Thursday, July 23, 2009

LifeWay conference highlights special needs ministry

LifeWay conference highlights special needs ministry:

"The unreserved enthusiasm continued as class members answered Bible lesson questions during Special Friends Vacation Bible School, part of the special needs ministry track offered at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center during LifeWay’s The Power of the Connected Sunday School Conference (aka Sunday School Week) July 10-13.

'Have any of you ever shared Jesus with anyone?' asked teacher Jo Ann Banks.

'Yes!' replied adult learners who had disabilities ranging from intellectual disabilities to autism to genetic disorders.

'He died on the cross for our sins – so we could have eternal life,' said Rob Powell in his strong, outgoing, matter-of-fact voice. Powell, 39, has Williams syndrome."

Monday, July 6, 2009

Pulmonary Arterial Stent Implantation in an Adult with Williams Syndrome

Pulmonary Arterial Stent Implantation in an Adult with Williams Syndrome:

"We report a 38-year-old patient who presented with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction due to pulmonary artery stenoses as a manifestation of Williams syndrome, mimicking chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The patient was treated with balloon angioplasty and stent implantation. Short-term follow-up showed a good clinical result with excellent patency of the stents but early restenosis of the segments in which only balloon angioplasty was performed. These stenoses were subsequently also treated successfully by stent implantation. Stent patency was observed 3 years after the first procedure."

Friday, July 3, 2009

Parents of special-needs child focus on achievements | SouthCoastToday.com

Parents of special-needs child focus on achievements | SouthCoastToday.com:

"Providing early intervention for children with special needs is vitally important to their development. That intervention might include family-centered involvement with physical, occupational and speech therapy and the advice of a medical specialist, genetic counselor or educational psychologist. Many services are mandated by federal law and can help families lessen the impact of a child's disability.

'Research has shown that providing intensive services at the earliest age possible can offset the effects of disabilities,' says Christine Riley, an education advocate for Cape Cod and the Islands. 'The earlier the child is exposed to services, the less the chance that the disability will impact their education and their generalized functioning.'"