking part in sport. And definitely, there are families around today who are not supporting their daughters sporting interests due to the fact that women are weak and should not be partaking in vigorous activity. Even within the sporting arena, less rough and less demanding sports were created for women e.g. netball and softball. In the case of netball, basketball was deemed too aggressive and manly, thus, a non-contact s port where players were not allowed to touch each other and leave their boundaries was created for women. Even if girls do persevere in sports, they often find themselves playing with boys and in the minority (need paraphrase). Based on the above circumstances mentioned, girls lack opportunities to play and develop motor skills. As a result, the rate of girls (by age 14) dropping out of sports is six times higher than boys. In such situation, boys do not positively reinforce the participation of girls. Clammer (?) hypothesized that reinforcing of the category race as the dominant mode of social classification is a product of the dominant ideology in Singapore. In this case, males are being reinforced Reinforcing of male as a dominant force in sport reinforces gender as a dominant mode of social classification. The creation and reinforcing of race as the dominant public mode of social classification is itself a product of the dominant ideology or political culture, which is strongly Chinese in its characteristics. 3.3 Gender ideology: Trivialization of women in sports The media, as described above, is another controlling arm of the dominant group in society, and has a big part to play in the trivialization of womens sports. Up till as recent as the 1990s, horses and dogs were accorded more column inches in US sports pages than women. And even now, 90 percent of all sports television hours are devoted to mens sports. Womens events are seen as less important and are less likely to be covered by the media. Only in major competitions such as the Olympic Games, or feminine events such as ice-skating and gymnastics, do we see the achievement of female athletes. And there is a lack of inspirational and positive stories about the triumph of female athletes. All too often, male reporters sensationalize stories of women athletes who challenge men, of women athletes being stabbed or abused, or of women athletes dying from eating disorders. Another way both the media and spectator trivialize womens sport, is seeing it as second rate because women do not have the same power and speed as men. People who persist in such ideas feel that since women cannot perform to the same physical standards as men, they do not deserve the same support. This is an example of how members of the dominant group dictate what the norm for humanity is (Tatum). Although top women athletes have also excelled in their sport through discipline, skill and finesse, some are still not according women with equal recognition. Charles Taylors point of misrecognition comes into focus here. In this case, those who are trivializing womens sport are not giving equal respect and dignity to women, though like men, they are also human beings. Womens efforts in sports are being misrecognised as inferior and not worthy of appreciation. 3.4 Gender Ideology: New factors The gender ideologies that privileged sport as an exclusive male domain and resigned women as weak are not as strong as in the past. However, gender ideologies about the general role of men and women in society are still hampering the progress of women in sport today. Consider a household in this day and age; typically, both husband and wife would be pursuing careers. And still, it is the wife who is the one who has to shoulder the responsibility of childcare and housekeeping. This means, during her limited free time, a working mother who may have the interest and inclination towards sports has to sacrifice her time for her household instead (Teo, 1999). The male in the household still has more freedom for athletic and leisure pursuits, due to the longstanding ideology that women are the housekeepers. 4. Improvements and positives As aforementioned in portions of the essay, the situation has improved considerably over the years. The global womens movement over the past thirty years has helped to challenge the traditional roles that women have and weakened male control over womens lives. The movement has also emphasized that womens lives are enriched when they develop themselves physically and intellectually. These ideas and changes have aided in emancipating women especially in developed nations, encouraging them to participate in and pursue sports. (sport in society) Specifically in the sports arena, there have also been leaps of improvement in the quest for equal rights. In the United States, since Title IX was passed in 1972, women have had a legal basis to push towards equity in college and high school sports. Of course, equity is still not a reality in terms of facilities, programs, funding, and media coverage. But there has been encouraging signs; participation, peer, and self-acceptance of womens sports have all increased in the past 10-15 years. (women, sport and culture). To cite a recent example, the Pakistani womens cricket team won Pakistans first Asian Games gold medal in eight years an achievement that would not have been possible if women in the country did not have decent access to sports (Chang, 2010). This milestone points to the need for even better reform of ideologies and better opportunities for women in developing countries. Achieving gender equity through a multicultural education Multicultural education is a reform process which features the importance of all students despite gender and other social categories having equal opportunity to school (Banks). Stereotypical gender differences in sports have denied girls participation in physical activities. In physical education context, a PE teacher has to understand that the dynamics of gender can influence ones knowledge of students. Failing to do so may result in simplistic prescription of pedagogy (Grant). Teachers being aware of stereotypical perceptions of females in sports can correct the misconception amongst girls that sports is not for them. This can be done through modifying their teaching approaches to encourage girls in class that they can also excel or benefit in sports. 5. Conclusion Although sport participation and the acceptance and support of female athletes has increased exponentially since the late 1970s, future increases are not a given And even now, the reality is that women in some societies still struggle against the traditional gender ideologies that hamper their participation in sport. In developed countries, gender inequities still exist in support, funding, and sport-related jobs. To further effect change, the gender ideologies that are related to sport must be put out onto the table and examined, before any subsequent action can be taken. (sports in society). Multicultural education is a platform for achieving greater gender equity in sports.