No Man Is An Island! My Dad and I have a running schtick where we remind each other, on a far too regular basis, "No man is an island." (okay, it's not funny to anyone but my dad and I). Truly though, no man IS an island and many of our children have very similar counterparts all over the world. I know in talking with many of you, that you can feel alone and frustrated and that you and your children may never see another person who uses a communication device. I've been thinking for a long time that it would be great to help foster the community of AAC users and their families. There are several options for you to start meeting people just like you (not Match.Com- but still...). Click here for some ideas we've come up with recently!

FoggyRock.Com: Foggy Rock is a parent-run website that is designed for families, friends, and professionals of people with autism. Every participant has their own webpage and the ability to post and share information with others. There is a lot of good information on this website. I'd encourage you to check it out if you have friends with autism! (shared with us by Kellie Roberts, Chad's mom!)

Autism Awareness Cards: Dimensions Therapy Center in Davie, Florida, is offering beautiful cards, personalized with your child's name for free to parents. These cards offer a brief explanation of your child's condition and difficulty with wait times and communication. A quick way to give people in the community a "heads up" and help out our parents in difficult situations. Click here for the details. submitted by Tina Bauer, Katie's mom, from an email from Heidi Fernandez (thanks ladies!)

Medicaid Funding Information: "Understanding the Medicaid Waiver: A Practical Guide for Families and Individuals with Developmental Disabilities".

The United Healthcare Children's Foundation is offering support to meet the needs of children nationwide with assistance grants for medical services not fully covered by health insurance. Parents and caretakers across the country will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000.00 for health-care services that will help improve their children's health and quality of life. Examples of the types of medical services covered by the foundation grants include speech therapy; physical therapy and psychotherapy sessions; medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids and eye-glasses, and orthodontic and dental treatments.

"The United Healthcare Children's Foundation has already helped more than 375 families and provided nearly $1 million in financial assistance ", said Foundation President Matt Peterson. "We are excited about the expansion of the program and look forward to the opportunity to help many more children have access to healthcare services that will enhance their health and quality of life."

To be eligible for the grants, children must be 16 years old or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, live in the U.S. and be covered by a commercial health insurance plan. For more information, click here.