11-year-old charged with stepbrother's death - WDAM - Channel 7 - Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel

An 11 year-old boy in Indiana has been charged with murdering his 6 year-old stepbrother, who was shot in the head. As I sit here trying to write my thoughts on this story, I am just shaking my head, baffled at what could cause this to happen with children this young. If it was intentional, how on earth can an 11 year-old become like that? Whether it was intentional or not, why did an 11 year-old have access to a gun and ammunition? Link to story below.

11-year-old charged with stepbrother's death - WDAM - Channel 7 - Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel

Will Casey Anthony's Parents Divorce?

When the dust settles from the "not guilty" verdict from the murder trial and people take a break from expressing their opinions as to whether Casey Anthony was guilty or innocent, and whether the jury did the right thing, she and her family will have to get on with the rest of their lives.

What will their lives look like?

Casey Anthony will most likely be drummed out of any place she tries to live. After accusing her father of molesting her, and accusing her mother of leaving the pool ladder up and causing the child's alleged drowning, she is not likely to be welcome at her parents' house. She will probably write a book, not that anyone will believe anything she says in it.

But what about her family?

Her parents have to live the rest of their lives being known as the parents of the person many people believe got away with murdering her own little girl. Their faces have been plastered all over the television and internet. It will be a long time before they can even go to the grocery store in peace.

The stress they have endured, of their grandchild dying and a notorious public trial, as well as the accusations their daughter made against them,is almost mind-boggling. Would your marriage survive this? Many marriages do not. It is a tragedy that many families end up in divorce when they have endured this level of stress. Just when they need each other the most, they are pulled apart. How many of us would survive having our private lives on display for the entire world to see?

The Four Worst Words a Man Can Say During Divorce

Do you think you know the four worst words a man can say during divorce? No, not that one, or that one, or the other one. None of the four words are hateful or name-calling. Read this interesting article to find out why "I just want out" are the four worst words a man can say during divorce. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-t-pisarra/welcome-to-the-danger-zon_b_852806.html?ncid=wsc-huffpost-cards-headline

Is Marriage Obsolete?

Some people say that divorce rates have stopped rising. This may be true, but to get to the true picture of what is going on, we need to look at the state of relationships today. Many people in their 20s and 30s are just not getting married. If you don't get married, then you don't have to go through divorce. Perhaps they saw their parents go through an ugly divorce - perhaps they were put in the middle of that divorce. They may have sworn they would never do that to their child, and that they would never go through a contentious divorce, so they just never got married. If you look around at your friends and family, what do you see? How many people are in long-term stable "family relationships" - whether that means being married or living together? How does this compared with 10, 20, 30 years ago in your circle of friends and family?

Today's Divorce = Separate Bedrooms

For many people in today's economy, the closest they can afford to come to divorce is separate bedrooms. When one spouse is unemployed, they do not want to go out on their own, and the other spouse does not want to risk having to pay maintenance (alimony). People used to sell the house and split the equity, which would make it possible for each one to start a new life. Now, people owe more than their houses are worth, they can't sell their houses, and they can't qualify for a mortgage on their own. So they stay together as roommates with separate bedrooms, biding their time until the economy turns around so they can afford to get divorced. In other words, they are miserable.

HACKER ALERT!

Some jerk hacked into my email account today and sent out messages to people in my address book, saying that I was in London, had been robbed at gunpoint and needed money. PLEASE disregard that stupid email - I did NOT send it! I have anti-virus and anti-hacker software on my email account, but apparently it did not work. I heard it could have something to do with the fact that AOL and Facebook are now somehow connected, and that this is happening to alot of people.

Click here: Link to my new Autism inspirational quotes book on Kindle

Health Insurance Reform Legislation and Divorce

Does anyone actually understand how the new health insurance legislation will affect families with special needs children, when going through or after divorce? How should the issue of health insurance be handled in these cases, in light of the new legislation?

Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action conference

Last week I spoke at the national conference for the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action, in Kansas City. I was quite impressed. There was a wealth of information presented. At the time slot during which I spoke, there were 15 sessions running.

I speak at many conferences. Seldom have I been as impressed by the organization and professionalism as I was at this conference. I recommend that you check out their future conferences.

New Autism Kindle Book

My new book has just launched on Amazon as a Kindle book! "Awesome Autism Quotes: Inspiration, Humor & Reflections."

Let's Change the Legal System for our Families!

I am finally seeing some other lawyers getting on board with helping families of special needs children when those families are going through divorce. Lawyers are beginning to see the vast numbers of people who need specialized help on these cases. These lawyers are educating themselves and becoming aware of the unique needs of these families. Slowly but surely, we will change the legal system.

Good Divorce Lawyers for Special Needs Cases

If you are going through divorce and someone in your family has a disability or special need, you need a lawyer who can understand those issues and how they should be taken care of in your divorce case. If you don't have a lawyer in your area who has experience in divorce and disabilities, look at your court's list of approved Guardian ad Litem attorneys for divorces and guardianships. These lawyers frequently handle cases involving disabilities, so they will "speak the language" as well as have some familiarity with how disabilities can impact a person's life.

New Book

I have written another book to help when divorce lawyers are handling cases involving special needs children. The law book I wrote for the lawyers and judges, The Special Needs Child and Divorce, was published in April 2009 by the American Bar Association. It is just now available on Amazon.

The newest book is a guide for parents. Divorce and the Special Needs Child: A Parent Guide is being published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Jessica Kingsley Publishers is the world's leading publisher of autism and special needs books. The publication date for this book is June 15, 2010. JKP has already placed it on Amazon for pre-orders.

These families are finally getting the resources they need to get a fair shake when their families go through divorce!

I'll Be Speaking at Conferences in Chicago area, Tulsa and Oklahoma City in July 2009

I will be speaking at the national conference of the Autism Society of America on Friday, July 24 from 12:45 - 2 pm, on the subject of Child Custody and Child Support in Divorce with a Child with Autism. The conference will be in St. Charles, Illinois, about an hour outside of Chicago. People can get more information at ASA's website: www.autism-society.o rg

Also, I will be speaking on this topic at Oklahoma State Bar Association seminars in the Oklahoma City area on Thursday, July 16 and in Tulsa on July 17.

I am trying very hard to reach out to our families and let them know there is now help for them - and I am working hard to educate the lawyers and judges about our families and what they need.

These seminars and conferences are also a good way for people from around the country to get to talk to me in person and ask me questions. My son, who emerged from autism at age 8, will be traveling with me to these 3 speaking engagements. We are trying to spread a message of hope, which is so desperately needed. Please help me spread the word so our families can finally start to get better results from the family court system. Thank you!

The Special Needs Child and Divorce - my new book

I have not posted anything for quite some time. There has been a very good reason for that. I have been busy researching and writing my new book - The Special Needs Child and Divorce. The book is published by the American Bar Association, one of the leading legal publishers in the world.
The book just launched on April 24, 2009, and I am on a whirlwind of speaking engagements. There is so much need for the information contained in the book. I am thrilled to be able to get the information into the hands of families who have special needs children and are going through divorce. I am also traveling across the United States educating lawyers and judges about this important material. This book explains what special needs are, how they affect special needs children when their families are going through divorce, and how the courts and lawyers need to handle these cases in a different way to meet the unique needs of special needs children and their families. A CD is included with the book, that contains many printable forms, samples, pleadings, checklists and other helpful materials for use when families with special needs children are going through divorce. The CD also contains an extensive printable glossary that can be taken along to court or to depositions for handy reference.
As this book is becoming known throughout the legal community and the special needs community, I am being called upon to serve as an expert witness and/or as a consultant on divorce cases all over the United States. I help lawyers and families by evaluating the medical records, therapy notes, IEPs, 504 Plans, and I write reports or testify with recommendations as to the best plan for the special needs child in the divorce process.
Click here for the link to the book, The Special Needs Child and Divorce.

Autism Conference in Los Angeles - SUMMIT 2007

There will be an Autism Conference in Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday, October 5 and 6, 2007 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California. The conference is called SUMMIT 2007 and is sponsored by The Help Group, www.thehelpgroup.org. You may register online at that site. The conference is described as a "cutting edge conference for parents and professionals." It will feature the latest breakthroughs in research and treatment and autism, learning disabilities and a Ph.D. from some of the United States’ leading experts. There will be more than 20 presentations including:
1. The Early Signs of Autism: a Developmental Pediatrician’s Perspective
2. Thinking about Diagnosis and Intervention with Very Young Children Suspected of Having Autism Spectrum Disorder
3. The Science and Fiction of Autism
4. What Are Older Teens and Young Adults with Asperger's Disorder and High Functioning Autism Doing? How Are They Faring?
5. Recognizing and Treating the "Unfocused Mind" in Children with ADHD and Other Disorders
6. Best Practices for the Remediation of Reading Disabilities

Autism and Divorce

Autism affects 1.5 million people in the United States. The divorce rates for families with special needs is about 90%. When these families go through the process of divorce, the courts need to give extra attention to the special needs of the individuals involved in the divorce. A cookie-cutter approach does not meet the serious needs of these families. Standard visitation schedules, parenting plans, child support calculations and other forms need to be tailored for these families.

Mother Lost Fight Over Soldier Son's Body, Killed in Iraq

Renee Amick's son, Army Staff Sgt. Jason Hendrix, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on February 16, 2005. Renee sued to get custody of his remains to bury them in California. She lives in California. Jason left no will, and the Army rule is to give the remains to the eldest surviving parent when there is no will, no spouse and no surviving child. Jason's father, Russell Hendrix,is 48 years old; Renee is 45. The Army gave Jason's remains to Russell, who lives in Oklahoma. Russell and Renee divorced in 1991 and Russell was awarded custody of Jason. In April, Jason was buried in Oklahoma, in a plot next to his father's father, a former Marine. Renee wanted Jason's remains exhumed and sent to California to be re-buried there. The judge ruled that Jason should remain buried in Oklahoma. He wrote, "The testimony of the mother appeared forced and contrived. The tears were not genuine." There are two similar cases pending in Nevada and Michigan. For more information, see .

Autism Can Be Treated

A 10 year-old boy from St. Louis, Missouri has proven that autism can be treated. This boy, Samuel Price Zoole, is my son. His story was aired recently on KSDK, the St. Louis NBC affiliate and the story also appeared on KSDK.com. He was diagnosed with autism at age 3. A local pediatric neurologist strongly urged us to institutionalize him. Instead we took him to the Judevine Center for Autism, where he received intensive therapy. He also received intensive therapy and intervention at his public school, Old Bonhomme Elementary in the Ladue School District, and through Special School District. Judevine, Old Bonhomme and the Special School District worked together to help Sam to such an extent that he has beaten autism! Their work should be used as a model for other schools to follow. A well-respected pediatric neurologist has stated that Sam no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for autism. If you met Sam today, you would not believe that he ever had autism. He is now an A and B student in school, scored 99th %ile nationally in science and is taking flying lessons to get a pilot's license. THERE IS HOPE FOR AUTISM!! If you know someone with autism, please tell them Sam's story. They need to know there is hope. To read his story, see http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=75744.

Martha - the Ultimate Phoenix

Martha Stewart can make a table arrangement out of pipe cleaners and paper clips, but this time her creativity has exceeded even her previous bounds. Somehow she has caused America to actually like her - and she did it by going to prison. Are we enjoying the fact that the high-and-mighty Martha who was generally disliked got her come-up-ance? Perhaps we feel she got her just desserts (pun intended) - like when the schoolyard bully gets his swirlie. So, Dr. Phil, are you getting this? New way for people who are generally disliked to change the public's perception of themselves - go to prison! For more info on Martha's return to glory, see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7068355.