A boy plays in the sand box at the CPD's Developmental Playground.

Young children who come to the CPD have been enjoying our new Developmental Playground for some time now, but we officially broke it in this month with a dedication and ribbon cutting.

Nearly 100 people braved cold, rainy weather to come.  Many of them cooperated to make the playground possible. Landscape architects, occupational therapists and educators worked together to ensure that it would be more than fun; it would also encourage a child’s movement, speech, cognition and social development. Private donors contributed more than $15,000 toward its construction.

The vision for the new playground came from experts at the CPD who are well aware of the many benefits of play; how it stimulates physical and social development, fosters language, and even helps a restless child relax.

“We wanted it to be socially inclusive,” said Dr. Keith Christensen, an assistant professor in the Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department and a CPD Faculty Fellow. “It was designed for independence and learning, just to let these kids see how high they can climb.”

Everything—from the sandbox to the water elements to the plants that grow in the margins—was designed to encourage the development of the young children who receive services at the CPD. When the senses are stimulated, learning comes easier.

“We all deal with sensory stimulation in different ways. Some are much more sensitive than others,” said Amy Henningsen, an occupational therapist at the CPD.  “We can diagnose and treat kids with the type of input they need to help them mature in a functional way on this playground.”

Once again, we’d like thank all the donors who made this moment possible. And if you haven’t done so already, check out our Facebook photo album of the event. It shows off the play equipment and some adorable kids.

Madeline Gauthier's portrait is one of many photos that will be in the exhibit.

An exhibition of photographic art will feature families of Cache Valley children with autism spectrum disorder.  It is one of the faculty projects featured in the Utah State University Department of Art Faculty Exhibition beginning  Monday, February 28.

The collection of photos is entitled 1 in 110. It takes its name from the statistical probability that a child will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to a 2009 report from the Centers for Disease Control.

Most researchers agree that the causes of ASD must include an environmental component.  The effects of toxicity in the environment on human health have long interested Christopher Gauthier, an assistant professor of art and the photographer who created 1 in 110. In an invitation letter, Jacqueline and Christopher urged Utahns to support intervention programs provided by the CPD’s Up to 3 program. Their daughter, Madeline, is featured in the exhibit.

Also featured is the CPD’s Janel Preston, lead teacher in the ABC classroom. The ABC class is for families who have a child with an ASD diagnosis or are in the process of getting one.

The photos will be on display in the Fine Arts Visual Gallery 102 on the Utah State University campus from the evening of February 28 through March 25, as part of the Current Works of USU and CEU Art Faculty exhibit. The event begins with a reception from 5 to 7 pm on February 28, and it  is open to the public.  To find the gallery, go through the north entrance of the Fine Arts visual wing. Gallery 102 is the first door on the left.

Dax Drysdale also appears in 1 in 110.

Is your "things to do" basket overloaded? Here are some tasks you can delegate.

This summer, the CPD will begin posting “Take a Break” advice for caregivers of people with disabilities–or anybody who needs a relaxing thought for the week.

We’d like to thank Jeanie Peck for these snippets of wisdom. She provides mental health therapy for parents involved with the Up to 3 Early Intervention Program.

This week’s advice is to remember: You can’t do it all.

So if you feel restless or irritable, your energy is low, you’re unable to sleep or get out of bed, or you feel angry, resentful, frustrated or abandoned, remember the things you can delegate:

• Grocery shopping
• Laundry
• Vacuuming
• Changing bed linens
• Preparing  meals or cleaning up
• Cleaning the bathroom
• Taking out the trash
• Taking a family member for an outing
• Finding respite care

Or you can add your own ideas. Leave us a comment.

I sat in for an hour or two at the Up to 3 classroom in the CPD, and though the activities were for little tykes, I learned some new things. For example, they have this great, no-mess method for applying glitter.

Find out how they do it as they make a rainbow fish.

Step 1: Color your fish.

Step 2: Paint with glue.

Step 3: Put your fish in an oatmeal can that has been cleaned out and partially filled with glitter. Seal and shake...

until there you go! Your fish is finished. You'll want to let it dry before you touch it, though.

The proposed developmental playground is the first of its kind for children ages 0 to 5.

Check out the latest CPD NewsFlash newsletter, featuring a  a proposed developmental playground for children with developmental delays.

The newsletter also tells the story of a dedicated team of people working to raise awareness about traumatic brain injury. Finally, the links to the right document the recognition CPD programs and people have received in other media.